"As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:9-12).
Abiding love brings complete joy. Loving You, embracing Your love for us, loving one another, embracing one another's love for us - this is the key, according to Your Word, to have complete joy in this world. This is the heart of all You expect and require of us, because this is how You've created us. And joy becomes the expression of the fulfillment of our obedience to Your commandment.
And how amazing that just as the Father loved You, so You love us. It's a bond of perfect love that eternally binds together the three Persons of God as eternally One. Yet that's the love You have for each one of us, and that's the love You desire between each one of us. Lord God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - help me get that. Help me live that. Help me become that.
It's only by the mercy and power of Your grace, that I can even know that this is the goal of our journey to spiritual maturity. And it's only by the mercy and power of Your grace that I can ever hope to grow into this lifestyle of love that alone can bring completeness of joy. So as best as I can and all by Your grace, I ask for this and embrace this. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
Healing Rooms of Lexington Prayer Ministry Team Training, Saturday June 4th. Please send Linda Dulin-Moore a note if you'd like to join us in this ministry: PrayerLead@aol.com (our pastor of prayer ministries and associate director of the Healing Rooms of Lexington). Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested.
Friends, you're invited to our Saturday Cook-out June 11th in Lexington to share about my ministry trip to Africa in August, preaching the gospel in outdoor festifvals and teaching a Pastor and Leaders conference with Wesley Paul Minsitries. Waterford Club House, 6:30-8:30 pm. Please send me a note if you'd be interested. We will also be celebrating my 50th birthday and there's no better gift than the encouragement of my friends in my passion to share the love and power of Jesus around the world! tommyhays@messiah-ministries.org
