the love test

“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed; Love doesn’t demand other to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be; Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others posses; Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others; Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner; Love is not rude and discourteous- it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others; Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage; Love does not deliberately keep records or wrongs or past mistakes; Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth; Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure; Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation; Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and for others; Love never quits, never surrenders, never gives up; Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”

-- An expanded interpretive translation of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Breathe it in deep!

you're more than a bird.

taken from onemoretomorrow.org

Take no thought for your life……

God will take care of you. Worry is a silent killer that whispers in our hearts and minds to bring doubt and despair. It wants us to think on the situation rather than on God and what He has promised us. Worry desires that we set our faith aside and wallow in the mess that life serves us as though we have no hope. Worry begins with just a small space in your mind and it continues on until it has consumed our hearts and pushed our faith right out the door. It causes us to look at what we can see rather than look to who we seek. Worry has a way of magnifying the problem, making it MUCH bigger than it is. It always assumes the worse before the best is even considered. It will have you believe a lie rather than the truth. Worry will steal your life if you let it. It is nothing more than the anticipation of trouble that most likely will never come your way. It has no substance and no power except in your mind.

“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” Matt. 6:26(NLT)

God asks you to replace your worry with a firm trust in His love and concern for you. He knows all that is in your future, all of your needs, and He is committed to caring for you. God considers worry a negative commodity in your life because it takes the place of trust in His willingness and ability to take care of you. When worry visits your heart, move it out immediately by reminding yourself how completely God has taken care of you in the past. List the blessings in your life today that shout of His protection and love. Then entrust the future to this same God.

No longer should we allow worry to consume us to the point of doubt and disbelief. We must learn to hold on to what we believe and act on it in times of trouble. God never told us that trouble would not come to us. He did tell us that He would keep us in the midst of it. Hey, he takes cares of the birds. I’m quite sure He has a little time to look in on you each day. He knows who, what, where, how, and why. Just trust Him and kick worry out of your life forever. End that dead-end relationship today.