Suffering Comes From Within as Well as Without

“Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins” (Isa 38:17 NLT).

FATHER, suffering comes in two forms: within—“the apparent desertion of the Bridegroom which is the most agonizing of the soul’s sufferings, and without, the persecuting malice of men and devils” (ref#128, p442).

____ knows, O LORD, that Your rules are righteous (Ps 119:75) and (he/she) is not. Can You treat (him/her) more cruelly than (he/she) deserves? Never, (he/she) is never smitten as harshly as (his/her) sins deserve (ref#34, April 30, AM).

You, FATHER, have afflicted ____ in faithfulness. (Ps 119:75). But, LORD, see to (his/her) suffering within for it is most debilitating.

In ____’s despondency remove (his/her) anxious thoughts and forebodings, grant (him/her) a glad heart that has a continual feast regardless of circumstances (Prov 15:15). Make (him/her) delight in Your law so (he/she) will not perish in this affliction (Ps 119:92). You who make ____ see many troubles and calamities will revive (him/her) again (Ps 71:20).

Now that (he/she) lives among bitterness and crosses and is prostrate under a load of trouble and affliction, instill within (him/her) that (he/she) comes closest to being “all fair” in the Bridegroom’s eyes. In suffering (he/she) is “all fair” and there is no spot or deformity in (him/her) (ref#128, p 439-440, [Song 4:7])

Suffering scours out ____’s harsh, unyielding, bounded and limited nature that stands in the way of (his/her) happiness. This present suffering is not (his/her) fault nor is it offensive in Your sight; “it is simply a natural defect, derived from Adam, which (his/her) Bridegroom will insensibly take away” (ref#128, p440, [Song 4:7]). This circumstance may destroy (his/her) beauty in the eyes of people around (him/her), but (his/her) Bridegroom is most pleased for ____ has no longer any comeliness of (his/her) own. In CHRIST’s eyes through this suffering (he/she) has become possessed of true beauty (ref#128, p440, [Song 4:7]). In His time, CHRIST will “reanimate this annihilated soul” (ref#128, p446, [Song 4:16]) and ____ will become His perfect bride.

To The Praise of His Glory

FATHER, a blade of grass fulfills its created purpose—it is a praise to Your glory. You intend Your “grace and power and other perfections should…become conspicuous and illustrious.” And Your intention is that I magnify You (ref #18, [Eph 1:3-14]).

Praise is ascribed to You for the salvation You have granted to me (ref#16, [Eph 1:12]). When I let You work through me, You get the praise. All I have to do is follow You where You place me. FATHER, prevent me from placing myself (ref#83, p51).

I am tempted to ask You to help me be like CHRIST thinking others will see the goodness of You in me and praise You. But this is just a prideful request from my self- exalting nature. Another prideful request is for You to help me become more passionate for souls, but concentrating on saving souls is just religious commercialism (ref#83, p51).

Again, all I have to do is to follow You where You place me. When I am following You it will be a matter of indifference whether You put me in the spotlight or back stage. As long as I’m following You I can be unfairly accused or even be proven a failure without any irritation on my part (ref#83, p51).

CHRIST was a praise to Your glory. But, He was not obedient to His needs or the needs of men but obedient to Your will. Because of it, He was a ‘stone of stumbling’ to many people and I will be a ‘stone of stumbling’ by following Him (ref#83, p50-51).

Move me to realize that You have to be followed, I cannot clutch visions of grandeur that I become a beautiful specimen in Your showcase. I will reflect honor to You when I follow You in the mundane circumstances of life. (ref#83, p 53).

How difficult is following? FATHER, help me keep it simple. When I begin to question which way to go, sin has complicated my walk. Sin urges me to involve myself in activities that go beyond Your wishes and my abilities. The sin in me desires to do great spiritual things—things that will wear me out and make me frustrated and sad. Urge me to keep it simple and just walk behind You for the praise of Your glory.

