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THANKSGIVING

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CARING FOR ALL I CARE FOR

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 11.30.53 AMThank You, FATHER, for taking care of my loved ones. I get discouraged just naming them all in prayer. The process overwhelms my old nature which proves that it has no power to do any good.

I gladly lean upon You for nothing is too difficult for You (Jer 32:17). You are love (1 John 4:16); You do all that pleases You (2 Sam 10:12). Therefore, with joy, I defer to You all my worldly concerns.

FATHER, Your steadfast love endures all through the day—through all the circumstances You give me and my loved ones (Ps 52:1). Therefore I will praise You among the nations and sing praises to Your name (2 Sam 22:50).

CONFESSION

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PUBLIC CONFESSION

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 11.21.15 AM“Be confessing…your sins to one another for your own benefit, and be praying for one another that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person is able to do much as it operates” Kenneth S. Wuest (ref#37, p547, [James 5:16]).

FATHER, I sit here righteous because Your Son has clothed me in His robe of righteousness. But, I am a righteous sinner. I am always righteous and I am always a sinner. When I publicly confess I alert others of my activities so they might pray specifically for my spiritual welfare.

My brothers and sisters, being outsiders looking in at my sin, can pray more wisely than myself. Oh, that they might be true servants of You and be fervent in their prayers for me.

FATHER, make me see the goodness of public confession—how it maintains my communion with my fellow saints. After all, we are all the same—sinners huddled under the Cross of JESUS.

Remind me that the ones I judge as good Christians and the ones I judge as weak and backslidden are, like me, all in constant need of the forgiveness of JESUS. We simply are all the same—needing JESUS.

Although confession humbles me, it also makes me watchful. Being accountable keeps me from plummeting into habitual ruts of sin. It is beneficial to me that nothing is hidden from You; it is also beneficial to me if nothing is hidden from my fellow Christians.

Confession puts me on equal ground with my brothers and sisters. In no way am I better than anyone else. Sinning less is still sinning. One tiny sin makes the cross of CHRIST a necessity.

Confession teaches me to mourn as well as to celebrate Your goodness with my spiritual family. Transparency keeps me humble and conscience-clear. Once I confess, may I hear an assurance of pardon from my listeners. May they speak the words of Your heart.

FATHER, my desire is that we continually preach the Gospel of Your Son to one another. May we see You as the Giver and us as the receiver. May we never assume we have anything to give each other except to give You.

ADORATION

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GOD WAITS FOR ME

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 9.48.59 AM“…the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]” (Isa 30:18 AMP).

VALLEYS TO MOUNTAINTOPS

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THE PURE-LOVE GOD

9/27/07

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 10.09.41 AMIt’s late, and I have to get up at 6AM, but try to sleep when you suddenly realize the King of the universe gives you everything He has!

“…God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,…Now we are no longer slaves but God’s own sons. And since we are his sons, everything he has belongs to us,…” (Gal 4:6-7 TLB).

The SPIRIT chooses some time to illuminate the power of Scripture. I was just planning to play piano and worship a few minutes before bed. And now, who cares about sleep!

I have the resources of my elder brother, JESUS! This is not something new to my ears, but what has struck me is that the CREATOR of the universe is willing to give little, selfish me everything.

Again my FATHER has blessed me by rending the veil between the spiritual and physical so that I’ve received a glimpse of Pure-love Him.  And a dash of Pure-love makes me unable and unwilling to think of anything but Him who is praised forever, Amen. I’m so unworthy yet I scarf up the pleasure His openness has presented to me.

It reminds me of a poster I had pinned to my closet wall in MN where I formally lived. It was a picture of a field of daises.   (I wonder where that poster is?) It was on the wall to remind me of a dash of pure love He gave me 35-40 years ago.

I was in a remote area fossil collecting, walking along, hands on my knees searching the rocky ground. My eyes meant a lone flower and I thanked GOD for placing it there just for me to see.   Then I stood up to stretch my back and before me was an entire field of the same kind of wildflower. It was as if GOD, in Pure-love abundantly spilled Himself out by handing to me an entire field of flowers.

This love He sporadically pours out makes me so thirsty for more—and keeps me awake all hours—and makes me want to do nothing but honor Him.

THANKSGIVING

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FOREVER FAITHFUL GOD

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 6.38.29 AM…Forever, O LORD, Your Word stands firm in the heavens (Ps 119:89). Your purposes are all settled above, and they shall all be fulfilled below (ref#15, [Ps 119:89]). FATHER, what You have ordained as law will always remain law—what You have affirmed will always remain true—and, what You have promised will be sure forever (ref#16, [Ps 119:89]).

Your faithfulness, O GOD, extends from one generation to another (Ps 119:90). As with Your everlasting faithfulness to Your promises, You will reign forever, to all generations (Ps 146:10). Your faithfulness is as established as the earth.

Your gracious promises are addressed to people of every age (ref#16, [Ps 119:90]). FATHER, You never change. Your faithfulness is always around You, it attends You at all times for it is a part of Your very nature (ref#16, [Ps 89:8]). You keep faith forever (Ps 146:6). You unchangeably adhere to the fulfilling of Your promises (ref#68, [Ps 146:6]). I thank You, that You are a forever faithful GOD. AMEN.

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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THANKS FOR THE LITTLE THINGS

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 5.27.07 AM…FATHER, I thank You that not only do You draw me, but You draw close to me. You do not send another; You attend to me Yourself. It’s the tiny things You do that shows Your willingness to be amazingly intimate. You know every detail of my life (ref#7, June 3rd).

You look on the earth and it quakes; You touch the mountains and they smoke (Ps 104:32); You speak and the heavens tremble. The whole earth shudders at Your presence (Ps 114:7).

Yet You know what I’m thinking and I’m never out of Your sight (Ps 139:2-3). You even know everything I’m going to say before I say it (Ps 139:4).

You are constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to You. You are constantly searching me in order to strengthen my heart. You show Yourself strong on my behalf (2 Chron 16:9).

When I take a deep breath it moves Your heart; my whisper can turn Your head toward me; You respond when You hear my prayer (ref#34, Sept 28th AM). Thank You for Your attentiveness to little things. May You rejoice in Your works; may Your glory endure forever (Ps 104:31).

ADORATION

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REGENERATION AND SANCTIFICATION

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 5.09.20 AM…FATHER, I desire to understand the mechanics of Your salvation (as much as You permit me to know)—how You have redeemed me and what the stipulations are of Your covenant with me.

You began by drawing me (John 6:44); I never sought You on my own—for I was unable (Rom 3:10,11). “Regeneration is a momentary act, bringing a person from spiritual death to life. It is exclusively God’s work” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1650).

“Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man…is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself…” (The Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch. IX:3).

FATHER, through Your drawing I realized my sins were a roadblock between You and me (Isa 59:2) and so I repented of them (Isa 59:20), believing CHRIST’s shed blood saved me from Your wrath (Rom 3:25).

I became a brand new person inside. My new life began (2 Cor 5:17)—a life fashioned after You, renewed from the inside and able to work itself into my conduct as You accurately reproduced Your character in me (Eph 4:24). This metamorphosis is called, “sanctification” and it will continue until the day I die (Phil 2:12).

“According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q. 35), sanctification is ‘the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness’” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1650).

From now on I have a choice to sin or not to sin since regeneration releases me from the bondage of continual sin (2 Cor 7:1). But, as I go through sanctification I have two contrary urgings (Rom 8:6-7): (1), urgings from the SPIRIT, and, (2), urgings from my depraved nature.

The SPIRIT sustains my new life but my original fallen instinct (the sin of my flesh) still has the ability to rise to obstruct my Christlike desires (Rom 7:18,19).

“Sanctification is…dependent on God’s continuing action in the believer, and consisting of the believer’s continuous struggle against sin….Sanctification is…human effort dependent on God” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p 1650) (underlining mine).

THANKSGIVING

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PSALM 50:16-23

Screen Shot 2016-07-18 at 6.16.01 PMTo the Mighty One, God the LORD, who speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down (Ps 50:1), I offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to glorify You (Ps 50:23).

When I was a faux Christian I passed over thanking You, for I needed no one but myself to act like a Christian. I even spoke of You affectionately believing You helped me succeed in Christian activities. But, I was an island—myself all-sufficient, creating You in my own image.

I read Ps 50:16-17 many times. It says, “But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you” (Ps 50:16-17 ESV). I was not influenced by the words for I did not consider myself wicked. I didn’t know I cast Your words behind me; I didn’t hate discipline, for I didn’t think I needed it.

In my sufficiency it was quite easy to forget You all together (Ps 50:22), let alone think of giving You thanks.

But, now my sacrifice is thanksgiving. I thank You for all Your grace and mercy that You may glorify Yourself through me. I thank You from a heart truly and deeply affected with Your mercies and for a life continually being made well-pleasing to You (ref#112, p82, [Ps 50:14]).

May all my thanksgivings give You the honor that You require and prize (ref#112, p83, [Ps 50:23]). FATHER, keep me from idols—the idol of independency void of thanksgiving.

CONFESSION

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SPIRIT CHECK

Screen Shot 2016-07-18 at 6.01.39 PM“Let me faithfully study my character, be willing to bring it to light, observe myself in my trials, judge the reality and degree of my grace, consider how I have been ensnared or overcome” The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p84).

FATHER, “sin is…my viper born in my birth, alive all my life, strong in my character, dominating my faculties, following me as a shadow, intermingling with my every thought…” (ref#76, p41). I recognize it is only Your compassion that I am not consumed (ref#76, p39). Therefore I wish to be searched to find and confess the wicked ways in me (Ps 139:23-24).

  • Have I flattered You, FATHER, with only my lips (ref# 76, p39)?
  • Do I set before myself some pleasure or profit or even striving for Your acceptance (ref#35, p150)?
  • Do You live in my thoughts (ref#35, p151)?
  • Do I covet by hoarding, improvidently squander, and not consecrate everything to You (ref#76, p87)?
  • Do I go this way then that with various thoughts and ways, dreaming in my imaginations (ref#35, p150)?
  • Do I resist “rebukes of conscience, admonitions of friends, leadings of providence” (ref#76, p192)?
  • Am I settled yet experiencing peace and resting in Your “assurance of everlasting blessedness” (ref#35, p151)?
  • Do I ungratefully receive Your benefits—forgetting to praise and thank You (ref#76, p192)?
  • Have I really found CHRIST who will never grieve or trouble me (ref#35, p151)?
  • Do I misuse my faculties, neglect opportunities, use words ill-advised (ref#76, p180)?
  • Do I really know You in Your “excellency and desirableness” (ref#35, p151)?
  • Do You have Your due place in my heart (ref#35, p151)?
  • Are You my all in all (ref#35, p151)?

“I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways, my broken resolutions, untrue service, my backsliding steps, my vain thoughts” (ref#76, p180).