Prayer - Where's the Spiritual Man?

 

You are an awesome, living God, Father!  You are the LORD God of hosts that Ethan the Ezrahite wrote about millennia or so ago.  We can read it now in Psalm 89.  Ethan, was a singer-songwriter and musician of the same caliber as our favorite, David.

He knew how to sing Your praises, remarking on Your steadfast love and faithfulness, not just to him or his ancestors, but to all generations.  You established them in the heavens and upon Your chosen ones with whom You had a covenant.  Ethan appreciated this, nestling down there into the inner sanctums of his heart and soul.

You had promised David that his offspring would be on the throne for all generations.  You are still keeping that promise because, hallelujah, Jesus, David's descendant, is on the throne in Heaven!

No wonder Ethan writes, You are 

"...a God greatly to be feared" (Psalm 89:7 ESV).

You are so awesome.  The one true God, among so many false ones.  We look at the beauties and wonders and diversities in Your creation and shake our heads, well, in wonder and awe; our almighty Creator God.

Sometimes we even chuckle at Your humor.  Like this morning, a young chameleon, scuttled away for all it was worth, when it got startled by my presence in its path.  It looked so cute in its hurry, I couldn't help but to be amused.  (Of course, I don't like them in my house though; outdoors, is fine, thank-You.)

That gave me a "lift" from You for my day.  You are the Giver who continues to give.  It's astounding cuz, You are the LORD God of hosts!  So mighty that the raging seas foam and ferment, but You calm them.  You calm them by Your "strong hand" and "mighty arm" and even as Jesus did in the presence of his disciples, with, His voice,

"Peace be still" (Mark 4:39).

And so You calm our raging of soul, spirit, minds, emotions, and will.  Your righteousness and justice, and Your steadfast love and faithfulness are Your foundations and become ours in the light of our salvation through Jesus Christ.  We can depend on Him in the thick of the storms of life; and in the thick of the great disappointments of life.  The light of Your face shines upon us and we can then "exult in Your name, all day," (vs 15-16) if we wish to.

You become for us, as You did for Ethan, the "glory of our strength" because our strength is in You; You become "our shield" through faith in Jesus and You exalt our names because

"those who honor You, You will honor" (1 Samuel 2:30);

in Your way and in Your timing.  Our times are in your hands, Father, as that lovely old piece in song, goes.  Our enemy Satan, cannot outwit us when we have Your armor on and stand firm in You, in Your Word, and in Your strength; when we stand firm...and...pray!

This enemy that is NOT flesh and blood, he and his minions will scatter.  When we submit to You and we resist the evil one, he flees.  He cannot establish his foothold in our lives.  We are Your children, called by Your Name through Jesus.  We belong to You.  Help us never to forget that! as we walk according to Your word and ways, and plan for our lives.  As we sit and bask in Your presence, communing with You, oh our Father God; our Abba Father, make us faithful witnesses for You, like the moon and vast skies You fixed above us that stay the daily course.  Like the seasons that chase and morph into each other in turn.  You said that would happen and it does.  We can depend upon Your promises and word.

Don't hide Yourself from us though, Lord, in our lifes' struggles.  We need You every hour.  Our time on earth is short, like the flower that grows up for a day and then is gone, like James says in his book.  You are the one who can deliver us from the "power of Sheol" that we experience on earth.

King David knew all about that and this Ethan the Ezrahite seems to understand this for himself too.  So he focuses on your steadfast love, faithfulness and righteousness that are established and became so in his life, too.  Being established in these areas help us to withstand the mockery from Your enemies against Your chosen ones and especially such as David who even his footsteps got mocked.  We cannot imagine that but if he said it, I believe it to be true.  You too, know, though, how this feels since Your Son Jesus, endured this type of treatment to the 'Nth' degree.  Oh Father God, how we bless Your name.  Ethan wanted it blessed "forever" (vs 2).  Amen, so be it.