Commanded to be Blameless, Not Faultless

“God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect” (Ps 18:32 NLT).

FATHER, I am only perfect because You have chosen to fill me with Your own love and image (ref#15, [Ps 37:37]). I will never be faultless, but You do not demand that I be faultless.

What You command is that I live a blameless life (Ps 37:18). You ask me only to live up to my highest understanding of Your will revealed in Your Word. Then You will look with favor on me, calling me blameless, if I walk in Your way (Ps 101:6).

A blameless man describes “an upright man; a man of integrity. It does not necessarily imply that he is absolutely holy, or free from all sin, but that he is upright, consistent, honest:…” (ref#16, [Ps 101:6]).

FATHER, I lose my blamelessness by sinning presumptuously. These are sins that issue from my pride and self-confidence that leads me to rely on my own strength (ref#16, [Ps 19:13]). FATHER, I do not want to fall into a habit of sinning presumptuously for by such sins I will soon be hardened through their deceitfulness (ref#15, [Ps 19:13]).

GUIDING FATHER, keep me back from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me, and then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgressions (Ps 19:13).

“God can be pleased only with that which resembles himself: therefore he must hate sin and sinfulness; and can delight in those only who are made partakers of his own divine nature. As all creatures were made by him, so all owe him obedience and reverence; but, to be acceptable to this infinite Spirit, the worship must be of a spiritual nature—must spring from the heart, through the influence of the Holy Spirit: and it must be in TRUTH, not only in sincerity, but performed according to that divine revelation which he has given men of himself. A man worships God in spirit, when, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he brings all his affections, appetites, and desires to the throne of God; and he worships him in truth, when every purpose and passion of his heart, and when every act of his religious worship, is guided and regulated by the word of God” (ref#15, [John 4:24]).

Morning Prayer

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up (Ps 5:1-3 KJV).

…I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness…Make Your way straight before my face (Ps 5:7-8 NKJV).

You have shown me what is good, and what You require of me. It’s to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Thee (Micah 6:8).

Scripture—GOD’s Self-disclosure

FATHER, my worship of You rests on You revealing Yourself to me. I would not know the truth about You or be able to relate to You in a personal way, had You not made Yourself known to me. The themes running throughout the Bible are about You, Your attributes, and godliness. It is “the record, interpretation, and expression of Your self- disclosure” (ref#56, p141, “The Word of God: Scripture as Revelation”).

“Here I see thy greatness and thy grace, thy pity and thy rectitude, thy mercy and thy truth, thy being and men’s hearts; Through it thou hast magnified thy name, and favoured mankind with the gospel” (ref#76, p192).

This Word of Yours is as true as Your own existence. You and Your Word do not change; everything You have spoken has and will happen (ref#34, July 27th, AM). “I do not need signs and
wonders to believe, For thy Word is sure truth” (ref#76,p164).

The availability of the Bible makes ignorance no excuse for my actions. Draw me toward Your Holy Scriptures where I may find reason to adore You and live in honor to You, for recalling Your loving activities leads me into worship.

Prayer Facts:

“The spirit of the world is the great hindrance to the Spirit of prayer. All our most earnest calls to men to pray more will be vain unless this evil is acknowledged and combated and overcome. The believer and the Church must be entirely freed from the spirit of the world….It is only through death to the world that we can be freed from its spirit…. In Christ it was the crucifixion spirit and death that was the source of the intercession Spirit and power. With us it can be no other way either” (ref#143, p118).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You are God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, the terrible God, Who is not partial and does not take bribes (Deut 10:17), I will wait for You.
Because You are acquainted with and understand the heart (Acts 15:8), I will wait for You.

Because You preserve the way of Your saints (Prov 2:8), I will wait for You.

Because You guard the feet of Your godly ones (1 Sam 2:9), I will wait for You.

Vanquisher

FATHER, You are great in might (Jer 10:6).

You defeat, conquer, and overcome—
You are a vanquisher (ref#110, p1475).
You exercise power and control (ref#110, p279).

