February Prayer Topic: Love Like That

God and I have been on this journey through life.  There is a covenant between He and I.  I am following where He leads.  YES, it is turning my normal upside down, but my faith in Him is right side up. I am ALL IN.  

In my devotions on November 1, 2018, I had asked a question to God. What does my mission look like?  I wrote those words down in my journal, knowing that my heart was open to hearing the words He wanted to tell me. 

That morning, I wasn’t sure what ALL IN would look like, but God knew.  “Seek and you will find…” part of Matthew 7:7. I was knocking on that door.  God opened the door for me to come in and join Him in His work.

I want to share with you what God sent to me.  Just a few hours after writing that question down, sitting in an office morning’s worship, my answer appeared on the screen in front of me.  God showed up and showed me what my ALL IN would look like.

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.  Mostly what God does is love you.  Keep company with Him and learn a life of love.  Observe how Christ loved us.  His love was not cautious but extravagant.  He didn’t love in order to get something from us, but to give everything of Himself to us.  Love like that.”  Ephesians 5:1-2 (MSG)

God showed me what His type of love is, and to follow the example. IT IS an incredible love that He has for us.  This love that is ALWAYS there, and NEVER runs out. He loves and wants us to love each other in return.

This world is crazy, and every day something happens. I am thankful that in the crazy of this world, that a fire in my heart has been lit, and God is showing me the path of love.  Love has the potential to change people if we are open to that change.

The speaker at that worship didn’t know my journey, but God did.  God knew that I would get my answer in a way that would be a “HELLO” moment. This verse was on a screen right in front of me, and I could not ignore it.  Especially with the opening four words, and the last three words of the verse.

“Watch what God does….Love like that”

I am keeping company with God to learn a life of love. That is where I will learn to have the extravagant love, and not just to those people that are the closest in my life.  Observe how Christ loved us, a love that is extravagant. 

My heart is growing, and every day God shows up to help.  That is the amazing thing.  He doesn’t say that we have to do this on our own.   He says, “keep company with Me and learn from Me.” I am learning from the Master, the Creator of Love. I am learning from the originator of love.

 “Above all, love each other deeply,” 1 Peter 4:8

This is my “Do Something” moment, or my mission-love people, and show them God’s love. 

It is a love that allows me to lift you up in prayer in both the good times and the bad.  It is a love that wants to shine the light of God’s love to your darkness. It is a love that celebrates and rejoices when you see that Perfect Love of God.

At first loving people seems like a simple task. However, when I look at the example that God gave us, it is not simple.  In fact, LOVE is the greatest thing that we can do.  It’s more than just the Hallmark type of love. 

So, I want to share the Perfect Love of God with each and every one of you.  I want you to realize that there is an AMAZING love that God is just waiting to show us.  I know that He loves me so much.  I want to share that with you.  I want you to know the Love of God.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

 Love of God has POWER.  It is more than a feeling. Love breaks down barriers, it breaks chains.  Love is overgenerous.  When we don’t deserve it, it lifts us up. When I love people without expecting anything in return, people know it.

I am thankful that God is my example.  His love is my path to love others.  God loves me, and I can love people and help lift you up to show them God’s love for yourselves.

There is power in the name of Jesus.  There is power in Love.  There is power to break the chains that have held each one of us.

I am on my mission to show God’s love.  We, need to shine that Amazing Love, Perfect Love, EXTRAVAGANT Love.

Dear Lord,

I am thankful that You love us with Perfect Love.  I am thankful that I get to love people with You as the lead.  I want to watch what You do and do that.  I want the love I share to all people to be the extravagant type that you show us as the example.  Thank you for loving me with that extravagant love.

In Jesus Name Amen

Written by Laura Maxson

November: Giving Thanks for…God's Perfect Love

"The Faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh EACH morning." Lamentations 3:22-23

The Lord's faithful love for me and you never ends.  His mercies towards us, never cease.  Great is His faithfulness towards us; His mercies begin afresh each morning for us.
Yes, this was meant as a repeat.  I want all of us, and that includes myself to get the picture of God's Perfect Love for each one of us.  The love that never dries up or gets old.  It is afresh every morning.

Afresh definition -  in a new or different way.

His faithfulness and love are new every day for us.  Wow, this is so cool.  It is always there.  It will never go away.  I can rely on that be a TRUTH.
In the NIV, it states "because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed.  Do we get what that means?

Consume – completely destroyed, absorb all of the attention and energy.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Because of God's love, we are not completely destroyed when things in life are not going as planned, or if we get dealt a blow.  We will not be completely destroyed when the word cancer is uttered by the doctor, or our marriage falls apart, or a death, or a loss of job, or any loss.

Nothing can destroy us. I am not saying that life is going to be easy, because it isn't.  We all go through hard times, and sometimes, okay, a lot of times, those hard times seem insurmountable to us. 

