The love that we share with one another is something that will live on in both of our hearts because our acts of love, kindness and care as brief as they may be will leave a lasting impact that will be thought upon longer than we can think or imagine. That is why I believe the Lord encourages us time and again to place love at the center of our actions. When we love first everything that comes after it will be to prefer, elevate, strengthen, encourage and bless that one that is in our path. The Bible declares in Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Doing good to all men means that we bless those who curse us, we encourage those who are harsh towards us, we do our best to be living witnesses and examples that the Lord Jesus has set forth for us to follow in. We are no greater than the Lord Jesus and the suffering that He went through is inconceivable in our own minds and yet still the Lord forgave every offense. How much more should we look past any offenses and offer love in its place. The answer is every day, every time and every chance we get. (Matthew 22:37-40) (Luke 23:34)

The Lord Jesus declares in Luke 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” The Lord who created this universe and all that is within it knows that love is the most important thing. When we offer love, we offer everything with it. Unbridled, undeserved, unwarranted love will draw all people to us and more importantly to Him who calls us to be light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair and life in the midst of death and discouragement. I encourage you to think on how you may be that light to someone in need. See how you may be used to change someone’s perspective. Do your best to make your life significant upon this earth so that your life’s memory will live on long after you are gone into your eternity. (Matthew 5:14-16)

May we each think of someone else in need of what only we can offer them and then do our absolute best to make an impression upon their life that will better their life now and in their future to come. Being that focused to help another is to have the love of God permeating within our hearts wishing only to better this world by bettering the people in it. (1 John 3:16-18)

I hope this message inspires and challenges your heart to have the same love and compassion upon another as you would wish upon your own life.


MY SECOND FATHER

My father died, when I was five. It was hard on us all. With time the wounds healed. My brother, who is eight years older than me, began to watch over my mother and me.

Taking on many more responsibilities than was expected of him, I remember he made sure the trash was taken out, and the yard mowed. He did this on his own, without being told to do so.

Because of my father's death, my mother was forced to get a full time job. My brother took it upon himself, to get up early every morning.

He would get me up for school, and make me breakfast. While I was eating he would lay out my clothes, make my bed, and gather my school books up.

Hand in hand we would walk to the bus stop. As we waited, he would play games my father used to play with me. He did his best to make me happy, and he succeeded every time.

When we arrived home from school, we were alone for about a half hour, until mom was home from work. He would sit me down with three cookies and a glass of milk. If I had home work then this was the time I would do it. My brother would start laundry, and do dishes if there were any. He would find something for supper, and have everything ready for mom, so she could start cooking.

Mom would greet us with a hug and kiss. This was our queue to go outside and have some fun. This was my brother's time to be a kid.

It was a Saturday in June a couple years later. My mother and I were at the store. They had the Father's day cards out. I stared at the rack of cards. My mom said “Honey, I know this is a hard time for you.” I said “No, mom that's not it. Why don't they have Brother's day cards?”

She smiled and said, “You're right, your brother has definitely been a father to you. Go ahead pick out a card.” So I did, and on Father's Day my mother and I sat my brother down and gave him the card.

As he read it, I saw the tears forming in his eyes. I felt a lump in my throat, as he threw his arms around me and my mother. I heard the crackling in mom's voice as she said, “Son, your father is proud of you, seeing that he raised a good man, and that you do your best to fill his shoes. We love you, and thank you.”

Addendum -- Philemon 1:7 “Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God's people.”

By Kent Ragsdale


Read and meditate on these scriptures:

1 John 4:18-21 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

Romans 12:15-18 “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

Hebrews 13:1-3 “Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the body.”

1 John 4:10-12 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.”

All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. 


Today's Selected Poem: TRUE LOVE AND PEACE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem177.htm

Today's Selected Testimony: THE DAY THE ANGELS REJOICED
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony133.htm


In Christ’s Service,

Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry