Lord Teach Us To Pray

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Does Prayer Change God? or Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 15:42:00 +0000

Does Prayer Change God? - It is a very common belief that if men shower God with prayer for a particular request that the volume and sincerity of the prayers will move God to grant those petitions. Many look at Mark 11: “... whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith”, as scripture to justify their position. This verse certainly appears to say that if we have enough faith in God we can motivate Him to do as we request. It seems that if God does not answer our prayer it is because we do not have enough faith. We therefore have fallen short in some way and we need to strengthen our faith and continue in prayer to God. God would then listen and grant us our request when we come to Him filled with faith. This deceitful logic of man is based on the idea that God must wait upon man to come to Him with faith and only then can God act. These ideas suppose that man changes God and that more prayer by more people with more faith is the commodity that God requires to act upon prayer. Let us examine these ideas in light of the whole Bible. Considering these scriptures, is there anything — anything! — we can tell Him that He does not already know? Is there anything about our lives that He has not already thoroughly considered in light of what He wants to produce for our good?

Mark 11:23-24 “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Isa 40:13-14 “Who hath directed the Spiriof the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”

Psa 139:1-7 “O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”

Does Prayer Change Me? - God shows us many times that God changes man through prayer. God will respond to prayer that is according to His will. How can a man pray according to the will of God? How can a dead sinner become a saint that prays according to the will of God? This happens only by the sovereign act of God in salvation: “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation” (Psa 69:13). As the sinner prays to God for salvation, God changes the man, according to His will. He justifies them from all of their sins so they will not stand for judgment. He looses them from Satan’s power and draws them lovingly into His Kingdom. He disciplines, chastises, and pities His children, all to bring them into His glory and know His love. As God molds the man, the man more and more prays according to the will of God. God answers his prayers because they are according to the will of God. God does not stand by helplessly waiting for man, but works within man to the benefit of the saints and His own glory: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification...” (1 The 4:3). Once saved, God works sanctification in the man to produce the fruit of the Spirit. One of the most astonishing facts is that the Holy Spirit lives [indwells] within the believer and assists him or her as he or she prays: “... the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us... he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God...” (Rom 8:26-28). The Spirit of Christ, dwelling in the believer, prays to the Father of things that are beyond the understanding of man. God does not leave His people alone, He assists them with prayer.

Isa 59:1-2 “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Col 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

Jam 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed [Spiritual healing/Salvation] . The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Dan 10:12 “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.”

Rom 8:26-28 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Nevertheless, Not My Will, but Thine be Done - Although God knows our requests even before they enter our minds, we are to express them to our Heavenly Father: “O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry” (Psa 88:1). In doing so we realize afresh our absolute dependency on Him for every physical and spiritual need of ours: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” (Psa 73:25), and qualify all our petitions, with the very important statement (and attitude) “nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done”. We read of Jesus’ greatest prayer to the Father, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done”, that He spoke three times in the Garden of Gethsemane (which means the “winepress of God”) where He started to endure the wrath of God. All too often our attitude in prayer about something emphasizes what we feel is our or somebody else’s need rather than focusing on God’s will. Which is more important? what this perfect, great God considers from His perspective or what we desire from our position of nearly blind ignorance of what is really needed? The Lord’s Prayer is the model prayer, indicating that we should not pray with the idea that we are bringing something new to God. It also introduces the thought that the purpose of prayer is not to overcome God’s reluctance to answer and give but rather to lay hold of His willingness to help us toward His perspective, the fulfillment of His purpose, and into His Kingdom. The overall emphasis in our requests, then, must be inclined toward His purpose and will. Prayer is not to change God’s Will but rather to align ourselves with God’s Will.

Matt 6:7-8 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

God’s Will concerns the Work of the Gospel in this World - The Father works eternal redemption for His children at the price of the life of His Son: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). He brings salvation to the elect, judgment on the unsaved, and many other acts and purposes according to His eternal wisdom and counsel. Jesus is our example and we are to follow Him in all things. Christ labored in prayer before His Father: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he [Jesus] went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35). Fellowship with the Father was a supreme priority in the life of Christ: “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). John 17 is the magnificent High Priestly prayer for His Children.

Heb 10:7-10 “Then said I [Lord Jesus Christ], Lo, I come(in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Heb 5:7 “Who [Jesus] in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;”

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,”

John 6:39 “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”

Pray Earnestly, Without Ceasing - We might recall that in I Kings 17:1, about the physical famine in Elijah’s day: “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word”. This famine occurred in Israel when the wicked man Ahab who was married to the exceedingly wicked Jezebel was reigning over Israel. This famine continued for three years and six months. In Jam 5:16-18 we learn that the famine was brought by Elias, when he prayed earnestly: “... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit”. This verse makes the point that Elias was a sinner like you and me, yet it declares, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. Then the question is how was Elias found “righteous” in the eyes of God? Before salvation, there is none righteous, no not one. Neither Noah, nor Job, nor David, nor Moses, nor Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, nor Elias, nor anyone else in himself was righteous. The robe of Christ’s righteousness [given in Salvation] is absolutely needed in order for one to be found righteous. One can be made Righteous only “through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”. God looks upon a person whom He has saved as “righteous” because his sins have been paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross. God’s Spirit worked in Elijah and caused him to pray according to the Will of God, as a result of his salvation. May God grant His mercy and grace to mold and shape His people that they will pray according to the will of God, especially in these last days: “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Pet 4:7). Focus of our earnest prayers should be on our Salvation and for the Salvation of family and friends and the spiritual needs, the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.

Matt 6:31-33 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Luke 11:5-8 “And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”

1 Thes 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Mary's Prayer - My soul doth magnify the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:15:00 +0000

My soul doth magnify the Lord - Mary's prayer describes the joy, adoration, and gratitude of one who indeed is a true child of God. Her prayer is filled with praise and adoration for God and His magnificent salvation, just like we have seen in Hannah's prayer. A Christian finds within his soul a constant, and overflowing appreciation for his Saviour and for all that God has done for him in the past, at present, and for eternity.

Luke 1:46-47 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

1 Sam 2:1 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."

Psa 5:11 “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”
Psa 18:2 "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

Hos 13:4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”

1 John 4:14 “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.”

Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God - In order for anyone to become saved, they have to be humbled by God because by birth and nature all human beings enter this world sinfully proud.

Luke 1:46-48 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

1 Sam 1:10-11 "And she [Hannah] was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head."

1 Sam 2:1-3 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed."

1 Pet 5:5-7 "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

Psa 138:6 “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.”

Psa 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD - What are the “great things” that God did for Mary? The same that He has done for every believer – the salvation of their souls! The great deliverance of Israelites from the bondage of Egypt typifies the Marvelous Work of Salvation by God’s power and grace alone. “Great things” is a rendering of a Greek word that is only found only one other time in the New Testament. It is translated as “wonderful works” in Acts 2:11, which describes the events of Pentecost Sunday, when Holy Spirit was given. When we speak of God’s “name” as being Holy it is in reference to the person and work of God Himself.

Luke 1:46-49 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.”

1 Sam 2:1-2 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."

Psa 78:12 “Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.”

Exo 14:13 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”

Isa 54:5 “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”

Hos 13:4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”

Acts 2:11 "Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."

There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared - In this compelling verse we recognize the amazing reality that those whom God intends to save will be filled with a holy terror – a gift from God – as they consider the majesty of the God of the Bible.

Salvation through a mighty hand - This verse speaks of God’s strength – as typified by “His arm” – to save His elect from spiritual death and Hell to eternal life. This is dramatically seen in the deliverance of Israelites (typifying God's Elect).

Luke 1:46-50 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.”

Deu 26:8 "And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:"

Deu 5:15 "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day [pointing to the Rest God provided in Christ]."

Isa 59:16 "And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm [Lord Jesus Christ] brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him."

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble - To “put down” is really the word for “take down” or “destroy” . Again we see how much emphasis God is placing on the destruction of the unsaved (or the “proud”) and on the exaltation of the saved (or the “humble”).

Luke 1:46-52 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.”

1 Sam 2:1-4 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength."

Mat 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

Pro 3:34 “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.”

Jam 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Pro 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness - We understand that those who are spiritually hungry will be filled. On the other hand, those who think they don’t need salvation – the “rich” – are the deceived, will hunger and thirst, like we see in the rich man thirsting for a drop of mercy, while Lazarus is being comforted.

Luke 1:46-53 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.”

1 Sam 2:1-5 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble."

Matt 5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

Luke 6:25 "Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep."

Mat 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Luke 16:25 “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

Peace and Mercy upon the Israel of God - Often believers are referred to as spiritual “Israel” in the New Testament – that is, those who are the beneficiaries of God’s incomprehensible mercy and forgiveness. We learn from Gal 3:29 that all true believers [God's Elect from both Jews and Gentiles] are “Abraham’s seed” forever and throughout the Bible we always find God communicating to man by means of His Word.

Luke 1:46-54 “And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy 55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Heb 1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

Rom 9:6-8 "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

Heb 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

Gal 6:16 "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."

Gal 3:29 “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Hannah's Prayer - God Faithfully Cares for His Own

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:14:00 +0000

God Faithfully Cares for His Own - In Psalm 121 we see God’s faithfulness in caring for His sheep – the flock He has chosen and redeemed for Himself for His Own glory. God’s providential care is also expressed in the New Testament in Php 1. And Rom 8 assures the true child of God that absolutely nothing can separate him from the love of His Savior.

1 Sam 2:1-10 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them. 9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."

Psa 121:1-8 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4Behold, he that keepeth Israel [typifying God's Elect] shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Psa 66:8-9 “O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to bemoved.”

Psa 17:5 “Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.”

Php 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ…”

Rom 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jude 1:24-25 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

God’s Enemies Will Be Punished - Sadly, all who remain in their sins will be eternally damned. Judgment Day is very near. We are but one step away from the end of this present universe and time as we know it. Rev 20 outlines the unimaginable horror that awaits those who will be summoned to the bar of God’s eternal justice.

Psa 31:17 “Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.”

1 Pet 4:17 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God [churches and congregations] : and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

Psa 50:4 “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.”

Rev 20:11-15 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Christ Alone Will Be Exalted

1 Sam 2:1-10 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them. 9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king [Lord Jesus Christ], and exalt the horn of his anointed."

1 Sam 2:35 “And I will raise me up a faithful priest [Lord Jesus Christ], that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house [Eternal and invisible Church, who are born of Spirit]; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.”

Heb 2:17 “Wherefore in all things it behoved him [Jesus Christ] to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”

Heb 7:26 “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”

Isa 52:13 “Behold, my servant [Jesus Christ] shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”

Php 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Hannah's Prayer - Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:13:00 +0000

God is in Control - As we have been examining Hannah’s prayer I am again reminded (and I need to be) of how God is in charge and thoroughly acquainted with all that you and I are experiencing, if we are indeed a child of God. Moreover, we can constantly approach His throne of grace when we are anxious or troubled about anything. Notice that this is precisely what Hannah did in 1 Samuel chapter 1. As we have seen in chapter 2, her heart is overflowing with heartfelt adoration and gratitude to God for His tender kindness in answering her prayer. Job 1 teaches us the perspective that we are to maintain during our earthly sojourn. Psa 75 declares the attitude the believer is to exhibit.

1 Sam 2:1-7 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up."

Php 4:6-8 “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Job 1:21 “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Psa 75:5-7“Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

A Picture of Mankind’s Sin - In these verses God is also speaking spiritually as the expressions “making poor” and “bringing low” refer to God’s humbling a person by convicting him of sin and its consequences of eternal damnation and also revealing his need for a Savior. Luke 18 describes the heart attitude of one who has already been humbled (or saved) by God. Those who are spiritually poor recognize their spiritual poverty [with broken and contrite hearts] and deadness as typified by the references to “the dust” as well as “the dunghill”.

1 Sam 2:1-7 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 28He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them"

Ezra 9:6 “And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”

Matt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Luke 18:13-14 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

1 Pet 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Psa 119:25 “My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.”

God Alone Provides Salvation - In this seemingly hopeless condition, God grants salvation – the gift of His grace. The phrase “thou that liftest me up” like the word “raiseth” refers to the resurrection of one’s soul. In considering that salvation is ALL the work of Christ, we would do well to remember the words of 2 Cor 8:9. Bear in mind that the poverty in view here is not financial but spiritual. It has everything to do with the fact that Christ had to become sin and suffer Hell in order to ransom His people from eternal damnation in order to secure their salvation, which is to “inherit glory” .

Psa 9:13 “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.”

Psa 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Psa 27:5 “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock .”

2 Cor 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Rev 1:5-6 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

Hannah's Prayer - Barren vs Fruitful

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:11:00 +0000

Full versus Hungry - Throughout the Bible one encounters apparent paradoxes that reveal God’s dealings both with His people and the unsaved. These are the only two categories that God divides the human race into, saved and unsaved. Those who are physically nourished are actually spiritually famished; whereas those who were physically famished are sustained by God’s Word, the Bread of Life. The parable of the rich man and the beggar in Luke 16 is another vivid portrait of the dichotomy between the spiritual nature of the Gospel as contrasted with the physical necessities of life.

1 Sam 2:1-5 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble."

Mat 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Psa 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

Luke 1:53 “He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.”

Luke 16:25 “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

Barren versus Fruitful - The inability to have children was a very difficult burden to bear in biblical times, as we learn from 1 Sam 1. Such was also the case with Sarah and Hagar in Gen 16.

1 Sam 2:1-5 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble."

1 Sam 1:6 “And her [that is Hannah’s] adversary [the other wife, whose name was Peninnah] also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.”

Gen 16:1-4 “Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.”

Psa 113:9 “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.”

Barren typifies God's Elect for who Christ was given - Psa 113:9, as well as the previous verses we have just considered, are highlighting the fact that salvation is a miracle which God alone performs – typified by the birth of a child to one who is infertile. We see how God blesses those who were incapable "his [Abraham] own body now dead", "the deadness of Sara’s womb", with the miraculous birth of Isaac [typifying Christ] in Rom 4. Isa 54 pictures the “ barren woman” – that is, typifying historically the nation of Israel, through whom Christ would come and typifying spiritually the body of true believers, for whom Christ would come.

Rom 4:19 “And being not weak in faith, he [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:”

Isa 54:1-5 "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. 2Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; 3For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. 5For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer [Jesus] the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called."

Gal 4:22-31 "For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

Heb 11:17-19 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure [Isaac is the figure of Christ]."

Gal 3:16 "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

Death versus Resurrection - It is an undeniable fact that God alone retains the power of physical life and death, but have you stopped to think that His eternal power also extends to spiritual life and death? One of the clearest pictures of this is found in the account of the raising of Lazarus who was physically dead in John 11. This is a beautiful picture of man’s spiritual deadness and the power of God’s Word to resurrect their dead souls.

1 Sam 2:1-6 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.”

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

John 11:32-44 “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”

Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me [Lord Jesus Christ] , because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

Eph 2:5 "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened [made us alive] us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"

Hannah's Prayer - God gives Grace to Humble

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:10:00 +0000

Pride and Arrogance are Dangerous - Pride is the root of all sin, and the one that God especially despises. Pride starts in the heart, and then travels to the mouth, and eventually, manifests itself in the life.

God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

1 Pet 5:5-7 "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

Jam 4:6“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Psa 138:6 “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.”

Psa 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

God is the Judge - Man foolishly thinks that God is somehow unconcerned about what mankind does, but nothing could be further from the truth.

1 Sam 2:1-3 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed."

Psa 50:16-22 “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.”

Psa 44:21 “Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.”

Psa 139:1-6 “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

Pro 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”

Pro 24:12 “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

The Results of Pride and Humility - We live in a universe of cause and effect that God has established by His Word. Not only is that true in a physical sense, its spiritual ramifications are devastating. How does God resist the proud? By abasing them, which ultimately has to do with eternal damnation. Rev 20 depicts the divine appointment that all who do not have a Savior must keep.

1 Sam 2:1-4 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength."

Mat 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

Pro 3:34 “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.”

