Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Psalm 112:1-2
Lord,
Even as I pray for this corrupt nation to be saved, I pray also for those who know You. Lord, You have blessed us who know You. Keep us in Your commandments and make our descendants mighty on the earth. Bless those who are upright Lord, as Your Word declares. Lord, may the righteous rise up and be strong and powerful examples of Your truth in this fallen land. Lord, may you increase Your children with each generation, that more and more righteous, upright people would influence those who don't yet know You, that they would be mighty on the earth for the sake of Your Name and Your Glory.
Amen.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
40 Days of Prayer: Day 13
Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; for the Lord speaks, “Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me. An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand. Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from Him." Isaiah 1:2-4
O Lord,
How it pains my heart to read these words. Your own children revolted against You. The people You named for Yourself abandoned You. And although You said these words about Your people Israel, You could easily be saying them again today about our country. Lord, I pray for this rebellious nation. It is full of sinful people who are weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers who continually act corruptly. Lord, the people of this nation have abandoned You and have despised Your name and turned away from You.
O Lord, how difficult it is to live in these times among these people. But You are not surprised, or caught off guard. You are still ruling from Your throne. Lord, call these sinners to Yourself! Bring a great revival to this nation that repentance would spread like wildfire and people would be saved. You have promised that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). Lord, give courage and strength to those of us who know You, to be a light in this corrupt nation, and to call people to repentance. Help me, Lord, not to turn away from truth but to speak it in love that sinners would be saved.
In Your Name,
Amen.
O Lord,
How it pains my heart to read these words. Your own children revolted against You. The people You named for Yourself abandoned You. And although You said these words about Your people Israel, You could easily be saying them again today about our country. Lord, I pray for this rebellious nation. It is full of sinful people who are weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers who continually act corruptly. Lord, the people of this nation have abandoned You and have despised Your name and turned away from You.
O Lord, how difficult it is to live in these times among these people. But You are not surprised, or caught off guard. You are still ruling from Your throne. Lord, call these sinners to Yourself! Bring a great revival to this nation that repentance would spread like wildfire and people would be saved. You have promised that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). Lord, give courage and strength to those of us who know You, to be a light in this corrupt nation, and to call people to repentance. Help me, Lord, not to turn away from truth but to speak it in love that sinners would be saved.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
40 Days of Prayer: Day 12
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22
Dear God,
I am part of Your household! How I humbly rejoice at that promise in Your Word! I am no longer a stranger or an alien but I am a fellow citizen with the saints. Lord, I thank You for those apostles and prophets who have gone before me. Lord, help me follow You as they did. Help me learn from their experience as recorded in the Scripture and to be faithful in building on the foundation of faith that they started. Lord, I thank You that this is a strong foundation - with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone! I thank You that You continue to build me as Your temple - a dwelling for the Spirit. Mold me and make me after Thy will, O Lord, that I would be faithful to be an integral piece of this holy temple with the saints, apostles and prophets.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Dear God,
I am part of Your household! How I humbly rejoice at that promise in Your Word! I am no longer a stranger or an alien but I am a fellow citizen with the saints. Lord, I thank You for those apostles and prophets who have gone before me. Lord, help me follow You as they did. Help me learn from their experience as recorded in the Scripture and to be faithful in building on the foundation of faith that they started. Lord, I thank You that this is a strong foundation - with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone! I thank You that You continue to build me as Your temple - a dwelling for the Spirit. Mold me and make me after Thy will, O Lord, that I would be faithful to be an integral piece of this holy temple with the saints, apostles and prophets.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Monday, February 25, 2013
40 Days of Prayer: Day 11
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-13
Dear God,
Thank You for Your plan that included bringing in the Gentiles to be included in Jesus' saving work on the cross. Thank You that even though as a Gentile I was separate from you, and excluded from Your people, that now in Christ I have been brought near. Thank You, Jesus, that You were willing to go to the cross for sinful people, Jew or Gentile. Thank You that even though I was once a stranger to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, Jesus has reconciled me and I've been grafted in to Your family! Lord, thank You that you took my heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh. Thank You for bringing me near.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Dear God,
Thank You for Your plan that included bringing in the Gentiles to be included in Jesus' saving work on the cross. Thank You that even though as a Gentile I was separate from you, and excluded from Your people, that now in Christ I have been brought near. Thank You, Jesus, that You were willing to go to the cross for sinful people, Jew or Gentile. Thank You that even though I was once a stranger to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, Jesus has reconciled me and I've been grafted in to Your family! Lord, thank You that you took my heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh. Thank You for bringing me near.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
When O'er My Sins I Sorrow
As we spend time meditating during this season of Lent, I think it's a good time to concentrate on the atoning work of Jesus on the cross on our behalf, and our response to that gift. I think it's also a good time for us to look humbly at our own lives and ask the Holy Spirit to show us where we are falling short - to show us our sin, so that we can repent and live anew in His grace.
And that's the good news - the gospel - that when we look on our sins and are sorrowful about our human fallibility - that we look to our Lord Jesus who paid the price with His life to cover our sin! He died so that I did not have to. My sin declared me guilty and worthy of the death penalty. But Jesus took that guilt upon Himself and paid the penalty.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
When Jesus died for me, he not only spared me from death, but gloriously reconciled me to God and saved me from His wrath.
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Colossians 1:21-22
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9
I am unworthy to be given this kind of gift. I am a sinner who has disobeyed God's commands and gone against what He says is best for me.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. I Timothy 1:15
Again, the good news is that God loved me even while I was still a sinner, and sent Jesus anyway!
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
He knew that I could never be righteous on my own, so He sent a Savior. Our Lord's precious blood was spilt to take away our guilt.
