u/love_is_a_superpower

1 Corinthians 13:8-13
>8 Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will fail; where there are languages, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will vanish.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is complete has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became an adult, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know fully, just as I am fully known.
13 This fullness exists as faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, the terms faith, hope, and love carry far deeper meanings in the ancient languages than their English counterparts reveal. Paul draws from the Septuagint here, so the Greek terms echo ancient Hebrew ideas.

Faith: (pistis, from the Hebrew emunah) is not just believing God's Word. It's invested, reciprocated, steadfast loyalty to Him. In Matthew 21:21 Jesus tells His disciples there is power in keeping faith (pistis) with God's Word, rather than opposing it.
Emunah means firmness or stability, like how Moses’ hands held steady in Exodus 17:12.
Faith empowers us to make God the foundation of our lives and decisions because He’s proven to be solid Rock. (Psalm 62:2, Matthew 7:24-25)

Hope: (elpis, from the Hebrew tiqvah and, yachal) is not about wishful thinking.
Tiqvah literally means "a cord." It's a rope binding our hearts and directing our minds to a promised future, like Rahab’s scarlet cord in Joshua 2:18-21.
Elpis is confident expectation and patient waiting for what God has assured us of in His promises.

Love: (agapé), is rooted in the Hebrew words ahavah and chesed.
Ahavah literally means "to breathe after." Breath and spirit are both "ruach" in Hebrew. To ahavah someone, means to have one's very breath joined to the existence of another. Our conscience considers the other person as part of ourselves.
Chesed is covenant loyalty, free favor, and faithful kindness, even when the other person cannot respond in-kind.
Agapé is not just emotion, nor is it romance. Agapé is the kind of sacrificial love a mother chooses to show her child out of a sense of unity. Just as Jonathan's spirit was knit to David's, and as Jacob's life was bound up with Benjamin's, so our God who breathed life into us at the dawn of Creation is knit to us in love. (1Samuel 18:1, Genesis 44:30-31, Deuteronomy 13:6, Genesis 2:7, John 20:22)
He granted us a Savior who gave up the glory of heaven for a lifetime of suffering and an undeserved death to ensure we could have a chance to experience His love and receive an example of how to live eternally with Him. (Matthew 10:37-38, 2 Peter 1:5-10, 1John 2:6, Deuteronomy 28:9, Colossians 1:19-23)

Faith trusts God with our present circumstances.

Hope clings to, focuses on, and works toward God’s promised future.

Love carries out the desires of God's heart.

Love is the greatest of the three because it reflects God’s own Spirit. His devoted compassion is the kind of love that never fails.

Our Father in heaven,
We bless Your holy name. We exalt in Your authority over all things, including ourselves. We worship You and praise You for Your never-ending love. Without Your mercy and free favor, we couldn't even come before You. We couldn't take our next breath without You. Unite us to You and to our brethren in Christ through the power of faith, hope, and love. Thank You Lord! In Jesus' name we make these requests, knowing they are Your desire for us, and that You are faithful to complete the work You've begun in us through the example of Your Holy Child, Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

Chemist James Tour discusses his work in nanotech, unanswered questions surrounding life’s origins, and the encounter that led him from secular Judaism to Christianity. He makes a solid case for daily Bible reading.

UPDATED August 8, 2026

Peace and blessings to you.

I hate to report these kind of things, but it would be more harmful not to report them.

If you are contacted via DM by the person shown scamming in this post, please report it to Mods.
Another scamming user is this person.

You can report all suspicious communications from other Redditors to Reddit as SPAM. https://www.reddit.com/report

Other scams continue to go around our Christian forums on Reddit. Please check with me for new user names known to scam. When I post names publicly, they delete their account, and start a new one. This leaves everyone vulnerable to the scam until they are detected again.

Please be wary of new accounts. People who scam start new accounts when they are suspected of scamming, or are reported to Reddit's Universal Scammer List.

I'm thankful that the love of Jesus in us goes out to people we meet here on Reddit. I pray we stay focused on the love of God and pray for those who were, and are being scammed now. Please pray for the souls of the people running these scams, and for the powers at Reddit to respond quickly to our reports. Thank you.

"And because lawlessness will abound in those days, the love of many will grow cold; but those whose love endures to the end will be saved."

