The Light

Do I have to learn every deception of the enemy to be victorious? I know God feels emotions, but what does that mean for how He treats us? How could Jesus be truly tempted if He is God? Are we forgiven by God each time we confess or all at once? What if asking for forgiveness daily just makes me feel better? Why did King Saul call upon a witch? I know someone who was kicked out of church. Is there any place for that? Did the Apostles ever do that?

How can you experience God’s love in your everyday life? Kelly Balarie shares a practical way to recognize God’s love in ordinary moments, experience His presence, and allow His love to transform how you live and love others.

God’s love is more than something we learn about—it’s something we can personally experience. In this devotional, Kelly Balarie reflects on Ephesians 3:19 and the importance of moving beyond simply knowing about God’s love to intentionally looking for His presence in the ordinary moments of everyday life.

Highlights

• Discover the difference between knowing about God’s love and personally experiencing it.
• Learn how ordinary moments can become reminders of God’s presence and love.
• Consider how phones, distractions, and the noise of the world can keep us from noticing God.
• See how intentionally looking for God can cultivate greater joy and awareness of His faithfulness.
• Reflect on how receiving God’s love enables us to love others more genuinely and sacrificially.
• Practice looking for God’s love in creation, circumstances, people, and everyday experiences.

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Full Transcript Below:

A Super-Practical Tip to Encounter God’s Love 
By Kelly Balarie

Bible Reading:
“and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].” – Ephesians 3:19 AMPC

I wake, deep into the night hour. My mind circles one thought: All that matters is love. I can’t get my mind off this thought. Besides love? Everything else is like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

In this midnight hour, this thought both consumes me and compels me. I understand the sobering truth; I have one life to live.  This is it! One grand stage to go all out for Jesus… It is here. I don’t want the world’s conveniences, accumulation of material items, or online contempt to drive me; I want love of Christ to compel me. 

Shame, guilt, and regret can make us feel like we are still paying for our past mistakes, but Jesus paid for our sins once and for all. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we can receive God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from condemnation rather than trying to earn our way back into God’s favor.

When guilt makes you feel unworthy of God’s love, Scripture reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is our Savior, Advocate, and Intercessor, and His sacrifice makes reconciliation with God possible. Discover what it means to stop carrying the weight of sins Christ has already paid for and learn how His grace can replace shame with freedom, hope, and peace.

Highlights

• Why the belief that we must “pay for our sins” is not biblical
• How Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our sins
• The difference between God’s discipline, consequences, and condemnation
• Why shame and guilt can make us feel like we need to earn God’s forgiveness
• What Romans 8:1 teaches about freedom from condemnation in Christ
• How God’s grace saves us through faith rather than our good works
• Why Jesus serves as our Advocate and intercedes for us before God
• How to respond when suffering makes us wonder if God is punishing us for our sins

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When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

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Resources Mentioned

Song of Reflection #1: “Jesus Messiah” by Chris Tomlin. Listen to it HERE.

Song of Reflection #2: “Jesus Paid It All” by Fernando Ortega. Listen to it HERE.

Song of Reflection #3: “East to West” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it HERE.

Song of Reflection #4: “Mercy Tree” by Lacey Sturm. Listen to it HERE.

Full Transcript Below:

Jesus Paid for

How can a five loaves of bread and two fish feed 5000 people?

When things happen that we don't understand, God desires for us to ask, "Lord, what are you saying?"

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