“And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin];”
Philippians 1:9-10 AMP
Love, Grow, Go
This prayer that Paul prayed, in our first chapter on the first day of our New Year and new reading plan, is a prayer for each of us to take up and pray over ourselves and over GoChurch.
To Love, Grow and Go
“That your love may abound more and more…”
Love is the start. It was God’s heart at the start (for God so loved the world - John 3:16), and it should be our starting point, because without love we have nothing and we are nothing! (See 1 Cor 13)
“So that you may learn to recognise and treasure what is excellent”
That sounds a lot like growing! Each of us is to grow in His love in such a way that we begin to have greater insight and understanding, and to treasure what is excellent and right - to grow in love in our faith walk and walk of obedience.
“Actually living lives that lead others others away from sin”
And this sounds a lot like going!
We are to go to our local areas, our neighbours and families and friends, to our regions and then to the rest of the world, living in such a way that we lead others away from sin to where? Straight into the arms of our loving saviour!
Love, grow, go!
We are a family of churches working together to reach our world, and to do this effectively, to fulfil the Great Commission, we need to love, grow and go!
Let’s confess this together now:
- Love is abounding more and more in me and through me. Love is shown in a greater depth, in real knowledge and in practical insight in my life.
- I am learning more and more to recognize and treasure what is excellent, identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences, and I am presented as pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
- I live a life that leads others away from sin and towards Jesus.
Let’s confess this each day this week (and beyond!) and start 2023 off with vision-led purpose!