Morning by Morning, April 28 - "Excelling in the Work of the Lord" -- the Labor of Love
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me in the way that leads to life in You today. ...
"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).
You're the God who has given me the victory already; and, at the same time, You're the God "who (continually) gives (me) the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 57). Empower me to live victoriously today -- not just embracing the victory You've already won for me, but also, at the same time, living into that victory, more and more, every day. By the power of Your grace, may I live out each day "always excelling in the work of the Lord" (v. 58).
What is "the work of the Lord?" ...
As I wait and listen, it seems I hear You saying, "You are My body in this world. My people who are called by My name, filled with My Spirit, seeking to walk in My ways to allow My nature to grow in them and allow My love and My power to flow through them. This is the work to which you are called -- to be My body, My people, My messengers, My ambassadors, My hands and My feet, My words and My truth, displayed in My glory through your lives."
Yes, Lord. You're reminding me now of Your Word to us: "The only thing that counts is faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6).
We are Your body -- "the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Corinthians 12:27). We are filled with Your Spirit -- "For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body ... and we were all made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:13). And You send us forth each day into our world to be Your ambassadors -- "So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
You're nature is love and You've called us, commanded us, and commissioned us to go and to love with Your Spirit in our hearts and the power of Your love flowing through our lives -- "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.... No one has ever seen God; if we love another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit" (1 John 4:7-13).
Empower me to excel in this "work of the Lord" today -- here in my heart and here in my world. As You empower me to love -- my labor of love -- my labor will never be in vain. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will excel in the work of the Lord, living victoriously in the His labor of love through you today, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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