Jam 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Pro 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

Deu 32:22 “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.”

Matt 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Rev 20:12-13 “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

Hannah's Prayer - An Answer to Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:08:00 +0000

Pouring out our heart to God - In the Book of 1 Samuel, we are introduced to Hannah (whose name means “grace”). She was one of the two wives of Elkanah (whose name signifies “God has bought”), and she was distraught because she was childless. In 1 Sam 1 we find her in the temple praying and pouring out her heart for a baby boy. We also see this heartfelt communication of Lord Jesus with the Father in Heb 5.

1 Sam 1:10-11 "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head."

Heb 5:7-9 “Who [Lord Jesus Christ] in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”

Psa 88:1 “O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry.”

Psa 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.”

The Spirit itself helps us to pray according to the will of God - The indwelling Spirit of God in the child of God helps and makes intercession for them according to the will of God. Eli, the priest, thought Hannah was intoxicated because she was moving her lips without uttering a sound. She explained the reason for her sadness.

1 Sam 1:12-15 "And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 13Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD."

Rom 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

An Answer to Prayer - Then, by God’s mercy, her prayer was answered. After weaning the child (which occurred several years later) she fulfilled her vow to God.

1 Sam 1:17 “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.”

1 Sam 1:20 “Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.”

1 Sam 1:25-28 "… And brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.”

Speaking from the Heart - Her prayer is filled with praise and adoration for God and His magnificent salvation. The first phrase “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD…” sets the tone of what follows throughout. The Psalms are filled with similar expressions of heartfelt worship. In the second phrase “mine horn is exalted in the LORD…” the word “horn” represents God’s power, or strength, and is used in Habakkuk’s prayer in Hab 3.

1 Sam 2:1 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."

Psa 9:2 “I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.”

Psa 68:3 “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”

Psa 5:11 “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”

Hab 3:1-4 “A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.”

The Joy of Salvation - The other element in the first two verses of Hannah’s prayer is the joy that all believers must express to their Heavenly Father for His incomprehensible kindness and grace on their behalf “my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation…”. In the final sense, the true Christian has been delivered from his greatest enemy – God, and His Law Book (the Bible). God’s Law is what condemns people to eternal Hell, which is the just reward for having committed even one sin. The Bible also maintains that prior to salvation all of God’s elect have been spiritually incarcerated by Satan, who is their spiritual father. Isa 25:9 manifests God’s miraculous salvation.

1 Sam 2:1 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."

Eph 2:14-16 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”

Jam 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Isa 42:7 "To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”

Isa 25:9 “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

True Stability - The next characteristic Hannah mentions in her prayer is the uniqueness of the Triune God, “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.”

1 Sam 2:1-2 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."

Isa 54:5 “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”

Hos 13:4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”

Deu 32:18 “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.”

1 Cor 10:3-4 "And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

Psa 18:2 "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:05:00 +0000

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11, and Matthew 6

Matt 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Luke 11:2-4 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

"And lead us not into temptation" - The word "temptation" can also be translated "trial". Whenever Satan tempts us, endeavoring to make us sin, we are being tried. But God does not tempt anyone to try to make them fall into sin. A man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts. God comes to the human race with His law. If a person breaks that law, the inherent lusts that are characteristic of an unsaved person make that law a temptation to sin. However, it was not the law that God gave that caused that man to sin. Rather it was that man's own sinful desires. The law had been given to help him understand his need of a Savior. Thus as we pray "lead (or bring) me not into temptation", we are praying for salvation so that we will no longer lust after sin, but will desire greater and greater obedience to God.

Jam 1:12-15 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

Rom 7:7-9 "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died."

Rom 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Gal 3:24-25 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."

1 Cor 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Whosoever is born of God sinneth not - That way of escape that God provides is salvation. When we have become saved we earnestly desire to be obedient to God. Remember,The source of our sins is our heart. God gives a new birth by granting us a new Heart and putting His Spirit in us.

Luke 8:13,15 "They on the rock [stony heart, unsaved] are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root [no Spirit of God], which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 15But that on the good ground [heart of flesh, saved] are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

Eze 36:26-27 "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

1 John 5:18 "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten [born-again of] of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not."

Luke 6:43-45 "For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Now God enabled me by granting Salvation as a gift, I combat the Sin by putting on the whole armor of God, following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who combated temptation with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Eph 6:10-18 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Psa 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

Luke 4:1-13 "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread [lust of the flesh] . 4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them [lust of the eyes] : for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 9And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence [pride of life]: 10For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 13And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season."

"Deliver us from evil" - The word "evil" here can be understood as Satan, as sin, and as the wrath to come. Before we are saved, we are in bondage to Satan, and we are in bondage to sin. These are the terrible evils to which every human is enslaved. But in addition we are under the wrath of God. The judgment of God is a terrible evil that man is under because God's perfect justice demands full payment for sin. Therefore, the prayer "deliver us from evil" is also a prayer for salvation. To become saved is to be set free from bondage to sin and Satan and to be delivered from the wrath of God.

Rom 8:5-8 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

John 8:32-36 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Col 1:13 "Who [God] hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son…”

Rom 7:5 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."

Jam 1:14-15 "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

1 Cor 15:54-57 "... Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57Butthanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Rev 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection [born again] : on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years [eternity]."

"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." - The Lord's Prayer concludes with this marvelous doxology. The focal point is on God: "Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed by thy name", then the focal point shifts to God's salvation program in the world and in my heart, which is all through Christ. The Lord's Prayer is a magnificent prayer for mankind who desperately needs salvation. Jesus tells us how to pray. We are dead in our sins, and we are destined for destruction. Christ tells us in this beautiful prayer how we should seek salvation. And we see that all of the glory throughout eternity goes to God. Praise God for His wonderful salvation!

Ephesians 2:1-5 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"

1 Pet 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again [born again] unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Rev 5:9-12 "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

Rev 7:9-12 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes [robe of Christ's Righteousness], and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen."

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Forgive Us Our Debts, as We Forgive Our Debtors

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:03:00 +0000

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11, and Matthew 6

Matt 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Luke 11:2-4 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

"And forgive us our debts" - At least three words are commonly used in the New Testament to signify "sin," including the word "debt." We are debtors to God because we have sinned. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). There is a penalty that we must pay to God for our sins, and that payment is eternal destruction. When we pray, "forgive us our debts," effectively, we are praying, "O God, have mercy on me. I'm a sinner. Will you pay the penalty that I rightly deserve to pay?" The Lord Jesus came to endure that payment on our behalf. He came to ransom us from the power of the grave, from eternal destruction, from the wrath of God.

Mat 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Luke 4:18-19 "[quoting Isa 61:1-2] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me [Jesus] , because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance [forgiveness] to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Acts 10:43 "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him [Jesus] shall receive remission [forgiveness] of sins.”

Luke 23:34 "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them [elect of God]; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."

Psa 103:3-4,12 “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."

Heb 10:16-18 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”

Psa 32:1-2 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

Eph 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Psa 130:4 "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared."

Rom 4:4 "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Rom 11:6 “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Eph 2:5,8 "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

"As we forgive our debtors" - The Lord's Prayer is focused on God our Savior until this phrase, which could be a bellwether or indicator as to where we stand before Christ. Blessed are the merciful. God is merciful to us while we were yet sinners and expects the same from us. We show Mercy by forgiving the ones who has done wrong to us and also by proclaiming the Gospel of Grace to them so that they too might find Mercy from God. The unsaved can be bitter, resentful, and angry if they believe they have been wronged by another person's word or deed. The reason is because mankind by nature is egotistical and proud. When God calls us, He effectively says, if you pray and acknowledge God as your Savior, and there is resentment in your heart for some individual whom you cannot love, then examine your heart. You do not know what salvation is. When we have resentment, we have to ask, "Am I born again? How can I expect God to forgive me if I continue with this unforgiven relationship?" The phrase "As we forgive our debtors," therefore, is a reminder to examine ourselves to determine whether we are truly saved.

Matt 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."

