Take some time in meditation today and ask the Lord to reveal ways you can serve those around you. Pray that the love of God would be poured into your heart that you would share that same love for your friends, family, co workers, neighbors, etc. Praise the Lord for how He has served you.......

One of the biggest hinderances to our ability to serve is our inability to see opportunity to serve. Most people are going through the motions of life and fail to have the intentionality to care for one another. Jesus could have easily gone about this time passively and like any other feast He has been apart of. But He didn't. He sought for and even made opportunity to serve.Be honest and ask your...

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.-Ephesians 5:1-2Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being...

I see two primary lessons through this section of Scripture. The first is informative and the latter is imperative. The informative explains what was discussed in the last devotion. The imperative builds off of that. Jesus, who is understood to be the Messiah here, served His people. He took the form of a servant and operated like that. What is told for the disciples is that they must follow Him i...

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also...

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.-John 13:1The beauty of the passage we are exploring is that it exemplifies the love of God above and beyond. He knew His end was coming, but Jesus loved those who were His own to the end. The passage ...

 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that H...

Wouldn't it be hilariously ironic if we took the time today to exclusively pray for ourselves not to be so self focused? Lay down your selfishness this morning before the Lord in repentance and acknowledge Him. Give Him praise. Pray for those around you. Consider others more highly than yourself.......

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit-Philippians 2:3a17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.-James 3:17Ironically, one of the biggest issues Israel had throughout their history is that they forgot the Lord their God. When they would forget the Lord, that...

I often find that the most difficult battle I have is when it comes to truly laying myself down. I may be really good at sacrificing a lot and sometimes really good at not ever expecting anything in return. Other times and can start a cycle of self-pity because things are not reciprocated the way I would like. It is when the self seeking comes in that stuff becomes dangerous. Let me share some pas...

Jesus' teaching is an essential component of the lesson for the original audience. There is a statement that Jesus speaks and a contrast that John is sure to highlight. Among Jesus' teaching He says this,"25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."-John 12:25Jesus knew what was coming for Him. It was also no secret that He knew wha...

As we highlight connections in this passage, I want to look at what the people are crying out during the triumphal entry of Jesus. They are proclaiming a Psalm of Ascent, Psalm 118.    25      Save now, I pray, O LORD;    O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.    26      Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!    We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.-Psalm 118:25-26As stated previ...

In this passage, we are at the start of what we know as passion week. These are the days leading up to the death of Jesus. Just a week prior to His death, we have recorded that the people gathered palm branches and waved it at Him as He entered Jerusalem on a colt. They cried out that famous verse from Psalm 118. The people shouted, "Hosanna!" This word means "save us now." They were seeking for s...

12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:    “Hosanna!    ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’    The King of Israel!”14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:    15      “Fear not, daughter of Zion;    Beh...

We are getting ready to enter the week of Thanksgiving. Why don't you start practice now? Count your blessings. Sincerely. Write them down and give the Lord praise for each of them. Get creative. Get specific. Take all the time you need. If you are writing specific people down, shoot them a text or give them a call and tell them that you are thankful for them. Learn to be swift in giving praise. A...