Part 1: Sure-Fire Ways to Douse the Passion in Your Marriage

Comparing Apples to Oranges

2 Corinthians 10:11-13
¹¹Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
¹³But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

What if your husband frequently compared you to other women and complained about how you’re not as pretty or witty as those wives? Would you be offended? You bet.

So imagine how he feels when he gets compared to other men and never seems to measure up. Consider these comments, and ask yourself if you have ever expressed such sentiments:

• “Her husband still sends her cards and flowers and takes her out on dates. How come you don’t do that for me any more?”

• “Sometimes I wish my dad were here to deal with all these house repairs. He would have had that fixed yesterday!”

• “It makes me feel special when my male co-workers talk to me and ask how my day is going. Why can’t you show more interest?”

• “You can tell he really loves his wife—he takes such great care of their yard without her having to say anything. How do you think our yard makes me feel?”

Comparisons like these will extinguish his flame quickly. It’s as if his wife is saying, “You’re not good enough for me.” [ohh, that's gonna be hurt!] But you’ll find that, while comparing doesn’t get you very far, the art of contentment works miracles. Rather than trying to goad him into becoming more like Mr. So-and-So, you’ll find that the key to contentment is expressing sincere gratitude for what you do have in your husband. Just ask any guy whose wife makes the effort to communicate appreciation for his efforts, and he’ll likely tell you he’s one happy man. And contentment can be contagious within a family.

Computer Engineer Barbie

Eliana this for you...

Computer Engineer Barbie Has a PhD In FUN (And Breaking Down Stereotypes)

This is actually wonderful. Barbie's had 124 careers since 1959, ranging from Stewardess to Paratrooper. Today she gets her 125th: computer engineer. You can tell she's smart 'cause she's got glasses, and reads nothing but binary.

Barbie's latest career move is also significant for being the first decided entirely by online vote. Though maybe it's not so surprising that the internet community was especially inclined to see a Bluetooth-rocking geektastic Barbie.

She's been around for decades, but Barbie's every bit the influencer that she's always been. Will this inspire a generation of women to become computer scientists? Probably not. But it might go a long ways towards dispelling any unfair preconceptions about the computer sciences.

Full release below, but first: can anyone tell me what the binary on her screen says? I hope it's not just a bunch of stories about unicorns. That might defeat the purpose.

The Vote Is In: Barbie® Unveils Her 125th and 126th Careers
For the first time ever, Barbie® asked the world to help her select her next career. Over the past few months Barbie® did research around the world and also conducted an online voting campaign, calling upon the world to vote for her doll's next career – Barbie® has asked her Twitter followers and fans on Facebook to help her with this important career decision.

But that's not all! Consumers loudly campaigned for another Barbie® career. The winner of the popular vote is Computer Engineer. Computer Engineer Barbie®, debuting in Winter 2010, inspires a new generation of girls to explore this important high-tech industry, which continues to grow and need future female leaders.

"All the girls who imagine their futures through Barbie will learn that engineers - like girls - are free to explore infinite possibilities, limited only by their imagination," says Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. "As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people's everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career."

To create an authentic look, Barbie® designers worked closely with the Society of Women Engineers and the National Academy of Engineering to develop the wardrobe and accessories for Computer Engineer Barbie®. Wearing a binary code patterned tee and equipped with all the latest gadgets including a smart phone, Bluetooth headset, and laptop travel bag, Computer Engineer Barbie® is geek chic.

Always a trailblazer, Barbie® continues her impressive career path in 2010 and throughout the new decade as she takes on these two new aspirational careers. Both News Anchor Barbie® and Computer Engineer Barbie® are currently available for pre-order exclusively at www.MattelShop.com.

The Power of Love

READ 1 Corinthians 13:4

Believers are channels for God’s love. His love flowing through us is a powerful force that enables us to do more than the unbeliever who relies only upon himself:

“Love is patient.” With God’s Spirit living within us,we are empowered to wait upon His timing and purpose. When we care about someone, we naturally want to act quickly on his or her behalf. But as the Lord is working out His perfect plan,we must wait until He tells us to proceed.

