Love: The Secret of Success

"Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:8, The Amplified Bible)

Fear of failure. It's haunted all of us at some time in our lives. Popular psychology tells us to adjust to it. But the Word of God tells us that there is a failure-proof way to live without it. It is the way of LOVE.

If you want to know real success, you must learn to be moved and motivated by love. That's how Jesus was when He was on the earth.

Even when John the Baptist was senselessly, brutally murdered and Jesus went away to be alone, He didn't deviate from the way of love. For Matthew 14:6-14 says that even then in that emotionally taxing time when the people followed Him and would give Him no solitude, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick.

A Shaft of Light from Heaven

by Kristy McElhinny

My boyfriend and I had broken up. My landlord had sold my house. I was house-sitting for a work-friend. It was summer and I’m a teacher so there was no work to occupy my mind. At that time, I didn’t have a faith community to lift me up. I was alone, in an unfamiliar place, with no one to talk to and nothing to do; torture for a person with an anxiety disorder. My panic got out of control for another one of those week-long stints.

I called out to God and heard no answer back.

One Sunday, I decided to go to the tiny church that was within walking distance on the backcountry road I called home for that month. I describe myself as a carcass that day. I felt utterly lonely, exhausted, empty and pathetic. I knew I was at my lowest point. How could I feel like this when I am a child of God. I’m a failure. Maybe I’ve done something wrong to deserve it. Where am I going to live? Will I be alone for the rest of my life?

As I Have Loved You

Imagine the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. He has communion with His disciples and washes their feet. He reveals that Judas is the one who will betray Him. He tells the disciples that He is leaving and they can’t come. Then, He speaks these words:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:34-35)

By virtue of the fact that this would be, in part, His final words to the disciples, they had to be very important. And notice that what He said to them was in the form of a command, not a suggestion.

I am sure that everyone reading this letter has read or heard this passage many times. But in reality, most do not think that this is something they can actually do. It’s a goal that they may strive to reach with gritted teeth, but usually with little success.

The Long Walk is Part of the Gift

By Jim Liebelt

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6

There is a Native American story about a schoolboy who appreciated his teacher and wanted to give her a gift she would enjoy. He knew that his teacher loved seashells. One weekend, the boy walked to the ocean—a twenty-mile distance—found a beautiful shell and walked back home. Monday morning, the boy gave his teacher the shell. She thought it was beautiful. It took a moment, but then it dawned on her what the boy had gone through in order to give her the gift. She asked the boy, “You mean you walked all that way to the ocean and back just to give me this shell?” The boy looked at his teacher, and with a tear in his eye, he said, “The long walk is part of the gift.”

A Love Story

By Jim Liebelt

I trust in God’s unfailing love, for ever and ever.
Psalm 52:8b

Around Valentine’s Day most people think about love. With all of the media hype, even people who aren’t in love, think about love! Here, however, is a great story (author unknown) about the depths of real love; a love that goes far beyond romance; and a love that is instructive to all!

It was a busy morning, about 8:30 a.m., when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 a.m. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided since I was not busy with another patient that I would evaluate his wound. It had healed well, so I talked to one of the doctors and got the needed supplies to remove his stitches. While taking care of the wound, we began a conversation.

Waiting

by Matt Slick

How many of us have wondered why God doesn't answer some prayers? You know, the ones about getting that new home, or curing a sickness, or saving a person, or getting a job, or whatever it is. I have sometimes found myself bewildered that God doesn't open the eyes of someone lost in a cult, especially when all the evidence and truth are right there in front of him. 

Then there is the time when we have a sick loved one and we ask the Lord to heal and the healing either comes or doesn't come quickly. Sometimes, medicine is needed and much time. In each situation we have to wait to see what happens, to learn how the Lord has worked it out, to find out the method of His answer.

Noah had to wait 120 years while building the ark before the word of the Lord would be fulfilled. Abraham had to wait until old age before Sarah gave birth to Isaac. The Israelites had to wait hundreds of years to be delivered from Egypt. Ruth had to wait patiently for the Lord to provide Boaz to marry her. David had to wait until after Saul had died and the Lord had placed Him as king. 

TOUCHED BY LOVE

Mark 1:41, "And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him.... and he was cleansed."

MATTHEW 8:1-4, MARK 1:40-45, LUKE 5:12-15

Only Mark records this important statement that Jesus was "moved with compassion" in the healing of this leper. 

