Good morning! As we end this series on His Love, let us be mindful of all that has happened in 2021. Yet there is so much more we can cover as this is a subject that cannot be exhausted. We have focused the last few months on what is the mainstream of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, we read of love and its definition and a God that is love. We see in the pages hope for a better life and a future not filled with despair but one of heroes and conquerors. How to proceed forward and not get stuck in our past. 

The great part of what we are challenged with is that it didn’t end in the writing, it continues through each believer. We can choose not to submit to emotions, but to a love that surpasses all understanding. A love that says despite how I am treated, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” A love that looks at those who stone us and sees beyond them into the heavens, into Jesus. Let the focus of our love be Jesus, with our eyes remaining on Him, we can love the unlovable. 

We remember that “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son.” We remember the attributes of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Furthermore, we are reminded that love never fails. We are reminded to love our enemies, that there is no greater power than love. Yet in all that, we are challenged each day to put those reminders into action. To turn the other cheek, to be patient and kind, and not to expect anything even when others reject our love. 

2021 has been a challenging year in so many ways. The focus of the last few months was to encourage us that love has its place in the life of the rich and the poor, the sick and the well, the hurt and those who hurt. If I could summarize everything in a few words, it would be that there is no limitation to love and the only limitation is to the extent of the love we have mastered. 

1Thessolonians 3:11-13 KJ2000 “Now God himself even our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you; To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” 

It’s fitting to end the year with these words written by a man who had zeal but did not yet understand the power of love. One who mistakes his religious zeal for a mission to destroy those who did not think as he did, nor was born with the same gifting. Paul like many of us must be reminded that it is through God the Father, through Jesus Christ, that we are directed. Only when He directs our path is there a future and a hope and true love. That our love grows toward one another first and then towards all men. That phrase “all men” is inclusive of those who are different from us and those who don’t quite know how yet to love. The hope, in all that we have learned, is that it will grow(abound) more and more. Can that be our prayer leaving 2021? 

Beyond the losses we have experienced, beyond the strife in our lives and families, beyond the fears of allowing the walls of separation that we tend to believe protect us from hurt from others. Beyond the physical and emotional barriers that would separate us. Let us focus on the good we did experience. The memories of joy, even if we lost loved ones. To forever be thankful for the opportunity that we shared a moment in time with each person that crossed our path. 

Now that we understand that “nothing can separate us from this love height nor depth, angels, principalities, things above or beneath”. Let there be a commitment in all that we have studied, read, and experienced in 2021. Let it direct our way into the future of 2022 and beyond. 

As stated above, as you abound in love, “… To the end, He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” Let Him establish our hearts. It has always been a symbol in most cultures that the heart is a representation of love. We write I ❤️ you and it is understood. 

Let it be written as in times of old, in the year 2021, the year of our Lord, it came to pass. May the hope of “THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2022” change us along the journey, to reap fruit and to plant seeds that bring forth more fruit. 

May the Lord richly bless you and wrap you in the love that comes through Christ Jesus. May the overflow of that love touch the lives of many as you are reminded in the midst of the battle that LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Good morning! It is almost the new year. Do you feel at times that your love is tested? As we began the journey along this path, we knew there were obstacles, but the obstacles helped us explore areas of our life we had not been challenged by. What if there were those along the journey that would be used to determine the sincerity of our love? Deuteronomy 13:1-3 NET “Suppose a prophet or one who foretells by dreams should appear among you and show you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder should come to pass concerning what he said to you, namely, “Let us follow other gods” – gods whom you have not previously known – “and let us serve them.” You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer, for the LORD your God will be testing you to see if you love him with all your mind and being.” Wait, someone can come and tell us something true, but the intent is to take us on another path, but the person is being used by God to test our love to him? We must not listen to the words of that prophet because it will cause us to fail the test! 

Imagine as difficult as this journey has been even after we have been fully persuaded there are still things that can distract us. Now the solution is simple and the safe path revealed in the scriptures above. God wants “to see if you love him with all your mind and being.” 
There are three verses that God tells us to love Him with all our heart and soul. 

