Love Much

Love Much TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Therefore I tell you, her sins, many [as they are], are forgiven her—because she has loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little. Luke 7:47, AMP. TODAY'S WORD: Did you know that forgiveness opens the door for love to operate in your life? This scripture passage is talking about the story of the woman with the alabaster box of costly perfume. She was a notorious sinner in her day, and when she saw Jesus, she fell at His feet and began washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. She knew she was forgiven. When she received Christ’s forgiveness, love was the automatic response. She was forgiven of much, and her love was extravagant. Do you want more love in your life? Do you want to feel more of God’s love and have stronger relationships with the people around you? Open your heart to forgiveness. Receive Christ’s forgiveness and extend it to others. When you are forgiven much, you will love much. As Christ’s love flows through you, your faith will be strengthened, your hope will be renewed, and you will be empowered to live the abundant life He has in store for you! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your forgiveness which opens the door for Your love to flow through me. Show me Your love and help me to be a light and example of love everywhere I go in Jesus’ name. Amen. PS... Before God Speaks, Decide To Say “Yes” by Rick Warren “The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.” (Luke 8:15 TEV) God speaks to people who decide they’re going to do what he tells them to do, even before he tells them. It’s saying, “God, if you want me to move, I’ll move. If you want me to get married, I’ll get married. If you want me to leave this job, I’ll leave this job. Before you even tell me, my answer is ‘yes.’ Whatever you want me to do, I will do it.” Luke 8:15 says, “The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit” (TEV). I used to study this parable of Jesus and think it was talking about four kinds of people: those who are resistant, those who are shallow, those who are busy, and those who are good. But this parable actually represents four attitudes. You can have all four attitudes in the same day! One moment you go, “God, I don’t want to hear you, because I know what you’re going to say.” And the next moment you say, “Lord, tell me quick.” Then you hear it and think it’s good, but you don’t do anything about it. Maybe the fruit starts to bear in your life, but then you get busy with your job or school or your kids, and the weeds grow up. Then other times you say, “God, whatever you want. I’m totally open to you.” God wants you to have an attitude of obedience so that you can bear fruit — the biblical term for being successful. God wants you to be fruitful in your business, your family, your friendships, your relationship with God and with others, and your health. So how do you bear fruit when God tells you something? You pass it on. When God tells you something, the quickest way to let it bear fruit in your life is to tell somebody else what you just learned. Another translation of Luke 8:15 says, “They listen to God’s words and cling to them and steadily spread them to others who also soon believe” (LB). God wants you to pass on to others what you learn. Talk It Over How do you develop a “yes, God” attitude, where you’re prepared to be obedient, no matter what God tells you to do? What is the evidence of fruit in your life? With whom in your life can you share what God is teaching you?