Assurances of Salvation

“If a sinner, upon being convicted of his sin and hearing the gospel of God’s grace, is willing to accept the gospel and by faith take it, he will see how the precious blood of the Lord Jesus answers all the accusations of his conscience. Doubtless there is sin, but the blood of the Lord Jesus has been shed. What ground is left for accusation since sin’s penalty has been fully paid? The blood of the Lord has atoned for all the sins of a believer; hence there is no more condemnation in the conscience….Our salvation is confirmed by the fact that the precious blood has quieted this voice of condemnation” (ref#101, p108).

“When the spiritual life is in ascendancy the believer is most glad; when the flesh gains the upper hand he cannot but grieve. Experience of this kind confirms that such ones have been
regenerated” (ref#33, p81).

FATHER, clue me by this entry that it is my responsibility to seek evidences that prove Your disposition is working in me. Dance with me so I have no trouble displaying Your disposition through my actions.

Back to Basics

FATHER, my human self-worth is tied up in my accomplishments so my tendency is to always think about accomplishments in spiritual life.

“…instead of stressing holiness in order to see God, the emphasis is on service for God…Techniques and methods, by which we hope to make God’s message known, have become the important thing” (ref#100, p16).

Instead of longing for You, I gravitate toward longing for power to better serve You (ref#100, p16). Let me make some notes to myself that they might recalibrate my thinking.

“…thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev 4:11 KJV). “…what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him,…” (Deut 10:12 KJV). “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:…” (Mark 12:30 KJV).

FATHER, let the above Scriptures remind me that I have been created only to delight You. It should be my joy continually to submit to Your will and desires (ref#100, p17).

“The divines who…produced the Westminster Confession of Faith answered the question ‘What is the chief end of man?’ with the words, ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever’” (ref#100, p14).

The missionary, David Brainerd records some sobering words in his diary. It makes me question whether I’m interested in Your glory or simply getting from You what I think best:

“I saw it was self interest had led me to pray and that I had never once prayed from any respect to the glory of God….I saw there was no… connection between my prayers and the bestowment of divine mercy; that they laid not the least obligation upon God to bestow His grace upon me…because they were not performed from any love or regard to God” (ref#88, p68).

FATHER, I confess the ease by which I trade my joy of being with You for the satisfaction of doing something I think You would appreciate. Call to my attention swiftly the subtleness by which I move from submitting to You to deciding for myself. Truly, I want to see You. I want to possess a hunger for You. I want to satisfy Your heart. I want to be back into a relationship of submission to You (ref#100, p25).

“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).