FAITH EXPRESSING LOVE / She Loved Him

This is the fourth of five devotions and songs

with the theme
"Our Love For God"

FAITH EXPRESSING LOVE
by 
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Luke 7:37-50)

There are two accounts in scripture of a woman crying and pouring ointment on Jesus’ feet and wiping them with her hair. In John 12 Mary, Lazarus’ sister, who was also a good friend of Jesus, did the same thing as the woman in Luke 7. It does not appear that these two scriptures refer to the same woman. The woman referred to in Luke 7 could be Mary Magdalene.

Jesus was dining at Simon’s house. An especially sinful woman heard that He was there and came. She stood behind him for a time weeping. Then she began to wet his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. She affectionately kissed his feet and anointed them with the perfume she had brought. Do you think that this woman knew that this was the Son of God and He had the power to forgive sin and make her clean?

Simon stood back watching with indignation. His thoughts were that if this man were a prophet, he would know that he should not allow this woman to touch him.

Jesus not only accepted the woman’s act of worship but he confronted Simon’s wrong thinking. He explained to Simon that the woman had obtained freedom from sin because she acknowledged her love and was sorry for sin. Jesus indicated that Simon did not love much because he didn’t feel he had much to be forgiven.

The woman came to Jesus just as she was in her sin. She came, loving him and worshiping him in a state of sin. Jesus told her that her faith saved her. The fact that she came to Jesus and poured out her heart by her actions, opened the door to forgiveness and restoration.

Lord, am I like Simon who is self righteous and questions your tactics? Lord, I want to be like the woman who came to you and poured herself out before you, even in her sin.  I want to run to you when I have wronged someone or embraced wrong thinking. I love you and desire to express my love to you just like this woman. My faith expresses my love for you.

© LoveWalkPublishing

Authored by RebeccaAnnCooley

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SHE LOVED HIM

Devotion: Faith Expressing Love

(Adapted from Luke 7:37-50)

Verse

She loved him,

She valued him so much

She loved him,

She came to him just as she was

Chorus

Washing his feet with her tears,

Drying his feet with her hair (repeat)

Anointing his feet with perfume,

The sweet essence then filled the room

Bridge

Her sins which are many are forgiven (repeat)

© LoveWalkPublishing

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

A SECRET FOLLOWER / Joseph Of Arimathea

This is the third of five devotions and music videos 

with the theme

"Our Love For God"

A SECRET FOLLOWER

by Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from John 19:38; Isaiah 53:9)

I was a secret follower of the Messiah.  As a member of the Sanhedrin, I thought I could not afford to express my beliefs in this Man.  As soon as I heard the news of His death, I knew I must do something to show my respect and to honor Him.  I wanted to somehow relay to Him that I believed.  What could I do?  All at once I knew.  I will give Him my own tomb that I had prepared for myself!  As soon as that thought came into my mind, it is as if I could hear His voice say, “Because You have prepared a place of burial for Me, I have taken away your spiritual place of burial.  You are one of mine.”  I ran as fast as I could and asked to see Pilate.  I begged him for the body.  I think he gave me permission to take it because he didn’t know what else to do.  Now I know, it was a fulfillment of Scripture. 

He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.  But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

Lord, I am not a secret follower.  I gladly choose You now!  I want to tell everyone I believe You are the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One who is and the One who is to come, the King of all eternity!

©LoveWalkPublishing 

Authored by RebeccaCooley

AllRightsReserved

Kent Clifford Cooley

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA

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(Adapted from John 19:38; Isaiah 53:9)

Verse 1

I heard Him say, “It is finished”

I heard Him say, “Into Your hands I commit My spirit”

Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit

Bridge

One by one everyone has gone

And here I stand alone, captivated by His life

I am overwhelmed with a desire to express what His life meant to me

Chorus

I am Joseph (repeat 2)

I am Joseph of Arimathea

Verse 2

Never a man spake like this Man

He stretched out His hand to the blind, to the deaf

He cleansed the leper

©LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic 

by KentCliffordCooley

AllRightsReserved

2 LOVES / I Had Strayed

This is the 2nd of 5 devotions with the theme 

“Our Love For God"

2 LOVES
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13;6; 2 Peter 3:9)

“The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conceptions of slowness, but he is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.”

Some people think that God is waiting to punish us for every sin and is actually watching to zap us with wrath when we do. That is so far from the truth that it is enemy territory. God does not punish us. Sin punishes us. God wants us to turn from sin so it will not consume us and lead us to eternal punishment. He is extraordinarily patient in working with us to lead us to him.

There are two loves that bring me back to repentance every day, his love for me and my love for him. These two loves rule my heart and bring me back to Him.

Father, I love you and I love your Word. I love Your people and I love lost humanity. You loved me first and since the day I realized Your great love for me, I have never fallen out of love with You.

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaCooley

All Right Reserved

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I HAD STRAYED

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:6; 2 Peter 3:9)

Verse

I had strayed but my love for you

I had strayed but my love for your word

I had strayed but my love for your people

I had strayed but my love for lost humanity

Chorus

Brought me back to this place of repentance

Brought me back to you

Brought me back to this place of repentance

Your love for me and my love for you

© LoveWalkMusic WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

FOUNDATION OF LOVE / I Adore Thee

This is the first of five devotions and music videos

with the theme 

"Our Love For God"

FOUNDATION OF LOVE

by

Rebecca Cooley

(1 John 5:21)

The foundation of the love walk is the love command.  We are instructed to love the Lord our God with our whole heart and our whole mind.  Why would I want to place anyone or anything else in the highest place in my heart?  That place belongs to God and I have to position Him there every day.  I must choose to not allow anything to occupy the place in my heart due to God. 

There is a second part to the love command.  I am to love others.  Loving others is easy when I love God with my whole heart.  When God occupies my heart and my thoughts, love and kindness overflow to others.  There is no effort to love others.  The effort to love lies in not allowing anything to occupy the highest place for God. 

Father, I place you in the highest place in my life.  I give you my heart.  That means that I put you in my heart and my thoughts and I move out anything that is unlike you.  Loving others will come from that foundation.  I love you and I love my neighbor.  Thank you for the instruction of your word and for helping me to align my life with love’s principles. 

©LoveWalkPublishing Authored by RebeccaAnnCooley

Click here to view today's music video on youtube

I ADORE THEE

Devotion:  Foundation of Love

 (1 John 5:21)

Verse 1

Father You have chosen me as a vessel of praise eternally

I will ever stand in awe at the wonder of Thy glory

In Thy thrown room I worship Thee for this sacred honour You’ve given me to go beyond the vail

Oh what a privilege to pray

Chorus

I adore Thee, I adore Thee, I adore Thee

Lord I glorify Thy name

Verse 2

Falling in worship before Thee in paradise the saints adore Thee

Casting golden crowns before His majesty, the King of kings

Jesus I long to be there so my soul ascends in fervent prayer in to celestial realms

Where with the angels now I sing 

© Words and Music by MikeShreve