C.A.C Living Water Daily Devotional For July 22, 2024 : Topic – BECOMING MORE LIKE CHRIST JESUS (III)
Read previous CAC Devotionals here
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
THE LIVING WATER (January-December, 2024)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
DATE : Monday, July 22, 2024
TOPIC: BECOMING MORE LIKE CHRIST JESUS (III)
MEMORISE : And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God sweet-smelling aroma (Ephesians 5:2).
READ : John 13:34, 35
[34]. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
[35]. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
EXPOSITION
As we continue to study the personality traits of Master Jesus, with a view to becoming more like Him, let us look at another two distinctive traits inherited from His Father. The first is love. Jesus is the perfect example of love. No one can show the depth of true love than our Lord Jesus Christ. He sets the example for us to love one another by what He did (Matt. 9:6-38). The love of Jesus is greater and deeper than man can fathom as He willingly laid down His life for the whole world (1 Jn. 3:16). Our lives need to model Christ’s love (1 Jn. 2:6). A life in Christ is a life that loves others. It doesn’t matter how many years you have been following Christ, what matters is whether your character and life reflect Jesus Christ or not.
The second is forgiveness. It is the former that prompts the latter. If you truly love someone, you will quickly forgive the fellow. To forgive someone who has hurt us or caused pain to our lives is a very difficult thing to do, but Christ Jesus sets an example for us. If there is someone who had the right not to forgive, and retaliate, it should be Jesus. Yet, He asked God to forgive those who had falsely accused, beaten, mocked and nailed Him to the cross (Lk. 23:34). If Jesus could forgive those who ridiculed and humiliated Him, we have no excuse not to forgive our offenders. Forgiveness of others is not an option, if we want to be Jesus’ true disciples and also be forgiven by God (Matt. 5:7; 6:12; 18:35).
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, give me the grace to love the way You love.
2. Lord, forgive me of my spirit of vengeance and give me the capacity to forgive others as you forgive.
3. Pray for the revival of love as of old in our churches.
SUGGESTED HYMN FOR TODAY:
CAC GHB: 693
S. M.
1. “Love him who’s thy neighbour”
It is the Lord’s command
He made Himself an example
By the way He loved us.
2. “Love him who’s thy neighbour”
Whether in peace or war
He taught us to love all our foes,
Repay evil with good.
3. “Love him who’s thy neighbour”
The Lord’s voice trumpets still
So, all of us ought to prepare
To love all our neighbours.
4. “Love him who’s thy neighbour”
And those living next door
Those that are in your neighbourhood
And all your enemies.
5. To love our neighbours as
Jesus Himself loved us
Jesus loved all His enemies
And blessed and prayed for them.
Amen.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Proverbs 25, 26, 27