The Benefits of Tribulation

“…The Lord has to break us down at the strongest part of our self-life before He can have His own way of blessing with us” James H. McConkey (ref#130, p138).

FATHER, ____ is suffering in (his/her) present circumstances. I pray You turn this adversity into prosperity. In (his/her) failure, give (him/her) the victory. Guide (him/her) to take up the sword of the SPIRIT (the Bible) and turn the battle to (his/her) advantage. Lift up ____’s spirit in this day of conflict. Do not let (him/her) sit in the dust, mourning. Do not let the enemy vex (him/her) sorely and make (him/her) fret (ref#34, April 15th PM). Remind ____, LORD, that when (he/she) stumbles (he/she) will never fall, for You will uphold (him/her) by Your hand (Ps 37:24).

JESUS suffered more tribulation than ____ will experience. “As He overcame, His followers will also surely overcome, for Jesus is the representative Man for His people” (ref#34, Oct 3rd PM). The Apostle Paul gives an example of the benefits of his suffering:

“…what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel…my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil 1:12-14 ESV).

FATHER, give ____ the excitement to follow CHRIST into suffering. Give (him/her) the ability to petition You as CHRIST did—with strong cries and tears (Heb 5:7). Settle ____ by causing (him/her) to recall that Your Son learned obedience from the things He suffered (Heb 5:8).

Unconscious Usefulness

FATHER, caution me against my human nature that is so set on being consistent and useful to You. As long as I’m choosing the way to glorify You, You are not glorified. Governing my activities is a sure indication that I am not pleasing You (ref#7, May 18th).

I know that love is not premeditated but spontaneous. “We do not set the statements of Jesus in front of us as a standard; but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without knowing it” (ref#7, April 30th).

“If we try to prove to God how much we love Him, it is a sure sign that we do not love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the absolute spontaneity of our love…” (ref#7, April 30th).

FATHER, I pray for the spontaneity loving You brings. No wonder CHRIST gave over half of His example prayer (the Lord’s Prayer) to adoration and thanks (Matt 6:9-13) to You; He was reacting to Your love.

Totally Depraved Does Not Mean Totally Corrupt

FATHER, R.A. Torrey gives me reason to check myself to see if my good works come from my relationship with JESUS or my depraved nature. He says:

“The doctrine that man is totally depraved does not mean that he is totally corrupt….while seeking to please himself, a man may do things that are morally attractive and beautiful….He is as truly depraved as the man who chooses the immoral things, but his tastes are not as corrupt…” (ref#30, p62,63).

John Owen further identifies depravity:

“…persons who know not Christ…would spin a holiness out of their own bowels; they would work it out in their own strength. They begin by trying endeavors; and follow it with vows, duties, resolutions, engagements, sweating at it all the day long….” (ref#35, p333).

The Apostle Paul laments over his sisters and brothers of Israel who spin their own holiness. He says:

I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. (Rom 10:2-3 NLT)

It can be easy to find pride in being moral—self-ordering activities toward righteousness. Take my eyes off CHRIST and I’ll fall into striving to be good. I know my righteousness is only through the SPIRIT by faith (Gal 5:5). FATHER, I want to stay with the SPIRIT.

Bring me to examine my own enthusiasm for You. Am I joyful and content being in fellowship with CHRIST and enthusiastic about His agenda? Or is it satisfying enough to just choose and accomplish good works. Help me search my heart, LORD, do I really love You or do I simply love to appear righteous?

A Sure Foundation

“…thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away [in sudden panic]” (Isa 28:16 AMP).

FATHER, I hold You in reverence for the provisions You have gifted me. You give and take away and I stand or fall, but when I fall it is into the arms of CHRIST.

When I hold CHRIST’s hand catastrophes cannot separate us (ref#15, [Isa 28:16]). I honor You, FATHER, for the contentment You bring through CHRIST. CHRIST is so right for me, I never think of looking elsewhere for comfort (ref#67, [Isa 28:16]). Rest comes by just this reminder that I have CHRIST not only supporting me but also willing and able to move me through situations I see impossible.

CHRIST is the cornerstone of preciousness—“a stone of tested solidity to bear the vast superstructure of man’s redemption” (ref#17, [Isa 28:16])— including all my weaknesses. When You make my life unsteady with various trials my stability can be regained when I rest on CHRIST. FATHER, I treasure Your provided Cornerstone.

Prayer Facts:

“One of the terrible marks of the diseased state of Christian life in these days is that there are so many who rest content without specific answers to prayer” (ref#11, p35).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You do great things which I cannot comprehend (Job 37:5), I will wait for You. Because You will have compassion on the poor and the lives of the needy You will save (Ps 72:13), I will wait for You.
Because I will pray to You and You will hear me (Job 22:27) I will wait for You.

