“…we are not made to be made much of. We are made to make much of something great. The best joys are when we forget ourselves, enthralled with greatness. The greatest greatness is God’s. Every good that ever thrilled the heart of man is amplified ten thousand times in God” (ref#145, Oct 29, 2003).

My Song

My soul magnifies You, LORD,
and my spirit rejoices in You, my Savior.

You have regarded my lowly state.
You do great things for me (Luke 1:46-49).

You who are mighty
And holy is Your name (Luke 1:49).

“From Calvary’s cross

wave upon wave of grace reaches me” (ref#76, p158).

You take care of my sin
And You change my heart
You fortify my will
For You rouse my affection (ref#76, p158).

“O my Strength,
to you I sing praises,
for you,…are my refuge,…
who shows me unfailing love” (Ps 59:17 NLT).

Through the abundance of Your steadfast love,

I will enter Your house.
I will bow down and worship
in reverent fear and awe of You (Ps 5:7).

The Sacraments

FATHER, how You care for my needs—You know I need regular reminders of what the Gospel is and that I’m truly a part of it. You have set up Baptism and the LORD’s Supper to be visible signs, ordained by You and instituted by CHRIST, to do just that (Matt 28:19; 1 Cor 11:23-26). They are the tangible evidence of the grace and blessings of Your covenant (ref#56, p1411, “The Sacraments”).

“As the preaching of the Word makes the gospel audible, so the sacraments make it visible. Sacraments strengthen faith by correlating Christian beliefs with the testimony of our senses” (ref#56, p 1411, “The Sacraments”).

Baptism:

“…is a sign of the believer’s death and resurrection with Christ (Rom 6:3), …to increase our…realization of death to the power and love of sin…and to increase our experience of the power of new resurrection life in Christ…” (ref#63, p954).

The LORD’s Supper:

“…is a fellowship with Christ, in his presence and at his table” (ref#63, p954-955). “…God’s aim has been to bring his people into fellowship with himself, and one of the great joys of experiencing that fellowship is the fact that we can eat and drink in the presence of the Lord” (ref#63, p989-990).

Prayer Facts:

“…His [CHRIST’s] mediation on the throne is as real and indispensable as on the cross….it engages all His time and powers, is His unceasing occupation at the right hand of the Father. And we participate not only in the benefits of this His work, but in the work itself….” (ref#19, TWENTY-SIXTH LESSON) (brackets mine).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because in CHRIST the whole fullness of Deity continues to dwell in bodily form giving complete expression of the divine nature (Col 2:9), I will wait for You.

Because the Son is the sole expression of Your glory and is the perfect imprint and very image of Your nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding the universe by His mighty word of power (Heb 1:2-3), I will wait for You.

Because Your Son is upright, just and Who conforms to Your will in every purpose, thought and action (1 John 2:1), I will wait for You.

Because Your Son is able to save to the uttermost—completely, perfectly and for all time and eternity those who come to Him (Heb 7:25), I will wait for You.

Because CHRIST is always living to make petition to You and intercede with You and intervene for me (Heb 7:25), I will wait for You.

“…’The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,” (2 Sam 22:2 ESV).

FATHER, You are a “vanguard.” You go ahead, lead (ref#110, p1475).

You are a “protector.” You are a guardian and defender (ref#110, p1081).

You are “watchful.” You are vigilant, alert, wakeful and unsleeping (ref#110, p1508).

You “provide.” You make available, supply, furnish, and support (ref#110, p1083).

You are a “solace.” You comfort, ease, relieve, and console (ref#110, p1275).

You are a “sanctuary.” You are a preserve, a hiding place, secret place—a retreat (ref#148, p275-276).

“my God…my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior…” (2 Sam 22:3 ESV).

Vigilant

FATHER, You are a rock and fortress (2 Sam 22:2)— my sanctuary.
You are a preserve—
my hiding place (ref#110, p275-276).

You are LORD, the deliverer (2 Sam 22:2). You provide for me,
You make available (ref#110, p1083),
for You are my vanguard (ref#110, p1475).

You are a shield and horn of salvation (2 Sam 22:3). You are my protector—
a guardian and defender (ref#110, p1081)—
and for me, alert and vigilant (ref#110, p1508).

You are a stronghold and refuge—my Savior (2 Sam 22:3). You are a solace—
You comfort—You ease,
You relieve and console me (ref#110, p1275).

The FATHER’s Love—Fruitfulness, My Love—Thankfulness

“The Father communicates…his love…through Christ; and we make no return of love…but through Christ. He is the treasury wherein the Father disposes all the riches of his grace, taken from the bottomless mine of his eternal love…” (ref#35, p117).

FATHER, all Your fullness You poured into CHRIST. It pleased You that all divine fullness should dwell in Him permanently. (Col 1:19). And I receive that fullness of Your love from Him by faith—communing responsively to You through the treasury of CHRIST.

Because You love me You bless me with all spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3). These blessings are an ever-flowing fountain. Your love descends on me in bounty and fruitfulness. These blessings are absorbed into me and create goodness in me (ref#35, p118). Your love descends through CHRIST and I experience growth.

My love, on the other hand, ascends to You in thankfulness (ref#35, p119) for Your provisions. My love also ascends to You in the duties I perform in response to Your love. Your presence demands I behave. But,
behaving becomes a duty of joy for me because of Your presence through CHRIST.

