Telling Others of Personal Suffering

FATHER, since it is very common for conversations to include stories of suffering, school ____ to culminate (his/her) “suffering” stories by speaking of CHRIST’s help through them. ____ can “speak in such a way that the worth of ‘Christ crucified’ is seen and savored” (ref#2, p55).

I pray that interruptions not happen when (he/she) tells (his/her) story, for what (he/she) says needs to be a complete story including not only the difficult situation, and (his/her) struggle in it, but also how CHRIST intervened in the situation (ref#5, p155).

May the SPIRIT lead ____ in highlighting Your grace in (his/her) weakness. May (he/she) be willing to expose (his/her) sin so (he/she) can tell of Your redemptive glory (ref#5, p156).

As (he/she) talks help (him/her) keep the over-all thought of “it is Your story,” in all (he/she) says. Let (him/her) voice facts of (his/her) helplessness and the resources (he/she) finds in CHRIST (ref#5, p156).

FATHER, the hard part for ____ may be to not make herself hero of the story. If rightly told ____’s story will encourage (his/her) listener to trust CHRIST and not develop an unhealthy dependency on (him/her) (ref#5, p157).

I pray ____ stand next to (his/her) listener and tell amazing stories of Your love and care, sharing the things (he/she) has learned from You. I also pray that ____ be quick to let (his/her) listener know that (he/she) is willing to walk beside (him/her) in (his/her) suffering (ref#5, p147).

His Yoke Is Easy

FATHER, cause it to be known to ____ that (his/her) responsibility is to let CHRIST do His work through (him/her). CHRIST will see to the completion of His work as well as bind up ____’s infirmities and strengthen (his/her) weaknesses so (he/she) is able to reflect CHRIST’s character (Ezek 34:16).

____ is equal to every lot through the help of CHRIST who gives (him/her) inward strength (Phil 4:13). When (he/she) grows weary—to the point of exhaustion with burdens that humble (him/her) beneath their weight, CHRIST alone will cause (him/her) to cease from (his/her) labor and He alone will take away (his/her) burdens and refresh (him/her) with rest (Matt 11:28-29).

By drawing near and resting—by quietness and trust ____ shall become mighty (Isa 30:15). For CHRIST’s yoke is easy and the load He gives (him/her) is light (Matt 11:30).

I pray the above for ____, knowing that You give what You promise for the asking and I am asking that You pour out Your witness of CHRIST through ____.

Storming Heaven

“Convince me that I can have no peace at death, nor hope that I should go to Christ, unless I intend to do his will and have his fullness while I live” (ref#76, p167).

FATHER, heaven is not obtained except I violently take it by force (Matt 11:12). Since getting into CHRIST’s presence is never my natural desire, in the mundane or easy days I must power myself into CHRIST’s kingdom.

I default to the control of myself in a thousand different ways as I look for contentment. But, Oswald Chambers makes a statement that I must consider: “…we do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him” (ref#7, July 10th).

I can use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of my enjoyment. I can serve the church for my own well-feelings. In honesty, I must ask myself, “Am I a Christian because it is pleasurable?”

FATHER, always clue me I am on the broad path that leads to destruction (Matt 7:13) if I avoid being stirred up or am not willing to face “injustice and meanness and ingratitude and turmoil” (ref#7, July 10th). I have to believe storming heaven will mean physical stress, but because of my willful resolve and determination I will reap a joy superior to all joy—a joy that cannot be found anywhere else but in fellowship with You (ref#16, [1 Cor 2:9]).

“Faith makes things possible, but not easy” (a church marquee).

Sin Does No Permanent Damage

FATHER, I know sin has consequences, but it does no permanent damage. Sin has put me in shambles; I am like the rubble of a building but through my acceptance of CHRIST’s work on the cross the HOLY SPIRIT will purify and refine me back into a building gloriously enough for You to dwell in. No matter how horrific my sin or how horrific someone has sinned again me, You provide the way for my whole soul to be restored (ref#15, [Acts 9:31]).

Sin is a past issue with You. And, it may be too, with me, once I roll the situation over to You. To nullify sin’s damage, LORD, You require, by faith, I prove CHRIST conquered sin by putting the incident behind me, as You have put it behind You. Yes, I may deal with a consequence of sin everyday but it does not need to trigger a flash back to the original sin. I need to purposefully break the circle of returning to negative thoughts.

Direct me, FATHER, to fixing my eyes on JESUS (Heb 12:2), recalling His love for me that is stronger than death (Song 8:6), praying He bestow such love on me so that I’m able to bestow it on myself and the ones I have sinned against or the ones that have sinned against me. This becomes the entrance into restoration.

LORD, hand out enough faith to me that I know Your forgiveness heals the damage of sin; You will restore (Isa 57:14-19); this is Your promise! Be with me as I prove Your healing by letting You tear away habits of old hurtful thoughts and permitting You to replace them with new habits of thinking.

I must willingly let You work even though I, quite possibly, will not have any recognizable changed feelings. (Proper feelings may never come, but freedom will and the joy of following truth will easily override any lack of feelings I long for.)

To help me anchor the renewed mind You give me, FATHER, I ask for faith to perform the below commands:

1. Never bring up the subject of the sin and its situation to the one who has wronged me or to the one I have wronged.
2. Never again bring it up in conversations with other people.
3. Never dwell on it again in my own mind.

“Thou hast given me the ordinance of song as a means of grace; Fit me to bear my part in that music ever new, which elect angels and saints made perfect now sing before thy throne and before the Lamb” (ref#76, p159).

GOD, You Are Good and Righteous Altogether

FATHER, You are upright and good, instructing me in my way (Ps 25:8).

You are abundant in mercy and
ready to forgive when I call (Ps 86:5).

O LORD, be gracious to me;
I wait for you.
Be my arm every morning,
my salvation in the time of trouble (Isa 33:2).

As a faithful Creator,
I commit my soul to You.
You made me and
You will never fail me (1 Pet 4:19).

There is nothing compared to You

inasmuch as there is none like You,
O LORD, You are great, and

Your name is great in might (Jer 10:6).

FATHER, You reign You sit enthroned above the cherubim (Ps 99:1).

Your work is honorable and glorious,
and Your righteousness endures forever (Ps 111:3).

You are uncompromisingly righteous;
You will not do iniquity.
Every morning You bring Your justice to light; You fail not (Zeph 3:5).

You are righteous in all Your ways
and kind in all Your works (Ps 145:17).
The sum of Your word is truth,
and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever (Ps 119:160).

The SPIRIT—My Internal Security

“Give me the saving lamp of thy Spirit that I may see thee, the God of my salvation, the delight of my soul, rejoicing over me in love” (ref#76, p136).

It is the SPIRIT “…Who writes the law of God inwardly on the heart],…” (Isa 59:21 AMP). FATHER, the SPIRIT verifying Your Word reveals Your covenant, promises, faithfulness, and more.

By the SPIRIT I find joy, for when He brings the Gospel truths home to my soul with life, vigor and power, transforming me into the image and likeness of those truths, it is to my delight (ref#35, p388).

He understands my spiritual condition. When I stop to notice I find Him doing constantly what I need. What comfort to know He is always present with me continually (ref#35, p388-389).

He enables me to loose my desire to keep my agenda; there is an excitement and joy being led by the SPIRIT. I will exalt Him for making me able to stand empty—to stand waiting for Him.

FATHER, He prods me to recount Your graces—awakens me to comprehend how much You value me—makes me know the extent to which You cherish me (ref#130, p179). And all this is just a drop in a
bucket compared to what He pours out for me.

“…the Father…will give to you…the Spirit… whom the world is not able to receive because it does not see Him with discernment and does
not know Him experientially. But, as for you, you know Him experientially…” (ref#37, p250, [John 14:16-17]).

Prayer Facts:

“If we are to pray with power, we must pray with faith….If we are to have real faith, we must study the Word of God and discover what is promised. Then, we must simply believe the promises…Faith must have God’s sanction. Trying to believe something that you want to believe is not faith” (ref#155, p45-46).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You rule by Your might forever and You keep watch over the nations (Ps 66:7), I will wait for You.
Because Your judgments are true and righteous altogether (Ps 19:9), I will wait for You.

Because Your understanding is inexhaustible and boundless (Ps 147:5), I will wait for You.
Because You are unchangeable, what You want to do, You do (Job 23:13), I will wait for Y ou.

