JESUS the Righteous Judge

FATHER, You give dominion and glory and a kingdom to Your Son, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed (Dan 7:14).

You have appointed Your Son to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). When He comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne and before Him all the nations will be gathered and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Matt 25:31-32).

He will place the sheep on his right, and the goats on His left. Then Your Son, the King, will say to those on His right, (Matt 25:33). “’Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt 25:34 ESV).

But He will say to those on His left, “’Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41 ESV). And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Matt 25:46).

FATHER, in a world of unfairness, I thank You for JESUS, the Righteous Judge.

The Divine Weapons of Warfare – Shoes

FATHER, ____ is at war with enemies among men that oppose (him/her). (He/She) is exposed often to fiery persecution. (He/She) must contend with “carnal and corrupt propensities” of (his/her) own nature also. But (his/her) main controversy is with “invisible spirits of wickedness” (ref#16, [Eph 6:12]). FATHER, remind ____ that (he/she) must strive against these fallen spirits for the heavenly things which are promised (him/her) otherwise (he/she) will be deprived of them (ref#15, [Eph 6:12]).

FATHER, may ____ not be hindered by unprotected feet as (he/she) prepares to face the foe. Accelerate (his/her) desires to deliberately shod (his/her) feet with the firm foundation of the principles of the Gospel so (he/she) can march toward the enemy with confidence and uninterrupted cadence (Eph 6:15).

“…you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light” (Ps 56:13 NLT).

Working Out My Own Salvation

FATHER, move me to work out my own salvation—but not on my own. Keep me always accepting what You give. I wish to let You set me apart.

“The one marvelous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh” (ref#7, July 23rd).

FATHER, Your mystery of sanctification is JESUS. All His sinless perfection You pour into me. And as You pour, I continually change slowly and surely into holiness (2 Cor 13:4).

If there is any effort on my part to be exerted it is to seek to know CHRIST better—“in His divine nature, in His human relationship, in His finished work, in His death, in His resurrection, in His present glorious intercession, and in His future royal advent” (ref#34, Jan 4th AM). The reason You have made me one with

JESUS is so His disposition will rule my disposition (ref#7, Feb 8th). This “working out my own salvation” is to let You, FATHER, more quickly change me. Allow me to experience the closeness of JESUS, FATHER, so that His presence pushes anxious thoughts away that I may see clearly Your direction before me.

Satan Stands Before GOD and Accuses Me

FATHER, it bothers me greatly that satan stands before You and accuses me day and night (Rev 12:10). Even though he hates Your presence, he is willing to appear before You to accuse me (ref#18, [Rev 12:1-11]). And his accusations are true! He lies to me but speaks truth to You. Day and night—continually, he gives me a bad name before You—day and night! How is it that You can 24-7 insist on loving me against all the facts?

This prosecutor, satan, has the evidence to convict me and I have no arguments in my defense for I do go through each day a sinner just as he says. It is an absolute necessity to have CHRIST represent me. Impress upon me the seriousness of my inability to stop sinning and the seriousness of depending on CHRIST. By the “blood of the Lamb” You, FATHER, set me free (Rev 12:11). You cast satan out of

Your court, crushing his indictments (ref#18, [Rev 12:1- 11]). So, I commit my cause to CHRIST, my Advocate (ref#18, [Rev 12:1-11]). In confession, CHRIST, You are my Savior; and because You are my Savior I gladly make You my LORD.

“Worship is always extravagant: Elders throw down their crowns, Mary pours out precious ointment, people prostrate themselves” (ref#79, p156).

Psalm 61

“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;

from the end of the earth I call to you

when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,”

“for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!…”

“For you, O God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

Prolong (my life) may (my) years endure to all generations!”

“May (I) be enthroned forever before (You);
appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over (me)!

So will I ever sing praises to your name,
as I perform my vows day after day” (Psalm 61 ESV).

GOD Strengthens My Soul

To You wise GOD, be glory

forevermore through CHRIST!
Through CHRIST I praise You,
the incomparably wise GOD (Rom 16:27).

You are gracious, LORD,

and righteous altogether,

Yes, and merciful, compassionate, and kindhearted (Ps 116:5).

