Love One Another – Romans 12:10

Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. Romans 12:10 (NET)

In Romans 12, Paul gives guidelines on how Christians should treat one another. He explains the importance of selflessness, love, and respect for others. Our goal is to love one another with mutual love, honor, and respect. Paul emphasized the importance of Christians to build a strong, unified, and loving community that reflects the teachings of Jesus and God’s love. The importance for us to love one another regardless of cultural or ethnic backgrounds, as He has loved us.

In the previous verse (Romans 12:9), Paul urged believers to be sincere in their love for each other. To love and help each other, to hate evil and hold tight to what is good, and to let go of anger and forgive.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Romans 12:9 (NLT)

We need to be patient, love one another, live in peace, focus on what is good, detest evil, forgive, and rejoice in our future.

9-10 Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Romans 12:10 (MSG)

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Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your unconditional love. Teach us to love one another as You have loved us. Open our hearts to forgiveness and love for all. Guide us to hate what is evil and embrace what is good. Like the lovely Peace Lily flower is open and upright, let us be open-hearted and upright in our actions. In Jesus Holy Name. Amen

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Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23

New International Version
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

Paul is explaining behaviors that Christians should have in their lives when they let the Holy Spirit lead them. These behaviors or attributes reflect Christ. Nine characteristics make up the fruit of the Spirit. They are not separate fruits but one indivisible spiritual fruit.

These nine traits or behaviors are found in a child of God and display the nature of Christ.

To live by the fruit of the Spirit believers, have power and compassion to lead with love, and serve others with patience, kindness, and goodness. Spiritual joy gives strength and rejoicing during difficult circumstances. Peace is inner tranquility, freedom from anxiety found through faith. Self-control is not being easily provoked but being patient, forgiving, and forbearing. Gentleness is being kind, tender, and caring for one another. Faithfulness to others is being reliable, dependable, and honorable to others. These spirit-filled attributes make up the fruit of the Spirit.

Through the fruit of the Spirit, being motivated by love will lead us to care, kindness, goodness, forbearance, self-control, and gentleness, in service to others.

22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22-23 (MSG)

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and love. Help us to follow Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit. Let us be Spirit-lead and manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Like the geranium grows and flowers in the light, let us grow in faith and spread Your light. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Faithful Stewards – 1 Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Spiritual gifts are given to every believer by the Holy Spirit. We receive these gifts through the grace of God. Spiritual gifts are special talents and abilities.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)

1Corinthians 12: 9-28 and Romans 12:6-8 list the many spiritual gifts. A few of them are discernment, wisdom, knowledge, teaching, serving, evangelism, and mercy. As faithful stewards of God’s grace, we should use our gifts to serve others. We are delivering God’s words when we teach, serve, and speak words of encouragement. By wisely serving and helping others, we are fulfilling God’s will and glorifying His name.

10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever serves, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. -1 Peter 4:10-11 (NET)

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Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us spiritual gifts. Help us to be faithful stewards and use your gifts to serve others. May we glorify you through Jesus Christ in all we do. Like the clematis blooms are gathered together, let us gather together, sharing our gifts and helping each other. For Yours is the power and glory forever and ever. Amen

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Trust in the Lord and Do Good – Psalm 37 1-4

A psalm of David.
1 Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.

2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires. ~ Psalm 37: 1-4 (NLT)

Peace and Blessings! 🌺

Great Gain – 1 Timothy 6:6

6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. -1 Timothy 6:6-7 (NIV)

Paul is writing to Timothy, explaining spiritual wealth. Spiritual wealth comes from godliness, “the practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God” (dictionary.com). The greatest gain is found in following Christ rather than pursuing and amassing great wealth. For devoutness and moral uprightness lead to inner contentment.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. – 1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV)

When we choose to be content with spiritual wealth rather than through material riches, we are following God’s desire for us. For what we treasure is where our heart will be.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:21 (NIV)

A contented heart is worth more than wealth. Choosing godliness leads us to contentment and brings great gain.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for our salvation through Your son Jesus’s death for our sins. Teach us to embrace spiritual wealth rather than striving to amass worldly wealth. Let us realize that godliness with contentment is a great gain. Like the lily blossoms are facing upward following the sun, let us turn our face toward Jesus and follow Your son. Amen.

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Useful and Meaningful-2 Peter 1:5-8

5Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, 6self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7concern for others, and love. 8If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.
2 Peter 1:5-8 (CEV)

Peter earlier in verse 3 states that God gave us everything we need to live a life that pleases Him.

3We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (CEV)

So, how do we please the Lord? By living like Jesus, by accepting and growing in various virtues. We improve our faith by embracing the virtues of goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, and love. God has equipped us, and through personal effort, our lives can be useful and meaningful.

