WEEK 8
This week, each day, we will seek one of the blessings of being Fathered by God as He covers us with the royal robe of the righteousness of Christ.
DAY 1
Warmth: Think of a moment or a memory in which physical warmth had an emotional effect on you. Describe the moment and how you felt.
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Read Gen. 3:21
God fathered the naked and cold Adam and Eve by covering them with the skin of an animal. Just like the Gospel, something had to die so they could live. If you know Christ, you have been covered with the righteous clothing of Christ. Pray these Gospel realities:
- I am covered with the warmth of righteousness from the cold of condemnation.
- I am spiritually safe from evil’s ultimate victory and in the never changing love and acceptance of the Father.
- The Father nurtures my spiritual shivering with the righteousness of Christ.
DAY 2
Hiding: Read Psalm 32. Notice the joy of being forgiven from sins and the hiding place that God is in times of trouble. The robe covers us with righteousness, so we don’t have to live in one of the two human options: (1) drown in the shame of our sin and struggle; (2) justify or try to cover our sin and struggle. Instead, we know we will be welcomed by God in our time of sin and struggle and run to His presence crying, “Abba, Father!”
Cry out to the Father as your hiding place. Name the sin or struggles you are battling right now and find safety in His presence and the royal robe of Christ’s righteousness.
DAY 3
Value: The desire for worth is as foundational and core to human beings as breathing. The problem is that when our worth is left to our performance we only end up with two options: (1) To inflate our ego with pride over some quality or accomplishment, (2) To drown in the shame over every failure. But the royal robe of Christ’s righteousness gives us value as we wear the clothes of an heir instead of the rags of the spiritual
pauper. We are treasured and yet humbled because the robe we were is a grace gift of the Father and the accomplishment of Christ so we cannot take credit for it.
Today, write a prayer that expresses both the value you have in Christ and the humility and gratitude for that value knowing it is unearned. Pray this truth into your heart not only today but in the days to come so you can exit the roller coaster of pride and shame and live in the steadiness of the robe.
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DAY 4
Purity: Read Revelation 7:9-17. Notice the white robes of the redeemed signifying the purity imputed upon them from Christ. They are wearing the uniform identifying them as the heirs of God. Christ shepherds them with food and protection. God Father’s them by wiping away every tear.
How does it feel to stain or rip an item of clothing? How does it feel to damage something you own? There’s a sick feeling. The entire item seems ruined. How much more do we feel condemned with the stain of our sin. Isaiah says our righteousness is like “filthy rags” leaving an ache deep in our soul that we are stained and at moment of failure, ruined. But God not only forgives our sins, He cleanses them by exchanging our bedraggled rags for the royal robe of righteousness.
Pray that the reality of your cleansing would sink in deeply, that is might cleanse your conscious, bring gratitude and joy in your cleansing you that motivates you to avoid sin, and give you the courage to be totally transparent about your sins and struggles with Abba and trusted brothers and sisters.
Week 1 Devotions
DAY 1
Read the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-15). Jesus clearly instructs us to address God as Father. It isn’t wrong to address Him in other biblical ways but there must be transformative power in calling Him Father or Jesus wouldn’t have instructed to do so. The prayer and commentary afterwards (vv. 14-15) speak about God as a Father.
Action Point: make a habit of starting your prayers by addressing God as Father. Pause for a moment to let it sink in before moving on to the rest of your prayer. Recognize that you are His child and begin to let this habit shape your mind and warm your heart to the Father.
DAY 2
The Father is often seen as a “behind the scenes” part of God that we respect but never get bonded to enough to be in a relationship with. Do you see God as Father? Do you functionally relate to Him as Father?
Rate the following statements in terms of how strongly they describe you from 1-10:
DAY 3
Read the Lord’s Prayer again (Matt. 6:9-15). Action Point: Prayer through each line as to a Father and as a part of the fathering you need.
DAY 4
The Father lets the son leave. He steps back and let’s him have what he wants knowing it will end in destruction. Our sinful nature will not be willing to come home to the Father, appreciate the benefits of dwelling in the Father’s house, or approach the Father with love until we have exhausted our resources and strength, felt the pain of living apart from the Father, and are humble enough to be willing to come home to the Father as a child.
