END TIMES READING PLAN: Zechariah 8-10
SCRITPURE READING
John 21:16 (NIV); Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He
answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
It is such a wonderful blessing that the God of the universe would allow us to share in the
joys of His kingdom. It is such a blessing that we can know and experience the love of
Christ, even though we cannot fully comprehend it. (To think that God loves us even more
than we have already experienced is incredible!) However His love is not supposed to stop
at us. As we are filled with His love, we are called to overflow onto others.
In their first conversation after Jesus was resurrected, He illustrated this truth to Peter.
Peter was one of the more brash and reckless disciples. A man of passion, he had vowed
never to betray Jesus only to do so a few hours later. How ashamed and unworthy he must
have felt during this breakfast on the beach. Yet Jesus was not there to condemn, but to
bring reconciliation to the relationship, and purpose into Peter’s life. He picked Peter up,
set him on his feet and sent Him on a mission – a mission to bring the love and forgiveness
that he had experienced to the lives of other.
We have made mistakes, but it is what we choose to do in the aftermath that matters.
We can stay defeated, or we can accept the loving kindness of God and show that same
kindness and compassion to others. The more we do this, the more the enemy will lose His
footing and we will gain ground for the Kingdom of God!
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1) Yesterday you asked God to show you what He loves about you. How can you use what
He showed you to help you become a more effective minister to others?
2) Ask God how you can be a bearer of love, kindness and compassion today. Who in
particular needs your love? Ask God how you can overflow His love onto them.
3) Spend some time in prayer about those people in your life who are hard to love. Confess
any sin that is in your heart and ask for God’s heart in the situation. How can you
love, bless and uplift that person this week?