How do we grow in goodness? By embracing virtues of moral excellence like those displayed by Jesus. While growing in patience, the ability to wait and not become annoyed or angry. It’s important to maintain self-control and control impulses when we are upset, while refraining from reacting. In addition, growth in faith occurs when we exhibit the virtues of understanding and concern for others.

These virtues help us become motivated to do good for others and make our lives useful and meaningful. When we improve our faith and add goodness and generous, selfless, sacrificial love, like Jesus, we will please the Lord.

5-9 So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus.
2 Peter 1:5-9 (MSG)

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To be useful and meaningful, which virtue doing you need to work on understanding, patience, self-control, devotion to God, or concern and love for others?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your grace and mercy. Help us to grow in faith while becoming more useful and meaningful. Teach us to embrace goodness and become more understanding and compassionate. As the daisies grow upward toward the sun, let us grow in love and follow Your Son. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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The Truth- 1 John 1:6

⁵This is the message we heard from Jesus^[a] and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.

⁶So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.
1 John 1: 5-6 (NLT)

God is light; He is faithful and true in Him, there; is no darkness. Jesus is the truth; He is the way, the truth, and the life. Sin separates us from God. However, if we have fellowship with one another and walk in the light, the blood of Jesus washes away the stain of sin.

The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18 (NLT)

If we know God and want to have fellowship with Him, we need to obey His Word. If we go on living in spiritual darkness, saying that we have fellowship with God, we are lying, not practicing the truth.

May we walk in the spirit of truth; from this day forward.

5 This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.
6 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth – we’re not living what we claim.
1 John 1: 5-6 (MSG)

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God delights in the truth. Are you walking in the light, in truth, and fellowship with God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, teach us to walk in the light. Help us to learn Your way and follow Your Word. Guide us away from sin and darkness. Teach us to confess our sins and change our ways. Like the sun lights the rhododendron blossoms, let us walk in Your light and spread Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Gracious and Pleasant: Colossians 4:5-6

5 Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have. 6 Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6 (GNB)

We need to live a life honoring God to give credence to our words. We need to be gracious and pleasant in our actions toward non-believers, using discernment and wisdom in what we do and say. Some versions of verse 6 say that your conversations should be full of grace and seasoned with salt.

⁵Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious]. ⁶Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you].
Colossians 4:5-6 (AMP)

In early times salt was used as a preservative and a flavor enhancer; our conversation, likewise, should be palatable and acceptable to others. Christians should be ready and eager to give an answer for their hope and faith remembering to be consistent in our actions and considerate in our conduct, making the most of any opportunity to share the message of Jesus.

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Do you make good use of the opportunities you have to be gracious and pleasant and share your faith?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, help us to be considerate in our conduct and gracious and pleasant in our actions. Teach us to make the most of every opportunity to share Your message. Guide us to walk in wisdom, speaking the right words and spreading Your truth. Like the Deutzia delicate bell-like flowers grace the yard in spring, let our speech be delicate and full of grace. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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Kind and Compassionate: Ephesians 4:31

31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32(NIV)

Paul is writing from prison; he is extolling the Ephesians to live the way God’s people should live.

4 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
Ephesians 4:4

He explains how to thrive in the power and grace of Christ rather than stumbling in sinful actions. Instead of holding on to bitterness, rage, anger, slander, and quarreling; embrace kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Be forgiving like Christ God forgives you; live as children of light.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, quarreling, and slander be put away from you, along with all hatred.
Ephesians 4:31 (ISV)

When kindness, compassion, and forgiveness; are embraced, bitterness is replaced with love and care for each other. As Jesus said, the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)

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Forgiveness encourages compassion and kindness and brings peace. Are you able to let go of anger and rage and forgive?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father teach us to let go of anger and bitterness; and forgive. Teach us to be kind and compassionate, tender-hearted with a Christ-like attitude of love. Like the begonias and chrysanthemums in the photo grow together and thrive, let us learn to forgive and love one another and thrive. In Jesus’ holy loving name. Amen

Pursue Peace: Psalm 34:14

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14(NIV)

Psalm 34 talks about how to live a good life. Verse 14 encourages us to choose good over evil and peace over sin. Shun sin and turn away from evil, pride, and arrogance. We honor the Lord when we turn from evil.

To honor the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and false words.
Proverbs 8:13 (GNT)

Embrace righteousness, truth, and godliness. Seek and pursue peace; let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9 (King James)

Strive to live in peace and do good. Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving, as God forgave you. Be rich in good works, generous, and ready to help those in need.

14 Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!

15 God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
Psalm 24:14-15 (MSG)

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Is your focus on avoiding evil, doing good, and pursuing peace?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, teach us to turn away from evil and do good. Guide us to follow Your will; and practice virtue and righteousness. Let us spread love, do good, and pursue peace. Like the snapdragon is facing forward, teach us to face forward, turn our back on sin, embrace peace, and honor You. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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