“Love is kind.” As believers, we have the capacity to be genuinely kind, regardless of how others may treat us. Unlike vengeance, which feeds our own desires, kindness responds to the other person’s need for love and affirmation.

“Love is not jealous.” Jealousy is a fear of losing someone—or losing loyalty from that person. Being a channel for God’s love gives us the security to hold relationships more loosely. When we are confident of our Lord’s care and sovereignty, we do not need to cling so fiercely to our friends and family that we smother them.

“Love does not brag and is not arrogant.” Apart from the fullness of God’s love, people are empty and prone to be self-absorbed, craving attention for themselves. But as believers, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who enables us to understand our value in God’s eyes.As a result,we can be humble before men.

God’s love is powerful. When we allow His caring Spirit to flow through us, we can have a profound effect upon our world.

The Lessons of Love

READ Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God and others. To live apart from this directive is to miss our reason for being. There are different types of love, as well as different degrees of intensity. For example, brotherly love—phileo in the Greek—is one type of caring, while agape—the unconditional love that characterizes God—is love of the highest order. Agape is a commitment that inspires us to help others find and pursue God’s plan for their life.

John 13:35 reads, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus was saying His followers should be identifiable by their love for others. However, people enter the world as selfish sinners with a limited capacity to demonstrate care and concern. So God must do something to enable them to show His love. By receiving salvation through Christ the Savior, a person becomes a brand-new creation—in whom the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and through whom God can live out His life and love.

Natural, self-generated love is imperfect because it comes from a heart that is sinful. (Jeremiah 17:9) However, a heart filled with the Spirit is capable of practicing agape love. Believers are able to love even their enemies and persecutors because the Holy Spirit lives out God’s most important commandment through them.

Love that is selfless, patient, and kind is rare—and its sole source is God. We are unable to practice that kind of passionate care until we allow the Father’s love to flow through us.

How God Expresses Love

God loves every person He created. We could spend an entire day talking about the ways He expresses His love, and we’d still not be able to mention every one. But let’s take a look at a few examples from Scripture. Creation is a tangible love message. God made a beautiful world for us to enjoy. He didn’t have to make the earth interesting to observe or explore, but He did so because He delights in our pleasure. He also enjoys meeting our needs, which He often does through other people. For that reason, He formed the body of Christ—He made believers into a family so that we could look to each other for encouragement and support.

People can decide whether or not to join the family of believers, and that freedom is an expression of God’s love too. Free will allows us to choose obedience, which makes us grow
into mature saints who bear Christ’s image. Another important example of God’s love is
that He causes all things—even hardships—to work for our ultimate good. And of course, His greatest expression of love is the cross, where Jesus paid our sin-debt and purchased
our salvation.

God could have chosen to offer salvation and nothing more, but He did not stop there. He gave each believer the Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide.We have the uninterrupted presence of God in our life because He wants to spend time with us!

Everything God does is an expression of His love. Take a moment to list a few of the blessings He has poured into your life recently—and let your gratitude be heard.

God, the Greatest Lover

God’s love is an everlasting gift. We can do nothing either to deserve it or to cut it off. The Father’s love simply is; no amount of good or bad work causes it to change. What’s more, we must realize that when we try to pay someone back for a gift freely given, we frustrate the giver and reveal our own lack of self-worth.

As long as we feel we must deserve the Father’s love, we cannot fully experience it. We will be so busy trying to do something lovable that it won’t occur to us to be still and simply allow His nature to settle our mind and heart. And what is His nature? God is not simply loving; the Scriptures tell us that He is love. (1 John 4:16)

In addition, God’s love is sacrificial—the kind that puts aside one’s own desires in order to meet the needs of the beloved. In our case, the need is salvation. We are sinners, incapable on our own of relating to a holy God. Divine justice required payment for our sin-debt. And yet, to express His love while staying true to His justice, God determined that a substitute would pay the penalty in our place. And so He sent His Son to die on the cross; there, Jesus was allowed to endure the hell of separation from His Father. As a result, everyone who trusts in the Savior’s sacrifice never has to experience His pain.

