Love continuously! Coming off the back of Valentine’s Day, let’s make sure we don’t cause a world event to make us stop loving just as it shouldn’t be the only day we demonstrate love to our wives, kids, and world. Let’s be the dads today who show and receive the love of God and from the overflow, pour love into the lives of our wives, kids, and world daily.
Love Your Wife:
Scripture Support: Ephesians 5:25-33
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…"
Application: Show sacrificial love by putting your wife’s needs above your own. Communicate openly, actively listen, and seek to understand her feelings and concerns.
Love Your Children:
Scripture Support: Ephesians 6:4
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Application: Provide guidance and discipline in a loving manner. Spend quality time with your children, engaging in activities that build a strong foundation of trust and love. Teach them biblical values through your actions and words.
Love the World:
Scripture Support: Matthew 5:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Application: Demonstrate God’s love to the world through acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion. Volunteer, help those in need, and be a positive influence in your community. Let your actions reflect the love of Christ.
Daily Acts of Love:
Scripture Support: 1 Corinthians 16:14
"Let all that you do be done in love."
Application: Incorporate love into your daily interactions. Express gratitude, speak words of encouragement, and actively seek opportunities to serve others. Small acts of kindness and love can have a profound impact on those around you.
Prayer and Spiritual Leadership:
Scripture Support: James 5:16b
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Application: Lead your family in prayer, seeking God’s guidance and wisdom. Be intentional about cultivating a spiritual atmosphere in your home. Share and discuss scripture regularly to strengthen the spiritual foundation of your family.
Remember that consistency and authenticity in your actions are crucial. Applying these principles from the Bible can contribute to a loving and harmonious family life, as well as a positive impact on the world around you.
This year I am using the 365 Daily Devotions book I received for Christmas and applying it towards being dads. It’s called WALKING WITH GOD by DAVID JEREMIAH. It’s exciting to get to learn from a new resource this year as we have tried different options the past two years and will keep working through this one for 2024. For more information about the author and his ministry, visit: DavidJeremiah.org.
Topic: WATCH AND PRAY
Verse: Luke 22:40 NIV
On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
Firstly, let’s be the dads who are being observant of what is taking place in and around us. Additionally, let’s be the dads who in the midst of our situations lean in and pray to God for wisdom and direction! Finally, let’s be the dads who pray without ceasing so that we God can help us from falling into temptation.
Equipped
Today’s Devotional points us to the reality and the importance of preparation and equipped for today. It starts with speaking about Ephesians 6 and the need to put on the full armor of God using the connection between the spiritual armor and the Roman armor.
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Get Prepared and Equipped
Today’s Devotional grabs a hold of the importance of being prepared because just having on the armor isn’t enough. We read in the scripture above how to prepare when Paul moves to say “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” So as we head into today, looking to pour out love, let’s make sure we are prepared and have given things we shouldn’t be carrying over to God so we can walk in the full armor of God without the weight of the world and their burdens also.
Equipped
Today’s Devotional points us the verse of today and how what Paul was saying aligns to Jesus’ message in the garden. If we check out Luke 20, we find the following:
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
35Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.
36He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.37It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”
38The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That’s enough!” he replied.
Luke 22:31-38
Prepared
In this world we will have troubles. Today’s Devotional speaks to the temptations that will come our way and reminds us how we will face opposition. It speaks to how Jesus knew what was about to happen and He wanted them to be prayed up so they wouldn’t fall into the temptations and deny him or flee because of the opposition they were about to face.
Today’s Devotional closes with this challenge as we can’t wait for the battle to be prepared nor equipped, we have to do it in advance when it shares: “Waiting until the battle is underway is waiting too late to fight. Fighting begins on our knees as we call upon God for victory over temptation.”
CHARLOTTE ELLIOT