I am saying that God's love and our relationship with God will sustain us and lift us up during these times.  We are not alone in our struggle.  When we accept the love of God, He will do so much more than we can imagine. 

When bad things happen, we can still stand and say, "My God is greater than whatever I am going through."  When we are knocked down, we are not out.  God lifts us up and back on our feet.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love (God's love) drives out fear…" 1 John 4:18 (NIV)

Life is not perfect, nobodies life is.  I know that I have struggles, and I definitely have stuff that happens in my life.  Yet, I know that God's love will sustain me, and I will not be destroyed by whatever the devil throws my way.

There are Bible verses galore that tell of God's love for us.  His perfect love that drives out fear.  His love cannot be measured by our standards, human standards.  It is SO much bigger than that.

God's love sets fires in the heart of those who listen and hear Him.  God's love never ceases.  There is nothing that you or I can do to lose the love of God. We can always come to God, even if we have walked away from Him.

No one can imagine the depths of God's love for us.  There is a childhood song that most of us sang, but I wonder if we really listened to the words.

"Jesus loves me, THIS I know, for the Bible tells me so…. Yes, Jesus loves me…"

That is what I am thankful for this month, and what I want to always focus on.  God's perfect Love.

Dear Lord,
I thank you for your perfect love.  Every day it is new, and never-ending.  You love each one of us. Yes, sometimes we don't seem to see past our humanness.  Yet, you are still working in and around us, loving us. I thank you for that love.  I pray that each person reading this will know your love that drives out fear.
There are a lot of bad things happening in this world, and we don't understand it.  However, with your love, we will not be consumed by the hate in this world.
I pray that you open our eyes, so that we may see Your Perfect Love in and around us. Show us in a tangible way your love.

IN Jesus Name, Amen

Written by Laura Maxson

Not on Fire

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." 

Revelation 3:15, 16

Harsh. These words seems so harsh. I have heard sermons, read devotionals that warn against being a "Lukewarm Christian." To the point, it has added this deep rooted fear and aversion to the thought of being a Lukewarm Christian. That there is no way I should ever feel this way. There's this underlying idea in my mind that I need to be always hot, always on fire for God.

I can think back on times that I have been on fire for Him. Moments in High School-talking to friends and discover ideas and characteristics of God. Summer Camp-surround by others and kids who want to be consumed by God. In my Daily Devotions-when I could hardly wait to wake in the early hours of the morning and spend time with my intimate Savior. But what about the times in between?

Those are the time that I struggle with, that I have guilt about, that I don't want others to know about. The times I don't feel the fire, the time I just go through the motions, the times I think I might me be... 

Dare I say it-Lukewarm.

In fact, I'm going through one of those times right now. A period, when this time last year I was so excited about waking to see what God had in store for me next, waiting and breathing in anticipation for me to see Him in my everyday. On Fire. 

I haven't felt that for a while now. Months in fact and that scares me. It's as if what I feel is-apathy. But how can this be? How can I have this towards my God? The One who loved me so much that He created this world and mankind to lavish with love. The One who came to this earth, lived among us, died and rose again so I can have a life. The One who lives and breathes in me-in each of us to love and comforts us. It scares me. 

My head does not doubt Him, who He is, or what He's done for me. But, I ask my self "am I being fake?" Going through the motions, reading the Bible even when I don't seem to get anything out of it? Praying and telling others "I'll pray for you" when my prayers don't even seem to go past the ceiling? Is there something I'm doing wrong, that not only do I not feel the fire, I don't even feel a flicker?

No. It's not fake. Through His word, other God-fearing people in my life, and in His still small voice. God has assured me I'm not being fake. It's about living the Christian life even when I don't feel it, or feel like it. It about walking with Him when I may not feel like I want to. It's about the drought, the dry season, feeling like my relationship with Him is lukewarm or even cold.

Feeling on fire is an incredible emotion that's a part of my Christian walk.  But, I also believe so are the moments in between-so is the apathy. In those moments when I feel apathy, will I continue to be found faithful, obedient to what He's asking of me, regardless of if I feel like it or not?  

He knew our love would waver-and still He love us. 

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.Revelation 3:15, 19, 20

When we do fall away and we don't feel that fire, He continues to pursue us with His love. To pursue you, pursue me with an intimate, lavishing, unconditional, embracing, disciplining, sacrificial, faithful, everlasting kind of love. 

So how ever we may feel-HOT, COLD, or LUKEWARM-remember we have a choice. Will we choose to be faithful, obedient, to seek after Him through our emotion-or not?

But whatever our choice is-remember He chooses Love. 

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Revelation 3:14-21

-kartini r. maxson

February Prayer Topic: Those We Love

I've had this love-hate relationship with Valentine's Day.

Growing up. I loved Valentine's Day. I remember in Elementary School a few days before Valentine's Day, we would make these special "collection receptacles." Carefully placing each detail to this much-more then ordinary shoe box, cutting out the slit in the top that receive those special little Valentine's card. Everyone made boxes, everyone got cards. I loved it! I just loved Valentine's Day.

