Shalom,

I LOVE this from The Spoken Word Church website devotion for today!

Learn Something New About Someone You Love

Knowledge increases confidence. The more knowledgeable you become about someone, the more capable you become at anticipating their needs. Develop a personal portfolio of their particular preferences, such as favorite cars, food, colors, songs, books and secret ambitions. 

Our Heavenly Father created uniqueness to be discovered, appreciated and celebrated. Greatness will unfold with each discovery.

"And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:" (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

We KNOW that this is true when it comes to our personal relationships, but how many actually put this into practice where the God of the Bible is concerned? Most of you know by now that one of my very favorite Scriptures is Philippians 3:10 from the Amplified Bible:

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection 

How DO we come to know HIM progressively? We do this in exactly the same way we do with any other person we have ever come to know better! We spend the time it takes to ask, listen and remember! I would encourage each of you to get a notebook/journal and write down your thoughts as you spend time in His presence. Ask Him questions you would ask of anyone else you would "interview". HE is so excited when WE are aware of His presence (IN US), and converse with Him as though we could see Him right there! Remember as you do this that HE, of all people in your life, REALLY loves you unconditionally! Look at John 16:12-15:

12 I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. 14 He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

Take the time! Not one person in your life is worth knowing MORE than JESUS! AMEN! Here is another Hillsong Christmas song called "Emmanuel":

Shalom in Him!