THE EYES OF PURPOSE / I Can See Christ In You

This is the 6^th of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”

THE EYES OF PURPOSE
 by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7)

What is God saying to you and what is He doing in your life?

We have been acquainted with a great man of God who, when he would see us, would always ask this question. I realize now he asked this question not just because he wanted to know but that he wanted to know if we were connected with God’s purpose in our lives.

I have always kept a personal journal and from time to time logged in a journal with my husband. If you were to read my journal, you would get a sense of where my faith is and pretty much know what God is presently working on in me.

When you log onto our blog, our you tube channel or facebook profile, the first thing you will see is a short profile describing what God is presently saying and doing in our lives.

We are learning to view others with this same perspective and ask the same question, “What is God saying to you today?” God’s purpose in every life is based on this truth: “Every person is one for whom Christ died.”

A person connects with God’s purpose simply by confessing sin and opening their heart to believe God loves them and wants the best for them and wants to use them.

Father, I want to see others the way that you see them – through the eyes of purpose. I get excited when I see your purpose unfold in the lives of others.

©LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley

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I Can See Christ In You

Devotion: The Eyes of Purpose

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7)

I can see Christ in you as you live out your life

I can see precious fruit in the way that you live

I can see Christ in you and I want you to know

What a joy in my life you have been

©LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic by DavidLuther

Devotion by RebeccaAnnCooley

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FORGETTING THE BAD / REMEMBERING THE GOOD / These Two Things

This is the 5^th of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”

FORGETTING THE BAD / REMEMBERING THE GOOD
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7; Philippians 4:6-8)

Have you ever thought that most people have selective intelligence? We learn what we want to learn and remember what we want to remember and forget what we want to forget. We remember what we care about and forget the things that we do not care about. What we remember and forget says a lot about us. We can take an inventory about what we remember and what we forget and determine whether we are selfish or selfless.

It is a reflection of my own selfishness when I tend to not remember someone’s birthday or forget their name or their prayer request. I forget the good things and yet I remember every wrong thing that the person has ever done to me. The things I remember and the things I forget are a reflection of my selfishness.

There is a woman that I am acquainted with that I do not choose to get to know. I don’t care for the way she acts. She is loud and doesn’t use proper grammar when she speaks. And she made fun of something about me personally in front of a group of people. When I see her or think about her, that one negative sentence she spoke is what comes to mind! I have chosen not to find out when her birthday is or send her a card. I have forgotten all about her prayer request and have not given a thought about what she might be going through in her personal life.

I can change my thoughts about this person and I can change the intent of my heart toward her and anyone else that I have entertained negative thoughts about. First, I humble myself and get out of denial. I admit my wrong thinking and ask God to give me grace to love her. When the negative thought comes, I override it with a blessing. I take further action by finding out when she celebrates her birthday or any other day that is special to her. I make an effort to see what her needs are and let her know I care about them. This is the process of developing compassion.

Father, I clear out my selfish bank by forgiving. I forgive and forget the wrongs others have done to me. Develop compassion in me concerning the needs and concerns of others. I want to make an effort to get to know the people I have not chosen to be my friends because of negative things I have stored in my selfish bank. I determine to let people know that I care about them whenever negative thoughts arise. Develop selflessness in me, Lord and love through me.

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley

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THESE TWO THINGS

Devotion: Forgetting The Bad / Remembering The Good

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7; Philippians 4:6-8)

Verse:

I say that I’m forgetful

I’m bad about names

I claim that I’m forgetful about so many things

Then I say that I forgive them,

But I never will forget

Yet my love walk is determined

By just two things

By the thing that I remember

And the things that I forget

Chorus:

Do I forget their birthdays?

Do I forget their names?

Do I forget the prayer requests

That they bring before the saints

Yet I remember every wrong

That they’ve ever done to me yet

My love walk is determined

By these two things

By the thing that I remember

And the things that I forget

Bridge:

Folks don’t care how much we know

Till they know how much we care

May I be aware about them and not me

May I be aware of the important things

© LoveWalkMusic

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

DIVINE PURPOSE / Love Attributes Value

This is the 4^th of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”

DIVINE PURPOSE
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from John 1:40-47)

Let’s go again to the place near the Jordan River where John the Baptist had been baptizing:

Andrew had just spent the day and probably spent the night with Jesus. He runs home to find his brother, Simon. He finds Simon and tells him, “We have found the Messiah!” They hurry to Jesus. Upon meeting Simon, Jesus looked intently into his eyes and said,

“You are Simon, the son of John

but you will be called Peter!

