When you pray, don’t babble on as people of other religions do (Matthew 6:7; NLT).
If only you would listen to his voice today! (Psalm 95:7; NLT).
Lord,
Forgive us
When we pray
Without listening
For your voice.
Please help us
To wait for you
In patient
Silence.
Wait patiently for the Lord (Psalm 27:14; NIV).
Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).
Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (Job 2:10; NIV).
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God ‘s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (Hebrews 10:36; NLT).
Lord,
Because of my ill-heath
And getting old,
I can no longer do
So many of the things
I used to love.
Please help me
To be patient
And accepting,
Making the best I can
Of life each day,
Within my limitations.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).
Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying (Romans 12.12; NLT).
Lord,
Please help me
To be patient
When I’m depressed
Or anxious;
Lonely,
Or grieving;
Tired,
Or weak;
Sick,
Or suffering
In any way
At all.
I ask this through
Your own dear name:
Amen.
Patient endurance is what you need now (Hebrews 10:36; NLT).
The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-3; NLT).
For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord (James 5:10; NLT).
Lord Jesus,
Whatever we must face today,
Please help us to face it
The very best we can,
Enduring all things patiently –
Like you.
Lord Jesus,
Whatever we must do today,
Please help us to endure it
The very best we can,
Enduring all things patiently –
With you.
The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-3; NLT).
References
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love (Ephesians 4:2; NLT).
Be patient with difficult people (2 Timothy 2:24; NLT).
Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying (Romans 12:12; NLT).
Better to be patient than powerful (Proverbs 16:32; NLT).
Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
When I lose my peace,
May I find yours, Lord;
And when I lose my way,
May I find yours.
When I lose my strength,
May I find yours, Lord;
And when I lose my truth,
May I find yours.
When I lose my hope,
May I find yours, Lord;
And when I lose my light,
May I find yours.
When I lose my faith,
May I find yours, Lord;
And when I lose my life,
May I find yours.
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it (Matthew 10:39; NLT).
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; NLT).
What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation (Galatians 6:15; NLT).
Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law (Romans 13:10; NLT).
Introduction
Recently my website, my writing, and my faith were viciously attacked by a man who presented himself as a Christian theologian.
Since then, I have thought a great deal about what being a Christian is all about. This has meant reflecting on what it means to follow Jesus by living according to his teaching and example.
Today’s blog brings together everything I have learned so far.
The heart of the gospel
I believe Jesus came to teach us that the heart of the gospel is love. Here is a summary of his teaching about love:
– Despite our lack of faith, and our appalling behaviour towards others, God loves us all unfailingly (Psalm 117:2; NLT).
– God longs to be gracious to us, but must wait for us to make our own free choice about committing to the Christian way of life (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
– Our lives change for the better when we love God, and love others as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31; NLT).
Let’s look at this teaching in greater detail, using a parable to help us.
Jesus and the expert in religious law
One day an expert in Jewish religious law tested Jesus by asking him perhaps the most significant question ever raised: Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:25; NLT).
Jesus replied that the way to inherit eternal life is to: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:29-30; NLT).
He then explained that it is equally important to: Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31; NLT).
Finally, he stated: No other commandment is greater than these (Mark 12:31; NLT).
Having listened to Jesus’ answer, the religious expert felt the need to justify both himself and his own way of life, so he asked a further, absolutely crucial question: Who is my neighbour? (Luke 10:29; NLT).
Christ replied by telling him the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this story, a religious priest and a Temple assistant pass by without helping a fellow-citizen, who has been brutally attacked by thieves. The only person who approaches and takes care of the injured man is a Samaritan. People from Samaria were despised by Jews. At the end of the story, even the religious expert has to admit that the Samaritan, alone, was a neighbour to the stranger left half-dead by the roadside (Luke 10:30-37; NLT).
Who is my neighbour?
In the light of this parable, when we, too, ask Who is my neighbour? it’s easy to see that our neighbours include:
– Everyone we live near, know, speak to, or recognise in our local area
– All those, both near and far, with whom we have any kind of contact
– All strangers
– All foreigners
– People we hear about from others
– Everyone we read about in the news, hear about on the radio, see on television, or come across online, and in social media
– Everyone we disagree with
– Everyone we consider to be our enemy
– All humanity throughout the world
How does the gospel ask to relate to others?
Our task is to respond to God’s love by loving and serving God, Jesus, and their Holy Spirit in everyone: Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me… Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me (Matthew 25:40,45; NLT).
Why is love so important?
