1 John 3:7-24

 1 John 3:7–24

Graphical user interface, application Description automatically generatedEnglish Standard Version

7 Little children, olet no one deceive you. pWhoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 qWhoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was rto destroy the works of the devil. 9 sNo one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s2 seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, tnor is the one who udoes not love his brother.

God---turn me away from sin.  Clean up my heart and let me love others well.   

Love One Another

11 For vthis is the message that you have heard from the beginning, wthat we should love one another. 12 We should not be like xCain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? yBecause his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers,3 zthat the world hates you. 14 We know that awe have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.

 

God, You passed from life into death out of love for us.  But death could not hold You.  You offer me the chance to pass out of death into life---out of love for You.  And out of love for You---You give a love for others.  Again, I pray---clean up my heart so that it functions in a way that is pleasing to You.  

 

 Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 bEveryone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that cno murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 

16 By this we know love, that dhe laid down his life for us, and ewe ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But fif anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet gcloses his heart against him, hhow does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not ilove in word or talk but in deed and jin truth.

 

God, please teach me to love in deed and in truth.  Let me practice righteousness by obeying Your word.  

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, kif our heart does not condemn us, lwe have confidence before God; 22 and mwhatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and ndo what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, othat we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and plove one another, qjust as he has commanded us. 24 rWhoever keeps his commandments abides in God,4 and God5 in him. And sby this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

 

God, my heart condemns me often.  What do You mean when You say that You are greater than our heart?  You are greater than the voices of condemnation and guilt?  God, I lean into You and Your sacrificial love. Create in me an obedient heart---let me keep Your commandments---let me abide in You---and You in me.  Give me a Spirit that is pleasing to You.  

 

Anything I have prayed for myself---I pray for everyone.  

God—You know the ones that are laid on my heart.  I pray healing and comfort over those people.  I pray for Your presence to be a tangible reminder of Your great love.  I know that for every person laid on my heart---there are a million others laid on Yours.  

 

Thank You for all that You are, all that You’ve done, and all that You will do.

 

In Jesus’ name I pray.

 

Amen.

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