There are three other instances in the gospels when Jesus was moved with compassion which resulted in healing (Mt. 14:14; 20:34; Lk. 7:13; and once in deliverance - Mk.5:19). The difference between seeing a person healed or not healed many times is this all-important ingredient of love.

All three of the Gospel accounts record Jesus touching this leper. This not only illustrates the doctrine of "laying on of hands", but was probably included because according to Numbers 19:22, this action would have made Jesus unclean. This illustrates the New Testament ministry of the Spirit versus the Old Testament ministry of the letter of the law (2 Cor. 3:6).

Experiencing the Power of God’s Love

Written by Christina Patterson

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Jesus loves you. I’m really serious. Jesus loves you. I know you have heard it from your Sunday school teacher, your Christian friend, and that bumper sticker on the car that cut you off this morning. You have may have heard it so much that its meaning and power have diminished in your heart and mind.

God’s love for us is not some cliché that looks nice on a T-shirt or sounds good in a song. His love is power. His love is freedom. His love changes things.

Bound to Happen

Written by Julie Cosgrove

When the unexpected comes, it can help to talk about it. But when you don’t have someone to talk with, contact an online mentor, and receive a personal & confidential reply by email.

“When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.” (Psalm 105:17-22)

This is the way the Psalmist describes what happened to Joseph in the Book of Genesis. His jealous brothers left him to die. He was sold into slavery, but lived. God eventually raised Joseph up to be second only to the King, just when his brothers needed him the most. It was in a time of famine and Egypt, because of Joseph’s wise reliance and trust in God, had obediently stored grain away in advance.

Your Faith Is Your Answer!

 by E. Davenport !

You have a need to get an answer. It is done as long as you have gone before God in faith which is believing He can make it happen. The good news is He can. The bad news is that the forces of hell will try to convince you that the situation is hopeless! DON’T FALL FOR THAT!

Each ONE Matters To God

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."  - John 3:16 

Dear Loved One,

God's love for the world is inclusive of every human being. And it is also very specifically directed at each one of us. This heavenly truth was brought to my earthly understanding several years ago, a few weeks before Easter.

I was walking across a parking lot when I looked down and noticed a penny on the asphalt. Frankly, I thought, "It's more work to stoop over and pick up that thing than it's worth." But there came a whisper in my soul from the heart of God: It's still ONE. And I knew the Lord was talking about His heart for people. So I bent down and picked up the penny.

New Every Morning

Written by Gail Rodgers

Take today’s next step: Prayer mentors pray for the requests that come in to this site. If you want to help bring God’s mercies to those who need it, join the team. 

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

If you find your heart is longing for a fresh basket of God’s mercies to be delivered to you this morning, there is one place to go: back to His word!

I know it sounds trite to say, “read the Bible.”  However, God’s word is life to your soul. Ask Jesus to speak to you through His word. Let His Holy Spirit fill your heart with what the Father knows you need to hear. Today, why not soak in this wonderful treasure from the word of God?

God Wants You to Enjoy Your Life

by Rick Warren

As a Christian, you can enjoy life because your conscience is clear. You can enjoy life because you are secure within God’s love. You can have fun and laugh in church. You can enjoy friends who don’t manipulate you because they are learning to be like Jesus, and that means they are learning to look out for the interests of others.

Unfortunately, there are many people who do not want to let God into their lives because they fear he will make them give up anything that is fun. They think that to become a Christian is the same as saying the party’s over, that to be spiritual is to be miserable.

The Top 10 Most-Searched Bible Verses: What’s Missing?

After watching many National Football League games growing up, I finally grew curious enough to walk into my parents’ office and pick up the family Bible. It seemed every football broadcast included shots of someone standing in the end zone, behind and between the goal posts, holding up a simple sign: JOHN 3:16. I knew enough about the Bible to locate the Book of John in the New Testament.
When I read John 3:16, I wasn’t impressed. Turns out the verse was familiar, thanks to Sunday school. I guess I expected to read some sort of decoded message that would unlock a valuable secret. In some sense that’s exactly what I read, but I didn’t yet have the eyes of faith to behold the beauty of what God has done in Jesus Christ.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that John 3:16 is the most-searched Bible verse, according to Bible Gateway’s statistical analysis. We reviewed the behavior of some of the 8 million visitors who stop by the site each month, many of them chasing results provided by Google. I was intrigued to review the top 10 results, which I’ve listed in reverse order.

