17 ‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
Reminder: "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will. When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!
It is God's will:
- that we do not facilitate in the cause of our neighbor's death (Lv.19:16)
- that we do not take vengeance (Lv.19:18)
- that we do not slander anyone (Lv.19:16)
- that we do not hate anyone (Lv.19:17)
- that we do not bear a grudge (Lv.19:18)
- that we do not sin if and when we reprove a neighbor (Lv.19:17)
- that we love our neighbors as ourselves (Lv.19:18)
Today's prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, help me to love everyone with Your unconditional love. Keep me focused on Your love so that I am not tempted to hate or sin against anyone. Prick my conscience if I ever start to spread a rumor about anyone so that I will stop my in tracks and confess and apologize. Give me the courage to stand up to anyone who is slandering a person, and give me the wisdom to reprove them in Your love.
Especially in Your Church, help fellow believers get along, and reconcile quickly and peacefully, seeking to understand and guide each other towards Your holiness. And if there is a need to reprove anyone because they are acting defiantly or it is leading them down a dangerous path, help us speak to them with Your love and wisdom in order to bring about a peaceful resolution.
If anyone is unwilling to listen or change their defiant ways, help us to still love those people. If they have wronged us in any way, help us forgive them so that we will not fall into sin by hating them, or holding a grudge or desiring vengeance.
Thank You so much for Your love and guidance. Amen.
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