God has loved you since before you were born—2,000 years ago, He sent His Son Jesus to die in your place. Stop trying to earn the gift that is already yours! Follow this command instead: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 KJV).

Computer Training Program

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CHRISTIANS IN RED

We are staging a one-night only

"CHRISTIANS IN RED - A Valentine's Day Musicale Concert"
Come and see this event tonight 7 pm
at the MBBC - Main Sanctuary
2330 Revellin St. Sta. Ana Manila


Featuring Masters Timmy Vallega, Sarah Mei Arellano, LBBC Trio, Joses Santiago,
MBBC VOICES, FORTE et.al

as our premier artists on stage!

tickets available at the gate
Adult 100 pesos only
College and High School students 50 pesos only

For more inquiry pls call 5611076

Created to Love Others

READ Mark 12:28-34


“Love your neighbor” is a biblical mandate and the foundation of the Golden Rule, but the phrase is not complete without the two words that follow it. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” is the complete sentence. (Mark 12:31, emphasis added) If we are to be vessels for pouring out the Father’s love to other people,we must regard them unselfishly.

Regardless of how we act or feel, God is completely in love with us. The proof is in John 3:16—God loved mankind so much that He gave His Son to die for their sins. And He did this while all human beings were still His enemies! (Romans 5:8-10) No one is worthy of the sacrifice Christ made, and yet the Father’s perspective is that we are worth it. If He considers each of us that valuable, then we ought to look at others the same way.

Experiencing God’s love should inspire us to love our neighbors—everyone in our sphere of influence—although this is easier with some than with others. Throughout the gospels, Jesus repeated the command to His disciples, probably because He knew how often His followers,both then and now, would run into people who are difficult to love. But we are most like God when we ask, “How can I serve this person? What is in his or her best interest?”

Though we’ll encounter people who seem unlovable, the commandment stands: we are to love them as ourselves. This is a powerful evangelism tool. Few can resist the attraction of a loving friend acting on behalf of another loving Friend. Who among your neighbors needs to feel loved today?

God's Amazing Love

The one thing we cannot live without

We can imagine feelings of panic sweeping through the woman’s mind. Heavy footsteps outside the door announced the entry of her intruders even before they crossed the threshold. The woman knew she was caught. Why had she not seen this coming? There was no place to run now.

Instantly, she recognized the men who entered the room. They were from the temple, and if they had their way, she would face much more than a few revealing questions raised in a civil court. In fact, her fate was sealed unless there was a miraculous intervention.

The woman caught in adultery had been living without true love for so long that she no longer dared to dream that one day she would find it. More than likely, she begged for mercy, but her captors only tightened their hold. She would not gain freedom at their hands, nor did she expect it. She knew who she was. She was aware of her sinful state and often had overheard the whispered comments of others.

The fact was, she had often rehearsed their words in her mind. Truly, she was despised and hopelessly lost. Sin had captured her heart, her being, and it was not about to show her any mercy—not now, not ever. That was until she met the Savior—the God of love and the God who cares deeply about each one of us.


Without Love—Without Hope
John tells us that Jesus was teaching in the temple the morning this group of scribes and Pharisees entered, bringing with them the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). At first the scene was chaotic. There was a rush of words and quick accusations. Then their captive was delivered at the Savior’s feet. “Teacher,” one Pharisee offered, “this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act” (John 8:4).

Sin always isolates. It prevents us from enjoying God’s fellowship, while creating an unbearable sense of loneliness and fear within our lives. What’s more, it divides our minds and changes the focus of our hearts. Instead of turning in God’s direction, we follow after the very things He deems sinful—things that bring unspeakable heartache and sorrow to our lives.

No one could have felt more isolated and fearful than this woman. However, this experience of extreme shame and brokenness ultimately led to her salvation. As horrible and repulsive as the scene was, it became a place of awesome wonder and grace because Jesus was with her. One look into the Savior’s eyes and she realized no matter what came next, she could face it.

The temple leaders stepped back and waited for the Lord’s reply. They were all in on a scheme, and Jesus knew it. Everyone present was watching to see if He would convict a person who was
obviously guilty or allow her to go free.