Action Point: List the things you sought after to meet the longings of your soul that only your Father can satisfy? List the things that you are still clinging to? Some of them might be tangible items (money, spouse, children, success) while others might be intangible (control, pride, grudges, self-centeredness, praise of people).
Read the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-15). Jesus clearly instructs us to address God as Father. It isn’t wrong to address Him in other biblical ways but there must be transformative power in calling Him Father or Jesus wouldn’t have instructed to do so. The prayer and commentary afterwards (vv. 14-15) speak about God as a Father.
Action Point: make a habit of starting your prayers by addressing God as Father. Pause for a moment to let it sink in before moving on to the rest of your prayer. Recognize that you are His child and begin to let this habit shape your mind and warm your heart to the Father.
DAY 2
The Father is often seen as a “behind the scenes” part of God that we respect but never get bonded to enough to be in a relationship with. Do you see God as Father? Do you functionally relate to Him as Father?
Rate the following statements in terms of how strongly they describe you from 1-10:
- I feel close to the Father. _______
- The Father seems distant and hard to get close to. _____
- I feel like the Father is disappointed with me a lot of the time. _____
- I work hard to gain the Father’s love._____
- I often experience the Father’s affection. _____
- I know my Father’s heart is tender toward me._____
- I feel smothered by the Father’s authority.______
- I feel grateful for my Father’s guidance._____
- I respect the Father but struggle to love Him. _____
DAY 3
Read the Lord’s Prayer again (Matt. 6:9-15). Action Point: Prayer through each line as to a Father and as a part of the fathering you need.
- “Hallowed by thy name”: Give God fatherly affection and honor.
- “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done”: Give God fatherly authority.
- “forgive us our debts”: Seek God’s fatherly grace, mercy and love.
- “do not lead us into temptation”: Submit to God’s fatherly guidance.
- “Deliver us from evil”: Feel safe in God’s fatherly protection and rescue.
DAY 4
The Father lets the son leave. He steps back and let’s him have what he wants knowing it will end in destruction. Our sinful nature will not be willing to come home to the Father, appreciate the benefits of dwelling in the Father’s house, or approach the Father with love until we have exhausted our resources and strength, felt the pain of living apart from the Father, and are humble enough to be willing to come home to the Father as a child.
Action Point: List the things you sought after to meet the longings of your soul that only your Father can satisfy? List the things that you are still clinging to? Some of them might be tangible items (money, spouse, children, success) while others might be intangible (control, pride, grudges, self-centeredness, praise of people).
Week 2 Devotions
DAY 1
Name the ways you might resist being fathered. Circle the ones below that apply to you and pray for God’s help to remove them. Add your own not listed if applicable.
DAY 2
Prayerfully read Galatians 3:26-4:7. Answer and reflect on the following questions:
DAY 3
Write a prayer to the Father acknowledging Jesus’ role in our adoption that allows us to be fathered and thank Him for Christ.
DAY 4
Follow this line of biblical thinking:
Name the ways you might resist being fathered. Circle the ones below that apply to you and pray for God’s help to remove them. Add your own not listed if applicable.
- I feel too ashamed to receive His love.
- I feel too proud to need His love.
- I have been wounded and struggle to trust.
- I have believed toxic lies that hinder being fathered.
- I struggle to be vulnerable with my weakness and needs.
- I am in the midst of emotional pain that drowns out the Father’s presence.
- I am attached to other things to meet my needs and desires.
- I have bitterness against a person(s) poisoning my heart.
- I am a thinker by nature who struggles to open my emotions to the Father.
- I lack biblical knowledge needed to break down the barriers of resistance.
- I trust in my efforts and don’t look to the power of the Holy Spirit.
- I can’t be still long enough to be present with my Abba.
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- ____________________________________________________________________
- ____________________________________________________________________
DAY 2
Prayerfully read Galatians 3:26-4:7. Answer and reflect on the following questions:
- What does this passage teach us about the role of Jesus in our adoption?
