Repentance and Rest

“For thus said the Lord God…’In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’…”(Isa 30:15 ESV).

FATHER, in regards to sin, I easily find myself resolving to do better next time instead of resting in Your presence (ref#100, p94). I want the opportunity to get it right. My first reaction to my sin is that it’s just a mistake or a momentary weakness that I can fix with my own abilities.

“But the moment we repent and put the blame where it belongs, on ourselves, the all-availing blood of Jesus comes into view on our behalf before God, and He then is pleased for Christ’s sake…” (ref#100, p 91, 92).

FATHER, quickly bring me to confession. Give me the ability to not only admit my guilt but admit it is impossible for me to do any better. I must rest as the sinner under CHRIST’s blood until it pleases You to meet with me again (ref#100, p95).

FYI. My sin causes a rift in our relationship. Even the smallest sin triggers the serious consequence of lost fellowship with You. FATHER, move me to Calvary—to JESUS—glimpsing what my sin cost Him. It isn’t anything I do but His Blood that moves You (ref#97, p81).

My responsibility is to rest—rest because I have returned and You have forgiven—rest because our fellowship needs restored—rest because You need to instruct me what my next steps should be (ref#100, p92). Train me in the truth: You are holy, any sin is serious, and I must bow to You, confess, and rest until I sense Your strength filling me again.

“…the whole person is engaged in worship: mind, emotions, will. The mind fixates on truth, for we are to worship in ‘spirit and truth’ Jesus said. The truth becomes experiential, not just mental. The core of our being, the heart, is moved upward. The will is moved to desire to submit and serve….we find our delight in the Lord High and Lifted Up” (ref#79, p152).

You Set Your Glory Above the Heavens (Psalm 8)

“O Lord our God,
Thy name is writ in glory
O’er countless worlds
that tell Creation’s story” (ref#38, p265, [Ps 8]).

To You, “Adonai…Director, Ruler
Judge, Supporter of men” (ref#15, [Ps 8:1]).

“…the majesty and glory of your name

fills all the earth and” (Ps 8:1 TLB) heav’n.

O LORD, brilliant LORD,
how excellent is Your name,
Your majestic name fills the earth!

Your greatness is Your fame (Ps 8:1)!

“O LORD, our heav’nly King,
Thy name is all divine;
Thy glories round the earth are spread,
And o’er the heav’ns they shine” (ref#102, p13, [Ps 8]).

FATHER, You have displayed Your splendor;
In the heavens You establish Your faithfulness (Ps 8:1).

Your unfailing love will last forever;
In it I will always be blest.

CHRIST – Ruler of Kings

FATHER, You decreed CHRIST to be the firstborn from the dead (Rev. 1:5)—so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place (Col 1:18). “Having died a martyr to his testimony, and given his life an offering for sin, he was restored to life again, as all the Scriptures witness and became ‘the first fruits of the resurrection,’…” (ref#70, [Rev 1:4-8]). He is Your first-born, higher than the kings of the earth (Ps 89:27).

CHRIST rules the kings of the earth (Rev 1:5). From “him they have their authority; by him their power is limited and their wrath restrained; by him their counsels are over- ruled, and to him they are accountable” (ref#18, [Rev 1:3-8]). Every king, from the foundation of the earth, in their absolute authority over millions of subjects, are all kings over which CHRIST is the King of kings (ref#16, [Rev 1:5]).

Being faithful, His love is ever present. Having justified and sanctified me, He makes me too, a king FATHER, for Your glory (Rev 1:6).

With the SPIRIT of CHRIST’s enabling power, as a king, I rule my own spirit, possess the ability to conquer Satan, and am privileged to work with You in prayer, as well as cooperate with You in judging the world. CHRIST, You give me access to You, enabling me to enter into the holiest place and to offer spiritual sacrifices (ref#18, [Rev 1:6]).

To CHRIST be glory and dominion forever and ever (Rev 1:6). I shall show all praise and honor to my Redeemer. He reigns as King of kings continually. I desire that He exercise strength and power and authority over me through all eternity (ref#16, [Rev 1:6,]).

Prayer Facts:

“…to what purpose then is prayer? It is answered, This is the way and means God has appointed, for the communication of the blessing of His goodness to His people. For though He has purposed, provided, and promised them, yet He will be sought unto, to give them, and it is a duty and privilege to ask” (ref#152, p139).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You determined the measurements of the earth, and laid its cornerstone (Job 38:4-5), I will wait for You.
Because every beast of the forest is Yours and the cattle upon a thousand hills are Yours also (Ps 50:10), I will wait for You.

Because You know and are acquainted with all the birds of the mountains, and the wild animals of the field (Ps 50:11), I will wait for You.
Because You are the LORD who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar and Who by rebuke restrains it (Isa 51:15), I will wait for You.

Because before You there was no GOD formed, neither shall there be after You (Isa 43:10), I will wait for You.

Your Steadfast Love Keeps Me Forever

FATHER, You have found me and anointed me with holy oil; Your arm establishes and strengthens me so that my enemies cannot outwit me. You crush my foes; Your faithfulness and steadfast love are with me (Ps 89:20-24). You keep me forever and Your covenant stands firm for me (Ps 89:28).

And when I forsake Your laws and don’t walk according to Your rules violating Your statutes and not keeping Your commandments You faithfully punish my transgressions with the rod and my iniquities with stripes (Ps 89:30-32). But, You will not remove Your steadfast love from me or be false to Your faithfulness; You will not violate Your covenant or alter the word that went froth from Your lips (Ps 89:33-34).

FATHER, everlasting thanks to You for keeping me when I do not keep You. My life is like Your chosen Israelites so aptly depicted in the book of Judges—“And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord….Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel…” (Judges 3:7-8 ESV). “But when the people of Israel cried out…the Lord raised up a deliverer…who saved them…” (Judges 3:9 ESV).