The temple rulers’ religious clamor was meant to ensnare Jesus, should He deny His commitment to the Law of Moses. But instead of falling into their trap, Jesus offered this woman
exactly what every human heart longs to receive—love and forgiveness.

The goal of God’s love is not to approve of our sin. It is to transform our lives through faith in His Son. The Lord knew the Law demanded this woman’s death. Yet He would not condemn her
(John 8:11). From a human standpoint, she was guilty as charged. However, from God’s perspective, she was a sinner who was about to become a person saved by His grace.

Therefore, He issued an invitation: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). No one came forward. Those present had sinned and were in need of God’s grace for their own lives. Yet they were blinded by their pride and did not realize they also needed God’s love and forgiveness.

Like these men, you may be thinking you have lived your entire life without becoming involved in sin of this nature. However, all sin hurts the heart of God. A careless remark, a prideful thought, an angry word spoken in haste, a bitter and unforgiving spirit are all as deadly as the
sin this woman committed. The reason: sin committed at any level prevents us from experiencing the goodness of God’s fellowship. It robs us of the inner peace, contentment, and joy that He offers everyone who comes to Him. It also creates division between us and those we love.

While Jesus was saddened by the way this woman came to Him, He saw the potential her life contained. And that is also how He looks at us. No matter how great our sin appears, God is not ashamed to offer us the greatest gift we could ever receive—His eternal love, which is far greater than even the worst sins we could ever commit.

Our heavenly Father loves us, even when we fall short of His plan and purpose. His Spirit convicts us of our sinful actions (John 16:7-8), and His infinite love leads us back to the place He wants us to be (2 Corinthians 5:14). Never be frightened to stand before His throne of grace and mercy. Since you have sinned, you need to know that you have a Savior who loves you with an eternal love. And there is no love greater than His.

However, many people have never opened their hearts to the Savior or to the possibility that He loves them even though their lives have been riddled with sin. They struggle through life, battling feelings of guilt and shame. We can tell by the way this woman addressed Jesus that she was now ready to leave behind her old way of life. When the Savior asked if anyone was left who accused her, she answered, “No one, Lord” (John 8:11). She was addressing Him as her Lord
and Master.


The Goal of God’s Love
There are people who spend a lifetime searching for love but have never experienced it because they fail to realize it has been available to them all along. Many times, God allows the consequences of our sin to catch up with us so He can gain our attention and bring us to a point of
confession, where we cry out for His forgiveness.

You do not need to spend another day, hour, or even minute living without love. The moment you lift your eyes to look into God’s and confess your sin, He will forgive you. The Lord will save you and transform your life while giving you a sense of hope that will never fade. In fact, no one will ever love you more than He does.

God’s love is eternal. Long before you were born, the Lord had already determined to love you. No sin is strong enough to deter His love. His love reaches out to the lost and to those who are hurting and alone in sin.

God pursues us with an everlasting love. He knows the times we struggle with temptation and the loneliness we face as a result of our actions. When we cry out to Him, He hears our prayers and answers our call for help (Psalm 107:13; 1 John 1:9).

Divine love does not condemn us. Jesus said that He came to earth to save those who are trapped in sin. We are set free from the slavery of sin when we follow Him and learn to live our lives according to His principles (Romans 8:1; John 15).

God’s love is incomprehensible. It has no beginning or end and is beyond anything we can imagine. It is greater than our greatest sin. Therefore, no matter where we have been or what we have done in the past, His love toward us remains consistent, committed, and unrestrained.

His love never changes. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not wait for our lives to straighten out before He loves us; He proved His love even while we were lost in sin (Romans 5:8).

The Lord’s love covers. After Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the Garden of Eden, God made garments for them out of animal skins (Genesis 3:21). This was the first time blood was shed as atonement for sin. The last and final time was on Calvary’s cross.

God loves us without restriction. There are no limits to divine love. If God loved us on the basis of our performance or conduct, then His love would be conditional, but that is not the case. The love of God is unconditional and indefinable.

