Monday, January 6, 2020

EACF 40 Days of Prayer - January 6, 2020

EACF 40 Days of Prayer 2020
Day 6: Praying for Fruit of Kindness

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." - Galatians 5:22-25 ESV

As we "Pray for Good" and ask God to work in specific ways in our lives, let us pray for kindness. Open up a Twitter account, turn on the television, or check other news sources - kindness seems in short supply in this world. How about in your own world? Is this a characteristic of your relationships? What about in your family during your youth, or even now? It's funny how we feel like we can "just be real" but sometimes that means forgetting the real goal of loving one another. Sometimes our efforts to be honest about what we're feeling or thinking or wanting are actually self-centered calls for attention. Sometimes.

God's ethic is different: to put others' needs higher on our list of priorities is so counter-cultural. Read these two portions of Scripture:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus....
- Philippians 2:3-5 ESV
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
- Ephesians 4:32 ESV

When we interact with one another, when we deal with our faith family, we ought to pursue kindness in our interactions. We can do this because of God's kindness to us through Christ. And sometimes when we show kindness to those outside the faith, God's kindness leads them to repentance, as it still does for us (Romans 2:4). Pray for God's kindness to be real to you, and thank God for His kindness to you. Then pray for kindness to fill your heart and relationships. And pray for God to bless two (2) others at EACF in His kindness. Is there anyone who thinks of God as harsh or vindictive, someone perhaps who struggles with shame or fear? Pray for God's kindness to shine through.

Remember to write down the names of those for whom you prayed. Encourage them and send them a message saying you prayed for them today. As we do this, God will work powerfully through our group, bringing us closer together and closer to Him.

This is day 6 as we "Pray for Good." Bless others with God's kindness today!

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