Adeola Akinsemoyin @mantha

As much as the world around us tries to lure us into self-dependency, God created us for each other. For community. For a life that’s not alone.

The author of Proverbs said it like this:

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17:17‬ ‭NIV

We’ll all face hard times—sometimes when we least expect it. But a friend’s genuine care can mean the world, a sibling’s unconditional love can’t be replaced, and a neighbor’s practical help is priceless. 

We need each other more than we realize: emotionally, practically, and spiritually.

If you’ve found yourself in a busy season where you’ve unintentionally neglected your true friends or been too busy for your real family, now is the time to reprioritize.

If there’s unresolved conflict with a friend or family member, and it’s slowly deteriorating the relationship, now is the time to set aside your pride and choose to make things right.

If you’re silently struggling on your own, now is the moment to let someone in. Give them a call, send them a text, or show up on their doorstep. If you can’t be honest and vulnerable, it will be difficult to get help.

Not only do you need people, but those same people need you.

You have strengths, gifts, talents, and a personality that’s unique to you and beneficial to them—and vice versa. Why bury them in the ground, in the name of autonomy, when they can benefit others?

Sometimes we need to ask for help and sometimes we need to be the help.

Do you need help, or can you offer it? Could you use a hand, or do you have some extra time, money, advice, or expertise to give? 

If you’re tempted to self-isolate, don’t forget: we were meant to live life together.

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All throughout Jesus’ ministry, He constantly turned things upside down for those listening. The religious leaders at the time had grown distant from following the laws of God. Jesus’ teaching helped bring them back to the heart of the law, but He often did so through surprising ways.

Most of us probably think we do a great job at loving other people. But if we’re being honest, most of us probably spend our time loving those who also love us back. It’s a lot easier to love the people who we’re friends with. When there’s trust built over time and common ground, it’s easy to love.

Jesus says that loving those who love you is not enough. In Luke 6:28, He challenges us even further. He says we’re to bless those who speak negatively about us, and we are to pray for those who mistreat us.

If you’ve ever been mistreated by someone, or had someone speak negatively about you, then you know how hard it can be to love that person. It is hard to love unloving people. And yet, Jesus did exactly that. When we were at our worst, He still loved us.

If you find it hard to bless those who mistreat you, begin with prayer. Between you and God in prayer, ask Him to help soften your heart. Ask Him for justice in a specific situation, but also for there to be restoration.

Every person who exists is a person Jesus wants to love. And when we make steps to love those who are unloving, we’re showing the love of Jesus to someone who needs it. As we take steps to pray for those who mistreat us, we become more like Jesus.

Take a few minutes right now to pray. Ask God to help you grow in love towards those around you. If there is someone who has hurt you, ask God to begin healing your heart. Say a prayer for that person as well. Ask God to be with them, to help them, and to make a way for their heart to be softened as well. Thank Jesus that He loved us even when we were unloving.

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Did you know that thoughts can actually make you more anxious, happy, fearful, or content? And what you spend time thinking about has the power to affect your emotions, your actions, and ultimately, your character? Your thoughts are some of the most powerful things about you.

Scripture has a lot to say about our thoughts because God knows the power of our minds. Isaiah 26:3 says that God will keep our hearts in perfect peace if we keep our minds fixed on Him.

Can you imagine that? Perfect peace. 

The more time we spend focusing our thoughts on God and His Word, the more our hearts will be kept in peace. That is a powerful thought, especially in a world that is constantly looking for peace and unity. 

The starting point for this peace is trusting God. We must come to Him trusting in who He is, and having faith in what He has done for us. We know that God is good and just. So if we have faith in Him, we know that we are accepted and loved by Him. And those who trust in God are given access to Him and His presence.

Perfect peace is available to those who consistently trust in God, and fix their thoughts on Him. 

How many of your thoughts are spent on things relating to God? Do you keep your mind focused on Him when you’re feeling anxious or stressed? What are some simple ways you can continue to remind yourself to think about God throughout your day? 

Spend some time thinking about the power of your own thoughts and the access you’ve been given to God through Scripture. Commit to building the habit of centering your thoughts on God so that you can experience His perfect peace.

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Since the Garden of Eden, humanity has faced the choice between good and evil—a struggle that began with Adam and Eve and continues to this day.

This battle can play itself out in many different ways. A child begins to test the limits of obedience at an early age. At school, students face the temptation to take short cuts or cheat on assignments. At work, the employee wrestles with how much effort they must put into their job. For the athlete, the desire to win and defeat your opponent can bring out a competitive evil side.

Today, two American football teams meet in the biggest game of the year. This annual event is one of the most viewed sporting events in the world. Each team strives to overcome the other. They push through challenges and setbacks to achieve their goal.

This struggle mirrors a deeper, spiritual battle we all face in life—the fight between good and evil. Each day brings choices for which side will prevail in our hearts and actions.

Romans 12:21 is a powerful dual statement about this struggle. The first statement is a reminder of that evil should not be in control. In the original language, the word "overcome" conveys the idea of triumphing over something. Athletes compete with the mindset to not let the opponent be the victor. For the believer, sin and evil must not win.

The second part of this powerful verse explains how we overcome evil: by triumphing over it with good.

Our natural inclination is to seek revenge, rejoice in someone's downfall, or boast in your own strength. But believers live out the transformative power of Christ by responding to evil with love, kindness, and forgiveness. These are the true tools for victory.