The thing I appreciate about this Ethan fellow, is that he was a musician who believed what he sang, wrote and accompanied by instrument (some people think he played the cymbals).  How it warms my heart to see worship leaders who truly connect with You.  It is not just some Sunday ritual to be got through because no one else will take up that role.

Father, we NEED the spiritual man willing and deeply desirous to be "sold" and "souled" out for You and leading Your people in all godliness and honesty; to be, themselves, established in You, in Your steadfast love, righteousness and faithfulness in the abundant amount that reaches to the skies.

Where are these men of integrity, Lord?  Bring them to the fore, alive and on fire for You, to our two's and three's and more.  Impress their manner of life and heart upon our hearts so that we too, will delight in You, so that we too will lift up our hearts, souls, and spirits in song, praise and worship of You and Your Son Jesus Christ Who made it all possible; to worship with pure hearts before You.

Indeed, blessed be Your name, LORD, forever!

In Jesus' name we pray and praise.

                                                        ~ERC  March 2021~

Based on Psalm 89:1-52 ESV.

Sing, Our Times Are In Your Hands, by Scott  Barton of Cobleskill United Methodist Church

Prayer - Born Near You

 

Heavenly Father, You do love to be right smack dab in the center of Your people!  The Sons of Korah loved that You loved to be.  They make very glad mention of it and it makes everyone glad too.  They wrote,

"On the holy mount stands the city He founded; the LORD loves the gates of Zion..." (Psalm 87:1-2 ESV).

You "founded" and "established" Zion, just so Your people of Israel could gather round You and "record" and 'register" those born there!  These were the people and parents who wanted to be near You.  Singers and dancers, too.  The joy of it!

O Father, may we, Your children, nowadays, have that deep, heartfelt desire, longing and yearning to be near You; to gather together with others, old and young alike, to be with and even "born" in a place that honors You; to bring up those youngin's from babyhood, to be near You physically so they can be near You spiritually as well.  Then everybody can say and sing, "All my springs are in You!" with happy, joyful hearts.  And, together with joy in our God, to sing of His love for us and of being near Him.  

Just think of that!

"Selah."

                                                          ~ERC  March 2021~

Based on Psalm 87:1-7 ESV.

Sing, We Joy in Our God and Sing of His Love, with the choices of these tunes.  Or try this tune, Houghton.  The singing isn't great but it will give you the idea.  Think of the lyrics.

Lord's Day Devotion - Devotional Prayer - Holy and Forgiving God

 

You are a forgiving God, Oh LORD.  We are very grateful for this.  Yet, Your love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness do not override Your truth, holiness and justice.

Oh folks may think they can get away with their wrongdoings but You, Oh Lord, do sit enthroned.   You have "established equity" and "executed justice" and righteousness is Your motto as You are righteous altogether.  Holy are You and Holy is Your Name!

You are The God over all and we are Yours through Jesus Christ.  We worship at Your feet; in Your Holy presence.  We exalt You above the Heavens and all the most equisite and awesome creation.  You are our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer.

In Your holy presence may we tremble, compeling us to confess all unrighteousness on bended, humble knees and live that holy life -- to be holy as You are holy, oh Father, even while here on earth.

Thank-You for Your forgiveness and purification made possible through Jesus.  His death and resurrection made it all so.  Thank-You.  We remember what He did for us through the breaking and partaking of the broken bread, and the drinking of the cup of wine each Lord's Day.  We pass these emblems one to another of our brothers and sisters-in-Christ in commemoration, thereof.

We know in time to come we will stand, and bow, in Your literal presence, before Your throne, crying, along with the tens of thousands of angels, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!"

Justice will then reign in full capacity and consummation.  Folks will NOT "get away" with unrighteousness and evil deeds in the Kingdom of God on the new earth.  Of course, not in Heaven either in Your presence Father.  

