Tag Archives: Prayer

The “Other” People

by

0


God is permanently first. Those who earnestly seek his lovely face in Christ will be living an entirely different life.

Their life is born from heaven. It is a life granted by the Living God out of his mercy in Christ Jesus and for His own purposes.

It is a life lived by the rules of heaven. It is a human heart that aches for home. For them, the voice of the Spirit of God overrides society’s supremacy.

Outwardly, they are like any other human. Inwardly, the violence of the war within them evades description. The end of their war will come the moment they can tear off their flesh and ascend to the home they desire so deeply.

They cannot define peace like the world defines peace, they cannot have tranquility here. Tranquil, to them, is the promise of God.

21. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5)

We are forced to ask this question, “Who does our actions and thoughts say we are?” The answer is already in the hand of God the Father.

How many even ask the question, comparing themselves to the expectations of Christ?

Worms Made Human!

by

0


David, the king of Israel, the benchmark for the people to show them a relationship with the Living God.  

He saw another man’s wife bathing on a rooftop. He commanded that she should be brought to him. He did what is unspeakable before God. Then to add to his sin, he commanded that her husband should be murdered on the battlefield.  


He destroyed the wife of another man. He destroyed a family. He had a husband, father, and honorable man murdered. He was consumed with his own desire, mindless of the lives of God’s people or the sure consequences. Let your mind put the story on the streets of today in America. See it for what it is.  


What is the story to us? It is proof of salvation. It is proof of God’s will to impart life to the dead. In the account, David shows us who we are.  


Do you feel sometimes that you were not worthy to go to prayer? Read the story and understand.  


Do you feel sometimes that there is no way God can save you; you have gone too far, your sin is too great? Read the story and understand.  


The salvation of any man is a miracle. That any of us can believe the promise: that God has made a place for us for eternity other than the grave. This is a vast, boundless, wondrous, and unspeakable miracle. Amazing that what is unholy should believe it has a place in what is utterly Holy.  


It is God’s will that you believe this. It is God’s will that you come to him. We do not go to him because we are worthy to be received. We go to him for the sake of his honorable and righteous Holy name. Remember how he sealed his will with his own Holy blood. We go to him because we believe.  


David has received eternal life. Believe and receive the same.  

Be Patient 

by

0


The war. The battle. The temptation. The weakness.  

The repair. The change of mind. Determination:


It takes a while. Reside in prayerful attitude.  


It takes a while to journey,

For we reside so far from 

HE.  

What is the Measure?

by

0


He moved into his new apartment. Of all the things he enjoyed, there was one new thing that intrigued him the most.  The kitchen faucet was different.

The first time he went for a glass of water, the faucet dispensed but a few drops.  Pulling his glass away, he turned it off then on again. A flow came out that would’ve filled his glass.  “How curious.”

He put his glass under the spigot again. Turning it on, he got one third glass of water.  

Over the next few weeks it was like that for him. He asked no one for help, simply enjoying the intrigue.

We approach God in prayer, asking for many things. By our faith we expect a response. And surely enough, we get one.

Sometimes it’s but a dribble.  Sometimes we ask, with the weakest of faith. We walk away from prayer missing the overflow he intended to give. Without possibility of explanation, we know what we missed.  So our intent to gain faith strengthens.

But the giving seems random, doesn’t it.

Here is the understanding I reach tonight. The sum of his giving to us is not found in the small experiences we receive. The sum is found where the sum belongs; at the end of our life.  

How many people give up because they are not satisfied with the small things he gives? Rather than remaining faithful, they turn away in disgust and futility. But the faithful remain, fully believing that God will accomplish those things he promised at the start.  

Of course I want you to ponder these things. Of course I wrote this so that we all might benefit for the sake of God’s glory in Jesus. But doesn’t it break down to this, it is up to each of us to develop the faithfulness required 

There is a wedding to attend. No wedding is complete without gifts.  And no gift will be accepted but those things which have come from God; The profitability of his Spirit at work in those who remain faithful.  Amass a mountain, or a mole hill if you will. But by all means and desire, bring him something.

The Effective Life

by

0


Pack up your television, cell phone, radio, the social circus, and all the gossip you can carry. Make the trip to prayer with all these things. I guarantee you your prayer time will be useless.  

All those things require the senses and the mind of the flesh. But prayer requires your soul alone.  


You can’t navigate a ship if you stay under deck. You’ll certainly drift if you stay in the ship’s lounge watching TV. You have to go topside to use all the navigational equipment. You have to be topside to enjoy the journey. If you wanted to watch TV you could’ve stayed home.  


The same is true with the ship of your body. You have to set your mind on the Spirit of God. The flesh cannot perceive the Spirit of God, but the soul can. You have to use your mind to make a choice.    


You can’t just ask God to come in and teach you. You have to go to the front door, open it, see the Spirit of God face-to-face, and allow him a place to sit in your mind. Then you can hear him. Then you can work with him. Then you can learn from him. It’s only then that the things of Christ get accomplished.  


Now the question comes: what preoccupies your day, the flesh or the soul. If your answer is the flesh then how can you hear the voice of God? And what preoccupies your time of prayer? That’s a much deeper question.  


Drop all your “stuff” and answer the door.  

The Good Ritual

by

0


I said to the Lord, “I am a liar and a fool. The only good I have is imagined honor. Imagination is not food.  

But you Holy Father, in Christ your Holy Son, are righteousness and purity forever. In your wisdom you created mercy. In your Holiness you created justice.”


Then I said, “Let me own my sins. Let justice rain on my soul. Let the condemnation of my doings come and cast me to the ground. Let me see the damage I do so easily. Let me understand the murder I inflict.  


It is then that I will seek mercy. It is then that I will cry out to you. It is then that you will offer your gracious hand of love. It is then that you will forgive my sins, allowing no punishment to come to anyone else because of me.  


Let the matter be finished in the blood of your Holy Son. Let my legs find strength to stand. Let my folly be replaced with wisdom and restraint. Let me bring you honor by believing your Holy Word; your promise to bring life through forgiveness of sins.”


And so begins another day. And so the next morning will hear these words again.  


By His Grace.