• Deuteronomy 30:6 KJ2000 “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.” 
• Joshua 22:5 KJ2000 “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 
• Matthew 22:37 KJ2000 “Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 

Throughout this journey, we have received keys to ensure we stay on the right path. Those keys encourage us to stay the course and give us the insight to love. Again, love is not only emotional or calculated or even rehearsed. Love is a 100 percent commitment of the heart, mind, and soul. Love requires your entire being, and nothing can be withheld. All or nothing is what I’m hearing in this test. Love can have no reservations, and either you are in it or out of it. If you have reservations or even options when the test comes you will choose and usually choose from the mind or the heart and not involve the soul. 

He tests not those around us, but He tests us. The greatest part of being tested by a true instructor is that they are not looking to fail you, but they are testing you so that you can be corrected or even receive partial credit. My math teacher taught me to always show my work. When you show your work when the teacher is examining your results, they can show you where you made an error. We will make errors in judgment and even follow the wrong individuals on the path. Knowing this, I must say SHOW YOUR WORK. Show your work with all your heart, all your mind, all your being, and as Moses states, “you may live.”

The reward of living a life of love is just that, life. Without love, there is no living, just existing. We miss the joy that is before us.  I want to encourage you to show your work by loving God and those around you. You have not experienced life until you have surrendered to love and passed the test. Remember, don’t look at someone else's answer, that is cheating and will cause you to be disqualified. That is the prophet or dreamer that distracts you on your journey. They may have what seems to be the right answer, but it is not the answer you are looking for. 

God bless you, my beloved

Every morning as I have shared my devotions with you, it has been a wonderful journey. Some days the journey has been more challenging than others. There have been days you may have said I can’t take another challenge or that this is too difficult. I must admit that it is different and takes a renewed mind to learn to love our enemies and to forgive those who have not met our expectations. It is hard to love those we are in covenant with such as friends, family, spouses, and church family. I want to encourage you this morning with the words of Paul to the church at Thessalonica. 2Thessolonians 1:3 KJ2000 “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds;” A different version of the same 2Thessalonians 1:3 Easy English “You are like brothers and sisters to us, and we ought to thank God because of you always. We should thank him because you are learning to believe Christ more and more. And each of you is loving each of the other Christians more and more.” 

One commentator wrote this, “Their faith multiplied, and their love abounded: and this was not the case with some distinguished characters only; it was the case with every one of them.” The encouragement that Paul received was each one in the church grew, not just a few. In a pandemic, the surrounding atmosphere affects everyone. We have an ever-increasing awareness of our loved ones during these periods. How we care for one another, pray for one another, and sacrifice for one another. This is not just a few, but for every one of you who loves His appearance. We are all impacted no matter what precautions we take and what preventative measures we implore. 

I have seen good things come from such challenges and a more thought-provoking journey with those around us. Truly, the challenges have changed the way we think toward one another and allowed growth in and around us. Remember love is the first fruit mentioned in Galatians and in Corinthians we are told that the greatest thing is love. We are told the world lacks love and Christians are no longer the source of that love. We are told that it has no place in our lives and must be guarded and gingerly given. 

Each day, as I read your responses to the devotions, I am assured love is as much alive and needed today as when it was first shared with mankind. Though we see the cruelty and lack of love since the time of Cain and Abel, we also see the love and grace shared in each book from Genesis to Revelation. Continue to love even when it does not seem to make a difference. You may say, “What’s the point?” The point is that not only are a few affected by your choice to love, but all are affected. Even those who reject the love. 

In closing, I’m reminded of Judas that betrayed Jesus. The love shown to him was so impacting that even in his demon-possessed state, he realized and regretted his actions. Love made a difference as he threw down the rewards of betrayal and realized he had truly been loved. You see beloved we never know the impact our love has on others nor the conviction of the hearts of those we come in contact with. You all have a field to plant to grow fruit worthy of your calling and to now make a difference. Then the words written by Paul will be true in our lives as well. “And the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds; (y el Amor de cada uno de ustedes hacia los demás abunda)” More and More. (Más y más.). 