Matt 5:43-45 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Matt 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Matt 18:23-38 "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses"

2 Cor 13:5 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:01:00 +0000

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11, and Matthew 6

Matt 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Luke 11:2-4 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

My God shall supply all your need - A child of God should learn to be content and to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need, knowing that all things work together for good to them that love God.

Php 4:10-13 "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

1 Tim 6:8 "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Rom 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

2 Cor 12:9-10 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

"Give us this day our daily bread" - Is God teaching us to pray for physical sustenance? In one sense, sure. There is a physical meaning to “give us this day our daily bread,” in that we can pray, “Lord, feed me”. Of course, we are dependent upon God for clothing, housing, and food, but what about Luke 12. God gives no guarantee that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will always have a full bowl of rice. Whether we have enough to eat or not is immaterial. The big question that God wants us to face is: Are we spiritually nourished? when you pray 'Give us day by day our daily bread' you are praying for a daily dose of understanding of God’s Word. We pray that God would give you understanding of what you read, that it would bless you. So it is the Word of God that we need for spiritual life, strength and energy, and to get us through each day.

Luke 4:2-4 "Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

Luke 12:22-23,30 "And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have store-house nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Bread of Life - Micah’s prophecy informs us that the Lord Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, or the “house of Bread”. This should not surprise us because the Bible refers to Jesus Christ as the “Bread of Life” in John 6. The greatest desire of one who has been redeemed is to be obedient to His Master’s will as set forth in His Word, the Bible. The child of God has also discovered true contentment as 1 Tim 6 asserts, He is to be satisfied with food – the Bread of Life, who is the Lord Jesus Himself and His Word, the Bible. He is also to be satisfied with clothing – the robe of Christ's righteousness, the only covering for man’s sin.

Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem [house of Bread] Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

John14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

1 Tim 6:8 "And having food [the Bread of Life] and raiment [the robe of Christ's righteousness, the only covering for man’s sin] let us be therewith content”.

Full versus Hungry - Throughout the Bible one encounters apparent paradoxes that reveal God’s dealings both with His people and the unsaved. These are the only two categories that God divides the human race into, saved and unsaved. Those who are physically nourished are actually spiritually famished; whereas those who were physically famished are sustained by God’s Word, the Bread of Life. The parable of the rich man and the beggar in Luke 16 is another vivid portrait of the dichotomy between the spiritual nature of the Gospel as contrasted with the physical necessities of life.

Psa 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

Luke 1:53 “He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.”

Luke 16:25 “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures - God is talking about His “sheep”, and the most nourishing physical food for sheep is tender, green grass. But what is the most nourishing spiritual food for God’s chosen people? It is His Word, the Bible. We believers “feed” spiritually upon the Word of God in its written form and upon the Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is, of course, identified totally with the Word of God, and we partake of His body after we become saved. Now, notice it is God Who makes the sheep lie down, which means He is the One Who gives them rest. “He leadeth me beside the still waters”, and the Hebrew words for “still waters” really mean “waters of rest, or quietness”. That is a beautiful word picture of the “rest” of God’s salvation. The “rest” for our souls from the burden of the law, sin and second death is something only God can give to us – we cannot attain it through any of our own efforts.

John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Mat 11:28-30 “Come unto me [Jesus Christ], all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Heb 4:10-12 “For he that is entered into his [that is, God’s] rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour [study] therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit [or the spiritual], and of the joints and marrow [or the physical], and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Rom 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Psa 23:1-2 "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

Heb 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Psa 79:13 “So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.”

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Thy Kingdom Come. Thy Will be Done in Earth, as it is in Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:46:00 +0000

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11, and Matthew 6

Matt 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Luke 11:2-4 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

God and His Kingdom are Holy and Not of This World - God’s kingdom is as holy as God Himself is holy and is spiritual in nature. Thus, all true believers are also not of this world because they are part of God’s kingdom. The disciples in Jesus day were looking for a political Messiah whom they hoped would free them from Roman rule. Many in our day have fallen into the same trap by mistakenly seeking political freedom, financial prosperity, or physical well-being from the Bible – this is the kingdom they are looking for. The Lord Jesus plainly taught in John 18 that His Kingdom is altogether spiritual in character. The mission of the Lord Jesus Christ is encapsulated in Matthew 1.

John 18:36 “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

John 17:6,14 “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word… I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Mat 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

1 Pet 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

"Thy kingdom come" - We read about the kingdom of God in John 3. Jesus is talking about the kingdom that God has established through the Lord Jesus Christ, which we enter into when we are saved. The kingdom of God consists of all who will become saved and live with Christ forever in the new heavens and the new earth. When we pray, "thy kingdom come," we are saying, "Oh, God, I want to be part of your kingdom; I want to be saved. Thy kingdom come in my life." We are also saying, "Oh, Lord, we want thy kingdom to go out into the world and encompass all who are to be saved. We pray that the program of salvation which you designed from before the foundations of the earth will come to fruition."

John 3:3,5 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

Matt 8:11-12 "And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west [ God's Elect from both Jews and Gentiles, through Faith], and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the children of the kingdom [blood descendants of Abraham] shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Matt 21:42-44 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [Nation of Israel], and given to a nation [new testament Church] bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

Col 1:12-13 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

God's Will in Heaven - God's will was established in heaven. The will of God is expressed, for example, in Matthew 16. The will of God is that He will redeem a people for Himself and provide Salvation to the World through His Son. The Lord Jesus Christ was in perfect obedience to the Father's will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus in flesh, on earth, desired that the cup would pass away and yet Christ said, "not what I will, but what thou wilt" (Mark 14:36). Christ in His perfect obedience illustrates the perfect will of God. We ought to pray as He prayed so that in our life we might be obedient to God.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Heb 10:7-10 "Then said I [Lord Jesus Christ], Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Luke 22:42 "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Eph 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"

Matt 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock [that rock is Christ] I will build my church [eternal, invisible church consisting of all born again believers starting from Abel]; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

2 Pet 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

" Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" - The will of God is to bring salvation to this world, and that relates personally to each of us, i.e., "Thy will be done" in my life. God's will will be done in my life only if I am saved, if I have become a child of God. If you are unsaved, God's will is not part of your life; if you are unsaved, you are going to live with your own will and not care about God's will. "Thy will be done," prayed from the heart means, "O God, make me obedient to thee; help me to abandon myself to thee. I want you to be my Savior." The will of God also includes the damnation of the unsaved. God's justice will be completed. When the day comes, He will finish vengeance upon the unsaved; that is God's business, and yet that is implied in the phrase, "thy will be done.

Matt 12:48-50 "But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

1 Thess 4:3 "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:"

Rom 7:18-19 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will [mans Will] is present with me; but how to perform that which is good [God's Will] I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

Rom 8:1-5 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."

John 9:31 "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."

1 John 5:14 "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:"

Rom 8:26-28 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Jam 4:13-15 "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Hallowed be Thy Name

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:44:00 +0000

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11, and Matthew 6

Matt 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Luke 11:2-4 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

Hallowed be thy name - God’s Name is Holy. His very person is Holy. Everything involved with God is absolutely Holy. It is pure. It is clean. It is perfect. God is righteous. God is without sin, without error. He is spotless. He is the essence of holiness Himself. His Name is Holy, and we call this Book, the Bible, the Holy Bible because it comes forth from the mouth of God. Since He is Holy, His Word is Holy. This name alone itself tells us that there is no error in the Bible. There can not be any error.

Luke 1:49 "For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name."

1 Pet 1:19 "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

Rom 1:2 "(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)"

Rom 7:12 "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

1 Pet 1:16 "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Psa 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."

Psa 97:2 “Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”

Holiness is required to enter into Heaven - The moment that sin or an error or a mistake enters into something, it ceases to be Holy. This is what happened with mankind. When we sinned, we were no longer holy. We all fell in Adam and became unholy, unclean, spiritually dirty, spiritually filthy. We became like a leper in God’s sight.

Heb 12:14 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord…”

2 Tim 3:2-4 "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God…”

Job 15:16 “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?”