GOD Heals my Faithlessness

FATHER, You know what I’m thinking (Ps 139:2). You know what I need before I ask You (Matt 6:8) and You generously provide.

My faith is small but You heal my faithlessness (Jer 3:22). When my mind cannot fathom a good outcome to a situation, You do not leave me at that dead end. When I walk by faith, it does not have to be a blind faith.

Your countenance always shines light on my path ahead if I’m in Your presence. You never allow me to see the end of the situation, but You provide a way so I can take a forward step. I walk by faith in the light You provide; it is a seeing faith not a blind faith. This seeing faith is real to me even though I have yet to come to the end of the situation and experience it with my senses (1 John 1:7).

The light You provide directly in front of me encourages me and provides endurance (Rom 15:5) so I might continue walking in faith—this seeing faith solidifies for me that You are in the situation and will bring it to a good end. I thank You for helping my unbelief (Mark 9:24). How full of gratitude I am for You always provide enough faith for me to take one step forward.

The Subtleties of Sin

FATHER, sin is like the hot water that cooked the lobster. I acknowledge how easily it is to drift away from You quite unknowingly. ____ may be in the pot of water on the stove—neglecting Your Word—neglecting (his/her) conscience (Heb 2:1). It’s possible (he/she) is falling away from You without knowing it, feeling content that (he/she) has satisfied Your requirements.

(His/Her) heart may be filled with unbelief being daily hardened by the deceitfulness of sin because (he/she) avoids fixing (his/her) eyes on JESUS (Heb 12:2) and/or avoiding circumstances where others can encourage (him/her) (Heb 3:12-13).

Ephraim said, “…Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin” (Hos 12:8 ESV). I fear that ____ comforts (himself/herself) by believing that (he/she) has not committed any great faults deserving punishment. I fear ____ has flattered (himself/herself) into security—taking any praise given to her to (himself/herself) and forgetting to acknowledge GOD’s part in it. I pray that (he/she) is not so hardened in sin that (he/she) is incapable of amendment (ref# 112, p880 [Hosea 12:8]).

Today if (he/she) hears Your voice, I pray (he/she) not harden (his/her) heart (Heb 3:15) to rebel against You. Help (him/her) realize that every willful resistance places (him/her) more and more into the settled state of unbelief (Heb 3:19). Make ____ realize the seriousness of not obeying You. Every resistance propels (him/her) toward a hardened heart like Pharaoh.

The prophet Hosea accused the Israelites of refusing “to hold fast and wait continually for their God” (Hos 12:6) (ref#125, p1639 [Hos 12:5-8]). FATHER, I pray that if ____ is in that position that You move (him/her) to become an imitator of the Apostle Paul— imitating his teaching, conduct, aim in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, as well as his persecutions and sufferings (2 Tim 3:10-11).

And, as I pray for ____, I pray for myself—that I be an imitator, too. The subtleness of sin is that water rising in temperature. Everyone is in the pot.

When we are present with You the water we are in cools but when we leave Your presence the flame is under us once again and if we stay away from You long enough the temperature of the water will kill us.

Fear

“O Lord, when I weigh Your worthiness against my unworthiness, I tremble,…” (ref#147, p274).

FATHER, Your eye is upon ____, You guard (him/her) from danger, You have ample ability to deliver and save (him/her) (ref#16, [Ps 33:18]). You are the only one Who can deliver (him/her) from death, therefore, I beseech You to teach ____ to wait in fear of You.

JESUS left His throne and became a helpless babe. Urge ____ to leave (his/her) independency and become as helpless as CHRIST, for His delight was in the fear of You (Isa 11:3). ____ cannot experience the delight CHRIST will give (him/her) if (he/she) is not helpless.

____’s fear of You, FATHER, will increase each time You rescue (him/her). I pray ____ discover Your joyous fear as (he/she) experiences the wonderment of Your actions— actions that cannot be explained or predicted or actions of the internal nature like the tax collector Matthew giving up his lucrative business to follow CHRIST.

O LORD, let Your steadfast love be upon ____ (Ps 33:22). Your majesty should make (him/her) afraid; (his/her) awe of You should restrain (him/her) (Job 13:11). Keep ____ listening to the thunder of Your voice and the rumblings that come from Your mouth (Job 37:2). For the fear of You is a sacrifice of reverence continually ascending to You (ref#68, [Isa 11:3]).