Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

Love as a Reflection of Faith

Love as a Reflection of Faith
From Love Like Jesus on YouVersion
James 2:17, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
James 2:17 offers a powerful reminder that our faith manifests through our actions. In this context, love is not just a feeling or an idea but an active expression of our faith. Let’s explore how our love for others can testify to our faith in Christ.
True Christian love is active and engaging. It is not content with mere words or passive sentiments. Just as faith without works is dead, love without action is empty. We are to express our faith through our love for others, demonstrating the reality of our belief in tangible ways.
In everyday life, our love should go beyond comfort and convenience. It calls for us to be present and active in the lives of those around us. It’s showing up for a friend in need, lending a helping hand to a neighbor, or simply offering a listening ear to someone struggling. These acts of love are practical demonstrations of our faith, showing the world what we believe by how we live.
This active love also means seeking justice and showing mercy. It involves standing up for the oppressed, caring for the poor, and being agents of reconciliation in a divided world. By doing so, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who preached about love and justice and lived it out among the people He served.
As men of faith, this call to action challenges us to examine how our daily lives reflect our belief in Christ. It encourages us to ask ourselves if our love is active or confined to words and good intentions. Are we living out the love of Christ in a way that impacts others and glorifies God?
Moreover, this active love is a journey of growth and learning. It’s recognizing that we are not perfect but are constantly shaped and molded by God. Each act of love, each step of faith, brings us closer to the person God intends us to be. It’s a process of becoming more like Christ, the ultimate example of love and faith in action.
However, practicing this kind of love can be challenging. It often requires us to step out of our comfort zones to give more of ourselves than we think we can. It could mean forgiving someone who has hurt us deeply or showing kindness to someone who doesn’t deserve it. But in these moments of challenge, our faith is stretched and strengthened.
As we reflect on James 2:17, let us embrace this call to active love. Let our faith be alive and vibrant, demonstrated through our love for others. Let us be men who believe in the power of love and actively live it out in our daily interactions.
Reflective Questions:
What practical ways can you demonstrate your faith through acts of love in your community?
How can your actions of love testify to your faith to those around you?
Challenge:
Identify a specific need in your community or within your circle of influence. Commit to addressing that need this week through a practical act of love to demonstrate your faith.

The Power of Sacrificial Love

The Power of Sacrificial Love
From Love Like Jesus on YouVersion
John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
In John 15:13, Jesus speaks of the ultimate expression of love – the willingness to lay down one’s life for others. This scripture reflects the heart of Christ’s mission and sets a profound example for us to follow daily.
Sacrificial love goes beyond the surface level of affection and convenience. It’s about putting the needs and well-being of others before our own, even to the point of personal sacrifice. Jesus exemplified this through His life and death, showing us true love is about giving without expecting to receive.
In the context of our lives, sacrificial love can take many forms. This love isn’t solely about grand gestures; frequently, it manifests in small, consistent acts of kindness and selflessness. Demonstrating patience toward our family, even when we’re exhausted, exemplifies it. Providing support to friends in their times of need, even if it requires sacrificing our time or comfort, embodies this love. Extending forgiveness to those who have wronged us, even when it’s challenging to let go of hurt, signifies it.
Sacrificial love also means being a servant leader in our homes, workplaces, and communities. It involves listening more than speaking, understanding before advising, and lifting others, even when we feel low. This love is not passive; it’s active and intentional, seeking ways to positively impact the lives of those around us.
As people of faith, embracing sacrificial love is a testament to our relationship with God. It shows our willingness to follow Christ’s example, to love as He loved us. This love is not weak; it is the epitome of strength and courage, as it challenges us to go beyond our human tendencies of selfishness and pride.
Moreover, sacrificial love has the power to transform relationships and environments. When we love sacrificially, we create a ripple effect of kindness and compassion. It breaks down barriers, builds trust, and fosters a sense of community and belonging. Through our actions, we can demonstrate the love of Christ, influencing others and bringing light to dark places.
Yet, embracing this form of love has its challenges. It requires us to be self-aware and to recognize when our actions are driven by self-interest rather than love. It invites us to step out of our comfort zones, to love those who are not easy to love, and to offer grace in situations where it’s easier to judge or condemn.
In practicing sacrificial love, we also learn more about God’s character. We understand His heart and His desires for us more deeply. Each act of love becomes an act of worship, an opportunity to reflect God’s love to the world.
As we reflect on Jesus’ words in John 15:13, let’s commit to embracing sacrificial love daily. Let it be our guiding principle in interacting with others, consciously putting their needs above ours.
Reflective Questions:
How can you incorporate sacrificial love into daily interactions with family, friends, and strangers?
What barriers might you need to overcome to practice sacrificial love more freely?
Challenge:
Choose an area where you’ve struggled to show sacrificial love. Focus on this area this week, seeking to put others’ needs before your own in a tangible way.

