Grounded: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 2:7-8: "Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining."

Grounded

Are You reminding us Lord, that attitudes and actions in darkness and light each bring a different perspective and insight?

That we need to pause and listen before acting?

We so need to see only through Your light and not our darkness--no matter how real externally and internally words affect us.

Please keep us grounded in Your Words only--in all situations.

Your truth in action.

Your thoughts,

Ongoing: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Ongoing 

                When we come to know

                Him accepting His

                loving grace and presence

                He will guide us through

                care to walk with

                Him daily learning

                actions and words to share

                When we abide in truth.

Psalm 27:8: "When Thou didst say, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to Thee, "Thy face, O Lord, I shall seek.'"

                

Reflection: Walk: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. Have you been conflicted by others twisting God's words? Did you step into these lies?

        2. What words or actions brought you into recognizing these deceits?

        3. How do you now abide in Him and listen with His walk? 

Share: What words or actions opened the door of your heart to recognize and choose to live into His truths?

Walk: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading:1st John 2:4-6: 'The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner He walked."

Walk

Thank-you, Lord, for Your ongoing presence and guidance in Your truth.

Please forgive us our too many ongoing times when we still do not hear or act upon Your truth. And instead allow lies to speak within and without us.

Please keep us into ongoing awareness so that we will remain in Your truth from our hearts into all our actions and words. Internally to ourselves and externally to those around us.

We ask to continually learn only Your language.

Your thoughts,

Identify: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Identify 

                Thank you Lord

                for Your ongoing

                protection of our minds

                hearts, and souls.

                for Your guidance and

                protection in our confusion

                and restoring us to truth.

                for Your patience and

                protection when we falter

                reminding us of Your love.

                for Your forgiveness and

                protection within and without with

                Holy commandments our eternal words.

                Thank you Lord.

Psalm 27:7: "Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me."

                

Reflection: Commandments: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

    1. How do you identify the sins that burrow into your thoughts and heart? 

    2. What is your first reaction towards the Lord? Hide, or seek His mercy?

    3. How can remembering His commandments become a protection from sins?

Share: What sin have you experienced where you recognized Jesus' advocate for you? How did that change the circumstances within and without?

Commandments: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 2:1-3: "My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if any one sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments."

Commandments

Without Your on going protection, Lord, we will find our mind, heart, and soul drawn into sin."  

With Your protection we are given clarity in the confusion as You guide each of us into Your truth when we falter.

Without Your forgiveness and restoration we will continue to fall within and without.

With Your guidance and mercy we find the ability to keep walking with You on Your road daily. Commandments filled with mercy and sincerity.

Your thoughts,

Restore: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Restore 

                So broken, bewildered

                instinctively hide truth

                in words and heart hiding

                sins both active and silent.

                Sins that can be dissolved

                by His grace and mercy

                buried by His righteousness.

                Seek first His forgiveness

                then walk in faith

                that He will cleanse and guide

                sustaining honesty through trust.

Psalm 27:6: "And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord."

                

Reflection: Cleanse: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

    1. In what ways do you lie to yourself, to others, and to the Lord? 

    2. What trigger cause you to deceive or to hide from yourself?

    3. When has confession, first to the Lord, enabled you to restore truth?

Share: What sin's cleansing has He given you that you can show others His faithful righteousness? 

Cleanse: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading:1st John 1:8-10: " If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have no sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."

Cleanse

So simply, too easily, can lies enter within ourselves and also from others. So simply, too easily, do we choose to accept them as authentic, or a choice, or reality.

Yet in Your forgiveness and healing You show us the real truth, and show the way back by Your mercy.

Please keep us listening for Your voice when we try to hide our sins from You when we recognize our choices.

We ask to walk only in Your truth with honesty and not be resistant when Your cleanse is offered.

May we see clearly into our internal attitudes and outward actions to recognize and resist the sins that can lure us.

Your thoughts,

Light: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Light

                Constant protection

                His gift in all

                circumstances every day

                yet too often

                our weakness leans into

                yielding to fears.

                Constant light from

                His heart never falters

                covers us in His mercy.

Psalm 27:5: "For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock."

                 

Reflection: 1 John: Protection: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. Do you recognize the Lord's light is present every day? Why or why?

        2. What personal 'darkness' puts up a barrier to keep you in weakness instead of hope?

        3. What are some instinctive triggers that remind you to turn to His constant protection?

Share: What is a time you chose to see through His light and vision? How did the path open?