Love Can Change People

By Joyce Meyer - Posted May 18, 2017

…The righteous gives and does not spare.
—Proverbs 21:26 NKJV

I once read a story in Guideposts magazine, a remarkable account of how love changed a person's life. A Christian woman lived next door to an elderly lady who never came out of her house or even raised her window shades to let light into her home. This lady’s husband had died, and she herself had endured a stroke, which had left her lonely and bitter. 

The Christian woman and her two young children began trying to reach out to the elderly recluse, but every time they did, she rejected their advances. They baked cookies every week for a long time and delivered them to their neighbor’s door. The first time, she opened the door just a crack, accepted the cookies, thanked them, and closed the door. 

The neighbor’s response was not what the Christian woman had hoped for, but she lovingly persisted. And eventually love did work! The elderly lady accepted a casserole from her and said more than just a short thank-you. As the visits continued, the elderly woman gradually began to chat longer. Finally, one day, the Christian woman’s children picked some flowers from their garden and delivered them to their neighbor. Eventually, they all became good friends. The elderly lady got her life back. She opened her blinds, her door, and her heart, and she began to live again—all because someone who loved God was determined to love her. 

Many people in the world today are just like the elderly neighbor. They have had sadness or difficulties in their lives and have become bitter. They seem to reject love, yet love is what they need most. Be a person who gives of yourself and your resources to reach out and show love to someone who desperately needs it. 

Love Others Today: Do you know someone who is angry, sad, or bitter? How can you show love to that person?

 THANK YOUR WAY TO GREATER BLESSINGS

By Joseph Prince – Posted May 18, 2017

Luke 17:15

And tone of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

People who have a grateful heart are always praising God. You often hear them say, “God is good!” They know that God is the reason for every blessing they get.

But there are those who look to God for blessings and when they get blessed, they just go on their merry way. Their hearts are captivated by the blessings instead of the One who has blessed them.

Jesus had an encounter with both these types of people when He walked into a village one day. Ten lepers cried out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:13) Now, when you call out to Jesus for mercy, He always hears you. On another occasion, when two blind men cried out to Him, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” He took the time to give them their miracles. (Matthew 9:27–30)

So these 10 lepers cried out to Him for mercy. He stopped, looked at them and said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And “as they went, they were cleansed”. (Luke 17:14) But only one came back and fell at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Notice the very sad words of Jesus that followed: “Were there not 10 cleansed? But where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17)

The other nine obviously knew that it was Jesus who had cleansed them. Yet, they did not bother to go back and thank Him. My friend, let it be said of you that when the blessings come, you remember to give God the praise, glory and honor, and acknowledge that He is the source of every blessing in your life.

Do you know that when the man came back to thank Jesus, he received the additional blessing of becoming whole? Jesus said to him, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:19, KJV) He was not just cleansed of leprosy, he got his missing fingers and toes back!

My friend, when your heart is thankful toward God, you position yourself for even greater blessings!

Thought For The Day

When you praise God and give Him thanks for His blessings, you position yourself for even greater blessings!

Walk Through

By Joel Osteen – Posted May 18, 2017

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me…"
(Psalm 23:4, NKJV)

TODAY'S WORD:

Do you ever feel like you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death? During the tough times, it’s easy to get discouraged. I love what it says in the verse, “though I walk through…” No matter what you are facing today, know this: you are not alone, and you are just walking through. You don’t have to stop and live in the tough times. They are only temporary. I encourage you today; don’t allow fear to paralyze you in the middle of “the valley of the shadow of death.” Remember, God is with you. He is walking beside you. He is strengthening you. He is making a way of escape for you. He is lining up people and situations to bring you out of that tough place into a place of strength and victory. Don’t give up! Press on and walk through! Begin to get a vision of your life on the other side. See yourself more loving, more faithful, stronger and more blessed than ever before. As you keep moving forward and walking through, you will get to the other side and experience the victory God has in store for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. Thank You for walking with me even in the hard times. I trust that You are taking me through my circumstances to a place of victory and strength in Jesus’ name. Amen.

You Can Resist

By DR. David Jeremiah – Posted May 18, 2017

And do not lead us into temptation.
Matthew 6:13a

Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:13

It was the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde, who quipped, “I can resist anything except temptation.” It’s humorous because it’s curious—what else is there to resist except temptation? We can understand Wilde’s capitulation to temptation; it’s around every corner in life. Not to have a plan to defeat temptation is to plan to give in.

Step one in such a plan is to pray as Jesus taught His disciples: “And do not lead us into temptation.” The Greek word for temptation can be translated either as “temptation” or “trials.” We know that God never tempts anyone (James 1:13) but He does allow tests (James 1:2) and leads us into situations to prove our faith (Matthew 4:1). So Jesus’ prayer not to be led into temptation probably means, “Don’t lead us into a situation in which we might be overcome by sin.” That is, don’t lead us into something we aren’t mature enough to handle. Fortunately, the Bible promises exactly that: With every temptation God provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Unlike Oscar Wilde, the Christian can resist every temptation—by relying on the strength God gives and the desire to please Him. When tempted, pray and look for the way of escape.

Each temptation leaves us better or worse; neutrality is impossible. 
Erwin W. Lutzer