By Dr. Jeanne Sheffield Estrada

by Dr. Jeanne Sheffield Estrada

Remember that ’ole familiar song, “Love Makes The World Go “Round? Yes, it does and if ever we needed it, we sure do need it right now! Let me ask you, have you ever tried to define love? I would venture to first say that my own definition is “love” is the most powerful emotion of our human existence. It is the greatest power within the heart of the Creator of the universe to design this world and all that habit it, especially man whom He made in His own image to live life in His unconditional love.

We were given explicit instructions in how to love when God gave us the Ten Commandments. But God has done more than define these love commands - He continues to teach us that there are many, many characteristics of REAL love! Here are some “Love Guidelines” for us to follow.

* Love means saying goodbye to expectations. We all want people to behave the way we want them to — to be more affectionate smarter, outgoing or ambitious. All of these things are expectations and are just your requirements for “acceptability” of loving someone. But true love has no expectations. It simply loves “as is.”

* Love doesn’t play the victim role or blame others. Love doesn’t think others are “out to get them” or think their loved ones are wrong. Love works together and takes responsibility. It forgives and allows other people’s actions to be their journey. Love doesn’t take things personally.

* Love includes letting go. Love doesn’t possess. Just as the saying goes, “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, then it never was.” Love allows people their freedom and doesn’t hold them tightly and crush their wings in an attempt to keep them. Love is willing to set you free if you want to be.

* Love is the absence of fear. You can put all emotions on a continuum. On one end, you have love...then appreciation ...after that joy, happiness, contentment and satisfaction. On the opposite end of the continuum of love is fear. Other fear-based emotions include, hatred, insecurity, jealousy or greed.

* Love is not needing, but wanting. Needing someone is a feeling based in fear. You fear that you can’t live without them, so you need them, and remember, fear is the opposite of love. Wanting someone in your life gives them the freedom to leave, but still shows them you love them.

* Love is an action, not just a feeling. Humans tend to be addicted to intense emotion — especially when it feels good. So, when we’re in love, we want to feel that way forever. But guess what? That higher than “Cloud 9” feeling goes away after a while, but it doesn’t mean you don’t love the other person anymore, it just means that it’s not new anymore. Show the person you love them. Don’t just assume they know.

* Love is unconditional. The word “unconditional” means that there are no expectations or limitations set. To love unconditionally is a difficult thing, and most humans aren’t good at that. But true love really does love without trying to change the other person.

* Love means putting other people’s needs equal to or before your own. Real love truly and genuinely cares about other people’s happiness and will go to great lengths to make people feel valued.

* Love requires attention. Love doesn’t ignore. It doesn’t look the other way. It wants to be present and be together. Real love actually enjoys giving attention to another person. It feels good, and doesn’t see giving attention to another person as a chore.

* Love understands and accepts differences. Let’s face it: We’re all different. Real love doesn’t make other people wrong for being different. When people truly love another person, they accept their differences.

* Love varies in how it is expressed and accepted. What makes us “feel loved” varies by use of words, actions, our acts of service or touch. It’s important to discover other people’s love language so you can understand each other and give love in a way that the other person recognizes it.

* Love has empathy. Empathy is the ability to put yourself into another person’s shoes and see a situation from his/her point of view. Love has deep empathy. People who truly love one another don’t want to hurt them. They want them to feel good. They care about their feelings and try everything they can to make them feel valued and worthy.

Remember, true love is genuine happiness, honest appreciation and a wholesome feeling of good. Anything other than that is not love. If we all loved one another as ourselves, the world would be a better place.

Let’s live the Love Life and when we do, Love will truly make the world go ’round!!

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

When some people think about God’s character, they might frame him as a harsh taskmaster that has little patience or mercy to those that violate his harsh rules. However, today’s scripture presents a different a vastly different picture because his nature is quite the opposite.

The Bible tells us an immense amount about God̵s character. For example Jesus tells his famous parable about the Prodigal Son who runs away to a far-off country where he wasted all his money in ruinous living. Then there is the wonderful example of the father, standing at the edge of his home and straining daily looking across the fields looking for his son who finally appears walking over the horizon.

The beauty of the father’s actions in this story are a perfect picture of God’s Patience & Mercy.

First, despite his son’s irresponsible behavior, instead of the father being angry, he instead patiently waited for his son to return. Then once he did come back, instead of punishing him he showed him great mercy and treated him royally. And just as the earthly father was in this story, so is our Heavenly father likewise to us.

The word 'PATIENCE' at it’s root is translated as 'long-suffering' and like the father in this story, he no doubt suffered long over his son, and the word 'MERCY' is best defined as “NOT getting what we DO Deserve.”

Friend, if you resemble the son in ways you’ve lived, your Heavenly Father is patiently waiting for you to come to him, and when you do, his loving mercy is there for you too. He is ready to forgive you and take you back for anything and everything you’ve done in your life. Seek Him out today — and receive his MERCY & GRACE.

He is patiently waiting for YOU.

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

It’s so easy to allow ourselves to look at what 'appears' before our eyes and become discouraged by what we see or perceive in our natural human selves, but God sees things differently! Once you put your focus on Him instead of what you perceive, your perception will change for the better. Here’s why!

You see, as today’s scripture says, everything in this world and your life is temporary, but the things which are eternal are not subject to change because in the spiritual realm of God, He is “The same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) and the “HE” here is Jesus - The Word of God.

