There is an author named Gary Chapman who wrote a book entitled, “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts.” He contends that people tend to feel loved in different ways. He says there are 5 “Love Languages” by which people communicate their love; and the receiver is partial to one or two of these languages. They are; Gifts, Words of Affirmation, Quality of Time, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. His key point is that people feel your expression of love most when it is delivered in their “Love Language.”

How is this relevant? You may ask.

In Deuteronomy 11:22, Moses tells the people what God wants, saying, “Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.”

And in John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” And Jesus told us in Matthew 22:37-39 that the greatest commandments are “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ”

Following the author, Gary Chapman’s, concepts, God’s love language is obedience. God recognizes that we love him when we do his will.

Dear Lord, we do love you. Help us show our love to you by doing your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

What if you had a magic device that would take the fear out of everything in your life. You have a job interview, big presentation, children leave for an overnight school trip, your teenager goes out with friends, and you start getting scared…press the button on the magic device, and peace and confidence replace the fear.

207 times in the Bible, God says “fear not”. Why? Because God is with us. Isaiah 41:10 says. “Fear not I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you , I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

So in some ways we have the most powerful “magic device” there is, God, with us, all the time. So when fear comes, stop and ask for God to help you and give you strength and peace in your time of fear.

Dear Lord help us remember that you are always there to help us. Help us live our lives demonstrating the faith and confidence in You. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God has plans for each one of us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

God won’t necessarily force his plans on us, so we need to keep our senses active, listening for the indications of God’s direction. If we have the mindset to put God’s will first, he will direct our steps.

The well known Psalm 23 writes in verse 11, “He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

Ultimately that is our purpose on earth, to bring glory and honor to God. So if we listen, he will guide us on how to do that.

Dear Lord, we know we are here to bring glory to you by how we act, and by spreading your good news. Thank you for the promise to show us how to honor you with our day to day lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The history of man, people, as recorded in the Bible is one story after another where God provides people everything they need. People recognize what God has done for them for a short time, then turn away, falling for temptation, pride, and selfishness. God sends prophets to teach people and attempt to bring them back, but that ultimately fails and God is forced to take dramatic steps to remind people of his presence and power. This story is repeated in various forms in the Garden of Eden, the time of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt, and many other times.

However, God used a different strategy once.

John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” and in verse 14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Word is Jesus who came not just to tell people about God’s presence and power, he is God and became a man. By sacrificing himself for us we may avoid the punishment we deserve for disobeying God.

This plan is so much different and as John writes in, John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.”

The different plan is that God came to us out of love, as Jesus, to save us, rather than destroy and demonstrate his power and our failings. John 3:17 says, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

Dear Lord, Jesus coming to earth to save us is an amazing act of love for us. Help us remember that this is what we are celebrating on Christmas, Your love for us and Your desire to have us love you in return. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

You may have heard this before, and if you haven’t, it is something worth thinking about. “Faith is the currency of heaven.” Wait, you might say, you can’t buy things with faith. However, Jesus said to the blind men in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith let it be to you.” Or to the woman who touched Jesus’ robe believing it would heal her in Luke 8:48 Jesus said, “your faith has made you well.” On many other occasions in the bible, Jesus tells people they are healed because of their faith. They obviously didn’t pay for the healing like purchasing a product, but the value of the faith is what Jesus said mattered.

Jesus also criticizes others on occasion saying, “you of little faith” in several passages where those involved needed Jesus to rescue them, like Peter walking on the water. So the size of the faith affects the outcome. Maybe this is partly what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 6:20 in saying, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

It is an interesting way to look at faith.

Dear Lord, we know that you want us to have faith, hope and trust in you to guide, protect, and also do great things with us. Help us remember that if faith is a currency, our account is only limited by ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.