PRELUDE TO PRAYER

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Prayer Facts:

“…in everything by prayer whose essence is that of worship and devotion and by supplication which is a cry for your personal needs, with thanksgiving let your requests for the things asked for be made know in the presence of God,” Kenneth S. West (ref#37, p467, [Philippians 4:6]).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You are the Fashioner and Maker of all things (Jer 10:16), I will wait for You.

Because You make all the nations of men and determine their allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (Acts 17:26), I will wait for You.

Because there is no human wisdom or understanding or counsel that can prevail against You (Prov 21:30), I will wait for You.

Read Through the Bible in a Year: Oct 7th – 13th

Oct 7     Ezek 42-44; John 1

Oct 8     Ezek 45-46; John 2

Oct 9     Ezek 47-48; Ps 64

Oct 10   Dan 5-6; John 3

Oct 11    Dan 7-8; John 4

Oct 12   Dan 9-10; John 5

Oct 13   Dan 11-12; John 6

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 their name in the blanks.]

THE BOASTINGS OF THE FALLEN NATURE

…FATHER, ____ has heard of You by attending church; (he/she) has read (his/her) Bible, maybe even committed verses to memory, nonetheless Your Word does not produce fruit in (him/her) (Mark 4:19). Even Your truth residing in (his/her) mind is unable to affect (him/her).

It seems ____ is in the business, FATHER, of becoming holy and more holy in (his/her) own strength. Seems (he/she) is working with such intenseness that (he/she) passes over the good news about CHRIST. I think that (his/her) work is so gratifying that (he/she) imagines (he/she) is doing well and getting better and better. But…

 “There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth” (Prov 30:12 ESV). “This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done no wrong’” (Prov 30:20 ESV).

“The majority of people have their morality well within their own grasp, they do not sense the need of the Gospel” Oswald Chambers (ref#7, Dec 17th). FATHER, it seems ____ is pursuing You because (he/she) admires righteousness therefore (he/she) is trying hard to act righteously (ref#33, p110). (He/She) may not know that (his/her) natural flesh can perform good as well as produce sin (ref#33, p110). (He/She) may be confusing (his/her) natural fleshly work with Your HOLY SPIRIT’s work. And, the case is that (he/she) is then unable to be a Christian because it is impossible to receive anything unless it is given to (him/her) from heaven (James 1:17).

It is quite natural to fall into the pattern of searching the Scriptures for commands to keep (John 5:39). By keeping only the commands of (his/her) choosing (he/she) does not need a Savior; (he/she) is saving (himself/herself). FATHER, lead ____ to the understanding that whatever “does not issue from waiting upon God, from depending upon the HOLY SPIRIT, is unquestionably of the flesh”  Watchman Nee (ref #33, p 114).

It seems that ____ is set in (his/her) own ways of righteousness, but I know, FATHER, that You can and will work in due season to call Your sons and daughters according to Your purpose (ref#13, Vol 1, p31 [Mark 2:14]). Please, FATHER, I want You to call ____.

THANKSGIVING

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Chord Progression: (C  Ddim  Fdim  C)  (Fdim  Bdim Ddim  C)

STEADFAST AND LOYAL

Your steadfast love extends to the heavens (Ps 36:5).

You are staunch and loyal (ref#110, p1310)—

cohesive and persistent (ref#110, p1378)—

unwavering and tenacious (ref#110, p1465, 1378).

 

You, LORD, will not leave me or destroy me (Deut 4:31).

Because You are firm in Your purposes,

being resolute and determined (ref#110, p1142),

You are impervious to any enemy (ref#110, p677).

 

You will not forget Your covenant (Deut 4:31).

You are always unfailing—

You are inexhaustible (ref#110, p1457);

You are forever faithful (ref#110, p487).

 

Your faithfulness extends to the clouds (Ps 36:5).

You are responsible,

reliable and exact—

constant and trustworthy (ref#110, p487).

CONFESSION

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OVERWHELMING CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OKAY

…FATHER, You have set me on a course of looking for people to minister to—and I HAVE FOUND THEM! My initial reaction is very much like the sluggard in Proverbs. He says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets” (Prov 22:13)! How can I minister successfully to all that clamor for my attention? “There are too many; I will exhaust myself.”

LORD, when You command, I must do it immediately. Questioning is not a prerogative. Oswald Chambers says, “When you know you should do a thing, and do it, immediately you know more” Oswald Chambers (ref#7, June 8th). FATHER, has not Your inspiration come in the past, and has it not come with such miraculous power in such a way that I am able to “arise from the dead and do the impossible thing” Oswald Chambers (ref#7, Feb 16th)?

“Jesus is asking us to take one end of the yoke—‘My yoke is easy, get alongside Me and we will pull together’” Oswald Chambers (ref#7, April 14th).

Compel me, FATHER, to not be a sluggard. Continually remind me I am not responsible for Christian service (because You, Yourself do the work), but I am only responsible “to keep in living, constant, touch” with You (ref#7, April 23rd).

CHRIST says, “Follow me, run along behind Me! That is all” Dietrich Bonhoeffer (ref#10, p 58). Advise me to “see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for” me (ref#10, p88).

Remind me that “bewilderment is the true comprehension. Not to know where you are going is the true knowledge” Dietrich Bonhoeffer (ref#10, p93).

Oh soul, do not run ahead or lag behind paralyzed in fear. FATHER, I desire to wait for You then run with You—for Your closeness is the place of rest. Strengthen my trust in You—weaken my trust in myself. Empower me to put all my hope in You for You are all steadfast love (Ps 33:22).

