Living real love

1 John 3:16

How do we know what real love is?
Jesus!

He exchanged – surrendered –
His life on earth
for our lives eternal.

Now let’s give Him our lives
(give up our wants and wishes)
to provide for the needs
of our brothers and sisters
in Christ.

Mary Sayler, © 2017, prayer-a-phrased today’s Bible reading of 1 John 3:16 with the help of various translations found on Bible Gateway.

Mary's newest book PRAISE! with contemporary psalms and free verse poems has been released by Cladach Publishing 

…

Christ’s love does not let us down

Romans 5:5-11

Our hope in Christ Jesus
does not disappoint us
or put us to shame
because the Holy Spirit
pours into us
the love of God!

For when we were weak and helpless
and unable to save ourselves,
Christ died for all of us – sinners all –
at just the right time.

Think of it! Few of us would be willing
to die for someone else, though, perhaps,
we might for family or friend.

But the Lord proved His amazing love for us
that, while we were way far away from God,

Christ died for us:

justifying us by His blood,
saving us from end-time wrath,
reconciling us to God by His death.

Oh, how much more
will our lives be saved by His life!

Praise God!

Through Jesus Christ our Lord
our fellowship with God, ourselves,
and one another is restored!


© 2015, Mary Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in Romans 5:5-11 from several of the many translations found on Bible Gateway

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Loving and living in the light of Christ

Prayer-a-phrase of 1 John 2:3-10

How do we know we know God?
If we keep Christ’s commandments!

People who say they know God
but do not obey God’s Word
are just lying to themselves,
and the truth is not in them.

But whoever obeys God’s Word
is perfected by the love of God.

By this we'll know: If we say
we live in Christ,
we will walk as Jesus did.

Beloved, this isn’t a new command
as it’s been true since the beginning,
so you’ve already heard this word,
and yet, this is new
because it’s come true now
in Christ and in you:

Darkness is passing away,
and true light shines in Christ!

So, if you say you live in the light
but loathe other Christians,
you’re still in the darkness.

Those who love all believers
will live in the light of Christ
and cause none to stumble.


©2014, Mary Sayler, poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church, prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in I John by comparing translations on Bible Gateway.
…

What love does

Remind everyone to obey
those in authority
and be ready to do good.

Remind everyone not
to talk ill of anyone nor
quarrel, but be
gentle and respectful of all.

Remember how we once
foolishly disobeyed? We, too,
went the way of envy
and other evils, and, oh, how
we hated one another!

Then God
our Savior
showed us true
kindness and love
by saving us –
not because
of anything
we had done,
but because
of God’s own
mercy.

And God cleansed us from sin
and gave us a fresh start
and gave us a new life in the Spirit
and generously poured into us
the Holy Spirit of our Savior
Jesus Christ.

God’s grace made us righteous.
God's gift gave us confidence
and hope
of life
forever in Christ.

Titus 3:1-7


©2014, Mary Sayler, a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of the Bible, prayer-a-phrased today’s reading in Titus by comparing translations on Bible Gateway.


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Holy Week shows us everything the Bible says about love

“For God so loves the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him will not perish, but have
everlasting life. For Christ did not come
into the world to condemn the world, but
that through Him the world might be saved,”

John 3:16-17.

“For this reason, I bow my knees unto
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from whom the whole family in heaven
and earth is named, that He may grant
you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power by His Spirit
in your inner self, so that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith – and that you, being
rooted and grounded in love, may be able
to comprehend with all the saints what is
the breadth and length, depth and height,
and to know the love of Christ – the love
which surpasses knowledge, that you might
be filled with all the fullness of God.

“Now to him Who is able to do far more
abundantly than anything we ask or think,
according to the power at work within us,
to Him be the glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever
and ever, without end. Amen,”

Ephesians 3:14-21.


Prayer: LORD God and Heavenly Father of all, as Lent ends and Holy Week begins, please help us to accept Your overwhelming love that we might fully turn to You and fully return to the church in the healing power, love, and forgiving embrace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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©2012, Mary Sayler. Thank you for acknowledging this site when sharing its devotional thoughts with others. For a variety of Bible topics, see Blogs by Mary. May God bless your Holy Week.

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