Blessing of the Covenant of Grace

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!

GOD’s Way Only

FATHER, convince ____ that when (he/she) dies (he/she) will have no rest and no hope of seeing CHRIST unless (he/she) loves Him enough on earth to do His will and live off Him now (ref#76, p167).

“If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust Him, then, you are one
of God’s chosen ones…There will be no doubt about His having chosen you, when you have chosen Him” (ref#34, July 17th AM).

David Brainerd, a missionary to the American Indians in the early 1700’s, recounts in his diary a person who suddenly was not sure of his salvation; he describes him as one who was “awakened out of his state of security” (ref#88, p 304).

“One man…was…brought to see and feel…the impossibility of his doing anything to help himself, or to bring him into the favor of God by his tears, prayers, and other religious performances; and found himself undone as to any power or goodness of his own, and that there was no way left him but to leave himself with God to be disposed of as He pleased” (ref#88, p304-305).

Trying to impress You, FATHER, affords no advantage. Instill in ____ that it will do no good to do such things as give (his/her) heart to JESUS so (he/she) might have eternal life (ref#88, p270- 271). ____ is totally at Your mercy.

So, FATHER, I ask that You impress Yourself on ____ firmly that (he/she) is so filled up with Your excellency that (he/she) does not even think about the requirements to get to heaven. Take (him/her) FATHER right out of (his/her) thinking and make (him/her) able to bask in the love of JESUS.

Missionaries at Heart

FATHER, You will make the nations Your Son’s heritage, and the ends of the earth will be His possession as He prays to You, asking for them (Ps 2:8). And, the means to answer CHRIST’s prayer is missions.

Grant ____ the way to declare Your excellencies (1 Pet 2:9)— spreading Your glory among the nations and Your marvelous works among all the peoples (1 Chron 16:24), be gracious to (him/her) and bless (him/her) and make Your face to shine upon (him/her), that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power
among all nations (Ps 67:1-2).

“May he (CHRIST) have dominion from sea to sea, and…to the ends of the earth! May desert tribes bow down before him and…all nations serve him! May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! …may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen” (Ps 72:8,9,11,17,19 ESV)!

More Affliction, More Praise

“The Lord has done great things…Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy” (Ps 126:3,5 ESV)!

FATHER, I pray for ____ that the deeper (his/her) troubles, the louder (he/she) gives thanks to You. Direct (him/her) toward focusing on Your mercy and help that You have granted. Don’t let (him/her) settle into thinking only of (his/her) conflicts and sad adversities as if (he/she) owned them. Don’t let (him/her) camp on what (he/she) is going through more than what You are doing for (him/her) (ref#34, June 9th AM).

JESUS left an example for ____. When He faced the anger of others and apparent failure of His message—“when no one responded to His teaching and things didn’t work out at all…At that time, [precisely at that failing time] Jesus said, ‘I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…’” (Matt 11:25) (ref#130, p36,37).

FATHER, call to ____’s remembrance the salvation You give, that even when (he/she) is, for a little while, grieved with various trials You deliver (him/her) out of them all . The big picture is that You are the All-sufficient Savior and will deliver (him/her) every time from corruptions dominion (ref#34, June 9th AM).

There is much benefit in continual praise. FATHER, help ____ fight any negative feelings with positive feelings. “Feel thanks and it’s absolutely impossible to feel angry” (ref#130 p136).

“I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul” (Ps 31:7 NLT).

A Measure of Diligence is Placed Upon Me

FATHER, I live in unbroken fellowship with You in CHRIST JESUS (Rom 6:11). Your divine power has granted me life and godliness and I am a sharer of Your divine nature (2 Pet 1:3-4).

With such bestowment a measure of diligence is placed upon me to keep myself from falling away. I am not to willfully run into temptation, or expose myself to the power of the enemy (ref#61, Oct 4th). I must put my energies into keeping myself holy by letting CHRIST keep me holy.

You have chosen me for salvation. That is the end. But the means to that end is sanctification. Sanctification is accomplished by the operation of the Holy Spirit and by faith on my part; “faith and holiness must be joined together” (ref#18, [2 Thes 2:13]).

So You, FATHER, throw a measure of responsibility upon me. You charge me to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life (Titus 2:12).

Since I was bought with a price, it becomes my desire to glorify You in my body (1 Cor 6:19-20). You, FATHER, through CHRIST has caused me to be born again to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven (1 Pet 1:3-4).

Let that cheering prospect keep me from slothfulness, unwatchful-ness, and prayerlessness. Encourage me FATHER, to work out my own salvation cheerfully by leaning entirely on You (Phil 2:12).