For years, I’ve contemplated the true meaning of love from a Biblical perspective. In a world where “love” is often misunderstood or oversimplified, there’s a profound need to define it clearly and accurately.

I’ve come to understand love as this: “Love is a conviction that can spark emotion but invariably manifests in positive action.”

This definition encompasses three essential elements. First, love is fundamentally a conviction – a deliberate choice, a mindful decision about how we view and value another person or entity. It embodies commitment and dedication that transcends circumstance.

The second element acknowledges love’s emotional dimension. While emotions can exist independently, and true love can operate without feelings, authentic love has the power to touch our deepest core. It resonates within our hearts and soul, often stirring profound emotional responses as a natural consequence.

The third and crucial component is action. When I profess love for my wife, that declaration must be reflected in my behavior. Because love begins as a conviction, we can act lovingly even when emotions aren’t present. Conversely, mere claims of love without corresponding actions reveal an absence of genuine love.

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’re reminded that love deserves recognition and expression. This occasion invites everyone – regardless of relationship status – to demonstrate love through meaningful actions. Perhaps the most profound expression of love is to find someone today and show them someone cares and that they aren’t alone in this world.

The first part is clear: This is a person who is willing to serve others. They volunteer their time and energy for the cause of Christ. They give of themselves selflessly for the good of others in the name of Jesus.  

The second part often gets muddled. The Church community also needs people to be leaders. Those are people willing to serve by helping others get involved. They help people develop their skills and equip them to minister in the best way possible. They are not demanding, yet they firmly encourage others to use their gifts, talents, and abilities in the service of the Lord.

Everyone in the Church is called to serve the Lord. Every single person. But some are also used to enlist others and develop them for the glory of God.

Elders, Deacons, staff, and ministry team leaders are not simply people who have power; rather, they see their role as serving others through their leadership. The Church needs people to serve and others to lead them, and this second group is getting harder and harder to find.

One video on TikTok showed a preacher saying something that I totally agreed with. His interpretation of scripture was historical and contextual, with little room for misunderstanding. That resulted in a specific application that was relevant for today. I loved the clip.

Not too long afterward, I saw another clip from the same preacher. I absolutely hated it. He pulled a verse out of context and ignored the historical setting. His application was generically applied to today and the United States. I could not delete the clip fast enough.

This experience reminded me that false teaching can come from anywhere, including people who typically teach the truth. Please note that it is possible to have false teaching that does not come from a false teacher.

There is an enlightening story in Acts chapter 17. The Apostle Paul comes to Berea and teaches in the synagogue. Then, the writer Luke adds this statement in verse 11. “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

It is vital that we take everything we hear from everyone and examine the scriptures to see if what they say is true. Keep your eyes open for false teachers who do not have the things of Jesus in mind. But also listen to the people who seek to follow Jesus and make sure their interpretations align with all of God’s word. Beware of false teaching, no matter what the source.

There is a popular T-shirt with a slogan on the front that reads, “Not Today Satan.”

Most days, I hope you are growing in your faith. You are actively fighting the forces of evil in your heart and mind, and evil had better watch out for you.

But there are days when the best you can hope for is to stand your ground. Days where you vow to yourself, I will not give up any piece of my life to evil. You may not be growing, but you are not going to shrink, either.

I want the shirt to say something like, “Today is Your Day, God.” I also understand that some days, saying, “Not Today,” has great power.

If you have never read the Bible before, let me offer you one piece of advice.

Do not read it the first time trying to understand every detail.

Simply read it for two things. First, try to capture the overarching narrative of the Bible. Don’t get bogged down in the details. When you get caught up in the minutia of the story, you can miss the big picture. Notice how God is working and how he responds to his people.

Second, listen for how the story is touching your life right now. There may be a single line, a verse, or a story that speaks to your very soul. Highlight that and make any notes on the side.

That is not how most people start reading the Bible. Over the past two years, I have led Bible reading groups, and inevitably, in the first few months, they want me to explain every detail. Then we hit the laws and the tabernacle in Exodus and they lose focus. No longer do the details capture their attention, and they lose interest in the overall story. My encouragement is to read, looking for big lessons and the continuing story of God.

You can always go back and pick up the details. That is why you should plan on reading it at least three or four times. Each time is a new experience, and you will see and understand things in a more meaningful way.

I am not only a student of preachers and preaching but comedians and the art of comedy also enthrall me. I listen to an untold number of podcasts and videos where they talk about their craft while also watching them perform both on the screen and in person.

One vital part of a great comedy routine is having an engaging “closer.” That means they take their funniest story or joke and tell it last. That way, the crowd knows the show is only going to get better. The comedian knows they are going to remember the last thing they heard, and it will leave them wanting more, which leads to more shows, more sales, and ultimately more success for the performer.

Then, I read and listen to sermons. For many preachers, the conclusion of their sermon is more like those old songs in the seventies and eighties, in which they just faded out the music, and the song did not really have an ending. There is just a quick recap to wind things down, followed by an immediate appeal to prayer.

Personally, I have taken a different approach. I have a more comedic ending to my sermon. By that, I do not mean I tell a funny story; I mean that I want to end with my strongest material. For example, yesterday, I spent over two hours searching for the perfect ending. Sometimes, I tell a story and other times, I use an analogy or a memorable word picture. I have used song lyrics, movie clips, short videos, a picture, or a personal experience to capture everything I have said in the final three to five minutes.

I realize this might not work for every preacher, but I think it is a good practice for all of us to develop. We want people to remember what we said and have them wanting more. Not because we want more personal glory as preachers but because we want people to respond to the gospel after the sermon is finished.

In 1979, my father received poor service at our local Pizza Hut on two visits in a row. As a result, he swore he would never return to that particular establishment again.

I went back there in 1988 when I had my driver’s license and a car. In fact, I went back quite often to enjoy some of the best pizza around at the time. Dad remained adamant that he was done with that place.

Finally, in 1994, he was forced to go back with a group of senior citizens for card club. To his amazement, it was great. The food was delicious, the service was outstanding, and the atmosphere was enjoyable.

You see, during his fifteen-year absence, there had been a couple of new owners, a building remodel, an addition to accommodate the thriving buffet service, along with dozens of managers and hundreds of employees. While the building stood at the same location and had the same name on the sign out front, it had become an altogether different place and much better at the same time.

I tell you this little story because I encounter the same mentality around the Church all the time. People will say to me they will never attend the Church I lead because of something that happened years ago. They inform me that they will not become members, get involved, serve in a ministry, and especially lead in any capacity because of something that they experienced a long time ago. That one experience has become their infinite excuse for every question involving the Church.

The truth is that the Church is continually changing. People come and go, leaders rise and fall, ministry methods change, and the congregation adapts to new tools.

I know that things go wrong in the Church community all the time. Things are said and done that hurt people and make things uncomfortable, but that cannot become your excuse to never take another step of faith.

Dad missed out on enjoying a great meal with family and friends because of an old experience. Don’t miss out on what God wants to do in you and through you because your excuse may no longer be valid.

What excites you? What are you passionate about?  

What do you talk about the most? 

What stories do you enthusiastically tell others?

What topic dominates your mind? 

What fills your free time?

If you are honest, the answers to the questions will quickly come. We have hobbies and habits that fill our time. We enjoy everything from exercising to watching TV to reading to woodworking. There are an infinite number of things that make us come alive.

Where does God come on the list? His word? His people? His work?

Passion grows when we feed it. The more time we invest in something, the more passionate we are about it.

If God is not on your list of priorities in your life, the issue is not that God has nothing exciting to offer. The problem is that we are not spending much time doing the things of God. There is only one way to change that, and it seems relatively obvious.  

My default setting is to discover what is wrong with the world. Whenever I preach, I look for ways to improve. Whenever I write, I continually edit and change. As I walk through my Church building, I look for ways to better use our facility.

The trouble is when we carry that way of thinking over into every area of life. Suddenly, all we see is what is wrong and how things could be improved. We can become jaded and cynical instead of the joy-filled person that God wants us to be.

I once heard a man say that he made a simple rule with his children. They had to say five positive things before they could say one negative. Before they could complain about a person at school, they had to list five positive characteristics. Before they could criticize a meal, they had to list five things they liked about it.

His goal was to get his children to move from thinking about what is wrong with the world to what is right. There are far more positive things going on around us than we notice. Maybe it is time for you to take a look.

I started a new practice in 2025. Whenever someone comes to mind, and I begin thinking about them, I simply stop and pray for them.

Sometimes, I contact them and let them know; other times, I don’t. That decision is based on whether God keeps bringing them to my mind or if it is a one-time thing.

This adjustment to my thinking was the result of a time when I was going through some darkness. Suddenly, my mood picked up, and I felt better. Later, I talked to a person in my congregation, and they told me, “I have been praying for you lately.” Immediately, it all made sense, and my life was impacted by someone praying totally unbeknownst to me.

Now, I am doing the same for others. I encourage every believer to try this practice. You never know the amount of good you will do for others simply by praying for them.