The Lord's loving-kindness, no less than his mercy, is great in respect of our salvation in that, not content to redeem us with his blood, he in addition prayed for us

The Lord Jesus asked Simon Peter and he asks each one of us a very personal and profound question - do you love me more than anything else that might be very dear to you? How can the love of Jesus Christ be so attractive and so costly at the same time? Jesus on many occasions spoke to his disciples about the nature of God's unquenchable love. God is love (1 John 4:16) because he is the creator and source of all that is true love. His love is unconditional, unmerited, and unlimited. We can't buy it, earn it, demand it. It is a pure gift, freely given, and freely received. God's love doesn't change or waver. It endures because it is eternal and timeless. It�s the beginning and the end - the purpose for which God created us and why he wants us to be united with him in a bond of unbreakable love. And it�s the essence of what is means to be a son or daughter of God the eternal Father.

Love gives all for the good of others

The Lord Jesus shows us that love is a personal choice and a gift freely given - it is the giving of oneself to another person for their sake. Unselfish love is oriented wholly to the good of the other person for their own welfare and benefit. John the Evangelist tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave us his only-begotten Son" (John 3:16) who took on human flesh for our sake and who died upon the cross for our salvation - to set us free from the power of sin so that we might receive abundant everlasting life and peace with God.

God's love heals and transforms our lives and frees us from fear, selfishness, and greed. It draws us to the very heart of God and it compels us to give him the best we have and all we possess - our gifts, our time, our resources, our full allegiance, and our very lives. Paul the Apostle tells us that God�s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us (Romans 5:5). What can quench such love? Certainly fear, sin, pride, indifference, disbelief, and the loss of hope and trust in God's promises and his mercy towards us.

Do you love me more than these? 

Why did Jesus question Peter's loyalty and love three times in front of the other apostles? It must have caused Peter great pain and sorrow since he had publicly denied Jesus three times during the night of Jesus' betrayal and condemnation by the religious authorities who had sought to kill him. Now Peter, full of grief and deep remorse, unequivocally stated that he loved his master and was willing to serve and obey him whatever it might cost. When Jesus asks him "do you love me more than these?" Jesus may have pointed to the boats, fishing nets, and catch of fish from the night's work. He may have challenged Peter to abandon his work as a fisherman for the task of shepherding the community of God's people. Jesus may have also pointed to the other disciples and to Peter's previous boast: "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away" (Matthew 26:33). Peter now makes no boast or comparison but humbly responds: "You know that I love you."

We love because he loved us first 

The Lord Jesus calls each one of us, even in our own weakness, sins, and failings, to love him above all else. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) in his Confession wrote: 

"Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new. Late have I loved you! ...You shone your Self upon me to drive away my blindness. You breathed your fragrance upon me... and in astonishment I drew my breath...now I pant for you! I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst for you. You touched me! - and I burn to live within your peace" (Confession 10:27).

Nothing but our own sinful pride and stubborn wilfullness can keep us from the love of God. He loved us first and our love for him is a response to his exceeding graciousness and mercy towards us. Do you allow God's love to fill your heart and transform your life?

Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love and burn away everything within it that may be unloving, unkind, ungrateful, unholy, and not in accord with your will. May I always love what you love and reject what is contrary to your love and will for my life.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 

hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

This is eternal life - to know the Father the only true God

In his Last Supper discourse with his beloved disciples Jesus speaks of his glory and the glory of his Father. What is this glory? It is the cross which Jesus speaks of here and the willing offering of his life for us. How does the cross reveal this glory? In the cross God reveals the breadth of his great love for sinners and the power of Jesus' redemptive sacrifice which cancels the debt of sin and reverses the curse of our condemnation (Romans 8:1). Jesus gave his Father the supreme honor and glory through his obedience and willingness to go to the cross for our sake. In times of defense the greatest honor belongs not to those who fought and survived but to those who gave the supreme sacrifice of their own lives for their fellow citizens.The Lord Jesus freely and willingly offered up his life out of obedience to his Father and love for us.

Jesus reveals the glory of God to us

Jesus speaks of the Father bringing glory to the Son through the great mystery of the Incarnation - the eternal Word who became flesh for our sake (John 1:14) - and the Cross of Christ which won for us pardon, freedom, and new life in the Holy Spirit. God the Father gave us his only begotten Son to set us free from slavery to sin, guilt, and condemnation. His sacrificial death brings us new life - the abundant life of peace and joy which God wishes to share with each one of us. There is no greater proof of God's love for each and every person on the face of the earth than the Cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross we see a new way of love - a love that is merciful, sacrificial, and generous beyond measure.

