“Our Daily Bread”   

http://odb.org/2012/12/07/just-kids/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

Ephesians 3:19… to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  (NKJV)

The love the Apostle Paul is writing about in the opening scripture is not the love we have for Christ…  It is the love God places in our hearts when we first become a Christian…  The unredeemed sinner is cleansed of their lifetime of sins by the shed blood of Jesus Christ at the cross, when God graces them with salvation; and fills their heart with the love of Christ, along with the Holy Spirit… They are now a Christian in God’s eyes, and one of His new children…  

Romans 5:5…  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  (NKJV)

The gift of God’s grace to become a Christian in His eyes, comes from obedience to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…  Anyone urged to learn more about what God and the Bible reveals about how to receive God’s grace, can read about it at the following link…     https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/gods-group-thoughts-for-10202012-gods-grace-through-obedience-to-the-gospel-of-christ/

The Apostle Paul describes this “love of Christ” that the new Christian’s heart is filled with, as a love which “passes knowledge”…  What does the Apostle Paul mean by this ??  The capacity to love others as Christ loves us, can only occur after a person becomes a Christian… This love goes beyond any love our mortal minds can comprehend; just like the supernatural peace I so often write about, which surpasses our meager human understanding…

Philippians 4:6-7… Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (NKJV)

It’s impossible to understand this agape love and supernatural peace God gives His new child, until they actually experience this “fullness of God”as the Apostle Paul calls it in the opening scripture, when they become a Christian…

This God given peace and joy are but 2 of the 9 fruit of the Spirit, that define the “Christ like” attributes God gives to the new believer… The Apostle Paul gives us the complete list of this spiritual fruit, in…Galatians 5:22-23… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  (NKJV)

Jesus tells Christians how they know that they are indeed one of His disciples, in…John 13:34-35… “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (NKJV)

As Christians that are eagerly waiting to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this Christmas, let us do our very best to look past the flaws in those around us, and show others the love that Jesus commands of His disciples… The Apostle Paul tells Christians to walk in the Spirit, so that they should not fulfill the lust of the flesh…Galatians 5:16… He then goes on to list the works of the flesh that Christians are to turn from…including hatred, contentions, and jealousy in verses 19-21…

If you’re a Christian with family you haven’t spoken to for some time because of a senseless dispute…be the better person and call them…  Show them the grace that the Lord showed you when you became part of His family… It’s the right thing to do, and just might make your Christmas the best ever, along with giving God the glory He so richly deserves…

Heavenly Father, at this most joyous time of the year, I pray that all of Your children would do a self-check of their hearts…  Urge them Father, to confess and turn from any sins they find there…to again walk in sweet fellowship with You… I pray Father, that families will gather together to celebrate the birth of Your Son Jesus Christ…and that the joy and the peace that this season is meant to bring, will fall upon every member of their family…  I pray for these blessings of love and good will towards all people, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce r mills