April 11, 2020 | Prayer Guides by Various Authors
Love Defined
DAY 11 – Love Others…Through Our Generosity
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” -2 Corinthians 9:7
Mark 10:17-22 contains an interesting encounter between Jesus and a rich young ruler. To paraphrase the account, the ruler asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Christ’s response was to keep the commandments, which the ruler said he had done from an early age. Jesus then instructed him to sell what he had and give the proceeds to the poor, and then come follow Him. The ruler did not abide Christ’s words, but instead went away saddened.
Jesus knew this man had great earthly possessions and was not willing to let go and “take up the cross” (verse 21). This man had treasures on earth, but not in heaven. He was about accumulating resources for himself rather than the mission of God. His heart was focused on the material rather than the eternal.
We are merely stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. He grants us this stewardship in order to bring glory to Himself. Our hearts and minds must remain focused on the Provider rather than on the provision. Generosity is an outpouring of our love for others because of the love God poured out for us. Whether by using our time, talents, or treasures we show love to others by sacrificially giving of these for their benefit.
Questions to consider:
- Do I identify as a steward of all that God has entrusted to me? How can I love others through my generosity? How is generosity important to my discipleship?
Prayer Prompts:
- That I identify as a steward, and never an owner, of my time, talent and treasure.
- That I understand biblical giving is both a command and a privilege, and should be done joyfully.
- That I will develop a regular habit of financial giving, to my church first and also to God’s kingdom agenda.
- That I will love others through my generosity.
- That through our generosity, the church budget would grow to provide greater kingdom impact.
- That our church leadership would operate with humility, integrity, and transparency regarding God’s resources.
- Read Mark 10:21.
DAY 12 – Resurrection Sunday: Easter
“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ And they remembered His words.” -Luke 24:6-8
After Jesus died on the cross, some of His disciples took and buried His body in a tomb. If this was an ordinary man, simply a prophet or gifted teacher, the story would end there in the tomb. But we know that Jesus was no ordinary man. When Jesus rose from the tomb on that Sunday morning, He proved that He is indeed God’s Son and the promised Savior. That Sunday morning the angels reminded the women at the tomb of what Jesus had previously said about His mission, and they remembered.
Later in this same chapter, we read about two disciples on the road to Emmaus talking about the resurrection. The risen Lord joins them, but they do not recognize Him. They expressed discouragement as they hoped Jesus of Nazareth would be the redeemer of Israel, but now He was dead. Then Jesus opened the Scriptures “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Jesus again reminded His followers of His mission.
Jesus then revealed Himself to these two disciples before vanishing. They were astonished, and they burned inside for more. As disciples, we too should hunger for His Word and even burn for closeness with Him. Our Lord is alive, ever present and active in our lives. He longs for us to know and follow Him with all we are and all we have. Like with the women at the tomb and the Emmaus road disciples, His Word reminds us of who He is, how He loves, and why He died and rose for us.
Questions to consider:
- What does Easter Sunday mean to me as a disciple of Christ? Are there things in my life that draw my focus away from Him during this season? How does His Word remind me of who He is, how He loves, and why He died and rose for me?
Prayer Prompts:
- That I identify Jesus as the risen Lord.
- That I understand God’s plan of salvation through faith in the sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
- That I will develop a plan to remember all He has done for me as recorded in His Word.
- Read Luke 24:32.
DAY 13 – Love Others…While On Mission
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” -Matthew 28:19-20
The above passage is famously known as “The Great Commission.” Before His ascension into heaven, Jesus gave His disciples their marching orders. It is exciting to see this in action in our Sunday morning series in Acts. The clarity and simplicity of this command underpin the enormity and importance of the task. God’s desire is that all people would follow Him as disciples.
Discipleship is not incumbent upon race, geography, language, age, culture, wealth, or anything other than faith in Christ. The gospel is the gospel no matter what, and salvation is equally offered to all. Even as Christians it is extremely difficult for us to see the rest of the world the way God does, though it is impossible for us to do so without Christ.
We can show God’s love to others by intentionally and sacrificially engaging our communities and the world with the gospel. God’s mission will always be for all people.
Questions to consider:
- Do I identify my responsibility to make disciples among the nations? How can I be involved in our missions efforts at Richland Creek? How is being on mission important to my discipleship?
Prayer Prompts:
- That I identify my responsibility as a church member to make disciples among all nations.
- That I understand God’s heart is for all peoples to worship Him, from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
- That I will develop a plan to be involved in the church’s cross-cultural mission efforts by praying, giving, and going to support this mission.
- That I will pray for our missionaries and their families.
- That I will pray for our upcoming mission trips.
- That our church leadership would prayerfully and continually seek God’s direction in mission partnerships, planning, and provision.
- Read Luke 10:2.
DAY 14 – What Love is…
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples that you Love one another.” -John 13:35
Jesus said that one way the lost world will know if we are truly His disciples, His real followers, is how we show love toward each other. This love isn’t based on anything to do with us – not our emotions, not our preferences, not our circumstances. It is based on the Gospel. Our example, to love one another, is the example of God Himself who gave us His Son that we would be saved from sin and death. (John 3:16, Romans 5:8) Based on this greatest of all examples, we are compelled to truly, biblically, love one another.
As we, as a church, go through this transition, we must prepare ourselves to move forward in the process of finding the lead pastor God has prepared for Richland Creek Community Church. First, we must examine ourselves and remove anything that doesn’t adhere to the Word of God, and we must put on what the Word tells us to obey. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to walk in love and unity.
This month we will apply the Word to ourselves in prayer and allow God to transform us in the image of His Son. This is of utmost importance; we must be serious in our repentance and obedience as we move forward as the church of God in Wake Forest, NC.
Questions to consider:
- Do I love others based on who they are and how they treat me, or do I love others based on who Christ is and what He has done for me?
Prayer Prompts:
- God, remind me again how much you love me. Show me my life of sin and how You saved me through the sinless life, atoning death, and powerful Resurrection of your Son.
- Open my eyes, ears, and heart to the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that I would understand true biblical love, that I may love others in such a way that lost people would ask for the same love.
DAY 15 – Love is Patient
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient.
Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, teaches us what love means and how important it is. As you read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, you see the priority of love in context to serving. No matter how great your gifting, no matter how great your service to the Lord or each other, without love it means nothing.
As we walk through this transition and move in the direction of searching for the new lead pastor God has prepared for us, let us prepare ourselves by making love a priority. In verse 4, we learn love is patient. The word patient means long-suffering. It is a term used to describe people who allow themselves to be repeatedly inconvenienced and yet not become angry.
The world teaches us to become angry at every offense no matter how small; God’s Word teaches us as brothers and sisters in Christ to be patient, to allow ourselves to be inconvenienced by our brothers and sisters over and over, not reacting with harsh words or actions, but instead loving patience. When any change occurs, there are always things that are frustrating. People will act like people. But instead of reacting like the world does, we will act in love with patience.
Questions to consider:
- With whom have you been harsh?
- To whom should you have shown patience?
Prayer prompts:
- Pray God reveals to you someone you need to show patience toward.
- Pray God reveals to you someone who has been patient toward you, and that you are moved to thank them.
DAY 16 – Love is Kind
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is kind.
Love is kind. While patience takes harsh words and actions from others without anger or retaliation, to be kind is to be useful, serving and gracious. John McArthur calls it ”active goodwill.”
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Kindness is not an emotional word but an action word. When we show kindness, we don’t wish someone to be better, but we actively work for them to be better. It’s our love for others that causes us to reach out to them and discover what they need, then fill that need so that they may be better. This is without reward to ourselves, not for our good but solely for them. Again, as always, God is the perfect example.
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7
Questions to consider:
- To whom can I be kind today, and this week?
Prayer prompt:
- God, fill me with the desire to be kind, not in thought, but in deed so I may follow your example.
DAY 17 – Love is not Jealous
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is not jealous.
Here, Paul starts the first of eight things love “isn’t.” Love and jealousy cannot coexist in people. Jealousy shows itself in us in two ways. The first is that we wished we had what others have. Instead of rejoicing in their blessings, we complain that it’s not us. The other is to desire that others would stop receiving the blessings of God all together.
We see a brother or sister in Christ being noticed for their giftedness or sacrifice, and instead of thanking God for His gifting and thanking them for their service, we instead talk behind their back, or worse, wish they had not come here.
Like the seven things that follow in this chapter of 1 Corinthians, jealousy has no place at Richland Creek Community Church. It has no place in the Christian’s life.
Questions to consider:
- When have I acted in jealousy?
- Is there anyone I have been jealous of?
Prayer Prompts:
- God, expose any jealousy in my life.
- God, may your Holy Spirit prompt me through Your Word to ask forgiveness of anyone of whom I have been jealous.
DAY 18 – Love does not Brag
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love does not brag.
Only yesterday we learned that love is not jealous. Yet, when we brag of our successes, we tempt others to be jealous of us. When we brag, we want others to want what we have achieved, accomplished, or possess. The bragger wants attention, and ultimately, the praise of others. God knows all of your sacrifices and successes, because He orchestrated them all. God deserves the praise, no one else. The bragger wants to be lifted up. Love does not desire to be lifted up, but to lift others up, not to be served, but to serve.
Therefore, Paul says: “May it be that I would never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14
We have no boasting or bragging rights. All Glory, All Honor, All Praise is for the Lord. Love does not cause our brothers and sisters to stumble but instead turns all our accomplishments toward the glory of God where the focus of His children should be.
Question to consider:
- Where have you been bragging in your life?
Prayer Prompts:
- God, show me how I can take every accomplishment, every gift, every success and focus all the praise and honor toward You. Show me how to be crucified to this world.
DAY 19 – Love is not Arrogant
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is not arrogant.
To be arrogant is to be proud, puffed up, to see yourself better than others. Love cannot act in pride. Paul speaks to the church at Corinth about their arrogance: “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” 1 Corinthians 4:6-7
The church at Corinth felt superior to others because they had been taught by Paul, or by Apollos, or felt pride that someone like Paul had baptized them. Paul reminds them that it is through God that all good things come. He also reminds them that, no one is superior and as brothers and sisters in Christ we are equal in all things. Remember that we need the mind of Christ: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-7
Question to consider:
- Do you see yourself as better than anyone else?
Prayer Prompts:
- God, show me where my pride needs to die so that I may love others like You love me.
DAY 20 – Love is not Rude
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love does not act unbecomingly.
To act unbecomingly is to be rude, non-caring of the feelings of others. At first it may not sound as harsh as bragging or arrogance, but at its core it is. To be rude, to be non-caring are the actions of someone who doesn’t regard other people. Others don’t matter - they are just the background of your life.
Who are we rude to? The men volunteering in our parking lots on Sunday? The childcare worker in the lower level where you drop off your kids? Why are they less than human to you? Why don’t you see them as people? Were you in a rush, in a hurry because you were late? Did you feel as though they should be serving you better? Have they become tools to use or are they people that Christ died for? To be rude is to be unloving.
Jesus had time for all, regard for all. There were no invisible people to Jesus. His love was equal for all.
Questions to consider:
- Who was the last person you were rude to?
- Who are the invisible people in your life?
Prayer Prompts:
- God, let me see people not like tools to get things that I need done, but instead as brothers and sisters You loved so much that You sent Your Son to die for them. Their value is not in what they do for me, but in how much You paid for them – everything.
