Matthew 5:44-46 NKJV
“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?”
INSIGHT
–Jesus teaches on the theme of love which does not only point to our family, friends, and allies but also our enemies which makes a definite distinction point to son of God. Jesus teaches that to be true children of God, believers must reflect His radical, unconditional love even toward enemies. This separates kingdom living from worldly living because divine love goes beyond fairness into grace.
PRAYER
Dear Lord You are Good and Your love endures forever. Your glory endures forever; we rejoice in You and Your works. Thank You for allowing us the grace to love each other as You love us. We love because You first loved us, we thank You. Teach us to love our enemies and care for the disadvantaged. Thank You for choosing us and entrusting us to become Your children. We honor You and lift Your name high. May You make us succeed this week and beyond. We pray for Your divine favor and grace to do exploits in every area of influence. May You open every closed door and renew our strength. We pray for all the war-torn nations including Israel, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, Congo and all the others that You may grant them peace. We honor You Lord and lift Your name high, and it is in Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen
Further reading: 1 John 4:19
Ephesians 1:4-5 NKJV
“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”
INSIGHT
-Our Father who chose us in Christ Jesus is the same Father who has blessed us in Christ Jesus. His plan is to adopt believers into His family through Jesus Christ. The context of these scriptures remind us of the Roman culture, where adoption granted a child all the legal rights of a natural-born son, abolishing past obligations. Therefore, God calls us His sons or children and requires that we present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2).
PRAYER
We thank You Abba Father for making us worthy to be called Your sons. We give You glory and adoration for Your love and grace. Even when we were still sinners dear Lord Jesus Christ You died for us. Dear Lord You knew us before we were formed in our mothers wombs and called us serve You in various capacities according to Your purpose and will. May You help us to be dedicated to You and to present our bodies as pleasing sacrifices holy and acceptable to You. May You forgive us all our sins, iniquities, transgressions and wash us with Your precious blood. May You deliver us and our generations from every evil and grant us Your true salvation. May You be with all our school going children and protect them from all snares of the evil one. We honor You Lord and give You praise, and it is in Jesus name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Jeremiah 1:4-5
1 John 5:1-5 NKJV
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
INSIGHT
–Son’s of God are called to express their love for God by obeying His commands, which are not a burden but the natural expression of their new spiritual life. This is made possible by the grace of God given to salvation by believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. John 1:12 reminds us that once we believe in Jesus, He gives us the right to become children of God.
PRAYER
We praise You dear Lord Jesus for You are Good and Your mercies endures forever. We exalt You for Your mighty acts and declare all Your praises. Lord You say in Your word that blessed are those who keep justice and exhibit righteousness at all times, may You grant us Your grace dear Lord Jesus to do good always and follow Your statutes. May Your favor surround us on every side that we may rejoice in Your salvation, the gladness of our nation and glory with Your inheritance. Please forgive us dear Lord Jesus our sins, sins of our fathers, families and the world, for we have committed iniquity and done wickedly, may You cleanse us with Your precious blood. May You remove any accusation against us and do a new thing in our lives. May You reflesh us with Your anointing precious Holy Spirit and enable us to walk in step with You now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: John 3:16, Psalms 106:1-6
Ephesians 2:5-7 NKJV
“even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
INSIGHT
–Apostle Paul describes spiritual death and alienation to God, being powerless to save ourselves from the bondage of sin causing death, which is empowered by the grace of God. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, believers are raised spiritually into Christ and we are seated with Him in heavenly places. We therefore share a strong union and bond with Christ through His life that becomes our life. We then share in His resurrection and victory in the present and in the future, for we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
PRAYER
We thank You Abba Father for You have loved us. Even when we were far away from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, but now You have brought us near by Your precious blood dear Lord Jesus Christ. How Great are You Lord in all the heavens and the earth. Lord You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We will not fear, even though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled and the mountains shake with its swelling, we shall not be moved. Dear Lord Jesus You have called us not in fear but in love, for You are with us. We shall not be dismayed, for You are our God. May You strengthen us and help us, uphold us with Your righteous right hand that we are more than conquerors in You Christ Jesus. We are victorious in all things and will not be put to shame in any way for by Your power we are powerful, and when we are weak then we are strong for we are with You and in You. We praise You and honor You Lord, and it is in Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 12:2
Luke 9:35 NKJV
“And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
INSIGHT
–During the Transfiguration God the Father declared Jesus’ divine identity, echoing the baptismal pronouncement and at the same time emphasizing His divine nature and commanding the disciples to listen to Him. This instruction directs believers to heed Jesus’ teachings above all others, including Moses and Elijah, who were also present during the transfiguration. The command underscores that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God, requiring an obedient response from His followers.
SUMMARY
In Hebrew the word son is ben and huios in Greek which is broadly applied for male offspring, descendants, adopted sons, person of authority and members of a group. The theme on son explores divine authority, human relationship with God, faith, adoption, and transformation into God’s likeness. Son’s of God are born of Christ through loving God and keeping His commandments and by believing in Jesus Christ. We then have victory and overcome the world by believing in God (1 John 5:1-5). Son’s of God are called to love one another not just those who reciprocate their love but also our enemies (Matthew 5:44-46). Son’s of God are also called to be holy and without blamish before God in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:4-5). As son’s of God we were dead in trespasses and God made us alive together with Him by His grace, He saved us and raised us up together and we are sitted together with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-7). If we then are seated with Christ in high places, then we are operating by His grace and His power released through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If we declare that nothing is impossible with God, then we should not be afraid for nothing will be impossible for us if we believe in Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Dear Abba Father thank You for loving us and giving us Your Beloved Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Thank You loving Jesus for offering Your life for our own lives. Thank You for purchasing us at a price, we belong to You. May You help us to live lives worthy and pleasing to You and may You radiate Your glory upon us. May You forgive us every sin and iniquity and cleanse us with Your precious blood. We love our neighbours as ourselves, may You anoint us afresh with Your fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control, that our commitment will increase. Teach us precious Holy Spirit to wait on You and trust in You fully and unreservedly. May You grant us and all people Your gift of eternal life dear Jesus, that we may resurrect in the Day of You Lord. Dear Lord Jesus may You do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask of or think of according to the power that is at work in us. Lord we trust in You and exalt You. We believe that You are able to do more than we can think of or imagine. We believe that we shall be extremely fruitful since we abide in You and You in us. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in Your house forever. May You bless us and keep us loving Father, may You shine Your face upon us and be gracious to us. May You lift up Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 3:13-17