Prayer - Your Sheep Give Praise

 Father God, Asaph's attitude towards You and the place and people who bear Your name is so refreshing to see.  He is so sensitive and upset at all the defilement that happened to Your inheritance, to Your temple, and to Jerusalem.

These defilements and losses were perpetrated by neighboring nations who had brought about the devastation and who taunted, mocked and derided Your chosen people.  Asaph asks You to, 

"...pour out Your anger..." 

on these nations and kingdoms that have no regard for You, Your Name, nor Your people.  They do not call on Your name either.  Instead they try to rid the earth of what is Yours even to this day!

There is acknowledgement, however, that these things were brought about by the iniquities of those ones who did bear Your Name.  Punishment to the extreme but it was serious matter to You, Father.

Now Asaph sought for, and called upon, Your compassion, Your help, Your salvation.  You had rescued them before, and he knew You could do so yet again. He deeply felt, why should the nations continue to mock and taunt, 

"Where is Your God?"

So, you did rescue them and brought them back to Jerusalem where Your heart is.

Often, we, Your children through Jesus, are beset upon similarly, not always because of our sin and failures but because we bear the Name of Your Son Jesus.  May we be sorrowful at all the degradation in our own lives, nations and churches.  We too, cry out, 

"How long, O LORD!"

We look forward to the day You bring us all up to Glory to be with You.

Until then, as Asaph did, we submit to You, giving thanks that...

"...we Your people, the sheep of You pasture, will give thanks to You..." 

...now, and for all time and eternity to come.  We will tell our generations to come, of all You have done for us even in those times of great distress.  Your 'sheep' praise You, Father, and our Good Shepherd Jesus, whose Name we bear.

In Jesus' Name we praise.

                                                   ~ERC  February 2021~

Based on Psalm 79:1-13 ESV.

Lord's Day Devotion - Devotional Prayer - Yearning to be in Your Presence

 

Lord God Almighty, yes, we want to be where You are, we want to be in Your presence.  Are our souls yearning, fainting, to be in Your presence, to commune with You?  We know that You desire our company.  This we know because You say that, 

"...where two or three are gathered together in the Name of Jesus Your Son, that You are in the midst of us" (Matthew 18:20).

You are always in the midst of us.  You were already there, waiting, in fact.  You wait for us to come.  You desire us to come and are there to greet us when we do show up.  Forgive our, NOT always yearning in equal earnestness in reciprosity.  We were not punctual.  We didn't take it seriously and entered Your presence somewhat irreverently.  Sorry, LORD.  That may not sound terribly sincere but Father, there are those who are repentant in heart.  Hear them; hear us.

Now we have learned You are here already, standing in the midst of us; eagerly desiring us to gather around You.  May we have that equivalant eagerness to be with You, with fervancy and as if we truly will faint if we don't "get there" at the appointed time (of course, better late than never).  This yearning because our hearts and souls cry out to You, wanting to sing Your praises in worship.

Oh God, You are wonderful, even the sparrow and the swallow with her young wanted to be near You and built nests near Your Temple because You care for them.  You care for us too.

Thank-You.  Thank-You.

We want to be near You too, like those birds that some may think aren't worth much but are worth so much to You.  To be under the shadow of Your presence, to bathe in Your love and to be with You; we come, we shelter.

You never leave nor forsake us.  Thank-You.  You love us and we love You back.  May we love You with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  May we come to love You in all these ways because You first loved us.  You gave us Your Son to buy us back, redeem us, and rescue us from the slavery of sin and unrighteousness.  Rescuing from the consequences of our sin:  which is suffering; which is death; which would be everlasting Hell in time to come, in the after earth life -- for all eternity!

How grateful and happy we are that You rescued us.  You gave us that One Perfect Gift -- Your Son, Jesus Christ.  You always give perfect gifts and Jesus is the epitome of perfection.

It is this Gift accompanied by the gift of faith so that we can learn to trust Him, so that we may know You better.  Furthermore we can have the understanding and insight and therefore the proper response to Your will and ways and presence.

Speaking of which, to have the proper response that stems from a heart full of joy, gratitude and love for all You've done for us, as we join other like-minded brothers and sisters-in-Christ, coming together to be where You already are; waiting for us.  And so we break and partake of the bread in remembrance of Jesus' body broken for us on the cross.  We drink of the wine, symbolic of Jesus' blood shed for us;  that life-giving blood sacrifice.  Thus, we remember on any given Lord's Day.  Thank-You for such a precious Gift.

There are times, yes, when we are on "pilgrimages through the Valley of Baca" - the ups and down's of life that can be pretty brutal betimes.  Cruel.  Tragic.  However, there are also times when things are good; let us never forget You in those times either.  Keep us on the cutting edge of living our faith in You, with our eyes fixed on You and in Your presence may we be found.  Whether we are up, or down, in the Valley of Baca, or in a "place of springs", with "refreshing autumn rains," by a course of water, we can be refreshed and drink from You, our Living Water.  May all of us who are thirsty, come to Jesus our Living Water, and have life through Him.  

