I am enjoying the privilege of studying the Bible through FaceTime with my son, Jon and his girlfriend, Autumn, who are both stationed in South Korea. As we were studying the attributes and nature of God, we decided we each needed to work harder to retrain our minds about who God really is so we could habitually think about Him according to who His Word says He is instead of who WE think He is. The fact is, the world system; and indeed, even many Christians—do not get God right.
Stop right now and think: What is your most predominant thought about who God is?
Is He predominately a judge?
Is He predominately perfect?
Is He predominately wrathful?
Would it surprise you to learn that none of these describe the predominant nature of God?
According to the Bible, “God is LOVE.“
(I John 4:8b)
But to work this truth deeply into our heart and mind, most of us must erase our wrong thoughts about who God is and replace them with the truth about Him. We do this by renewing our mind in the truth. (This Powerful Tool Will Change Your Brain DNA)
God gave me the following example to help me understand the importance of this process. A couple weeks ago I was on a flight to the Outer Banks of North Carolina when I met a lady on the plane and began to tell her the wonderful things I love about my children. As I spoke my voice was animated and I could feel myself smiling. It gave me great joy to talk about my children. By talking about them, I was reinforcing what I think about them and the reasons I love them. Do you see how this works? Speaking the truth about God, brings us joy and a sense of being loved and reinforces that healthy thinking. It is even more so with speaking God’s Word about Him. Therefore…
…the more we talk ABOUT God, and talk WITH God according to the TRUTH in His Word, the more we AFFIRM our relationship with Him which—is the only relationship that will give us pure love, joy, peace and wisdom. We are thinking about God the way we should!
As Jon and Autumn and I discussed what this looks like, we decided to begin bringing our view of God in line with His Word by praying out loud from 1 Corinthians 13, which is the “love chapter.” We also decided to look up some other verses to expand our conversation with God. We would each put together a framework for praying God’s Word which would allow us to freestyle our own prayers based upon our situation. This prayer can be in the middle of a regular prayer time or, it can be a prayer at any time you feel the need to press deeper into God’s love. This is so powerful!
The prayer is organized as first a verse summary (not a direct quote, but spoken first person to God) written in bold, followed by my abbreviated freestyle personal prayer. The freestyle does not include all I prayed with each except because it was hard to write while I prayed. As I asked the Spirit to guide my prayers, He expanded on the thought. (Just like having a conversation with someone who understands the topic so the dialogue can bounce back and forth). The scriptures used are from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Zephaniah 3:17; and Romans 5:8, 8:37-39. There are so many verses that speak strongly of God’s love to us!
A Prayer To Enlighten Us To God’s Love
“Oh, Lord, Your love has always been so long-suffering towards me.” Even all the years I wandered from You…You were STILL faithful to woo me back. Thank-you for Your patience. Even when I spent years playing with sin in the camp of the enemy—Your heart LONGED for me. Thank-you for Your love. Even when I fought against You, blamed You, and rejected You…Your arms were out stretched to me still. Oh God, thank-you for Your everlasting mercy!
“Lord, Your love bears all things.” Oh, my God, how You have borne the pain of all my trouble and never complained that it was “too much.” When the pain was too much for me, You bore it alone. You never left me. Lord, You took my pain on your own heart and replaced it with Your love. Your love flows through me, healing my hurt. Your heart is my first place of refuge. Your arms are the place where I know—I’m Never Alone.
“Oh Lord, Your love believes in me, gives me hope, and allows me to endure all things.” Lord, I’m so thankful that You have believed in me more than I have believed in myself! You see YOUR IMAGE—in me. Help me to see me—how YOU see me so—I believe in me the way YOU do! Oh Lord, make known within my heart the blessed hope of Your kingdom-promises! Make your promises burst forth in living color and keep them before my eyes throughout the day. Oh Lord, Your love is my greatest hope! I know with YOUR LOVE I can have victory in all circumstances. Surround me with Your love. Fill me to overflowing with a sense of Your loving presence and give me a love that hopes all good things for those around me.
“Oh Lord, Your Love never fails, and it constantly quiets my soul!” Lord, how faithful Your love has been throughout the years. You have loved me at my worst. You have loved me when I hated You. Teach me to love You, as You have loved me; for in YOU, my soul is quieted and finds peace. Your love quenches the great thirst of my soul. Thank you for the blessing of the peace of Your presence. Your generous love is my precious possession.
“Oh Lord, 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 EVER separate me from YOUR LOVE which is in Christ Jesus!”
Romans 8:37-39
Thank-you, Heavenly Father!
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