John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
INSIGHT
-Love can simply be defined as an act of the will. Love in Hebrew is written as ahava which means desire and affection. In Greek, love is classified into 8 parts. The first 4 main segments are: – Agape – love of God/ unconditional love, Storge – love for family, Philia – love between friends and Eros – romantic love. The others are Ludus – affection between young lovers, Mania – obsessive love, Philautia – self love and Pragma – love that has matured over time/ enduring love. To know how much someone loves you, look at the value they place on you. Jesus demonstrated great love for us that He sacrificed His life for us. Since we are created in His own image and likeness, He sacrificed His life for us; His own kind. Through this Jesus made a strong statement that He values us just like He values His own self. We then know love because He laid down His life for us. We also ought to lay down our lives for our brethren. Whoever then has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, the love of God does not abide in him. Let us then not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:16-18). We are reminded to demonstrate our faith through works and God will reward us according to the riches of His glory. Despite the challenges and tribulations that we go through; let us always remember that God’s love for us is everlasting. Despite our filthiness and sinful nature; let us always be reconciled to God through repentance for His love for us will never fail. God calls us to love Him, to love our neighbours and to have faith in Him for He has granted us everlasting life.
PRAYER
We bless Your name Lord for You are good and Your love endures forever. Thank You for dying on the cross for our sake, we glorify Your name on high. Give us hearts of compassion and generosity so that we may always remember to sacrifice what we have for the less fortunate. Forgive us all our sins and remember them no more dear Jesus. Renew our minds and cover us with Your precious blood we humbly implore You. We love You Lord, our Strength. You are our Rock, Fortress and Deliverer; our God in whom we put our trust. You are our Shield and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold. We call upon You LORD, who is worthy to be praised and we shall be saved from our enemies. The pangs of death surrounded us including corona virus, and floods of ungodliness made us afraid, but all our trust is in You Lord. Sorrows of Sheol surround us and the snares of death confronted us, but we totally rely on Your unfailing love. It is an honor that we have began a new week in good health, thank You for Your love and mercies upon our lives. Many are sick, depressed and bereaved among us, heal their wounds loving Jesus for by Your stripes we were healed. Direct us Holy Spirit through out the week and shower us with Your blessings for we belong to You. Restore all broken relationships, marriages, businesses, institutions and economies for we belong to You. Increase our faith in You Lord and help us to always see You with the eyes of our hearts. Grant us, our relatives, our muslim brothers and sisters, Hindu communities and the whole world the gift of salvation because You died so that we may live forever. Align all our hearts desires to Your divine will Holy Spirit and grant all our requests according to the riches of Your glory. Amen
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
INSIGHT
-God gave us a command to love our enemies. For us to love our enemies we need to obey God’s command out of our own will. We are called to overcome evil with good and not with evil. One recommended way of doing this is by giving food and drink to our enemies when they are hungry and thirsty, and by so doing we heap coals of fire on their heads (Romans 12:20-21). Generosity and good deeds overcome evil. In our friendships, relationships and marriages, sometimes things do not go the way we expect. We make enemies in our own homes and associations where people stop talking to each other, others act and talk disrespectfully to one another, some hurt one another badly beyond expectation, but God calls us to make that decision to forgive them and love them unconditionally. When people attach conditions to love based on health, beauty, wealth and qualifications then this fails, the friendships, relationships or marriages break. During marriage, the couple makes a vow before God on the altar to love and care for each other in sickness and health, wealth and poverty until death separates them. When a vow made before God is broken, judgement precedes them. We are called to mend the broken relationships and marriages through forgiveness. God has commanded us to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven times; so that He can forgive our trespasses too. Unlike the tax collectors, we are called to love not only those who love us but also those who hate us so that we may receive our reward as sons of God. God is love and His love is perfect and He calls to love unconditionally so that we may become perfect like Him.