MARCH 13 - FOLLOWING THE LORD FULLY
READ Matthew 7
Jesus teaches His followers concerning the need to follow the Lord fully in everything.
INSIGHT
Love is the basis of all that God asks of us. Jesus says, “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). This teaching goes hand in hand with what Jesus urges later in Luke 10:27, that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. We want to be appreciated, loved, treated with dignity, and esteemed. This, then, is the way we ought to treat others. The double benefit is that when we treat others that way, they begin to treat us the same, and our relationships are characterized by depth and meaning.
PRAYER
Praise the Lord because He has treated us with love and dignity:
Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
for I take refuge in you.
I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings
until danger passes.
I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
God, be exalted above the heavens;
let your glory be over the whole earth
(Psalm 57:1, 9-11).
As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle
from my groaning all day long.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not conceal my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin (Psalm 32:3, 5).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The wages of sin is death, but Your gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Based on Romans 6:23).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Finally, offer this closing prayer:
Save your people, bless your possession,
Shepherd them, and carry them forever
(Psalm 28:9).
Jesus teaches His followers concerning the need to follow the Lord fully in everything.
INSIGHT
Love is the basis of all that God asks of us. Jesus says, “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). This teaching goes hand in hand with what Jesus urges later in Luke 10:27, that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. We want to be appreciated, loved, treated with dignity, and esteemed. This, then, is the way we ought to treat others. The double benefit is that when we treat others that way, they begin to treat us the same, and our relationships are characterized by depth and meaning.
PRAYER
Praise the Lord because He has treated us with love and dignity:
Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
for I take refuge in you.
I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings
until danger passes.
I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
God, be exalted above the heavens;
let your glory be over the whole earth
(Psalm 57:1, 9-11).
As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle
from my groaning all day long.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not conceal my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin (Psalm 32:3, 5).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The wages of sin is death, but Your gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Based on Romans 6:23).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
- Greater faithfulness with your talents
- Opportunities to serve the Lord
- Your activities for the day
Finally, offer this closing prayer:
Save your people, bless your possession,
Shepherd them, and carry them forever
(Psalm 28:9).