Month: October 2016

SUPPLICATION

Posted by

0

PROVISIONS

[We all know someone who is dealing with financial problems. Here is an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

PROBLEM WITH WEALTH

Screen Shot 2016-08-24 at 1.11.33 PM…FATHER, I pray that ____ not be asking for abundance. For (he/she) will not be able to be rendering a slave’s obedience to You and, at the same time, possess a passion for accumulating wealth (ref#37, p14, [Matt 6:24]).

Move ____ to realize (he/she) cannot eat or drink or wear more than a day’s supply and that any surplus left over from the day (he/she) will have the care of storing and watching against theft (ref#34, Feb 14th AM).

Aid ____, LORD, to understand the problem with wealth, as well as the benefit of poverty. JESUS lived with voluntary poverty for it disconnected Him with everything that chains people down to this world. Because of it He was able to go wherever His FATHER wanted Him to go (ref#8, Nov 6th).

THANKSGIVING

Posted by

0

JESUS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE

Screen Shot 2016-08-24 at 1.03.16 PM…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.

CONFESSION

Posted by

0

SATAN STANDS BEFORE GOD AND ACCUSES ME

Screen Shot 2016-08-24 at 12.57.35 PM…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 sinning 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.

ADORATION

Posted by

0

SCRIPTURE AND THE SPIRIT

Screen Shot 2016-08-24 at 12.50.10 PM…FATHER, all honor goes to You for not leaving anything for me to accomplish toward my salvation and sanctification. I do not convince myself of Your worth; I don’t read the Bible and decide I want to follow You. You mark out my path and I walk in it by the HOLY SPIRIT’s involvement in my life.

The words You have set in Your Bible I am able to read but not able to interpret. Your words are encased in human language but they are not limited to what the human mind can perceive (ref#79, p150).

“God’s language in his book is alive and full of power. Sharper than a two-edged sword, it cuts open the very thought life of people. It exposes and interprets what they think and feel” Will Metzger (ref#79, p150).

The SPIRIT’s witness to Scripture is not revealing new information but shedding light on what is already written. My mind held only darkness even as I read Scripture until You sent the SPIRIT to interpret Your Word to me. Suddenly I knew JESUS and the Scriptures were divine. The SPIRIT impressed them on me much like the way I sense taste and colors. Suddenly I found it impossible to doubt. The inward work of the HOLY SPIRIT persuaded and assured me. He bore witness with the Word in my heart and suddenly I had faith enough to believe (ref#56, p1677, “The Authentication of Scripture”).

VALLEYS TO MOUNTAINTOPS

Posted by

0

PRAYING FOR GRACEBEARERS

…NOTE: This and the following two Monday’s journal entries contain portions taken from the book, The Journal of Ann Schultz, (ref#217). (Ann’s assignment at GraceBearers was to read Scripture and give the ending prayer.)

2/12/08, Tuesday

Screen Shot 2016-08-24 at 12.43.17 PMTonight I come to prayer under the influence of the HOLY SPIRIT. He comes presently as a small ember flaring up deep within. Even as a small ember, He drives me to my knees in repentance. He cracks the door to the spiritual world and I see the seriousness of earthly life.

Life is not for me to squander. It’s not even for me to take lightly and allow myself a few sins here and there. It’s about life and death—eternal life and eternal death. And, since He so graciously has given me life, it is about the death of my fellow creatures.

I can complain all day about how natural Ann keeps me from obeying—how I try to pray, but can’t. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m held responsible for following GOD. If I can’t pray then I better wait in His presence until I can. Never mind that worldly life is going on. Spiritual life is much more important than my earthly agenda.

Do I really think that my daily plans are more important than getting on my knees and waiting for the door to open into the spiritual world? This is my life blood—being able to develop my spiritual life. Without it I die.

FATHER, You’ve given me grace upon grace and with it responsibility upon responsibility. You command that I pray for my GraceBearers sisters.

Some stand before You as I once did not very long ago—seekers of You, but unable to enter in. Human effort from a heart desiring to be spiritual only produces frustration. So many, I perceive, of my sisters are stuck in this wanting-to-but-failing mode. And if they are as stuck as I use to be, they believe the circle of sinning and asking forgiveness is all Christianity is. LORD, for women in this category I want to plead for in prayer.

Another condition that describes some of my sisters is a condition of wanting more of You, LORD, but unable to reach You because they are bound by medical, or physical, or spiritual causes. Their condition in this world holds them—especially with its busyness that now is so fashionable.

The last group I pray for is my sisters who have not experienced You in any degree of fullness. They are the ones that are not serious about seeking You. But, if You have moved them to come to the GraceBearers meeting, You are beginning to draw them.

For all these groups of precious women, LORD, come. Come show Yourself in ways that will revive each of us.

I keep thinking of the valley of dry bones—Your words through Ezekiel for the house of Israel. Do we not need the same mercy from You as they do?

I see all of us before You as bones that You have put sinews, flesh and skin on and have made us to stand and You have given us breath.

Tonight LORD, I look out and see Your creation. I see real women who long for You to draw them to Your breast. I see women who long to live spiritually, not grieving You. I see women who want to be free to worship You in spirit and in truth.

LORD, as Ezekiel’s prophecy was for the Jewish people, I ask for the same for the GraceBearers women standing here tonight. Put Your Spirit within us.

“And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live,…then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, says the LORD” (Ezek 37:14 RSV).

LORD, I have drifted off into a prayer for GraceBearers night. Is it one I should use? I will not jump and say “yes” yet. If Ezekiel’s dry bones is for Mon. night, then I’ll contend in prayer until You give me not only the assurance that it’s the Scripture passage You have chosen but that You will send out Your Spirit to apprehend the women.

We know we are great sinners—but You have given us great promises. I will hold You to Your promises. I’m desperate to hold You to Your promises. Make me realize more desperateness.

LORD, I plead for more determination to be determined to endure in prayer. I will not be able to live with myself if nothing happens in GraceBearers this year—not because You didn’t come through, but because I didn’t preserve in prayer. You’re making my calling clear—and it’s prayer. Your SPIRIT has graciously led me in choosing GraceBearers Scripture but I can’t quit there.

If I run after GOD properly, I’ll not have time for prideful thoughts that always want to turn my head in the wrong direction. He’ll have me constantly pleading for something. O FATHER, teach me to pray—teach me to not leave Your throne room—teach me to cling desperately to You. Oh, to pray without ceasing.

SABBATH

Posted by

0

OUR HEAVENLY SABBATH

“Six days are lawfully given to the affairs of this life, to provide for the body, but the things that pertain to God, and the welfare of the soul, are much more important. The things of time pass away, and perish with the using, but the things of God are permanent, and will never pass away. If we worship God in spirit and in truth here, we shall worship him in heaven for ever” George Rose (ref#174).

“…nothing…will…break the Sabbath of eternity: the Triune God shall rejoice in the work of His hands…it is Jesus…who leads us into the heavenly rest….The renovated creation…Sabbath rest will not be until Christ comes to usher us into it, the typical earthly Sabbath must continue until then. The Jews call the future rest the ‘day which is all Sabbath’” JFB Commentary (ref#17, [Heb 4:9]).

“Consider the Lord’s Day an honour and delight. Let your heart be elevated in holy joy, and your lips be employed in the high praises of God. This day more resembles heaven, than any other” Archibald Alexander (ref#175).

“It was always kept be the Jews and after them by the early Christians, as a festival, and not a fast” Archibald Hodge (ref#181).