In sports, teams often reflect the values of their coach and leaders. As believers, we must reflect the values of our leader, Jesus. Christlikeness is not a title—it’s an active way of life that enables us to overcome evil with good. A response of love, kindness, and forgiveness, show the transformative power of Christ. You can do this by forgiving a coworker who wronged you or choosing not to respond in a harsh way to criticism.

Today, choose to let good win—not only on the field, but in the battles you face each day.

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All week we have explored the wisdom of the Bible in the area of relationships. It turns out God has a lot to say about how we love one another! Today's passage issues another vital challenge to us: love doesn't happen by accident. Not the kind Paul is talking about in Romans 12. Not the kind Jesus modeled. This kind of love: the kind that is sincere and devoted takes intentionality. We need to learn to love on purpose.

Paul begins with a call to sincerity. No pretending. No half-hearted gestures. No hidden agendas. Real love doesn't wear a mask. It's honest and vulnerable. Sincere love is not about faking a smile or just being polite; it's about showing up authentically, with no strings attached.

Loving on purpose also means choosing how to direct your thought life, your attention, and your conversation with others. "Hate what is evil," Paul says in verse 9. "Cling to what is good." Love doesn't sweep sin under the rug. It names what is wrong and stands firm in what is right because love without truth isn't love at all.

Paul's definition of love feels profoundly counter-cultural. In a world obsessed with self, he says: "Be devoted to one another," and "Honor others above yourself" (verse 10). In a culture of self-love, what would it look like for you today to love others in a way that puts them first?

Then Paul takes us into even more challenging territory: loving on purpose doesn't stop when things get messy. Bless those who persecute you and do everything you can to live in peace. That coworker who drives you crazy? Love them anyway. That family member who hurt you? Pray for them.

Loving like Jesus isn't about being a pushover: it's about choosing to see others the way God sees them and responding in grace, even when it's undeserved.

This kind of love doesn't come naturally. In fact, it only happens supernaturally: it's the work of the Spirit within us.

Who in your life needs to be loved on purpose today? A neighbor? A friend? A spouse? Ask God to show you how to love them well - with sincerity, selflessness, and intentionality.

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." How can we build relationships that reflect the person of Jesus?

Let's close today in prayer.

Lord Jesus, thank You that your love for me is sincere, intentional, sacrificial, and true. Please give me the courage and strength to love others like this today. Help me to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Show me those who are in need today that I might share with them, offering hospitality to everyone. And may I have the strength and courage to live at peace with everyone today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Courtesy: Glorify App

Do you remember what God has saved you from and what He’s brought you through? How He’s given you a fresh start, a confident hope, and future beyond the here and now? 

Because of God’s amazing grace, we have been empowered to live boldly for Him.

In Paul’s letter to his friend, coworker, and traveling companion, Titus, he says this:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age…”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God created a world where life could thrive, where His creations could be fruitful, where His people could reign on His behalf, and where His glory could be obvious to everyone.

But when His people chose to ignore His loving intentions and when they rebelled against His masterfully designed plan, it complicated things.

It’s only by the grace of God that salvation is even possible. And it’s only from that firm foundation that we can build our lives on Him.

God created you and knows how you tick. He loves you and knows how life was designed to work best. After all, He is the designer. That’s why He gave His people guidelines, instructions, and even warnings—to show them how to thrive.

Once your salvation is secure and you realize that you can’t do anything to earn God’s love, you then can accept His invitation to live, to thrive, and to be a part of the greatest story on earth. 

You were made for it.

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Conflict is inevitable. No relationship, whether it's with a spouse, best friend, or family member, is immune to it. Conflict may be unavoidable, but disconnection isn't. Our culture today tends to deal with conflict through avoidance or complete rejection of the other person. The endpoint of conflict can oftentimes be: "canceled."

Jesus gives us a radical alternative to this. Instead of ghosting people, gossiping about them, or building walls of resentment, He invites us to a higher way: go to them. Directly. Privately. In love.

That takes a lot of couragel

But notice Jesus doesn't stop there. Matthew 18 isn't just a strategy for resolving conflict; it's a guide for staying connected, even when things are messy. Because for Jesus, relationships are sacred; they're worth fighting for.

Jesus' approach is very challenging! When someone hurts us, our gut reaction is often to withdraw. We hold intimacy hostage until they "deserve it." But that's not how Jesus loves us. Even when we're at our worst, He moves toward us with grace and truth.

What if we loved like that? What if we chose to stay present, even during conflict?

Conflict doesn't have to break relationships; it can actually deepen them. But only if we navigate it with humility and love. That means checking our motives. Are we seeking revenge or reconciliation? Are we attacking or inviting?

This kind of love is only possible when we remember who we are in Christ. We are forgiven people. And forgiven people forgive.

Today, is there someone you need to have a courageous conversation with? Someone you've been avoiding, quietly punishing with your absence, or silently resenting?

What would it look like today to take the first step towards that person: offering communication even whilst there is still conflict to be resolved?

Remember, the goal isn't to win the argument: it's to win back the relationship. To love like Jesus is to step into the mess, with the intention of healing.

And when we do, His presence is there. Right in the middle of the hard, holy work of reconciliation.
Let's close in prayer with the words of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Credit: Glorify App