You are a stone!”

Jesus affirmed Andrew’s brother, “You are a rock. You are solid. You will not be moved. People will stand on you. You are strong! You are part of God’s purpose!” Jesus told Peter what was inside of him. He pulled out something of value that was inside of Peter. He spoke life over Peter. He affirmed him.

The next day they all went to Galilee. Jesus found Philip and affirmed him. And Philip took off to find his friend Nathanael. Nathanael’s reaction was a bit different. When Philip told Nathanael that they had discovered the Messiah and he was Joseph’s son from Nazareth, Nathanael’s reply was, “Nazareth! Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” As Philip and Nathanael approached Jesus, Jesus said,

“Now here is a genuine son of Israel, a man of complete integrity!”

Nathanael had deemed little value on Jesus when he heard that Jesus was from Nazareth. Jesus probably sensed that attitude when he met Nathanael and purposefully spoke value over Nathanael.

Love attributes value to everyone that love meets. Love builds up. Love makes eye contact. Love listens. Love believes the best in everyone. Love affirms. Love looks for divine purpose in everyone. Love prophesies.

Lord, I repent for feeling superior to others. I repent for thinking myself as better than someone else. Forgive me for not placing value on everyone I meet or see or read about. YOU pull something good out of every single person! I take on that attitude today! I walk in love and I attribute value to every person I meet and every person I think about today! The love inside of me builds up people. The love inside of me believes the best in people. My love affirms people and looks deep inside to see divine purpose. I can even prophesize your Word over people today! Thank you that my life is valuable to you Lord.

Thank you for teaching me to attribute value to every person

and believe that you can work in their lives.

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley

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LOVE ATTRIBUTES VALUE

(Adapted from John 1:40-47)

Chorus:

Love attributed value to everyone that

Love came in contact with

Love attributed value to everyone that

Love came in contact with

Verse 1:

Simon, son of John

You shall be called

Peter a Stone

Nathaniel, an Israelite indeed

A man of integrity

Repeat Chorus

Verse 2:

Love built them up

Affirmed them

Saw God’s divine purpose in them

Love built them up

Affirmed them

Saw God’s divine purpose in them

2^nd Chorus:

I’ll attribute value to

Everyone that I come in contact with

I’ll attribute value to

Everyone that I come in contact with

Verse 3:

I’ll build them up

Affirm them

See God’s divine purpose in them

I’ll build them up

Affirm them

See God’s divine purpose in them

© LoveWalkMusic

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND / Think On These Things

This is the 3^rd of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Philippians 4:6-8; 1 Corinthians 13:7)

There is a place that we can go with God where we experience His peace and walk daily in the wisdom of His guidance. This secret place in God exceeds anything that we can understand with our own thoughts and reasonings. This place in God will guard our hearts and minds and it will guide us into all truth. That means that when we are in trouble or need help, God is there to meet our need. It means that we have a friend, a parent, a companion, a lover to express our thoughts to and receive from every minute of the day.

The enemy of our soul endeavors to achieve the opposite. In fact, he strives and manipulates and sets us up daily to get our minds off of the Word and into the negative realm. One of his most effective tactics is to place dishonorable thoughts in our minds about other people. One negative thought processed will grow and accomplish much for the kingdom of darkness.

No wonder Paul taught us to be ready to believe the best of every person. And no wonder he instructed us on what to feed to our minds.

Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence 
and is honorable and seemly,

whatever is just, whatever is pure, 
whatever is lovely and lovable,

whatever is kind and winsome and gracious,

if there is any virtue and excellence, 
if there is anything worthy of praise,

think on and weigh and take account of these things - 
fix your minds on them.

Father, I invite the Holy Spirit into every room of my heart to shine the light of your love into every nook and cranny. I invite you to examine every one of my thoughts today. I give you permission to root out all darkness in whatever form it is hiding. Today, I fix my minds on things that are valuable. I praise you today for the virtues of excellence that are developing in my mind and my heart and I reject the negative schemes of the enemy that are set up to destroy.

“Clothe yourself in love every morning. My love will cover you like a warm blanket when you are chilled. My love covering your mind will cause you to always be hopeful and never give up. It will cause you to believe the best in others and endure through every circumstance and situation that comes your way. My love in your heart not only changes the thoughts in your mind but has a tremendous effort on others and the world. Think on these things.”

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley

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THINK ON THESE THINGS

Devotion: What’s on Your Mind?

