Blinded

“The curse of a godless man can sound more pleasant in God’s ears than the Hallelujah of the pious” Luther (ref#28, p9).

Your kingdom, FATHER, is in the midst of Your enemies. But, I see ____ wanting to “be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with the bad people but the devout people” Luther (ref#28, p17-18).

The Christian’s calling is to bring peace to Your enemies. Is ____ avoiding the obviously pernicious?

I pray for ____ that You bring (him/her) to understand there is a battle going on and (he/she) is to be a soldier among enemies. (He/She) must be scattered from (his/her) Christian friends—“dispersed among unbelievers”. The only guaranteed fellowship is heavenly fellowship “held together solely in Jesus Christ” (ref#28, p18).

A Kingdom of Priests

FATHER, I pray for ____ that (he/she) obey Your calling to be a priestly intercessor. (All Christians are called to be a kingdom of priests [Ex 19:6]). Attune (him/her) to be mindful of ones caught in transgression (Gal 6:1) that (he/she) will seek to restore them “by affectionate admonition, by faithful instruction, and by prayer” (ref#16, [Gal 6:1]).

Cause ____, FATHER, to live as a priest by fearing You and standing in awe of Your name (Mal 2:5). Keep true instruction in (his/her) mouth and assist (him/her) to walk with You in peace and uprightness. By such a walk (he/she) will turn many from iniquity (Mal 2:6). Impassion ____ to guard knowledge so that people should seek instruction from (him/her) (Mal 2:7).

Cause ____ to desire to labor to fill up that which is lacking in others (ref#67, [Gal 6:1]). Discharge (him/her) to offer up to You “spiritual sacrifices, not only of prayer and praise, but of devout affections and pious resolutions” which is the work of Your own SPIRIT in (him/her) (ref#18, [Ex 19:1-8]). Quicken (him/her) to offer up services acceptable to You through CHRIST (1 Pet 2:5).

“As Christ bears our burdens, so ought we to bear the burdens of our fellow-man. The law of Christ, which is our duty to fulfill, is the bearing of the cross. My brother’s burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot, his natural characteristics and gifts, but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by
forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which I now share. Thus the call to follow
Christ always means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the
Christlike suffering which it is the Christian duty to bear” (ref#10, p90).

Permanent Blessings

Calamity can wash ____ out to sea when everything before (him/her) begins shifting. Change frightens. Even one change in life can be enough to take (his/her) eyes off You, FATHER—You, the unchangeable GOD.

FATHER, although ____ is experiencing change, You abide evermore the same. The streams of Your love are as “deep, as broad, and as full as ever” (ref#34, July 1st AM).

Since ____’s stability is never sure, propel (his/her) thoughts toward the things that cannot be shaken (Heb 12:27). Certainly a short amount of reminiscing about You can cover over (his/her) unstable state and replace it with thanksgiving.

Move ____ to stand at the foot of the cross trusting alone in the merits of JESUS’ blood. Does (he/she) not have solid assurances that Your love will keep (him/her) until the end (Jude 24)?

You are (his/her) FATHER!—who gives good gifts to (him/her) when (he/she) asks You (Matt 7:11). You have a permanent house for (him/her) in the heavens (John 14:2). You not only love (him/her) through Your Son, but You, Yourself love (him/her) (John 16:27). FATHER, You are (his/her) GOD and Rock of salvation (Ps 89:26).

The love of Your Son stands also as a permanent blessing to ____. Nothing can affect the strength of His affectionate nature. (He/She) is His desire (Song 7:10). There is no creature or circumstance that can separate (him/her) from His love (Rom 8:35).

“…let us …not…be cast down by what may happen in this…fleeting state of time….we will see the wreck of everything earthborn, and yet rejoice in the God of our salvation” (ref#34, June 22nd PM).

Change is here for ____; inspire (him/her) to embrace You, LORD. You are (his/her) unchangeable GOD.

Rejecting Plausible Arguments

FATHER, I become deluded with plausible arguments (Col 2:4) if I don’t believe that in CHRIST are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). Plausible arguments come mainly from my own logical head. They convince me to look for an easy walk through the day. My heady thoughts are loud and anxious to engage me in self-satisfying work. These thoughts are not at all insightful into Your ways and purposes or rich in enlightenment. They make sense to me but disregard CHRIST’s experience altogether so they are evil even when the outcome results in good deeds. They may please me and my peers but not You, FATHER.

The Apostle Paul’s witness convinces me that what he’s doing is Your will, FATHER, and not his own:

“I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world — the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering” (Col 1:24 MSG).

“…I am making up whatever…remains to be completed…of Christ’s afflictions…” (Col 1:24 AMP).

“I have still some afflictions to pass through before my race of glory be finished; afflictions which fall on me on account of the Gospel; such as Christ bore from…persecuting people” (ref#15, [Col 1:24]). As CHRIST and the Apostle Paul, my witness must be so opposed to worldliness that I elicit anger from non- Christians.

FATHER, if my activity is not met with anger from non- Christians drive me to reconsider my decision-making. Am I engaged in my choices or Your choices?

Thinking of JESUS, Not Myself

The SPIRIT reminds me that I am nothing, and that CHRIST is all. How can I even pretend I might be something worthwhile. Even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in Your eyes, LORD, much less man who is a maggot and a worm (Job 25:4-6).

