“It is not left to our own choice whether we will praise God or not. Praise is God’s most righteous due, every Christian, as the recipient of His grace, is bound to praise God from day to day” (ref#34, Sept 30th AM).

I Am The LORD, There is No Other

Before You there was no GOD formed;
there was no such thing as a GOD—(Isa 43:10)
nothing pre-exists but Yourself (ref#15, [Isa 43:10]).

Your dominion is entirely original (ref#16, [Isa 43:10]).

There shall not be any GOD after You,
there never will be (Isa 43:10).
You are the only true and eternal GOD— (ref#16, [Isa 43:10]).

the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8).

Surely, as You have thought,
so it shall come to pass,
and as You have purposed, LORD,

so it shall stand (Isa 14:24).

You fill the heavens and You fill the earth (ref#15, [Jer 23:23]).

You are a GOD that notices things—
things that are close at hand and things far away (Jer 23:23).

Your power is not limited but universal (ref#16, [Jer 23:23]).

Yahweh!—strong and mighty; “Merciful Being”—full of tenderness,

“The gracious One”—naturally good, You, the loving GOD (ref#15, [Ex 34:6]).

Let me hear of Your steadfast love;
Make me know the way I should go (Ps 143:8).

Deliver me from my enemies (Ps 143:9);
Let Your good Spirit lead me (Ps 143:10).

My Nature

FATHER, You have created me to be Your image bearer—to look and act like You. Humans are unique beings of Your creation; the rest of Your creation, without instruction, reflects Your glory but You have given mankind the assignment to declare Your excellencies (1 Pet 2:9).

Being human I am different from the rest of Your creation in three ways: (1) I can receive revelation from You (ref#5, p40). (2) You have given me the ability to interpret that revelation (ref#5, p41). (3) And, I am always a worshipper (ref#5, p44).

However, FATHER, soon after You created humans You permitted satan to corrupt them. Thus I was naturally born into a spiritually lifeless condition. My heart was not inclined to love You (ref#1 p38) nor did it listen, reflect, or worship You. Instead I carried in my spiritually dead body the promise from satan that I had autonomous personal wisdom without any need for You or Your revelation.

It was my nature to give into the lies of satan that convinced me I could be self-sufficient, and self-focused (ref#5, p14). It came naturally for me to idolize and worship everything but You (Ezek 14:5).

But, You imprisoned me with a sinful nature so You could offer me an escape by believing in JESUS CHRIST. You bound me so I might see the freedom CHRIST offers (Gal 3:22, Rom 11:32).

I adore You for giving me CHRIST so I now have the ability to triumph over my born-with nature.
CHRIST not only saves me from sin but saves me from myself.

Prayer Facts:

“Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude—an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God. Prayer is a confession of creature weakness, yea, of helplessness. Prayer is the acknowledgment of our need and the spreading of it before God” (ref#152, p141).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You are high yet have respect to the lowly, bringing them into fellowship with You, but the proud and haughty You know and recognize only at a distance (Ps 138:6), I will wait for you.
Because You take thought and plans for me when I am poor and needy (Ps 40:17), I will wait for You.

Because if I call on You, You will show me great and mighty things (Jer 33:3), I will wait for you.
Because You will bless those who reverently and worshipfully fear You (Ps 115:13), I will wait for You.

Imperious

In Your hand are power and might (1 Chron 29:12).

You are the victor—
the winner in battle—
the conqueror (ref#110, p1487).

You distinguish Yourself;
having great fame and glory (ref#110, p806).

You are powerfully attractive—
magnetic (ref#110, p813).

Too great to be counted,
You are incalculable (ref#110, 681).
You are Master of being many-sided,
having qualities and accomplishments innumerable (ref#110, p825).

You are imperious, skillful—an expert— (ref#110, p833).

Masterful when You thunder.
As the GOD of glory,
You are full of majesty (ref#110, p833) (Ps 29:3-4).

Grateful Worship

FATHER, it must have seemed like a dream, too good to be true, to the exiles given permission to return to Zion (Ps 126:1). Or when the angel woke Peter in prison and his chains fell off. He thought he was seeing a vision it was so unreal to him (Acts 12:7,9).

