Morning by Morning, May 16 - "The Only Thing that Counts"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- You are One, and You are here -- here with me and here within me. Let me be fully aware of Your Presence and fully awakened to Your leading, as I begin my day deliberately seeking and embracing You, while I welcome You to see and embrace me. ...
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6).
Faith without love is not really faith. And love without faith is not really love. It's only through faith in You, Lord Jesus Christ, that we can truly or fully love. Faith is fully trusting You and fully trusting You because we've come to truly know You. "So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.... And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 4:16-5:20).
A sincere, authentic, and true faith in You will always lead me to love. "Those who say, 'I love God,' and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from Him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also" (1 John 4:20-21). "If we love one another, God lives in us" (1 John 4:12). "The whole law is summed up in a single commandment, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:13). "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).
What counts is love -- my faith working through my love. In fact, Your Word says this is "the only thing that counts" (Galatians 5:6). Wow, that's pretty strong language, directly from the very Word of God. It doesn't say "the only thing that counts is winning souls" or "healing the sick" or "casting out devils" or "being a good person" or "having a good name" or anything else. No, what counts is my faith -- that kind of faith in You that's always working through my love for others.
That's what You modeled for me, and that's how You empower me to live my life for You -- "faith working through love" -- because as You are, so am I to be in my world (1 John 4:17). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will be empowered by God to live out your faith in love today, just like Jesus, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, please keep us in prayer as Rocio and I prepare to travel to Budapest, Hungary on Thursday to teach and minister inner healing personal prayer ministry with a team from the Vineyard Church. God bless you!
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!
