When Jesus Said Two Equals All

When Christ was asked which is the greatest command, He said:

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

Sadly, some people claim this means we don't need to obey any other commands in Scripture. But that claim is refuted in the very next verse which says:

“The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:40

Christ was giving us the “condensed version” of the commands, the two most important. But He made it clear that if we obey those commands, we'll automatically obey all of the others. 

For example, if we choose to steal or lie or engage in immoral sex, we are disobeying both of the two greatest commands.  

God has made things simple for us by giving us two basic commands that encompass all other commands. And He's given us a simple way to prove that we truly love Him: 

As He explained in John 5:9-10, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

In all things, let's prove our love for Christ.

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And I encourage you to read this one-minute devotion about an upcoming holiday with pagan roots: Halloween: Pagan Celebration or Childlike Fun?

Impatient? Check Out This Bible Tactic!

Ever been impatient for patience?

I had a hip replacement, and the process seemed soooooo slow to me. Unable to bend down to pick up something on the floor, unable to cross my legs, along with other restrictions, for six weeks.

But by week four, I was finally beginning to feel more normal, walking without pain and without cane.

Then I twisted my leg and messed up my sciatic nerve and ended up back with pain and cane. 

I started wallowing in self-pity, so I knew I needed to do what I've done many times before: I copied some Scriptures on patience and read them throughout the day, especially when I was feeling low:

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” 

Romans 12:12

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” 

Psalm 37:7

I'm not saying this was an “instant fix,” but the more I read through those verses, the more I could feel God's Word, alive and moving in my heart, judging and correcting my thoughts (Hebrews 4:12 – see below).

If you're dealing with a problem, please consider using Scripture to correct your thoughts.

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I encourage you to check out the devotion A Practical Method for Overcoming Sin and the Bible Study Defeating Sin with Scripture.

Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

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“The Frozen Chosen”

“The frozen chosen” is a term that usually has negative connotations, describing Christians who seem to lack emotion about their faith (source). But I'm using this term to describe Christians who had incredible faith. 

In A.D. 320, in the Roman Empire, forty Christian warriors refused to obey imperial orders to worship pagan gods. 

To force their submission, the commander stripped them of their clothes and made them stand on a frozen pond. 

For hours, the men praised God while guards on shore shouted that warm baths awaited any who recanted. 

In the middle of the night, one man crawled to shore. 

But their number was soon restored when a guard proclaimed his faith, tore off his clothes, and joined the thirty-nine. 

The next morning, forty frozen warriors were ushered into Glory.

Few of us will die for Christ like these brave men, but will we live for Him (Romans 12:1-2)?

Will we speak truth in the face of icy criticism (Luke 9:26)?

When we hear of persecuted Christians “standing naked on the frozen pond,” will we blanket them in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? 

Will we give to God's work even if it costs us a warm bath (2 Corinthians 9:7)? 

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To read about two other godly examples of faith, see The Big Feet of Gladys Aylward and Less, Not More: the Life of Rachel Saint.

 
For the full story, which is well-documented, read about the 40 Martyrs of Sevaste on Christianity.com.  

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. 

 You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "view sample" on Lifeway or "read sample" on Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on Barnes and Noble. 

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The True Meaning of Repentance

Today, I'm pleased to share a devotion written by two of my friends in Serbia, 

Milos and Marika. 

Imagine a husband coming home drunk, beating his wife, and apologizing … every night! Would his apology equal repentance? No.

The word repentance means change—visible changes in lifestyle, thinking, and attitudes.

Scripture calls every person to repentance, to abandon their sinful ways, turn to the living God in obedience and submission, and walk the path of righteousness from which they have strayed.

Repentance is much more than a moment of regret for having sinned—it involves deliberate actions to break a sinful behavior.

Repentance is essential for salvation and for the Christian life. Sadly, even believers can fall into sin after conversion. Yet through genuine repentance, they can restore their fellowship with God.

True repentance also means taking full responsibility without making excuses. We see this clearly in David’s example: after sinning against God, he truly repented (Psalm 51).

