Tag: Love

knitting

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As we start this new year, God has put it on my heart to pray scripture in the coming days. There will be a slight change to my format, but I hope you will join me in raising our voices in prayer.

PRAY

Dear God, may we, like Paul, struggle on behalf of others. May we have a heart for those we know and those we don’t know and may we grow to know you more of you each day.

WRITE

READ Colossains 2:1-3

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,  that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.“

  • What does Paul tell us about what he has been doing, and what does that tell you about what we should be doing?
  • What does Paul want believers to “be”?
  • What does the image of hearts knit together tell you about how we are connected to our fellow believers?
  • What does he want them to reach?
  • He wants them to be fully assured of and understand God’s mystery – Christ – in whom are what?

GROW

  • Take time to pray this for the people in your church, pastors, believers across our nation and around the world.

Dear Father God, we praise you that you have given us the example of Paul. A man that was completely transformed and made new in Christ. Lord give us hearts like his. Give us hearts that desire to struggle with and for those we know and those we don’t. We pray today that our hearts may be encouraged, and that you would knit together the hearts of all believers everywhere. That we would see the image of God in each one and love the way that you have loved us. Lord help each believer grown to truly know Christ that we may have godly wisdom and knowledge so as to minister to one another and all. In Jesus Name… Amen

Photo by Imani on Unsplash

Love is…

Published on by kristen from praywritegrow.com2 Comments

PRAY

Take time to pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“And I will show you a still more excellent way.”
1 Corinthians 12:31

WRITE

In the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians Paul talks about spiritual gifts and the necessity of each part of the body of Christ. He reminds us, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27), and  he encourages us to “earnestly desire the higher gifts” 1 Corinthians 12:31. It is a powerful message spurring  us on to both use our gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ and to seek after Him so as to grow  deeper in Him. And still, after these powerful words revealing to us how we grow in Christ and how we help the body – the church – he simply states… “And I will show you a still more excellent way” 1 Corinthians 12:31b. You see – all these gifts mean nothing if we do not act in love. If we do not speak in love. If we have any other motivator than love. 1 Peter 1:22 reminds us that we are called to “love earnestly from a pure heart.” So – what does that look like? 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a picture of just such love. I am confident that most of you have read, or heard this many many many times. Take time now to ask God to give you fresh eyes to see what He has for you in these precious verses.

  • Using 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Make a list of all the things that love is.
  • How is God calling you to change the way you love. Write it down…
  • Write down one thing you can do today to love in a more excellent way.

GROW

Praying that the Lord would perfect your love. That you can love others with a pure heart and in a way that will shine His love to the world. May we all live in the more excellent way!

Peace

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PRAY

Remember to pray & read the entire passage before beginning.
John 14:27

 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ”
John 14:27

WRITE

I am listening to my kids “play” a video game together right now. There is arguing, and yelling & general frustration! It is far from peaceful – I’m just waiting for the real fight to begin. The sensory overload I am feeling right now has every nerve in my body on alert. It’s so silly! So insignificant! And yet… the peace of Christ is still available in this situation – just like every difficult, gut wrenching, devastating and soul searching event in our lives. Jesus offers us that… His peace in every situation. Do not let your heart be troubled He says to us… do not be afraid. Ask Me he invites…

  • What are you afraid of?
  • What are you troubled about?
  • Big or Small – put it in the hands of Jesus… write down your prayer now!

REMEMBER
 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ”
Philippians 4:6-7

GROW

Praying today that you will take your fears and frustrations, big and small, to God… Jesus is our peace. Praying that the peace of God would guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus! Praying for you!

Just Pray About It

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PRAY

Remember to pray & read the entire passage before beginning.
1 Timothy 2:1-6

 “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ”
1 Timothy 2:1

WRITE

  • According to verse 1, who does Paul implore us to pray for?
  • What are the three things he specifically asks us to pray for them?
  • Why does God want us to pray for all people (v. 3 & v.4)
  • Find a headline from today & write a prayer lifting it up to our mighty God!

Keep Praying…. Christ Tomlin reminds us in his beautiful song “God of  This City” that God has a beautiful plan…

GROW

Thanking God that He is love! Thanking God that He has a desire that all will be saved. Praying for you that you feel His love and direction today as you pray for this lost and lonely world. May all come to know our amazing Savior! Praying for you!

In His Body

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PRAY

Remember to pray & read the entire passage before beginning.
1 Peter 2:24

 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
1 Peter 2:24

WRITE

This whole chapter of 2 Peter is amazing. But as we  near the celebration of our risen Savior, I wanted to focus on this verse. It is so powerful… the image of Christ physically carrying our sins on the cross.

  • We often think of the physical torture, the physical pain of the crucifixion. But what do you think it may have felt like to bear all of the sins of the entire world – for all time – in his body on the cross?
  •  Consider the spiritual pain of the cross, the emotional pain of the cross, as well as the physical manifestation of  these as Jesus hung on that cross for you.
  • Write a prayer of thanksgiving to your Savior!