You are forever disciplining me with Your rod, then saving me with Your staff (Ps 23:4). And assuring me that by Your holiness I will endure forever; like the moon, I am established (Ps 89:35,37). Sin will not win over me. Halleluiah.

Only Hearing

…the word they heard did not profit them,… Heb 4:2 NASU

FATHER, some will always say, “I hope GOD will let me into heaven,” and never possess enough faith to come to say, “I am going to heaven,” because they are sluggards who refuse to labor (Prov 21:25). They ignore all Your counsel and have none of Your reproof (Prov 1:25). I pray ____ turn away from being a sluggard and to work at discovering more and more of JESUS.

I observe no spiritual fruit and no repentance from ____. (He/She) may crave or dream about being a Christian but is not diligent to obtain such (Prov 13:4). (He/She) has an unbelieving heart refusing to rely solely on CHRIST, thus (he/she) is turning away from You, FATHER (Heb 3:12).

Only You can cause ____ to have a change of mind accompanied by abhorrence of and sorrow for (his/her) deeds. Only You can cause (him/her) to believe in the “sum total of all that Jesus Christ is in His glorious Person” (ref#37, p276, [Acts 2:38]). FATHER, I pray that You astonish (him/her) “to the point of a loss of self-control” at the appearance of JESUS (ref#37, p305, [Acts 13:12]).

I pray the promise you make to the Israelite nation you apply to ____. You say, “…I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them” (Zech 10:6 ESV).

Point ____ toward right actions, FATHER. Without You putting (him/her) on Your path (he/she) will wander forever. I pray You initiate ____.

1 Timothy Chapters—One, Four, and Six

FATHER, as ____ is a weak vessel of clay that You have filled with the all-surpassing power of Your presence (ref#5, p297), I cry out for Your aid to maintain (him/her) by Your presence.

SUSTAINING FATHER, in ____’s attainment of Your blessings which come through (his/her) exercise of faith, may (he/she) examine (himself/herself) often in order to maintain a pure heart, a good conscience and unfeigned trust in You (1 Tim 1:4,5).

Empower ____ with the ability to place (his/her) training in the race for godliness above all else (I Tim 4:7). Drive (him/her) to covet the prizes of a race well run—prizes such as: righteousness, fear of You, faith, love, steadfast patience, meek-heartedness (1 Tim 6:11) and life eternal (1 Tim 6:12). Motivate

(him/her) to keep all Your precepts flawlessly, regarding them as irreproachable and so able to demonstrate their value to others (1 Tim 6:14).

Cause ____ to prosper spiritually in such a way that no one will have any cause to argue against (his/her) words. May all subordinates esteem (him/her) as worthy of the fullest respect so that Your name, O GOD, and Your teaching may not be brought into disrepute (1 Tim 6:1).

You Are A Refuge and A Shield

FATHER, let not the flood sweep over ____ or the pit close its mouth over (him/her) (Ps 69:15). You, GREAT RESCUER, are (his/her) refuge and (his/her) shield. And, also Your word is (his/her) source of hope (Ps 119:114).

Move ____ FATHER, to say, “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me” (Mic 7:8 ESV).

Assurances of Salvation

“If a sinner, upon being convicted of his sin and hearing the gospel of God’s grace, is willing to accept the gospel and by faith take it, he will see how the precious blood of the Lord Jesus answers all the accusations of his conscience. Doubtless there is sin, but the blood of the Lord Jesus has been shed. What ground is left for accusation since sin’s penalty has been fully paid? The blood of the Lord has atoned for all the sins of a believer; hence there is no more condemnation in the conscience….Our salvation is confirmed by the fact that the precious blood has quieted this voice of condemnation” (ref#101, p108).

“When the spiritual life is in ascendancy the believer is most glad; when the flesh gains the upper hand he cannot but grieve. Experience of this kind confirms that such ones have been
regenerated” (ref#33, p81).

FATHER, clue me by this entry that it is my responsibility to seek evidences that prove Your disposition is working in me. Dance with me so I have no trouble displaying Your disposition through my actions.

Back to Basics

FATHER, my human self-worth is tied up in my accomplishments so my tendency is to always think about accomplishments in spiritual life.

“…instead of stressing holiness in order to see God, the emphasis is on service for God…Techniques and methods, by which we hope to make God’s message known, have become the important thing” (ref#100, p16).

Instead of longing for You, I gravitate toward longing for power to better serve You (ref#100, p16). Let me make some notes to myself that they might recalibrate my thinking.

“…thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev 4:11 KJV). “…what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him,…” (Deut 10:12 KJV). “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:…” (Mark 12:30 KJV).

FATHER, let the above Scriptures remind me that I have been created only to delight You. It should be my joy continually to submit to Your will and desires (ref#100, p17).

“The divines who…produced the Westminster Confession of Faith answered the question ‘What is the chief end of man?’ with the words, ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever’” (ref#100, p14).

The missionary, David Brainerd records some sobering words in his diary. It makes me question whether I’m interested in Your glory or simply getting from You what I think best:

“I saw it was self interest had led me to pray and that I had never once prayed from any respect to the glory of God….I saw there was no… connection between my prayers and the bestowment of divine mercy; that they laid not the least obligation upon God to bestow His grace upon me…because they were not performed from any love or regard to God” (ref#88, p68).

FATHER, I confess the ease by which I trade my joy of being with You for the satisfaction of doing something I think You would appreciate. Call to my attention swiftly the subtleness by which I move from submitting to You to deciding for myself. Truly, I want to see You. I want to possess a hunger for You. I want to satisfy Your heart. I want to be back into a relationship of submission to You (ref#100, p25).