- What does this passage teach us about our old earthly identities and how they affect our connection to our brothers and sisters in Christ (vs. 28)
- What does this passage teach us about how are adoption is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (vs. 29).
- What does this passage teach us about the law, especially in its gift as a guardian or steward to protect us before we are saved as well as its negative effect of placing us in bondage?
- What does this passage teach us about Jesus' birth (fullness of time = time of birth after pregnancy)?
- What does this passage teach us about the importance of our confident cry to Abba?
DAY 3
Write a prayer to the Father acknowledging Jesus’ role in our adoption that allows us to be fathered and thank Him for Christ.
DAY 4
Follow this line of biblical thinking:
- God is the sovereign owner of the entire universe which He made to be a gift of beauty, joy, and love for people to experience in communion with Him.
- Sin damaged creation (God cursed the ground) so that it can harm us or even lure us away from God with the promise of fulfilling all out needs.
- Christ will return one day to establish a creation purified of its fallenness and the Father will give it to Him as His inheritance so that He will make “All Things New”, and all new things will belong to Him as the King of the kingdom.
- Those who believe in Christ share in His inheritance as co-heirs with Him offering a bedrock of hope in our future destiny. Heaven will not be boring, it will be the experience of the best of creation (beauty, love, and joy) without its fallenness to hurt or addict us.
Week 3 Devotions
DAY 1
Read Psalm 139. Notice that God knows us better than we know ourselves. Pray that the Spirit of God will search the depth of your souls so you will know how to cry out to your Father. Today we seek to know what we need from the Father. That will take stillness and quiet to hear from Him.
Fill in the blank to this prayer: Crying Prayer: Dear Abba, I am inviting your Holy Spirit to search the depth of my heart to name my deepest need which only you can satisfy, and right now I need __________________________.
DAY 2
Today is a day of confession and redirection. Confess to your Father what idols you have sought to meet the need you named from the previous day. Ask Him to help you see clearly the limitations of those idols. Ask him to see His beauty clearly so that you will re-direct your affection to Him and trust He is a good and able Father.
Seeking Prayer: Dear Abba, I confess that I often seek ________________________ to be my ultimate source of satisfaction to meet my needs, but I ask you to help me behold your beauty so that I seek you more than anything else.
DAY 3
Today is a day of faith by asking God for a specific aspect of His character and ability that you most need from Him. Here are some possibilities but this list is not exhaustive. belonging, love, protection, provision, power, guidance, peace, joy, safety, etc.
Asking Prayer: Dear Abba, I’m going to stop asking for things and circumstances I think will meet my need and instead ask you to father me with Your_______________________ .
DAY 4
Read Psalm 27. List the attributes and abilities of God that make Him a good and capable Father. Follow the path of vs. 4 by praying that this would be your path to the Father.
Read Psalm 139. Notice that God knows us better than we know ourselves. Pray that the Spirit of God will search the depth of your souls so you will know how to cry out to your Father. Today we seek to know what we need from the Father. That will take stillness and quiet to hear from Him.
Fill in the blank to this prayer: Crying Prayer: Dear Abba, I am inviting your Holy Spirit to search the depth of my heart to name my deepest need which only you can satisfy, and right now I need __________________________.
DAY 2
Today is a day of confession and redirection. Confess to your Father what idols you have sought to meet the need you named from the previous day. Ask Him to help you see clearly the limitations of those idols. Ask him to see His beauty clearly so that you will re-direct your affection to Him and trust He is a good and able Father.
Seeking Prayer: Dear Abba, I confess that I often seek ________________________ to be my ultimate source of satisfaction to meet my needs, but I ask you to help me behold your beauty so that I seek you more than anything else.
DAY 3
Today is a day of faith by asking God for a specific aspect of His character and ability that you most need from Him. Here are some possibilities but this list is not exhaustive. belonging, love, protection, provision, power, guidance, peace, joy, safety, etc.
Asking Prayer: Dear Abba, I’m going to stop asking for things and circumstances I think will meet my need and instead ask you to father me with Your_______________________ .
DAY 4
Read Psalm 27. List the attributes and abilities of God that make Him a good and capable Father. Follow the path of vs. 4 by praying that this would be your path to the Father.