When I call You answer;
You strengthen me with might—
making me inflexible to temptation
so my strength of soul is increased (Ps 138:3).

Engage me to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,

announcing Your love each daybreak,
and singing of Your faithful presence
all through the night (Ps 92:2).

Prayer Facts:

“There is nothing more difficult than to ask. We will long and desire and crave and suffer, but not until we are at the extreme limit will we ask….” (ref#7, June 9th). “Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence” W. S. Bowden (ref#55, p129).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because all Your promises find their answer in CHRIST (2 Cor 1:20), I will wait for Y ou.
Because Your Son is holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners and exalted higher than the heavens (Heb 7:26), I will wait for You.

Because You sent Your Son into the world so that I might live through Him (1 John 4:9), I will wait for You.

Receiving the SPIRIT to Minister

“…when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8 MSG).

FATHER, I gratefully thank You for inviting me to be the cup You use to pour out Your goodness on mankind. You require and then enable me to keep my cup clean so You can choose me to be Your minister.

You require it and make me able to die to self—to be constantly dying, always carrying in my body the death of JESUS, so that the life of JESUS may also be manifested in my body (2 Cor 4:10) (ref#97, p25).

“It will mean no plans, no time, no money, no pleasure of our own. It will mean a constant yielding to those around us…” (ref#97, p25)

You make me able to put out of my life every known sin (ref#30, p116). The SPIRIT makes me willing to show You my dirty cup—makes me willing to give it to You to clean—and it will be cleaned with Your Son’s precious Blood that continually flows for sin (ref#97, p30).

You make me able to be broken of my will. The SPIRIT brings me to the foot of the Cross to show me what real brokenness is. I see His wounded hands and feet and His face crowned with thorns… (ref#97, p48).

Through Your direction of the SPIRIT, He is able to make me into a suitable tool for Your use. And going yet further, the SPIRIT points my desires toward a further spiritual anointing—the “definite endowment of power from the Holy Spirit” (ref#30, p115-116).

All praise to You, FATHER, for You make me able to be in relationship with You. I thank You for the SPIRIT Who leads me to every step of cleanliness and on to the ability to minister with You in Your behalf.

More Trials, More Happiness

“In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul” (Ps 94:19 AMP)! How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort (Matt 5:4 Phillips)!

FATHER, nearer to You brings more happiness and getting nearer to You comes from deep trials and afflictions, they are ____’s heralds of weighty mercies. The more humble (he/she) is through these trials the more true comfort You can give (him/her) because (he/she) is more fit to receive it (ref#34, Feb 12th AM).

If (he/she) be a branch of Your Son, the True Vine, then You are the Vinedresser and will prune (him/her) with afflictions so (he/she) is able to bring forth fruit (John 15:1-2). Convince (him/her), FATHER, to rejoice in all tribulations because pruning brings such precious results (ref#34, Jan 22nd PM). “…even sorrows turn to blessings when they make us less attached to the earth and more attached to God” (ref#73, June 5th).

The churches of Macedonia province proved the theory of “more trials, more happiness”:

“Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province. Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could — far more than they could afford! — pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives” (2 Cor 8:1-5 MSG).

I Cannot do What You do but You Will not do What I can do

FATHER, I am a member of Your household, through CHRIST. I am no longer a stranger and an alien but a citizen of Your kingdom (Eph 2:18-19).

You have drawn me to Yourself, I am unable to draw myself to You. I cannot do what You do, but You will not do what I can do. You, FATHER, save and sanctify, but You will not give me good habits or make me walk aright. I, by faith, must work out the salvation You worked in (ref#7, May 10th). I am responsible; You will judge me according to Your justice.

You have given me the power to make personal decisions, yet You control the actions I choose. You have conferred responsibility on me for my thoughts, words, and deeds (ref#56, p1221, “God Reigns: Divine Sovereignty”) yet You are continually sovereign.

“Numerous biblical passages integrate the sovereignty of God and the moral responsibility of human beings without allowing the predeterminate will of God to be used as an excuse for moral evil (Esth 4:13-14; Joel 2:32; Matt 26:24-25; Acts 2:23)” (ref#56, p1159, [Ezek 14:9]).

FATHER, compel me not to think that because You have chosen me that I have no responsibility.