Author: bonniefaurote

SABBATH

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THE SIX DAYS BEFORE AND AFTER THE SABBATH

“In creation GOD rested from His work not because He was tired but because He was establishing a cycle of life—six days work, one day rest” Alistair Begg (ref#165, Series: The Sabbath Sermon#:2096, “Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath,” July 11, 1999).

“He hath mercifully considered our state and our necessities here; and, as He hath consulted the good of our souls in appointing a seventh day for the immediate duties of religion, so He hath considered our outward necessities and hath allowed us six days for attendance on our outward affairs. What unworthy treatment therefore will it be of God, if we refuse to allow Him even the seventh day” Jonathan Edwards (ref#186)!

“The Sabbath is a covenant sign that represents a lifestyle of devotion to the Lord, for it requires the practical reorganization of every week around him (cf. Ex 31:12-17; Ezek 20:18-20)” The ESV Study Bible, (ref#125, p1342, [Isa 56:2]).

SUPPLICATION

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SORROW

[“Blessed are those who mourn…” (Matt 5:4 NASB).  We know people who are grieving; let’s pray for them.  Fill he name in the blanks to this prayer.]

PEACE

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 3.32.11 PM“God does give us something worth trusting in tough times.  And that’s Him, and Him alone” Dr. Joseph Stowell (ref#136, session 1, p4).

FATHER, ____ may be feeling the pain of grief pressing in on all sides. CHRIST has experienced those moments—making even breathing difficult by the mere force of such overwhelming sadness (ref#136, session 1, p6). COMPASSIONATE FATHER, lift ____ into Your arms, comfort (him/her) with Your presence. CHRIST, allow (him/her) to feel Your presence.

Give ____ enough impetus to move into the presence of Your peace. FATHER, You are peace Yourself and are able to give peace at all times and in every way (2 Thes 3:16). Even though ____ may be overcome with emotions of grief, direct (him/her) always back to You, the Source of Peace (ref#136, session 1, p7).

THANKSGIVING

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“The most powerful worship will be among people whose minds…and whose hearts—whose emotions—are as near the fire of God as they can be without being consumed” Elyse Fitzpatrick (ref#75, p195).

PSALM 63

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 2.58.57 PMOh my FATHER, this is where I want to be. This is my most urgent prayer.

“O GOD, praise waiteth for thee, and to render it is my noblest exercise;…” says the Puritan (ref#76, p14). I must wait for You to pass by before I am able to offer up praise. I can’t just pick up my guitar or sit at the piano and sing praise songs anytime. O FATHER, compel me to wait near the fire of GOD.

Elijah came to a cave and lodged in it. There the word of the LORD came to him (1 Kings 19:9). The LORD passed by him and a strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but He was not in the wind. And, after the wind, an earthquake, but He was not in the earthquake.   And, after the earthquake, a fire, but He was not in the fire. But, after the fire the LORD came in a low whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12).

The LORD favors those who wait for His lovingkindness (Ps 147:11). Your name and remembrance are the desire of my soul (Isa 26:8). I will tie myself down and wait for Your low whisper.

“O God, you are my God;

earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,…” (Ps 63:1 ESV).

 

“…I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you” (Ps 63:2-3 ESV).

 

“…in your name I will lift up my hands.

…my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy” (Ps 63:4,5,7 ESV).

CONFESSION

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INTERNAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 2.44.13 PM“If you would climb to heaven, stoop. Do we not say of Jesus, ‘He descended so that He might ascend’? So must you. You must grow downward so that you may grow upward, for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, and by them alone”Charles Spurgeon (ref#34, April 5th PM).

FATHER, I want to become conformed to the image of Your Son (Rom 8:29)—His compassionate acts—His authoritative words—His unrivaled righteousness.

This way of thinking brings me close to the thin line where, on one side, activities are produced by my own energies, and, on the other side, activities are prompted by the SPIRIT. It is an unsafe place to be for the continual lure is to fall on the side of self-effort, which, at its best, can only “act” like CHRIST.