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus You have commanded us to love You and our neighbours as ourselves, fill our hearts with Your love we humbly ask You. Grant us the grace to love all those who have offended us, do good to all those who hate us, pray for those who persecute us and bless all those who curse us, with unconditional love so that we can be perfect just like You are perfect Lord. Be with all those who are divorced that You may give them hope of a better life and grant all their hearts desires; merciful Father. Remember all those who have been separated in marriage that You may restore their marriages and do a new thing in their lives. Be with all the widows and widowers that You may grant them total peace as You are their Spouse and grant them all their requests dear Jesus according to Your will. We commit all those who are married in Your able hands Lord that You may bless them and continue to unite them in Your love. Be with all those who are unmarried and seek marriage partners, that You may show Yourself faithful to them and answer them like You answered Isaac and Rebecca. You have said in Your word Jesus that no one shall lack a mate, grant us favour according to Your word and bless our descendants to the tenth generation. Sprinkle Your precious blood upon our blood lines Jesus and deliver our families from all forms of spiritual oppression. We are more than conquerors in You Jesus, give us victory in all areas of our lives. Grant us the grace Lord to forgive all those who have offended as You forgive our trespasses too. Grant us the grace to do Your will and teach us to walk in Your way. Deliver our church and political leaders from all evil, grant them wisdom and cover our nation with Your precious blood. No evil fashioned against us shall prosper and no tongue raised against us shall prevail, for the battle belongs to You Jesus. May Your peace that surpasses all understanding prevail in the whole world. Our Father who at in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. Amen
1 Corinthians 13:1-8
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
INSIGHT
-Love is the foundation of our lives in Christ and without it, we are nothing. God is love and without love we are nothing. Before we pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we should desire love. Without love speaking in tongues is fruitless. Without love prophecy lacks a foundation of truth. Without love ministry of helps is futile. Without love any form of sacrifice receives no reward. Without love we are nothing. In Romans 12:9-11, we are reminded that love should not be hypocritical. We are then called to abhor what is evil and cling to what is good. To be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honor, giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, thus serving the Lord. Once we have love, envy evaporates from our souls, we become patient with one another, kind to each other, our hearts are filled with humility and goodness, we become selfless, our decisions are based on God’s word as we focus on what is pleasing to God and decide to follow that which is right and our hearts rejoice in His truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Love never fails.
PRAYER
We love You Lord. Help us to love You with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves; for Your love does not fail. You fail not Lord, we praise Your holy name. We need Your love in our lives Holy Spirit, fill us with Your love. All we need is You Lord, have Your way in us. We seek to know You and to love You more Jesus, fill us with Your wisdom. We submit our authority to Your authority and our wisdom to Your wisdom, take charge of our lives, families, decisions, projects, desires, challenges, institutions, nation and the entire world. We are nothing without You Lord, we are nothing without Your love, have mercy on us. You are the way, the truth and the life Jesus, lead us in all truth. We humble ourselves before Your Jesus; lift us up. We cast all our cares and burdens unto You, for You care for us. May Your love reach all those who have been neglected, disappointed, hurt and finding it difficult to love and to trust again, heal their hearts merciful Father. We surrender our lives unto You Holy Spirit, guide us in all things. Help us to live peacefully with our brothers and sisters at homes, places of work, our society, nation and the world at large. May Your love never grow dim in our lives. Amen
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
INSIGHT
-One may view the above scripture as a contradiction of sorts for there are many fruits but it is still called the fruit of the Spirit. In a systematic sequence, love precedes all the other fruits for God is love. Love is peaceful, love surfers long, love is kind, love is good, love requires faithfulness/ trustworthiness, love is gentle, love commands self-control. God is love, and there is no law against love.