God bless you, my beloved.

​Love is the greatest power in heaven and on earth. The following scripture in the book of Numbers is an exchange of conversation between Moses and God. Numbers 14:17-18 EasyEnglish “But now, I am praying. And I am asking you to show how powerful you are. Please do as you promised to do. You said, I, the LORD, do not get angry easily. My people can trust me to love them very much always. I forgive people if they sin. And I forgive them if they do not obey me. But I do punish people for the wrong things that they do. And I do say that people’s children, their grandchildren, and their grandchildren’s children are guilty because of their sin.” We are preparing to begin a new year, and as a reminder, we must keep in front of us the love that God has for His people. I particularly want to make note of the attributes God speaks of as it relates to His power. 

First, He does not easily anger. We can take a course in this one. When we are disappointed, anger seems to be the first emotion that is portrayed. But if we can grasp that to not get angry is a show of power and an act of love how much progress will we make on the journey. 

The second powerful action is trust. The ability to be trusted even when we are the ones at fault and to know God’s trust is uncompromising. Note those who He loves understand that trust and know even when it is undeserved. 

The next and most challenging is that of forgiveness. He forgives even when we don’t obey. In a fallen kingdom, that is an attribute of love that is hard to understand and believe. The power and freedom that come with forgiveness show the real power in love. How often we can cut off or no longer love those who disappoint us. Now someone would immediately say that this is not power but weakness.  

Any punishment for some is also not considered love but look at the verse. “But I do punish people for the wrong things that they do.” Anger must be controlled, trust maintained and forgiveness extended to show true power, but along with that our Father will punish us for the wrong things we do. The consequences are visited in the form of iniquities on our children and grandchildren and our great-grandchildren. In light of the punishment, before we transition from this year to the next can the challenge be to walk in the power that was given and shown to us and give and show it to others. 

In the conversation between God and Moses, others were watching. The nations around were watching God and how He dealt with His people. How much more are people watching us and how we deal with those we love. Whether in the words of Job, David, or any of the Bible prophets, the mercy (LOVE) extended is beyond any power known to man. This power can stop disputes, end wars, and reunite families. The power of Trust, Forgiveness, and controlling anger is the act of showing the power of love. Think of all those who have disappointed you in this year, those who you no longer believe deserve your trust or forgiveness, then in the act of true power, love them. 

Moses started this conversation in prayer. Can we also pray as it relates to those, we have been given the privilege to demonstrate love to? Nelson Rockefeller quoted, “The most powerful force on Earth is love.” Take the time today to exercise the power within you and to show it in the forms listed above.  God bless you, my beloved. Have a great day.

Good morning. Let us pick up today where we left off on the journey in Galatians 5:22 KJ2000 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.” There is a “no detour zone” on this journey as we enter in to get to our destination. 

Fruit defined is the sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains a seed and can be eaten. As we enter into a winter season naturally, we recognize that fruit consist of seeds inside but a fleshy outer garment. Now, this should help many of us as we recognize that we still have a flesh nature and that fruit has both the outer and inner parts. Don’t be so critical of the place you have come but know that on the journey of producing good edible fruit germination must take place. 

The definition of germination is the development of a plant from a seed or spore after a period of dormancy. To produce more fruit, a tree drops its fruit to the ground, where the flesh must die to allow the seed to be nourished and take root to produce more fruit. Please be aware, for those who are impatient, that a waiting period is necessary to allow the outer protective layer to be pulled away. To protect the seed from harmful elements, there is an outer layer. There are harmful elements that will cause the seeds planted to die and not produce fruit. Paul said, in Galatians 5:24 KJ2000 “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” So, to be able to produce more love, the flesh must die to allow the seed that must be planted to germinate. The seed then must be prepared properly to be planted in the soil. We must remember that any soil will not do, but only fertile soil allows the planted seed to reproduce after its kind. When you plant an apple seed, you get an apple tree, not an orange tree. Therefore, when you plant a seed of love it will reproduce love. 

