Category: Love

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The only thing that counts

[The Glory Unveiled]

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. [ Galatians 5:6 NIV ]

“The only thing that counts” means exactly that. Numerous distractions vie for our attention and time, but they hold no significance in the grand scheme of things. Love and faith, when combined, work wonders. They form a crucial duo playing a vital role in our redemption. God demonstrated love by sending His Son to atone for our disobedience, bearing our punishment upon Himself. In response, we are called to express faith. Through faith, we consent to spiritual matters, and the outcomes often depend on whether we grant permission or not. Our faith is most powerful when driven by love. Unfortunately, faith can lie dormant when not rooted in love. Love provides purpose and velocity to God’s work. For instance, consider the paralyzed man carried by four friends who, out of love, made a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was. Touched by their love, Jesus healed the man. When faith intertwines with love, nothing obstructs its path to success. God, being love, approves our endeavors when infused with love. In the life of a believer, faith and love are paramount. Many experiences of believers revolve around faith and love. Without love, their faith confessions and attitudes may be deemed hypocritical. Let love guide our faith, recognizing that, in the believer’s life, the only things that truly count are faith and love.

Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me that the way of faith is love. Help me to love at all times.

Wisdom_Quote: Let love take the lead in your faith pursuit.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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The mind settings of Christ

[The Glory Unveiled]

“And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation.” [ Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬ ]

The Lord Jesus set an example for us with His life. While on earth in the flesh, He had His free will which was independent of the will of God like everyone of us. This means He could do whatever He wanted or what God wanted. However, at every moment, only one will could be given the opportunity to express itself; the will of God or His own will. The Lord Jesus chose throughout His life to forbid his will from being expressed. He gave the wheel to God to express His will through Him in all things. He practically relinquished His right to the controls that determined which will was being displayed. He abandoned His will, down to the minutest thing and the tiniest second; whatever He did was determined by God. That is the example He left for us. If we allow His mindset to motivate us, we can live in this body, in this world as if Jesus were actually living through us. In the body of the born-again believer is their will and the will of Jesus. Each of us will have to make a choice at every point, and whatever choice we make gives permission to which will would be in control. We can choose to sit behind the wheel of our own lives or hand over the controls to Jesus, as He did with the Father; the choice is ours to make. The apostle Paul encourages us today to allow ourselves to be motivated by the mindset of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can only emulate the Lord Jesus’ example when we are motivated by His mindset. Unless we have His mindset, we cannot have his example and results. His life is the product of His mindset, which is allowing God to live through Him.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for the privilege to have your mindset. Help me to live for you in all things.

Wisdom_Quote: The mindset of Jesus produces His lifestyle.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Start with agreement

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Two people will not walk together unless they have agreed to do so.” ‭‭[ Amos‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭ERV‬‬ ]

So many people want to walk with other people who have not agreed to walk with them. Inevitably, they discover along their journey that they are not headed the same destination, and then part ways. But if such people had agreed from the onset, they would have saved themselves loads of pain and suffering. Unfortunately, many times, many people assume that the other person understand them or are going where they are headed without properly agreeing or finding out their end goal. Agreement is very important if anything will grow from one level to the other and be sustained through a long period of time. Usually, agreements happen when there is clarity of purpose and that purpose is communicated in a manner that well understood and not misconstrued. To move forward, to excel, or to succeed in any field requires planning. Hence, without proper planning, no two people can move together even if they already have the desire to do so. Every future is birthed in the labour ward of agreement between parties. Nothing with a future can be sustained except there is agreement. In other words, nothing long lasting happens independently. Human relationships are intended to last through our stay on earth, hence the need for agreement. Agreement is like yoking two oxen together. Without the yoke [the reason for agreement], both oxen will go separate ways. And so, for the parties in a relationship not to head to separate directions, agreement is necessary before they set out. A husband and his wife can only head towards a predetermined goal except they had first agreed and brought themselves under the yoke of that agreement. Don’t assume, find out and be sure of your destinations.

Prayer_Bead: Father, thank you for this eternal truth. Help me to agree with anyone You have intended for me to walk with. Let them agree with me too. In Jesus’ name.

Wisdom_Quote: Assumption is the reason why two people heading to a place arrive at different locations.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Witnesses of God’s love

[The Glory Unveiled]

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. [ Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV ]

Anytime the visible and invisible attributes of God are on parade in the earth realm, His love always stands in the front row. Imagine a teacher setting exams for his students and then pointing at the correct answer and urging the students to choose it. That is exactly what God did in the scripture above. God gives us two alternatives to a proposition and then brings in two witnesses to witness the process. And yet, in front of these witnesses, He shows and urges us to choose the best option from the alternatives. This is a rooftop-level kind of love. God does not want us to die even though His justice has put laws in place which when broken can break us or lead us into very dangerous experiences of death. But His love is louder and closer than any other thing. You see, almost every artist likes to display their most important works. Those works are somewhat a portrait [reflection] of themselves, their values and beliefs. God, the artist of artists, did same when He openly displayed His love and affection for us. Before principalities and thrones, He announced through His son, how much He loved us. The angels and heavenly beings were astonished. They wondered at what God was doing. In fact, David asked the question that might have plagued their minds as it did his, “what is man, that you are mindful of him?” (Psalms 8:4). He took notice of how God was so distinguishably intentional about man and then He posed the question. Even creation bear witness of the love of God for us, in that they were sent ahead of us to make our lives simple and comfortable. No wonder the Bible says that we have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Now, the ball is in our court. What will we choose before the witnesses, in view of God’s immense love?

Prayer_Bead: Dear Father and Lover of all mankind, thank you for the affectionate display of your love by urging me to choose life with you.

Wisdom_Quote: Love is the backdrop of God’s visible attributes.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.

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Over and Above

[The Glory Unveiled]

“Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]–“ [ Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ AMPC‬‬ ]

Love is the attribute that underscores every gesture of God towards humanity. In the verses before our focal text, the apostle Paul had prayed for his readers that they may be grounded and established in love; to understand the vastness of the love of Christ. So that like them, when we understand the depth and height of God’s love, we will never doubt God’s mighty power to work in us to accomplish all and more than our greatest requests, our most unbelievable dreams, and even exceed our wildest imaginations. He will outdo whatever records there are. He will do, over and above what is considered normal. All this is linked to the power of God’s love at work in us. The working power of God’s love compels Him to do superabundantly, far beyond whatever distance our expectations could reach. But why is all this important for us to know. It is importance for our comfort and faith in the Lord. If we understand the love of God—it’s depth and weight—we will not be moved by happenings around us nor the things that seems to question the power of our God. This was why Paul prayed for the Ephesians to come to the knowledge of the love of Christ. Love covers multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8) sometimes by ignoring all allegations and accusations. The love of God carries in its multifaceted nature, mercy and grace. A good understanding of this love dismisses doubt and anxiety. Leaning on the love of God eliminates every seed of fear and doubt and provides blessed assurance and hope, with proactive faith in God’s faithfulness. Be rest assured, by the consequences of God’s mighty power in us, He is doing more than we hoped for, to the glory of His name.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for its power at work in me, doing exceedingly more than I prayed for, to the glory of your name.

Wisdom_Quote: Love is God’s canvas for displaying His glorious attributes.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.