We know that You hear us, Lord God Almighty.  You hear our prayers.  May we remember to look upon You as our Shield and Guide; Jesus Your Anointed One, Who is Priest, Who is King, and Who is our Advocate and Savior.  In Him we trust and find refreshment.

May we serve You in whatever way You have for us, even if it is like this Son of Korah of Psalm 84, even humbly as a "doorkeeper in Your house".  Then we could be ever near You.  It's better than in a mansion full of bickering, arguing, fighting, back stabbing, unhappiness and wickedness -- apart from You!  Let us be found in Your house, gathered together with those who also wish to be in Your presence through Your Holy Spirit.

You bestow favor and honor upon those who seek Your face, who seek to be in your company.  You do not withhold good things.  You do not withhold them.

At times we are misguided and think in terms of material "good things" but Lord, Your rich blessings are spiritual, enduring and everlasting.  Being with You is going to be for all eternity in Your Heavenly mansion with streets of gold.  That eternity has already begun, now!  We can be with You in the quiet stillness of our "closets" or gathered together with the two's and three's, which could be a bit "noisier".  This, to walk and talk with You even in our lowly earthly abodes and church buildings.

We thank You for Your Holy Spirit Who helps us lead that blameless life the sons of Korah wrote about in this Psalm. May we follow in Jesus' footsteps by doing as He would do; following His footprints of submission to and pleasing You.

Forgive us Father, because we are not fully perfected yet.  Nevertheless, we thank-You for Your Holy Spirit, for Your Words that also help us.  May we be submissive to You, be obedient to You and Your words so we can have that sanctification needed.  We thank-You for our justification through faith in Jesus Christ that has made us righteous in Your sight and allows us to come boldly and confidently into Your presence, to be near You anytime we want and for however long we wish.

Yet Lord, the other side of that coin is sanctification and we need all the help we can get from You, from Your Holy Spirit, from Your words and from following after Christ.  The onus is on us to plug into these and You for our own good and growth in our spiritual life, I know, but may we be galvanized to do so.

May we continue to be blessed as we continue to trust in You, our everlasting Abba Father.  We are delighted to be in Your presence.  We love You.  Help us to ever say that truthfully from our hearts.  We pray this in Jesus name,  and Lord, we do yearn to be in Your presence.  May we dwell daily therein.

                                                      ~ERC  March 2021~

Based on Psalm 84:1-12 (ESV)

Sing, I Just Want to be Where You Are, with Don Moen.

Pink Book Recordings

 

"I'm going to write that down in my little black book," shouted the angry man at his neighbor.  "One more thing and that's the last straw.  I'll take you to court!"

Very unpleasant flinging of words.

No doubt there are worse.

However, sometimes we say that in jest, "I'm writing that in my black book."  A keeping tract of negative acts and actions that people perpetrate against us intentionally or not.

Pink books are nicer to have (or what ever other color), to record the things we are thankful for.  That lightens the load, atmosphere and countenance.  Everyone should have one of these and record as daily as possible and then give audible thanks to our Heavenly Father who cares for You and me.  Thanks to those in our life who also care for us and show us kindnesses and basic general good.  A word of appreciation never hurt anyone.

Look back over what you have written in your 'pink book recordings' then, over time, and give thanks and praise all over again.  Joy will flood your heart, soul and spirit along with gratitude to God our Heavenly Father.

A good friend of mine* records events in a very creative style.  She draws them!  She has a book in which to flood her creative talent, not just with sketching them out but adding authentic brushes of color.  Additionally, she picks up her calligraphy pen and weaves words of description and thanksgiving to her Heavenly Father into the 'fabric' of her as-it-happened book.    This friend even takes sermon notes in this fashion.

So often we thank the Lord, "thank-You for all You have done for us" but are not specific in regards to the "all".  Liberally sprinkled throughout the book of Psalms the various psalmists constantly contribute praise to Almighty God and delineate what His wonderful deeds to man, especially to the Israelites, have been.

It's a good practice and we know that God has His record books too.  He records our deeds and when we followers of Jesus Christ come before His 'Bema' throne in time ahead, He will reward that which was done out of a pure heart to honor and please Him.  Our deeds may be done in secret now but He will reward openly (Matthew 6:18).

It is just plain good manners too, to thank someone for things they do/have done for us or give us, and ways in which they have helped.  What more, to record the great things our Heavenly Father does for us and then thank Him!

Get out you 'pink' book and start recording today...😀

                                                  ~ERC  February 2021~

*Art credits for the "Together in Spirit" illustration go to my friend, Flora.  As you can see, it is a recording of "history" but it also depicts a tone of thankfulness to the Lord.

