Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 120:1-7
Ps 120:1-7
1 I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me. 2 Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. 3 What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue? 4 He will punish you with a warrior's sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree. 5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! 6 Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. 7 I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
1 Thess. 4:9-12
9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Every facet of Christianity sets it apart from every other religion in the world. This is because it is based on the nature of God. God is love and is therefore patient, kind and compassionate. It is never his desire to destroy or even punish any one of his creation. Because God is love, he hates every form of immorality, every kind of dishonesty is abhorrent to him and bitterness is foreign to his nature. He loves peace and wants his followers to be at peace. We seek to be like him.
Jesus is referred to as the Prince of Peace. The wisdom from above is first pure and then peaceable. Jesus explained that the one trait that will set his disciples apart from the world is that they will love each other. To love God is to love others and to show that love by being kind, patient, compassionate and forgiving toward all, forgiving even those who mistreat us and those who reject Jesus.
We don’t live to appease the wrath of God. It is not our purpose to gratify him with our offerings or with our good deeds. Since he is the creator of all things and is now the ruler of all, he does not need anything from us – it is his already. What he does want is for us to trust him and to show that trust by following his will and seeking to be like him. We die to self and live for him and to his glory.
Heavenly Father I am so thankful for your love shown to me in Jesus but also in more ways than I even know. Keep me from trying your patience. Fill me with your Spirit so I can know your love fully and then love others as you love me. Use me to lead others to you. I ask your protection on those who are homeless, those who live without proper food or clothing. Be with your children who live in areas that are suffering from natural disasters, both drought and floods. Help me to be kind to others in all I say and do. I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
