Daily Devotional with Pastor Eric and Rita Bahme: Daily Devotion from Pastor Eric & Rita

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Listen to Pastor Eric's Latest Message Online

A Love that Prevails

Today's Devotional Reading: 2 Sam. 15-16; Ps. 32; Mt. 25

CLICK on the Scripture above to link into your daily reading plan.

May 8, 2014

By reading the scripture above each day you will read the Old Testament through in one year and the New Testament through twice in a year. This will change your life. Start Today!

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." ( Luke 14:26)

TODAY'S WORD

, if ever there comes a time when the call of the highest earthly love and the cross of Christ conflict, then the call of Christ must prevail.

A good illustration of one's love for God being stronger than his love for others can be found in the life of Abraham. God told Abraham that he would have a son. But eventually Abraham took things into his own hands and had a son named Ishmael with Sarah's handmaid. However, this was not the fulfillment of God's plan.

Then in Abraham and Sarah's later years, they finally had a son, Isaac, whose name meant "laughter." God had told Abraham that his seed would be as the sand of the sea and the stars of the sky. Abraham knew it was through this child Isaac that all this would happen.

But one day God told Abraham to take Isaac to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him there (see Genesis 22). Of course, God spared Isaac. He never intended to take his life. Instead, God was testing Abraham's commitment.

First and foremost, God tells us, "Love Me above everyone else. And if you are going to be My disciple, then your love for others must seem like hatred in comparison to your love for Me." Is that true of you today?

Maybe some of us need to bring our Isaacs, so to speak, to the Lord. Do you know what God will do then? He will say, "Just testing you. Now I am going to bless you." He may even do above and beyond what you had ever planned for yourself.

A PRAYER FOR YOU TODAY

Lord God, let me not put my trust in the words of men, for their minds are weak and their tongues are tainted by the world. Let me not put my trust in the thoughts of my mind, for I am filled with sin and self-deceit; but let me test everything having to do with faith against our only true teacher, Jesus Christ, and the true Word of God that He inspired the apostles to write in the Bible. In Christ's name, I pray, in Jesus Name, Amen.

, my your life be full of His blessings.

Pastor Eric & Rita