PRAYER
We give thanks to You Holy Spirit, for You are good, and Your love endures forever. We give thanks to You God of gods; for Your love endures forever. We give thanks to You Lord of lords; for Your love endures forever. You alone does great wonders, Your love endures forever. By Your understanding You made the heavens, Your love endures forever. You spread out the earth upon the waters, Your love endures forever. You set the sun to govern the day, Your love endures forever. You created the moon and stars to govern the night, Your love endures forever. Fill us with Your fruit Holy Spirit and teach our hearts to love, for Your love endures forever. Fill us with Your love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, for Your love endures forever. May the joy of Your salvation fill our hearts, for Your love endures forever. Grant us Your mercy and grace always, for Your love endures forever. Fulfill our hearts desires and answer our prayers, for Your love endures forever. Thank You for showing us great love, Your love endures forever. Amen
1 John 4:7-11
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
INSIGHT
-The statement “you do not know God” is somehow limiting and at the same time defiles the whole essence of human life. Spirituality forms the better part of our existence; for without God we are nothing. We see from Biblical references, God reveals Himself and His Deity to us from the beginning and to the end. God has created us in His image and likeness and has called us to be like him through love, for He is love. Since we have been born of God and know Him, then we should love one another. He has also commissioned us to go all over the world to proclaim His gospel of truth and has given us power to exhibit love to the world since we are the perfect references of Christ-likeness. Jesus demonstrated pure love by sacrificing His own life for the propitiation for our sins and calls us to love, for love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). God also calls to share what we have with orphans and widows as a demonstration of love, and keep ourselves from being polluted by the world (James 1:27). Jesus died once and for all so that we may live forever with Him. This He did not because we are good but because His love for us endures forever. We are called to love one another because God loved us first, and we have been created in His nature and likeness, for God is love.
PRAYER
Everlasting Father we come before You today, thanking You for what You have done unto us throughout the week and the entire month. You have protected us, provided for us, healed our souls, sustained us and showered us with Your peace and grace. Thank You for directing our going out and coming in. Forgive us our sins and cover us with Your precious blood. Thank You for giving us grace to journey with You throughout the month. If it were not for You, we could not have made it this far, we thank You and glorify Your holy name. Thank You for loving us with Your everlasting kind of love. We do not deserve it but it is because of Your mercy and grace, all glory and praise belongs to You Jesus. Thank You for dying on the cross for our sins and resurrecting so that we may live forever with You. Thank You for reconciling us to the father and making us Your children. Thank You for the power of resurrection that You share with us through love, help us always live in victory over all sicknesses and challenges for You finished it all on the cross. We are more than conquerors for we are in You Jesus Christ and You in us. There is no condemnation in us for we are in You Jesus. We are free from all snares of the evil one because we are in You Jesus. Whoever You have made free is free indeed. We are free indeed and walk with the power of resurrection in us for You are in us Holy Spirit. Your nature is love Lord, grant us more grace to love. You are the Vine and we are Your branches Jesus, help us to accomplish our purposes here on earth according to Your will. You are our good Shepherd and Shield Jesus, take charge of our lives, families, nation and the entire world. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Luke 10:25-27
“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? ”So he answered and said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
INSIGHT
-Love is a law and laws are meant to be respected. In the Old Testament, there were six hundred and thirteen laws which were rooted from the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses on mount Sinai. In the New Testament Jesus redefined all these commandments into one, the law of love. Each one has been commanded to love God with all his heart, soul, and mind, and neighbour as himself (Matthew 5:19). This is the legal premise which the lawyer took to test Jesus in the parable of the good samaritan. Jesus used this parable to describe a neighbour. In the parable, a man journeyed from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attached by thieves. They stripped him off his clothes, beat him up and wounded him badly. A priest passed by; looked at the man but crossed to the other side and did not help him. A Levite did the same thing. But a good samaritan had compassion on the man, he nursed his wounds and took him to hospital where he got treatment and special care. The good samaritan demonstrated love for neighbour. He displayed the kind of love God requires us to practice, true and honest love for all, showing no partiality.
PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for this beautiful day that You have made, we rejoice and are glad in it. Thank You for Your mercy and grace upon our lives, we rejoice in You. Thank You Jesus for loving us and teaching us how to love, may Your love abide in us so that we may love You and our neighbors as ourselves. Give us hearts of compassion that we may love our neighbors like the good samaritan. Help us to love all our neighbors without showing partiality, because of color, race, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, age or social status. May Your love reach all the troubled people in the US due to discrimination and all other nations of the world. Be with all those who are sick and suffering and heal them, for by Your stripes we were healed. Remember all those people who have been infected with COVID-19 that You may restore their health and show them Your salvation. Jesus You rule over COVID-19 and over every storm, turbulence, and adverse situation that we are going through, take charge of our lives and make every crooked path straight. Hold back the tide of COVID-19 in this nation Lord and heal our land merciful Father for this nation belongs to You. We humble ourselves before You Lord, forgive us our sins and heal our land, merciful Father. Heal our economy Lord and deliver us from all forms of corruption. Grant all our leaders wisdom so that they may rule according to Your will. Only You are Lord, only You are our King, answer our hearts desires according to Your will. Thank You Lord for the good plans You for us and for our nation, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. Oh God of all creation; bless this our land and nation, justice be our shield and defender; may we dwell in unity, peace and liberty, plenty be found within our boarders. Amen
Ephesians 5:25-28
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.”
INSIGHT
-Just like it is the duty of wives to respect their husbands, husbands should love their wives. Husbands are called to demonstrate unfailing love for their wives just like Christ loved the church, even when there are conflicts in the home sometimes. The husband is the head of the wife, Christ is the head of the husband and God the Father is the head of Christ (1 Cor 11:3). Therefore, there is no love without God for God is love. Husbands are also the priests of the home and should teach the word of God to their families and present their wives holy and without blemish to God by the washing of the water by the word. Love transfigures those who love each other and their unity is strengthened. Such times as these when we have a lock down are interesting as the whole family is at home for the better part of the season. This is period when the family should be united more than ever through reading the word of God, praying together and bonding holding fast love which strengthens their relationships. Love inspires those who are together for God says that; it is pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity and He commands a blessings when there is love (Psalms 133:1-3).
PRAYER
Lord You are the same yesterday, today and forever. Your love is unfailing and mercy for us is unshakable. You are our Lord of lords and King of kings, all glory and praise belongs to You. There is no other God but You, there is no other Savior but You Jesus. Bless us Lord and increase us in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, intellect, strength, love and faith for You are the giver of all things. What You have put together no man can separate, uphold all marriages with Your hand of grace; we humbly ask You. Grant all husbands unfailing love for their wives and help all wives to respect their husbands. Remember with mercy all couples who are trusting You for children, jobs, finances, salvation and other needs that You may hear them and answer them. Unite all families with bonds that cannot be broken and cement them with Your precious blood. Bless all our children and protect them from any harm. Make a way dear Father for them to go back to school and prosper them in all their ways according to Your will. Some families are at the verge of breaking, uphold them by Your right hand Jesus and restore their union. Remember those who are divorced and separated that You may grant them their hearts desires Lord. Many are seeking You for marriage Father, grant us direction and favor for You have said in Your word that none shall lack a mate merciful Father. Further that, when a man finds a wife, he finds a good thing and obtains favor from You, grant us Your favor Lord. God bless us and keep us, make Your face shine upon us and be gracious to us; lift up Your countenance upon us and give us peace. Amen
Romans 8:35-39
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
INSIGHT
-Sometimes we undergo difficult times and wonder where God is or if He still loves us. God allowed the devil to tempt Job when he went through a very tough time. He lost his children, livestock and became sick. This was a test of faith but he persevered and the Lord delivered him, restored him and increased him. Trials make our faith stronger in Christ as we adhere to trust in the Lord. Although some people have lost hope especially during this time of COVID-19, have abandoned their gods and have come to know the one true God. Many have also drawn closer to God as they ask for protection, sustenance and His grace so that we may inheriting eternal life, incase the world comes to an end. Like the Lord allowed the plague to come upon Job, God might have allowed this pandemic to remind us that we should only look to Him in all situations. Despite the anxiety and fear that is all over the media, God is reminding us that those who wait on Him shall renew their strength, they shall soar up with wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint. God’s love for us never fails. Agape love is the foundation of love and nothing then can separate us from His love, neither tribulation nor distress, persecution nor famine, nakedness, peril nor sword. Through we are persecuted all day long for Christ’s sake like apostle Paul, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, but we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us in all these things. Therefore, neither death nor life, angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, therefore we should trust in Him despite the challenges that we are going through.
