Praying for a Breakthrough of Holy Love

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Praying for a Breakthrough of Holy Love 

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 

“. . . so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:23 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7 

Loved Ones, 

During the entire month of February we will be praying for a Breakthrough of Holy Love:

• Love for God
• Love for the Local Church
• Love for One Another
• Love for the Lost

 One of the most powerful books written about love in the last fifty years was Francis Schaeffer’s The Mark of a Christian. In this book he proposes two ways we Christians can display love for one another — love that goes beyond talk and theory — love so real it can be seen: 

One, “When I have failed to love my Christian brother, I go to him and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ That is first. It may seem a letdown — that the first thing we speak of should be so simple. But if you think it is easy, you have never tried to practice it. . . .” 

Two, “There must also be open forgiveness. And though it’s hard to say ‘I’m sorry,’ it’s even harder to forgive. The Bible, however, makes plain that the world must observe a forgiving spirit in the midst of God’s people. . . .” 

“[Does the world] observe that we say ‘I’m sorry,’ and do they observe a forgiving heart? Let me repeat: Our love will not be perfect, but it must be substantial enough for the world to be able to observe it, or it does not fit into the structure of John 13 and 17. And if the world does not observe this among true Christians, the world has a right to make the two awful judgments which these verses indicate: that we are not Christians, and that Christ was not sent by the Father.” 

Schaeffer’s book, The Mark of the Christian, is available in the Book Store for purchase this month. 

As we prepare to pray for a breakthrough in holy love, consider this biblical answer to the question “What is Love?”, compiled by our elder Justin Taylor. 

What Is Love?

God and Love

• God is love.
• Love is a gift of God.

What Love Is

• Love is patient.
• Love is kind.

What Love Is Not

• Love is not arrogant.
• Love is not rude.
• Love is not irritable.
• Love is not resentful.

What Love Does Not Do

• Love does not envy.
• Love does not boast.
• Love does not insist on its own way.
• Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing.

What Loves Does

• Love rejoices with the truth.
• Love bears all things.
• Love believes all things.
• Love hopes all things.
• Love endures all things.
• Love lasts forever.
• Love fulfills the law.

{1 John 4:7-8; 1 Cor. 13:4-8; Rom. 13:10}

 “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thess. 3:5). 

With love, 

Pastor David Sunday