Bruce Beach Ministries

You are Welcome at Welcome Hill.

UPDATE FROM MRS BIGGS:

My precious husband ,Melvin Biggs went home to be with our Lord last night about 8. :30
I AM asking for prayer for myself , I hurt so bad.

Please pray for Dr. Melvin Biggs! He has suffered a major stroke and is in Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. He is paralyzed on his left side and cannot speak. They currently have him on the ventilator as well.
Thank You,
BB/db

VALENTINE'S DAY DEVOTIONAL
By Adri Pineda

Reflecting God’s Love

We learn through God’s Word what love is. What about what love isn’t? Love is not jealous, proud, or rude. It does not keep a record of wrongs, yet how many of us do this, though? We post on social media how much we love our spouse, but as soon as we see the trash can full or the toilet seat up, we are quick to angrily remind them how they “never” do it right. Sometimes, the object of our wrath is not a spouse, but a parent. We remind them, over and over again, of the mistakes they made through our childhood. These are not actions of love.

Love conquers all. It is supportive, trusting, and never fails. In order to overcome battles and be healed from hurts, we need to know the true meaning of love. We need to acknowledge when we are not acting in love. Many of us love our spouse so very much that we believe jealousy is a form of loving them to protect the relationship. Jealousy is an ugly trait that speaks more about your insecurities. Controlling a relationship for fear of losing someone is absolutely not love. It says in the book of 1st John that love casts out all fears. I encourage you to love in a way that is free. If God, who loves you and is powerful enough to do so, does not control you, why are you trying to control someone you love?

Some of us were not shown true love growing up. We witnessed jealousy in marriages or high-tempered relationships. Maybe your past did not allow you to have a clear example of love, but this does not mean you should continue the cycle. Christ’s love is your greatest example. Begin to act in love by knowing the God of love. When you choose Christ as your Savior, you are renewed and transformed into the image of God. We can forgive others because God has forgiven us. We can love because He first loved us.

If you are struggling to love others or find yourself jealous, constantly bothered and quick to anger, I encourage you to do two things. First, begin to read the Bible to know the God of love more. Second, surround yourself with people who uplift love through a church or a Bible study. You were made to reflect God’s love here on earth.

This devotion is too good not to share (especially during these days we are experiencing )!

"There is nothing more self- sabotaging and frustrating than being double-minded.

Now, in James 1, verse 3, James is suggesting that when we ask God for wisdom, we do so with confident and unwavering trust in Him. Still this can be applied to anything that we go to God for.

Because the truth is, you either trust in Him or you don’t.



Remember the ill woman who followed Jesus through the crowd (Mark 5:24)?

She reached out her hand thinking,

“If I could just touch his robe I will be healed.”



She didn’t say, I think I’ll be healed.

Or I hope I’ll be healed.

Or He’s healed all these other people but I don’t know if he’ll actually heal me.

She said, I will be healed.



And she did it; pressing in with full faith in the power of Christ.

Jesus says, “Your faith has healed you.” and she was instantly freed from her suffering.

He didn’t touch her. He didn’t say some eloquent prayer. (Not that I disregard any of these things).

But in this case, it was her unwavering faith and the 100% confidence of her recovery in the power of Christ that activated her healing.



Friend, faith is an activator.

However, fear is also an activator.

An opposing activator that wages war against our minds. There exists a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). But the spirit of fear and anxiety is opposite to the spirit of faith. The two cannot cohabitate the mind. One will, by nature, rule out the other.



So which are you going to activate today?

Let's commit to refusing to be double-minded.

We either trust God is at work in our life or we don’t.

Today when you give your worries over to God, you do not pick them back up. You don’t not worry about it any more. He has you.

You make up your mind about what you are going to believe. Keep in mind, faith is not the belief that things will work out the way that we want them to, but that God will keep us no matter how things turn out.



Action Plan:

Make a list of affirmations of what you will choose to believe today and hang it somewhere visible throughout your day.



Today's prayer: Lord help me to keep my thoughts fixed on you and to have unwavering faith for what you are doing in my life."