I Corinthians 13:7, 8
“Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].”
Dear Father:
Father, you say your love can stand up under anything. So anytime I say, “I’ve had enough. I just can’t take it anymore!,” I am obviously operating in my own power. You said your grace is sufficient for me, and your strength is made perfect in my weakness, so when I am weak, I will actually gain strength if I will come out of myself. That strength is not my own but comes from you and is sustained by you, so I must embrace what you have already placed inside me. So, Father, Help me to decrease so you can increase in my life.
Father, you are always ready to believe the best of every person, so I can believe others are honest and intentionally well meaning. So, I won’t allow opinions or experience to paint biased pictures of others in my mind, because actually, who am I to judge? You certainly didn’t place me on the throne of anyone’s life. And when I think about all my mess ups, including my poor choices that never made the six o’clock news, I can easily keep my mouth closed!
Father, I refuse to give up because of what you have placed on the inside of me. You are my reason for living....you are my hope.
I look at all my imperfections on the outside and recognize you think I am beautiful. I am your beloved. You have an 8 x 10 of me on your mantle. You carry a picture of me in your wallet. You cleared your calendar just to spend time with me today. If I wake up in the middle of the night resisting a troubled heart, you’re right there with me, comforting me and saying, “I’ve got this. You can go back to sleep now.”
You carved my name in the middle of a big heart on a tree trunk in the park. You’ve given me the longest love letter ever written, your Word. All the wealth of man could not produce a sunrise or a sunset, but you did it, just for me. Everything good about Jesus is on the inside of me.
Help me never to exalt the opinions of others over what you think of me, Father, no matter what they think. Actually, the only people who will ever let me down are the ones I lean on, so I have to place value in what others think about me for them to hurt me. You are the One who is for me, all the time, not just when I’m riding on the high places in life. You love me every minute of every hour, even when I am unlovely and even when I don’t make you look good or can’t do anything for you, so I think I’ll place my value on what you say. You’re the sure thing, and nothing else matters.
”Father, I thank you for your goodness and for your Word I have received in my heart. Holy Spirit, I invite you to make your love real to me. Speak to me about the good things I have done; I don’t discount the fact that I still have problems and things to change, but thank you for your kindness that causes you to see me in the spirit. I will think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report; things that have virtue and praise. Help me to acknowledge that I am accepted in your beloved. Make your true nature real to me and help me to begin to experience the true nature of your goodness, your kindness and your love. Thank you, Father, that guilt and condemnation leaves me right now. I welcome the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
"In Jesus' Name, I make a fresh and strong commitment today to live the life of love, to let the tenderness of God flow through me and heal the wounded hearts of those I meet.
"Father, teach me to love even when things go wrong. To be patient and kind when the children are struggling. To overlook the spiteful words of an angry friend, brother or sister in Christ, family member or co-worker. To rejoice when someone at the work receives favor and blessing. Teach me to talk in love, to lay gossip quietly aside and to take up words of grace instead.
"Lord, Your Word says that Your love is already inside me...that it has been shed abroad in my heart. So today, I resolve to remove every obstacle that would keep that love from flowing freely into the lives of others. I put resentments behind me, and I forgive all those who've done me wrong.
"Father, I believe the love you have for me, and I receive this Word with meekness, which is able to save my soul. In the days ahead, cause me to increase, excel and overflow with Your love. Be magnified in my life. Cause me to be what this world needs most of all...a living example of your love.”
(some excerpts from Andrew Wommack's "As I Have Loved You" and Kenneth Copeland's "Faith to Faith Daily Devotional")
To Receive Jesus as Lord ad Savior:(Sinner's Prayer) Dear God, I am a sinner. I need a savior. I need Jesus. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose on the third day. I ask Jesus now to come into my heart and to become Lord over my life. Satan h; as no more power over me. I say with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. Father, help me to live for you, and thank you for saving me. John 3:16.
To Rededicate Your Life to the Lord (after falling away):Dear Heavenly Father: I confess to you that I have sinned. You said if I confess my sin you are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I turn away from sin and turn to you, and I ask you to forgive me. I forgive myself also. Father, thank you for forgiving me, remembering my sin no more and allowing me to have right standing with you again. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
Temporary friends come in many forms. Some can "front" for a while, and a little time may pass before their true nature surfaces. Others will own up to who they are, but if we become emotionally involved with them in one way or another we may simply ignore what they are saying.
