Remember That We All Fall Short

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“Remember That We All Fall Short”
Romans 3:23 NIV
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

About a month ago, many of us watched the AFC Championship game between the Bengals and Chiefs. When defensive end, Joseph Ossai, slammed into Patrick Mahomes on the sideline, causing a 15 yard penalty to give the Chiefs the opportunity for getting the field goal to win, I remember reacting to that play. I remember saying to my wife about how I can’t believe he would make such a play like that and cost the team the win. It was a quick judgment that later I regretted making.

As I read about the play and saw Joseph sitting on the bench at the end of the game, my heart sank. I just watched him sitting with his head down and could just imagine the heartache he was feeling. I wanted to take back the words I said to my wife and I was feeling really bad for the guy. He was passionate about the game and got into the emotion of playing and didn’t mean to do anything to cost his team the game. He was playing his heart out and he felt terrible about the penalty.

I was quick to judge and make the comment about how you just don’t do that and get a penalty to cost the game. I quickly regretted it and felt for the guy, knowing he was feeling pretty bad about the decision he made.

It really got me thinking about how I make decisions in my life so often that I quickly regret making. I so often do things that I later regret. It’s so easy for me to see others doing things I think are so dumb, but then I often realize I’ve probably done the same dumb thing many times in my life. It’s so easy to criticize others instead of realizing that I’ve done dumb things, too.

Friends, the next time we consider casting judgment on someone else for something bad they’ve done, take a moment to realize that we have all sinned and fall very short of the glory of God. It’s so easy to come down on others for how we see things they’ve done, while we are no better as we are sinners as well. We definitely need to consider more coming alongside them and offering encouragement to let them know they are not alone. We are all in this life together and need to encourage instead of discourage.

We have all had our times where we hang our heads low because we are so ashamed of something dumb we have done. I do this so often and I cringe when I think about something I’ve done that I am very regretful of and ashamed about.

Let us encourage one another and be thankful to God for His love even though we have sinned and fall very short of His glory.  

Be Kind

 YouTube Channel Video Devo

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“Be Kind”

John 12:34-35 NLT

So now I am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

I have come to really come to appreciate the phrase “Be Kind” that I have noticed on t-shirts and signs. I don’t know how long this phrase has been surfacing or who came up with the idea to put it out there so much lately, but every time I see this, it makes me smile. Through the years, I’ve cringed at some popular phrases and sayings that have shown up in various places that are worldly.

When I think of the idea of being kind, I cannot help but to think of so many of the words Jesus used as He shared the important command for us to love one another. “Be Kind” is such a simple example, but its effects can be profound when we actually live it out. Just imagine for a few moments what this world would look like if we, as Christians, actually started being kind, not only to people we enjoy being around, but to everyone, regardless of how different they are?

Friends, we have been called to a mission in this world, and quite frankly, we are failing much of the time. I hate to bring that up, but it is true. We say we want a world that is full of God’s love so people can experience it, but that truly begins with how we are treating other people. God commands us to love each other unconditionally. How in the world do we expect the world to believe we are all about God’s love if we don’t prove it by our actions and the way we treat others?

I am pointing the finger at myself on this because I have a long way to go on treating others with love. I’m not saying I don’t, but there are plenty of people that annoy me and are different and I try to avoid them instead of being kind to them as Jesus commanded me to do.

Be Kind. It’s such a simple idea! Two words! However, it’s one of the hardest things for many of us to do. Jesus chose to love us. Take a few moments and realize that you are sometimes very hard to love and deal with for others. I saw a saying one time and it really hit me. It said, “Love difficult people….You’re one of them”. Ouch! Let’s take an honest look at ourselves and realize that we could all be doing much better at being kind to people, especially those we don’t like being around.

After watching The Chosen series, it’s really challenged my thinking in how Jesus intentionally loved on those, especially ones who were different and seemed very unlovable. He was being kind. He was firm, but He was kind. He lived out that mission.

Let’s do a better job of living out the mission of Jesus. Let’s be kind to others. Let’s show the world His love.

The Amazing Feeling Of Unfailing Love

 YouTube Channel Video Devo

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“The Amazing Feeling Of Unfailing Love”

Psalm 63:3 NLT

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You!

 

I have been truly amazed lately at the work of God in my life and in my family.  Through the past several months, God has continued to teach us that He is in control and that we just need to continue to trust Him.  We’ve been through a variety of challenges and we’ve seen God move in ways that are really inspiring.  Though the challenges have been difficult in many ways, God continues to teach us to trust in Him and His timing. 

 

I don’t know what I would do without His unfailing love in life.  When so many things and people fail us at one time or another, He never does.  Every day brings its own challenges in various ways, but we continue to trust in what He does and all the ways He’s working. 

 

In the last devo I wrote, I shared how we need to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.  God has continued to teach me to do this in various ways.  It is not easy to do, but I have found that it teaches me more about His unfailing love and that He’s always working, even when I cannot feel it or see it. 

 

His unfailing love is better than anything I could ever experience on this earth. There is no comparison.  There is absolutely nothing like what He provides.  He gives peace amidst chaos in life.

 

I want to encourage all of us that no matter what challenges we may be continuing to face in this new year, we can totally trust in His unfailing and amazing love.  There is nothing like it and He will never fail us.  We may hit some pretty hard challenges, but He will never leave us or forsake us.  Every day, we need to pray and hope for the best outcomes, but be prepared for hard times as they will come. 

 

I hope we will all continue to experience the amazing feeling of His unfailing love.  There is nothing on earth like it.