Posts with the tag “love”
The Seven Churches
by Curt Dodd on March 23rd, 2024
“The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:20) In the second and third chapters of Revelation, John describes each of the seven churches mentioned in this book of the Bible. The members of each church were in very diff... Read More
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The Responsibility Of A Christian Parent
by Curt Dodd on December 3rd, 2023
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6The greatest responsibility parents have is to pass on the faith to their children. It is first the parents’ job, not the church's job, to disciple children and teach them how to follow Jesus. The church is there to help, yes. But first and foremost, it is our job as parents to pass the faith a... Read More
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Showing Love
by Curt Dodd on November 10th, 2023
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20) We often say that love is a feeling. I would have to disagree and tell you that love is an action. Love is something we show, not ju... Read More
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Delight Yourself in Jesus
by Curt Dodd on October 21st, 2023
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4) Many of us think that finding God’s will is extremely difficult, a never-ending mystery that often seems impossible to solve. In reality, that is not the case at all. God makes His will for us clear in His Word. We just have to be willing to look for it. As C. S. Lewis says, “The deep things of God are no... Read More
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Value the Right Thing
by Curt Dodd on October 10th, 2023
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Companionship is a powerful thing, but the almighty monetary unit makes for a strange bedfellow. Too many of us are sucked into the vortex of making friends with either the abundance of wealth or the desire for the abundance of havi... Read More
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Listen to God
by Curt Dodd on September 15th, 2023
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9) Do you realize that any time there is political unrest, a country has a coup or goes to war, people are more open to the Gospel than at any other time? Have you noticed something in your own life? Are you seeking God when He is blessing you? Conversely, when you are flat on your back with no hope, are you more l... Read More
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Real Friends
by Curt Dodd on September 6th, 2023
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. (Proverbs 27:6) If our world becomes unstable, we need the kind of friendship that is found in stability. With every one of us, there will be multiple times when the only solid tree to lean against (other than the Lord of All) is the one He planted many years ago in our life. A true friend does make it all the way through with u... Read More
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Don’t Let Your Love Grow Cold
by Curt Dodd on August 5th, 2023
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:9-12) In Matthew Chapter 24, Jesus was talking to H... Read More
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Our Need For Accountability and Encouragement
by Curt Dodd on July 30th, 2023
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24-25The word “Ekklesia” is the Koine Greek word for church. It is a compound word, “ek” (the preposition, which means “out of”) and “kaleo” (to call). The word ... Read More
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God’s Will
by Curt Dodd on July 29th, 2023
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Psalm 32:8) I want to ask you a question: Are you living your life in alignment with God’s will, or are you trying to make God’s will align with what you want? (You might not like to answer that question.) Many of us have tried to align God with where we want to go. Nothing will put you ups... Read More
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Remember, Repent, and Return
by Curt Dodd on July 8th, 2023
Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Revelation 2:5) We talked about the danger of forgetting your first love, Jesus Christ our Savior. For many Christians today, their faith is not the same as it used to be. They feel distant, lukewarm, and ineffective for the Kingdom. The ... Read More
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Forgetting Your First Love
by Curt Dodd on July 7th, 2023
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:4-6) In this passage, we see the problem that the church... Read More
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Awakenings and Public Prayer
by Curt Dodd on May 1st, 2023
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42) We certainly need a Great Awakening in our country! We have to be willing to do our part to allow God to move in us and through us so that the awakening can spread. We learned that great awakenings start in our quiet times with the Lord. When these private devotions are accompan... Read More
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Taking the Time To Bless
by Curt Dodd on March 16th, 2023
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:2-4)The last of John’s short letters provides a... Read More
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Lay Down Your Life
by Curt Dodd on February 17th, 2023
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)We live in a culture of selfishness; there is no denying this. It seems like everyone is looking out for number one, always figuring out how they can get what they want while refusing to acknowledge the needs of others.As followers of Christ, we need to be different. We need to put others’ needs and desi... Read More
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Trusting Your Spouse
by Curt Dodd on February 11th, 2023
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)Ernest Hemingway once said, “The best way to find out if ... Read More
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Encouraging One Another
by Curt Dodd on February 8th, 2023
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17) We know it is important to show up for the people you love. While that is important and necessary if you want to love others well, there is more to building strong relationships than just being present for people. Let’s look at a few ways you can show love and encouragement to those closest to you.1. Use WordsLove i... Read More
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Show up for Others
by Curt Dodd on February 7th, 2023
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) No one on the face of this earth has it all together in this aspect of loving. Do you know why? Because we tend to be very self-focused, self-centered, and self-absorbed. Most of the time, we are concerned about how other people are viewing us. We are wondering what other people thin... Read More
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Walking in the Light
by Curt Dodd on January 24th, 2023
Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil -- they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them. (Isaiah 33:15-16)As belie... Read More
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A Desire To Serve
by Curt Dodd on January 15th, 2023
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)Years ago, I was studying this Scripture passage. In the middle of preparing a sermon message, I prayed this prayer, “Lord, would you... Read More
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Handling Persecution
by Curt Dodd on January 12th, 2023
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)God did not promise us that the Christian life would be a walk in the park. Just because you choose to follow Jesus, doesn’t mean you will have an easy path to walk. Rather, the opposite is true. You will have to face difficulty and hardship... Read More
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Overcoming Exhaustion
by Curt Dodd on January 7th, 2023
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” (Jeremiah 31:25) Have you ever felt totally depleted? You simply had nothing left to give. You were completely exhausted physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. Has that ever happened to you?Most likely, you have experienced this. If you haven’t seen this yet, there is a good chance you will encounter this kind of exhaustion. Therefore, exh... Read More
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Don’t Abuse Your Free Will
by Curt Dodd on December 6th, 2022
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” (Matthew 24:12)God has given human beings the gift of free will. Because He has granted you free will, God will never make you do something. He will not force you to do something, even if it is not what He desires. He will abide by your personal will.However, God allows you to experience the fruit of your decisions. If you ... Read More
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Showing Love
by Curt Dodd on November 10th, 2022
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)We often say that love is a feeling. I would have to disagree and tell you that love is an action. Love is something we show, not jus... Read More
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Engaging in Christian Community
by Curt Dodd on October 31st, 2022
There are two very important reasons why we need community and connection within the body of Christ. First, we need community to hold us accountable. Notice the first three words in today’s verse, “And let us…” That means being connected with others. God intends for us to be in relationship with people, and accountability comes as part of that relationship. All of us need accountability. We need p... Read More
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Are You Serving?
