The Daily Word - Power of Love

John 3:16 - For God so Loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life

When thinking of ways of describing the power that love brings, I can only cast my mind back to that moment Jesus died on the cross. That moment was a powerful act of love, one that everyone is synonymous with. You could drop that and let people think on that but I want to describe a relationship where love defeated hate.

In Acts 15 we see the relationship between Paul and Barnabas reach a critical point. They had been everywhere preaching the word. They now want to go back and see how everyone is doing but somewhere along we have an added element, John Mark. He abandoned Paul at Pamphylia and went on his way, up until now we still don't know why that happened but sure you can imagine what was going through Paul's mind.

At Antioch is where things came to a head, Paul told Barnabas that it would be wise for John Mark to not accompany them on this mission. Barnabas and Paul parted due to that disagreement, Silas then joined Paul instead.

Forward onto 2 Timothy, Paul is now in the last moments of his life on earth, he tells Timothy something which I believe is very powerful.
'Only Luke is with me, Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful for me in my ministry'
Wow, what a significant moment, the love that Paul has for John Mark can now overlook what happened in Pamphylia and now bring him forth into the ministry.

In the world, most people wouldn't give a second chance to someone who had abandoned them but when you have love for someone, what they did is consigned to the history books and remembered no more. It could have been easy for Paul to disregard John Mark but he didn't, he deemed him valuable for the ministry.

Can you think of a time when someone showed you a powerful act of love?

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs

1 Peter 4:8 - Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins

Romans 5:7-8 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 5:2
and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Romans 8:39

neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love, Love is an action. Love is very powerful. Romans 8:39 is a excellent way to describe that. Nothing in this world could separate us from God's love. Before Jesus died, the disciples couldn't be one with God because of the sinful nature that had plagued the generations but when Jesus died, that veil which has covered people's eyes was torn in two. Love was restored, Love defeated hate, Love defeated death. 

Just after Jesus rose again, he appeared to Peter. Now Peter had abandoned Jesus so probably Peter wanted to get away and live a quiet life away from all the commotion but Jesus had other ideas. When they were reunited, Jesus asked Peter whether he loved him three times, the third time Jesus then told Peter 'If you love me, then feed my sheep' 

The love Jesus had for Peter never diminished, it just had to be reinforced. So the love Peter has for Jesus now has to be translated to the people. 

What a responsibility, what a moment. At that point, Peter was forgiven and restored as the rock of the Church. One which Jesus built his church upon. 

All throughout the life of Jesus, he was moved with Love and Compassion

Let us be like that, filled with Love and Compassion so that we can overlook people's faults and carry on loving them. 

Love is Powerful

Love is Caring

Love is Kind

Love is Patient

The Power of Love is displayed through your everyday actions...........................The Power of your Love was displayed on the cross.............

The Power of Love

The Other Side - The Daily Word

John 21:3-7 

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

The Background to this text is that Jesus had been crucified and now Peter is wondering what to do. He now decides to go fishing and the other disciples also accompany him. At this point it is quite dark and as a result they caught nothing. For Peter, this could be seen as a major block because he is a fisherman by trade and now for him to not catch any fish, it just doesn't make sense. 

Morning came, Jesus approached and asked if they had caught any meat, Peter said no. At that point, Jesus told him to cast his net on the other side, the right side. When Peter did as commanded, he brought in a multitude of fishes. Wow, look at that, a multitude of fish. It was more than he had expected. 

In life, there are going to be times that the things we are doing will stop working, it won't be productive. How will you respond. What do you do when the thing are used to doing doesn't work any more, what will you do when you catch nothing? For too long, we keep doing things our way instead of God's way. 

Our perspective of a situation will be different to God's perspective of our situation, he can see the whole situation and everything around us.  

'Cast your net on the other side' 

It may seem difficult but the answer really is that simple. Listen to God and cast your net on the other side, you will soon bring in multitudes of blessings. 

Peter was in the fishing business, Jesus then stepped in and then told that he will be a fisher of men. He transformed it into a kingdom business

Allow God to step in and use what you currently do and transform it and use it for the kingdom

'Cast you net on the other side'

Bless you all, Step out in Faith and Cast your Net