Pro 30:12 “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”

Salvation - Holiness from God - Yet Holy God has sent forth His Holy Word, Word in flesh, Lord Jesus Christ to redeem certain individuals to Himself, to gather an elect people whom He will make Holy. He will purge them from their sins and from all of their evil deeds and from everything else. He will wash them and make them clean, and they will become Holy. So God commands, “Be ye holy; for I am holy,” and He speaks this to every individual. You cannot be holy when you are committing sin. You might be holy in your heart, if God has saved you, but where is the evidence of this holiness? There should be a desire to do His will, to keep His commandments more and more in our life. We are becoming more like God, and He is a Holy God, so we would want to follow the Word of God.

Eze 36:25-27 "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

Eph 1:4-6 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Tit 3:5-7 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Heb 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot [sin] to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Eph 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it [His Elect, The Church] with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

John 15:3 "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."

Col 1:21-22 “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight...”

Eph. 4:24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Luke 1:74-75 "That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.”

1 Pet 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar [purchased] people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Our Father Who Art in Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:41:00 +0000

The Lord's Prayer is given to us in the Word of God in two passages, Luke 11, and Matthew 6

Matt 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Luke 11:2-4 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

"Our Father" - When Jesus prayed, He ad-dressed God as His Father. Amazingly, God commands us to also address God as "Our Father." We do not fully under-stand such condescension on God's part. The Old Testament also has references to God as our Father. In the Bible, the fatherless is a reference to the spiritually destitute, the unsaved people. We are of God our Father through creation, but our sins have estranged us from God. In Adam we all fell and spiritually, the devil became our father. When we become "born again" we are joined back into the family of God. We are orphans when we are dead to sin, and God comes to us as a Father to the fatherless. God may be a Father to those who acknowledge their orphaned condition, their spiritual bankruptcy, with a broken and contrite heart. The Lord Jesus is spoken of as the “everlasting Father”. God cares for those who love Him.

John 8:41-44 "Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

Rom 9:6-8 "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

Isa 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Luke 15:18 “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,”

Eph 1:4-6 "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

Psa 68:5 "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."

Isa 63:16 “Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.”

Jehovahjireh - God Will Provide “Himself” a Lamb. God did not require Abraham to actually sacrifice his “only son… whom thou lovest”, yet God willingly offered up His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to pay the equivalent of eternal Hell for each child of God to be able to be adopted into God's family.

Gen 22:7-8,13-14 "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

Heb 11:17-19 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him [Issac figure of Christ] in a figure."

John 1:29 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"

2 Cor 5:21 “For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father - God provides His Children and meets their worldly needs and spiritual needs. God also grants His children the Holy Spirit. The Bible speaks of the Father as the giver of every good and perfect gift. The greatest gift of all, which is also the focus of the Lord's Prayer, is the gift of salvation.

Jam 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Matt 6:25-34:"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Luke 11:9-13:"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? "

Gal 4:3-5 "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

Rom 8:15-17 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

1 John 3:1-2 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Eph 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

Eph 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"

Whom the Lord Loveth He Chasteneth - Even Gods corrections and chastisements demonstrate His perfect, loving care and concern for each of His beloved children as He conforms them to the image of His dear Son.

Psa 103:13 "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him."

Rom 8:28:"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Heb 12:6-11: "6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Psa 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
2 Tim 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

Isa 64:8 “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”

Rom 9:21 “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

"Which art in heaven" - Mankind by nature wants to have a god whom they can see, the sun, an idol, or a river. Even if they become identified with the Christian religion, they may have all kinds of paraphernalia in their place of worship, because they want to see something tangible that they hope relates to God. When we become saved, our relationship to God is a relationship of faith. In faith we believe that which we cannot see. We believe with fervency, abandonment, and trust. Lord Jesus Christ is the express image of the Father. If we sincerely pray, "Our Father who art in heaven," effectively we are saying, "Oh, God, we cannot see you with our physical eye, and we have no idea of how majestic, infinite, and great you are, but we know that you are the one to whom we look for redemption." "Our Father who art in heaven," means that our salvation is rooted in heaven. Our salvation is infinitely more glorious than anything this earth can produce. We have become citizens of heaven, and eternally we will be with God in the new heavens and the new earth.

Acts 7:48-50 [Isa 66:1] "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50Hath not my hand made all these things?"

John 14:9 "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?"

Col 2:9 "For in him [Lord Jesus Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

Psa 46:10-11 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Heb 11:1,8-10,13-16 "1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city [New Jerusalem from Heaven]."

Eph 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"

1 Chr 29:11 “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.”

Bless the LORD, O My Soul, and Forget Not All His Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:35:00 +0000

Bless the LORD, O My Soul: and All that is within Me, Bless His Holy Name - Psalm 103 says repeatedly in many different ways that God is merciful. He is a God who forgives sins. He is a God who does bestow grace. He is a God who actually does save sinners, sinners who do not deserve it, sinners who could never earn it, to bring salvation to themselves. God in His mercy and grace blesses them with salvation. And God requires everything from us, we are to love God with all of our heart, mind, and soul (Mark 12:29-30). We sometimes do this only halfheartedly. We might even just do God lip service. We might be saying, “Praise the Lord” and “Thank God,” when there are still areas in our life where we are not truly praising the Lord. These two principles of loving God with our entire being and inheriting eternal life are actually very closely related. In fact, we can’t have one without the other. So God commands, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:16) and He speaks this to every individual. God’s Name is Holy: “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name” (Luke 1:49). His very person is Holy. Everything involved with God is absolutely Holy. God is righteous. God is without sin. He is spotless. He is the essence of holiness Himself. We call this Book, the Bible, the Holy Bible because it comes forth from the mouth of God. Since He is Holy, His Word is Holy: “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom 7:12). This name alone itself tells us that there is no error in the Bible and can not be any error. The moment that sin or an error or a mistake enters into something, it ceases to be Holy. This is what happened with mankind. When we sinned, we were no longer holy. We became unholy, unclean, spiritually filthy. We became like a leper in God’s sight. Yet Holy God has sent forth His Holy Word, Word in flesh, Lord Jesus Christ to redeem certain individuals to Himself, to gather an elect people whom He will make Holy. We must never lose sight of the astounding fact that the Holy Messiah had to become their very opposite – unholy, impure, and sinful – in order to redeem each believer from sin and its punishment of everlasting Hell (2 Cor 5:21). Here we see the greatest exchange that has ever taken place in this universe. Here we see righteous God, Who is holy, pure, and sinless become unholy, impure, and sinful. Simultaneously, we see unrighteous unsaved man, who by nature is unholy, impure, and sinful become holy, pure, and sinless by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that is given, or imputed, to him. He will purge them from their sins and from all of their evil deeds and from everything else. He will wash them and make them clean, and they will become Holy (Eph 5:25-27). You cannot be holy when you are committing sin. You might be holy in your heart, if God has saved you, but where is the evidence of this holiness? There should be a desire to do His will, to keep His commandments more and more in our life. God’s “saints” (true believers) shall praise and bless the Lord for His grace, love, and mercy upon them and shall tell others about His glorious salvation, as Psa 145:10-12 declares: “All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.”

Mat 22:37-40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Eph 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Eze 36:25-27 “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

Bless The LORD, O My Soul, And Forget NOT All His Benefits - We have to remember what He has done. We have to be put “in remembrance”. This is because we can be such forgetful people. We can easily forget what God has done for us, what He has worked out in our lives. The idea of teaching the Gospel, of bringing the Word of God, is to put us “in remembrance of these things”. So what has God done that we are not to forget? Well, He has taken our sins and He has paid the penalty for those sins, a payment equal to all those whom He came to save spending an eternity in Hell: “For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. Right there, is a wonderful starting point for us to begin to bless the Lord, to thank God, to be very grateful for His Gospel, because it is His Gospel that can save people. In Deu 6, God is instructing mothers and fathers to teach God’s commandments diligently to their children, to talk of them “when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”. Why so often? Why so repetitive? Teach, teach, remind them, remind them lest they forget. This is language that is really speaking of salvation. As we came out of the kingdom of darkness – ruled over by Satan – typified by Egypt, we were in bondage to our sin. So this is what God would not have us forget: “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deu 6:12). “Forget not” all the blessings. Have you ever heard the song that says, “Count your blessings, one by one, and see what the Lord has done”? This is a very healthy thing for any of us to do, especially if our soul is cast down. Remember all that He has done. Forget not all His benefits. We have life. We have clothing. We have food. We have shelter. And we have much more than that, we have the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel and His promise of eternal life. We have Bibles, abundantly available. We can thank God for all these benefits, all of these blessings, all of these great spiritual riches that He has provided in Christ.