• the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:12-13

Stay safe, friends! Never follow these directions: New CAPTCHA SCAM.

Fake Capcha Image

If you encounter this FAKE CAPTCHA, leave the website you're visiting immediately. Do not complete this fake CAPTCHA verification.

Scripture tells us that our Lord will be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

The Holy Spirit unites the church through truth and compassion. He unites us with God through groans too deep for words.

(Romans 8:25-26 NKJV)
>25 If we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 3:14

It may have sounded harsh when John the Baptist called the people who came to him, a "brood of vipers," but he understood a spiritual truth that's relevant to us today. (Luke 3:7)

When Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole, he foreshadowed the human Messiah, coming to us in the form we had chosen spiritually when we chose to obey the serpent in the garden, instead of our heavenly Father. John 3:14-17
Through our obedience, we made ourselves after the image of the snake, though we were created in the image of God. (Gen 1:27, Gen 5:1, Gen 9:6, James 3:9) Jesus came as one of us; born into this sinful world under the Law of Moses. Philippians 2:5-8
His death was unavoidable, because of our acts of injustice, and because fairness is required among God's creation. Mark 14:36
We could not afford to pay for our crimes. Our Creator was "pleased to bruise" the body He prepared for our atonement. Genesis 22:7-8, Isaiah 53:8-10, Hebrews 10:5
Jesus, both sinless and eternal, was the only one who could afford to pay our debt to justice. (John 10:17-18, Isaiah 9:6, 1 Peter 1:17-19)

In Numbers 21:5-9, the people of Israel were afflicted and destroyed by serpents in the wilderness as a consequence for their sin. They were no longer thankful for being saved from Egypt where their children were being killed and their slavery was unbearable. They spoke against the God who saved them because they were tired of their diet of manna. They were out of Egypt, but Egypt wasn't out of them.

The people prayed that their consequences would be removed, but living with the sting of their poisonous words was now necessary for their purification. Instead of leaving them unfit for the Promised Land, God showed them that they could humbly look to Him for provision and be healed of their venomous spirit.

Their prayer to have the serpents removed was not answered, but instead, they could look to the serpent on the pole and be healed. Acts 10:38 In the same way, our sin-nature and free-will are not removed, when we come to know Jesus. Yet, when we look to Him for His Holy Spirit, take our cross and follow Him, we find healing for our hearts. John 3:13-18

We have been "of our father, the devil", because we have been united with him in obedience since the Garden. (Genesis 3:1-7, John 8:32-34, John 8:44, Luke 6:46, Galatians 4:1, 2 Peter 2:19)

When we change course in obedience to the truth, we unite with our Savior as a force for good. We become members of His household, and even of His body. (Colossians 3:14-17, Ephesians 2:14-18, Ephesians 4:4-16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
That doesn't remove our suffering. It gives our suffering a purpose.

(Matthew 10:25) >"It is enough for the apprentice that he should become like his teacher, and the servant to be as his lord: if men have called the Master of the house 'Dung-Lord', how much more will they insult the members of his household?"

When we suffer to support life, we begin to understand Jesus' heart toward those He loves. When we truly understand His love, and are thankful, we can't help but become more loving in response. What a beautiful outcome!

(1 Peter 4:12-19)
>12 Beloved ones, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
13 Instead, be very glad; for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.
15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs.
16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News?
18 And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?" 19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

Our Father in heaven,
we know that there is nothing good in our flesh, and that our only hope to achieve holiness is through the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit. (Lev 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16, Philippians 2:13, 1 Thess 2:13, John 14:6, John 8:32) By the authority of Jesus Christ, we ask that You would fill us with love. Grant us a love for truth, for Your Son Jesus the Messiah, for our families, for our neighbors and love for ourselves. We don't want to bring any more suffering into the world, Father. For the sake of all that is good, make us vessels of mercy. Let the evil that comes our way stop with us. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, make us like shock-absorbers, that turn the other cheek and gain new insight into Your patience and peace. Let us find our identity through identifying with Jesus' suffering. Let our need for fulfillment and purpose be satisfied by the good You achieve through us. We praise You, Father, and thank You for showing us what love looks like through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We couldn't even come before You if not for His willing sacrifice for us. Glory to You God! You are so kind. It's in Jesus' precious name we pray these things. Amen.