Yes, because of Your love, I gladly give You Your due as my FATHER. What can I do to honor You (Mal 1:6)? I do not love You for no reason—I love You for the “excellency, loveliness, and desirableness” that is You (ref#35, p120). It becomes my joyous work to follow, running along behind You with CHRIST (ref#10, p 58).

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” (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” (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 ____.

Having a hunger for GOD and His Transforming Power

“Jesus says to Simon Peter…do you have a love for me called out
of your heart by my preciousness to you, a devotional love that impels you to sacrifice yourself for me? Do you consider me more precious and thus love me more than these [fish]?…” (ref#37, p266, [John 21:15]).

FATHER. “Jesus Christ calls service what we are to Him, not what we do for Him” (ref#7, June 19th). “What Christ died for is not that we might help him, but that we might see and savor him as infinitely valuable” (ref#92, p83).

FATHER, I pray for ____, that (he/she) rest in CHRIST’s love. Remind (him/her) that the moment (he/she) was regenerated (he/she) automatically became “a holy temple fit for habitation of the Holy Spirit”
(ref#101, p13). Hasten ____ to dwell on

this truth as much as (his/her) new birth. “God has given a new life plus the indwelling of the very Person of the Holy Spirit” (ref#101, p14). It is through the SPIRIT that ____ will find CHRIST waiting for a relationship with (him/her). I pray ____ develop a hunger for fellowship and for CHRIST’s transforming power so that (he/she) may experience a vigorous and joyful life (ref#78, p25,26).

Reasons for Affliction – Scouring Away Evil

FATHER, You are presently sustaining ____ with the bread of adversity and the water of affliction (Isa 30:20). It makes (him/her), LORD, weep with grief (Ps 119:28). But sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us draw closer to You. Pain that hurts has the ability to chase evil from our hearts (Prov 20:30). Your sharp reproofs that sting our conscience scours away evil (ref#16, [Prov 20:30]).

May ____ understand the good that comes out of humility caused by affliction, yet FATHER, in Your discipline do not give (him/her) over to (his/her) enemy (Ps 31:8). You tell (him/her) You will not hide Yourself when You afflict (him/her) (Isa 30:20). You will cause (him/her) to hear You saying, “This is the way, walk in it”, when (he/she) turns to the right or to the left (Isa 30:21).

FATHER, in Your time, You will draw (him/her) out of the net You have caused (his/her) enemy to lay for (him/her); therefore, gladly into Your hands I commit ____’s spirit (Ps 31:4-5). Make (him/her) be glad and rejoice in Your mercy and steadfast love—because You have seen (his/her) affliction— because You have taken note of (his/her) distresses—because You will never give (him/her) into the hand of the enemy (Ps 31:7-8).

Faith
“…faith is not a once-in-the-past action, but faith is always a way of seeing, a seeking for God in everything” (ref#130, p114).

FATHER, someone recently asked me to pray for strength and courage that they might live their life reflecting CHRIST’s image. This is what we all want; FATHER, this is what we all have trouble with! I feel like I’ve prayed this prayer into the ground for myself and my friends!

But, this is a prayer You will not answer, for You can do nothing more than You already have to prepare me to reflect CHRIST. FATHER, You have done Your part, I am required to do my part. I must begin.

“We have to battle through our moods into absolute devotion to the Lord Jesus….All our fears are wicked, and we fear because we will not nourish ourselves in our faith” (ref#7, Nov 13th).

Give me strength to step out and trust You. My reach must be further than my grasp (ref#7, May 2nd).

“He calls us to do impossible things or to become something we think we could never become.
This is His way of teaching us how much we need Him. He breaks us to pieces so that He can put us back together in His image” (ref#137, p85).

Solomon’s Prayer

FATHER, there is no GOD like You in heaven above or on the earth beneath keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart (1 Kings 8:23). I pray Your eyes be open day and night looking toward me to listen to my cry (2 Chron 6:19-20).

You have promised relief for me from the hardships caused by my sin if I turn to You in humility and prayer (ref#56, p606, [2 Chron 7:14]). So, act and judge me, condemn me if I am guilty by bringing my conduct on my own head; but vindicate me if I’m righteous by rewarding me according to my righteousness (1 Kings 8:32).

If I pray and acknowledge Your name and turn from my sin when You afflict me, then hear in heaven and forgive my sin (1 Kings 8:35-36). Listen to my pleas and when You hear, forgive (1 Kings 8:30).

Whatever plague, whatever sickness, whatever prayer, whatever plea I make, knowing the affliction of my own heart, hear in heaven and forgive and act and render to me according to all my ways. (1 Kings 8:37-39). Act on my behalf, so I might fear You all the days I live (1 Kings 8:40).

When I sin against You and You are angry and give me to an enemy, remember to maintain my cause and forgive me when I turn my heart and repent saying, “I have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly” (1 Kings 8:45-47).

Forgive all my transgressions that I have committed against You; grant me compassion in the sight of my enemies, that they may have pity and be merciful to me (I Kings 8:50). Let Your eyes be open to my pleas giving ear to them whenever I call to You, for You have separated me from the peoples of the earth to be Your heir (1 Kings 8:52-53).

Do not leave me or forsake me that I might incline my heart to You, to walk in all Your ways and to keep Your commandments—Your statutes—Your rules (1 Kings 8:57-58). Maintain my cause as each day requires that the whole earth may know that You are the LORD GOD and there is no other (1 Kings 8:59- 60). And so, let my heart therefore be wholly true to You (1 Kings 8:61).