Another example is Zacchaeus. We know his repentance was sincere because he immediately described the practical steps he would take to make things right (Luke 19:1–10).

In Philippians 2:12–16, Paul tells us to “work out” our salvation, and repentance is a vital part of that process of sanctification.

2 Corinthians 7:11 NLT: “...You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”

We must understand that if the gospel is good news, then repentance—being part of the gospel—is also good news. If repentance sounds like bad news to someone, it’s simply proof that the person doesn’t understand the gospel.

If we want rapid spiritual change, repentance is the solution.

For more on this subject, see: The Damage of Defending Our Sins and Anatomy of an Insincere Repentance.

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Fools & Foolishness

The first three one-minute devotions are part of a series offering warnings about foolishness from the book of Proverbs. The other devotions also address fools and foolishness as it applies to various aspects of life.

 

3 Ways to Identify a Fool

The Book of Proverbs offers practical wisdom to help us avoid foolishness. Let's examine our hearts and make sure we aren't acting like fools! 😝

3 More Aspects of Foolishness

Touchy, like-minded, and wasteful. 😜

3 Sins of a Fool

Fools are deceived in three ways, and one of their deceptions empowers the others. 😆

 

The following one-minute devotions are not part of the "Fool Series," but they address foolishness as well:

Fools, Anger, and Repentance

Do you ever lose your temper? This devotion offers some helpful Bible verses we all should know. 😠

 

Fools’ Names and Fools’ Faces 

There's no shortage of "authorities" and celebrities who use their names and faces to proclaim foolishness! 😎 

God Can Even Use Proud Fools

It's interesting how God can use some of the most unlikely circumstances to make us better Christians. 🙉

Don’t Believe Anything that Contradicts Scripture 

This one-minute devotion offers an important warning and an important solution for avoiding false teachings that contradict Scripture. 😕

 

He Is No Fool Who Gives What He Cannot Keep 

This one-minute devotion shares five ways that we wrongly celebrate foolishness. It includes a quote by a famous missionary. 😌

 

The Bible Says They Are Without Excuse

According to Scripture, most people are fools when it comes to origins. The Bible says they're without excuse. This one-minute devotion explains. 😳

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The Kind of People God Uses

Our world admires confident people with high self-esteem and very little humility. They are the ones most often placed in positions of authority and leadership. 

Self-promotion and bragging were once considered ungodly, but they've become quite acceptable in modern culture.

What about God? Is he looking for people who are self-confident and self-assured?  Let's look at some examples:

⮚ One of the most important leaders in the Old Testament is Moses. Exodus 3:11–4:16 explains that when God called him to lead, Moses felt completely unworthy and incapable. But God assured Moses that He would give him the power, wisdom, and strength he needed.

⮚ Then there's the time the centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, making it clear that he was unworthy of Christ's presence in his home. And Jesus was amazed at this man's humility and faith (Matthew 8:5-13). 

⮚ And what about the Apostle Paul? He was one of the most fantastic evangelists and teachers who ever lived, but he made this statement: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15). 

All of these people were capable of leadership, but they weren't depending on themselves. They were depending on God. That is the kind of person God uses. 

Who are you depending on in life?

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These one-minute devotions will add additional insights:  

Moses' 5 Excuses   

3 Reasons the Centurion's Faith Amazed Jesus  

Don't Think the Best of Yourself, Dear Christian     

Are Christians Saints or Sinners? 

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Number 1 Way Relationships Are Ruined

What damages relationships, disrupts God's purposes in our lives, leads us into temptation, and draws us away from God?

There's a pretty simple answer: Selfishness.

Instead of focusing on how we can serve others, our tendency is to focus on how others can serve us. We rarely ask how we can be a better friend, better spouse, better parent, better adult child, or better employee.

Our culture encourages this selfishness because selfishness sells products. It also fills counseling offices, ends marriages, divides friends, and ruins all things good.

Jesus calls us to something higher:

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" Matthew 16:24-25

When was the last time you sat down and evaluated your relationships for selfishness?