Scripture tells us that our Lord will be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

The Holy Spirit unites the church through truth and compassion. He unites us with God through groans too deep for words.

(Romans 8:25-26 NKJV)
>25 If we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Scripture tells us that our Lord will be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body. Please feel free to comment any prayer requests in this thread.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

The Holy Spirit unites the church through truth and compassion. He unites us with God through groans too deep for words.

(Romans 8:25-26 NKJV)
>25 If we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Our Messiah went through a time of temptation immediately after His baptism. The book of Matthew tells us Christ's testing came after He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. We will each face a wilderness in our lives. The wilderness hones our ability to unite with God and maintain order in the midst of chaos. Jesus shows us how its done. Matthew 4:1-11 reveals four major natural temptations of the flesh that can get out of hand; self-promotion, unmet needs, significance, and power.

Self-promotion: Jesus' first temptation came in the enemy's statement, "If You are the Son of God." When someone looks on us as unworthy, we want to prove our abilities. If we do this in a way that goes against what God desires from us, we've become obedient to the adversary. This tempter is the adversary of everything good. He doesn't deserve our obedience. God gives us the way of escape from this temptation, just as the Bible says in 1Corinthians 10:13.

The Apostle Peter tells us in 1Peter 5:6
>"Humble yourselves, under the mighty hand of God so that He may exalt you in due time."

Jesus assures us in Luke 14:11
>"Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Having our needs met: The second temptation of Christ was to become impatient with God, like the Israelites in the wilderness. When we need something and fail to wait on God to provide it, we prove we don't trust Him to keep His covenant with those who obey Him.
Hebrews 11:6 says,
>"And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

It's the difference between a child who wakes up and says, "Daddy, I'm hungry," and one who says, My stomach hurts and it's all your fault! Where's my breakfast?! You have no right to tell me not to steal if you are not doing your job!"

Proverbs 30:7-9 shows us the prayer of a wise and humble person. It says, >7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."

In Matthew 6:1-8 Jesus tells us that our Father in heaven knows what what we need before we ask. In Matt 6:24-34, He says we need not be anxious for God's provision. In Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus says,
>7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The point of this lesson is for us to learn to love and respect the boundaries of love. It's a skill we will use in eternity.

Significance: This third temptation is one the enemy uses to drain our time, energy and resources. In the world, we feel significant when we're praised for our gifts and abilities. But as Christians, we may just want God to pay attention to our basic physical and emotional needs. When we're kids, if we don't crave the center of our parents' attention, we're liable to accidentally kill ourselves. As adults, this craving must diminish to make room for everyone's need for care, significance, and belonging. Otherwise we may drain resources from people who need them. Sometimes grown people threaten to kill themselves as a form of manipulation. They're led by the devil to trouble our conscience and get us to provide for them as we would a child.

Jesus was taken to the pinnacle of the God's temple and the pinnacle of this temptation. This lets us see exactly what the devil is up to when he gets a person desperate for attention. Our Messiah's hungry flesh was screaming that he didn't matter to God. The devil tempted Him to take extreme action to get God's attention. Jesus' need for food was neglected in order to strengthen His ability to trust that, even without physical blessings, He could be fed on God's word and live. (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3, Habakkuk 3:17-19)
We all have an emotional need for evidence that we matter. Once the beast has grown beyond the boundaries of love, though, it's hunger never stops. It becomes a gnawing emptiness which a person will do just about anything to try to fill. This isn't healthy for anyone involved. When attention is our god, we will degrade ourselves and anyone in our company to feed it. Everyone gets ripped-off, except the devil.
Matthew 6:1-4 reminds us that this hunger to be the center of attention can also lead us to forget that Love is the job we were made for. It's the purpose for our existence. Even our good deeds, if they are done to serve our desire to be the center of attention, will cause us to lose the rewards of being truly loving. Love connects us to people. It makes life fulfilling, and makes eternal life worth living. Excess attention glorifies one person over another. When we're the one being glorified, it can lead us into hypocrisy. According to Jesus' words in Luke 12:1, even well-deserved attention from our peers can feel so fulfilling that hypocrisy can become a temptation in order to keep a constant supply.