2 Pet 1:11-12 “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”

Eph 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Who Forgiveth All Thine Iniquities, Who Healeth All Thy Diseases - This is a wonderful fact that the Bible teaches: God forgives. Only God has the power and ability to forgive sins. Every sin that we have ever done, in thought, word, and deed, all our iniquities can be, potentially, with a snap of a finger, gone, removed, taken away, “cast… into the depths of the sea”, “as far as the east is from the west”, and they can be completely removed from us because Christ made the payment to redeem a people for Himself. He came to save sinners. In doing so, He took upon Himself all the sins of His elect. Psa 130:4 says we have to fear God because He has forgiveness in Him: “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared”. It does not say here that there is tremendous wrath, tremendous anger, or tremendous fury that God be feared, but that there is “forgiveness”. So I go to God – I know that this is where I ought to be going. Yet I am beginning to fear, especially as I am hearing that time is running out and the day of Judgement is right around the corner. It is almost like we are being pushed to the sea like the Israelites in Moses’ day. There they were at the sea and the Egyptians were in hot pursuit. They needed a miracle. The sea had to part, and only God could do that. He alone can open up the sea, as He did historically. He alone can have mercy and save us. But we have to remember that God is saving a “great multitude” of people and that all it takes to qualify is to acknowledge a sinner. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief ” (1 Tim 1:15), as God moved the Apostle Paul to say. Actually, this is a faithful saying, worthy of all receiving for every one of us. God will forgive. He will have mercy and “He delights in mercy” (Mic 7:18). God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Eze 33:11). He will punish them on the last day. He will cast them into Hell because He is the Just Judge, but He does not delight in doing this in the way that He delights in bestowing grace and mercy. God delights to save a sinner. There is rejoicing in heaven “over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). In Luke 5:18-24 and in Luke 7:36-50, What do you think? What is easier for Jesus? What is easier to do, to say that his sins be forgiven or to cause this man with a palsy to rise up and walk? Of course, it would be much easier for God to heal this man’s physical body. God has power on earth to do great and mighty and wonderful things. He can heal someone’s physical body, but in order for Jesus to say, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee”, what had to happen? Christ had to take those sins upon Himself and He had to bear them upon the Cross and He had to pay the price for all that man’s sins. He had to endure the equivalent of an eternal damnation with awful, awful wrath being poured upon Him, to the point where He was in an agony and He was shaken: “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt 26:42). We read in the Bible that this was such an awful weight: “Who [Lord Jesus Christ] in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” (Heb 5:7). So it is much, much, much easier to heal the physical part of man rather than the spiritual need, to say, “Thy sins are forgiven thee”. Christ healed him physically in order for us to know that He can heal spiritually. Jesus healed the blind. He gave hearing to the deaf. He raised the dead. He healed the man with palsy. As Jesus went about healing the sick and the lepers, He was teaching us that He has the ability and the power to forgive sins, that He can bestow grace upon us, that he is compassionate.

Mic 7:18-19 “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

Luke 5:18-24 “And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: ... Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.”

Who Redeemeth Thy Life From Destruction - The word “redeemeth” is a word that means that God has “bought”. He has redeemed a people for Himself. He has redeemed the elect. Where has He redeemed us from? Where were we when God found us? We were on the road to destruction. We were under the wrath of God. We were subject to spend an eternity in Hell (Rom 5:9-10). But He has redeemed us by His blood. Lord Jesus is called “the Prince of Peace” because he ended the spiritual war between God and rebellious mankind. Jesus said He came to bring peace between God and His people in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. The peace that results from salvation is called “peace with God” in Rom 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. True believers have peace with God because of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross that has “reconciled” them to God, as explained in 2 Cor 5:19: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [the Gospel] ...”. When we have become reconciled to God by salvation, God also gives us the “peace of God”. When we have the “peace of God which passeth all understanding”, our souls can rest quietly with God as we trust completely in Him with every aspect of our lives. Christians are not to be anxious or worried about anything. Not only are we not to be worried, we also learn this from Php 4:6, “... by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”. Col 4:2 instructs us to, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving …”. Col 2:7 explains, “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving”. The believer’s life is to be a constant overflowing of thanksgiving for all of God’s daily benefits to him, remembering, the Lord’s faithfulness and goodness. No matter how great our need, His inexhaustible grace is ever sufficient, plenteous, and overflowing as a mighty river. It will never run out and will always be there. As the Christian learns to depend and rely more and more on God and to rest in Him alone, he finds the peace that Isa 26:3 speaks about, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”. He has redeemed our life from going down into the pits of Hell, eternally: “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Psa 103:4). As a result, He has given us a crown, and this is why God uses the figure that believers are prophets, priests, and kings (1 Pet 2:9). He places a royal crown, a spiritual crown, upon the head of each one of His people. This points to the truth that we are a royal priesthood. We are spiritual kings. May God give us His peace if we do not know Him today; and if we do, may He give us a greater and abiding trust to rest in His grace, in His strength, and in His power as He graciously works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Rom 5:9-10 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Rev 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

1 Pet 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;”

Php 4:6-7 “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Lord, Teach Us To Pray - Be Anxious for Nothing

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:33:00 +0000

Worship, Thanksgiving and Petition - As we pray, we must keep in mind the One to Whom we are praying. Moses’ prayer in Psa 90:1-2 sums it up so simply, yet so profoundly: “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God”. As our Creator and Sustainer, God is first and foremost worthy of our adoration and thanksgiving: “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Psa 29:2); we can also bring our petitions and concerns before our Heavenly Father. In both the Old and New Testaments we are admonished to render our heartfelt thanks for all God has done and continues to do for us and through us. We can also see the kind mercy of God in allowing us to approach His throne of grace as typified and recorded in the example of Nehemiah’s request and subsequent answer to prayer in Neh 1 and 2. May God so work in our hearts that we would be motivated as the early Christians in Acts 6:4, who by God’s grace devoted themselves “to prayer and to the ministry of the Word”: “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

Deu 33:27a “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…”

Psa 116:17 “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.”

Neh 1:11, 2:4-6 “O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer… Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it. And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.”

Be Anxious for Nothing - The Greek word for “careful” is translated a number of times as “take no thought” – in other words, Christians are not to be anxious or worried about anything. For example, we see this demonstrated in the account of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. Martha was very worried about being a good hostess, and was “careful” (worried) and “troubled” (a word signifying uproar or tumult): “But Martha was cumbered about much serving ...”, but Jesus explained to her that her sister, Mary, had chosen that which was of supreme importance– to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn His Word: “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her”. Oh, may God so compel us to recognize this comfort in the midst of our moments of anxiety and frustration – that we too, would rest at Jesus feet and learn from His blessed Word. That is the “one thing that is needful” for our lives.

Php 4:6-7 “Be careful [anxious or take no thought] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Luke 10:38-42 “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he [the Lord Jesus] entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving - Not only are we not to be worried, we also learn from Php 4, let our requests be made known unto God with supplication and thanksgiving. What is prayer and supplication? Prayer is merely talking to God and pouring everything out to Him. The believer’s life is to be a constant overflowing of thanksgiving for all of God’s daily benefits to him, even as we follow the example set by the Master Himself. No greater example of prayer can be found than in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, and the Living Word, Who “... was made flesh, and dwelt among us”. As the Author of the Bible He has much to say about talking to God in prayer. After all, prayer is a gift and privilege which He created and bestows upon every Christian. However, today, let us consider what He Himself did: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35), “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). We read of Jesus’ greatest prayer to the Father, “not my will but thine be done,” that He spoke three times in the Garden of Gethsemane (which means the “winepress of God”) where He started to endure the wrath of God. It truly is amazing that infinite God – the Creator of this universe and our Maker – would stoop to hear His children’s pleas, and yet we know that He does.