God’s love is sacrificial. Jesus died for your sins—every single one, including the wrongs you committed years ago and those you will commit in the future. The goal of His love is not to approve of your sin, but rather to change the way you live your life. He never keeps score of how many times we have fallen or failed. He wants us to learn to love Him so much that we would desire to leave sin behind and follow Him in love and purity. This is His invitation to you. It is the same one He gave the woman who was caught in adultery: “I do not condemn you . . . Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11).

Love: Our Greatest Need

If we were honest, most of us would say our greatest need is to be loved. Acceptance would come in a close second. In fact, for many people, love and acceptance go hand in hand, which is also true from God’s perspective. However, His view of love is much different from ours. In human thinking, love is often linked to what we have done right and well rather than freely given, unrelated to performance.

Many times we are tempted to believe that if we can please parents, spouses, employers, or friends, then we will feel loved, but this is never the case for too long. Life lived on this type of performance wheel becomes more of a chore than a motivation. The truth is, we cannot sustain the expectations of others very long. Sooner or later, the walls come crashing down, and life begins to crumble.

The apostle Paul writes, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal . . . and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). All the works you may consider advantageous for earning right standing with God are insufficient to gain the love and acceptance He has for you. While Martha rushed around preparing a meal, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, feasting on His every word. From God’s perspective, it was Mary who demonstrated love in action and who had chosen a “more excellent way” (Luke 10:38-42; 1 Corinthians 12:31).

The Lord’s love is the principle focus of this month. In “God’s Amazing Love,” we are reminded that sin—even what appears to be its darkest form—cannot prevail against God’s unconditional love, which is the only answer to our greatest need.

There is a heart wrenching story of sacrifice and love freely given for something dearly held. As 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails,” which is always true when God is involved. My prayer is that your deepest desire will be to live each day in His mercy, grace, and most of all in the abundance of His love.

Daily Devotion

Created to Be Lovers

READ Deuteronomy 6:4-9
⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Jealousy is typically an undesirable, negative emotion. As James 3:16 says, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” However, a verse from the Old Testament gives a different impression of the word:“…for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 5:9).

This is not a contradiction, because jealousy has a second, more positive meaning that has almost become lost in our modern culture. It describes God’s vigilance in guarding our love for Him. Since we were created to love the Lord and be loved by Him, anything that competes for our devotion simply does not fit our life purpose.

The most important mission of life is to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. (Luke 10:27) Without complete devotion to Him, we would pursue our own interests and neglect godly principles and goals. No idol, whether it is a person, a dream, or an item, is worthy of worship. But a holy and just God—whose deep love for mankind moved Him to send His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place—deserves and demands our total loyalty and surrender.

God hates idols of every kind because He knows anything that draws our attention away from Him is dangerous. In fact, focusing only partially on the Lord is a sure way to stumble in this life and to end up ensnared in sin and forfeiting His blessings. For both our protection and His glory, the heavenly Father calls us to be true to His purpose by living in total loyalty and surrender
to Him.


Grabe pala talaga ma-inlove ang Panginoon sa atin... maraming pagkakataon manhid lang talaga tayo sa Pag-Ibig na ukol nya sa atin... parang minsan din sa mga taong mahal natin... ang hirap mag-mahal nga minsan kung yun minamahal mo ay di ka pansin...

Love Always Protects

Genesis 3:21 has been called the first gospel sermon. Preached not by preachers, but by God himself. Not with words, but with symbol and action.

“The LORD God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them” (Gen. 3:21).

God covers them. He protects them.

Love always protects.

Hasn’t he done the same for us? We eat our share of forbidden fruit. We say what we shouldn’t say. Go where we shouldn’t go. Pluck fruit from trees we shouldn’t touch.

So what does God do? Exactly what he did for our parents in the garden. He sheds innocent blood. He offers the life of his Son. And from the scene of the sacrifice the Father takes a robe—not the skin of an animal—but the robe of righteousness. And does he throw it in our direction and tell us to shape up? No, he dresses us himself. He dresses us with himself. “You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ” (Gal. 3:26–27).

God has clothed us. He protects us with a cloak of love. Can you look back over your life and see instances of God’s protection?

God protect me? Does God protect us?

