Daily Focus
God's Love Will Never Let You Go:
Like a father who holds his child's hand tightly, God holds and keep His children close. Jesus said of those who follow Him: "No one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand" (John 10:29). Yes, we have a responsibility to stay close to God. But it is His love that guarantees that nothing will ever come between us and Him. Once found, we will never be lost. Glory to God!
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for eternal life that is given to us through your Son. We do believe in you and in what you have promised us. Calm our fears and strengthen our faith in love. Enable us to live our life in you, relying on your strength and resting in your great love. Thank you, Lord, that no matter how much we wander, we remain in your love and faithfulness, and your love. Help us to hold fast to our salvation and to the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Thank you for your grace and mercy through-out the day. Help us to know our works will not change your love for us. Help us to share Jesus every chance we get with others. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who give us power to become who you say we are in Jesus. Help us to experience this proven love, pure love, perfect love, protective love, patient love, and providing love you can only give. This we pray in Jesus' name our Lord and Savior, AMEN.
Subject: "God Loves Me No Matter What!"
Beginning Prayer:
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for eternal life that is given to us through your Son. We do believe in you and in what you have promised us. Calm our fears and strengthen our faith in love. Enable us to live our life in you, relying on your strength and resting in your great love. Thank you, Lord, that no matter how much we wander, we remain in your love and faithfulness, and your love. Help us to hold fast to our salvation and to the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Thank you for your grace and mercy through-out the day. Help us to know our works will not change your love for us. Help us to share Jesus every chance we get with others. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who give us power to become who you say we are in Jesus. Help us to experience this proven love, pure love, perfect love, protective love, patient love, and providing love you can only give. This we pray in Jesus' name our Lord and Savior, AMEN.
Sometimes we can't help but wonder: Does God really love me? Even when I feel unloved and unlovable? Even when I really mess up? Here are devotions written by students who've had similar questions—and who've looked to God's Word for life-changing answers.
No One's Unlovable:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (1Timothy 1:15-16)
My mom works with a group that goes to local prisons to share about God. One time I got to go with them. While I was there, I heard one of the prisoners say he thought of himself as "someone God no longer wanted." Then a member of my mom's group read him 1Timothy 1:15-16, sharing God's mercy to "the worst of sinners." The prisoner accepted Jesus that day.
No matter how much or how badly people have sinned, God's love can still reach them. Even drug dealers. Even murderers. The worst person you can imagine can receive God's forgiveness by humbly asking for it.
There's no such thing as a person God no longer wants. There are only people who haven't accepted his love.
What about You?
1. Think of someone at school who's always getting in trouble. Imagine God looking right into that person's face and saying "I forgive you." Imagine doing the same thing yourself.
2. Write today's verses down, or memorize them. You never know when they might be exactly what someone needs to hear.
3. Thank God for forgiving you, and ask him to help you forgive others.
He Knows Your Name:
But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine." (Isaiah 43:1) This is a verse I'd like to share with my friends. It would show them how much they matter to God. God's not just some mighty ruler who looks down at earth and sees a bunch of nameless people running around. He knows each one of us by name.
God knows our troubles and our happiness. He made each one of us special, and he wants to have a personal relationship with each of us.
When I think of God that way, I realize that he loves me and will never leave me. And best of all, I have God's promise that he called me to come to him so I can have eternal life.
What about You?
1. How many people at your school do you know by name? How does it feel to have people call you by name? Why is it important that God knows us by name?
2. Write out Isaiah 43:1, replacing "O Jacob" and "O Israel" with your name. How does your understanding of this verse change when you think God is talking directly to you?
3. Praise God for creating you and loving you.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels nor demons, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)
I recently went through a month when I got really depressed. Even when I was with my friends, I felt like no one cared about me. I could barely get out of bed in the morning. Somehow I had forgotten the truth of these verses. I needed someone to remind me, "Don't think that no one cares about you, because God does!" God still loved me, and nothing was going to change that. God must really care for us if there isn't anything that can separate us from his love. Knowing I can always turn to him keeps me going during hard situations. He is even there when things in my life are fun and easy. He is there with me through the worst of times and the best of times.
Scripture Reading: (please explain what love this scripture is referring too)
(Acts 21:13)
"Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
Week # 8 Weekly Word: Mania or Obsessive love
Study Questions:
1. Give a brief statement of who Saul was before he became Apostle Paul.
2. Why did God called each one of us?
3. Can you actually say God is with you no matter what?
Quiz:
True or False?
Jesus taught that we must forgive those persons who have sinned against us, or else our own sins will not be forgiven by God.
True
False
Read verses:
These provide guidance on topics relating to love such as; relationships, marriage, family, children, strength, and love of others. The Bible says that God is love, which makes it the perfect source to learn how to love others, even those who are difficult for us to. Our world has skewed the meaning of true love but God's Word remains a steadfast, true source of knowledge on how to love. Read the below scripture from the Holy Bible about love in relation to God, Jesus Christ, and the Christian faith and begin seeing the change in your heart and mind!
Weekly Reading Assignments: I Corinthians 13
Read verses:
These provide guidance on topics relating to love such as; relationships, marriage, family, children, strength, and love of others. The Bible says that God is love, which makes it the perfect source to learn how to love others, even those who are difficult for us to. Our world has skewed the meaning of true love but God's Word remains a steadfast, true source of knowledge on how to love. Read the below scripture from the Holy Bible about love in relation to God, Jesus Christ, and the Christian faith and begin seeing the change in your heart and mind!
Weekly Reading Assignments: I Corinthians 13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Study Questions:
(please explain what love this scripture is referring too) (Ephesians 4:2)
"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;"
This is another scripture on loving one another with all lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing one another in love. This is agape and storage, and is for a sister, brother or your neighbor. God's desire is for us to love one another, and to show our love toward another, so others can see this love, and then come to Jesus as their Savior. Love will draw others, amen.
Week # 7 Philautia
Philautia is self-love, which can be healthy or unhealthy. Unhealthy self-love is akin to hubris. In ancient Greece, a person could be accused of hubris if he placed himself above the gods, or, like certain modern politicians, above the greater good. Many believed that hubris led to destruction, or nemesis. Today, hubris has come to mean an inflated sense of one's status, abilities, or accomplishments, especially when accompanied by haughtiness or arrogance. As it disregards truth, hubris promotes injustice, conflict, and enmity. Healthy self-love is akin to self-esteem, which is our cognitive and, above all, emotional appraisal of our own worth. More than that, it is the matrix through which we think, feel, and act, and reflects and determines our relation to ourselves, to others, and to the world.
Self-esteem and self-confidence do not always go hand in hand. In particular, it is possible to be highly self-confident and yet to have profoundly low self-esteem, as is the case with many performers and celebrities.
People with high self-esteem do not need to prop themselves up with externals such as income, status, or notoriety, or lean on crutches such as alcohol, drugs, or sex. They are able to invest themselves completely in projects and people because they do not fear failure or rejection. Of course they suffer hurt and disappointment, but their setbacks neither damage nor diminish them. Owing to their resilience, they are open to growth experiences and relationships, tolerant of risk, quick to joy and delight, and accepting and forgiving of themselves and others.