Power: This last temptation is one we humans have the worst time with. Power poses as proof to the human mind that one is elite, chosen, or somehow better and therefore more deserving of good. The rich man in Luke 16:19, entertained himself daily. He lived in luxury even though his neighbor, Lazarus was without basic needs.
Luke 18:10-20 shares another instance of the Narcissist of the ancients. The elitist partisan, or Pharisee, is said to pray to himself. "God, I thank thee, that I am not like other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-collector here. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.." This Pharisee's own holy book says, in Proverbs 26:12,
>"Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Glorying in our own nature, nurture, or opportunity is being proud of a gift and ignorant of the Giver. (James 1:17, John 3:27, Romans 12:3)
1Corinthians 4:7 says,
>"For who makes you different from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you received it, why do you glory, as if you had not received it?"

1Peter 4:10 encourages us to use our gifts to serve others, rather than to imagine ourselves as better than others. When our Lord said we were to, "love our neighbor as ourselves," He was teaching us what God wants to see in His family. He tells us in Matthew 25:40 that whatever good we do for the, "least of these, His brothers," we've done for Him.

These four indicators of satanic intervention are also useful to know because they help us understand why someone is sinning against us. Rather than judging our fellow man, these truths can help us know how to pray for others and for ourselves. They help us "get the beam out of our own eye, so we can see clearly to help our brother with the speck in his," as referenced by Christ in Matthew 7:3-5.

Matthew 24:12-13 gives us insight:
>"Because lawlessness abounds, the love of many will grow cold, but he who endures to the end will be saved."

Wherever you turn these days, you'll find people giving in to the temptation to circumvent the work of love for instant gratification. Their sins against us may lead us to seek vengeance, (Proverbs 24:29, Prov 24:10-12) We may even give up on being right with God and follow their bad example. (Romans 2:1-4, Proverbs 2:10-22)

Sometimes people come into our lives who desire to lead us into temptation. They encourage us to practice what they preach, or succumb to their flattery. This lets them feel superior, and sets them up to take what we would not be willing to give otherwise. (Jude 1:12, 2Peter 2:17-18, Habakkuk 2:15, Prov 29:5) If a person who sins against us this way is allowed to continue without our confronting it, he not only risks hell, but he may take us with him. (Luke 17:3, Ezek 33:6)

The parable Jesus shares in Matthew 5:29-30 tells us that people who encourage us to sin should not be part of our inner circle. The words of our Messiah here say;
>"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

Even if a person is so necessary as to be considered your, "right-hand man," if this person encourages you to unholy behavior, they are putting your soul at risk. Anyone who knowingly does this is not truly a part of the Body of Christ and needs to be removed from our service.

In Matthew 18:15-20, our Lord said,
>"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother."

His direction continues, verse 16,
>"But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

In Jesus' day, a Jew didn't even take a meal with a non-Jew or a tax collector. Jesus was glad to be good for, and eat with repentant tax-collectors and sinners, but people who had no problem with sin didn't continue in His inner circle. (Matt 9:11-12) Even the apostle Peter was once told, "Get behind me, adversary! For you care more about the interests of man than of God." (Matt 16:23, Prov 2:9-19, Ecc 7:21-22)
Christ's temptations end this same way. He doesn't tolerate the devil's prodding anymore. The devil made it clear that he wants the obedience that only our God of Love deserves. Every person who wants us to overlook what is good in order to please them, is the adversary of good. Jesus says, in Matthew 4:10, "Be gone, satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him alone shall you serve."
God the Father shows us the unity Christ has with Him when He confirms Jesus' words and casts satan out of heaven in Luke, Chapter 10.

(Luke 10:16-22) >16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

(This is why it's so important to know God's Word before giving advice. If we draw from our own fleshly logic to support people, we can't help but to steer them wrong. We've put ourselves in the stead of God.)

>17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us by your authority!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Temptation comes when we desire to fill our emptiness, hunger, weakness or deficiency with something other than God. It's a time when our former, earthly masters of the flesh have gotten so loud that we have a harder time hearing God. Matt 6:24 makes it clear;

>"No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

James 4:1-4 puts it another way: >1 What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don't they come from your passions that wage war within you? 2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and don't receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people! Don't you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.

