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).

Spirit Check

Search me, O GOD, try me. See if there is any wicked way in me (Ps 139:23-24). SPIRIT, point out my misdeeds in the sentences below that I might own up to them, for “[Christ is compassionate] in [keeping] his institutions…—marrying his church to himself…” (ref#35, p266).

Do I love CHRIST enough to stay chaste? When I do not feel His presence, do I look for someone else to fellowship with or simply busy myself with activities (ref#35, p263)?

Do I trust any of my own righteous endeavors to commend myself to CHRIST—like, do I feel a twinge of self-satisfaction after I confess all the sins I know of (ref#35, p264)?

When my soul is in the wilderness will I sit still and wait until CHRIST comes or do I let my good intentions and activities satisfy my soul (ref#35, p264)?

Do I place my joy and comfort in other things besides being filled with joy in the HOLY SPIRIT (ref#35, p265)?

Do I consider it my daily work to get my heart crucified to the things of this world (ref#35, p266)?

Do I invent ways and certain times to worship You and not wait for Your appointment—do I plan my day without CHRIST’s input (ref#35, p266-267)?

Do I embrace everything that only CHRIST has appointed?
Do I go to Him for directions and beg Him to lead me in the way that I have not known (Isa 48:6)?

“Who can be astonished at anything when he has once been astonished at the manger and the Cross” (ref#34, Jan 26th PM)?

I Am Precious In the LORD’s Sight

You, LORD, have formed me—
You have redeemed me
And, You, LORD, called me by name I am Yours (Isa 43:1).

Since I am precious in Your sight,
Since I am honored and You love me,
You will give other men in my place,
And other people in exchange for my life (Isa 43:4).

I am Your witness
and Your servant whom You have chosen in order that You may know me
and I understand You (Isa 43:10).

You will make a roadway in the wilderness,
and carve out rivers in the dessert for me (Isa 43:19). And I, whom You formed for Yourself
Will declare Your praise (Isa 43:21).

I’ll sing to You, LORD a new song (Ps 149:1); Let me exalt in Your glory (Ps 149:5).
Let the high praises be in my mouth (Ps 149:6). For Your name alone is exalted (Ps 148:13).

The SPIRIT’s Illumination

ALL-GIVING FATHER, I extol You for supporting the SPIRIT as He provides illumination to me. Sin attacks my mind and will in such ways that I miss or resist the force of Your Word (ref#56, p1646, “Illumination and Conviction”).

Praise to You, SPIRIT; You reveal Scripture in an understanding way. By reading Scripture on my own I become familiar with its content but cannot apply it to my life. You, SPIRIT, set me on the wave of truth that flows into my heart (ref#56, p1646, “Illumination and Conviction”) where it can be applied to my life.

SPIRIT, I am also humbled by Your ability to bring me to repentance and satisfy me with the FATHER’s assurance of His grace and certainty of His everlasting favor (ref#56, p1646, “Illumination and Conviction”). I thank You for Your constant care of my needs; You surprise me by Your closeness the moment You illuminate sin that I am not aware of. I will find You through the Word, prayer, meditation, and as I battle to live by the light You give (ref#56, p1646, “Illumination and Conviction”).

“I am bell and He is sure wind, and He moves and I am rung and I know it for what it is…” (ref#130, p60).

Prayer Facts:

“God has decreed the means as well as the end, and among the means is prayer….It is God’s purpose that His will shall be brought about by His own appointed means, and that He may do His people good upon His own terms, and that is, by the ‘means’ and ‘terms’ of entreaty and supplication” (ref#152, p137-138).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because there are three that bear witness in heaven: the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY SPIRIT (1 John 5:7), I will wait for You.
Because in Your hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind (Job 12:10), I will wait for You.

Because You will remember Your covenant forever (Ps 111:5), I will wait for You.

Preservation of the Saints

FATHER, when You bless me You bless me forever. It is You, LORD, who makes me continue forever before You (1 Chron 17:27).

“The preservation of the saints means that all who have been elected by the Father, atoned for by Christ, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit will be saved…, and that not one of them will fall away totally or finally”(ref#71, p46).

King David conspired to murder an innocent man, yet You caused him to continue desiring You to the end of his life. You even called him “a man after Your own heart” (Acts 13:22). It is not my control of my sin or my submitting to Your commands that will keep me to the end, but Your hand alone.

What You start, You will finish. You began a good work in me and will continue to complete it until the day of CHRIST JESUS (Phil 1:6). I may sin severely and fall into a great length and depth of backsliding but You will keep me from falling completely away. My disobedience will keep me from joy, but it will not keep me from continuing on eternally with You.

FATHER, You alone preserve me. I cannot rely on myself to keep myself. I am “too weak; too changeable; too ready to be led astray; too much disposed to yield to temptation” (ref#16, [Phil 1:6]).

