recognize.

050113 11:11 PM G.R.O.W.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

God’s love for me is displayed through this passage. By His love, grace and mercy, He comforts me when I am struggling. Then, I am able to use what God had comforted me with for my brothers and sisters. This illustrates a gospel-centered lifestyle. By God’s love, I am saved and forgiven and I have to relay that message to the ones around my life.

First I need to establish and ground my faith more in Scripture. As I develop a greater understanding of God and what His heart desires, I can see what God is calling me to do. So my time in the Word needs to transform me; my heart, mind and actions. Then when I absorb what the Word has taught me, I lean on God’s wisdom to practice articulating the gospel message. My relationship with God needs to be there first if I plan to pursue Christ-centered relationships.

Dear God, You comfort me in all circumstances. Your love and faithfulness comforts me. While I’ll always fall short of Your glory, You’ll remain in my life. So as I continue growing in Your heart, may I be able to convey that through my relationships. I yearn to establish relationships with Your Word as the truth and way. May I trust You as I conclude my school week, that You may be glorified in all things I do. More and more I realize how undeserving I am of Your grace and how much more hope I need to place in You. Thank You. Amen.

042913 0231AM G.R.O.W.

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Sometimes I believe that bad company cannot corrupt my belief. In that, I am being deceived because I will not always stand in my faith. I am a sinner whose inclination is to fall into bad company and avert from what is good.

Simply avoid bad company. Especially during this week, as I trust and take steps of faith. Not leaning on my understanding but Yours.

Dear God, thank You for this verse as it relates so much to my life at this moment. You reveal Your heart for me and ask me to question my standing in my faith. I fail miserably everyday but I am struggling to fight my way out of my flesh-ly desires. I know that You will always be there to carry me out of my sin, but it is a matter of me obeying Your Word. I do not ask for greater faith, but I pray for discernment and wisdom as I battle through another week and continue to delight in Your Word. Thank You. Amen.

G. R. O. W. 042513 1255 AM

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

God encompasses all these functions of love. It’s God’s love that bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. And I have been given this love to display to others and reciprocate into worship.

My life needs to be surrounded in love. I am enabled to love because God loved me first. It was through His greatest act of love on the cross that He paved a way to establish a relationship with Him. The Scripture clearly states that love is exemplified in those ways.

Dear God, thank You for Your love. May my actions be aligned with a loving heart. May my faith resound with what Your love provides for me. Your love brings me hope, in salvation and eternal life. And that Your love will strengthen me and bring me out of my downfalls and tribulations. But love is not limited to my needs. I pray for a lifestyle of love. May Your love for me be shown in my life. I am only a byproduct of love, and You have called me as an extension of Your love. And the greatest way I can love is to share with everyone the Gospel. To live a life of obedience with a loving mindset. I pray for my brothers and sisters from all over to experience Your enormous love for us daily. Thank You. Amen.

G. R. O. W. 042313 1243 AM

1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

God emphasizes the importance of unity within the body. As brothers and sisters, we share and pray for one anothers’ burdens and rejoice and celebrate in one anothers’ victories. God addresses how my lifestyle needs to be revolved around building relationships that can relate to the verse.

I think that for one member to suffer for another, each person needs to build a relationship. Without any form of relationship, I would be unable to empathize or understand what a brother or sister is struggling with. To celebrate in another’s honor indicates that I must have some relation to the brother or sister who received the honor. This establishes the notion that the body functions in unison; that we’re only able to suffer altogether and rejoice altogether because we develop a relationship within our body.

Dear God, thank You for Your love and grace. As I struggled in obedience today, I was encouraged by my brothers to remain steadfast and persevere in the midst of tribulations. I am reminded that only You are capable of bringing me out of sin, and that it only requires me to have faith, trust and obedience in You. I pray that my relationships in my body within the church and body that extends my home church expands immensely. May I develop more meaningful relationships, with intentions to share about each other’s life so that we may share in mourning or delight. I also pray for my brothers and sisters, as our call to discipleship is something that is always available to us. As we minister and grow to/with each other, may You be glorified in it through it all. Thank You for Your sacrifice and thank You for saving me. Amen.

G.R.O.W. 042213 0230AM

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

A reminder that first, the spiritual gift is given to me by His grace and love. Second, it is a spiritual gift, one that the Spirit provides and guides. Manifestation indicates that the gift needs to be applied and lived out. Finally, it is through the manifestation of the spiritual gifts which the Holy Spirit leads that I am able to display love for the common good.

I think I know what it means to possess a gift which was given to me by the Spirit. But I do not truly know if I do not use it. Using it in a selfish manner does not suffice; I am only doing the opposite in disobeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To genuinely apply my spiritual gifts, I trust and know that I am empowered by the Holy Spirit which guides me. Then I use it not for my selfish gain but to serve others. This requires humility, to use what I possess for the sake of others. And that’s what love is, to give what’s significant of mine to share and rejoice in with the ones I love. It is through my obedience and heart of service that I am able to love God.

Dear God, You remind me that what I have is not mine but Yours. I am not my own but Yours and I find happiness in that. You call me Your child because You love me and I love You. You have called me as a servant to worship You in all things I do, especially in using the spiritual gifts You have given me. May I trust that through the Spirit, I am able to use the gifts You’ve granted me with discernment. I know that what You’ve given me is far beyond my understanding, so I’ll lean on You and the Word alone. May my actions reflect a heart of obedience. A heart that is aligned with Yours and constantly seeking to absolve the sin in my life. I am a sinner and deserve death, but You have carried me, so that I may have a relationship with You. Thank You for both my blood family and church family and all the individuals in my life. I pray that You heal and renew any hurting, dry hearts and let Your love overflow them in abundance. Thank You for my life because the more I think about it, I do not deserve anything but death. You love me not only as Your child but as a sinner. You are all I need and I am eternally grateful. Thank You. Amen.

041513 0926PM

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