God planted that seed in us after much trial to bring forth a fresh harvest. Did you realize the tree that produces the seed never enjoys the fruit of the seedling? But, it does get to see the seedling grow under the protection of its branches. The seed of love planted in the fertile heart will reproduce the outer covering which, again, must be removed to allow the seed to grow. The trials we experience are the tools that crucify the flesh (the outer covering) and allow the plant to grow. Now a young plant typically may produce much fruit, but it’s the older mature plant that will produce the best-tasting fruit. 

Hopefully, you are getting this and are rejoicing in the fact that the fruit that is being produced is not in vain. You may not be where you think you should be in your love fruit journey. You may even look at other people's fruit, which seems to be producing more fruit.  I must encourage you to stay the course and as you are matured, the fruit of love that comes forth will not only be greater but also sweeter to those who eat from your plant. I am excited as we continue this course in this winter season to allow the flesh to die that the seed planted can take root. 

Here is the encouraging part, the love we have planted will allow others to eat from our tree and grow their own fruit. Although flesh will be involved with those we come into contact with, eating the fleshy part of our fruit will cause them to grow and allow their own fruit to take root. That love planted, not the outer part but the seed, allows the fruit to grow. Fruit of the Spirit produces more fruit, and the greatest is LOVE.

 Have a wonderful weekend, love much, plant many seeds of love, and then watch the seedlings grow. God bless you, my beloved.

​Good morning. The word for today is short this morning, but oh the expansion of this word for tomorrow will be well worth it. Galatians 5:22 KJ2000 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith”. We walk away today understanding all the fruit of the Spirit and understand love is a fruit. It is the first mentioned, and for those breakfast eaters out there, it is a spiritual fruit salad. 

Today’s simple challenge is to remind yourself of the fruit you possess and know that it is yours. The lead for tomorrow and end for today is in this verse, Galatians 5:24 KJ2000 “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. THE FLESH AND THE AFFECTION FOR THE LUST ARE POWERLESS AGAINST LOVE.” 
Look forward to exploring this more tomorrow. God bless you, my beloved.

​Good morning. What a great day to have the opportunity to walk in the land of the living and to see the many miracles that are performed on our behalf because of love. Paul, in his encouragement to Timothy, gave him a warning that is well worth our attention as it relates to the display of love in the last days. 2Timothy 3:1-4 NET “But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God.” Paul gives us signs of the last days and the corruption of true love. He mentions four things to take note of, love will be focused on ourselves, love will be focused on money, love will be on pleasure, and finally, just the fact that people would be unloving. If these four things he mentioned were true approximately two thousand years ago, how much more relevant is it today as all these have increased.  

We give so much attention to self-love that we have forgotten what it means to sacrifice for others. We have even taken the extreme view that we must love ourselves more than anything else, including our God. Although we do need to respect and honor ourselves, the Bible is clear about what comes first. Matthew 10:37 NET “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” 

There is not enough time to cover pleasure and money this morning, but I believe it is self-evident. Christmas always brings to mind Charles Dickens’ classic “Scrooge”. The story centers around self-love while others around you are suffering. Yet, it is within our means to reach out and love those around us. It should not take a visitation by a death angel to provoke us to love our neighbors, to once again become a lover of God versus pleasure money or even ourselves. 

So, let’s take Paul’s challenge today to understand the signs of the time and to be able to walk in love. The next verse brings the point home. 2Timothy 3:5 NET “They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So, avoid people like these.” I would ask today can we not only avoid people like this but not become like this ourselves? Not looking religious but having a love that brings life and is not focused on pleasure, money, or ourselves. The outward appearance of religion is as ineffective as having food but unable to enjoy the taste or flavor.

​ Think about these things as we celebrate the most wonderful love shown to mankind. “For the joy set out for him, He endured.” What will you endure? God bless you, my beloved.