by Curt Dodd on October 30th, 2022
Are You Serving? And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24) God wants you to be involved in ministry and He wants you to serve. He doesn't want you to just sit around and learn things. He wants you to learn Scripture to do things. You need to act out the love of Christ, and the heart of service that Jesus modeled for us. This is why you need to ... Read More
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Delight Yourself in Jesus
by Curt Dodd on October 21st, 2022
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4) Many of us think that finding God’s will is extremely difficult, a never-ending mystery that often seems impossible to solve. In reality, that is not the case at all. God makes His will for us clear in His Word. We just have to be willing to look for it. As C. S. Lewis says, “The deep things of God are not s... Read More
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Preaching Your Sermon
by Curt Dodd on October 7th, 2022
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) It is important to follow God’s lead when He is calling you to preach a sacred sermon to someone who needs encouragement. How do you write your story so that when the time comes, you will be ready to speak truth and love to ... Read More
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Your Life Is an Example
by Curt Dodd on September 30th, 2022
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)Experiencing difficulty, pain, and heartbreak are guaranteed while we are on this earth. There is just no way around it. In one of Jesus’ conversations with His disciples near the end of His ministry, He confirmed this tr... Read More
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God Heals Brokenness
by Curt Dodd on September 24th, 2022
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (John 11:5)For many of us, we want to see God work by blessing us. However, sometimes God reveals Himself in a more personal, practical and dynamic way in the midst of our deepest sorrows. When you are trying to determine the next step in your life, you will see God at work. Maybe you are trying to figure out who you are and how God has created yo... Read More
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The Power of the Cross
by Curt Dodd on September 17th, 2022
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)In that moment when you gave your life to Christ, something happened. Everything that you ... Read More
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Quiet Time Fills You
by Curt Dodd on September 13th, 2022
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)It is important to have a quiet time each day to find peace in the midst of stress. Another reason for spending time daily with the Lord is to pr... Read More
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Open the Gates
by Curt Dodd on September 11th, 2022
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matthew 18:20) I had a wonderful worship experience in Nairobi, Kenya. I haven’t been in a worship service like this one where I saw God's Spirit move mightily since the early seventies. Maybe it was because they sang for over an hour nonstop, with no break. They worshiped extravagantly before the Lord with pure joy. These peo... Read More
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Forgetting Your First Love
by Curt Dodd on July 6th, 2022
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:4-6)In this passage, we see the problem that the church a... Read More
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A Safe Person
by Curt Dodd on July 5th, 2022
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)My definition of a safe person is an individual who can see and listen to your pain without passing judgment. They don’t offer trite recipes for “the fix you need,” and they trust the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. That’s a friend…a real friend. Does that mean they will... Read More
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2024
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Building Men Over MembershipsActions and WordsPraying in God’s WillA Call to God’s ChurchFalse ProphetsJesus Intercedes for YouAre You Encouraging Others?Strengthening BelieversSalvation Is SimpleCounterfeit TeachingBe Ready for the End Jesus Understands Your PainLooking ForwardCommitting Others To ChristSharing Your StoryTaking the Time To BlessPraying for UnbelieversA Word of BlessingJesus Cares about YouThe PavementAre You Confessed Up To Date?Fighting Self-Sufficiency With PrayerBe Responsible for Your ChildrenJesus Is Standing with You The Promise of the Holy SpiritBe Aligned in PrayerI Am InnocentAligned PrayersPraying with PowerDealing with ProblemsHandling Stress
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Come and SeeA Childlike FaithDon’t Miss OutWhy Support Israel?Praying For IsraelHow To Honor GodResisting EvilThe Lord Encourages UsJesus Is the AuthorityGod ProvidesLiving Out The Great CommissionMaking SureA Heart of RepentanceSharing Your FaithSubmitting to God’s WillSecure in Your IdentityHow Are You Filled?God Is All-SufficientJesus Is The Only WayPray, Just PrayNo Sin Is Too BigThe Purpose in PainFeed Your FaithStay in Love with JesusIt’s Only JesusRemember Who God IsGifts from the Holy SpiritThis World Is Not Your HomeBe Different
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Admitting You Are WrongMoney Can’t Buy HappinessMy ConfidenceChanged by Christ Faith and UnderstandingDo Angels Exist?Falling at Jesus’ FeetBorn AgainThe Fullness of JesusExperiencing Christ’s FullnessThe Lord’s ProtectionPraying FriendsA Hand of BlessingBe StillYour Heavenly FatherBlessing Your ChildrenGod Is Our ProviderTime To StopSimply Follow ChristFathers Loving MothersEvery Knee Will BowWhen God Repeats HimselfThe Seven ChurchesTaking Up Your CrossMake Peace With GodGod Gives Free WillGod’s Healing PowerGo All in for ChristAbiding and RestingBelieving God’s WordWhat Hangs In The Balance Of Evangelism?