Good Book - SET FREE - How to Break Spiritual Bonds

 Do shivers compete and beat a tango dance up and down your spine when talking or reading about evil spirits?  We can read accounts of such evil beings in the Bible and we even hear about them from people who have had encounters with demons; or at least of someone they know.

Even as a follower of Jesus Christ, one may not even acknowledge such activity, or if we do, not know how to deal with such evil, deceptive beings.  We may know the minimum:  #1.  "submit to God" and #2.  "resist the devil and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7).  That is good and a big help but you can add more.  

Jesus gave the disciples and those "72 others" power and authority for casting out demons.  They had measures of "success" (read the gospels esp. Luke).  Believers in Jesus Christ have this same power and authority today.  The name of Jesus is upon them and in His name we have the God-given right, authority and power to do similarly as both Jesus and the disciples had done.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and will be tomorrow, as well (Hebrews 13:8).

It is NOT a game, however;  it's a very serious matter of 'fighting' not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and powers of the air as many of us know in theory (Ephesians 6:2).  Author John Aston who wrote SET FREE - How to Break Spiritual Bonds, gives very helpful insight in this regard.  Many new Christians, he says, especially in or from Asian cultural settings would be more aware of the influence of the evil spirits, which may well have attached themselves to these individuals in their pre-Christian state, says Aston, but even though these folks have now come to Christ they are still being harassed.  The spirits may even have hindered, or are hindering, a person who wishes to accept Christ and then to grow in their spiritual life with Jesus.  Additionally, Aston noted that some, even after having been Christians for many years may still be afflicted due to certain alliances with that world in the past; knowingly or unknowingly.   What can be done?

Aston spells it out well in his short work on the subject.  He even gives example prayers to help the person renounce and to "cut off" the various ties to the evil spirits.  Further to that, he highlights three major areas of spiritual conflict as seen in the Bible, bringing to light how the worship of other gods and of the paraphenalia, such as charms, idol statues and so on, that go along with the worship can affect people; of curses; seances and even of being a victim of the environment one has grown up in or even just lives in;  and then the focus of the book - how to be set free from all those entanglements.  This is where deliverance and cleaning up of places, and so on, become of necessity as the author relates.  

A fourth section with some other suggestions of helpful reading on the issue pertaining to how evil spirits work and how people can be free of them, is tucked into the back of the book.

It seems this writer had had major contact with SEAsian countries and their citizens and Hong Kong.  The forward to his book has been written by Jackie Pullinger who spent decades in Hong Kong and had also been immersed in the culture in that region.  Although neither Aston nor Pullinger were born or raised (as far as I know) in these regions, they've lived in it long enough to feel its pulse and learn at very close range of these spiritual bond matters.

Aston has been more involved in the Chinese Christian Fellowship in the UK; nevertheless I'd declare he is well experienced and capable of knowing how to help another believer or pre-believer to be set free (at least, judging from the little I know and from what I read in this book).  In fact, the Lord has allowed him to be very instrumental in so doing.  So he knows what he is talking about.

It has been very beneficial to learn of some of these very practical ways in which to follow that part of Jesus' command, besides preaching the gospel and healing folks of their diseases, to 'cast out demons'.  One and all could benefit from the reading of this book, SET FREE.

May all who are so 'captured' by Heavenly Father's enemy and enemy forces have those evil spiritual bonds broken and be set free.  May all these wicked beings be cast out and down to the ground and into the abyss, in the name of Jesus Christ and by His power and authority.

                                                       ~ERC  June 2021~

Lord's Day Devotional Haiku

 Light of the world, Jesus,

Into darkness, for me, came.

Gave light through the cross.

Jesus shined his Light

For all the world to see in-

to hearts of darkness.

There His life-blood washed

Every last sin stain away.

Enlightened, Jesus Shine.

Thank-You, Lord Jesus,

Light of the world, now I see;

Darkness became light.

       ~ERC  June 2021~

Sing Light of the World as sung by Michael W. Smith

* Photo credit from June 2021 calendar published by Gospel Folio Press

Prayer - Next Generation Needs to Know

 

Heavenly Father, it pleases and honors You when grandparents and parents tell the next generation about You and all Your deeds which You have orchestrated upon earth and in their personal lives.  Deeds of blessing as well as the deeds perpetrated upon them because of their disobedience to Your word and their own willful ways; suffering the consequences of disobedience or enjoying the fruit of obedience.

The children and grandchildren need to know this.  They also need to know Your character, as psalmist Asaph recorded.  Despite the waywardness, rebellion and disobedience of the Israelites, who did not "keep God's covenant" and "refused to walk according to his law" (vs 10), and forgot all the wonderful wonders God, in His favor, bestowed upon them (vs 11); You were compassionate towards them.

