Month: August 2016

VALLEYS TO MOUNTAINTOPS

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2 POINTS 2 REMEMBER

3/12/2016

Screen Shot 2016-07-18 at 4.40.12 PMWhy is it I come to this prayer closet, sit down and start crying? It’s worship—or I should say the lack thereof. Again I’m downcast because my keyboard playing this morning failed to draw me into worship.

I can worship silently in my heart and I do and love to magnify the great King of the universe. For reasons unknown, He takes care of me. But worship at the piano feels like I’m alone in a desert.

Why so downcast O my soul? I am sitting in my closet with only hot, burning sand around me—wind whirling sand so I can’t see two feet in front of me. I am so alone with only the sturdy foundation of CHRIST holding me. But, that is enough. This too, will pass.

Today I’m sensing I need taken care of in all areas of my life. The strangest thing is happening. Jerry and I are babysitting a dog for the week. No big deal, right? For some reason I’m out of sorts so I’m blaming it on the dog—that sweet, sweet dog, I love him, but he’s bothering me. I can’t seem to get my life on a path I like.

Journaling always seems to help so I’ve brought the computer into the closet. But, even in the few minutes before getting the computer GOD began His revelation. He didn’t tell me why I was crying. But He impressed upon me that I am out of sorts for a reason. I can blame it on the dog but no matter, I need to be undone, defeated, and convinced I can’t navigate my world by myself. Out of sorts is the perfect ground for Him to speak and me to listen.

As I started saying, worship is the subject that bothers—playing the piano and worshipping specifically. Not long ago I thought I had found the way: play and sing with YouTube videos. But today that didn’t even work.

I know I can do nothing without the SPIRIT and that definitely includes playing piano and worshipping. So, the reason I’m crying is the SPIRIT is nowhere to be found.   Can I beg Him to come? It hasn’t worked so far.

So what is my option as I wait for the SPIRIT? “Purposeful” comes to mind. And I turn my attention to You, FATHER, and review in my mind some activities I read in Scripture about You.

With this journal entry I’ll write down two activities to pursue. It is Your advice to me for learning how to worship with fingers on the piano keys: You say to me, “Recall My excellences and worship in your heart and continue to practice piano. You remind me again that You have previously directed me to consent to everything my piano teacher suggests. So, when the SPIRIT is not present I’ll hunker down, think of You and simply play the piano.

SABBATH

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A DAY OF REJOICING

“’If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;…’” (Isa 58:13-14 ESV)

“[And call the Sabbath a delight] This appropriately expresses the feelings of all who have any just views of the Sabbath….They esteem it a privilege, not a task, to be permitted once a week to disburden their minds of the cares, and toils, and anxieties of life. It is a ‘delight’ to them to recall the memory of the institution of the Sabbath, when God rested from his labors; to recall the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, to the memory of which the Christian Sabbath is consecrated; to be permitted to devote a whole day to prayer and praise, to the public and private worship of God, to services that expand the intellect and purify the heart” Barnes’ Notes (ref#16, [Isa 58:13]).

“…now that we are His, the first day of the week…has become a feast! We look with eager delight for Sundays to come round one after another—Charles Spurgeon (ref#182).

“It is a day of rejoicing: God made it to be a joyful day to the Church…They that receive…the Sabbath aright, call it a delight and honorable (Isa 58:13-14). It is a pleasant and a joyful day to them; it is an image of the future heavenly rest of the Church…” Jonathan Edwards (ref#186).

SUPPLICATION

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SICKNESS General

[The majority of our prayers concern physical health. We all know someone who is dealing with the pain of sickness or injury. Here is an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

PROMISES TO THE INJURED

Screen Shot 2016-05-18 at 11.27.07 AM…FATHER, sprinkled throughout Scripture are Your assurances and consolations to the afflicted. Cause ____ to experience the cheer of (his/her) soul by Your consolations when the cares of (his/her) heart are many (Ps 94:19). You will supply every need of (his/hers) according to Your riches in CHRIST JESUS (Phil 4:19). Your grace is sufficient for (him/her), for Your power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9). You do not forget (his/her) cry (Ps 9:12). Give ____ the two keys to (his/her) strength—quietness and trusting confidence (Isa 30:15).

FATHER, You do not promise to heal _____ in a specific time frame. But You promise support every minute of every day. You give (him/her) grace to be weak, and will supply (his/her) every need. You give (him/her) strength as (he/she) quietly trusts You. You never forget (his/her) struggle—listening to (his/her) hopes and dreams whenever (he/she) cries to You.

FATHER, please see that (he/she) has the ability to keep (himself/herself) right at the center of Your love. I pray You direct (him/her) to keep (his/her) arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of CHRIST JESUS (Jude 21).

I pray _____ wash (his/her) hands in innocence and go around Your altar proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling of all Your wondrous deeds (Ps 26:6-7). Who knows the time when Your power is present to perform healing (Luke 5:17)? I pray _____ be only an arms-length away when Your power is present for healing.

THANKSGIVING

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BLESSING OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE

Screen Shot 2016-05-18 at 11.19.07 AM…LIFE GIVING FATHER, JESUS my Messiah has come! He has lived and died and risen and atoned for my sin (ref#63, p522). He now is in heaven—in Your very presence appearing before You on my behalf (Heb 9:24). “…He has once for all at the consummation and close of the ages appeared to put away and abolish sin by His sacrifice [of Himself]” (Heb 9:26 AMP). The Covenant of Grace is now established.

FATHER, CHRIST has revealed You to me. He is the sole expression of Your glory—Your radiance; He is the perfect imprint and very image of Your nature (Heb 1:3).

CHRIST, in making possible the fulfilling of Your covenant of grace, has poured out the HOLY SPIRIT. He is a SPIRIT of power (Acts 1:8). He is the power to strip off and take away the veil between You and I, FATHER, when I turn in repentance (2 Cor 3:16). He is able to constantly transform me into Your image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18).

