Update to Prayer Request and New Request: Yesterday I asked you to pray for Isabella’s mother in Guadeloupe, her brother in Dominica, and for all those in the path of Hurricane Maria. The night before last, while we were on the phone with my mother-in-love after midnight, our 4 yr. old son, Ethan, asked to pray for his grandmother. We put the phone on speaker and we all released our faith with Ethan as his prayed for the protection of his grandmother. He prayed for the storm to go back into the sea, for it not to hurt his grandmother, and for her to be safe. He actually prayed for a few minutes. When he closed the prayer with, “In Jesus’ name!”, we all agreed with it and we thanked God for his faith. God hears little children, especially those with childlike faith. God used Ethan one time to heal someone at his daycare. Yesterday morning, after Today’s Word, we got to talk to Isabella’s mother. She was safe. She said that when things got rough that night, she kept remembering Ethan’s prayer. When she went outside she saw devastation all around her building, but hers was intact. She thanked God for His protection and we did the same.
I want to highlight two things from this. First, is that we have a responsibility to pray. Don’t just take everything that happens, good or bad, as the will of God. Everything is not God’s will and we must pray for His will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Second, children are always listening. Many of the things Ethan prayed for were things Isabella and I had talked about. Keep your conversation filled with faith and your children will have words of faith in their hearts.
As of last night, we have still not heard from Isabella’s brother in Dominica, or any of her family members there. The island was hit hard. They don’t have power of communications yet. We are believing God to hear from them today. I ask you to continue to pray for those impacted already and for those still in the path. Hurricane Maria is scheduled to make landfall on Puerto Rico this morning. Further, let’s pray for those in Mexico, who were impacted by an earthquake yesterday. Over 200 people are already reported to have lost their lives. This is a time for us, as believers, to pray!
Allow me to transition into the Word. I will make Today’s message brief.
Today we continue our series, “As Jesus Is”, under the banner of the overall series for the year, “Supernatural Manifestation.” We have been looking at 1 John 4:16,17 for a couple of months now. I have been adding other passages to it. We have been looking at John 17, to go along with it, for two weeks. Let’s go back to both passages again this morning.
The Apostle John said:
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(1 John 4:16, 17 KJV)
The True Lord’s Prayer (John 17:20-23)
“I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.”
I will, once again, focus in on the words: “Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- In the middle of hurricanes and earthquakes, some people, even Christian leaders, will say that God is punishing countries, people or the earth in general. This is not God. We live in a fallen planet. Bad things happen here. Bad things even happen to good people. This is why we must pray and get God involved in our situations. Don’t blame God. Look to God for help in the time of trouble.
- God is not out to get you. Listen, God is God. If He was out to get you, you would be have “got” a long time ago. God loves you and He is out to bless you, not hurt you.
- Our text says that God loves us NO LESS than He loved Jesus. Yes, that means God loves you NO LESS than He loves His own Son.
- God loves you with an everlasting love. You did nothing to cause God to start loving you and nothing you do will make Him stop.
- In a time of trouble, we must all be reminded of God’s love. It’s when God’s love is made perfect in our hearts that we can see ourselves AS JESUS IS, in this world.
- The Bible teaches us that perfect love casts out all fear. There is no fear in love. Right now, with everything going on in the world (hurricanes, earthquakes, missile launches, and etc.), the devil is doing all he can to get people to live in fear. This is the time for us to remind people of God’s love. When God’s love fills your heart, you will not fear.
I will stop here for today.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. You love me with an everlasting love. You love me NO LESS than You love Your own Son, my Savior, Jesus the Christ. You see me no different than You see Him. As Jesus is, so am I, in this world! You sent Him into the world to show people what LOVE looks like. You now send me into the world to do the same. Today people will HEAR love, SEE love, and FEEL love, through me! Because I am ONE with You and You are ONE with me, and You ARE LOVE! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
