REC 100 Days Prayer Meeting Day 41 - We love because he first loved us!

 

 

Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace and feel His presence. Exhale your worries.

Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile

2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people

3.   Sing a song to praise God (you are welcome to use "Father, I adore you" which I have been singing every morning for the past 20 years or your own choice to praise God)

          Father, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.

          Jesus, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.

          Spirit, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.

      

Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to shine on you that you are able to discover your sins and be willing to repent:

     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God and having Jesus as my Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sins to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

3.  John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

(Please click this link to see how God used John Stott to change my life:https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/

           "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

             Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

             Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

    

    The link to today's Time with Abba passages:   http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/

    Time with Abba passages: Psalm 135:8-14, Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 4:1-21; Proverbs29:2-4

    Today's key passage:

   

    16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.  20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

      1 John 4:16-21

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time to Jesus as you listen to him. 

   

     My Listening

    The topic I received from Jesus is:  We love because he first loved us!

    This key verse today from 1 John 4:19 is one of a few golden verses in the Bible, also one of the most favourable verse being chosen in weddings.

    Many people love this verse is that we want to remember that the reason for us to love is because God loved us first. But, we always miss the verse before and after this verse. Losing the three verses as a whole part miss a lot of deeper meaning:

    1. Verse 18: God loved us first so there is no fear in God's love.

    2. Verse 20: If we really live in God's love, then we will try all our best to love God and other people, we won't allow hatred and disunity to happen in our families and churches.

    3. If our lives have lots of fear and the relationship in family and church is full of discord, then we are not in God's love and that it would be difficult for us to love, to give and to experience love!

    May we live in God's love each day that we have no fear and we are able to love, to give and to experience love, God's love!

   May we pray for our church on the 41st  day of our 100 days Prayer Meeting now:

 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to examine ourselves whether we have hatred and fear. Lead us to know our sins, confess, repent and to return to your love and that we can love. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

 

      Reflect on these questions:

     1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch and what have you heard from Jesus now?

      

      2.  What is your next step to be more closer to Jesus?

    

      Family Corner:

     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 

     

Please click this link for the video version of this blog:  https://youtu.be/wzRUNt5GGfc  

 

     To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org