There are two types of people in the world,” someone once said, “those who come into a room and say, ‘Here I am!’ and those who come in and say, ‘Ah, there you are!’”

How different are those two approaches! One says, “Look at me! I need attention”; the other says, “Tell me about yourself.” One says, “I’m important”; the other says, “You are important.” One says, “The world revolves around me”; the other says, “I’m here to serve you.”

Wouldn’t it be great to be known as that second kind of person—someone others love to have around? Someone who displays the love of Christ openly and unashamedly?

The New Testament gives us some practical suggestions about becoming the kind of person who demonstrates Christ’s love. We are told to give preference to one another (Romans 12:10), edify one another (Romans 14:19), care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), forgive one another (Colossians 3:13), comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and pray for one another (James 5:16).

There should be only one kind of Christian: the “love one another” kind. What type are you?

People with a heart for God have a heart for people.–Our Daily Bread, Dave Branon

Looking unto Jesus—consider Him–lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.–Hebrews 12:2-3

Some foolish people blame God for their pain or problems— saying He is unfair or unloving. That’s a big mistake! They ought to be glad they don’t get what they deserve. So should we all! Wise is the person who realizes that we can’t measure God’s love by looking at our troubles and trials. To see God’s love we must look at Christ, not man. And it is only by keeping our focus on Christ that we are able to endure.Adrian Rogers said it well—-

“When we come to a place where we don’t understand what’s happening…when everything seems to be caving in, there is Jesus. We always have the forgiveness of the cross, the victory of the empty tomb, and the hope of Christ’s imminent return.

When we go to the doctor and he tells us we have a malignancy. When we hear that we as a couple are infertile and cannot bear a child. When we have to declare bankruptcy. When we are laid off work. When we read a note that our spouse has left. When a loved one dies because of a terrorist act.

We have a Savior…and we have a choice to believe or not to believe! At that time we can begin to murmur, criticize, grumble, or despair. Or we can yield to the Savior and hear Him say, “My child, no matter what is happening, this is how much I love you. Look to the cross. Look to the empty tomb. Look for Me. I’m coming again.”

“Yea, I will help thee”— Isaiah 41:10

Yesterday’s promise (read yesterday’s Morning Manna) secured us strength for what we have to do, but this guarantees us aid in cases where we cannot act alone. The LORD says, “I will help thee.” Strength within is supplemented by help without. God can raise us up allies in our warfare if so it seems good in His sight; and even if He does not send us human assistance, He Himself will be at our side, and this is better still. “Our August Ally” is better than legions of mortal helpers. His help is timely: He is a very present help in time of trouble. His help is very wise: He knows how to give each man help meet and fit for him. His help is most effectual, though vain is the help of man. His help is more than help, for He bears all the burden and supplies all the need. “The LORD is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me.” Because He has already been our help, we feel confidence in Him for the present and the future. Our prayer is, “LORD, by thou my helper”; our experience is, “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities”; our expectation is, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,from whence cometh my help”; and our song soon will be, “Thou, LORD, hast holden me.”–Charles Spurgeon

….I will strengthen thee…..Isaiah 41:10
Many have been blessed by the writings of Charles Spurgeon–said to be the most widely read preacher ever. But they would be even more blessed if they read his whole life story. Spurgeon suffered much during his ministry, often being  absent from the pulpit for months at a time. It is amazing that a man so weak could accomplish so much. It was only his strong faith in God’s precious promises that kept him going.Here he comments on one of those promises:

“When called to serve or to suffer, we take stock of our strength, and we find it to be less than we thought and less than we need. But let not our heart sink within us while we have such a word as this to fall back upon, for it guarantees us all that we can possibly need. God has strength omnipotent; that strength He can communicate to us; and His promise is that He will do so. He will be the food of our souls and the health of our hearts; and thus He will give us strength. There is no telling how much power God can put into a man. When divine strength comes, human weakness is no more a hindrance. Do we not remember seasons of labor and trial in which we received such special strength that we wondered at ourselves? In the midst of danger we were calm, under bereavement we were resigned, in slander we were self-contained, and in sickness we were patient. The fact is that God gives unexpected strength when unusual trials come upon us, We rise out of our feeble selves. Cowards play the man, foolish ones have wisdom given them, and the silent receive in the self-same hour what they shall speak, My own weakness makes me shrink, but God’s promise makes me brave. LORD, strengthen me ‘according to thy word.’ “

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.–Phil. 4:4

Truth be known, none of us are as good as we think, nor as we would like for others to think. Strange how we attach such a high rating to ourselves without ever conducting a test to see if it’s so. It’s easy to say,”I have forgiven you”, when we actually haven’t. Or say,”I’m content”, when in reality we aren’t. Another area where we are prone to lie to ourselves has to do with joy. Most of us aren’t nearly as joyful as we claim to be.So, how about putting putting your testimony to the test?

Adrian Rogers has suggested that we test ourselves to see if our joy is truly in Jesus. He said:

“What is bringing you joy today? You say, “The Lord is making me happy.” How do you know it’s not that nice automobile? Or that “special someone”? Or your good looks? Or your bank account? Or your popularity? Here’s how you can know. By the process of elimination. Let God take away your health, your home, your job, and if you still have joy, then you know it is Jesus.

If you lose your joy when you lose any of these things, you are an idolater because that is where you are getting your joy. I don’t mean that you cannot be temporarily upset over the loss, but if the joy goes out of your life, you weren’t getting your joy from the Lord.

You’ll never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”