- Pray to seek God for your needs: “this only do I seek”
- Pray to dwell with God in relationship: “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”
- Pray to desire God by seeing His beauty: “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.”
Week 4 Devotions
Day 1, 2, 3, 4
This weeks' time with the Father is a continuous process for your to go through at your own pace. We’d suggest moving slowly and to break it up into multiple days. Here’s the Process.
Step 1: Ask the Holy Spirit to make a word or phrase stir you as you slowly and prayerfully read 2 Cor. 1:2-5. Write what stirs you here ______________. Why do you think God focused you on that word or phrase at this moment in time?
Step 2: Take a few moments in silence to give your full attention to the presence of your Abba. Then ask him to reveal what is deep in your soul as you do step 3.
Step 3: Follow the path around the tree of knowledge of good and evil to the tree of life by thinking of a specific wound in your life and note how that wound has traveled the journey from “Fallen to Fathered.”
1. Name the Wound: _____________. Circle which kind of wound it is:
a. Abandonment Wound
b. Rejection Wound
c. Violation Wound
2. Circle all of the reactions your body has had to the pain of that wound: shame, blame, works.
3. Which toxic beliefs did that wound make you believe or at least try to make you believe?
a. God is not good and cannot be trusted
b. I am broken and cannot be loved
c. People are dangerous and are my competition
d. Life is painful and meaningless
4. Which of the rotten fruit did your flesh produce from your wound?
a. The Flesh is Self-centeredness
b. The Flesh is Idolatrous/Addictive.
c. The Flesh is Defensive and vengeful.
d. The Flesh is Insecure/Superior.
5. Thank your Abba for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that allows you to find spiritual nourishment from the tree of life in fellowship with God.
6. Read Galatians 5:22 and list the fruits of the Spirit that God is producing in you as well as the fruits your wound needs in order to be transformed from the rotten fruit it produced.
7. Pray over the following list of Gospel truths revealed through Christ. Make a note of which ones are most needed to correct Satan’s toxic lies he has used most in your life.
8. Find a quiet space. Take a few deep breathes. Pray over the following truths specifically how they need to become a reality so you no longer carry the shame, blame, or works mentality. Rest in the finished work of Christ so that your mind rests from its fast pace and your body rests from its tension.
9. Re-Read 2 Cor. 1:2-5.
This weeks' time with the Father is a continuous process for your to go through at your own pace. We’d suggest moving slowly and to break it up into multiple days. Here’s the Process.
Step 1: Ask the Holy Spirit to make a word or phrase stir you as you slowly and prayerfully read 2 Cor. 1:2-5. Write what stirs you here ______________. Why do you think God focused you on that word or phrase at this moment in time?
Step 2: Take a few moments in silence to give your full attention to the presence of your Abba. Then ask him to reveal what is deep in your soul as you do step 3.
Step 3: Follow the path around the tree of knowledge of good and evil to the tree of life by thinking of a specific wound in your life and note how that wound has traveled the journey from “Fallen to Fathered.”
1. Name the Wound: _____________. Circle which kind of wound it is:
a. Abandonment Wound
b. Rejection Wound
c. Violation Wound
2. Circle all of the reactions your body has had to the pain of that wound: shame, blame, works.
3. Which toxic beliefs did that wound make you believe or at least try to make you believe?
a. God is not good and cannot be trusted
b. I am broken and cannot be loved
c. People are dangerous and are my competition
d. Life is painful and meaningless
4. Which of the rotten fruit did your flesh produce from your wound?
a. The Flesh is Self-centeredness
b. The Flesh is Idolatrous/Addictive.
c. The Flesh is Defensive and vengeful.
d. The Flesh is Insecure/Superior.
5. Thank your Abba for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that allows you to find spiritual nourishment from the tree of life in fellowship with God.
6. Read Galatians 5:22 and list the fruits of the Spirit that God is producing in you as well as the fruits your wound needs in order to be transformed from the rotten fruit it produced.
7. Pray over the following list of Gospel truths revealed through Christ. Make a note of which ones are most needed to correct Satan’s toxic lies he has used most in your life.