They forgot and they didn't tell their next generations.  Sad testimony.  Barely two generations despite Your commands, Father God, for the fathers to teach the next generation so they will know and so they could "set their hope in God" (vs 5, 7).

They did not tell their children as You had commanded to do, every waking moment, as seen in Deuteronomy 11:19-21.  You told them,

"Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth."

Father God, I know I'm reciting Your Scripture back to You but it feels like I need to say it all, to be reminded of Your desire for Your people.  The people back then didn't always do it and the same today,  many Christian parents forget to do these things for their children.  Asaph was very concerned about the next generations and how ignorant they were of You and Your ways.  It seems to be a serious, serious problem of neglect even today.  The generations are not being told.  It is alarming.  We beseech You for Your mercy upon us all.

Help us all, even when we have both children and grandchildren, to faithfully tell out the testimony of Your love, grace, mercy, care and compassion upon us, may You be lifted up and these generations give You the glory and honor, may they know Your wisdom and power and how they too can know You and have a personal relationship with You; "setting their hope," in You with every breath they have and sing Your praises.

Father, do remember though that,

"...we are but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again" (vs 39).

We are faltering folks and we grieve You.  When we grieve You and Your Holy Spirit may our "next generations" know that when they come to You, their Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, in repentance and confession, that You, in Your love and tender mercies, forgive and purify (1 John 1:9).

You gave the Israelites a shepherd in David who, with upright heart, 

"...guided them with his skillful hand" (vs 72).

May the next generation know You have also given us, all Christian grandparents and parents alike, Your Holy Scriptures and Your Holy Spirit to aid and guide our own lives, as well as those of our children and grandchildren; these "next generations" who need to know.  We implore You to galvanize the former generations to tell Your story of salvation and wondrous deeds, again and again.  May they learn to sing praise to Christ alone.

In turn, may they too, tell their next generation to,

"...set their hope..."

in You, O Father God, and in Jesus Christ Your Son through Whom they can have salvation and life with You.  Have mercy upon us.

In Jesus name we implore both You and them.

                                                 ~ERC  February 2021~

Based on Psalm 78:1-72 (ESV)

Sing the Sunday School song, Tell It Again (Salvation's Story)

Prayer - Remember His Deeds

When God seems to be silently ignoring and rejecting you (from your perspective), in the midst of deep pain, even when crying out to Him in your distress; "groaning" and "fainting in spirit," what do you do?

Asaph wrote to Jeduthan, that he would remember the song he'd sung before of God's deeds, unfailing love, promises that had never failed to be kept, of His anger He'd withheld because of His compassion; of all the long ago miracles and works God had performed for them throughout the Israelites' history with God.  He enumerated them and they added up.  With these, he comforted himself and found some answer.

God loves him and does not abandon.

You know, something?  It is good to journal all the times our Heavenly Father works wonders and deeds for us.  Maybe those are personal ones, or ones per family or per friends (you prayed together and things happened); or even per church congregation.  Record these, even the simple things of life that one can be thankful for and praise the Lord for.  Give thanks with a grateful heart. Look back over them now and again.  That list could grow very long and lengthy and you can praise Him all over again.

This collection of works God wrought for you, personally, can give you that mooring, rooting and steadfastness needed for those times of dearth, drought and hardship where you think there is no response from God despite your deep and loud, SOS cries for His help and intervention.  Those times when you feel you cannot and will not ever be comforted and He is rejecting you, remember His deeds that operated in your life prior to the current drama dragging you down.  Look up and remember His deeds.

Recall these upon your bed and through the tears coursing down your cheeks, soaking your pillows.  His love is unceasing and everlasting.  His love is unfailing and incorruptible.  He is there!  Our compassionate living and loving God, is there.

Father God, we often despair because of the traumas and tragedies life hits us on the head with.  You are there in the midst of it though, even in the silence, and in rejection we might feel because of it.  We cry out to You again and again knowing Your compassion fails not and reviewing all You have done for us in the past; knowing You are the same yesterday and today and will be tomorrow, too, when we wake up.

Forgive us though, LORD, when we feel abandoned by You.  We are people who like to see the tangible, to have, hold, feel, touch, hear.  Build our faith, as You did for Asaph, in those times that we only hear our own echo.  May we remember Your loving care in past times, as did Asaph.

You led Your Israelite flock folk by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  You led Asaph and subsequently, Jeduthan and the whole nation of Israel, all lthe way to us now, even through mighty waters which often roar near us.  You led without leaving footprints that could literally be seen.  We are confident that you are leading us and as we remember Your works in our lives, that You lead us too, through the silence and perceived lack of footprints.  Hold us fast because You know us and we are Yours through Jesus.  

It is in Jesus' name we pray and cry out to You and in His name we praise as we remember Your wonderful deeds being worked for us and into the fabric of our lives.

                                                    ~ERC  February 2021~

Based on Psalm 77:1-20 (NIV).