Psalm 51 is a good place to start to help us get back on track when we've fallen.

When we choose God's way, we use our God-given deficiency for what it's there for; connecting with God. (Psalm 22, Matt 18:3, 1Peter 4:1-4) We are meant to be One, as part of His family. (Jeremiah 3:19, Psalm 128:1-3, Psalm 127:1-4)

When we give into temptation, the consequences often lead us into despair. (Proverbs 5:1-14)

This is an excerpt from "Pilgrim's Progress." It's the end of the Chapter entitled "By-path Meadow and the Giant Despair."

"Out of the way we went, and then we found What 'twas to tread upon forbidden ground: And let them that come after have a care, Lest heedlessness makes them as we to fare; Lest they, for trespassing, his prisoners are, Whose castle's Doubting, and whose name's Despair."

Merciful Father in heaven,
Thank You for hearing our prayers. Lord, without You, we have no strength to fight these battles against temptation for long. We ask that You would be the strength in our weakness. Help us to hear the voice of the enemy for what it is; a deceiver, a liar, a thief. (John 10:10) Cause us to reject and rebuke any thought that does not align with Your life-giving word, before we take action, Lord. We're so sorry for the times we fail to think, speak, and act with compassion. Help us remember to stop and pray when we're afraid, so our fear doesn't turn into foolishness. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Jesus promises to be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love as we support each other.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

(John 13:34-35 NKJV)
>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."

(Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
>4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as a symbol between your eyes.
9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

(1 John 4:7-8)
>7 Beloved ones, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has conceived God and been conceived by God.
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

(Deuteronomy 32:39)
>39 'Understand now that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.

(Song of Songs 8:6)
>6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.

(John 17:20-23) Jesus' prayer
>20 "I do not pray only for these with Me, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love as we support each other.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

This post is in response to the myriad of cults keeping our Moderation team busy in the back. I want to address "red flags" in posts and comments, as well as signs to be alert for inside the group. Please flag suspicious behavior! That's what we're here for; to protect this Christian community.

If you're contacted on Reddit via DM to join any Zoom Bible study, there is a significant likelihood that you're dealing with a cult. If you have to give out identifying information to join, report them to Reddit as "SPAM." Report the user/s to Mods of the Christian Reddit communities you visit.

See this post for examples of high-control tactics

##What are the red flags you're being baited into a cult?

• Advertising: Be wary if even ONE of these red flags is occurring -

1. Staged post where OP seems to fit the perfect candidate the cult is seeking. Cult recruiter appears in the comments, OR
2. Sad-fishing for the perfect candidate in post or comments, "I'm not a real Christian. A real Christian would..." OR,
3. A call to action based on misappropriated scripture. "OR
4. A call to action that suggests joining them will help you "go deeper with the Lord", "have better self-control", etc. basically usurping the place of the Holy Spirit in your life, OR
5. They want to DM you at some point with more information, which leads to them asking for your contact info. DON'T DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION. Some of these groups are dangerous. Others want to sell your information.

##How can you identify a toxic community, mentor, counselor, or teacher?

Again, Be wary if even ONE of these red flags is occurring!

• Do they shame you? If you can’t make it to their next workshop, or meeting, do they work to better accommodate you, or do they try to shame you into coming? Do they make you feel bad, uncommitted, or unworthy because you are unable or unwilling to take the next step with them? Don't be surprised if they spin the script and tell you that investing your time and money in their influence is an investment in yourself.
  Shame is a key tool of a manipulator and is something these sorts of teachers and organizations lean on heavily.

• Do they shift the blame? Toxic organizations often ask for a huge time commitment. If you can't attend their meetings as often as they like, or have to say no to volunteer work, do they blame you for a lack of commitment? If every boundary you try to set is met with pushback, chances are your organization or teacher cares more about taking your time and money than your personal growth.

• Do they use fear tactics to keep you connected to them? Coercive mentors sometimes operate like abusive spouses. They may be perfectly charming toward those who have what they want. With those they mentor, it's another story. They may condition you to believe that you'd be lost or dead without them. They may use a "you and me against the world" tactic. They may gossip about others so you don't know who to trust. A manipulative person using fear tactics may talk about others a lot. They'll give a loud but vague compliment followed up by a scathing judgment. They've always got to be the "main character," the rescuer, or the source of influence. If you're a particularly agreeable person, you may have so many people like this in your life that it seems normal. It isn't!