God’s Word is eternal, alive, and active but ONLY when you when you Believe it, Speak it and APPLY IT. The Bible has 7,000 promises to overcome any temporary situation you’ll ever face, no matter what happens in this volatile world you now live in. God’s promises never change and they will forever be the same.

If in bad health, PROCLAIM! “By His stripes I am Healed!” (1 Peter 2:24). If in lack, PROCLAIM! “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:19). If alone, PROCLAIM! “You are with me and comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

So, my friend, don’t let this world or your circumstances bring you down and discourage you, because while they are looming currently, in actuality they are and will be temporary. Lay your eyes in faith on the promises we have guaranteed in the Bible and not get bound up by the temporary troubles we have in this life, and remember this promise by Jesus that leads to victory over temporary trials:

“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 Bless Your Day

Jesus Loves You

NotesOnLife.org

For those of you who go to church (even if only once or twice a year) WHY DO YOU GO??

Is it because you feel like you 'have to' because it is Christmas or Easter? Or perhaps that is how you were raised, or maybe because that is what people are 'supposed' to do on Sundays? Perhaps you are in business and being in a respected church is a great place to make business connections or a way of improving your standing or image in the community. Maybe you go because you enjoy all the many social functions and activities and feel like you have a place of belonging, or it is a great place for your children to have friends and do sports or other activities. Lastly it could be because you enjoy the prestige of being a deacon or serving on some service committee, or are continuing a family tradition of long-time membership.

Well there are a lot of reasons people attend church, and while some of these are not necessarily bad or ill intentioned, that is not what church is all about.

The reason why we go to church is to first WORSHIP GOD, and second to grow in our knowledge and relationship to Him. While all the activities, socializing, and community is good, the main focus must always be on HIM not US.

Sadly a large percentage of what most people focus on is what THEY want from God or from church, but God wants us instead to focus on what HE wants and to give Him GLORY. This whole notion of 'give him glory' sounds foreign to non-believers, but this is also sadly true among many church-going people!

Remember this — everytime you look up into a magnificent star-filled galaxy, see a majestic landscape, beautiful flowers, or feel your heart beating in your chest, remember who did all that! But not just remember, but give him thanks and praise.

THAT is what church is all about!

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

We’ve all been guilty of crying out to God at a critical time of urgent need, but there are two things about this that most people do not understand about why prayers of desperation are never answered.

First, prayers of despair are like a 'Hail Mary' pass that hopes that the prayer will be 'caught by God' and receive immediate attention. After all, since God is in the business of “saving” doesn’t it make sense that God will help you in a time of need? However these kind of prayers are never caught in the heavenly end zone!

Second, God DOES NOT Answer — or Even HEAR — prayers that are not spoken in FAITH — and the Word of God tells us why when it says:

“If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, Even their prayers are detestable.” Proverbs 28:9

You see, based on this and many other passages in the Bible, we must listen to and walk consistently with God. If not our prayers are NEVER answered unless there is:

Relationship to God

Obedience to God

Faith in God

The reason why is that our prayers will only be answered when we are in a healthy stature with God, and not only HEARING His instructions for our lives but Doing Them (James 1:23). Then and only then will God answer our prayers, otherwise the faithless are out of bounds and will run afoul of any attempts to connect with him.

But there is ONE prayer of desperation that God ALWAYS ANSWERS and that is when you realize your need for Him to forgive you of your sins and ask Him to save your soul. So if you are in a desperate situation right now and are not a person of faith, start with seeking Him for your salvation, apply FAITH in Him and then you will realize the assurance He promises for those that put their trust in Him.

The LORD is there patiently awaiting your call.

Will you reach out to Him in faith today?

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

NotesOnLife.org

Jesus Christ is the most well known person in history! Not only that, but the world even measures time by the number of years since his birth, each December his birth date is at least acknowledged and often celebrated on every continent, and more books have been written, bought, and read about him than anyone that has ever lived. Yet despite this he is perceived by people in a host of very different — and even highly conflicting ways.

When asked “Who Is Jesus?” there a variety of views.

Some say he was a 'great teacher,' 'religious leader,' 'revolutionary,' 'philosopher,' or a 'community organizer.' Others however say he was a Charlatan, Faker, Magician, Deceiver, False Prophet, Liar, Lunatic, Con Man, and if so - Christ is a CLOWN.

But as Jesus himself asks directly in today’s scripture reference, is a question all must come to answer. WHY this is imperative is an essential question, and here is the answer.

If Jesus was - as some believe - a charlatan that managed to create a religion to deceive the world that there really is a 'god' and 'heaven and hell,' then he gets the prize for pulling off of the biggest cons in history...and many are in that camp. On the other hand if he was simply a great prophet/teacher/inspirational speaker as the majority of people would casually surmise (maybe even you?) then how do you dismiss not only his claims of being 'God Made Man' and also the report and testimony of him rising from the dead? And if that is true, then He is then as the Bible says the KING of glory.

You see friend, it is not just one or the other of the above. Either He really is KING CHRIST, or just a talented man that spoke well and influenced people. If it is the latter than go on your way, live as you see fit and delete or scroll past this message, but if He is the former, what are you going to do in your life about it?

Given either KING or CLOWN, which one do YOU choose?

God Bless Your Day, Jesus Loves You