Day 13 The Power of Love God’s Word for Today Read John 13:34-35 and John 15:9-17 Thoughts for Today The world will know we are followers of Jesus Christ by the love we demonstrate toward one another. This past summer I saw this reality during a trip to Sierra Leone (West Africa). I heard story after story of former Muslims who had come to faith in Christ. Their lives were so radically changed by Christ, they began to act like Him and love like Him. They could not contain the good news of the gospel’s power to change lives. I met one former sheik who had helped start 100 churches in the past four years. I visited one of those churches that was less than a year old. They already had plans to take this good news to five other villages around them. I was told how over 35 (they quit counting) villages sent their Muslim leaders to ask the storytellers (church planters) to come to their villages. They saw the way people in other villages loved one another. They saw the way men treated their wives and children differently and they wanted that for their village. The love of Christ demonstrated through the lives of Christ-followers is a powerful testimony and makes the gospel attractive. In Concentric Circles of Concern, Oscar Thompson said, “Love is meeting needs” (p. 157). Another demonstration of love I saw in Sierra Leone came through ministry to the needs of people. Following the civil war, a seed bank provided seed and farm tools to a community on the verge of starvation. Today, there is a church planting movement among the Susu people because the love of Christ opened the door. Storytellers offer to help dig wells (by hand), start schools, provide medical and dental care, provide job training, and a host of other access ministries to communities in need of the gospel. In six years, they have started over 3,000 churches and they are sending missionaries to other nations throughout Africa. What does your love for others reveal? Would people know you are a disciple of Jesus Christ because of the sacrificial way you love? It’s Time to Pray 1. Pray that God will so fill you with His love that it will overflow to those in your circles of relationships. Pray that God will draw people to Jesus because of the love they see in your life. 2. Ask God what He wants you to do today to apply what He has revealed What actions will you take? As you pray for people on your list on page 37, ask the Lord to show you ways to show love to them.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 01:50:25 +0000
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