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01/17/2025

True Love

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)
Human beings crave love. When a woman’s soul has been wounded, that craving for love often takes one of two forms. Some women develop hard, or harsh personalities so other people will not want to get close to them. If the wounds in their souls are related to men, they may make firm decisions not to trust men or not to build relationships with men at all. Other women may be excessive in their desires to have a man in their life, to the point that they are willing to enter into a relationship with any man who pays attention to them. Perhaps you know women like this, women who seem to go from one unhealthy relationship to another. Maybe you have even done it yourself. You keep thinking the next man in your life will finally be the “right” one, only to find yourself disappointed.

When a woman has a string of relationships that never satisfy her, two things are usually true. One, she has not yet found her fulfillment in God alone; and two, she has not yet learned what real love is. In order to stop the cycle of craving love, seeking it from a man, and being disappointed, a woman’s soul needs to be healed. Part of that healing involves first receiving God’s unconditional love and then understanding what it really means to love and be loved by another person.

I want to share some things I hope will help you in your love relationships with other people. Only God can love us perfectly, but 1 Corinthians 13, which is called “the love chapter” of the Bible, helps us understand what real love is. If someone says, “I love you,” but isn’t demonstrating the attributes of love in this chapter, you might want to think twice before believing that person and going very far in a relationship.

Love is something that can be seen and felt. It is displayed in a variety of ways. When you are trying to decide whether someone loves you, and whether you love that person, you can use the qualities mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13 as a guide. It says that love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, and not arrogant or rude. It also does not demand its own way and is not irritable. It does not harbor resentment. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things(1 Corinthians 13:6–7 ESV). Love helps others; it gives, and it is quick to forgive. This requires intentionality and saying no to self regularly.

The basic qualities of love in 1 Corinthians 13 give us plenty to think about when we consider whether we love someone else and whether they love us. Remember, only God can love you perfectly. Other human beings will let us down, but when we know what true love looks like, we can be wise in our relationships.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am so thankful that You love me and that You have given me an ability to love others. Let Your love flow through me today in ways that will be a blessing to others. Continue to show me what real love looks like and give me wisdom in all my relationships, In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Joyce Meyer

01/16/2025

Dog Fight

Thursday, January 16th 2025
2 Chronicles 19:7
Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.
NKJV

Imagine you've got a dog you're training to protect your house. You want him to be strong and able to face any situation that may come up. What would you need to do for him to grow and be strengthened? In the simplest terms, you need to feed him. After all, if you neglect to feed a dog, he will waste away and be unable to stand firm. Now, imagine you have two dogs. Both are locked in a battle. Which one is likely to win, the one who's been fed or the one who's been neglected? Paul wrote of this battle in Romans 7.

Romans 7:19-20 "I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it." NLT

As believers, we are in a constant battle between our sinful nature and our new nature. These two are constantly seeking to win over control, and we are responsible for feeding one and starving the other. When we regularly attend a fellowship or spend time in God's Word, we feed our faith. When we give, serve, and pray, we are being strengthened by God to overcome sin and doubt. On the contrary, when we are not doing these things, we are weakened and easy prey for the enemy. God desires to strengthen you - feed your faith today, and you'll be ready for anything.

Life Lesson: Feed the faith. Starve the doubt.

Dear God,
Forgive me for allowing sin and doubt to overtake my heart and mind. Fill me with Your Spirit, and help me to spend time feeding my faith. Strengthen my soul through fellowship, prayer, and Your Word. Teach me to live a life focused on You so that others may see Your light in my life and turn to You.
In Jesus' name, amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/15/2025

Gift of Obedience

Wednesday, January 15th 2025
Hosea 1:2
When the LORD began to speak by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea: "Go; take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the LORD."
NKJV

Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
NKJV

We often hear Christians say things like, "The Lord just wants me to be happy" or "God wouldn't ask me to do anything that I can't handle." The truth is that God often asks His people to do what seems impossible. God told Hosea to take a wife that would cause him much pain. Abraham was told to sacrifice his only son, whom he called 'laughter' and loved dearly. Mary, who was called the most blessed among women, was required to stand by and watch her son die on the cross. These three, and many others in the Bible, were asked by God to do what we would think impossible for them: things that would bring pain and suffering. They had different circumstances and different struggles, but the one thing they shared was obedience.

Jesus went through incredible suffering and pain to free us from the bo***ge of sin. He did not die just so we could be happy. He did not give His life so we could pursue our selfish desires. He died to set us free and to provide us with the model of how to live free. He taught the disciples through His Word and led by example that our calling is to lay down our own lives for the sake of others.

Life Lesson: Following Christ is hard, but it's the least we can offer Him for the price He paid.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving me so much that You were willing to die a horrible death and suffer the humiliation of my sins. Lord, I choose to follow You wherever You lead me because I love You. Jesus, help me to walk in obedience. Give me Your strength, power, and love so I can willingly lay down my life for others.
Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/14/2025

Set Priorities

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 139:16 (AMPC)
Be determined to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus Christ desires for you to have. The devil will always try to set you up to get upset. The busy activities of today's society can make life seem like a blur. Most people have a lot of stress, continuous pressure, and really too much to do.

Set priorities. Start your day with God. Be determined to follow His lead all day, and you will enjoy every day of your life—not just on weekends, vacations, or sunny days when the weather's perfect. Walking with God will give you pleasure and relaxation even when things aren't going your way.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am so very grateful that Jesus came that I might have abundant life. When the day is stressful and my joy feels low, help me to remember that You have promised I can enjoy my life. Thank You for the joy, peace, and security I find in You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Joyce Meyer

01/13/2025

Moving from Pain to Passion

Monday, January 13th 2025
Song of Solomon 7:6
How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights!
NKJV

Within the book of Song of Solomon, we encounter the dramatic love of Solomon and his bride. We also encounter their first fight. Yet, it seems that it ends as soon as the fight begins. It does not end in simple tolerance of one another, but it ends with that renewed passion & desire. This leaves us asking, "How can other marriages move from pain to passion so quickly." The answer is simple, yet sometimes challenging to live out. It's the two main biblical principles of forgiveness and love. When a marriage has a foundation of active forgiveness and genuine love, there may be conflict, but it won't remain long.

How do we bring these two elements into our marriages? Again, the answer sounds simplistic but without Christ, it is impossible. To live within these elements of love and forgiveness, we must choose to be loving and forgiving. Today, choose to forgive your spouse for anything they may do. Choose to love them despite their faults and failures. Choose to love them as Christ loves us in that while we were still sinners, He died for us. That is true love. Even given our weakness, Jesus chose to forgive us of everything. In light of this great love found in Christ, we, too, can learn to love and forgive in our relationships. When we do, we will be equipped to move quickly from pain to passion in our marriages.

Life Lesson: It is impossible to live a life of continual, active forgiveness without a relationship with Christ.

Dear God,
Thank You for the precious gift of salvation. Your love and forgiveness have changed my life, and I desire to show that same kind of love and forgiveness within the relationships around me. Fill me with Your Spirit and instruct me by Your Word so that I can live like Jesus.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/12/2025

Father Knows Best

Sunday, January 12th 2025
1 Corinthians 7:21-22
Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave.
NKJV

Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
NKJV

We often think our circumstances in life are our problem. Whether it is our job, friends, or family situations, we often think these are the source of our issues. Life can be uncomfortable at times, but friend, if you are a Christian, God has allowed circumstances in your life because He is forming Himself in you.

God is trying to help you in your circumstances and trials. By allowing you to go through difficult challenges in life, you can grow to be more like Him. Sometimes, trials can be painful. Is there anybody in your life that God is trying to use to remove what does not resemble Him in your life? You are precious to God, and He loves you. He wants to grow you through your challenges. As you mature in the Lord, you should ask Him what He wants you to learn through them and allow Him to change you.

Consider a clay pot. The potter forms the clay to create a beautiful masterpiece. Once he forms it, he fires the clay to make it hard and usable for the tasks for which it was created. What if the potter pulled the clay out too soon? It would be half-baked, and the clay pot would not be usable. The potter would then have to break the pot, re-wet it, form, and fire it again. Life is a lot like this clay pot. Who wants to be a half-baked Christian? When we do not learn a lesson that God is trying to perfect in us, we must repeat it until He forms Himself in us.

Friend, God has called you to serve Him. He is using your circumstances to free you from the bo***ge of the shame, guilt, and sin that separates you from Him. Whatever is going on in your life - trust Him! God is willing to do whatever it takes to reach you. He wants to set you free.

Life Lesson: Your circumstances are usually not the problem; don't let your response or attitude to the circumstances be the problem.

Dear God,
Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the opportunity to go through circumstances that make me more like You. Lord, You sentenced and punished Yourself for me so I could be forgiven. I thank You for being willing to pay such a high price for me. I choose to walk in the incredible plans You have for me instead of the plans I have made. Help me to be faithful in the small things by listening to You. You are my hope, my love, and my peace. Help me hear Your voice and discover my call and adventure in life.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/11/2025
01/11/2025

Lean on Me!

Saturday, January 11th 2025
Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you,
O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
NLT

What or who are you leaning on today when trouble comes your way? When trials, tribulations, sickness, broken marriages, severed relationships, or a hectic workplace come, who do you lean on?

Who are you believing in to fix this world? Government? Mankind? Good intentions? Christians? God?

Life Lesson
What you lean on is what you trust in.

The Lord gives us the assurance of His word when we believe in Him.

Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you,
O God, who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
NLT

Life Lesson
Psalm 4:3 says, "You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him." NLT

Believing God listens to us when we call is a sign of faith (see Romans 10:17). When we put our faith in what He says to us concerning His word, our lives start to experience the healing power of God. Look at just a few of these promises God gives us: we have the inheritance of Jesus in our Spiritual bank account (Rom. 8:31-32), Jesus intercedes for us and NOTHING can separate us from His love (Rom.8:33-35), we are receiving glory and power to be more than conquerors through Him (Rom 8:37), there is NO condemnation for those who are in Him (Rom 8:1), and He is ultimately working everything in our life together for GOOD (Rom 8:28)!

Friend, when you experience the greatest of all miracles from God, which is being forgiven of your sins by trusting in Jesus, He gives you the power to live in His promises, and your life begins to heal.

Life Lesson: When you take a step of faith and are healed in any way (physical, emotional, or spiritual [salvation]), you have taken a step toward 'healing the world.'

Dear God,
Thank You for dying for my sins and my difficult circumstances. Help me to continue leaning on You and trusting in You, Lord. Thank You that You hear me when I call. I trust Your promises to give me the power to live in the blessing and reassurance that I'm Your child and You are working all things together for my good.
In Jesus' name. Amen

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/10/2025

Be Thankful at All Times

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 34:1 (AMPC)
Some people are very thankful for every little thing that is done for them, while others are never satisfied, no matter how much is done on their behalf. Be grateful for the lessons you’ve learned, especially the hard ones because we tend to learn the most during tough times.

Choose to be a grateful person—one filled with gratitude not only toward God, but also toward people. When someone does something nice for you, let that person know you appreciate it.

Meditate daily on all the things you have to be thankful for. Speak them to the Lord in prayer, and as you do, you will find your heart filling up with His peace, love, and joy. I believe thankful people are happy people, so go ahead and increase your joy today by being thankful.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for being with me through the tough times and for the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Thank You for putting people in my life who have helped me in the past and continue to help me now. I love You, and thank You for my many blessings, In Jesus namne amen.
Joyce Meyer

01/09/2025

We Are Family

Thursday, January 9th 2025
Galatians 1:11
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
NKJV

The Gospel changes everything. Not only does it change us, but it also unites us with other believers. Many of the differences that may have divided us before fall away because of the love of Christ. This is why meeting together in a local church is so important. Growing in unity with one another blesses our life and is a great picture to our community.

Where does this unity come from exactly? We believe similar things; we share the same value system in loving God and loving people. In addition, we believe God created the earth and sky. Many people may think we are different because we have different skin colors, ways of dressing, or ways of making a living. Unity may even depend on whether we have ink or tattoos. But no matter what you look like or how you may have been raised, in Jesus, we are called "one body." As the body of Christ, we are a family that seeks to love unconditionally no matter how different we may be.

Life Lesson: When we meet together, we encourage each other with acts of love and good works.

Dear God,
Thank You for the church, for bringing me together with brothers and sisters in Christ. While I know I am not perfect, help me love others equally and encourage others no matter their differences. In You, the church is united. Please help me to remember that, no matter what.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/08/2025

Who's in Charge?

Wednesday, January 8th 2025
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
NLT

Do you want God to be in charge of your life? For Christians, the answer seems easy enough. Yes, we want God to rule in our hearts and minds. The earthly reality is that there are elements of this world that desire to take control, and one of the major ones is money. It has been said that money is an outstanding servant but a terrible master. It may promise great things if we seek it first and hunger for more, but in the end, we are in bo***ge to something that cannot bring true joy.

How can we combat this draw towards money? The answer is simple. We give it away. Tell your money where it should go. Make a plan for it by budgeting, but within that budget, make sure you set apart gifts to the Lord first. Nothing will break the spell of money better than giving it to the Lord through our local church or other ministries. When we step out in faith and give to God, we live in His authority over our lives, and in return, we bear eternal fruit. After all, it's God's money... He just lets us use it.

Life Lesson: When we tithe, or we give, we are responding to God's Word and telling our money where to go. We are putting God in charge of our finances.

Dear God,
Thank You for taking care of my needs. Thank You for Your love and grace. I desire to break the bo***ge that money has on me. Help me to walk in freedom by giving regularly to support Your work. Give me wisdom to budget and to give unto You.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/07/2025

Critiquing the Joneses

Tuesday, January 7th 2025
2 Corinthians 11:9
And when I was with you and didn't have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
NLT

Paul had a tough battle in Corinth. People accused him of being in it only for the money when he was not asking for donations from Corinth. Instead, he was using donations from another church. Ultimately, it all boiled down to some people in Corinth who didn't like the way Paul did his ministry. It's like a neighbor complaining about how you w**d your yard while their yard is completely overrun with w**ds. We see this even today when some people are too concerned with someone else's gifts to use their own.

What about in your life? Are you spending too much time evaluating how someone else is following Jesus, or are you actively serving Him in your own life? You are given the opportunity to tell people your 'God story.' Go for it. You can invite people to a church where they receive eternal life. Invite and watch God work in YOUR life. Stop making excuses, and don't stand on the sidelines critiquing those in the game; jump in. The lost are waiting, let's get moving.

Life Lesson: The real heart issue is not what someone else is doing with what they have been given but what you are doing with what you have been given.

Dear God,
Thank You for the gifts You have given me. My abilities, finances, and relationships are from You, and I desire to use them for the Kingdom of God. Help me not be distracted by other people but push forward for the Glory of Your Name.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

01/06/2025

Remember What? Forget What?

Monday, January 6th 2025
Ephesians 2:11-13
Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
NKJV

God is using this passage to remind us to remember. He is saying you can control what you think and what you think about. In fact, in this part of scripture, God is saying to remember what you were and that this remembrance is terrible. Being without Christ, you were aliens and strangers from the covenant -- without hope and without God.

It seems bizarre that God is telling us to remember that. But why is God telling you to remember this? Because if you don't remember where you came from, you will go back there. When you think about where you came from and where you are now, you realize how good God is and what He has brought you from. This isn't all the time, but just remembering, at times, where you came from.

Along those lines, there are things that you should be thinking about now that you have a relationship with Christ. Think about the LOVE OF GOD -- that is huge. Think about the FORGIVENESS OF GOD -- He forgets about the wrongs you've done! Think about HEAVEN -- our eternal destination. Think about the JOY OF THE LORD -- that inner peace that stays with you. Think about HOW GOD KEEPS BLESSING you. These are just the beginning of things that you can remember. Feel free to add to the list.

Then we are supposed to forget some things. FORGET your forgiven sins -- God's forgiveness is complete. FORGET the mistakes you have made -- we will all fail at some point, but don't dwell on your mistakes. FORGET the wounds you have endured -- as you receive forgiveness, you give forgiveness, and forgetting is a part of that.

So today, REMEMBER the things you should remember and FORGET the things you should forget. You are loved, and it's time to love others.

Life Lesson: We too often remember what we should forget and forget what we should remember.

Dear God,
I am sorry. I often remember the wrong things and forget what I should remember. Help me to focus on You and what You are doing in my life now. I am thankful for Your saving grace and mercy. Help me to love others and continue the mission You have given me.
In Jesus' name, amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

Senior Pastor
The Bridge

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95448

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