No matter what else we do in life, if we do not love God and other people our lives can have no eternal value or purpose. As St.Paul says: If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3; NLT).
What is love?
Christ’s words, behaviour, life and death show us the answer to this question, whilst St. Paul spells it out in words. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:4-7; NLT).
His conclusion is that: Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13; NLT).
An impossible task?
Paul’s description of generous, self-giving love may sound like an impossible task. However, God’s Holy Sprit, who lives within us all, constantly longs to help: The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
So all we need to do is to ask the Spirit to help us change and grow. The fruit of our developing oneness with God, Christ, and their Holy Spirit will then gradually be seen in our thoughts, words, behaviour and actions: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22; NLT). As these qualities grow within us, loving others becomes habitual, natural, genuine and spontaneous. This is a deeply joyful way of life, even amidst our own trials and sorrows.
Following Jesus
The first step on this journey of personal spiritual growth is believing that Christ has been sent by God. Remarkably, this is the only work God wants from us (John 6:29; NLT).
Wherever he went, Jesus made his message absolutely simple and direct: If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Luke 9:23-4; NLT).
So, once we put our trust in Jesus, we follow him by loving him in others, no matter what circumstances we ourselves must face. As Christ said after washing his disciples’ feet at the Lat Supper: I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you (John 13:15; CSB).
Jesus always practiced what he preached, even praying for those who crucified him, then saving the repentant sufferer on the cross next to his (Luke 23:34,43; NLT). Indeed, Christ loved others so radically that it was his revolutionary faith in the centrality of love which ultimately cost him his life. As he himself said: There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13; NLT).
Conclusion
Jesus made it abundantly clear that it’s not what we say we believe, or what we teach others to believe that counts – it’s how we love God, and how we love others.
The heart of the gospel is that God loves us all, and that we can find complete fulfilment through loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and in loving others as ourselves, just as Christ did. By doing this, we become one with God forever. This is salvation, and there can be no better Good News than this!
References
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
The most important commandment is this: “Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” The second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” No other commandment is greater than these (Mark 12:29-31; NLT).
There is…one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
Your immortal spirit is in every one of them (Wisdom of Solomon 12:1; GNTA).
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).
Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).
Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).
Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).
Love cares more for others than for self (1 Corinthians 13:3-7; TM).
Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29; NLT).
Why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ When you don’t do what I say? (Luke 6:46; NLT).
The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden (Matthew 23:2-4; NLT)
The LORD is good to those who depend on him (Lamentations 3:25; NLT).
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).
In joy and worship,
Sin and failure –
Lift your hands,
And let the Spirit
Pray on your behalf.
In thanks and rapture,
Pain and sickness –
Lift your mind,
And let the Spirit
Pray on your behalf.
In love and homage,
Fear and anguish –
Lift your heart,
And let the Spirit
Pray on your behalf.
In life and death,
Whatever happens –
Lift your soul,
And let the Spirit
Pray on your behalf.
The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:27-8; AMP).
References
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19; NIV).
Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the LORD (Psalm 134:2; NLT).
Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary (Psalm 28:2; NLT).
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5; NLT).
A prayer for the spiritual awakening of all minds, hearts and souls.
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12; NKJV).
Why is the voice of love
So still?
Why is the voice of peace
So small?
Why is the voice of truth
So weak?
Where is the light
Our souls should seek?
Where is the faith
Christ came to bring?
When will we turn to God,
And cling?
Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 23:8; NLT).
References
God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).
The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12; NLT).
By grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).
You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him (Deuteronomy 10:20; NLT).
Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).
The seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest (Luke 8:15; NLT).
To acquire wisdom is to love oneself (Proverbs 19:8; NLT).
We can’t love other people
When we hate to be alone.
We can’t give hope to others
When we have none of our own.
We can’t guide other people
When we do not know the way,
Nor help them find their heaven
When we live in hell each day.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future (Jeremiah 17:6; NLT).
References
Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).
Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless (Psalm 107:4; NLT).
God blesses those who…realise their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs (Matthew 5:3; NLT).
If I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there (Psalm 139:8; NLT).
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD (Psalm 36:6; NLT).
God is an ocean of love,
And of peace, and of truth.
God is an ocean of joy,
And of loss, and of pain.
God is an ocean of grief,
And of tears, and of night.
God is an ocean of birth,
And of death, and of light.
All your waves and breakers have swept over me (Psalm 42:7; NIV).
God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).
References
They will pass safely through the sea of distress (Zechariah 10:11; NLT).
His voice thundered like mighty ocean waves (Revelation 1:15; NLT).