Protection: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 1:7: "but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."  

Protection

Thank-you, Lord, for Your constant protection in our heart and soul to keep us bound to You in all circumstances--every day--a gift of being with You.

Yet still we too often forget, or ignore, and then let our weaknesses take charge.

And bring darkness again.

Yet in Your grace You still keep each of us in Your light, no matter what.

Thank-you.

Please remind us to look at everything through the light and vision You give us daily. And please keep us walking Your path.

Your thoughts,

Grace: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Grace

                Darkness lingers

                within and without

                watching for

                deceit and danger.

                To undo His gift of

                fellowship and love

                forever offered.

                To undermine restoration

                lies dissolved

                by truth

                bound by grace

                love is His foundation.

Psalm 27:4: "One thing I have asked from the Lord,that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all of my days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to meditate in His temple."

Reflection: Darkness: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. Which darkness do you battle with the most: worry, irritation, fears? Or??

        2. What do you turn to do first when any dark begins to attack--whether sneaking up or a sudden hit?

        3. How have you learned to recognize lies?

Share: What word has the Lord given you to be a foundation when you sense iniquity coming?

Darkness: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 1:6: " If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." 

Darkness

Lord, despite all Your mercy, grace, healing, and guidance we too often fall back into the dark with worry and irritation and fear.

Even though we  know You are present.

Even though our hearts know You will protect.

Even when we freeze into our anxiety.

Please keep showing us how to turn to You first and not let the darkness into our thoughts, and especially not into instant wrong reactions. Regardless of the situations.

Instead to turn instantly to You only.

Instead to walk in Your inner light with faith.

Instead to trust fully with love and confidence as You give to us.

Your thoughts,

Guides: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Guides

                Sometimes messages

                and words overflow

                like snow showering

                upon us

                overwhelmed by confusion

                yet when we pause

                to seek His light

                His message stands

                clear--guides our

                path by His direction

                removes any darkness.

Psalm 27:3: "Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear, Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident." 

Reflection: Messages: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions:

        1. What was your first reaction when told that in Him there is no darkness at all? 

        2. How does knowing that His light will guide and protect your heart when darkness attacks within you changes your perspective?

        3. How does this gift affect your messages within all your will?

Share: What has become a special message He has given you that you hold in trust now always?

Messages: 1st John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 1:5: "And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."  

Messages

Thank you Lord for Your ongoing light in all the parts of our lives. And our thoughts. And our fears. And... .

We ask Your forgiveness for not listening or noticing or trusting You immediately. Instead we too often react by only seeing the darkness first. Darkness that is not from You.

Please guide all of our thoughts and words, within and without, that we may learn to speak and share only into Your truth and light.

Your words--Your messages--Your will. 

Your thoughts,

Gift: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Gift 

                Deep fellowship

                Devoted love

                that cannot be broken

                timeless love

                His presence

                honest gift

                regardless of circumstances

                resurrection gift

                mercy always

                mending daily

                Devoted love His

                Deep fellowship.

Psalm 27:2: "When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell."

                

Reflection: Fellowship: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

        1. How do you define or experience a powerful fellowship that lasts forever?

        2. In what ways do you see that gift of relationship with the Lord? How does that deepen your trust?

        3. What gift of His presence do you feel is anchored in your heart?

Share: What is one experience of His joy that you can share with others?

Fellowship: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 1:3-4: "what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write so that our joy may be made complete."

Fellowship

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of fellowship that You give us with You, and then with these blessings with others around us.

That we may receive Your words and Your truths daily.

That Your Holy Spirit will write on our hearts and give words to hear Your voice and to be led too share with others.

To share in multiple ways as You offer; in speech or writing or music or any other connection You guide us by.

To proclaim You and Your light.

To live into Your truthfulness.

Your thoughts,

Invitation: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Invitation 

                Beginning first a

                gift of mercy

                heart and soul light

                as a new morning

                opening our eyes

                physically and spiritually

                as Words of life

                proclaim invitation

                bear Holy witness

                opening eternity

                our new mornings

                every moment in

                His grace.

Psalm 27:1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?"

                

Reflection: Beginning: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions 

        1. What did your beginning with the Lord look like--open doors?

        2. What caught you first--eyes--hands held--words?

        3. What was the first change in your life: easy or difficult?

Share: How do you now share to bear witness and proclaim from your heart as He guides you?

Beginning: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                                  

                                Introduction 

Jeremiah 28:11-13: "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (NASB)                 

                                Welcome to 2023 New Year Blessings!

This year our devotions will walk through John's Three Epistles.

Thank you for joining this journey through questions and insights, prose and prayers.

Beginning: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 1:1-2: "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life--and the life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us---."

Beginning

From the very beginning, Lord.

Your light

Your Word of truth

Has been the foundation You have given to each one of us, even when in our ignorance and resistance.

Thank you, Lord, for Your eternal love and grace and of life--these gifts from You.

May these truths guide us again into this new year and open our hearts deeper into relationship with You. To guide us again to walk only on the path You lead.

Your thoughts,