And you? Did he keep you from a bad relationship? Protect you from the wrong job?

“Like hovering birds, so will [the LORD Almighty] protect Jerusalem” (Isa. 31:5 JB). “He will strengthen and protect you” (2 Thess. 3:3 NIV). “He will command his angels … to guard you” (Ps. 91:11 NIV). God protects you with a cloak of love.

The Ways of God Part 3: The Things God Uses

Supporting Scripture: Jonah 1:1-4, 2:1-10, 3:4-9; 4:8-11; 1 Samuel 17:34-50; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 5:1-11; John 5:33-34, 6:1-14, 19:17-18.
Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

The closer we get to God, the better we understand Him. There is awesome beauty in the fine detail of God’s work.As a photographer, I can take a wide angle shot of a field of flowers, and make a nice picture. However, I enjoy an extreme close-up of one bloom even more because it reveals the wonderful intricacy of the Creator’s design.

If I asked you to describe some of the fine details in the nature of God and His works, what would you say? Have you studied Him up close?

We learn about Him through His ways. For example, we can observe the kinds of things He uses, and we can notice how He uses them. It’s often very surprising for us to discover what vessels He chooses for performing His mighty work in the world.


Scriptural Principles:

1 God uses simple things.
You would probably expect God to make use of mighty things and mighty people, but the truth is quite the opposite. For example, the story of Moses, which begins in Exodus 1:8, shows how God could use a simple wicker basket to change the course of a nation’s history. Moses was placed in the river in a small basket, where he could be found by Pharaoh’s daughter. God used a simple, hand-woven container to protect the child who would be the liberator of his nation.You may feel as flimsy as a wicker basket, but it’s what the basket holds that counts. God can place something of supreme value inside the vessel of your life.

2 God uses imperfect attitudes.
Jonah was a man who would go to great lengths to disobey God.The Lord assigned him a mission and Jonah ran away, but God used him anyway. Not only that, but as we read in Jonah 2, God used a great fish to rescue Jonah from drowning. In Jonah 3, God used a withering plant to teach Jonah a lesson. God will use plants and animals, and He will use servants like Jonah even when they are imperfect. Have you refused to give yourself to God and His purposes because you felt unworthy? He can use Jonah; He can even use a fish.Why not you? Surrender your life to God just the way you are.

3 God uses unequipped people.
In the book of 1 Samuel we read about David, the young shepherd boy who wanted to challenge Goliath. There were many Israelite warriors, and none of them wanted to face the giant. David would not even wear the armor of King Saul, because he depended only on the strength of the God who had helped him defeat a bear and a lion. David brought down the giant with a simple stone such as anyone could find in a creek.The smallest pebble can perform the most powerful deed in the hands of almighty God.

4 God uses surrendered lives.
David may have seemed too small to be a mighty warrior, but he understood the secret to victory in life: he was totally surrendered to God. He was available for whatever task God might have for him, and he was bold enough to step forward and ignore those who doubted God’s power and protection. Does God need great armies or weapons? Does He need anything at all? He does not, but He uses those who are willing to surrender themselves to His service. Have you come to that point of surrender? Are you willing to trust Him for whatever plan He might have, knowing that He loves you and that His plans are best?

5 God uses willing sacrifice.
In Mark’s Gospel we find the account of a poor widow who made a contribution of two small copper coins, the equivalent of a single cent. Jesus told His disciples that “this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury” (Mark 12:43). Why? Because it was all she had. What matters is not the size, but the spirit of our gift. God wants us to give all our effort, all our dedication, all our creativity, and everything we have toward His service. The dollar value is what the world notices, but God ignores all that; He sees the heart. God uses a willing and generous gift. Are you giving of yourself with a generous heart?

6 God uses simple obedience.
Jesus was teaching a great crowd in Luke 5:1-11. In their eagerness to hear, they nudged Him right to the edge of the water. Jesus asked Peter for the use of a fishing boat, and God used that boat for the teaching of the Word. Then He used it for a miraculous catch. Peter was an experienced fisherman, and he must have wondered what a carpenter from Nazareth would know about fishing. Peter obeyed, however, and enjoyed the greatest fishing trip he ever had. Our problem is generally not in knowing God’s will for our lives, but in our willingness to be obedient. How about you? Will you do what God is calling you to do?

