considering GOD’s wrath

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.

CONFESSION

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WRATH

screen-shot-2016-10-14-at-2-46-17-pm“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty….” (Nah 1:2-3 ESV).

FATHER, I can think, act, and feel humble—actually fall on my knees before You, but if I’m not routinely pleading for JESUS to forgive my sins, I stand before You prideful, not humble and Your wrath is upon me. You cannot tolerate the pride of man (Prov 8:13).

You did not spare angels when they sinned, but committed them to chains to be kept until the judgment (2 Pet 2:4). You did not spare the ancient world, but preserved only Noah and seven others (2 Peter 2:5). You turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, condemning them to extinction making them as an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly (2 Peter 2:6).

I am always unholy, standing in the way of Your wrath. I am a city like Sodom if I do not continually grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord, JESUS (2 Pet 3:18). “This knowledge is the ever-deepening experience of Christ and understanding of His truth” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1825, [2 Pet 3:18]).

FATHER, may I understand the seriousness of Your wrath. Instead of a city like Sodom, I must be like the city of Nineveh. Nineveh fasted and prayed and turned from evil so that You relented of the disaster that You said You would do (Jonah 3:7-10).

You say, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay;” You will judge people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD (Heb 10:30-31), for You are a consuming fire (Heb 12:29).

Please remind me often that I naturally stand in the way of Your wrath the moment I turn my head away from JESUS. I default to living my life using my own resources.  Sober me against that. You accept nothing but my spirit submitting to Your SPIRIT (Zech 4:6).