Then came High School. Where almost the opposite happened. No boxes were made, not everyone got cards. No, unless you had a "Valentine" no cards or gifts were to be had. So I decided, this holiday was no longer for me. I would not allow someone else, or lack there of, be the determining factor of my joy, happiness, or love. No. No more Valentine's Day for me. 

After that came University. Where to the surprise, of my boyfriend, I made known to him, I vetoed Valentines day. I informed him, our love would not be determined by one day and the gifts given or received on that one day. 

So that tradition carried through our dating life and into our marriage. It remained that way until the birth of our son. It's funny how having kids in your life can change your view of things, which in this case was Valentine's Day. To the confusion of my dear husband, I changed it up on him again. 

Oh, how I had forgotten my love for you Valentine's Day.  Once again little cards filled our house. Every year picking out that perfect treat that would accompany each card for everyone in his class. I loved it! I just loved Valentine's Day.

Looking back, what was it in those moments that made me love that day or not? On the surface you could say, it was as a child, the simple joy of receiving those cute little cards. Maybe that is part of it. Maybe it had something to do about giving and receiving. As I got older, maybe it was the thought that giving and receiving could have something to do with the love someone had for me. So instead of being secure that I was loved, I choose to not acknowledge a holiday, in fear I would not be loved. 

photo by kartini r. maxson

In John 15, Christ tell about the incredible love He and the Father have for each other, and that same incredible love He has for everyone of us. Incredible, stable, consistent, unwavering, ever-present love. This love, so incredible, that He gave the ultimate gift. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13. He gave His life for us. 

This gift of love He gave to everyone. Regardless of if we choose to give Him our love in return-He still loves. Incredible, stable, consistent, unwavering, every-present love.

Even though He does not make us love Him in return for this gift, He does ask if we love Him. And if we love Him, He asks us to love each other. To love each other as He loved us. Not once or twice, but three time here He asks us to love each other-the way He loved us. (John 15:12,14,17)

But, that may seem impossible. To love as He did. Life giving love. Constant, unconditional, unwavering; unlike my feelings about Valentine's day. I guess when you really think about it, it is impossible. 

Impossible unless we are connected to Him. Connected to the True Vine. As we love Him, stay connected to Him, it is through Him that can we love as He loves.

He came to Love. He lived love, died love, and rose again love. Because God is Love. 

~kartini r. maxson

After putting God first, then what?...

I like to be in control, I like things to be perfect.

When I say that, I'm not talking about being in control as in charge, being the boss, telling other what to do. That is really the last thing I want to do. I'm talking about in my life, what I do, situations I'm involved in.

In January, Control was the word God has ordained for me to be the theme of my year with Him: The fact that I struggle with it and He wants it.  2 Corinthians 5:14, 15 "14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

So, my plan was to put God first in this area of my life. And my idea of what would happen after putting God first was very different then what has happened.

My expectation seemed logical to me.
- If I put God first...
- Then I would be much more capable to figuring out what else He wanted me to fill my life with.

That's just it. I was expecting to be more capable to figuring out what He wanted me to fill my life with.

These past few weeks He has allowed me to go through some experiences to reminded me I am not in control and I am not perfect.

Before figuring out what He wants in my life, I need to give it all to  Him. Not just certain parts of it, not 99.9% of it, but ALL of it.

After putting God first, then what? It's putting Him first, last, through out. It's making Him my everything and taking me out of the equation.


So.... Patient Gracious Lord, Here it is.

My Declaration of Imperfection & Freedom from Control

I’m not perfect.

I will never be.

Jesus makes me whole, complete, controls me. Not to be perfect & so I won’t make mistakes. But to Love. He loves me & my imperfections & who I am even though I make mistakes.

I choose not to blame my parents, or the way I was raised, or the path of anxiety and stress I chose in the past. TODAY and from now on,

                        I CHOOSE TO LOVE JESUS.

He will help me process my imperfections not to make me perfect, but to Love me. Always Love me.

I will allow Jesus and others to help me by:

*Giving myself permission not to complete something (what I would say was) 100%.

*Giving myself permission to not continue or complete something if I am interrupted.

*Occasionally, intentionally, be OK with doing things imperfectly, and not obsess or stress over it.

*Allowing others to help me, even if I know it will not be done the way I would do it.

*Celebrating these small successes.

*Find & enjoy a God dreamed hobby.

*Take time for myself.

*Exercising.

*Celebrating my mistakes. Acknowledge when I make mistake, and celebrate that I am not perfect and I am not in control.

God loves me & does not ask or expect me to be perfect. He asks to me love Him, those around me……& myself.

Lord, Thank You for Your Perfection, for Freedom from control, because You are in Control. Thank You for allowing this hard, stretching, painful growth to draw me closer to You. 

~Kartini Maxson