7 God uses whatever may be in your hand.
In John 6, another crowd of people pressed Jesus and His disciples. There were five thousand men, as well as many women and children. Where would their meals come from? The disciples were worried, but a boy was found who had five barley loaves and two fish. Surely that wasn’t enough food to feed such an army! Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed the fish and bread to everyone there. Every man, woman, and child had a feast. This miracle was given in order to show that Jesus was the Son of God, and all that was needed was the simple lunch in a boy’s hand.What is in your hand? What should you offer to Christ?

8 God uses everything for our eternal good.
What other simple thing could God use? He used a tree for the benefit of the whole world. John 19 gives us the account of the crucifixion of Jesus.Why a cross, made from a tree? Why not a sword, for example? The cross made it possible for everyone to see how Jesus gave His life for us. God prepared that very wood for the awesome sacrifice of His Son, so that the blood of Jesus would pay the price for our sin. God used a common tree for His eternal purposes, and we know that He uses all things and all events for our good, as we love Him. There is nothing in this world He cannot and will not use.


Conclusion:

It’s written across every page of your Bible that God can use all that you have and all that you are. All He wants is you. He is calling to you right now, and His desire is for you to understand that full surrender means blessings greater than all the riches in the world.

If He can use a wicker basket, the stomach of a fish, a simple stone, a boat, or a tree, what might He do with your mind, your gifts, your time, and your treasures? What miracles might He accomplish for His glory through you?

Are you willing to commit to the following statement? “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.”

Unfailing Love

“Love,” Paul says, “never fails”
(1 Cor. 13:8 NIV).

The verb Paul uses for the word fail is used elsewhere to describe the demise of a flower as it falls to the ground, withers, and decays. It carries the meaning of death and abolishment. God’s love, says the apostle, will never fall to the ground, wither, and decay. By its nature, it is permanent. It is never abolished.

Love “will last forever” (NLT).

It “never dies” (MSG).

It “never ends” (RSV).

Love “is eternal” (TEV).

God’s love “will never come to an end” (NEB).

Love never fails.

Governments will fail, but God’s love will last. Crowns are temporary, but love is eternal. Your money will run out, but his love never will.

How could God have a love like this? No one has unfailing love. No person can love with perfection. You’re right. No person can. But God is not a person. Unlike our love, his never fails. His love is immensely different from ours.

Our love depends on the receiver of the love. Let a thousand people pass before us, and we will not feel the same about each. Our love will be regulated by their appearance, by their personalities. Even when we find a few people we like, our feelings will fluctuate. How they treat us will affect how we love them. The receiver regulates our love.

Not so with the love of God. We have no thermostatic impact on his love for us. The love of God is born from within him, not from what he finds in us. His love is uncaused and spontaneous.

Does he love us because of our goodness? Because of our kindness? Because of our great faith? No, he loves us because of his goodness, kindness, and great faith. John says it like this: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10 NIV).

Doesn’t this thought comfort you? God’s love does not hinge on yours. The abundance of your love does not increase his. The lack of your love does not diminish his. Your goodness does not enhance his love, nor does your weakness dilute it. What Moses said to Israel is what God says to us:

The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! It was simply because the LORD loves you. (Deut. 7:7–8 NLT)

God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.

He loves you when you don’t feel lovely.

He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what.

This is his sentiment: “I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved” (Rom. 9:25 MSG).

This is his promise. “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (Jer. 31:3 NLT)

Daily Devotion

The Kitchen:
God's Abundant Table

“Give us this day our daily bread…”

Your first step into the house of God was not to the kitchen but to the living room, where you were reminded of your adoption. “Our Father who is in heaven.” You then studied the foundation of the house, where you pondered his permanence. “Our Father who is in heaven.” Next you entered the observatory and marveled at his handiwork: “Our Father who is in heaven.” In the chapel, you worshiped his holiness: “Hallowed be thy name.” In the throne room, you touched the lowered scepter and prayed the greatest prayer, “Thy kingdom come.” In the study, you submitted your desires to his and prayed, “Thy will be done.” And all of heaven was silent as you placed your prayer in the furnace, saying, “on earth as it is in heaven.”