Php 4:6-7 “Be careful [anxious or take no thought] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Heb 5:7 “Who [Lord Jesus Christ in garden of Gethsemane enduring the wrath of God] in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him [God - the Father] that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared…”

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,”

Col 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving”.

Col 2:7 “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

Shall Keep Your Hearts and Minds - God has shown His eternal salvation to His people. And because of that assurance, Christians are to bring their concerns and petitions before the throne of Grace constantly. Even though God knows our requests even before they enter our mind, we are to express them to our Heavenly Father. In doing so we realize afresh our absolute dependency on Him for every physical and spiritual need of ours, remembering, the Lord’s faithfulness and goodness. No matter how great our need, His inexhaustible grace is ever sufficient, plenteous, and overflowing as a mighty river. It will never run out and will always be there. As the Christian learns to depend and rely more and more on God and to rest in Him alone, he finds the peace that Isa 26:3 speaks about: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”. May God give us His peace if we do not know Him today; and if we do, may He give us a greater and abiding trust to rest in His grace, in His strength, and in His power as He graciously works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Pray Earnestly and Without Ceasing

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:32:00 +0000

Pray Without Ceasing - This verse is sandwiched in between two other equally difficult verses to put into practice. Verse 16 says, “Rejoice evermore”; and verse 18 says, “In every thing give thanks...". What is being addressed here is a moment-by-moment attitude of rejoicing and gratitude to the One Who has given us “every good gift and every perfect gift”. Likewise, God commands true believers to maintain a constant attitude of prayer regarding each conversation, each decision, each thought, each action, even the interruptions, problems, and challenges of that day as an opportunity to rejoice, thank and petition God for His mercy. God the Holy Spirit also empowers true believers to have that attitude.

1 Thes 5:16-18 "Rejoice evermore. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Jam 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Rom 1:8-9 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all [Paul thanks God for His work of faith in the lives of the believers in Rome and acknowledges them in his prayers] , that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”

Pray Earnestly

Jam 5:17 "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months."

Luke 18:1-8 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

Luke 11:5-8 "And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth."

Gen 32:24-29 "And Jacob [representing the elect of God] was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there."

Mark 10:46-48 "And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 48And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

Matt 15:21-28 "Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil [picture of being in Satan's bondage and have in need of Salvation]. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table [being humble and persistent]. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

What to Pray for?

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:31:00 +0000

The Bible instructs us that we can come to our Heavenly Father in Heaven, praising and thanking Him for all His blessings. In Heb 4, we learn that we have the wonderful privilege of bringing our requests into the very throne room of God Almighty. Of course, we should qualify all our petitions, with the very important statement “nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done” as the Lord Jesus Himself exemplified. Faith is not believing that whatsoever we ask we get, but believing in Gods Sovereign perfect Will and submitting to it. His Will for us is the ultimate good of building us up for Eternal Life by molding us into the likeness of His dear Son, Lord Jesus Christ.

Jam 4:2-3 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

John 16:23 "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you."

1 John 5:14 "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:"

Heb 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Luke 22:42 "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Pray for Salvation which is our greatest Spiritual need - The Lord’s Prayer is indeed the paramount reference point for the content of our prayers. The most important element in that prayer is to make sure that individually we examine ourselves to see if we really are a child of God, pleading with God for His mercy, as well as waiting upon him, as Lam 3 instructs. This is what can be understood by phrases such as “And forgive us our debts” and “And lead us not into temptation [trial]". Pray for the robe of Christ's Righteousness 'Righteousness of God' and 'Fruit of the Spirit' given in Salvation. Also pray for family and friends those who may not be saved that God might have mercy upon them, as well. This is what is meant by the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” or to “love your enemies.”

Mark 8:36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

Matt 6:25-33 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Luke 11:9-13 "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit [indwelling Holy Spirit, in other words, Salvation] to them that ask him?"

Gal 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Phil 3:9 "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"

Lam 3:26 “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

Pray for forgiveness of sins and victory over sins.

Matt 6:12-13 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. "

Psa 19:13-14 “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Pray that God might open our spiritual eyes to the marvelous truths in His Word – the Bible and Motivate us to be obedient to whatever Truth He teaches us.

Matt 6:11: "Give us this day our daily bread.[bread of life] "

Psa 119:18 “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Ecc 12:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

The Attitude of Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:28:00 +0000

Focus - Focus needs to be a chief priority as we pray, since one can be easily distracted. We must bear in mind that prayer should involve an intense focus on the object of our prayer – God Himself. Of course, only a believer will have this God-given desire because the nature of the child of God is to want to be obedient to the dictates of Scripture.

Psa 42:1 “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”

Psa 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.”

Psa 38:9 “Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.”

Isa 26:8-9 “Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

A Matter of the Heart - We have learned that God is concerned with what is actually going on inside a person – his innermost thoughts and motives. The Bible refers to this as a person’s “heart”. By birth and nature we have a sinful and wicked heart. God has much to say about a person who merely pays “lip service” to God and does not seek Him with all his “heart, soul, mind, and strength.” We must never forget that one can only do this when one has become saved – or “born from above”, by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to redeem His people from eternal Hell. Rev 1:14 gives this portrait of God the Son. Indeed, those eyes can penetrate the vast, dark regions of the human heart, open it up, lay it bare, and leave nothing hidden to Him, Who is Eternal Light.

Pro 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Jer 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Deu 30:6 “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”

Rom 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

Rev 1:14 “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire…”

Pro 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”

Pro 24:12 “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

Heb 4:13 "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

Isa 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.”

Humility - For each child of God, humility is not an option but a way of life. In 2 Chr 7:14, In the original Hebrew this verse reads, “shall be humbled”, because only God can humble someone. Indeed, everything we have received from God – both physical as well as spiritual benefits – are gifts from God’s gracious hand. Even His corrections and chastisements demonstrate His perfect, loving care and concern for each of His beloved children as He conforms them to the image of his dear Son. Our petitions should always include the words the Lord Jesus uttered, “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done,”

Jam 4:2-3 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

2 Chr 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Isa 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Jam 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Jam 4:15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

Quietness - In Mat 14 we discover a principle of prayer in Lord Jesus Christ's life that can be very helpful but is by no means a requirement for prayer. We also see Him alone – while the disciples slept – during His agonizing prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane "if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done". As well as on the cross, where he cried out publicly, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”. We must never forget that in that instance He was enduring the wrath of God, as Jonah’s prayer typified in Jon 2:2 depicts. Wonderfully, one can pray anywhere, anytime, in any situation. However, prayer can often be facilitated by having a quiet spot where we can pour out our hearts to our heavenly Father. Dan 6:10 recounts Daniel’s personal habit.

Mat 14:23 “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”

Luke 22:42 "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Jon 2:2 “And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.”

Dan 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

Psa 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

In Your Closet - As a prelude to the Lord’s Prayer later on in the chapter, Mat 6 gives some guidelines as to how to pray. Mat 23 rebukes the Pharisees as well as any of us who would place any trust in external rituals, and not in the Bible itself. Continuing in Mat 6, the Lord Jesus instructs His followers on how to approach their heavenly Father.

Mat 6:5 “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”

Mat 23:27 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

Mat 6:6-8 “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him..”

Prayer - Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:25:00 +0000

We Speak to God in Prayer - Prayer is the remarkable privilege that the child of God has for communicating with God. In creating mankind, God had in view the idea of fellowship. This was not due to anything that God was lacking or needed. In fact, from eternity past the Persons of the Godhead enjoy perfect communion among Themselves. But for man, there can be no greater benefit. However, the unique and personal relationship that they had with their Maker was quickly aborted by man’s fall into sin, resulting in both spiritual and eternal death for man, and wreaking havoc upon God’s perfect universe. However, for one who has become born from above, that fellowship with God has been re-established by the work of the Lord Jesus in salvation. Once again, man became qualified to enjoy fellowship with His Creator.

