PRAYER FOR TODAY FRIDAY 30TH JUNE 2023 – A PRAYER TO SEE LOVE THE WAY GOD DOES

DAILY PRAYER AND SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY.

Engage these Daily Prayer and Scriptures for today. Take to God all that you desire in prayers, while you watch restfully as he steps into situations to bring out beauty and colour in your live. Today, as you commune with God, know that God has settled all that concerns you, Just believe and pray with faith in your heart. Remain blessed in Jesus name, Amen.

Today’s Prayer is Authored by: Alicia Searl

Prayer Focus For Today 30th June 2023:A Prayer to See Love the Way God Does

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1

Corinthians 13:4-7
Love makes the world go round. 
All you need is love. Make love, not war. 
Love is love. 

All these quotes have something in common. They were used when people desperately needed peace, unity, and love. Grabbing at a sense of belonging and ultimately craving love. But these sayings are “man” made. They were created to define love, but they all miss a crucial element. There is no mention of God in any of them! Not saying that God cannot be in them, but He is not the main focus. Ok, my friend, this is where things get a little messy. Bear with me for a moment. 

On the surface, speaking these simply sweet “love phrases” sounds nice enough, but what’s not discussed much is that something is lurking underneath (as with anything created by man). It’s called the tainting of our flesh. In essence, these quotes, sayings, and phrases are all very misleading. While they long to embrace love, they look at the worldly view of love, not the perspective of love that God designed.

Let’s take the current trend of “love is love.” This basically says that we define love. We get to say what love is and how we want to honor and celebrate it. Not God, but us! Unfortunately, this is leading us into very dangerous territory, especially as the views of love vary from person to person. When we remove God (Who is love) from the context of love and let our own fleshly desires in, love is no longer patient or kind. It begins to envy and boast. It dishonors others and becomes self-seeking. It is easily angered and keeps records of “right” and wrongs, all while delighting in evil. There is no need for protection as it deems untrustworthy and hopeless. 

 
Manmade love will always fail. This is happening in our society, and we are seeing an uptick in accepting and celebrating types of love that go against God’s will and way for our lives. Sadly, the most vulnerable and innocent, our children, are caught in this sinful and lustful love trap. Friend, we are living in disheartening times. So, what do we do? We choose God’s love, and we love as Jesus did. We love with patience, kindness, and humility.

However, we do not tolerate or delight in evil but rejoice in the truth and share it with our children. We strive to protect them and speak up for righteousness while holding fast to the fact that God has them and us. We need to spread the truth that our God is the God of love. He created it. He designed it, and He gets to define it. The pure nature of the love God created is meant to bring us closer together as humans, but more importantly, to bring us into a deeper relationship with Him.

PRAYER FOR TODAY.

Gracious God,
You are such a good God. A faithful Father that loves us without end. Thank You for Your unfailing and unwavering love. Please help us share that love with others. While it is disheartening to see the many ways our world embraces love, as believers, help us be a light and share the beautiful and unconditional love You offer.  

 
Lord, please protect our children and build a barrier of protection around their hearts. Help them see and feel Your love so that they will be encouraged to share Your love with others as they grow up in a lost world. We ask that You speak into the lives of the lost. Change hearts and transform minds. We are all searching for love, so lead and guide us on how to share our hearts and love others as You would have us do. Please bless our relationships with our fellow brothers and sisters, our families, our spouses, and those desperately searching for Your love. We ask all these things in Your Precious Name. Amen.

This Is the Assurance of Answers to Your Prayers – Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN GIVE GOOD THINGS TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM!