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Jesus

Do This and Live

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 “One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: ‘Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus replied, ‘What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?’ The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘Right!’ Jesus told him. ‘Do this and you will live.”
Luke 10:25-28 (NLT)
share-key-1524927-639x426As Christians we have the law of love written on our hearts. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and through God’s mercy we have been given this ministry. All around us people are searching for hope, freedom, and love. As partakers of God’s incredible life-changing grace, it should be the desire of our hearts to tell them of this free gift of salvation. Today, pray for an opportunity to share the love of God with someone who is lost. Ask that the Holy Spirit will speak directly to their hearts so they may clearly understand that they are loved and that freedom can be found though Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayerfully,

Madison

photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photographer/jzlomek-38910

Jesus, Prince of Peace

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“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6, NASB

Jesus,_Prince_of_Peace_picturePeace.

It can be an elusive feeling … like last night when I turned into the Krispy Kreme parking lot. Cars looped around the building as people purchased donuts in a crazy mad rush. Or when I drove down the road, vehicles clogged my typically quiet route. The closer Christmas gets, the more I want to be done “out there” so I can retreat into the solace of my home.

Yet even in our homes—especially in our homes—peace can elude us. Familial tensions, simmering slowly and erupting suddenly, can invade the very place we expect to find peace … particularly during the holiday season.

Then there’s us: individuals filled with purpose or numb without purpose. Pressing and pushing through each day, we crave peace. Sadly, some never reach or attain it. Internal rest eludes them as they stumble along life’s pathway, hoping they’ll eventually find what they’re looking for.

But peace isn’t a feeling—it’s a Person. Peace isn’t a dream—it’s a reality.

On a hustling, bustling night over 2,000 years ago, peace came to earth wrapped in the skin of a tiny baby Boy. In the midst of a government ordered census that created crowds of weary travelers, into a world full of family dramas, and into the human realm comprised of seekers and finders, Peace entered.

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2:14

His name is Jesus, Prince of Peace.

The Savior of the world IS our peace. We can search our whole lives through, wrestle with truth, and deny ourselves of this pure and perfect One who grants peace. Or, we can place our faith in Him and allow His peace to wash over us. Like gentle water flowing into a parched land, Christ pours peace into the cracked places of our hearts and lives.

JESUS, Prince of Peace. He’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life who reconciles us to God, restoring our relationship with Him.

“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross…” Colossians 1:19-20

Dear one, are you seeking? Christ is the only One who can blanket your heart with lasting peace. I pray you come to Him today, just as He came to earth so long ago. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).

May the peace of Christ reign in our hearts today. Despite the world’s unrest and whatever turmoil exists in our lives, let’s trust the Prince of Peace to settle and sustain us.

Christ’s peace, secured through His blood, eternally wraps us in our Father’s embrace.

Until next time,

Emily

photo credit: Sunset Through Trees via photopin (license)

Jesus Sent Them Ahead

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“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.”
Luke 10:1 (NLT)

Day 4 jesus sent ahead, Jesus Sent Them AheadIn this verse, we see that Jesus sent His disciples to places He planned to go. They were to prepare the people and make provisions for Jesus’ visit. In a similar way, God has strategically placed us precisely where we need to be in order to prepare the people and the area for His visit. As His disciples, it is our job to sow seeds in the lives of those God places along our path. Only then can the Holy Spirit water and grow these seeds unto a bountiful harvest.

Today, pray that the Holy Spirit will begin to work in the hearts of the lost He has placed in our lives. Pray that God will open our eyes to the opportunities He has set before us, and ask that His Spirit work within us to effectively share the gospel with love and boldness.

Prayerfully,

Madison

 

photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photographer/summer98-40213