Shattering a Person’s Hope of Salvation

FATHER, You have redeemed ____ and given (him/her) opportunities to speak to others the Gospel summary which is “‘The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’” (1 John 2:2) (ref#7, Oct 15th)! Help ____, FATHER, to first think and speak of CHRIST.

The hope of being accepted by You interests most everyone. Therefore there are diverse ways to convince one’s conscience that You will accept them. Below is a list of some false hopes that people put their trust in. Prompt ____ to use the mention of these hopes as a starting point to convey true scriptural hope:

“…going forward in a meeting, praying a suggested prayer, imitating the experience of others, joining a church, attending many Christian meetings, being baptized, studying the Bible regularly, helping others, feeling good in a religious service or having a strong conviction that they are right with God…” (ref#79, p80).

FATHER, I intercede for ____ that (he/she) be bold enough to speak against all ideas that are without scriptural grounds. Reasoning about situations like the above will do nothing.

Empower (him/her) to always guide the conversation to JESUS. Give (him/her) the incentive to give “a strong dose of teaching on justification by faith. Unmerited mercy softens cold hearts” (ref#79, p173). People must hear that nothing but comparing their life with the standards of JESUS and submitting to Him alone will please You (ref#7, May 6th).

The Divine Weapons of Warfare – The Breastplate of Righteousness

“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you…” (Isa 42:6 ESV).

FATHER, motivate ____ to consciously put on the breastplate of righteousness. Empower (him/her) to review all the principles of righteousness, for it is the means You, LORD, keep (him/her).

(His/Her) righteousness comes ONLY through CHRIST’s blood shed on the cross; (his/her) righteousness comes ONLY through the regeneration of (his/her) heart where You, LORD, implant true holiness which is a life able to be regulated according to Your testimonies.

You have put Your life into ____’s soul. It is all Your doing, and in so doing engrain it into ____ that there is no one who can make (his/her) spiritual and eternal life insecure (ref#15, [Eph 6:14]).

Bondservant

“Just as it is the disposition of the Lamb that bestows upon the blood its power, so it is only as we are willing to be partakers of the same disposition of the Lamb, that we shall know its full power in our lives. And we may be partakers of His disposition, for it has been made transferable to us by His death” (Phil 2:5; 1 Cor 2:16) (ref#97, p95,96).

FATHER, that I might be a bondservant of CHRIST who is Your bondservant. This means I will be treated as You treated Your Son—serving Your will and experiencing “the malice of men” (ref#97, p85).

FATHER, You made me in the first place to be Your bondservant so that there is nothing I can boast in because this is what I have been created for (ref#97, p86). A slave doesn’t boast, he just does his assigned work.

“’Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, “Come at once and recline at table”? Will he not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink”? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty”'” (Luke 17:7-10 ESV).

When I catch myself feeling good because of my Christian activities, deflate my pride by calling to my mind the above verse. It’s serious business to steal Your glory, O GOD.

“…we have no right and no appeal, where we are the absolute property of our Master, to be treated and disposed of just as He wishes” (ref#97, p84).