8. Find a quiet space. Take a few deep breathes. Pray over the following truths specifically how they need to become a reality so you no longer carry the shame, blame, or works mentality. Rest in the finished work of Christ so that your mind rests from its fast pace and your body rests from its tension.
9. Re-Read 2 Cor. 1:2-5.
- Carve out time and space to seek Abba’s presence and ask Him to let you experience the peace and comfort of being with your rock and protector. Ask Abba to give you confidence in His constant presence and that He will never leave you or betray you because of what Jesus has done.
- Carve out time and space to seek Abba’s love and ask Him to let you experience the grace and mercy of being a Father that adores and enjoys His children. Ask Abba to give you confidence that His love is not fickle; that it is a steady gaze of treasuring you no matter your state because Christ has purchased all of His love for you.
Week 5 Devotions
DAY 1
Carve out 30 minutes of your day to devote your full attention to Abba. I know being still is difficult. If your mind drifts, it’s ok. Give yourself grace and just say, “Abba I’m hear.” Choose to believe the Father is present whether you feel Him or not. Let the fast pace of life and buzzing of your brain “be still and know” your Father. If it helps, go for a walk during this time. Afterwards, write down anything you want to remember about your time together.
DAY 2
Our struggle to bond with the Father isn’t just about our inability to trust Him, but our lack of faith in the accomplishments of Christ. Read the following passage slowly and focus on the bond Christ has created for you with the Father rather than your worthiness to be His child:
John 1:12-13
“But as many as received Him” - Faith is more than an intellectual belief in Jesus, it is a personal trust that fully receives Him with full hospitality to dwell in every part of your life.
“He gave the right to become children of God” - Every time you call God “Father”, you do so on the basis of the right Christ gave you not on the right you have earned. As soon as you start relating to the Father on the basis of your authority, you will weaken the bond.
“those who believe in His name” - to beleive in the name of Jesus is to believe He is who He said He was, and He did what He said He did. Your confidence in the Father’s presence and love comes from your faith in Jesus and your struggle to be confident comes from your doubt in Jesus.
“who were born, not of blood, or the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” - To be saved is to be born again spiritually into the Fatherhood of God. When you are spiritually birthed, your Father waits to swaddle you and hold you in His arms to calm your anxieties and fears life and sin have created. Also, you are not birthed only “by” the will of God, but are included
“in” the will of God so that you share in His entire estate that is bequeathed to His Son
DAY 3
One of the primary jobs of a father is to be a source of safety and protection so that proximity to His very presence makes us seen, soothed and safe. Write below to your Abba about what in your life right now is making you feel unsafe and stealing your peace. Let Him SEE and SOOTHE your anxieties.
DAY 4
Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Notice that the entire prayer is conducted in Paul kneeling before God who he calls Father. Like the man who said, “I believe, help my unbelief”, we know more specifically pray, “I believe in your gracious, constant, unearned unwavering love for me because of Jesus, help my unbelief.” Pray that you would understand and experience the love that the Father has for you as the catalyst that “strengthens you in the inner man.” Ask Abba to broaden your mind and soften your heart to be even more receptive of His love.
Carve out 30 minutes of your day to devote your full attention to Abba. I know being still is difficult. If your mind drifts, it’s ok. Give yourself grace and just say, “Abba I’m hear.” Choose to believe the Father is present whether you feel Him or not. Let the fast pace of life and buzzing of your brain “be still and know” your Father. If it helps, go for a walk during this time. Afterwards, write down anything you want to remember about your time together.
DAY 2
Our struggle to bond with the Father isn’t just about our inability to trust Him, but our lack of faith in the accomplishments of Christ. Read the following passage slowly and focus on the bond Christ has created for you with the Father rather than your worthiness to be His child:
John 1:12-13
“But as many as received Him” - Faith is more than an intellectual belief in Jesus, it is a personal trust that fully receives Him with full hospitality to dwell in every part of your life.
“He gave the right to become children of God” - Every time you call God “Father”, you do so on the basis of the right Christ gave you not on the right you have earned. As soon as you start relating to the Father on the basis of your authority, you will weaken the bond.
