The Greatest Commandments by Ann Broughton

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself”

(Mark 12: 30-31 NIV).

How are you showing that you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?  Jesus told a teacher of the law that these were the two most important commandments. You see if you do them both you will fulfill what Jesus taught while He was on this earth. If you love someone, you want to show it in many ways. You will not ignore them. You will want to be with them constantly and talk with them. You will want to please them and do whatever it takes to make them happy. So it is when you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You will want to spend time alone praying to Him with gratitude for all He has done for you. You will want to do what He would do for others: such as giving to the poor, caring for the widows, encouraging those who are sick, and putting others' needs above your own needs.

Jesus said that He came to do His Father’s will. Jesus said, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29 NIV).  So too must we do what pleases the Lord. Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him” (John 14: 21 NIV). You see to love the Lord is wonderful but we also must do what He commands us to do. We must show others that being a Christian means that we must put other peoples' needs above our own needs.

This week take a good hard look at how your life reflects Jesus and His teachings. Take time to help others and show His love to those around you. There are so many people in your life who need a kind word or help in some way. Sometimes it is so easy to become self-centered. Try to look past your own difficulties and see what acts of kindness you can do to help those who are suffering.

Dear Lord,

We know it is not enough to say we love you. Help us to reach out to others who have difficulties. Don’t let us get caught up in our own problems so much that we forget to love others and help ease their burdens.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

The Lord Loves You by Ann Broughton

“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar” (Psalm 139:1-2 NIV).

Ever try to run away from the Lord? Maybe life seemed tough and you had just given up on the Lord. Maybe you felt like He wasn’t listening to your prayers. Maybe you are feeling that He doesn’t love you anymore. I can tell you most definitely that He does love you and knows exactly everything you are thinking, saying, and feeling. “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O Lord” (Psalm 139: 4 NIV).

God knows your heart and hears your questions. It is so important to know that He will never leave you or forsake you. You see you are very precious to God. He knew you before you were born. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb……..My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place” (Psalm 139: 13, 15 NIV).  Your days are known to the Lord. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139: 16 NIV).

If you feel as though the Lord is not listening to you or cares for you, please believe that He does and wants a close relationship to you.

Keep praying and surrender all of your worries, anxieties, and fears to the Lord. He alone knows the outcome, and He alone will give you the strength to carry on. One of my favorite verses that help me when I feel overwhelmed with worry or anxiety is: “He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and the young men stumble and fall; but those that wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40: 29-31 NIV). Trust in the Lord and He will help you through every difficulty in your life.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for always being there for us even when we have doubts. We know that you can read our thoughts and know what lies in our hearts.

Help us to trust that you will never leave us, and that you love us beyond what any human can love us.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

 

Peace in a Crisis by Ann Broughton

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV).

If you were in a very scary and traumatic situation would you be filled with peace? I just read about a person who was in a very scary situation and relied on her faith in God to calm a man who was determined to kill a number of people at a school. The whole article can be read on this site:

 http://us.cnn.com/2014/02/22/us/tuff-survivor-gunman/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

You see Antoinette Tuff has a strong belief in God. Every morning she gets up at 5, listens to gospel songs, talks out loud to God and reads the Bible. Then she sits for 15 minutes and waits to hear from God.

She has done this for a long time. Her life had not been easy. She had moved 14 times as a kid and was homeless for a time. She knew what it was like to be down and out and without hope. She used this background to show empathy to this man with a gun that burst into the school. She said she doesn’t remember being calm, but her voice was calm when she was talking to the man to give up. The police officers said she did everything right when she managed to convince the man to give himself up. The police officer said that you have to practice being calm in every day life in order to have it in an emergency. She said it was no accident that she was there that day. All of her life experiences helped her empathize with this man and save 800 elementary students from danger. Isn’t it something how God can use even our tough times to help others? 

This example shows us that self-discipline in regards to prayer, Bible study, and quiet time with God can provide in us with the calm we need to face our storms in our lives. Time spent every day reading the Bible, praying, and being still and quiet helps Christians develop peace that goes deep within the soul. Jesus oftentimes went by himself to talk to His Father and be still. That is how He managed to remain calm when He was condemned to die on the cross. This week take time every day to sit in silence before the Lord, read the Bible, and pray.

Dear Lord,

We know that storms will come in our lives. Help us to be prepared for them by gaining peace through prayer, reading the Bible, and being still before you. Thank you for never leaving us and for your peace.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen