Sending you the merriest Christmas wishes, wrapped in love and sprinkled with joy! May your holidays be filled with the laughter, coziness, cherished traditions, and the beauty of the season. Cheers to a wonderful Christmas and a bright, happy New Year!
“Your LOVE for one another will PROVE to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35
The Bible verse John 13:35 carries a powerful message, it emphasizes the essential aspect of being a disciple of Christ: the demonstration of love towards one another. Love that transcends political affiliations, levels of conservativeness, pro-life stances, fashion choices, or any external characteristics that may divide us.
In today’s world, where divisions and differences seem to abound, it is easy to lose sight of the core principles that Jesus taught. He emphasized the importance of love as a defining characteristic of his followers. Love is meant to be the distinguishing mark of Christians, the evidence that we are truly walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
It is a love that mirrors the selfless and sacrificial love demonstrated by Jesus himself. This love is not selective, only extended to those who share our beliefs or align with our perspectives. It extends to all people, regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or appearances.
By loving one another, we display the transformative power of Christ’s teachings. This love speaks louder than political debates, ideological differences, or personal preferences. It breaks down barriers, builds bridges, and brings people together in a profound way.
Our love should be evident in our actions and attitudes. It should be expressed through compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and a genuine desire to help and serve others. It involves treating everyone we encounter with dignity, respect, and empathy. It means actively seeking opportunities to uplift, support, and encourage those around us.
When we choose to love unconditionally, we bear witness to the transformative love of Jesus. Our love should inspire others, drawing them closer to the truth and goodness found in Christ. It should be a beacon of hope in a world that often seems divided and filled with animosity.
The verse reminds us that our love for one another is a reflection of our relationship with Jesus. It is a tangible demonstration of the faith that we profess. Love becomes our testimony, speaking volumes about the transformative power of Christ’s teachings.
Let’s not allow our differences to define us or overshadow the love that we are called to demonstrate. Instead, let’s focus on emulating the love of Jesus, allowing it to radiate through our words, actions, and interactions with others. May our love for one another be a powerful testament to the world, serving as proof that we are truly following in the footsteps of our Savior.
Last week I posted about my frustration with finding a lack of love in the church. If you want to read more about that you can click HERE.
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If the title doesn’t immediately make you start singing the 2003 Black Eyed Peas song, then I don’t know if we can be friends.
For the last several years I’ve been on a personal spiritual journey. I’ve been discovering what I believe and why I believe what I do. Spurred on by finding myself frustrated by different difficult situations in my church community, I found myself constantly asking, “Where is the love? Where is the love?…WHERE IS THE LOVE?!
The church is comprised of individuals who, despite their best intentions, are prone to shortcomings and failings. While love is a central principle throughout the Bible, I recognize that people within the church can still display flawed behaviors and attitudes that contradict the essence of love and compassion.
Conflicts and divisions can arise within any community, even including the church. Varying perspectives, beliefs, and personal preferences can lead to disagreements and misunderstandings, hindering the authentic expression of love. When this happens, it can be disheartening and easy to perceive a lack of love within the church.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 specifically speaks about what happens when things are done without love…
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. (The Message Bible: emphasis added by me)
Through my own Bible reading and study, I’ve spent time getting to know who Jesus is and what He taught. During his ministry, Jesus constantly taught the importance of showing love and kindness towards those around us. He acknowledged those shunned by society. He was a friend to the outcasts. A dinner companion to the sinner. A healer of the sick. A comfort to the hurting. The more I read about Jesus, the more I love Him. My faith and trust in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have only increased along this journey.
I acknowledge that I have not always exemplified love in the past, I recognize that there have been moments when I’ve succumbed to pettiness, unkindness, and an unloving attitude. Regrettably, there have been instances where I have responded with unkindness to those who treated me poorly. While I cannot alter the actions of others or the way I reacted in the past, I am resolutely choosing to embrace a loving approach in the future.
When asked which commandment is the most important, Jesus answered “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ‘ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Simply put, Love God, Love Others.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus, I have the capacity to become a friend to those who feel alone, a source of encouragement to those who are disheartened, and a warm smile for those who find themselves isolated. I can extend compassion and recognition to those who are marginalized by society. Through consciously choosing to care for and wholeheartedly love individuals who cannot repay me, provide personal gain, or offer anything in return, I have the opportunity to manifest the love of Jesus. In each decision I make, I can be the embodiment of the love that someone else needs.
With each choice I make I can show the love of Jesus.
Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything,Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. 1 Corinthians 13 4-7
Despite moments when the actions of the church and its leaders have left me bewildered, causing me to question, “Where is the Love?”, I firmly believe that regardless of any circumstances, I can always discover love in God.
I would love for you to follow me on  Twitter and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good.  Stop by and visit my Instagram page as well @lookingjoligood. Generally, I post pictures of food, plants and puppies, but there are pictures of makeup and beauty products as well.
People killin’, people dyin’
Children hurt, hear them cryin’
Can you practice what you preach
Or would you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father, help us
Send some guidance from above
‘Cause people got me, got me questionin’
Where is the love (love)
Where is the love? (The love)
Where is the love? (The love)
Where is the love, the love, the love?
Many people believe that eternal life in Heaven is something that we earn through good works, or something we inherit because our parents are religious, or possibly we can attain it through good intentions. While all these things sound good, the Bible tells us that eternal life is not something we can earn or buy, but instead, it is a gift.
The thing about this gift is that before you can get it, you first have to realize that you need this it. Romans 3:23 tells us that “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
All of us have sinned by breaking God’s rules. Some of the rules are broken by things that we have been doing, and some of the rules have been broken by things that we haven’t been doing. We have all sinned in one way or another.
Romans 6:23 tells us that the price for those broken rules is death. That death isn’t just talking about our physical body dying, but about our spiritual body as well.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When our physical body dies, our spiritual body will go to one of two places, either an eternity in Heaven or an eternal death apart from God in Hell.
God doesn’t want to be separated from us! Romans 5:8 says “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Â
The price of our sin is death, but Jesus Christ already paid the price for our sins when he died on the cross.
Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh. He lived a perfect life and voluntarily took our place on the cross, all because He loves us! He took your place, He took my place, He paid your price with His life. He loves you!
The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Any time you get a gift you have to accept it in order to own it. It is no different with the gift of eternal life, you have to turn to Christ and place our full trust in Him alone.
Romans 10:13 tells us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ to be your personal savior, you can do it right now! It is as simple as believing in your heart that Christ is the only way to have eternal life in Heaven and saying a prayer that is something like this…
“Dear Lord God,
Thank you for the sacrifice you made in sending your only perfect son to die on the cross for my sins! It should have been me sentenced to that horrible death, but you Lord, gave Jesus to save me from the punishment that I deserve. Thank you for this free gift of salvation! Amen!”
You will never regret that decision! I know how much this decision has changed my life! If you have just trusted Christ and received the gift of eternal life, I would love for you to tell me!
I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram,  Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.
Many people believe that eternal life in Heaven is something that we earn through good works, or something we inherit because our parents are religious, or possibly we can attain it through good intentions. While all these things sound good, the Bible tells us that eternal life is not something we can earn or buy, but instead, it is a gift.
The thing about this gift is that before you can get it, you first have to realize that you need this it. Romans 3:23 tells us that “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
All of us have sinned by breaking God’s rules. Some of the rules are broken by things that we have been doing, and some of the rules have been broken by things that we haven’t been doing. We have all sinned in one way or another.
Romans 6:23 tells us that the price for those broken rules is death. That death isn’t just talking about our physical body dying, but about our spiritual body as well.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When our physical body dies, our spiritual body will go to one of two places, either an eternity in Heaven or an eternal death apart from God in Hell.
God doesn’t want to be separated from us! Romans 5:8 says “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Â
The price of our sin is death, but Jesus Christ already paid the price for our sins when he died on the cross.
Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh. He lived a perfect life and voluntarily took our place on the cross, all because He loves us! He took your place, He took my place, He paid your price with His life. He loves you!
The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Any time you get a gift you have to accept it in order to own it. It is no different with the gift of eternal life, you have to turn to Christ and place our full trust in Him alone.
Romans 10:13 tells us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ to be your personal savior, you can do it right now! It is as simple as believing in your heart that Christ is the only way to have eternal life in Heaven and saying a prayer that is something like this…
“Dear Lord God,
Thank you for the sacrifice you made in sending your only perfect son to die on the cross for my sins! It should have been me sentenced to that horrible death, but you Lord, gave Jesus to save me from the punishment that I deserve. Thank you for this free gift of salvation! Amen!”
You will never regret that decision! I know how much this decision has changed my life! If you have just trusted Christ and received the gift of eternal life, I would love for you to tell me!
I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram,  Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.
I have been writing here on Looking JoliGood for almost three years now. (Wow, does time fly!!!) I have shared many things about all kinds of different topics, some beauty related, some health-related, some related to spiritual things.
Today I am sharing with you what I believe to be the purpose of our lives here on earth. I believe that God gave us life so that we can love and glorify Him.
Many people believe that eternal life in Heaven is something that we earn through good works, or something we inherit because our parents are religious, or possibly we can attain it through good intentions. While all these things sound good, the Bible tells us that eternal life is not something we can earn or buy, but instead, it is a gift.
The thing about this gift is that before you can get it, you first have to realize that you need this it. Romans 3:23 tells us that “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
All of us have sinned by breaking God’s rules. Some of the rules are broken by things that we have been doing, and some of the rules have been broken by things that we haven’t been doing. We have all sinned in one way or another.
Romans 6:23 tells us that the price for those broken rules is death. That death isn’t just talking about our physical body dying, but about our spiritual body as well.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When our physical body dies, our spiritual body will go to one of two places, either an eternity in Heaven or an eternal death apart from God in Hell.
God doesn’t want to be separated from us! Romans 5:8 says “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Â
The price of our sin is death, but Jesus Christ already paid the price for our sins when he died on the cross.
Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh. He lived a perfect life and voluntarily took our place on the cross, all because He loves us! He took your place, He took my place, He paid your price with His life. He loves you!
The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Any time you get a gift you have to accept it in order to own it. It is no different with the gift of eternal life, you have to turn to Christ and place our full trust in Him alone.
Romans 10:13 tells us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ to be your personal savior, you can do it right now! It is as simple as believing in your heart that Christ is the only way to have eternal life in Heaven and saying a prayer that is something like this…
“Dear Lord God,
Thank you for the sacrifice you made in sending your only perfect son to die on the cross for my sins! It should have been me sentenced to that horrible death, but you Lord, gave Jesus to save me from the punishment that I deserve. Thank you for this free gift of salvation! Amen!”
You will never regret that decision! I know how much this decision has changed my life! If you have just trusted Christ and received the gift of eternal life, I would love for you to tell me!
I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram,  Pinterest, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all four.
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed what God Has planned
I only know at his right hand
Stands one who is my Savior
I take him at his word and deed
Christ died to save me this I read
And in my heart I find the need
Of him to be my Savior
That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You called it strange so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
My Savior loves
My Savior lives
My Savior’s always there for me
My God he was
My God he is
My God he’s always gonna be
Yes living, dying let me bring
My strength my Solace from the Spring
That he who lives to be my king
Once died to be my Savior
That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You called it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
My Savior loves
My Savior lives
My Savior’s always there for me
My God he was
My God he is
My God he’s always gonna be
My Savior loves
My Savior lives
My Savior’s always there for me
My God he was
My God he is
My God he’s always gonna be
My Savior lives
My Savior loves
My Savior lives
My Savior loves
My Savior lives
I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three.  I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your user name in the comment section below!
Looking Joli Good 