PRAYER
Your love for us endures forever Lord, thank You for loving us. You deserve all glory, honor, power, praise and salvation for You created all things and by Your will they exist and were created. Make every crooked path straight and make all our plans succeed Jesus we humbly ask You. We are more than conquerors in You Jesus, grant us the strength to overcome all adverse situations. Nothing can separate us from Your love Jehovah, we lift Your banner in all the nations of the world. Father You have promised in Your word that You will never leave us nor forsake us, increase our faith in You despite the challenging time of COVID-19. Heal our land and protect us from all all evil Lord. No evil fashioned against us shall prosper and no voice raised against us shall prevail for You are in us and with us Jesus. Bless the work of our hands Lord and prosper us in our businesses and jobs. Grant us abundant prosperity in the fruit of our womb, the young of our livestock and the crops of our ground in the land as You swore to our ancestors to give us Lord. Open the heavens, the storehouse of Your bounty, to send rain on our land in season and to bless all the work of our hands. We will lend to many nations but will borrow from none for this nation belongs to You. God make us the heads, not the tails and help us to diligently pay attention to the commands. Grant us the desire of our hearts and make all our plans succeed dear Jesus. May we always shout for joy over our victory and lift up our banners in Your name Lord. Grant us all our requests and give us victory for we believe in You. Some trust in chariots, others trust in horses, but we trust in Your name Lord. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
1 John 3:1-3
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
INSIGHT
-Jesus willingly went to be crucified on the cross like a sheep led to the slaughter because of the great love He had and still has for us. We have thus become children of God through faith in Him. If we are His children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:17). If we know believe in Him then we suffer with Him and the world does not know us for it did not know Him. As children of God, we have an inheritance; not just an earthly one but an eternal inheritance that we may live and be joint together with Christ as His heirs forever. God’s love for us endures to all generations and neither death nor life can separate us from His love. Even when we die, God will still love us as His children and we will live if we sleep in Him. When the Day of the Lord comes, we shall be caught up with Him and shall be transformed to become like Him, and we shall see Him as He is. God has given us this hope of eternal life that we may dwell in perfect peace in Him. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 we read that, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love is the greatest as it answers everything in the past, present and in the future through Christ’s death and resurrection, for the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever and He is love. He calls us to hold fast His promise of love in loving Him and one another, so that we may be pure just like He is pure.
PRAYER
Lord You are good and Your mercies endures forever. Jesus You are good and Your love for us endures to all generations. Holy Spirit You are good and Your faithfulness endures forever. Thank You Lord for loving us and dying on the cross for us and making us Your children. Thank You for the giving us hope that we will live with You forever. It is by Your grace that we believe in You and not by our works; that we may be called Your sons. Lead us Holy Spirit throughout this day and the remaining part of the year, for those who are led by You are Your sons. Fill us with Your wisdom and increase our faith in You as we dwell in hope of Your second coming. Be with all those who are lost and do not believe in You so that You may fill them with Your gift of salvation and You dwell in their hearts forever. Fill us with Your love Holy Spirit that we may love You and our neighbours as ourselves. We are Your children and Abraham’s seed give us our inheritance Father according to the promise; we humbly ask You. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the love of God; and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; be with us now and forever more. Amen
John 14:23-24
“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”
INSIGHT
-Hearing the word of God and exercising it attracts a blessing (Luke 11:28). How great a blessing it is for us to hear the word of God and apply it, for God in His Trinity comes and makes His home with us. What an honor to know that God dwells in us and with us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. This give us much hope and comfort to remain in Him and His word. God desires to fellowship with us always as our bodies are His temples. When His word then abides in us and we abide in Him, whatever we ask for will be given unto us, we will bear much fruit and the Father will be glorified (John 15:7-8). If we claim to know God, we are called to hear His word and do it, for those who do not hear Him; do not know Him (John 8:47). Since God is love, when He abides in us our heart beat only senses the frequency of love.
