Weekly challenge to focus on and practice LOVE through lack of envy and boasting but being thankful, content and blessing others.

 Sunday- God’s love expressed in focusing blessings toward us

Ephesians 1:3   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Challenge: It is amazing that the creator of everything cares for me.  Not only does he care for me, He blesses me with every spiritual blessing in Christ so that I can have contentment and power to focus on loving others.  Write a note to God telling Him what blessings give you contentment and power to love others.  Thank Him for these blessings. 

Monday – Our lack of envy and boasting toward God

Genesis 3:4-5  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Challenge: Adam and Eve envied God and thought more of themselves than God.  They did not love God enough to obey Him.  How have you envied God?  List some things you can do to show God that you love Him and focus on practicing one of those things today. 

Tuesday- Our lack of envy and boasting toward our Family

Galatians 5:22-26  ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Challenge: Paul contrasts the evidences of the Spirit with conceit, provoking and envy.  Have you ever experienced conceit, provoking and envy in your relationships with family?  You cannot control others, but you can control yourself.  What can you do to show love to those individuals and be thankful for their blessings?  Ask God for the strength of His Spirit to be thankful, content and loving toward your family. 

Wednesday- Our lack of envy and boasting toward our Friends

1 Peter 1:22-2:1  ²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.  ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,²⁵ but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

Challenge: Apparently, Peter’s hearers had problems with malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. His cure for these attitudes is to realize what has been done in Christ for them.  Each of us are blessed beyond what we deserve.  Peter challenges his hearers to have a sincere love for each other and love one another deeply from the heart since they have been born again.  Sincerely, thank God for your friends and the blessings that he bestows on them. 

Thursday- Our lack of envy and boasting toward our Neighbor

James 3:13-16  ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Challenge: James points out that true wisdom is shown by a good life and deeds done in humility.  He contrasts true wisdom with earthly wisdom exhibited by bitter envy and selfish ambition.  Focusing on others and serving them helps our hearts to keep from envying and boasting.  List something that you can do for your neighbor in humility to practice this aspect of love.  Write what you did and how it affected you. 

Friday- Our lack of envy and boasting toward our Enemies

Proverbs 23:17  Do not let your heart envy sinners,  but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.

Challenge: This Proverb focuses on our heart being zealous for the fear of the Lord. How do we guard against envy by being zealous for the fear of the Lord?   

Saturday- Our lack of envy and boasting toward the Lost

Titus 3:3-7  ³ At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Challenge:  Think of someone you know who is not a follower of Christ that is very blessed.  Would you trade what you have in Christ for their material blessings?  Perspective is a great thing.  Thank God for the love he has shown us in salvation.  Pray that God will open a door for you to share his blessing with this person.  Be looking because I believe that the opportunity will be there if you have the courage to take it.