“those who believe in His name” - to beleive in the name of Jesus is to believe He is who He said He was, and He did what He said He did. Your confidence in the Father’s presence and love comes from your faith in Jesus and your struggle to be confident comes from your doubt in Jesus.
“who were born, not of blood, or the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” - To be saved is to be born again spiritually into the Fatherhood of God. When you are spiritually birthed, your Father waits to swaddle you and hold you in His arms to calm your anxieties and fears life and sin have created. Also, you are not birthed only “by” the will of God, but are included
“in” the will of God so that you share in His entire estate that is bequeathed to His Son
DAY 3
One of the primary jobs of a father is to be a source of safety and protection so that proximity to His very presence makes us seen, soothed and safe. Write below to your Abba about what in your life right now is making you feel unsafe and stealing your peace. Let Him SEE and SOOTHE your anxieties.
DAY 4
Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Notice that the entire prayer is conducted in Paul kneeling before God who he calls Father. Like the man who said, “I believe, help my unbelief”, we know more specifically pray, “I believe in your gracious, constant, unearned unwavering love for me because of Jesus, help my unbelief.” Pray that you would understand and experience the love that the Father has for you as the catalyst that “strengthens you in the inner man.” Ask Abba to broaden your mind and soften your heart to be even more receptive of His love.
Week 6 Devotions
DAY 1
Read through the prodigal son parable with a special focus on the reception of the Father. The culture of that day was to violently shun a family member whose actions brought shame upon the family. With that in mind, what fears and feelings do you think the prodigal felt as he saw his father running toward him? What fears do you have that keep you from drawing near to your heavenly Father?
DAY 2
What memories of rejection or abandonment keep you from trusting in the Father’s full and affectionate welcome every time you give Him your presence? Write out the memories as a prayer to your Father. List the emotions and beliefs that came from that memory. Pray that God would not let that past experience keep you from intimacy with Him.
DAY 3
Read 1 John 4:17-19. Prayerfully speak each phrase as a request to God that he might establish these truths in your heart.
a. God’s love is perfect and not like human love.
b. His perfect love gives us boldness even on the day of judgment.
c. The more we experience His perfect love the less fear we have of Him and others judging or rejecting us.
d. Fear of rejection is a sign that His perfect love has not been perfected in us yet.
e. His love opens our hearts to fully love Him with no hesitation, withholding, or guardedness.
DAY 4
Write a prayer to the Father. Ask Him to give you a phrase, an image (physical or mental) of complete acceptance by His grace. Your image could be: a father welcoming his son, Jesus with any of the people he encountered who were rejected as sinners, a shepherd seeking after His sheep, a personal memory of someone who demonstrated gracious hospitality. As one man said when asked why he was so gleefully happy, “My Abba is very fond of me.” Pray that the image or phrase you choose will translate the Father’s love from information in your head to transformation in your heart.
Read through the prodigal son parable with a special focus on the reception of the Father. The culture of that day was to violently shun a family member whose actions brought shame upon the family. With that in mind, what fears and feelings do you think the prodigal felt as he saw his father running toward him? What fears do you have that keep you from drawing near to your heavenly Father?
DAY 2
What memories of rejection or abandonment keep you from trusting in the Father’s full and affectionate welcome every time you give Him your presence? Write out the memories as a prayer to your Father. List the emotions and beliefs that came from that memory. Pray that God would not let that past experience keep you from intimacy with Him.
DAY 3
Read 1 John 4:17-19. Prayerfully speak each phrase as a request to God that he might establish these truths in your heart.
a. God’s love is perfect and not like human love.
b. His perfect love gives us boldness even on the day of judgment.
c. The more we experience His perfect love the less fear we have of Him and others judging or rejecting us.
d. Fear of rejection is a sign that His perfect love has not been perfected in us yet.
e. His love opens our hearts to fully love Him with no hesitation, withholding, or guardedness.