With the work You’ve done in my life, FATHER, I should have the same reaction. As I remember Your holy activity toward me, I should feel like I need to pinch myself.

Do not thoughts of You set my hearts vibrating? Is there not a sound of song in the distance? If I ponder long enough, doesn’t the music grow louder?

Nehemiah dedicated the wall around Jerusalem with gladness, with thanksgivings, with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres (Neh 12:27). The people gathered offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for GOD had made them rejoice with great joy (Neh 12:43). Doesn’t GOD make me rejoice because of all He’s done?

FATHER, stir me to rejoice; rivet my attention to the rising music in my soul which is the response to Your blessings to me. Lift my eyes to You—You, Who did all for me. Oh soul, rejoice in the LORD, again I say, rejoice (Phil 4:4). Shout for joy (Ps 66:1). In grateful worship, break forth into joy oh my soul!

And LORD, continue to do great works in me. I need Your rain in my drought-stricken life (Ps 126:4). I am like Isaiah looking at You high and lifted up (Isa 6:1). Realizing I am Yours, yet unclean (Isa 6:5). I weep because of my sin, I cry under Your discipline. I plant my crops in sin’s entanglement and despair but in the end I’ll shout hurrahs at the harvest (Ps 126:5).

With pleas for mercy I shall come, and You will lead me back to You (Jer 31:9). So my heavy soul will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing. (Ps 126:6). For all this, LORD, I shout again for joy in grateful worship to You,

Revival for Backsliders

FATHER, presently I fear that ____ does not seek You (Rom 3:11). Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and beautiful habitation. O LORD, why do You make ____ wander from Your ways and harden (his/her) heart (Isa 63:17)? Please return for ____’s sake.

____ is like those over whom You have never ruled, like those who are not called by Your name (Isa 63:19). Stagnant (he/she) is until You rend the heavens and come down, the mountains quaking at Your presence (Isa 64:1).

____ is the clay, and You are the potter; (he/she) is the work of Your hand. Be not so terribly angry, O LORD, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, attest that (he/she) is Yours (Isa 64:8,9).

Incite (him/her) to remember You in Your ways, for You meet the ones who joyfully works righteousness. You act for those who wait for You
(Isa 64:4,5).

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a GOD besides You. You came down and did awesome things that no one looked for (Isa 64:4,3). Come again, stir ____, move (him/her) ahead, grow (him/her) like a beautiful flower seeking the sun.

Consider the Tragedy of GOD

FATHER, inspire ____, when speaking of the spiritual world, to speak only about JESUS CHRIST. Make (him/her) able to make a distinction between what CHRIST did and the result of what CHRIST did.

“The effect of the Cross is salvation, sanctification, healing, etc., but we are not to preach any of these, we are to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (ref#7, Nov 26th).

Give ____ the ability to make CHRIST, and not man, the center of all things. It is easy to personalize what CHRIST did. “He died for my sins out of sympathy for me.” “It is a travesty to say that Jesus Christ travailed in Redemption to make me a saint” (ref#7, Feb 1st). In my natural depravity it’s easy to get mushy.

“We are acceptable with God not because we have obeyed, or because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and in no other way. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the Fatherhood of God, the loving-kindness of God; the New Testament says He came to bear away the sin of the world” (ref#7, Oct 29th).

Impassion ____ to speak from Your prospective. “We have not brooded enough on the tragedy of Calvary or on the meaning of Redemption” (ref#7, Nov 26th). The great point of Your spiritual energy is the cross. JESUS-talk may seem abrupt and even harsh but it will do its own work. FATHER, give ____ the ability to hash over and over all the effort You have put forth in Redemption. Captivate (him/her) to brood over Your tragedy in giving Your Son to die (ref#7, Nov 26th)

Adverse Providences

FATHER, Charles Spurgeon once said, “Faith never prospers as well as when all things are against her. Tempests are her trainers, and lightning is her illuminator” (ref#34, Nov 12th AM). I pray for ____ that this trial strengthen (his/her) faith. Even if (he/she) thinks (his/her) faith is failing, give (him/her) an awareness that JESUS will not allow it ultimately.

