Praise God in everything that you do. No matter how big or how small, let the God that is in you come out. Everywhere that you go bring the peace, love and joy that can only come from God into every place and let it fill every space. There is no limit to His love and mercy, so extend unlimited love and mercy to those who are in your path and there will be a blessing in store for you!
Good day to you all! Praise God for this day because every day is another chance for us to cast our eyes on His glorious creation!
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:1-21
Growing up I wasn’t any different than any other kid. When it came to the things that I wanted in life it had to have a brand name. If I wanted some shoes I would ask my mother for Nikes. I didn’t want to go to Payless because if I got shoes from Payless they wouldn’t have a brand name attached to them. I wanted my friends to know that I was cool. I wanted to let everyone that saw me know that I was hip. I had friends that had to have Polo shirts, and the biggest brand of them all when I was in high school was Tommy Hilfiger. Each brand was expensive, and had its own signature trademark to let you know how it stood out from all the rest. The “swoosh” on the Nike, let you know that it was not Reebok. The horse and rider symbol on the front of the shirt indicated a Polo shirt. However, there were those who wanted to have the brand name, but didn’t want to pay the brand name price. They would buy the “bootleg” version so that they could look like they were wearing the same thing as everyone else. What they did not know was that from a distance it may look the same, but upon closer inspection it was not hard to tell the difference.
Dear Reader I want to encourage you today to brand yourself with Jesus. This is not a brand that is on the outside for the world to see, but the brand is in your heart, and will show up in everything that you do. You can have love, but when Jesus is branded on that love, that love is unconditional, and is patient and kind. You can have peace, but when Jesus is the brand name on that peace, it will exceed all human understanding. Dear Reader I have to warn you that there will be those who want to look the part. They don’t want to pay the price, but they want to look like they are wearing the real thing. They are trying to put on the bootleg armor of Christ. From a distance they may fool some folks, but upon closer inspection of they don’t know how to talk to people, and they don’t try to encourage. They cause more confusion, and peace does not follow them into the room when they enter. That’s how you know they are not wearing the same brand. When Jesus puts His brand on you, all things are made new. His love, grace and mercy are His signature trademark, and His copyright was granted on the cross. Dear Reader, I don’t need Nike, Hilfiger, or Polo to impress the world because this world is not my home! Give me Jesus! Give me Jesus! He is all I need. In everything that I do, I want Jesus to come out! Brand yourself in the name of the Lord, and let Jesus be your brand name!
You are beautiful, loved, and blessed
John Reed
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