SUMMARY
God’s love for us is not based on our performance but on His mercy and grace. Jesus willingly chose to love us as He sacrificed His life on the cross for our sins. With this kind gesture He reconciled us to the Father and are now His children. If then we are children of God and joint heirs with Christ, then we enjoy both and earthly and eternal inheritance. On the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). We have thus obtained redemption through Christ’s death and resurrection, and we are free, because the Son has set us free indeed. We are victorious in all things because the Son won victory for us. We are also called to believe in Him and forgive one another as a sign of love. How can we say that we love God who we do not see but hate our brothers and sisters who we see? God calls us to forgive our enemies for there is not much reward in loving only those who love us. Sometimes we feel that some people hate us but when we know that God already approves of us, His joy should always be our strength. We are called to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute us, that we may become sons of God. It is a great honor to forgive those who offend us, for the Lord also forgives our trespasses too. In our relationships with others, we should remember that; love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy; it does not boast, it is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. God is love and He never fails. If God is love, those who trust in Him have an assurance of eternal life. Some times people may disappoint us, thus it is important to put all our trust in the Lord for His love will never fail. Agape love is the greatest kind of love. God loved us, died for our sins and resurrection so that we may also resurrect in Him for the risen hope and have eternal life through our faith in Him. The other main classifications of love are:- Storge which is love for family, Philia which means love between friends and Eros which is romantic love. Jesus summarized the law of Moses from six hundred and thirteen into ten laws and then shrunk it into one, the law of love. Love is a fulfillment of the law and prophets and thus the word of God can be summarized into one word, love, for God is love. Love does not harm neighbor, thus fulfills the law (Romans 13:10). The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love and when we love, we have joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. Love is the greatest between faith, hope and love, for it never fails. As Christians, children and disciples of Christ, we have sure hope in Christ for nothing can separate us from His love, neither death nor life, angels, principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing. God’s love for us endures forever.
PRAYER
You are the same yesterday, today and forever Lord, thank You for loving us with Your everlasting love. You change not Jesus, we put all our trust in You. Some trust in mortals, other trust in chariots, wealth, power and positions but we put all our trust is in You. There is no other God but You Jesus, we praise You and magnify Your holy name forever. Your promises are yes and Amen, all glory and honor belongs to You. You are faithful Lord and Your faithfulness is everlasting, thank You for dwelling in us and with us, and for giving us hope that You will never leave us nor forsake us even if we sleep. Thank You for loving us Jesus, we love You. Give us hearts of love that we have love You more and our neighbors as ourselves. Grant us more grace to love. Give us Your heart, give us Your love. We have been redeemed by Your blood Jesus and not with gold silver and precious metals. We declare Your redemption, mercy, blessings and grace upon our lives, families and entire nation. We have victory in You Jesus, may Your light shine on us and on all Your people. Bless our nation Lord and give wisdom to our leaders and people, so that they may hear Your voice and follow You. We belong to You Jesus heal all our physical, economic, psychological, financial, relational and social wounds; we humbly ask You. Lord You have promised to supply all our needs according to the riches of Your glory, Your promises are yes and Amen. You have prepared a table for us Your children and shall supply for all our needs, answer all our hearts desires Jesus. We declare an overflow in our marriages, families, businesses, jobs, education, purposes and economy; for everything belongs to You Jesus. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in Your house Lord forever. Amen