FATHER, direct me toward an internal righteousness—my striving to subject my mind, will, affections, and desires to JESUS. This is the place where the HOLY SPIRIT definitely works. “In every corruption subdued, in every…besetting sin laid aside, in every holy desire begotten, Christ is glorified…” Octavius Winslow (ref#61, August 24th). In repentance—with a broken heart—by being contrite I can bring You more glory than appearing impressively righteous to people around me.

ADORATION

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THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 2.36.30 PM…FATHER, as a Christian my life is an impossible life to live without drawing on Your SPIRIT for “The Spirit of God shatters every power in the world, the flesh and the devil, every power of sin and the domination of Satan” Oswald Chambers (ref#157, June 15th).

“The Spirit…is Christ without the limitations of the flesh and the material world. He can reveal what Christ could not speak. He has resources of power greater than those Christ could use, and he makes possible greater works than his” Samuel Chadwick (ref#161, p18).

“He is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of witness, the Spirit of conviction, the Spirit of power, the Spirit of holiness, the Spirit of light, the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of help, the Spirit of liberty, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of revelation, the Spirit of promise, the Spirit of love, the Spirit of meekness, the Spirit of sound mind, the Spirit of grace, the Spirit of glory, and the Spirit of prophecy” Samuel Chadwick (ref#161, p18,19).

FATHER, all Christians have the SPIRIT resident in them but I desire to be “full” of Him—desiring He control me to the point that I am “distinct and observable in some way” to others (ref#161, p109). When I feel my heart warmed with joy, and I’m supported in peace, and established in obedience, let me give Him the praise due Him (ref#35, p422).

VALLEYS TO MOUNTAINTOPS

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MY DEEPEST LONGING

9/30/13

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 2.26.48 PMSomething written in day 31 of a devotional attached itself to my heart making me want to put my feelings into words. Writing the feelings will allow me to come back to them in the future.

As I read, my feelings morphed into a desire. I wanted something more than I had.

I’m not good at give-and-take relationships. An island describes me. But, the following statement made me not want to be an island: “The deepest longing of the human heart is to be known completely and accepted unconditionally” James P Gills (ref#149, p385).

I can recall situations where my “island” label is put away.   When I compare picture-taking alone to picture-taking with my husband going along, my choice is fellowship over being alone. My heart wants a similar fellowship with GOD.

“’Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters…And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him’ (Gen 5:22,24). Someone commented that one day as Enoch walked with God, they ended the day closer to heaven than to Enoch’s home. And God just said, ‘Come on, Enoch, and go home with Me’” James P. Gills (ref#149, p387).

Oh, to talk to GOD when I think, not to talk to myself when I think. I want to work enough each day to meet my needs and not be sidetracked by worldly activities. I want to be “engulfed in His presence” James P. Gills (ref#149, p388). “The Hebrew word translated intimate means ‘to share secrets, deep, inward counsel, in audience with a person’” James P. Gills (ref#149, p385).

So, FATHER, my deepest secret presently is to confess all my known sins to You and watch You not flinch one bit. My deepest desire is to let go of my hold on my life when You press me to Your bosom. It truly will be my greatest joy to lose myself and choose some great attribute of Yours to dwell on.

I’ve identified my longing in this writing. Now I strive to walk hand in hand as Enoch. And is not discovering a new attribute of GOD better than reviewing the ones I know? To discover I must be with Him.

SABBATH

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THE SABBATH – A WAY OF WITNESS AND BLESSING

“The purifying, uplifting effect of the Christian Sabbath is indispensable if the Christian witness is to be maintained” C. E. Hunter (ref#171).

“By a strict observance of the Sabbath, the face of religion is kept up in the world. If it were not for the Sabbath, there would be but little public and visible appearance of serving, worshipping, and reverencing the supreme and invisible Being” Jonathan Edwards (ref#186).

GOD is honored by our keeping the Sabbath (Isa 58:13). Therefore we should, above all things glorify our GOD and King in this way.

Since GOD has ordained we keep His Sabbath it makes sense that He pays particular attention to those who obey Him:

“He stands ready then especially to hear prayers, to accept of religious services, to meet His people, to manifest Himself to them, to give His Holy Spirit and blessing to those who diligently and conscientiously sanctify it” Jonathan Edwards (ref#186).