(Adapted from Philippians 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13:7)

Verse:

Whatever is true,

Whatever is worthy of reverence,

Whatever is honorable and seemly,

Whatever is just,

Whatever is pure,

Whatever is lovely and lovable

Chorus:

Think on these things

Weigh and take account of these things

Think on these things

Fix your mind and thoughts on these things

Bridge:

Whatever is kind,

Whatever is winsome and gracious

And if there is any virtue

And if there is any excellence

And if there is anything worthy of praise

© LoveWalkMusic WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

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LOVE IS THOUGHTFUL / Your Thoughts

This is the 2^nd of 6 devotions with the theme from 
1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”

LOVE IS THOUGHTFUL

by

Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Psalm 139:17-18; 1 Corinthians 13:7)

“How precious are your thoughts to me! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.”

Love is not an idol giddy mindless emotion.

Love thinks. Loving thoughts precede loving actions. When we keep our thoughts inside of love our actions follow suit. God thinks good thoughts about us. We should think good thoughts about people. If someone jumps in the parking space just before you turn in, think good thoughts about them by preferring that they have it. If someone speaks rudely to you, don’t allow their pride to appeal to your pride. Stay inside of humility. Make your thoughts search deeper than their words and love them. Intercede concerning their needs. Shift your thoughts from the words they are saying to the needs of their heart. Then reply to their rudeness with kindness.

On the other hand, when we think the worse of someone and when we allow negative thoughts to occupy our minds, we open the door for the enemy. The enemy thrives on negative and harmful thoughts and plants untruths and wrong thinking in our minds. This quickly takes root in a heart and eventually it comes out in actions toward that person.

Love builds bridges through the constructive combination of patience, kindness and selflessness. Love is thoughtful. Love gives careful, reasoned thinking with heedful anticipation of the needs and wants of others. Love thinks things through even on the spur of the moment.

Father, I am becoming a thoughtful person because love is making me think. I am becoming careful to be considerate of the needs and wants of others. Thank you for working and moving in my life. Thank you for demonstrating love to me and rooting me in love so that I can pass it on to others. I refuse to open doors for the enemy to occupy my thoughts and use me to hurt others. I resist the enemy's thoughts and I embrace your thoughts toward me, Lord. Your thoughts are love and my thoughts are love too.

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley

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YOUR THOUGHTS 

(Adapted from Psalm 139:17-18; 1 Corinthians 13:7)

How precious are Your thoughts to me,

How vast are the sum of them

If I should count them they would out number the sand

How precious are your thoughts to me

© LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusicbyKentCliffordCooley

I CAN HEAR YOUR HEART / Love Is Ever Ready

This is the 1^st of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love Believes All Things”

“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”

I CAN HEAR YOUR HEART
by 
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7)

“Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person.”

Challenges and disappointments arise every single day concerning people we love. Even those we are closest to can offend and upset us. Every day a circumstance can arise to give us reason to doubt God, to doubt each other and to distrust the value of our closest relationships. If we look at these storms in the natural, we will be as unstable as a ship caught in a hurricane at sea. Just as it would be hopeless for the ship, our lives would feel hopeless if we responded only by what we see or feel.

We tend to judge people by what we see and what we hear them say and draw conclusions based on the natural eye. God looks at the heart. God listens to what the heart is saying and works in a person’s life to draw out what is not seen with the natural eye. As Christians we learn to do the same. When we view others with the eyes of faith, we can hear their heart. When we hear a cry from the heart, it is easy to respond in love. God is listening for heart cries and he wants to use us to hear and respond for him. Whatever a person is saying, whether it be disagreeable or offensive, listen for the cry of their heart. You will respond in love every time.

Father, the next time I face a challenge with a loved one, before I respond, help me to look inside my own heart and look again with the eyes of faith. Help me not to draw conclusions on what I see but listen to what their heart is saying.

“My child, my heart’s cry is that you would learn to believe the best of every person. If you will look past what you see and listen to my heart, you can endure everything without weakening.”

© LoveWalkPublishing RebeccaAnnCooley

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LOVE IS EVER READY

Devotion: I Can Hear Your Heart

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7)

Verse

Somebody said you can’t trust anybody,

They’ll always do you wrong

Somebody said I’ve been hurt

And they’ll go on and on

Chorus

But love believes all things;

Love is ever ready,

Love is ever ready to believe the best of everyone

Bridge

Mentalities of unbelief they have to go in Jesus name

Mentalities of doubt and fear

I have to say to them I’m unafraid, I’m not afraid

© LoveWalkPublishing

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley