Will 2024 be 2020’s do-over?

No one will ever forget the way that 2020 dramatically shifted our world forever. Lockdowns lasted for months, and even into 2021 and 2022 in some places. Children missed out on in-person curriculums, masks, distancing and shots completely changed the atmosphere of everyday life. The question now is: is 2024 a do-over of this previous monumental year?

In an exclusive interview with Charisma News, Joseph Z revealed how God has been whispering prophetic insights of what we may yet face this year.

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Both good and bad items from the past will come back to the forefront again. Joseph Z believes that both the good and the bad things that rose up in 2020 will come back into play this year. Two of the most notable items we can see right now is that the same Super Bowl football teams from 2020 played against each other this year and the same political candidates are appearing to be at the top of the ballots.

“We’re headed for the same spirit we faced off with in 2020, [which] wants to manifest in 2024,” Z said.

The lion, bear and Goliath are coming. What do these three things represent in the prophetic sphere? Z says they represent three different facets that will try to dominate what 2024 looks like. The lion is representative of the media’s cries of negativity trying to impact culture. The bear is the fear over economic circumstances and provision. However, it is Goliath that will come to conquer and strap down our nation with intimidation and fear.

“Goliath coming is a global, wicked spirit that wants to run this nation into the ground,” Z said. “Goliath was an intimidation spirit, a giant spirit that would step forward and say, ‘give me your best and you can’t beat me. I’m going to dominate you right unto the end.'”

Joseph Z believes part of this Goliath spirit will try to manifest itself through the medical community by the potential of allowing the World Health Organization (WHO) to make health decisions for Americans.

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The potential return of 45. With the same political candidates running for office, it’s quite possible 2024 could prove to be a return to Donald Trump as the president. Joseph Z believes it would lead to a massive deportation and a closing off of the American border that has never been seen before. If the WHO is allowed to take over the medical decisions of the U.S. people, Z also says it is someone like Trump who would revoke this practice. However, it is the greater incorporation of artificial intelligence that could prove as a potential roadblock to his success.

Vegas holds the key. Just as Jospeh Z prophesied that what would happen in Vegas would not stay in Vegas, some horrific things have happened, including the shooting in Kansas City and the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church. Yet, previous words from the Lord crept into Z’s thoughts as a reminder of what the Lord had spoken to him over the years, including a vision about breaches which spoke of an actual cyber breach that took place and the mass shooting that took place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“And the Lord reminded me that back in 2017 the largest mass shooting that ever happened in American history took place in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay,” Z said. “What is happening in Vegas, the spirit wants it to not remain in Vegas.”

With dire situations like these, Z reminds believers how critical it is to pray and cut off these dark, demonic situations in the spirit so that they would not manifest.

It is up to us to choose the candidate of oil. If Americans choose the presidential candidate who is anointed for good works, then God will give us one more chance for a comeback as a great nation.

“Whether it’s Trump or somebody else who would get into office, they can’t fix everything. But the Lord showed me the candidate of oil could begin to correct economic woes…making our sovereignty come back,” Z said.

What this word comes down to is how we respond to the events happening around us. The choice for the kind of future we have is ours.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

The Chosen season 4 has already brought lots of tears and thrills to audiences with the release of “The Chosen” season 4 in theaters.

With episodes 1-3, audiences saw the inevitable fate of John the Baptist, heated debates with the Pharisees as they decide to take further actions into their hands and James and John’s desire to receive earthly blessing from Jesus. Now, The Chosen is playing episodes 4-6, teasing audiences with the escalation of Jesus’ impending death and resurrection with their latest trailer.

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Alluding to Matthew 24 where Jesus describes the passing away of this life and His eternal nature as the Word, audiences see the ultimate distress weighing down on Him. The famous scene of Mary and Martha serving and listening to Jesus also points to the show being one step closer to when Jesus will do the ultimate act of raising Lazarus from the dead.

Before the release of season 4, Dallas Jenkins shared with CBN News what viewers could expect to see as they dived into this new season.

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“A good perspective in this season is that Jesus is weary and heavy laden, and He needs rest,” Jenkins said. “As we get closer and closer to Holy Week, we see in Scripture Jesus get more frustrated. He got more brokenhearted. He wept over the city of Jerusalem. He was frustrated at the religious leaders because they were not getting His message.”

Season 4 continues to deliver on this promise to see Jesus growing ever-so weary, knowing that no one else can fully understand what it is that He is about to dive into and the struggles and pain that He ultimately will experience.

Season 4 will continue to play in theaters through the rest of the month with episodes 7 and 8 releasing on Feb. 29.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

Can Christians be ‘Swiftie’ fans?

For many people, Taylor Swift’s music has been a staple for years. Her themes of love and heartbreak thrown together with a catchy tune typically grab the listener’s ear, making it easy to stick in the mind. But are all of these tunes innocent? Are they too dark for Christians?

In order to understand the messaging of the music, you have to understand the person behind it.

Taylor Swift has been in the spotlight for years, and as so, that will greatly change how she sees the world and how the world sees her. Recently, Fox Business reported how a small business in Wisconsin made prayer candles featuring Swift and her NFL star boyfriend, Travis Kelce. While prayer candles typically feature Jesus and Mother Mary, these depicted the star-studded duo.

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Swift, who has called herself a Christian before in her ‘Miss Americana’ documentary, stands for what most Christians today would not typically consider biblically based values. From her 2019 music video for ‘You Need to Calm Down’ which mocked pro-life and free speech efforts in support of LGBTQ and pro-choice policies to her latest ‘Karma’ video with Ice Spice that featured a scene depicted from hell, the themes in Swift’s music and videos questionably align with what most Christians would see as spiritually beneficial.

It’s easy to idolize someone the entire world seems to approve of.

From winning four awards at the People’s Choice Awards, being on the cover of Time magazine and winning album of the year at the Grammy’s, Swift has easily won over the crowd. Likeable traits and character are hallmarks that people, especially Christians, look for with friends, family and entertainment. If the entire world seems to like someone, why should there be any concern there?

Whether it’s simply liking someone for their fame, talents, looks or other characteristics, the most important element is to not get caught up potentially idolizing someone. Stories of people spending thousands of dollars at a time for a concert aren’t unheard of, and Swift is no exception.

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Remembering that things are not always exactly how they appear on the surface is critical for this. If idolizing a celebrity happens, then aren’t they receiving the type of attention that only God deserves? And if that celebrity is potentially involved in questionable activities, wouldn’t that aspect also take a toll on you as well?

You must use discernment about the entertainment you feed yourself with.

At the end of the day, you have to use discernment with the type of entertainment you put into your heart and soul. Only you can decide if the questionably dark themes and worldly praise for Swift and her music are beneficial for your spiritual growth, or if they more likely will lead your thoughts and beliefs further away from God.

In John 15:2, Jesus says, “Every branch in Me that bears no fruit, He takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” If you want to be fruitful for the Lord, keep in mind that there are things He will ask you to give up, stop doing, watching or listening to. He will remove people and situations so that you can grow in Him. God corrects those He loves, and He provides wisdom and discernment to help us become more like Him. So, take some time and evaluate what types of things in your life He may be asking you to re-evaluate—even your love for Taylor Swift’s music.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

In a world where conformity often reigns supreme, embracing a life of holiness can set one apart in profound ways. As Christians, we’re called to be in the world but not of it, and this distinction is perhaps most evident in our pursuit of holiness.

In his exclusive Beyond the Article interview with Charisma Magazine Online, author Ken Fish shares how the pursuit and the power of holiness does more than just help us to meet superficial requirements that we believe God may ask of us. Instead, seeking holiness helps us to know God in deeper and more meaningful ways.

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“One of the things I’ve noticed about people who are not only on fire for the Lord, but people who are actually used by the Lord is they typically have a reverence for God,” Fish says. “They have a sense of awe and respect, and there are certain lines they won’t cross.”

This call right here echoes Proverbs 1:7 which tells us that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Those who fear the Lord are ultimately those who are seeking after something more. Whether its wisdom, knowledge or another godly trait that can only be given from God, Christians who fear Him are desiring more of Him and His ways of righteousness, and because of that, He can use them in greater capacities.

However, holiness is not about a rigid set of rules or outward appearances. Instead, it is fundamentally about being set apart for God’s purposes. It’s about aligning our lives with His character and reflecting His glory in all we do.

“Simply avoiding certain things will not keep you fervent for the Lord,” Fish says. “Fervency is built by turning back toward the Lord, seeking His face as we say, and choosing consciously to give a portion of our day to one-on-one interaction with Him.”

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It is when we humbly and wholeheartedly seek after the Lord that we oftentimes are then challenged by God to give up certain things and habits in order to continue to know Him better. It is not abstaining from habits that automatically make us more like our heavenly Father, but it is in the pursuit of coming to know Him that we desire less and less of the world and more of Him.

In his feature article of Charisma Magazine Online, Fish also writes that holiness is about giving the entirety of our lives to the God who created us.

“In the end, God’s call to be holy is an all-encompassing claim on our lives, our loves and our identities,” Fish writes.

Embracing holiness means embracing our identity as children of God—a chosen people called to reflect His light in a darkened world. It’s a radical departure from the status quo, requiring courage and steadfastness in the face of opposition. Yet, it’s in this distinctiveness that we find true freedom and purpose.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

Are there similarities between Christianity and the Samurai?

In his exclusive Beyond The Article interview with Charisma Magazine Online, Doug Stringer uncovered the unique commonalities between the Christian faith and the work of the samurai in Japan.

When it comes to the Bushido code of ethics of Japan, which is respected by the samurai, Stringer says much of it aligns with biblical values and principles.

“Although many claim it comes from Shinto or Zen connections, I believe they are biblical Scriptures that really give credence to them,” Stringer says.

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It is values of Bushido like courage, hard work, respect and honesty that make up the core of the samurai teachings. The samurai saw in these virtues a reflection of the teachings of the Bible, particularly in Scriptures such as Ephesians, Proverbs and 1 Corinthians.

“The samurai were called to show support and honor of their lords or of the emperor and so when you look at this, and they try to live by this code, I began to look back and realize that rectitude or things like in Ephesians 6:14, Isaiah 26:7, Proverbs 14:34, courage, we see that in 1 Corinthians 16:13…”

One of the most striking aspects of this influence is the concept of showing honor amid disagreement. In Japanese culture, there is a strong emphasis on respecting authority and showing honor, even to those with whom one disagrees. This principle is evident in the way people conduct themselves publicly, maintaining a sense of decorum and respect even in the face of opposing views.

Not only are there parallels between the Christian faith and the samurai code of ethics, but there are plenty of samurai who ended up following Christ after Jesuit missionaries came from Portugal. However, things were complicated when it came to where their highest allegiance lied.  

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“Christian samurai were often torn between their loyalty to their overlords and their loyalty to God,” Stringer writes in his feature article of Charisma Magazine Online.

Because the influence of Christianity in Japanese culture isn’t a relic of the past, it has allowed Stringer to have interactions with people open and willing to receive the gospel message.  

“I’ve prayed with people and leaders all over the country, and I’ve seen how abiding by these virtues and represent[ing] them as a Christian has opened great doors of opportunity for me to know how to minister to them, and they begin to receive the Word that I begin to speak to them in the name of the Lord,” Stringer says.

So while most people may not think of Japan or the samurai as a place or a people group open to the gospel, Stringer’s message provides hope that God is after all people, from all generations in all parts of the world.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

What would you do with $7 trillion?

Co-founder and CEO of Open AI, Sam Altman is planning to raise money for his latest chip project, however, the estimated cost of this project isn’t cheap. Altman believes it will take $5-$7 trillion dollars to raise the necessary funds.

According to Business Insider, Altman wants to create chip factories in the United Arab Emirates and has already met with officials from the UAE. The idea behind this chip project is that the future of AI would be secured to continue to grow and advance.

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“We believe the world needs more ai infrastructure—fab capacity, energy, datacenters, etc.—than people are currently planning to build,” Altman wrote on X.

“Building massive-scale ai infrastructure, and a resilient supply chain, is crucial to economic competitiveness. OpenAI will try to help!”

OpenAI has already dramatically changed the world with the launch of ChatGPT, as the platform has completely altered the scene for writing, creating content, providing answers to questions, creating images and videos and even is being utilized by some churches for writing and preaching sermons.

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With a technology that has so quickly and efficiently changed the way technology, and even more so, how our greater society is working, there’s no doubt that such a huge sum of money to spend time creating more chips could further launch us into the last days troubles.

From AI generated children and romantic partners, the world of AI is not only opening up the possibilities of new opportunities, but it is teetering on the dangerous side which could have humans isolating from real connections with people for something actually artificial.

While we could, and perhaps should, have some fear that AI will further alter the way the world operates, it should also simultaneously present us with hope. Why? If we are seeing the signs of the end times, then it means we are that much closer to the return of Christ.

Could these chips lead to one of the greatest signs of Jesus’ return if it proves to be the mark of the beast? It’s possible. Remember, the mark of the beast will need to be located on the right hand or the forehead so that “no one may buy or sell, except he who has the mark or the name of the beast…” (Rev. 13:17).

Until we know more, the best we can assume is that OpenAI has a plethora of projects that will continue to push forward the technology into its next era.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

Not everyone thinks the ‘He Gets Us’ Super Bowl ads are quite measuring up to the truth of who Jesus is.

Associate Pastor Jamie Bambrick posted on his X account his take on what the ‘He Gets Us’ ads should have focused on instead of controversial pairs of people washing feet.

“The Christian Super Bowl ad they SHOULD have made,” Bambrick wrote on X.

The video in the post showcases Christians whose lives were radically changed by encountering Jesus. From Kat Von D who left witchcraft practices, a former associate of Richard Dawkins, a former KKK leader and so many others were showcased that left behind the clutches of sin to pursue a life with Jesus.

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“Jesus doesn’t just get us,” the video reads. “He saves us. He transforms us. He cleanses us. He restores us. He forgives us. He heals us. He delivers us.”

This remake emphasizes that while Jesus does get us and all the pains we will ever walk through, He does more than just merely understand us. He is fully God and has the power to completely transform our lives from shambles and the grips of sin and bondage to restore us and make us new creatures in Christ.

Using an entirely different method to present errors from the ‘He Gets Us’ campaign, the Babylon Bee satirically used the same points that the campaign did with a twist. They emphasized how Satan gets our sin and wants us to stay in it.

“He accepts you just as you are,” the video reads showcasing an LGBTQ relationship. “He never wants you to change,” it continues, highlighting the issues of obesity.

The video continues to go on discussing the affirmations of sin and the desire to be with you for all eternity…which is exactly how Satan also feels about us. He wants us to stay in the snares of sin and take us down to the torments of hell.

“Satan. He gets us.” The video says.

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With these types of remakes, it makes people wonder, what exactly is it that ‘He Get Us’ is getting wrong?

The He Gets Us website writes, “Our agenda is to rediscover the love story of Jesus. Christians, non-Christians, and everybody in between. All of us.”

Yes, all need to know the greatest story of love—the love that Jesus Christ lived the sinless life that we never could have lived and died the excruciating death that we deserved. However, without acknowledging the issue of sin, without getting to the main point of the cross, Jesus is presented as nothing more than someone who did good works. But He is so much more than that. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and His position as God cannot and should not be diminished.

There is no in-between. You either choose to follow Jesus by picking up your cross daily and following, or you do not. You are either one of His sheep, or you are not. Because God is a merciful and gracious God, He gives us the opportunity during this lifetime to repent and turn away from sin and choose Him. However, the choice is and always will be ours. We choose to be His or not. Revelation 3:16 is a reminder that “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth.” We cannot have sin and Jesus; we must choose which master to serve.

So, remember, Jesus gets us. He loves us and died for us. But without choosing life with Him over sin, it is impossible to experience true freedom and love.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

The prophecies over King Charles’ reign have continued.

In a stark warning from September of 2022, Charlie Shamp has re-shared his prophetic word about the enemy that would come in like a roaring lion in the United Kingdom. However, he believes revival would spring forth even in the midst of this turmoil. Everything that had been done in darkness, God has taken into account for how He will implement the next phase of leadership over Great Britain.

“Charles, Charles, what have you done?” Shamp prophesied. “Have you not sold your birthright? Have you not traded it in? But even while you were selling it, even while you were selling your sonship with your brother, for did you not see what I saw with Phillip?”

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Shamp’s prophecy raises questions about King Charles’s actions and decisions, hinting at a potential reckoning for betraying or neglecting his birthright and responsibilities. The mention of selling his sonship with his brother, likely alludes to past royal scandals and controversies, suggesting that these issues are not overlooked by God’s divine judgment. Any involvement or avoidance of those issues by Charles has been, and will be noted by the Lord.

Not only did Shamp prophesy that this position to rule and reign would be stripped away from Charles, but Mike Signorelli’s New Year’s Eve prophecy from 2023 implied that the next season would provide the platform for truth tellers to expose whatever needed to be after the release of a diagnosis. One of the keys to this prophecy is that the people on these platforms for speaking the truth would not necessarily be Christians.

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“I’m going to step out and take a huge risk, I believe one of them may even get a diagnosis of a terminal illness,” Signorelli prophesied. “Not all of these people will be believers, by the way. Not all of them will be Christians. That’s why I believe the phrase is ‘truth teller.’”

 

 

 

 

 

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This prophecy strikes right into the heart of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis. But what’s interesting is that both of these prophecies intersect with Joseph Z’s prophecy, which describes a time of mourning over the king and the rise of William as the anointed one, chosen by God as the true king over Great Britain.

However the Lord chooses to move in the life and positions of both Charles and William still remains unknown, but the hope for a time of reckoning, renewal and realignment in Great Britain’s leadership and spiritual landscape can remain as a positive sentiment for all people.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

From advocating for social justice to championing human rights, Christians have often been at the forefront of political movements striving for positive change. In her special interview with Charisma Magazine Online, Bunni Pounds is sharing exactly how the people of God should tackle the issues of politics in their everyday lives, and how it can be used to reignite a fervor for the Lord.

“There’s an awakening happening with the people of God, and they’re wanting more of God,” Pounds said.  “Intercessors, people of prayer can make a huge impact when they come, specifically to Washington D.C. or to our state houses and state senates.”

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It is Christians who play a vital role in protecting our religious freedom. Christians are often at the forefront of efforts to defend the rights of individuals to practice their faith without fear of persecution or discrimination. Just as Christians are called to pray for a shift in the political realm, Christians are called to actively engage in the continued fight for the welfare and benefit of those that are in political leadership and for those who will be affected by the policies implemented by the leadership.

“Pray every week, five minutes a week for their nation, vote in every election and engage in some form of civic education or involvement for the well-being of America,” Pounds advises.

With every form of godly honesty, compassion and justice, Christians are not called to run away from the messiness of politics, but rather we are supposed to run toward it. When Christians are involved in politics, we not only bring worthwhile values into the governmental system, but those values transcend into real changes within society.

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Yet, we live in a culture where we separate our faith from every other sector of life because taking God outside of the church can stir up uneasy feelings from both those outside of the faith and even those in it. However, we know that the power of God is not limited to the four walls of the church. If God wants to transform something within the world, He will do it.

“Can His precious, written words not spring to life for us in the midst of our mundane lives,” Pounds asks in her feature article of Charisma Magazine Online. “Can He use ordinary citizens full of the Spirit of God to impact candidates and elected officials with His glory?”

As you pray and consider how you would like to engage with politics, remember, it is by the prayers and actions of God’s faithful people that will help to spark a spiritual and cultural revival in our nation that so desperately needs a fresh outpouring from the Lord.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

As we approach both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, it can be asked, is there a connection between these two events?

While both holidays are about drastically different events, they do have some fascinating intersections and differences.

Both holidays are recognized by those of the Catholic faith.

Valentine’s Day is known for its name after St. Valentine, who it is believed may actually have been multiple different people, according to History.com. However, the act of heroism that St. Valentine is most acknowledged and celebrated for is secretly marrying couples during a time when Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage in order to make men better soldiers.

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On the flip side, the Catholic faith recognizes Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent. This time of fasting and prayer leads up to holy week when Christians all over the world celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ.

One has roots in paganism.

The roots to Valentine’s Day are not simply the surface level feel-good motives of St. Valentine himself. In fact, it is believed to go as far back as the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which celebrated fertility with animal sacrifices, matchmaking and the whipping of women believed to make them more fertile. While modern-day Christianity and culture have altered the meaning for Valentine’s Day from these ancient backings, it is interesting to think that such seemingly ferocious ceremonies brought us the day that most people around the world recognize as a day about love.

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Both holidays make us reflect on what it means to love and to be loved.

Valentine’s Day centers itself on romantic relationships while Ash Wednesday focuses on the reflection of the ultimate love and sacrifice God gave us through His only Son on the cross. Having these two holidays intersect at the same time, while very different with different beginnings, can offer each person a time to reflect on what it truly means to love others and to be loved.

In 1 Corinthians 13, believers are called to abide in “faith, hope and love,” but that the “greatest of these is love.” If we take a look at how Christ loved, how abundantly and freely He gave of Himself to us when we were not deserving of it, we can easily see that love as it is portrayed by media and society today pales in comparison with the richness and fullness of a love rooted in Christ. By looking at Jesus’ humble heart, we are to treat one another with this kind of patient and loyal love that extends beyond mere chocolates and cards and seeks to captivate the heart with goodness, mercy and grace.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.