True Love Like Jesus

True Love Like Jesus
From Love Like Jesus on YouVersion
1 John 4:7-8, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
In our quest to fathom the depths of true love, there stands a beacon of divine example – God Himself. The scripture in 1 John 4:7-8 urges us to embrace love, for we connect with God’s very essence in love. As we consider these powerful words, let’s explore the significance of loving as God loves and how this shapes our understanding of true love.
As love springs from God, it is not an ordinary affection; it’s selfless, unconditional, and eternal. It’s a love that transcends mere feelings and becomes an active choice to seek the highest good for others. Jesus Christ embodies this love most profoundly. His life was not just a proclamation of love but a living testament to it – healing the broken, guiding the lost, and ultimately, sacrificing His own life on our behalf.
This Godly love calls us to look beyond our needs and desires in our everyday existence. It’s straightforward to love those who reciprocate our feelings, but the love of Christ stretches further – it embraces even those who may stand against us. This love is sacrificial, not seeking its advantage but the welfare of others, even at significant personal cost.
How do we live out this sacrificial love in our daily lives? It starts with small acts of kindness and empathy. It’s found in the patience we extend to our family, our compassion to friends, and the forgiveness we grant to those who have wronged us. Emulating Jesus, we are to love unconditionally without expecting anything in return.
For us, men and women of faith, exhibiting this love reflects our bond with Christ. It’s not merely about verbal affirmations of love but about demonstrating it through our deeds and interactions. When we love as God loves, we become vessels of His grace in a world often clouded by misconceptions of what love truly is.
This divine love also involves vulnerability – admitting our faults, opening our hearts, and allowing God’s love to flow through us. In our vulnerability, God’s strength shines brightest. Thus, let’s not retreat from loving deeply, for it is in this depth of love that we find our most profound connection with God and those around us.
This love from God is challenging; it demands strength, bravery, and often personal sacrifices. But remember, we are never alone in this journey. God, who is love itself, is always with us, guiding and empowering us to extend love beyond our human capabilities.
Furthermore, godly love is transformative. It changes not only how we view others but also how we perceive ourselves. It encourages us to let go of ego and pride, fostering a spirit of humility and service. By loving others, we mirror the character of Christ, becoming agents of change and healing in a broken world. This love compels us to act, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, reaching out to the needy, the forgotten, and the marginalized.
In embracing this love, we find our true purpose and joy. Love becomes more than a concept; it becomes a way of life. As we journey forward, let’s commit to living out this love, letting it guide our thoughts, actions, and relationships.
 

God and Goals Day 5 of 5

What if I don’t follow-through? 
from GOD + GOALS: How To Set Goals As A Christian by Lara Casey
You have some good goals in mind, and you trust that the Lord will lead you. But, what if you fail? You’re afraid you won’t follow through, you’ll mess up, and you’ll disappoint God.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9
There’s a popular saying that reads, “She believed she could and so she did.” God’s Word reveals to us a deeper, freeing truth, though: She believed she couldn’t, so God did. You don’t have to do it all, my friend.
God doesn’t expect you to be perfect. That’s why He sent Jesus to save us—He knew we needed a Savior to be our strength when we are weak, to guide us, to show us the way, and to take the punishment for our sins. The gospel is what fuels God-led goals, helping us feel motivated to get back on track when we fall. Where you can’t, He can. In fact, He already did on the cross.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14
No matter what you achieve or don’t achieve, God has achieved the ultimate victory over death for you and for me! There isn’t a mess you’ve made that He can’t make into something beautiful.
Let’s put it all together:
Seek His wisdom on God-led goals and wise planning. He will give it to you!
Take steps in faith, in the big goals and the seemingly-mundane steps between.
And trust Him to pour His grace out over you in the many times you’ll mess up along the way—because you’ll mess up! But, if your goals are pointed right at Him, you won’t jump ship. You’ll turn to Him for strength and wisdom, knowing how you achieve goals doesn’t matter as much as why.
Pray with me: Lord, what an adventure this has been in your life-giving Word! Help me to do something about what I’ve learned and most of all, help me to share the Good News of Jesus. Let all my goals, big and small, lead me to Your feet. And in the times I falter, remind me of your transforming grace. Let that grace compel me forward to live out your purpose for my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

God and Goals Day 4 of 5

How do I make my goals happen and not overstep God’s Will? 
from GOD + GOALS: How To Set Goals As A Christian by Lara Casey
 
You’re standing at the starting line, you want to get after God-led goals, and…. you’re afraid. You’re scared to take action on those goals, getting so focused on achieving them that you edge God out in the process. How do you keep your focus on God and achieving your goals at the same time?
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” – James 4:13-15
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9
First of all, the right goals will lead you on His paths, in His ways, not away from Him. 
Second, you’re not going to set a goal and coast from there. God wants you to stay connected to Him every step of the way, and He’ll guide you. Ultimately, He is the goal. Following the purposes He has for us is like following a map He created. He knows the way. 
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:4-5
Just like you would do on a long road trip, keep checking the map to be sure you’re headed in the right direction. If you lose sight of the plan, you might find yourself on an unfamiliar street. But, pick it right back up again, and you’ll get back on track!
God isn’t concerned about whether or not you achieve perfect progress in a goal; He wants your heart. And step by step, prayer by prayer, moment by moment as you seek Him, you will stay on the right path. Connection with Him will keep you in check with Him.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this – Psalms 37:4-5
Pray with me: Lord, I’m afraid to set out on a path that’s not yours. Please give me a spirit not of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Thank you for the map—Your Word—and for the ability to pray directly to You! Please help me to stay focused on You as my goal instead of the approval of others, accolades, or the pleasure of checking things off a list. I want to work hard for You for the right reasons. Thank you for guiding me and keeping me on Your path! In Jesus’ name. Amen.