Today in the Word for February 22-28
Today in The Word
Monday Feb 22. 2021
I think most people love others, but do they show it? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. In Romans 5:6, 8 Paul reminds us:
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God doesn’t just love us. He ‘demonstrates’ his love. One translator renders the Greek, ‘brings out more clearly his love.’ How does God show us that he loves us? He demonstrates his love by making the first move. God initiates. He sends Jesus while we are still trapped in an avalanche of our own mistakes.
In human romantic relations, often it is the guy initiating that the girl responds to. The guy takes a chance and asks—for a date, or for the lady’s hand on one knee.
God is the ultimate initiator. And we can learn from him. If we want to have our love show to those we care about, we also need to initiate. Silence is not golden in this case. We demonstrate love when we make the first move and speak or act on our love.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
Are there practical ways to demonstrate our love for each other? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Paul corrected serious errors in the Corinthian church, and in a subsequent letter, he lets them know in II Corinthians 7:10-11:
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves…what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves….”
They ‘have proved yourselves’ uses the same Greek word found in the phrase, ‘God demonstrates his own love’ in Romans 5:8. If we want to demonstrate love to others, one of the most powerful ways to do it is to practice eager repentance. When we mess up (and we all mess up with those we are closest to), we must be quick to repent. The song got it completely backwards that stated ‘love is never saying you’re sorry.’ Love often is demonstrated loudest when we say we’re sorry.
Do you want to show love that the other person really feels? Be eager to repent.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Do you wish others could see your love? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Paul is sending a team of ministry partners to the Corinthian church, and he requests in II Corinthians 8:23-24:
“As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches…therefore show these men the proof of your love…so that the churches can see it.”
‘Show’ is the verb, and ‘proof’ is the noun for the same Greek word. Paul wants them to show their love. He wants their love to be visible to other congregations. And he says their love will be easy to see when they demonstrate acceptance of those sent to them. Being hospitable to others shows love. Do you keep those that you care about at a distance? Welcoming them into your conversation shows love. Inviting and accepting them into your space shows love. Accepting them around your table shows love.
When we accept others into our circle, it is love that a person can see.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Thursday Feb 25, 2021
Do you wish God knew how much you love him? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Hebrews 6:10 states:
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Love is shown when we help fellow believers. They experience a demonstration of our love. And perhaps even more wonderful, when we help others, we show love to God. He cares about his children, and we show him love when we help his kids. How much does it mean to you as a parent when someone helps your child? It touches me as a parent deeply, and it touches God too.
Often, our love for God is mostly something we say. The Word encourages us to Practically show our love of God through helping others. I am reminded f I John 4:20:
“Whoever does not love their brother and sister whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”
If you want God to know your adoration in worship is the real deal, help a Christ-follower.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday Feb 26, 2021
How can we best show our love? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Hebrews 6:10-11 states:
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end…”
The Word calls for us to love diligently to the very end. Our love is not to be fair-weather. Our love is not to just last a few months or years. True love shows in a marriage that is ‘until death do us part’. True family love states that you will never stop being my kid or parent no matter what happens. True friendship sticks with a person through the tough times.
People can sometimes be skeptical when we say we love them. We wish we could show them we really love. One of the best ways to show them is to keep loving them over the long haul.
And that’s the Word. Tune in Sundays at 10:30 on the Deer Lodge Assembly Facebook page for our Livestreamed service or join us at the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Monday Feb 29, 2021
I think most of us love others, but how do we display it? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. I Timothy 1:14-16 reads:
“The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus…Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him…”
Paul went the opposite direction of God’s call for a long time. He persecuted the very ones Jesus was redeeming—even to their death. That is why Paul claims he is the worst sinner. Yet Jesus did not write him off. He displayed patience and kept calling to him until he answered.
And so, for us. Love is often displayed most powerfully in our patience with others. We are not quick give up on them. And we are quick to forgive again. As I Corinthians 13:7-8 states:
“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…”
Patience is persevering love. And it shows our love clearly.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.