John Piper

CONFESSION

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THOUGH I COMMIT EVIL, I MUST CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE LORD

screen-shot-2016-10-19-at-4-38-58-pm…FATHER, even though I am steeped in sin, there is no reason I should not continue to walk beside You. When the Israelites were steeped in sin—even sin that they knew full well was sin, and yet they continued in it—the prophet Samuel encouraged them with these words:

“…’Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.  For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name…” (1 Sam 12:20,22 NASB).

Thank You LORD, for not abandoning me. You never think of abandoning me because, in so doing, it would dishonor Your name. It is only me, Your silly, prideful creature, who thinks You might abandon me because of my sin. You have dealt with sin; it is no longer an issue with You. But, it is with me.

For me, repentance for sin is necessary. It is a way to escape so iniquity shall not be my ruin. I am to tell the truth about my sin so a proper diagnosis can be achieved. Sin is all about reminding me who I am: a creature constantly needing His Creator.

Oh FATHER, hear my confession. Let me not slip into the bog of wallowing in my sin and spinning my feet trying to work at eradicating it. It’s not about me and my ugly sin. It’s about following You because of Your greatness. I desire quickly to climb back on the path to follow You.

“O Lord, forbid that I would be so foolish as to be a lover of wages more than a lover of underserved rewards. Make me feel the sweetness of being shown mercy. Work childlikeness deeply into my soul, and make me find my joy and my rest in Your free gift of grace” John Piper (ref#124, p61).

SABBATH

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MOTIVES

“The reason that so many people feel it [the Sabbath] as a burden is partly that we have so much leisure, we don’t feel the need for the Sabbath rest; but more important…is the fact that not many people really enjoy what God intended us to enjoy on the Sabbath, namely, himself. Many professing Christians enjoy sports and television and secular books and magazines and recreation and hobbies and games far more than they enjoy direct interaction with God in his Word or in worship or in reading Christian books or in meditative strolls. Therefore, inevitably people whose hearts are set more on the pleasures of the world than on the enjoyment of God will feel the Sabbath command as a burden not a blessing” John Piper (ref#169).

“God hath made it our duty, by His institution, to set apart this day for a special seeking of His grace and blessing….God is ready on this day especially to bestow His blessing on them that keep it aright….a time wherein God especially loves to be sought and loves to be found” Jonathan Edwards (ref#186).

“God blessed the seventh day…as an expression of His own joyful remembrance of that day and of the rest and refreshment that He had on it….But how much more reason has Christ to bless the day of His resurrection, to delight to honor it, and to confer His grace and blessed gifts on His people on this day. It was a day whereon Christ rested and was refreshed in a literal sense. It was a day of deliverance from the chains of death, the day of His finishing that great and difficult work of redemption, which had been upon His heart from all eternity; the day of His [vindication] by the Father; the day of the beginning of His exaltation, and of the fulfillment of the promises of the Father; the day when He had eternal life, which He had purchased, put into His hands. On this day, Christ doth indeed delight to distribute gifts, blessings, joy, and happiness, and will delight to do the same to the end of the world” Jonathan Edwards (ref#186).

CONFESSION

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FELLOWSHIP, NOT KNOWLEDGE

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 4.16.11 PM…FATHER, sin is idolatrous when my heart desires something other than You (ref#5, p66). “This is what sin is—dishonoring God by preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences” John Piper (ref#93, p12). It is too easy for my life to be “shaped by the satisfaction of cravings, rather than heartfelt commitment and faithfulness” Paul David Tripp (ref#5, p67).

“Let me not strive to understand the infinite, but rather spend my strength in love. What I cannot gain by intellect, I can possess by affection…put far from me any love for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that would keep me from the Tree of Life” Charles Spurgeon (ref#34, Sept 5th PM).

Without the influence of the SPIRIT, I am satisfied with something other than a close relationship with You. Simply collecting facts about You can suffice conscience. FATHER, don’t permit me to know You only on the level of being amazed with Your attributes. Let it be no more amazing myself with You but You amazing me.

SABBATH

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SATURDAY NIGHT WORSHIP

“For those of you who are free in your conscience to extend your holy exercises…into Saturday night, let’s dream together of new ways to sanctify Sunday morning. Could it be that the Lord is leading you to new dimensions of prayer, or new hours of personal Bible study, or new deeds of mercy for the poor, or Sunday morning visitation to a shut-in, or perhaps a home evangelistic Bible study for neighbors who would not come to church but might come to your home” John Piper (ref#169).

ADORATION

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CHRIST – MY HIGH PRIEST

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 6.17.01 AM…“O SAVIOUR OF SINNERS, Thy name is excellent, thy glory high, thy compassions unfailing, thy condescension wonderful, thy mercy tender” The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p58). FATHER thank You for Your Son.