Your right hand exalts (Ps 118:16);
You are triumphant—
prevailing and undefeatable—
You are successful and victorious (ref#110, p1432).

Your right hand does valiantly (Ps 118:16).
You are brave and resolute—
determined and full of courage (ref#110, p1473).
You command—directing with authority (ref#110, p279).

There is none like You (Jer 10:6).
You are mighty and effective (ref#110, p1058);

You are vigorous, passionate, and zealous—

leading “with firm authority.” (ref#110, p1329).

You Do Not Have to Love Me

FATHER, I desire to spend time collecting my thoughts on Your everlasting tenderness and compassion. Please help me focus.

Even though in Yourself You are all-sufficient, yet from eternity You laid in Your bosom a design for my happiness. You love me because You “will” to love me—freely, without any obligation. Because of Your great love, You have seated me with CHRIST in order to show Your immeasurable riches and kindness toward me (Eph 2:7).

How is it You love me when You don’t have to? When I look at Your heavens and the work of Your fingers, who am I that You care for me (Ps 8:3-4)? I do not know why You pass by millions of people who do not differ from my nature (Eph 2:3) and choose me to love (Isa 43:4).

You promise to forever dwell with me for You have desired it (Ps 132:14). I am Your resting place forever. You cannot leave me for You are captivated by my beauty. You are in love with all my charms—the charms that You continually provide for me (Gal 5:22-23). You love me

so You literally bind Yourself to me. Because of what You give me, my head flows with locks of purple and You are bound in my tresses (ref#35, p126 [Song 7:5-6]).

Mine is the joy to meditate on Your everlasting tenderness and compassion. As I recognize Your charms in me my gratitude to You increases.

Blinded

“The curse of a godless man can sound more pleasant in God’s ears than the Hallelujah of the pious” Luther (ref#28, p9).

Your kingdom, FATHER, is in the midst of Your enemies. But, I see ____ wanting to “be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with the bad people but the devout people” Luther (ref#28, p17-18).

The Christian’s calling is to bring peace to Your enemies. Is ____ avoiding the obviously pernicious?

I pray for ____ that You bring (him/her) to understand there is a battle going on and (he/she) is to be a soldier among enemies. (He/She) must be scattered from (his/her) Christian friends—“dispersed among unbelievers”. The only guaranteed fellowship is heavenly fellowship “held together solely in Jesus Christ” (ref#28, p18).

A Kingdom of Priests

FATHER, I pray for ____ that (he/she) obey Your calling to be a priestly intercessor. (All Christians are called to be a kingdom of priests [Ex 19:6]). Attune (him/her) to be mindful of ones caught in transgression (Gal 6:1) that (he/she) will seek to restore them “by affectionate admonition, by faithful instruction, and by prayer” (ref#16, [Gal 6:1]).

Cause ____, FATHER, to live as a priest by fearing You and standing in awe of Your name (Mal 2:5). Keep true instruction in (his/her) mouth and assist (him/her) to walk with You in peace and uprightness. By such a walk (he/she) will turn many from iniquity (Mal 2:6). Impassion ____ to guard knowledge so that people should seek instruction from (him/her) (Mal 2:7).

Cause ____ to desire to labor to fill up that which is lacking in others (ref#67, [Gal 6:1]). Discharge (him/her) to offer up to You “spiritual sacrifices, not only of prayer and praise, but of devout affections and pious resolutions” which is the work of Your own SPIRIT in (him/her) (ref#18, [Ex 19:1-8]). Quicken (him/her) to offer up services acceptable to You through CHRIST (1 Pet 2:5).

“As Christ bears our burdens, so ought we to bear the burdens of our fellow-man. The law of Christ, which is our duty to fulfill, is the bearing of the cross. My brother’s burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot, his natural characteristics and gifts, but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by
forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which I now share. Thus the call to follow
Christ always means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the
Christlike suffering which it is the Christian duty to bear” (ref#10, p90).