ADORATION

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Chord Progression:  (C  G7  C7  F6) (F#dim  C  G7  G)

RESTORE ME AGAIN

 Restore me again, O GOD of my salvation,

and put away Your indignation toward me (Ps 85:4)!

Will you not revive me again, that I may rejoice in You?

Show me Your steadfast love, O LORD (Ps 85:6,7).

 

Surely Your salvation is near

that glory may dwell with me.

Let steadfast love and faithfulness meet;

Let righteousness and peace kiss each other (Ps 85:9,10).

 

Let faithfulness spring up from the ground,

and righteousness look down from the sky.

Let righteousness go before me

and make my footsteps a way (Ps 85:11,13).

 

Satisfy me in the morning

with Your steadfast love,

that I may rejoice and be glad

all my days (Ps 90:14).

 

Satisfy me, O LORD,

with Your steadfast love,

I’ll rejoice and be glad

all my days (Ps 90:14).

 

Let Your work be shown to Your servants,

and Your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of You, LORD,

be upon me (Ps 90:16,17).

 

Restore me again,

O GOD of my salvation (Ps 85:4).

Restore me again.

Restore me.

PRELUDE TO PRAYER

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Prayer Facts:

“There is nothing more difficult than to ask. We will long and desire and crave and suffer, but not until we are at the extreme limit will we ask….” Oswald Chambers (ref#7, June 9th). “Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence” W. S. Bowden (ref#55, p129).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because all Your promises find their answer in CHRIST (2 Cor 1:20), I will wait for You.

Because Your Son is holy, blameless, unstained by sin, separated from sinners and exalted higher than the heavens (Heb 7:26), I will wait for You.

Because You sent Your Son into the world so that I might live through Him (1 John 4:9), I will wait for You.

Read Through the Bible in a Year: Sept 30th – Oct 6th

Sept 30 Lam 3-5; 1 Pet 3

Oct 1   Dan 1-2; 1 Pet 4

Oct 2     Dan 3-4; 1 Pet 5

Oct 3     Ezek 33-35; 2 Pet 1

Oct 4   Ezek 36-37; Ps 63

Oct 5   Ezek 38-39; 2 Pet 2

Oct 6   Ezek 40-41; 2 Pet 3

SUPPLICATION

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CHRISIAN

[Because we are Christians and live in the world we will always need prayer for our walk and for witnessing to others about CHRIST. Here’s an opportunity to pray for others or even ourselves. Fill their name or your name in the blanks.]

MAN’S FOOLISHNESS ABOUT GOD’S WRATH

“…all human beings know GOD, but in guilt, with uncomfortable inklings of the judgment they cannot avoid” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1613, “Mankind’s Guilty Knowledge of God”).

The judgment is coming; everyone knows that. However, You, FATHER, took away the “uncomfortable inkling” in ____ when (he/she) experienced a great change of heart—the change from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh (Ezek 11:19). Now, with a heart able to grow into Christlikeness, FATHER, prompt (him/her) to utilize Your SPIRIT to adequately teach others the truth about man’s foolishness regarding the wrath to come.

“Men are ready to flatter themselves that they shall either outride or outlive the storms of Divine vengeance” Jonathan Edwards (ref#112, p567, [Jer 23:20]). Jonathan Edwards lends sobering words in his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” “Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself…that his schemes will not fail” Jonathan Edwards (ref#139, point 9 in second set of beginning points). But, “…whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes,…God is under no matter of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction” (ref#139, point 10 in second set of points).

“…you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never…made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new…life are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religions affections and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction” Jonathan Edwards (ref#139, 5th paragraph of “Application” section).

The crux of the matter is a changed heart, not just changed actions. What important truth that ____ needs to be speaking to (his/her) acquaintances! FATHER, tie such a burden on (his/her) heart that (he/she) regularly searches for the opportunity and means of conveying this serious message.

THANKSGIVING

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Chord Progression:  (C  F  Bdim  Em)  (Am  Dm  G7  C)

INFRANGIBLE

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom (Ps 145:13).

You have exclusive control—

exclusive privilege, exclusive possession.

You have an eternal monopoly (ref#110, p879).

 

Your dominion endures throughout all generations (Ps 145:13).

You are not limited;

You are not confined;

You are not restricted (ref#110, p1462).

 

You uphold the universe by just Your word (Heb 1:3).

You have unlimited power and authority;

You are omnipotent and superior (ref#110, p946, 1344).

You are excellent and above all else (ref#110, p1344).

 

You are unapproachable and unmatched;

You have no rival or equal (ref#110, p1451).

You cannot be violated or infringed upon;

You are infrangible (ref#110, p693).

CONFESSION

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DOUBTS AND FEARS

…FATHER, You know me. You do not need anyone to bear witness concerning me. You know me in my deprived state (John 2:24). Yet, even as I display my humanness, You know my meek and broken spirit. Therefore You look on me with “pity, complacency and delight.” You know I mourn because I love and serve You so little. Even though my heart is simple You will love me so that my entire soul shall be full of light (ref#15, [John 2:24]).

But, sometimes I have doubts and fear that I am not Your child because the enemy convinces me my sins separate us. Some days I do not have the faith that assures me I am Yours. But, I do trust You; through experience I know You can be counted on. I do depend on You.

“Doubting faith is not doubtful faith. If the believer has not the faith of assurance, he may have the faith of reliance, and that will take him to heaven” Octavius Winslow (ref#61, March 13th).

Thankfully these doubts and fears keep me humble. Being weak and dependent make me gravitate toward prayer as I long to possess the merits of JESUS (ref#61, March 13th). The enemy’s accusations drive me in a good direction. They move aside the pride assurance brings and allow more seeking of my Savior.