“The work of our Lord as Priest was two-fold—atonement and intercession. The one He accomplished upon the cross, the other He now transacts upon the throne” Octavius Winslow (ref#61, July 14th).

“There is one…way human beings can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus, who is himself human” (1 Tim 2:5 NCV). “God sent him to buy freedom for us…so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Gal 4:5 NLT). “…our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Heb 10:12 NLT).

“…He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb 9:26 NKJV). “…He offered himself…as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences pure from useless acts so we may serve the living God” (Heb 9:14 NCV). “…he set us free from sin forever” (Heb 9:12 NCV).

“Christ…went into heaven…and is there now before God to help us” (Heb 9:24 NCV). “For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers in every way so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest…Then Jesus could bring forgiveness for their sins” (Heb 2:17 NCV). “Jesus is the kind of high priest we need. He is holy, sinless, pure, not influenced by sinners, and he is raised above the heavens” (Heb 7:26 NCV). “And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted” (Heb 2:18 NCV). “For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin” (Heb 4:15 NCV). “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25 NKJV).

“Christ…is our go-between with God. His obedience and suffering were so perfect that God will not turn him away. Therefore, if we go to God through him, God will not turn us away either” John Piper (ref#92, p72).

“Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our…faith in Him]” (Heb 4:14 AMP).

THANKSGIVING

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THE LOVE BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON

Screen Shot 2016-05-17 at 4.55.27 PM…FATHER, before the foundations of the earth, You chose creatures to make Your own and wrote their names in Your book (Eph 1:4) (Rev 17:8). And throughout time You have been drawing them to Your Son for salvation (John 6:37).

We belonged to You first, then You gave us to JESUS (John 17:9). And then JESUS gave us back to You:

“Now…they know and understand that all You[(FATHER] have given Me [JESUS] belongs to You [is really and truly Yours]” (John 17:7 AMP, brackets mine).

“Jesus…promised to work for us in such a way that the very love that the Father has for the Son would be the experience of our own hearts….The love the Father has for the Son is nothing but infinitely joyful admiration and fellowship….” John Piper (ref#94, p38-39).

FATHER, because I’m steeped in sin, my old nature, that cannot be regenerated, feels Your wrath and therefore thinks that You hate me and concludes JESUS came to save me from You. But You, Yourself love me (John 16:27). I am precious in Your eyes and honored and You love me (Isa 43:4). You demonstrate Your own love toward me by the coming of JESUS (Rom 5:8).

FATHER, You love me even as You love JESUS (John 17:23). I’m thrilled that the love You have bestowed upon JESUS, can be in me (John 17:26). Thank You.

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL TRIBULATION

[We all can think of a Christian sister or brother experiencing so much affliction they may not be able to pray for themselves. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

TRIALS REFINE FAITH

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 12.27.08 PM“Not believing that God has a wise purpose for every event helps conceal our idolatries” John Piper (ref#124, p115). And usually the idolatry is wanting things to be like they were before the tribulation John Piper (ref#124, p115). The idol is ourselves—our agenda—desiring to make ourselves happy.

Just as You humbled the Israelites in the wilderness and let them go hungry, You have created this adverse circumstance to test ____ —to see if ____ has faith enough to trust You (Deut 8:2-3). FATHER, I would never pray You send ____ tribulations, but I do pray You always strengthen (his/her) faith. How else can (he/she) prove to You that (he/she) really trusts Your wisdom, grace and power John Piper (ref#124, p115)?

____ is actually to be envied in situations where You discipline and instruct (him/her). Not only do You test (him/her), but You give (him/her) power to keep (himself/herself) in the midst of the adversity (Ps 94:12-13). Tribulation struggles are much better than no struggles at all.

FATHER, may ____ trust You completely in this trial—to the point of rejoicing in it. Let (him/her) consider it a matter of “…unadulterated joy [without any admixture of sorrow]…” whenever (he/she) “…falls into the midst of variegated trials.” Make ____, FATHER, through the testing of (his/her) faith, be a recipient of “…patience which bears up and does not lose heart under trials” Kenneth S. Wuest (ref#37, p539, [James 1:2-3]).

SABBATH

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THE SABBATH IS FOR PRAISING GOD

“Let my highest creature, the one in my image, stop every seven days and commemorate with me the fact that I am the creator….Let him stop working and focus on me, that I am the source of all that he has. I am the fountain of blessing. I have made the very hands and mind with which he works. Let one day out of seven demonstrate that all land and all animals and all raw materials and all breath and strength and thought and emotion and everything come from me. Let man look to me in leisure one day out of seven for the blessing that is so elusive in the affairs of this world” John Piper (ref#169).

ADORATION

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MY NATURE

Screen Shot 2016-03-14 at 3.30.11 PM…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.