Psa 5:3 “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

Psa 141:2 “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

God Speaks to Us through the Bible - One also must note that prayer is a response to what God says to us in His Word, the Bible. Even though God did speak directly to Abraham, Moses, John and others, since the Bible was completed God has only been speaking to man through the Bible, God’s holy and infallible Word. It behooves us to mention that not only is God speaking to each member of the human race, but God’s Word is examining each of us with the utmost scrutiny. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Judge of all the earth, makes ominous declaration in John 12.

2 Pet 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Heb 1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”

Heb 4:12-13 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

Mat 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

John 12:48 “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

God Looks on the Heart - The Bible affirms in 1 Sam 16 that God looks on the heart and not on mere appearance. When we pray we must come to God as honestly as possible. We can fool others and even ourselves, but we can never fool God. It is no wonder that a true believer will want to pattern his prayers after Psa 19:14. A believer’s prayers should be heartfelt communication with the Savior – not merely mouthing of printed words or reciting memorized phrases. Could it be that our hearts would overflow with gratitude and praise to our Heavenly Father.

1 Sam 16:7b “... for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Ecc 5:2 “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.”

Psa 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Psa 69:13 “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.”

1 Sam 1:13-15 "Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.14And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD."

Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks - By birth and nature we have a sinful and wicked heart. God has much to say about a person who merely pays “lip service” to God and does not seek Him with all his “heart, soul, mind, and strength.” We must never forget that one can only do this when one has become saved – or “born from above”, by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to redeem His people from eternal Hell.

Jer 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Mark 7:6 “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”

Mat 12:34b “... for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Deu 30:6 “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”

Rom 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

A Quiet Time - Beginning A Quiet Time

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:23:00 +0000

Beginning a Quiet Time - The most important step in starting a quiet time is to BEGIN – Don’t put it off! Start with the following suggested guidelines and enjoy your time with the Lord. The barometer of the Christian life is the quiet time. Do it not because other people are doing it, not as a spiritless duty every day, and not merely as an end in itself, but do it because God has granted you the priceless privilege of fellowship with Him. Take time to be holy — speak often with the Lord – abide in Him only and feed on His Word. Don not become devoted to a habit, but be devoted to the Savior. God grant you the blessings of a quiet time!

Psa 119:16 "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."

Read the Bible - Read verse after verse, chapter after chapter, consecutively. Don’t race, but avoid stopping to do a Bible study on some word, thought or theological problem that may present itself. Jot it down it you’d like, and come back to it later to do the study. Read for the pure joy of reading and allow God to guide you into all truth. Read 20 verses or maybe a complete chapter. For example, you might choose to read a chapter from the Book of Proverbs every day to start your devotional.

Psa 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”

John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Pray

After God has spoken to you through His Word, then speak to Him in prayer. Four areas of prayer are easily remembered by the acronym, ACTS:

A - Adoration: This is the purest kind of prayer because it’s all for God- there’s nothing in it for you. You don’t barge into the presence of royalty. You begin with the proper salutation. Worship Him. Tell the Lord that you love Him. Thank Him for salvation in Christ our Lord. Reflect on His greatness, His power, His majesty, and His sovereignty!

Rom 16:27 “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”

C - Confession: Confession means “to agree together with.” Apply this to prayer and it means to agree with God. Something you said yesterday that you call a slight exaggeration - God calls a lie! You call it strong language - God calls it swearing. You call it telling the truth about somebody - God calls it gossip.

I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psa 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”

T - Thanksgiving: Express your gratitude to God. Thank Him for specific things: starting with your Salvation, your family, your job, and ministry responsibilities - thank Him for your hardships, too.

Psa 136:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

I Thess 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”

S - Supplication: Supplication means to ask for, earnestly and humbly. During this part of your prayer life, you make your petitions known to God. Ask for others, then for yourself. You could include people around the world. Pray for God’s guidance that you will be a faithful servant today, walking with the King and being a blessing to those around you. Pray that loved ones, friends, neighbors, coworkers and people, will hear the true Gospel message and be fed by God’s Word, the Bible.

Php 4:6 “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Rev 7:17 “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

Obey - Ask the Lord to give you grace to obey Him unconditionally. Set your mind to obey. Memorize and learn God’s truths and promises.

Rom 6:16 “know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteous-ness?”

Psa 1119:11“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”

A Quiet Time - Requirements For A Quiet Time

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:21:00 +0000

The Bible - Every day, when you open your Bible, ask God to give you understanding and a willingness to obey His Word. On the margin of your Bible, record nuggets of truth that God gives you. Jot down things that you would like to remember and reflect upon in the future days.

Psa 119:18 "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Psa 119:10 "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments."

Psa 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

John 14:15,23-24 "15If ye love me, keep my commandments. 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

A Quiet Place -This may be difficult for some people, but where there’s a will, there is a way. Jesus did it. You, too, can find a place with no distractions to be alone with God.

Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

Mat 6:6-8 “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

A Definite Time - Set a specific time and try to adhere to your daily schedule.

Psa 5:3 “My [David] voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O’ LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

Dan 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

Psa 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

Proper Attitude - God looks on the heart.

Isa 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.”

1 Sam 16:7b “... for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

2 Cor 10:5 says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The person of God must keep his/her mind on God during the personal devotional time. The proper attitude may be determined by these three factors.

The Physical Factor - Do not keep late hours at night and expect to be fresh to meet God in the morning. Your life must be disciplined if you want to get the maximum blessing from your time of devotions.

I Cor 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.”

The Moral Factor - This verse emphasizes the need for holiness.

Psa 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”

The Spiritual Factor - The spiritual factor stresses the need for obedience. God conditioned the revelation of truth on obedience. As I obey, God reveals; as I disobey, God ceases to reveal.

John 7:17 “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.”

A Quiet Time - The Reason For A Quiet Time

noreply@blogger.com (Words Of Life) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:18:00 +0000

Planning a Personal Time of Devotion - No one truly born of God doubts that it is a commendable practice to have a daily quiet time with the Lord; in fact, it is absolutely vital to Christian growth and development. The Bible associates the man of God with a disciplined devotional life. As David proclaimed in Psalm 57, a fixed and established heart produces stability. How many of us can really claim to have a fixed heart? In order to walk with the King of Kings and reap the blessings and promises of God each day, our attention must be focused on Him. A missing element in this endeavor might be a workable plan on how to begin and maintain personal devotions called a quiet time.

Psa 57:7 “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

THE REASON FOR A QUIET TIME - The Lord Jesus spoke these words to testify to the value of the quiet time. He is telling us that the whole Bible is for the whole man. Therefore, we cannot afford to miss any part of it, regardless of the difficulty of certain portions of the Bible. Communion with God in the light of His Word is vital for our spiritual foundation, spiritual correction, spiritual counsel, and victory in spiritual conflict.

Matt 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”

Spiritual Foundation - God has built into every child at birth the insatiable desire for the very thing by which that child lives. If there is no desire for the sincere milk of the Word, then there is no new birth. It is impossible to live the Christian life without a daily quiet time because God has put into our spiritual life and nature a hunger for the Word.

I Pet 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

Spiritual Correction - Nothing will cleanse and correct like the Word of God. The Lord planned the correcting and cleansing power of the Word.

2 Tim 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for...correction”

Psa 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word”

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you”

Spiritual Counsel - The more we read the Word of God, the more His teachings in righteousness are understood and obeyed. No one is guided by the spirit unless he seeks guidance in the Bible. All wisdom and knowledge is embodied in Jesus Christ and He is revealed on the pages of Scripture.

2 Tim 3:16 “All scripture... is profitable... for instruction in righteousness”

Psa 119:169 "Give me understanding according to thy word,”

Psa 73:24 "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel”.

Jam 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him”

Spiritual Conflict - In spiritual warfare we are to have on our defensive armor, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. The weapons we are to use are prayer and the Word of God. How did the Savior overcome the devil in the wilderness? He spoke the Word of God every time (Matthew 4). Jesus is God; He could have destroyed the devil in the wilderness, but He did not. He depended on the Word of God and the Spirit of God– and He defeated the devil. Isaiah said that his ears were open to hear the voice of his Lord; and thus, he was not rebellious.

Eph 6:11-12 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Eph 6:17-18 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Matt 4:3-11 "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

Isa 50:5 "The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back."