SUPPLICATION

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NON CHRISTIAN – Pursuers

[We all have friends and family that sit in our churches but only act like they are Christians.  It is up to us to pray for their salvation.  Here’s an opportunity to pray for them.  Fill his/her name in the blanks.]

JESUS’ DEALING WITH FLESH

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 2.10.18 PM…FATHER, “…everything a man naturally inherits from his parents belongs to the flesh” Watchman Nee (ref#33, p71). Therefore we are naturally hostile to You, for we do not submit to Your laws, indeed, we cannot (Rom 8:3,7). That which is born of the flesh is flesh (John 3:6).

“God…does not try to alter man’s flesh; He instead gives man a new life in order to help put it to death. The flesh must die. This is salvation” Watchman Nee (ref#33, p73).   “…By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:3-4 ESV).

But, man “does not understand God’s Word and so he tries continually to refine and reform his flesh” Watchman Nee (ref#33, p73). Because I see no consistent spiritual fruit in ____, I pray, FATHER, that You provide (him/her) with a deeper understanding of You. I observe ____ is not willing to make (himself/herself) uncomfortable doing good works which makes me believe (his/her) actions are the actions of (his/her) selfish, not-regenerated-yet, flesh.

FATHER, this flesh is so predominate that even Your regenerated easily revert back to utilizing their sinful flesh to deal with daily situations (Gal 3:3). So I pray also for my fellow Christians as well, that they continue depending on Your SPIRIT as they did at first.

“Though He cannot alter our flesh God gives us His life. Man’s flesh remains as corrupt in those who are born anew as in those who are not. The flesh in a saint is the same as that in a sinner. In regeneration the flesh is not transformed. New birth exerts no good influence on the flesh. It remains as is. God does not impart His life to us to educate and train the flesh. Rather, it is given to overcome the flesh” Watchman Nee (ref#33, p76).

FATHER, unsettle ____ until (he/she) longs to walk by Your SPIRIT so (he/she) will not gratify the desires of (his/her) flesh (Gal 5:16). May (he/she) “experience less failure battling with sin and more success battling with self” Watchman Nee (ref#33, p79).

THANKSGIVING

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BENEVOLENT

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 2.03.41 PM…FATHER, You open Your hand (Ps 145:16).

You are kindly and charitable—

benevolent (ref#110, p129).

You are merciful and compassionate (ref#110, p584).

 

You satisfy the desire of every living thing (Ps 145:16).

You are indispensable—

necessary and essential.

You alone are absolutely vital (ref#110, p1493).

 

You are righteous in all Your ways;

You are kind in all Your works (Ps 145:17).

You give assistance and help (ref#110, p1337).

You are large hearted and generous (ref#110, p761).

 

To You, LORD, belong mercy and forgiveness (Dan 9:9).

You are “tender and loving”—

affectionate (ref#110, p22).

You show kindness and are gracious (ref#110, p584).

CONFESSION

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INFORMATION NOT ENOUGH

Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 1.55.46 PM…FATHER, when Moses went back to Egypt to lead the Israelites to the promised land, he knew exactly how the situation would play out for You told Him specifically ahead of time:

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go” (Ex 4:21 ESV).

Yet when this happened Moses became downcast as if he had never heard You say Pharaoh would not let Your people go:

“Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, ‘…Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name,…you have not delivered your people at all’” (Ex 5:22-23 ESV).

Moses didn’t even have to have faith. He could have relied on what You had told Him, but he was unable to even do that. I am that feeble, too. I am just like Moses. I “know”; Scripture tells me, yet I do not do it (James 4:17). I don’t apply Your words when the circumstance presents itself.

Moses proved that he couldn’t retain spiritual knowledge but had to call upon You in the “now” to get himself back on track with You. FATHER, impress upon me my frailty. Even when You clue me in beforehand Your past Word does not have the ability to guide me in the present. Teach me to tune my ear for Your continual voice behind me (Isa 30:21). I cannot live on any knowledge obtained in the past but must live moment by moment completely depending on Your SPIRIT for direction.