Praise Jesus with this song by Chris Tomlin – “At the Cross”

GROW

Praying that the complete, eternal, sacrificial love of Jesus would be new to you today! He is an awesome Savior!!! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Imagine

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PRAY

There are passages in scripture that give us a peek inside of heaven.

1 Corinthians 2:9    Revelation 21:22-27
Revelation 5   John 17:24   John 14:1-3

But, until the day He calls us home we will not know what it it will be like. What joy it will be to praise our Almighty God face to face!

WRITE

What do you think that you’ll do
when you meet Jesus?

Listen to the song by Mercy Me and pray about it…

GROW

It really is too much to imagine. Thanking God we have the gift of Jesus Christ… that one day we will be able to be in heaven  – bowing, singing, praising, dancing, loving, being still… Praying that we would have a glimpse of that day as we put our Hope in Him!

My Portion

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PRAY

Remember to take time to pray & read the entire passages before you begin.

Psalm 73

But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
    and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
Psalm 73:28

WRITE

This Psalm holds a gem. One that we recite and hold on to in good times and bad. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26. And yet… this Psalm is so rich with struggle and understanding and trust in the Almighty – so much deeper than I could have imagined. 

  • From 73:1-14 What is the attitude of the Psalmist?
  • What was he trying to understand?
  • Ultimately, how did he gain the knowledge he was searching for?
  • In the end, what did the Psalmist learn about himself (v.21 & v.22)?
  • What do verses 21-24 reveal about our relationship with God – what will He do?
  • Read verse 25 – does this change your perspective on your circumstances or “things”?
  • When God brought His people into the promised land. He gave each tribe a portion of land… except the Levites. This tribe was special they became His priests – and he said to Aaron “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.” Numbers 18:20. How does help you see what it means to look to God as your portion?
  • Are there any “things” that you value more than your relationship with the Lord? Pray and ask the Lord to reveal them to you, and ask Him to guide you into a deeper relationship with Him.
  • The last line of this beautiful Psalm tells us how we should choose to live as a result of His constant provision for us. Write it down.
  • How can you live your life in a way that He is your portion and you give Him the glory!?

GROW

God loves you so much! When we are weak He is strong. Praying that you will lay your heart and life at His feet and trust him as your strength and your portion forever. May we live a life believing… there is nothing I desire on earth besides you. Praying for you…

Never Changing

Published on by kristen from praywritegrow.com2 Comments

PRAY

Make sure you take time to read the passage and pray about it before you begin.

“God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
Numbers 23:19 ESV

WRITE

Trust! Trust God! He is faithful! He is sovereign! He is eternal! His love is enduring! Do not doubt that He is in control. Do not doubt His promises.

  • Find a Bible verse about God’s faithfulness (some options: Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Timothy 2:13)
  • Find a Bible verse about God’s steadfast love (some options: Lamentations 3:22-23, 1John 4:10, Romans 8:38-39)
  • Find a Bible verse about God’s sovereignty (some options: Matthew 19:26, 1Corinthians 1:25, Revelation 12:10-11)
  • Are you doubting God today? Are you overwhelmed by your circumstances? Do the headlines make you uneasy? Write it down. He is Bigger! Apply God’s word to your concerns and trust God that He is in control.

GROW

Love this song By Aaron Shust – “Ever Be”

 

Praying that you would experience the loving, steadfast, sovereign love of our Amazing God! And may His praise ever be on your lips…

 

 

Be an Overcomer

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PRAY

Make sure you take time to read the passage and pray about it before you begin.

Read
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21

WRITE

Short passage today… and jumping back to Romans 12, but I’m really struck by this verse! Good v. Evil. It is a battle that we know is constantly swirling around us. Ephesians 6:12 tells us “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” First He commands us to not allow this evil to overcome us! And yet… He gives us a way to overcome it! Good! Good overcomes evil! Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes it is hard to do the good thing… to say the right thing… to stand up for the moral thing… to do the Jesus thing! But, what happens when we do? We overcome evil. And remember – we are not doing this on our own – we have a helper – a counselor – the very Spirit of God that will empower, enlighten and guide us along our path. (Luke 12:2, John 14:25-26, Acts 4:31). Praying that the Lord would guide each of us where we need to be the good today!

  • What does this verse mean to you?
  • So I ask… where is God revealing evil to you? Pray about it!
  • What is God calling you to do to shine the light of Christ into this situation? Write down the ways that God is encouraging you  to overcome this evil with good.

GROW

Love this song… a Call to Action – Thank you Matthew West!

I hope that you will continue to pray Romans 12:9-21 for yourself and for others. May we grasp what it means to live as a light to others and to shine Christ’s love into the darkness. Praying for you!