• Do they focus on your weaknesses? A high-control group will often pretend to tell you all their dark secrets to get you to follow suit. Then they weaponize your past against you to get what they want. Someone who offers to build you up shouldn't tear you down. True religion supports the weak. True friends will come alongside you as you and the Lord address the problems of today. They will shine a light on your successes and victories. If your community is constantly focusing on the skeletons in your closet, and especially if they are using these skeletons to rationalize why you should be immersed in their teaching, it’s time to shake the dust off your feet. Find someone who sees your radiance, not someone who keeps tearing open old scars, or rubbing salt in your wounds.

(James 5:14-16)
>14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.

• Do they isolate you? Isolation makes abuse easier. If you don’t have family or friends pointing out the red flags, it can be harder to see them.
  Isolation often begins as a group or individual making a big ask of your time. What you’re looking for is whether a majority of time, energy, and effort are spent with this new community at the detriment of other things. Ask yourself, am I spending all of my money toward the priorities of this new community? Am I not sleeping? Am I not communicating with my friends and family? Cults will often monopolize your time and resources, so you have nothing left to invest in friends and family. Others invite your spouse and children in, as long as they conform with the ideology of the group.

(Titus 3:10)
>If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.

• Do they change the subject when you have a concern? This is probably the most common and seemingly most innocent of the behaviors of manipulative communities. It’s such a natural human reaction to avoid confrontation, and we often assume it’s passivity that causes this in our teachers or organization leaders. But if every response to concern is a change of subject, it’s not just avoiding confrontation; it’s pretending there’s no issue in the first place. If you cannot get your mentor or organization leader to talk with you about your concerns, how can you trust they will respond to them?

• Do they make empty promises? Grown adults can maintain a relationship with children who don't keep their word, but trust is integral in healthy adult relationships. It's the foundation every other interaction is built on. People of character will not erode the foundation of your relationship and replace it with empty promises.

• Do they rationalize their behavior? When you call out the overstepping of your boundaries, do they make up an excuse that doesn't fit, or claim special privilege? We all have emergencies that can derail our best intentions. It's when a person consistently shirks responsibility that it's time to re-evaluate the relationship. If you ask for a time-frame on the promise that never materialized, they may claim they never made that promise, threaten to punish you for speaking up, or fault you when they can't follow through. If you confront the behavior of a toxic community they will try to defend themselves. Be prepared for them to suggest that their manipulative behavior is not only acceptable, but necessary for your self-growth. If every concern of yours is met with a rationalization, it’s time to move on.

• Do they gaslight you? Making you distrust your mind and memory is how a deceptive person maintains control. They keep you looking at yourself, so you take your eyes off of them. Gaslighting is when an individual tries to turn your concerns into proof of your insanity, or your oversized ego. As demands, excuses, and rationalizations get weirder and weirder, you start to question your own reality.” If your teacher or members of the community always insist that your concerns are ridiculous, or roll their eyes at your doubts, that’s gaslighting.

• Above all else, trust your gut. Only you can know what’s best for you. If something feels wrong or a part of you doesn’t feel safe, listen to your inner voice and take care of yourself.

If you're still unsure whether your Bible study or group is using cult tactics, express your doubts to a friend or trusted confidant and ask what they think of the situation. It should be someone outside the group you seek answers about.

Those who have been isolated from family and friends by a cult local to them, can reach out to the Mod Team here or in r/Christian_CultSupport with your concerns.

If you're still unsure, you might speak with someone you do business with during slow hours. You might start a conversation, like, “You’re never going to believe this thing I heard about this group.” This protects your vulnerability while still giving you an opportunity to assess the acceptability of your organization’s behaviors.

Stay safe out there! Don't hesitate to reach out!

Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love as we support each other.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love. Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have - one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and be earthen vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Feel free to post your prayer requests in this thread.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love. Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have - one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and be earthen vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Feel free to post your prayer requests in this thread.

Acts 4:32-35
>32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love. Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)
>19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have - one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and be earthen vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)
>6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21
>He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Feel free to post your prayer requests in this thread.