Jesus offers abundant life without end

Jesus offers us eternal life. What is eternal life? It is more than simply a life without end or an eternal state of being. Science and medicine look for ways to extend the duration of human life - but God offers us something vastly greater and more surpassing than a simple extension of physical life. Eternal life is qualitative more than quantitative. To have eternal life is to have the very life of God within us. When we possess eternal life we experience here and now something of God's majesty, glory, and holiness which he shares with us. Through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit, God fills us with the abundant fruit of his peace, joy and love.

We can know God personally

Jesus also speaks of the knowledge of God. Jesus tells his disciples that they can know the only true God. Knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally and be united with God in a personal relationship of love and friendship. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the personal and experiential knowledge of God as our eternal Father - the one who knew us before creation (Ephesians 1:4 and Romans 8:29) and who knit us in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13 and Jeremiah 1:5). Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like.

A unity of love that endures forever 

In Jesus Christ we see the perfect love of God - a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the Cross. Jesus is the revelation of God - a God who loves us completely, unconditionally and perfectly. Do you hunger to know God personally and to be united with the Father in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through the unity of the Holy Spirit who dwells with us? The Lord Jesus invites each of us to enter more deeply into a personal relationship of love and oneness of mind, heart, and spirit with the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who created us in love for love.

If only I possessed the grace, good Jesus, to be utterly at one with you! Amidst all the variety of worldly things around me, Lord, the only thing I crave is unity with you. You are all my soul needs. Unite, dear friend of my heart, this unique little soul of mine to your perfect goodness.You are all mine; when shall I be yours? Lord Jesus, my beloved, be the magnet of my heart; clasp, press, unite me for ever to your sacred heart. You have made me for yourself; make me one with you. Absorb this tiny drop of life into the ocean of goodness whence it came.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 

hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Help me Lord, hear my cries ....

Help in my day of trouble O Lord, 

Here me Lord, do not forsake me Lord.

Help Lord overcome all my past mistakes 

which cause me to be in my current situation. 

Lord I repent for my past actions 

and really want You to help change me 

and deliver me from my troubles. 

Send Your angels Lord 

to lift me up from my troubles. 

I need to raise MYR 1000 

to settle my pending problems. 

I know Lord You have said 

"Do no be afraid, I am here to deliver you" 

and "Be still and know I am God" 

but Lord my human senses tend 

to make me worry. 

Yet Lord I trust and hope 

in You alone my God. 

I seek You Lord, 

I come knocking at Your door Lord, 

hear my cries and answer me Lord. 

I need Lord now and forever,

cause WITHOUT You 

I am NOTHING Lord.

I believe in You Lord, 

and I know Lord nothing 

is impossible for You.

I thank You Lord for being with me,

I thank You Lord for all You have DONE 

and in the process of DOING.

I trust You will make a way for me,

to attain my need in this urgent time.

Your miraculous wonders will some how

direct the blessing to my bank account.

You work in mysterious ways 

and Your timing is always perfect.

You alone are Good all the time.

Your cares are upon me.

Have mercy on me O Lord. 

AMEN.

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Prayer for my family

Dear Lord, 

Today and everyday,

please keep my family blessed, loved and protected

by Your unconditional love, mercy and grace.

AMEN.

Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, abide in me

Holy Spirit, 

Sweet guest of My Soul, 

Abide In Me

and Grant That I May Ever 

abide in You.

* * * * * *

L: In the beginning, at creation, you hovered over the water. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, as by a New Pentecost. 

L: You breathed into Adam a breath of life. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, Breath of God, breathe in us today. 

L: You anointed the prophets and kings. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, anoint us for your service. Send us anew to bring good news to the poor. 

L: To Elijah you came with the sound of a gentle breeze, to the Apostles with the sound of a mighty wind. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, in your gentleness and might. 

L: You are the living water, the river of life that brings fruitfulness and joy. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, flow freely in your Church. 

L: You overshadowed Mary at the Annunciation. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, overshadow us today with your power, that the will of God may be accomplished in us and through us. 

L: You appeared as a dove at the baptism of Jesus Christ. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, fill the world anew with the gift of your peace. 

L: You came at Pentecost fulfilling the promise of the Father. You filled the disciples of Jesus who had gathered in prayer and appeared with tongues of fire. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, lead us anew to Jesus Christ. May we be baptised with Holy Spirit and fire. 

L: You are the love of God poured into our hearts. 

A: Come Holy Spirit, make us one. Fill us and empower us with your presence that we may live in love as sons and daughters of God.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are risen from the dead and that you are alive. I give you my life. By the power of your Holy Spirit draw me deeper into you and help me to live for you in every aspect of my life. I renounce everything that would separate me from you and I proclaim you as the only Lord of my life. Amen.