What Do You Know?

An active prayer life is one of the most stabilizing forces in a person's life. Your prayer life could either be one of boring custom, a cry out of necessity, or a daily walk in the love of God. Let's take a look at some scriptures and see if we can enhance our life with Him.

1. Know that He loves you. 1 John 4:16-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. Here we have the testimony of John the Beloved. He walked with Jesus for three years before His death and resurrection. More than seeing all the miracles that Jesus did, he saw somebody that was rooted and grounded in love (Eph 3:17). He witnessed, first hand, the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (Eph 3:18) of the love that God has for His people. Love that was fervent and constant regardless of their past, their color, or their status in this life. John knew the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge(Eph 3:19). John saw Jesus' compassion for all of humanity not just on the Sabbath, but every waking moment of Jesus's life. He saw love that just would not quit. Even when Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus. John saw that His love for Peter was just as fervent as if Peter had never sinned. By the way, that is the definition of being justified. Just-as-if-I'd never sinned. Think about for a minute. You'll get it.
When the love of God went from hearing about it, seeing it in action to that way down deep, never-to-be forgotten "Boy, I know, that I know, that I know this is real," something happened to John. He began to be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph 3:19). God began to show up in John's life like never before. God began to increase inside John and began to overflow into John's world. John began to reach the lost, heal the sick and perform miracles. All because he was now filled with the love of God and therefore filled with all the fulness of God.
Take a stroll through Matthew the seventh chapter and hear it from Jesus' himself. Now, remember, Jesus always practiced what He preached. Matthew 7:1 & 2 talks about not judging others. Why? Because, with the same measuring cup we dish out judgement, God will see to it that it is measured back to us. That right there makes me want to wash out my own personal measuring cup and dip in to God's love and pour it out to others. Did Jesus judge those who beat Him and crucified Him? Of course, not. Luke 23:34-The said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Just like the words of one of my favorite gospel songs, "He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs." Then in Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus talks about cleaning up our own act before we start criticizing the smaller faults of others.
Too often, preachers think that these first verses are little pieces of sermon material, buth they are not. They are only instructions in attitude the He desires us to follow so He can bless us more than we ever thought. In Matthew 7:6-8, Jesus states that after we get our act together we can ask, seek and knock so that we can receive, find and have things opened to us. Matthew 7:9 & 10 puts a mirror in front of us as Jesus tells us to examine our relationships with our children. He brings up the subject of a deep-seated, ever abiding love. A love that looks beyond the petty annoyances and remembers with pride and loud praises the little heart drawn on a piece of paper and the scribbled words, "I love Mommy" or "I love Daddy." With pride, these precious articles either go on the refrigerator or to our office for the whole world to see. We don't talk about the sins of our children, we brag on their love and affection for us. Jesus holds the mirror of our actions up to us by saying that if they ask us for the things they need none of us would ever even entertain the thought of giving them things that would harm them. Too often, we allow satan to tell us that God is treating us mean because He wants us to grow up. Can we look in this mirror and see our love for our children? Jesus showed the mirror to us so we can see the Father's unrelenting love for us. This is what we are supposed to meditate on and not on how weird God can be to let evil come to us.
Matt 7:11-If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, HOW MUCH MORE shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him? Folks, we should daily hold up the mirror of our love actions for our children as a small glimpse of the vast love the Father has for us. Then we should pray and expect answers accordingly. When I think of how much I love my children and my grandchildren, I am brought to tears when I think of how much the Father must love me. Then the words, HOW MUCH MORE begin shouting to me and encouraging me to revitalize my prayer life. I no longer want to judge people or criticize the smallest error they make. Instead, I want to spend my time reading and meditating on all the miracles that are recorded in the Gospels. I look at the lives of the people Jesus had mercy on and not judgement. I am encouraged to believe stronger all the promises that God has given by (1 John 4:16) knowing and believing the love that God has for me. Good Christian, let's pray on with renewed hope in the steadfast Love of God.