Popular Bible Verses on Love for Valentine’s Day

Around holidays like Valentine’s Day, we see traffic spikes from people looking for Bible verses related to those holidays. For example, visits to 1 Corinthians 13, the “Love Chapter,” started to increase yesterday, and we expect it to continue for the rest of the day and into tomorrow.

For all the sappiness and blatant commercialism of Valentine’s Day, it’s still one of the few times during the year that we’re encouraged to express our love and affection for the people in our lives. And since Jesus tells us to love our neighbors, any excuse to celebrate love is fine by us!

We thought we’d save you some time and collect some of the more popular Bible verses about love. Think of these verses collectively as a sort of primer on Christian love:

Psalm 133:1-3

How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

A Love Without Fine Print

Written by Clinton Tedja

“You received without pay. Now give without pay.” Matthew 10:8


When I was little, random telemarketers used to always call our home phone; they had amazing offers of free holidays, free phones, free anything. I’d always be the one to yell across the house, “Mum! Free stuff!” And she’d always reply, “Nothing’s free.” When it comes to telemarketers, she was right.

We’re brought up in a culture where we work for everything. If you have something, you earned it. From kindergarten stickers to food on the table, everything is earned. And if anything is free, there’s almost always fine print – you know, that tiny list of terms and conditions hiding at the bottom of the adverts.

What Do You Do with Doubt?

Written by Becky Toews

“I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John….” (Luke 7:28)

Have you ever struggled with doubting God? Where is your goodness, God? Why did you let this happen? When will you come? Cynicism erodes our hope; skepticism infiltrates our faith. Add to this a heavy dose of guilt for doubting in the first place and you’ve got a hard load to carry.

We should know better than to doubt, but circumstances we weren’t prepared for seem to short-circuit the memory of past faithfulness. I would guess most of us have questioned either God’s love or sovereignty at some point in our Christian walk.

John the Baptist certainly did. Languishing in prison, he who was once so filled with certainty found himself perplexed as to whether Jesus really was the Messiah. His growing doubts culminated in sending his disciples to ask Jesus the most pointed of questions: “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Luke 7:19) The “voice in the desert,” the “preparer of the way,” the “baptizer of the one on whom he had witnessed the Holy Spirit descend” was having second thoughts. Whoa!

Across The Street

Written by Eric Reynolds

A shiver runs slowly through my body – it doesn’t leave either. The rain is cold: late October in downtown Vancouver and I’m trying to stay positive.

I’m here to pray. What for? Hard to say. The rain falls on my spirit’s candle, weakening its flame.

Darkened windows conceal God knows what inside tall buildings that seem to lean ominously over me.

The need is so great I can hardly stand it. It’s like finding your way through a cavern with a match.

But I pray anyway. Both of us do. We signed up with Breakthrough Prayer and have come faithfully, if not joyfully, every week.

A Fresh Start to a New Year

The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.  "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I have hope in Him."  Lamentations 3:22-24

Have I ever told you how bad of a golfer I am? Well, it is true. I am inconsistent off the tee box, can’t chip to save my life, and putt like Herman Munster. That mixture of problems typically results in bad scores. Sometimes I just give myself an “F” for “fun” on the scorecard.

I remember one day I was playing golf with a friend. It was a typical day for me on the course, a few good shots and a lot of bad shots. After we made the turn for the final nine holes, however, something happened. I started to play better! It was like a scene from Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I am sure my friend was wondering, “Who are you and what have you done with my friend Jeff Schreve!” I was on fire!

We got to the last hole. If I shot par on that hole, I would have finished the back nine with a 40, my best score ever for nine holes. Unfortunately, as I stepped to the tee box, the body snatcher left me. The old Jeff was back, and it wasn’t pretty. I hit tree after tree on my way to a quadruple boogie. UGH!

The Father's Care

By Kenneth E. Hagin

John 17:23 says, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” I want you to notice particularly the expression “ . . .and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” There’s no truth so far-reaching as the blessed fact that our Father God cares for us. John 17:23 says God loves us even as He loves Jesus!

In the Old Testament, God was Jehovah, Elohim, and El Shaddai to Israel. The children of Israel did not know Him as Father. They did not know Him as a Lover. Under the Old Covenant, He didn’t indwell men; He dwelled only in the Holy of Holies. He dealt with the lawbreakers and the disobedient in awful judgment. They were commanded to love and obey Him, or suffer the consequences.