Morning by Morning, April 11 - "Let Love be Genuine"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me begin this day and every day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...
"Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:9-18).
Lord, is my love genuine? Does it come from a heart that's been wholly surrendered to You? Does it honestly express a true desire to be genuinely concerned for the needs and hopes of those around me You bring into my life? Or do I only love to be loved; do I only give in order to get; do I only act like how I think I ought to look in the eyes of others; do I only say what I think someone wants to hear if it will advance my cause and serve my plans? Or is it a little of both?
If I'm really honest with You and honest with myself, I'd have to admit I still have a long way to go to have a heart like You, completely genuine in love. "The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse -- who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).
But at the same time, "(You) test the mind and search the heart" (Jeremiah 17:10). You long to "create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). And Your Spirit pours Your love into my heart to make my heart more like Yours every day that I continue to open my heart to You (Romans 5:5). So by the power of the grace of God, "(I) do not lose heart. Even though (my) outter nature is wasting away, (my) inner nature is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16).
Throughout the moments of my day, You offer me the choice to embrace the heart of genuine love You continually offer to me. You continually invite me to live into the truth of the new and clean heart You've created in me. "For the love of Christ urges us on ... So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) Even my heart and the genuineness of my love -- "all this is from God" (2 Corinthians 5:18). Thank You, Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you live into the genuine love a the renewed heart given to you by the grace of God through Jesus Christ today, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, I excited to be speaking and ministering live on Radio Air Jesus tonight at 9pm EST on the Monday Night Emerge program with Pete and Vanessa Rios. radioairjesus.com/index.php/programs/monday-night-emerge
Friends, Thank You for your prayers this Sunday, preaching a message on Inner Healing at The Vineyard Church of San Antonio. I'll be preaching the next two Sunday morningsat 10:30. Please keep us in your prayers! www.vineyardsa.org
Please join us for our
2016 Inner Healing Conference of Rapha God Ministrieson April 22-14 in San Antonio
From Brokenness to Breakthrough!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