DAY 4
Write a prayer to the Father. Ask Him to give you a phrase, an image (physical or mental) of complete acceptance by His grace. Your image could be: a father welcoming his son, Jesus with any of the people he encountered who were rejected as sinners, a shepherd seeking after His sheep, a personal memory of someone who demonstrated gracious hospitality. As one man said when asked why he was so gleefully happy, “My Abba is very fond of me.” Pray that the image or phrase you choose will translate the Father’s love from information in your head to transformation in your heart.
Week 7 Devotions
DAY 1
Pray the Scriptures:
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).
Behold – “Abba, let me see, know, and feel your love.”
Love - “Abba, the manner of love you have for me is greater than I can understand, but I want to know more and more of it that it might heal and help me.”
Father - “Abba, you love me like a perfect Father so everything that is true of what a Father should be and how a Father should love is true of you in your love for me.”
Bestowed - “Abba, thank you for Jesus who bought the right for me to be called your child and for your Spirit who is working on my spirit to fully embrace you and your gracious, passionate love for me.”
Children - “Oh Abba, to be your child is such warmth, worth, and welcome. It’s such joy and fullness. I feel so safe when I’m with you! I love you so much.”
DAY 2
Pray the Scripture:
“By this we know love, because [Jesus] laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16)
Know - “Abba, my knowledge of love is broken by by sin and the sins committed against me. I don’t have the intellect or vision to understand your
love. Help correct my version of love so I can experience your love and give it to the people around me.”
Laid Down - “Abba, I see your love in the cross of Jesus. I see it in his stripes on His back. On the blood streaming down His face fro mthe thorns. From the bruises from the punches. Oh Abba, what love! I not only see if, I feel it. I put myself in His shoes and feel his pain and what He went through for me. Translate that pain into affection. I see love in His eyes, on his face, and in his body language with His arms stretched wide. I can hardly bear to be loved like this, Abba, but it is your love that sent Him!”
DAY 3
Pray the Scripture:
“His love has been perfected in us”
Perfected: “Abba, your love is perfect and it is perfecting me. I am so far from perfect but I want to know your love more and more that it might transform me into a person who loves others well and lives in the liberty of your love for me.”
DAY 4
Pray the Scripture:
“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”
Abide...Spirit: “Abba, thank you for your Spirit so that your presence of love is with me all the time. Forgive me for how often I have neglected you. Teach me to be present with your Presence that I might live in your love.”
Pray the Scriptures:
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).
Behold – “Abba, let me see, know, and feel your love.”
Love - “Abba, the manner of love you have for me is greater than I can understand, but I want to know more and more of it that it might heal and help me.”
Father - “Abba, you love me like a perfect Father so everything that is true of what a Father should be and how a Father should love is true of you in your love for me.”
Bestowed - “Abba, thank you for Jesus who bought the right for me to be called your child and for your Spirit who is working on my spirit to fully embrace you and your gracious, passionate love for me.”
Children - “Oh Abba, to be your child is such warmth, worth, and welcome. It’s such joy and fullness. I feel so safe when I’m with you! I love you so much.”
DAY 2
Pray the Scripture:
“By this we know love, because [Jesus] laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16)
Know - “Abba, my knowledge of love is broken by by sin and the sins committed against me. I don’t have the intellect or vision to understand your
love. Help correct my version of love so I can experience your love and give it to the people around me.”
Laid Down - “Abba, I see your love in the cross of Jesus. I see it in his stripes on His back. On the blood streaming down His face fro mthe thorns. From the bruises from the punches. Oh Abba, what love! I not only see if, I feel it. I put myself in His shoes and feel his pain and what He went through for me. Translate that pain into affection. I see love in His eyes, on his face, and in his body language with His arms stretched wide. I can hardly bear to be loved like this, Abba, but it is your love that sent Him!”
DAY 3
Pray the Scripture:
“His love has been perfected in us”
Perfected: “Abba, your love is perfect and it is perfecting me. I am so far from perfect but I want to know your love more and more that it might transform me into a person who loves others well and lives in the liberty of your love for me.”
DAY 4
Pray the Scripture:
“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”
Abide...Spirit: “Abba, thank you for your Spirit so that your presence of love is with me all the time. Forgive me for how often I have neglected you. Teach me to be present with your Presence that I might live in your love.”