Dear Christians, let's do it today.

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See Weak Faith and Broken Families for more insights. And for a fun way to be unselfish, check out Think Inside the Box. 

💙 Please check out the Bible Love Notes devotional, Wisdom for Life. It features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and is on sale at reduced prices on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.  

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

 

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The "Little Big Things" in Life

Christianity is a faith that should affect our attitudes and actions 24/7. 

 

We’re commanded to deliberately “work out our salvation,” which means we seek to live our faith in everything we do (Philippians 2:12).

We’re also commanded to live our faith as a testimony to others: 

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 4:5

 
Our goal should be to shine our light so the Lord is glorified (Matthew 5:16). 

Our faith is most often tested in the little things in everyday life. We've talked about listening and favoritism, but let's ponder these things as well:

 
✔ How do we treat our waitress if she gets our order wrong?
✔ Do we say “please” and “thank you” to our family members?
✔ Does our language get colorful when we’re navigating traffic?
✔ Do we give people the benefit of the doubt or think the worst?
✔ Do we entertain ourselves with books and movies that have poor moral values?
✔ Do we ask forgiveness when we’re rude or impatient?
✔ Do we forgive people who are rude or impatient with us?
✔ Are we grateful, helpful, and unselfish in our workplace and at home?
 

These “little things” are actually “little big things.” 
 

A person can be a great preacher, Bible study leader, or Christian author—but the real test of everyone’s faith is in the day-to-day grind. 

 

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See A Little Politeness Goes a Long Way for insights into the “little big things” in marriage. And I encourage you to read Cleaning Bathrooms for some spiritual insights I've learned about one of my least favorite chores.

 

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Bullets and Bibles - Saving Lives

Baghdad, 2007: PFC Brendan Schweigart was hit by a sniper. The bullet went into his side and out his chest, where it was stopped by a pocket Bible he kept in his bulletproof vest. 

If the Bible had not been there, it’s likely that the bullet would have ricocheted off the armor and back into his body, possibly killing him. (See The Body Armor of God.) 

This is not the first time a pocket Bible has been credited for saving the life of a soldier. Small pocket Bibles with metal covers were issued to soldiers in WWII. In fact, I have my father’s. (See Heart Shield Bibles WWII.)

But I have a story about a Bible saving my life too: 

I was a disillusioned, nominal Christian who saw no purpose in life beyond my own happiness. 

Then, I began reading the Bible…and it led me to the Lord, who saved me from eternal death.

Hebrews 4:12: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

My story is every bit as incredible as PFC Schweigart’s in the spiritual sense. What about you? Do you have a story about the Bible saving your life?

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Check out this devotion for additional insights: 11 Benefits of Reading God's Word. And I encourage you to do the short Bible study on this devotion HERE.

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Our Words Reveal Our Hearts

Christians are facing increased hatred and persecution, and we must be strong and refuse to be shamed by lies and slander. 

I typically get kind comments and emails from readers, but I've noticed that the unkind ones are getting more evil. In the last couple of weeks, I had a professing Christian say she “despises” people like me and an unbeliever say she hoped Christians like me would get leprosy. 

Our words reveal our hearts... 

Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4). That's why our world is filled with slander and false claims against Christians. And when false claims are continually repeated, it's easy to be “taken captive” by them if we don't carefully check their validity with facts and Scripture (Colossians 2:8).

When we get angry responses to our beliefs, we must remember Romans 12:17-21, which tells us to overcome evil with good. We cannot help but speak God's truth, but we must speak it graciously.

Let's find our comfort in verses like Proverbs 11:9, 1 Peter 3:13-16, Matthew 5:10-16, Luke 6:22-23, and John 15:18-19. I encourage you to become familiar with these passages.  

Satan loves bigotry, hatred, and lies, and he definitely wants to discredit people who speak God's truth. People may call our speech hate speech when we graciously explain God's truths, but we're actually offering people loving warnings. 

Our concern for people reveals our heart. 

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See God's Remnant People and Can You Stand Against the Shame Game?

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