You, FATHER, put all things under the feet of CHRIST and give Him as head over all. You seated Him at Your right hand far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. He is above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. He fills all in all (Eph 1:20-23).

CHRIST is altogether superior yet my default thinking centers on myself that spurs constant judging. “I don’t have enough faith; I don’t repent enough; I’ll never be able to make it to the end.” And when I think about myself, the introspection spurs constant planning—“I need to pray more; I need to do more; I need to feel more.”

“…it is not your hold of Christ that saves you; it is Christ. It is not your joy in Christ that saves you; it is Christ. It is not even your faith in Christ, though that is the instrument, but it is Christ’s blood and His merits that save you; therefore, do not look as much to your hand, with which you are grasping Christ, as to Christ” (ref#34, June 28th AM).

FATHER, I want my thoughts to rest on CHRIST— “His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, and His intercession…” (ref#34, June 28th AM). SPIRIT, satisfy the desire of my heart; let the action of my thoughts turning inward remind me to stop, refocus, and think on CHRIST.

“’The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.’ Lord, the very sound of that phrase is great and inspiring. May I be full of the calm peace which comes from knowing Thou dost reign” (ref#27, p1).

Great Is the LORD and Greatly to Be Praised

I reach out for Your presence, O LORD,

Part the heavens and come down.
I lift my heart to meet You in the air—
I lift my heart…

How lovely is Your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts.
My soul longs for Your courts,
I sing for joy to the living GOD… (Ps 84:1-2).

My strength is in You, LORD,
my heart longing for the highways to Zion (Ps 84:5).

I shall go from strength to strength;
Until I appear before You (Ps 84:7).

I come to Mount Zion and
To the city of the living GOD,
The heavenly Jerusalem,
To innumerable angels in festal gathering (Heb 12:22).

And to JESUS,
The mediator of a new covenant,
And to the sprinkled blood
That speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb 12:24).

Desiring To Commune With the Beauty-maker

“GOD OF ALL SOVEREIGNTY, Thy greatness is unsearchable, Thy name most excellent, Thy glory above the heavens;…” (ref#76, p214).

ALL-PROVIDING FATHER, abundant and extravagant in giving, joy comes to my heart when I experience some aspect of Your creation I find attractive (ref#130, p102). But, there is a greater joy:

“We do not want merely to see beauty…We want…to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it” C.S.Lewis (ref#130, p119).

. “O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art Thou Thyself, Creator of all” Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (ref#130, p102).

Day by day, FATHER, capture me and turn me lose in the forest of words that describe You so all my senses can dance in Your greatness. Guide my desire toward becoming “bold and glad” in Your superior glory (ref#124, p80).

Prayer Facts:

“Intercession means no more than to bring our brother into the presence of God, to see him under the Cross of Jesus as a poor human being and sinner in need of grace” (ref#28, p86).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because Your greatness is so vast and deep it is unsearchable (Ps 145:3), I will wait for Y ou.
Because You are mighty in power of understanding and heart (Job 36:5), I will wait for Y ou.

Because honor and majesty are found in Your presence and strength and joy are found in Your sanctuary (1 Chron 16:27), I will wait for You.
Because You are near to all who call upon You in sincerity (Ps 145:18), I will wait for You.

Because You show Yourself strong for those whose hearts are completely Yours (2 Chron 16:9), I will wait for You.

Dependable

FATHER, You keep love forever (Ps 89:28).

You are constant and do not change—

unyielding and established—

You are steadfast (ref#110, p1311).

Your covenant will stand firm (Ps 89:28).

You are devoted—faithful.
You are dedicated (ref#110, p360)—

“characterized by foresight” (ref#110, p1083).

You will not violate Your covenant (Ps 89:34).

You are dependable—reliable.
And, You are trustworthy (ref#110, p1436);

And, You speak the truth (ref#110, p1482).

You will not alter the words from Your mouth (Ps 89:34).

You are “honest and forthright”—
authentic and sincere—
You, O LORD, are altogether genuine (ref#110, p563).

My Default

FATHER, I can do nothing worthwhile—that, You have to do. But I can always praise and worship You. In fact, You have formed me to express honor to You (Isa 43:21). Whether I’m overwhelmed with difficult circumstances or come face to face with Your great acts, when I think of You, my heart defaults to praising and worshiping You.

You grant to me my heart’s desire and fulfill all my plans (Ps 20:4). Therefore, I will set up my banner by Your name, for You fulfill all my petitions (Ps 20:5).

O soul, be not downcast, for with a little reflection I can say, “You, GOD, are my refuge and my fortress. I abide under Your shadow—in the secret place of You, the Most High” (Ps 91:1,2).

I will declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night (Ps 92:2). For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the work of Your hands (Ps 92:4).

FATHER, I ask You allow me to bear fruit continually—even to old age; refresh me and make me flourish so I may declare Your uprightness (Ps 92:14,15). I have set my love on You (Ps 91:14); honor me with a life able to see Your salvation (Ps 91:16). Because Your work makes me glad, (Ps 92:4) I will sing praises to Your name, O MOST HIGH (Ps 92:1).