FATHER, another blessing of Your Covenant of Grace is that You imprint Your laws—upon my innermost thoughts and understanding. You engrave them upon my heart (Heb 8:10). By experience I perceive You; I know You (Heb 8:11).

And, this new covenant is an eternal Covenant of Grace (Heb 13:20). FATHER, how Your great love humbles me. Through this covenant You give me CHRIST so I might have fellowship with You forever!

CONFESSION

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PARDON IS NOT TO MAKE ME MORE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD

Screen Shot 2016-05-18 at 11.13.44 AM…LORD, as I approach Your throne, my natural reaction is to cry out like Isaiah, “I have unclean lips” (Isa 6:5), and so desire to spill out my confessions of sin before I come close to You.

In the prayer JESUS taught His disciples, the first half of it is words of worship and honor to You. Confession of sin is toward the end of the prayer and then takes up only ½ a sentence.

Remind me FATHER, You do not throw the robe of CHRIST upon me so You can tolerate looking at me. You do not demand I confess my sin before You let me approach You. You know my frame (Ps 103:14) and my sinfulness does not give You pause.

A woman may forget she is nursing a child, but You will never forget me. You engraved me on the palm of Your hands (Isa 49:15,16) before I did anything right or wrong (Rom 9:11).

You seek and solicit my love constantly. You love me at the expense of Your Son’s blood—at the expense of condescending to beseech me (ref#18, [1 John 4:18]). Have You not rend the heavens and come down to be constantly beside me (Isa 64:1)? You are willing to call me Your bride even when I am unfaithful to You (Hosea 3:1).

I have mistaken thoughts about confession! My natural thought is to dwell on Your assurance of pardon to convince myself that I am now good enough to come into Your presence. FATHER, remind me once again that I am good only because CHRIST has made me His own, not because I have confessed my sins and received Your pardon.

Isn’t this what Job was so upset about—justifying himself before You? Job wanted You to speak to him about his sin—or lack thereof. Did You do that? No, You instead overwhelmed Job with Your majesty (Job 38:1-41:34).

Astonish me like You did Job. I want to spend the majority of my time with You losing myself in Your love.

“…if the heart be…much taken up with…the eminency of the Father’s love, it cannot choose but be overpowered, conquered, and endeared unto him” John Owen (ref#35, p128).

ADORATION

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RELATIONSHIP

Screen Shot 2016-05-18 at 11.05.56 AM“The Mystery of Christ is to realize that it is indeed just that, a mystery. To represent faith in Jesus merely as something we come to understand and accept is to rob it of the mystery of being in relationship with something that is infinitely bigger and wiser than we are” Michael Card (ref#137, p32).

FATHER, CHRIST says to me, “’Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country, Let us spend the night in the villages” (Song 7:11 NASU). He does not say, “Go into the country without me”—but, He says, “let us go.”

Re-impress Your image upon my soul that I might never more think it is okay to do anything without You (ref#76, p158). Without You I am an outcast, but with You I can touch Your kingly scepter. Without You “darkness spreads its horrors in front” but, with You “an eternity of glory is my boundless horizon” The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p158).

Without You “all within me is terror and dismay,” but with You “every accusation is charmed into joy and peace” The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p158). Without You “I hide my lips in trembling shame;” but, with You “I open my mouth in petition and praise” The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p158).

“If we don’t want to experience God’s closeness here on earth, why would we want to go to heaven anyway” Jim Cymbala (ref#78, p58)?

VALLEYS TO MOUNTAINTOPS

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BEING-PLACED-ON-THE-SHELF LEARNING

11/4/12

Screen Shot 2016-05-18 at 11.02.15 AMI have been put on the shelf with an upper respiratory infection for almost two weeks now, so what have I learned?

I have been mistaken to think I need to surround myself with GOD facts. (It only strengthens the temptation to pride—boasting in the knowledge gathered.)   I only need GOD to surround me. I go back to the J.I. Packer quote hanging on my wall, “Trustful acceptance of life as it comes, and keeping on doing what I should, are the two keys to happiness.” I need to get back to basics.

I have discovered my naivety is much greater than I imagined. In college I put in time sitting at my desk and thought that was all it took to study. Too, I thought that reading was all I had to do—pronouncing each word in my head—and not thinking at all about understanding what I read. So now, I find I’m doing the same thing: writing and reading prayers with no thought of internalizing them.

I suppose all this faulty thinking comes from being steeped in Pharisee-ism—being an actor on the stage of life—outward activity with no inward conviction.

I’ve been reading and writing too fast—like gathering and stuffing food in my mouth but not digesting it. I’ve been rattling on to GOD so much that I’ve not allowed GOD to make any comments back to me. I have a couple acquaintances that talk so much they forget to stop to let me answer. This is exactly what I have been doing with GOD!!

In the wake of being laid up not able to research and write, I have gone to memorizing Scripture. But, I have been doing the same thing with memorization!—I’ve been memorizing but not using the thoughts of Scripture productively in my life.

I have left the SPIRIT in the dust—using my brain to guide me instead of the SPIRIT. Again it’s my flesh, my natural mind that thinks it can move faster than the SPIRIT can move me and I fall into the trap of, “I want to be a spiritual giant, now.”

But, my head knowledge is doing nothing for me. The SPIRIT knows how to strengthen my spirit. I have been graced with the revelation—I need to wait for the SPIRIT to animate my spirit.

I perceive now that a season of praise can remedy leaning on my flesh. Waiting for the SPIRIT to awaken my spirit can do that work. Come SPIRIT, come and direct my heart to my FATHER. Come, lead my heart to rejoicing. Come, teach me how to wait. Come.