Psalm 103

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Ps 103:1 ESV)!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,” (Ps 103:2 ESV).

He forgives all my iniquity,
He heals all my diseases,
He redeems my life from the pit,
He crowns me with steadfast love and mercy, (Ps 103:3,4).

He satisfies me with good
so that my youth is renewed (Ps 103:5).
He does not deal with me according to my sins,
nor repay me according to my iniquities (Ps 103:10).

“But the steadfast love of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,…
to those who keep his covenant…” (Ps 103:17,18 ESV).

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Ps 103:1 ESV)!

and forget not all his benefits,” (Ps 103:2 ESV).

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,

Tests for Sanctification

FATHER, I fear, as the serpent deceived Eve, that ____’s mind is being corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere devotion to CHRIST (2 Cor 11:3).

But, first, FATHER, I need Your grace to cover my questioning—my judging. Continually remind me that I do not review the tests for sanctification to pass sentence on ____, but to learn how to help (him/her) turn from (his/her) shipwrecking ways.

You not only call me to pray, but also to confront, admonish, encourage and help ____ as well as be patient (1 Thes 5:14). If any of these testing questions below I perceive ____ failing at, make me ready to help (him/her) in the way You direct.

1. Do I see Your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in (him/her) (1 Thes 1:3)?
2. Does (he/she) attest to continuing in (his/her) belief in CHRIST (John 3:16)?
3. Do I observe (him/her) being led by the HOLY SPIRIT (Rom 8:14)?
4. Do I see traits of the fruit of the SPIRIT exhibited in (his/her) life (Gal 5:22-23)?
5. Does (he/she) still listen to Christians and read and delight in Your Word (1 John 4:6)?
6. Do I see evidence of (him/her) abiding in CHRIST for (his/her) day-by-day situations (John 15:4)?
7. Does (he/she) regularly fellowship with CHRIST in prayer and worship (John 15:7)?
8. Do I see results of (him/her) obeying CHRIST (1 John 3:24)?
9. Does (he/she) show love to others (1 John 2:9-10)?
10. Does (he/she) continue in fellowship with other Christians (1 John 2:19)?
    (Points 1 – 10, ref#63, p803-805)

Action Words and GOD Go Together

FATHER, I pray for ____. You arrange so many mercied circumstances in (his/her) life they are impossible to count, let alone notice. But, today I desire You reestablish ____’s astonishment. I appeal to You to quicken (his/her) spirit with the extent and energy You put forth in mercy-ing (him/her).

Lead ____ to Your Word that (he/she) may contemplate Your activity on (his/her) behalf. Help (him/her) comprehend all the effort You take with (him/her) as demonstrated in the action verbs below.

“…the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion…” (Isa 30:18 NIV).

“…God…gives endurance and encouragement…” (Rom 15:5 NIV).

“You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,” (Ps 10:17 NIV).

“Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself]…He will …[fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]” (1 Thes 5:24 AMP).

“…he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb 2:18 NIV).

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps 147:3 NIV).

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,” (Ps 146:7 NIV).

“…the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down…” (Ps 146:8 NIV).

“Our God is a God who saves;…” (Ps 68:20 NIV).

“…God our Savior,…daily bears our burdens” (Ps 68:19 NIV).

“…God sends his love and his faithfulness” (Ps 57:3 NIV).

“…those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction” (Job 36:15 NIV).

“He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him,…” (Ps 145:19,20 NIV).

GOD’s Answer to Job

FATHER, answer ____’s supplications like You did Job’s. Job knew You directed His life. He had no intention of terminating His relationship with You. His thoughts were like Peter’s when he was given the opportunity to leave Your relationship. He said, “Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

____, too, would never think of leaving You, but, like Job, You have given (him/her) this providence that (he/d/she’d) like, at least, an explanation. We fall naturally into questioning Your purposes. FATHER, if ____ grumbles and (his/her) prayers are introspective show (him/her) Your majesty.

For four chapters, in the book of Job, FATHER, You revealed Your matchless ability to run Your creation. Even after two chapters when Job put his hand over his mouth in humility, You continued making him see Your greatness and his littleness for two more chapters (Job 38-41). More and more You made him realize he was very wrong to question Your providences to him.

GOD, reveal Yourself to ____ in such a way that (he/she) repents in dust and ashes (Job 42:6)—comprehending, that (he/she) speaks to You without knowledge (Job 38:2).

If You speak to ____ like You did Job, (he/she) will not need any verification that You hear (him/her) and You will answer (him/her). (His/Her) faith will become spiritual sight. Instead of anxiously awaiting an answer to (his/her) supplications, (he/she) will be spellbound at Your presence. And in Your presence

(he/she) will “know” You answer (his/her) requests in a most perfect way.

Impress Yourself upon (him/her) now like clay under the seal. You laid the foundations of the earth— determined its measurements—contained the sea and prescribed its limits (Job 38:4,5,8,10). FATHER, thank You for this short review of Your greatness. Surely You know best what to do with ____’s difficult situation.

Reflections on CHRIST

FATHER, my eyes are on CHRIST for “…my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]…” (Phil 3:10 AMP).

FATHER, do not let me lose sight of my determined purpose. I gladly review the Glorious CHRIST through Your word.

CHRIST, You are gentle and humble in heart (Matt 11:29) and yet You overcome the world (John 16:33). You reflect the glory of Your FATHER and bear the very stamp of His nature; You uphold the universe by Your word of power (Heb 1:3) and yet You live and make Your home in me (1 John 3:24).