Proper prayer follows such a path, revealing God to us before revealing our needs to God. (You might reread that one.) The purpose of prayer is not to change God, but to change us, and by the time we reach God’s kitchen, we are changed people. Wasn’t our heart warmed when we called him Father? Weren’t our fears stilled when we contemplated his constancy? Weren’t we amazed as we stared at the heavens?

Seeing his holiness caused us to confess our sin. Inviting his kingdom to come reminded us to stop building our own. Asking God for his will to be done placed our will in second place to his. And realizing that heaven pauses when we pray left us breathless in his presence.

By the time we step into the kitchen, we’re renewed people! We’ve been comforted by our father, conformed by his nature, consumed by our creator, convicted by his character, constrained by his power, commissioned by our teacher, and compelled by his attention to our prayers.

The prayer’s next three petitions encompass all of the concerns of our life. “This daily bread” addresses the present. “Forgive our sins” addresses the past. “Lead us not into temptation” speaks to the future. (The wonder of God’s wisdom: how he can reduce all our needs to three simple statements.)

First he addresses our need for bread. The term means all of a person’s physical needs. Martin Luther defined bread as “Everything necessary for the preservation of this life, including food, a healthy body, house, home, wife and children.” This verse urges us to talk to God about the necessities of life. He may also give us the luxuries of life, but he certainly will grant the necessities.

Any fear that God wouldn’t meet our needs was left in the observatory. Would he give the stars their glitter and not give us our food? Of course not. He has committed to care for us. We aren’t wrestling crumbs out of a reluctant hand, but rather confessing the bounty of a generous hand. The essence of the prayer is really an affirmation of the Father’s care. Our provision is his priority.

9 Chic Shoe Rules

It's no secret that women adore shoes. When you are blue, buying a new pair is an instant mood lifter. When you feel great, you make a trip to the shoe store in celebration. And on special occasions, you must have something special to wear. The truth is, there will always be a good excuse to add to your shoe closet. Here are 9 tips on expressing your personal style -- through your footwear.

1. Don't Be Hobbled by Discomfort Even if you love a pair, if you can't walk in them, don't buy them. Limping around in heels is decidedly ungraceful.

2. Dare to Wear Brights An electric hue can amp up a look, including outfits in colors other than black and denim. Try colored shoes with white, khaki, and pastels. A scarlet-red dress, however, calls for neutral footwear.

3. Wear What's Appropriate Open-toe sandals may be too risqué for a conservative suit, while a flat may be too casual for a cocktail frock. Keep your sneakers relegated to gym clothes or casual jeans. When in doubt, it's hard to go wrong with a classic black pump.

4. Going Outdoors? Say No to Stilettos

It will be difficult to walk when your heels keep sinking into the ground, and you'll ruin your shoes. Flats are fine, but if you want height, wedges are an ideal option.

5. Make a Statement A spindly stiletto sandal is all about looking sexy, while a bow-emblazoned kitten heel veers more toward cute. Know what look you're going for, and go full out.

6. Va-va-voom Shoes Have Their Place Nighttime is the right time for attention-getting shoes. If you still want to wear a knock-'em-dead look during the day, choose a closed-toe or peep-toe pump.

7. Pair Sky-High Shoes with Tame Hemlines When going for major air, keep your hemlines at an inch above the knee. But when wearing a short skirt or dress, wear a lower heel or flat — it will balance you out and keep you from showing altogether too much leg.

Photo Credit: Studio D

8. Wear Flats with Properly Hemmed Clothes Make sure your clothing is you'll risk looking sloppy. A trouser leg should fall at or above the ankle, while skirts or dresses should end above the knee.

9. Think About Balance (And we're not talking about the kind you need to walk.) A thicker-heeled shoe grounds a heavily layered look, when something dainty could look off balance. The reverse also holds true. When wearing a wispy frock, a thin-strapped sandal is an appropriate match.