But, lest I willingly slip into apathy because of Your goodness, prick me about You holding me responsible for every careless word from my mouth (Matt 12:36). I must be responsible before You for You are not mocked (Gal 6:7).

Oh, Does ____ Know…

PATIENTLY LONGING FATHER, oh does ____ know that if (he/she) is but willing (he/she) may drink freely the water of life (Rev 22:17)?

Oh, does ____ know even if (he/she) has no good feelings (he/she) is invited (ref#34, June 13 AM)?

Oh, does ____ know if (he/she) has no belief or no repentance (he/she) can come (ref#34, June 13 AM)?

Oh, does ____ know that You will give (him/her) life by just (his/her) coming (ref#34, June 13 AM)?

In so doing, does ____ know (he/she) will denounce (his/her) “sins and endeavor to be like Christ” (ref#34, June 12 PM)?

Does ____ know the HOLY SPIRIT will call (him/her) to holiness (ref#34, June 12 PM)?

Does ____ know (he/she) will “rejoice in holiness just as naturally as before” (he/she) “delighted in sin” (ref#34, June 12 PM)?

Does ____ know You, FATHER, wait to give (him/her) these gifts at no cost (Isa 55:1)?

FATHER, I beg You to see that ____ knows.

Fear Of Man

“The Lord of hosts — …let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him]” (Isa 8:13 AMP).

FATHER, as with all of us, certain people have the ability to influence us. If ____ is prone to be swayed by someone at the expense of trusting You, draw (him/her) into Your wonder. Redirect (his/her) dependence of man into a fear of provoking Your wrath (ref#16, [Isa 8:13]). Make (him/her) willing to stop what (he’s/she’s) doing and be willing to stand still, open-eyed and open-handed ready to take in Your majesty alone (ref#58, p38).

“Nothing will foster…godly fear like a recognition of the sovereign Majesty of God….Happy the soul that has been awed by a view of God’s majesty, that has had a vision of God’s awful greatness, His ineffable holiness, His perfect righteousness, His irresistible power, His sovereign grace”(ref#152, p145).

Startle ____ with Your amazement-awakening power. As (he/she) reads Your words in Your Book, craft them specifically for (him/her) and I pray You craft them so (he/she) is astonished.

Give (him/her) the eyes and ears to comprehend as if (he/she) is listening to JESUS as He proclaims the good news with a formality, gravity, and authority that must be heeded and obeyed (ref#37, p80 [Mark 1:14]). Fly (him/her) away with the wonder of You. This alone will produce the godly fear (he/she) needs.

These Little Troubles

“These little troubles…are winning for us a permanent, glorious and solid reward out of all proportion to our pain” (2 Cor 4:17 Phillips)

FATHER, let Your mercy come to ____ (Ps 119:77). In You (he/she) may have perfect peace and perfect confidence. In the world (he/she) has tribulation and trials and distress and frustration, but lead (him/her) LORD, to be of good cheer and take courage, and be confident, certain, and undaunted for You have overcome the world. You have deprived it of its power to harm (him/her) and You have conquered it for (him/her) (John 16:33).

Blessed be You, LORD, who daily bears ____ up (Ps 68:19). Lead (him/her) to deride (his/her) enemies because (he/she) rejoices in Your salvation (1 Sam 2:1).

Conscience

“A good conscience is that which is well informed in regard to what is right, and where its dictates are honestly followed” (ref#16, [1 Tim 1:19]).

FATHER, You have placed inside me a barometer that reveals to me if I am following You or going astray. Conscience testifies to all the ways I am rebellious to CHRIST (ref#101, p110). It renders me uneasy when I fall short of Your glory. My conscience together with my intuition will protest immediately any inclination that is displeasing to the HOLY SPIRIT (ref#101, p106).

How I thank You, FATHER, for a conscience. Without it I would replace Your will for laudable deeds to my liking. I would argue with You that what I propose to be is “better, broader in scope, more profitable and greater in influence” (ref#101, p111-112).

Sober me with the fact that my actions can increase the sensitivity of the conscience or decrease it. If I disregard it by turning toward reason or rationalization conscience’s voice will be softer (ref#101, p114). In fact, if I don’t purge everything conscience tells me is contrary to You, I will lose my fellowship with You instantly (ref#101, p118).

Since conscience is Your deputy in my soul, help me to be as careful not to offend it as I am not to offend a friend. FATHER, it is my duty to willingly work to have a conscience that doesn’t misinform me, nor flatter me, nor deal deceitfully with me (ref#18, [Acts 24:10-21]).

“If I am in the habit of steadily facing myself with God, my conscience
will always introduce God’s perfect law and indicate what I should do…. I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I walk without offense” (ref#7, May 13th).