FATHER, in the face of JESUS CHRIST, Your glory is seen (2 Cor 4:6), yet CHRIST bears my grief and carries my sorrows (Isa 53:4). In Him all Your fullness dwells (Col 1:19), yet CHRIST personally rescues me and draws me to Himself, investing me with all the privileges of a new life in Him (1 Thes 1:10).

When CHRIST walked this earth, FATHER, He found that in Your presence, was fullness of joy and at Your right hand were pleasures forevermore (Ps 16:11). I desire fellowship with JESUS so that I may experience His joy of You fulfilled in myself. I want to comprehend CHRIST’s delight complete in me. Oh, that His joy may be perfected in my soul—that I may have His gladness filling my heart (John 17:13)

CHRIST is Your power working, FATHER, thus I have a personal trust springing from faith and leading to faith (Rom 1:16,17). Thank You for CHRIST Who is the Author and Perfecter of faith (Heb 12:2). Thank You for CHRIST Who enables me to move along in this world as He, Himself, did—from faith to faith.

Be Dependent

“…the issue was whether Adam would let God determine what was good and bad, or would seek to decide that for himself, in disregard of what God had said” (ref#56, p13, “The Fall”).

“The demanding of my own will is the singular force that smothers out joy—nothing else” (ref#130, p177). “Am I a pauper toward God? Do I know I cannot prevail in prayer;…I cannot alter my disposition; I cannot lift myself nearer to God” (ref#118, p16,17)?

FATHER, help me keep my arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of CHRIST. This is the unending life (Jude 21). Move me to relish all circumstances that drive me to depend on CHRIST. LORD, You can’t keep me if I don’t keep dependent on You. I desire to seek You LORD, and Your strength, to yearn for and seek Your face and to be in Your presence continually (1 Chron 16:11). Determine for me what is good and bad.

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise” (Prov 27:21 ESV).

Mighty in Battle

In remembrance of what my Elder brother,

JESUS CHRIST has done for me,
I sing this prayer to You, FATHER
so I might review the acts of Your Son.

The LORD JESUS upon Calvary routed every foe,
“breaking the weapons of the enemy
by His finished work of satisfactory obedience;”
and “by His triumphant resurrection and ascension” (ref#34, Dec 3rd PM).

My LORD “completely overturned—
the hopes of hell” (ref#34, Dec 3rd PM)—
making a show of His enemies openly,
“triumphing over them by His cross” (ref#34, Dec 3rd PM).

Every arrow of guilt that Satan shoots at me
is now broken.
“Vain are the sharp swords of infernal malice,
and the perpetual battles of the serpent’s seed,” (ref#34, Dec 3rd PM).

For in the midst of the church
I, the lame take the prey,
and I, the feeblest warrior am crowned.
“Who shall lay anything to the charge of GOD’s elect” (ref#34, Dec 3rd PM)?

With You I shall do valiantly;
it is You who shall tread down my enemies (Ps 108:13).

You, yes, You will certainly deliver me
from every assault of evil (2 Tim 4:18).

I Am a Plant in His Garden

FATHER, CHRIST, as the Son of GOD, did absolutely everything for Your sake, but as the Son of Man, He did absolutely everything for my sake. For my sake He took my nature upon Himself (1 Tim 3:16). “He took on…a life of prayers, tears, fears” and suffering like me but unlike me He took on all this in perfect obedience “with cheerfulness and delight” (Heb 10:7-8) (ref#35, p249).

For my sake He was obedient to death. He dedicated Himself as a sacrifice—to be killed (John 17:19). What a fearful cup he tasted so I might never have to taste it (Matt 26:39). FATHER, it was a cup full of the curse of the law (Gal 3:13), Your wrath (1 Thes 1:10), and most of all the loss of Your presence (Ps 22:1). He left “his glory, his riches, his ease,” His very life, “to undergo loss, shame, wrath, curse,” and death for me (ref#35, p250). For me!

His interest is that I should be His—that I become a partaker of His glory (1 Pet 5:1). And now He proves His love by His continual care in all my deliverances and afflictions—in all my conditions of sinning and suffering. I am “the apple of his eye, his jewel, his diadem, his crown” (ref#35, p250).

I am a plant in His garden while the unbelieving world is wilderness. Even if I am “the meanest, debased, weakest and poorest believer on earth,” CHRIST prizes me more than all the rest of the world (ref#35, p251).

“Lord, unto Thee from my full heart my prayers ascend; To thee will I sing praise….
And for Thy loving grace and truth which hath no end Will thank Thee all my days” (ref#38, p468, [Ps 138:1-2]).

Prayer Facts:

“Poverty of spirit enters into true praying. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ ‘The poor’ means paupers, beggars, those who live on the bounty of others, who live by begging. Christ’s people live by asking. ‘Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath’” (ref#54, p32).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because righteousness and justice is the foundation of Your throne (Ps 97:2), I will wait for You.
Because You give skillful and godly wisdom and from Your mouth comes knowledge and understanding (Prov 2:6), I will wait for You.

Because Your mercy and loving-kindness endures forever (1 Chron 16:34), I will wait for You.

Timeless

FATHER, You are always the same
and Your years have no end (Ps 102:27).
You are in Yourself totally complete;
and consist of the entire whole (ref#110, p1413).

You are, You are the one mainstay—
yes, the chief support (ref#110, p815).
And You are, yes, You are timeless—
always valid and true, unending and eternal (ref#110, p1401).

You cannot be overcome
because You are invincible—(ref#110, p710-711).

because You are beyond this material world—

yes, beyond and superphysical (ref#110, p1344).

You are, You are unmeasurable.
You are immense and vast (ref#110, p1461).

You are from everlasting to everlasting
O, LORD, You are GOD (Hab1:12).