Direct ____ toward considering Your glory and grace and to identify (himself/herself) as Your child. Cause ____ to note how more inclined (he/she) is to pray in this circumstance— how much more alive Scripture becomes—how much easier it is to worship. May (he/she) note how (his/her) strength has increased—how easily (he/she) finds love in the midst of rejection—wisdom in the face of foolishness (ref#5, p157).

Assist ____, FATHER, to contemplate how involved You are in (his/her) life which shows Your great care for (him/her). You are with (him/her) in this hardship. You have arranged it and measured it out.

____’s present pain did not come by accident, it was not a mistake, or brought on by an enemy. Help ____ trace (his/her) adverse providence back to the foot of Your throne. Overwhelm (him/her) with Your majesty and power. I pray that You enable ____ to comprehend Your absolute control over all that is happening to (him/her) (ref#151).

Discipline

FATHER, lead me to the correct understanding of discipline so I may not only appreciate it but joy in it. My first thought when You present me with a painful, difficult, situation is that You are punishing me because You think I should know better.

I am quite aware that I commit many and varied sins, but I don’t need discipline because I’m a sinner, I need to be disciplined because I’m human (ref#5, p40). It is my prideful humanity You are attempting to root out of me; You are not attempting to discourage me from a particular sin.

Keep reminding me Your reproof is an indication that You care enough to teach me (Job 5:17). Certainly at the moment all discipline is painful rather than pleasant but it yields the fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11).

FATHER, I will praise You because You discipline me in just measure (Jer 30:11). You promise I can always endure whatever circumstances You put me in (1 Cor 10:13). You are with me to save me (Jer 30:11). You give me power to keep myself calm in the days of adversity (Ps 94:13). Enduring the disciplinary trial proves my faith and produces perseverance and steadfastness and patience (James 1:3).

FATHER, commit to my understanding the fact that You issue discipline because You love me (Heb 12:6). When I go astray You call me back to You with discipline. Your steadfast love will not depart from me (2 Sam 7:14-15). You will not be false to Your faithfulness, nor violate Your covenant or alter the word that goes forth from Your lips (Ps 89:33-34). You chasten and scourge me because You cherish me (Heb 12:6).

“Divine love chastens because it sees the necessity for the correction. The Lord’s love is not blind affection…. It is our mercy to know that love marks our iniquity, and that love and not justice, grace and not vengeance, holds the rod and administers the correction….those stripes of His rod are as much…the expression of His love as are the ‘kisses of His mouth’…” (ref#61, Jan 16th).

Submitting to Your discipline is good for me so I may share in Your holiness (Heb 12:10). I desire to be trained by it because it yields peaceful righteousness for me (Heb 12:11). Thank You for Your discipline.

Need for Forgiveness

MY FATHER, “When thou art angry towards me for my wrongs I try to pacify thee by abstaining from future sin; But teach me…that only Christ’s righteousness, ready made, already finished, is fit for that purpose; that thy chastising me for my sin is not that I should try to reform, but only that I may be more humbled, afflicted, and separated from sin, by being reconciled, and made righteous in Christ by faith;…” (ref#76, p96).

FATHER, my logic says, “Eliminate sin and I won’t need forgiveness—be good and I won’t have to suffer Your discipline.” But my striving to do better next time does not neutralize my sin.

“Sin is…deliberate and emphatic independence of God” (ref#7, Oct. 7th). All attempts I use to stop sinning and live right are attempts to usurp Your authority and put myself under my control.

…the wicked…flatters and deceives himself…that his iniquity will not… be hated. (Ps 36:1-2 AMP)

“Sin is a fundamental relationship; it is not wrong doing, it is wrong being…” (ref#7, Oct 7th). In me is the heredity of sin. JESUS did not take my sins on Himself; he took on Himself my heredity of sin (ref#7, Oct 7th). I am not a sinner because I sin, but I sin because I am a sinner (ref#56, p781).

FATHER, I humbly accept Your Son’s finished work on the cross to cover my sinful nature. Keep reminding me that constantly I need CHRIST to take care of my sin. I don’t need Him just when I think have I sinned. King David said, “My sin is ever before me” (Ps 51:3). Keep alive in me, LORD, the sense of sin’s evil constantly so I might think upon CHRIST constantly (ref#35, p317).