Reflection: Overcome: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. How do you keep faith in all circumstances and hold into His gift of grace?

        2. When have you experienced letting go and forgetting? Did the world twist you into lies?

        3. How do you seek to be His project with thanksgiving and love by His will?

Share: How do you walk in faith now by holding onto His victory of love and presence?

Overcome: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 5:4-6: "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. And who is the one that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood."

Overcome

Remember the cost Jesus has made for each one of us--no exceptions from Him.

His grace overcomes.

His life poured out.

To keep that mercy and grace in each of our hearts to be able to walk in faith in all circumstances.

And never grow weary.

But hold to His cost full victory.

To accept becoming His child with thanksgiving and love.

May His will be done--every day--walking in His mercy--living in faith.

Your thoughts,

Believe: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Believe

                Commandments in so many 

                fields stand as a weight

                and sometimes true but then we

                bruise the commandment that

                are gifts of protection

                and loving guidance.

                Given by His truth

                And love as a parent

                To beloved children as

                Soul, life protection

                Within and without

                Healing false, restoring brokenness.

Psalm 107: 23: "Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters;"

Reflection: Burdensome: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. When have you felt, or believed, that God's commandments were 'burdensome'? Why?

        2. What brings a different perspective when we see His words through His gift of love?

        3. How does a different insight help to relate to others who resent and resist commandments towards themselves and to others?

Share: What obedience have you done for Him, that He had asked, that became a poured out love?

Burdensome: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 5:1-3: "WHOEVER believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome."

Burdensome

Lord, please forgive us the many times we are so filled with ourselves that we don't share Your love with others. We ignore or side-step as believing it is out of our ability.

And we stay in our self-absorbed actions and choices. Yet Your love never fails.

Please keep showing us how to follow and live into Your commandments with love, with faith, and with mercy to others. Your way.

Just as You continue to do to each of us.

Your thoughts, 

Imperative: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Imperative 

                

                Almost daily we

                reject or are rejected

                from someone around

                us whether a

                stranger or not.

                So caught up in business

                our purpose we ignore

                even the slightest

                courtesy forgetting each

                one is precious to our Lord.

                Almost daily we are gifted

                with the way to offer

                kindness in all circumstances

                as He nudges our hearts to

                see others through mercy.

Psalm 107:22: "Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His words with joyful singing."

                

Reflection: Directive: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflective Questions

        1. How have you felt when verbally dismissed? Or just because you are present? 

        2. When have you deliberately chosen to reject someone? Stranger or known? Why?

        3. Has someone accepted you when you expected a confrontation? How did that change your own attitude?

Share: What has been the most difficult relationship to turn from resentment to love under the Lord's guidance?

Directive: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 4:19-21: "We love because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love the brother also."

Directive

Lord, we ask for forgiveness from the many, many, times we have dismissed or rejected others. Forgetting that each one of us is Your child in Your love--even when walking far away from You.

And sometimes that person was our self. Yet, You did not hate us.

Please keep guiding us to see others through Your ongoing love and mercy.

In stead to pray as You nudge us to be kind in all circumstances.

To see and remember Your personal cost for each one of us.

Your thoughts,

Promises: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Promises

                Too often through all our 

                years fears sneaks in

                with complaint or criticism

                pulling us away from

                curiosity and new beginnings

                ability to open our hearts

                to changes and new directions

                unless we turn instead

                to God's ongoing promise of

                daily offering peace and love

                in all circumstances.

                Walking with us step by step.

 Psalm 107:21: "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness and for His wonders to the sons of me!"

 

                

Reflection: Fears: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. In what ways have words or experiences open the doors of fear even in our own relationship with God? 

        2. How can His perfect love replace the judgment with Holy confidence?

        3. When have you been able to walk in peace when in difficulties by accepting His abiding love? How?

Share: "There is no fear in love." What experience can you share with others of this His promise?

Fears: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1st John 4: 16-18: "And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgement; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."

Fears

Do we often recognize the depth of fear that can continue to affect us throughout our years?

Do we realize how sometimes, when even in peace, worry nudges us that we may be doing something wrong? Maybe wasting valuable time?

Yet He continues to teach us to accept and walk and choose our peace throughout His ceaseless love and guidance.

Yet He walks with us each step by step whether if in fear or love: never leaving us abandoned.

Always perfect love and confidence His gift. Ready to hear our prayers. Ready to offer His light in all the darkness.

Your thoughts,

Safety: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

                Safety

                Committed love and mercy 

                grace and direction on

                every step we take

                yet too often we do not

                recognize or even know

                this gift of love

                never broken yet waiting

                often for us to yield

                accept Spirit's powerful safety

                speaking into us with witness.

Psalm 107:20: "He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. 

Reflection: Accept: 1 John: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

        1. When and how did you first realize the gift of the Holy Spirit within you? 

        2. How did you experience first then, and now? Is there a difference?

        3. How do you seek moment-by-moment abiding, or only when in need? Why?

Share: How have you shared the gift of abiding in His Spirit? Who would you like to introduce? Pray.