If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:7
It's a lot to be thankful for! Join me today in thanking God for His plan of redemption, and for Jesus who humbly obeyed His Father to carry it out. And rejoice that Jesus has paid the price and can comfort us in our sorrow over our sin!
When O’er My Sins I Sorrow
Words by Justus Gesenius
When o’er my sins I sorrow,
Lord, I will look to Thee
And hence my comfort borrow
That Thou wast slain for me;
Yea, Lord, Thy precious blood was spilt
For me, O most unworthy,
To take away my guilt.
Oh, what a marvelous offering!
Behold, the Master spares
His servants, and their suffering
And grief for them He bears.
God stoopeth from His throne on high;
For me, His guilty creature,
He deigns as man to die.
My manifold transgression
Henceforth can harm me none
Since Jesus’ bloody passion
For me God’s grace hath won.
His precious blood my debts hath paid;
Of hell and all its torments
I am no more afraid.
Therefore I will forever
Give glory unto Thee,
O Jesus, loving Savior,
For what Thou didst for me.
I’ll spend my breath in songs of thanks
For Thy sad cry, Thy sufferings,
Thy wrongs, Thy guiltless death.
And that's the good news - the gospel - that when we look on our sins and are sorrowful about our human fallibility - that we look to our Lord Jesus who paid the price with His life to cover our sin! He died so that I did not have to. My sin declared me guilty and worthy of the death penalty. But Jesus took that guilt upon Himself and paid the penalty.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
When Jesus died for me, he not only spared me from death, but gloriously reconciled me to God and saved me from His wrath.
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Colossians 1:21-22
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9
I am unworthy to be given this kind of gift. I am a sinner who has disobeyed God's commands and gone against what He says is best for me.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. I Timothy 1:15
Again, the good news is that God loved me even while I was still a sinner, and sent Jesus anyway!
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
He knew that I could never be righteous on my own, so He sent a Savior. Our Lord's precious blood was spilt to take away our guilt.
If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:7
It's a lot to be thankful for! Join me today in thanking God for His plan of redemption, and for Jesus who humbly obeyed His Father to carry it out. And rejoice that Jesus has paid the price and can comfort us in our sorrow over our sin!
When O’er My Sins I Sorrow
Words by Justus Gesenius
When o’er my sins I sorrow,
Lord, I will look to Thee
And hence my comfort borrow
That Thou wast slain for me;
Yea, Lord, Thy precious blood was spilt
For me, O most unworthy,
To take away my guilt.
Oh, what a marvelous offering!
Behold, the Master spares
His servants, and their suffering
And grief for them He bears.
God stoopeth from His throne on high;
For me, His guilty creature,
He deigns as man to die.
My manifold transgression
Henceforth can harm me none
Since Jesus’ bloody passion
For me God’s grace hath won.
His precious blood my debts hath paid;
Of hell and all its torments
I am no more afraid.
Therefore I will forever
Give glory unto Thee,
O Jesus, loving Savior,
For what Thou didst for me.
I’ll spend my breath in songs of thanks
For Thy sad cry, Thy sufferings,
Thy wrongs, Thy guiltless death.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
40 Days of Prayer: Day 10
Will they not go astray who devise evil? But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good. Proverbs 14:22
Dear Lord,
Sometimes, often, I am just overcome when I think about all the evil in this world. Many, many people have gone astray devising, and carrying out, evil. Lord, they fall farther and farther away from You, going deeper into sin with every evil thought and deed. Keep me from evil, Heavenly Father. Even more, let me be one who devises good. May the kindness and truth that come to me as a result of devising good be passed on to others who need to see and feel Your light. Lord, rescue those that are caught up in the deeds of darkness. Draw them to Yourself and show them their sin so that they may repent.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Dear Lord,
Sometimes, often, I am just overcome when I think about all the evil in this world. Many, many people have gone astray devising, and carrying out, evil. Lord, they fall farther and farther away from You, going deeper into sin with every evil thought and deed. Keep me from evil, Heavenly Father. Even more, let me be one who devises good. May the kindness and truth that come to me as a result of devising good be passed on to others who need to see and feel Your light. Lord, rescue those that are caught up in the deeds of darkness. Draw them to Yourself and show them their sin so that they may repent.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Friday, February 22, 2013
40 Days of Prayer: Day 9
“God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing great things which we cannot comprehend. For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth, and to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’ Job 37:5-6
Dear God,
Today I am in awe of Your power as the snow falls down in heavy sheets. I thank You that You have the storehouses of snow and that You cause them to fall on the Earth. I thank You that You keep the Earth spinning on its axis and that You bring the changing of the seasons. Lord, keep me thankful even when the weather is inconvenient to me, for through it, Your glory and majesty is shown. I thank You that I have a strong body to shovel and that I have a warm house to go home to, especially during a the snowstorm. I thank You that You choose to bless us with the beauty of snow on the bare trees, and I thank You for how the white snow lights up the earth during the dark winter. You are a magnificent Creator!
Amen.
Dear God,
Today I am in awe of Your power as the snow falls down in heavy sheets. I thank You that You have the storehouses of snow and that You cause them to fall on the Earth. I thank You that You keep the Earth spinning on its axis and that You bring the changing of the seasons. Lord, keep me thankful even when the weather is inconvenient to me, for through it, Your glory and majesty is shown. I thank You that I have a strong body to shovel and that I have a warm house to go home to, especially during a the snowstorm. I thank You that You choose to bless us with the beauty of snow on the bare trees, and I thank You for how the white snow lights up the earth during the dark winter. You are a magnificent Creator!
Amen.
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