Devotion of the Week

Best Friends Forever

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his friends. John 15:13 (NKJV) The greatest sacrifice of all time was Jesus dying on the cross to make it possible for us to go to heaven. He himself did nothing wrong, yet he died so that we might live. Jesus said that his followers were to love each other in the same wayready to make sacrifices. You probably will never have a chance to sacrifice your life for a friend in some dangerous, lifeor-death situation. You may never be called on to rescue a drowning person or hunt in a blizzard for a lost child. However, you can make other sacrifices for your friends. What can you give up? Time. Energy. Sometimes money. You can give a friend time to listen to her problems when youd rather go shopping or watch TV. You can help when a friend is loaded down with work or needs assistance on a project. And you can pray for them. Proverbs 17:17 says, A friend loves at all times.Thats more than when its just fun or convenient. So if you want to go to a movie, but your friends dog just died and shes very upset, your sacrifice might mean skipping the movie and listening to her as she cries. You might want to work on your suntan on Saturday afternoon, so it would be a sacrifice to give that up and help your friend babysit her three little cousins. While few of us will ever be called on to give up our lives for a friend, we can daily think of others and make the sacrifices that we can. Jesus laid down his life for you. There is no greater love than that. Share the love of Jesus with a friend today.

More Devotions to Get You Thinking

Win the Prize!
Forsake not [Wisdom], and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you . . . Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her. Proverb Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and good sense to your life. Wisdom from God is sensible and shows sound judgment. So dont abandon wisdom! Wisdom will protect you against attack and shield you from danger and destruction. Value wisdom highly and make it your primary goal. Maria felt her mom was too old-fashioned about money. She lectured Maria about staying within her budget, saving for things she wanted, babysitting to pay for extras, and turning down her friends when she couldnt afford to go to movies. Maria figured her mom had forgotten what it was like to be young, so she ignored the advice. After her allowance was gone, she spent the money given to her for school supplies. When that ran out, she borrowed from her friends. She turned down babysitting jobs on the weekends to go with friends to the mall. Eventually, though, Maria wondered if her mom was more wise than old-fashioned. Marias friends demanded what she owed them. They were mad that she couldnt repay them, as shed promised. The neighbors stopped calling her for jobs and found someone else they could depend on. Embarrassed, Maria explained to her teachers why she still didnt have the right school supplies. She was learning the truth about wisdom. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame Proverbs 3:35 (NIV). Take time today to pursue the wisdom of God.

Anger Management?
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31 (TNIV) There is no place for bitterness and anger in your life. Followers of Jesus should not speak harsh words to people or attack another persons character. Avoid noisy disagreements and fighting. Dont even wish evil on others. Such things have no place in the life of a believer.

Maybe you know all about fighting and rage. Youre angry about things happening at home: a divorce, needing to move, having much less money. You hold in the anger at home, but it leaks out at school. At first its in little ways with your friends. But when it increases and you snap at your teachers, you land in detention. In the end, the principal and the guidance counselor decide you should attend anger management classes. The classes will teach you how to control your anger, how to keep it from making you blow up at people. At the class, youre taught to explode in safe places, such as by hitting a pillow and screaming alone in your bedroom. The instructor wants you to transfer your anger energy into some other object. Is that how the Bible says to deal with our anger? No. It doesnt say manage it. The Bible is very clear. It says get rid of it. Now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips (Colossians 3:8 TNIV). Noisy disagreements and fighting only lead to further trouble. Avoid them too. Dont have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels (2 Timothy 2:23 TNIV). You cant do this alone. Give your anger to God. Ask him for help (many times a day, if necessary) until the anger is gone.