May we all join Moses, Aaron, Samuel and all the others who "called upon [Your] Name" to worship and exalt You, Oh Lord, our Most Holy and Forgiving God.  We worship, praise, and pray in and through the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

                                                       ~ERC  March 2021~

Based on Psalm 99:1-9 ESV

Sing, Holy, Holy, Holy, along with Audrey Assad.

Prayer - Let Not...Forget It

 

You are the Most High over all the earth, Father God.  You are sovereign and in control.  Let not all the potsherds of the earth forget it.  Let not Your enemies who believe they have a strong arm against You and who "aspire in one accord" to "wipe out" all Your people from the face of the Earth, not forget it.

May all the "good" people of the earth, even those who contribute to society in multiple ways not forget it.  In particular here, those who orchestrated the making of the vaccine against COVID-19 - all those scientists and sincere politicians when they are found, and all those frontliners who battle against the virus and the general population, who hope against hope, hoping to attain "herd-immunity"; let these people the world over never forget that You are the Most High, Father.

On an aside though, Father, help those frontliners in particular, give them the strength and wisdom and the caring to keep on keeping on in this struggle.  It has been most relentless for them.  Give them some good cheer in all the hospitals and medical facilities in all the countries of the world.

May one and all wake up, and bow down to You; seeking Your name, O LORD, realizing You want their attention.  You want them "TO SEEK YOU"!  To seek with all their hearts as well as their minds; asking "What do You want, God?"  And "What is the meaning of all this?"; bowing down to You, realizing, "Yes, YOU, are in control, not them.  We have never been able to hold the wind in our hands even though we can harness it some and utilize it, You are the one who sends it from Your storehouses -- wherever they may be, and You are the One with the antidote to COVID-19 and other such viruses that have run rampant throughout this Earth and its inhabitants, and got us all stumped.  You are the One in control!!  Let us not forget it.

Thank-You Father God, for the intelligence You've meted out to the "brains" in the world and given the ways and means to even formulate the various vaccines and You did not pool these faculties and facilities in one country either!  You are all wise!  You dispatched and dispersed them.   I can see you smiling about that.  You hold the monopoly, copyright and the patent for mankind's apparent advancements.

May one and all realize, as Asaph did, 

"...that they may know that You alone, Whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth."

YOU are the one in control, O Sovereign LORD!

On bended knee, may the populace declare it as one,  "We must NOT forget it".

May they all seek You while You can be found.  They need You and the salvation You offer through grace and by faith in Jesus Christ.  This is the most essential 'antidote' to sin we all need.  Thank - You for it.

Asking and praising in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Your son, Who makes it all possible to never forget You.

                                                    ~ERC  February 2021~

Based on Psalm 83:1-18 ESV

The Opened Door

 

There was a great panicked pounding upon the door accompanied by agonized cries, shouting, "Lord!"  "Lord! Open to us!"

The calm fateful reply came,

"I don't know you."

And the door was kept firmly shut.

What a terribly, terrifying consequence of assuming one knows the Lord but in reality, does not.  One had "faithfully" done much work in the Lord's name but had never really known the Lord.  It had all been a convincing act to the fellow human beings, but not to God.  They had only known Him in their heads.  Very sad travesty.

"On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in Your name? (Matthew 7:22 ESV)?

Judas Iscariot was one such as that.  Then he betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin.  He did not repent.  He had remorse, yes; but no repentance.  Therefore, he went and hanged himself.  In the afterlife, Jesus will very likely have to declare to him,

"I never knew you; depart from me..." (Matthew 7:23 ESV).

How devastatingly awful!  Can't get my head around this.  To have known in the head and mind but not in the heart!

Similarly, the five out of the ten bridesmaids or virgins, who did not have enough oil for their lamps cried out saying,

"Lord, lord, open to us."

Again, the bridegroom answered,

"Truly, I say to you, I do not know You" (Matthew 2:10-12 ESV).

The wheat and the tares had grown up together but harvest time showed the difference.

This is solemn scenario.  Those who have grown up well-versed in the Bible, well-churched, maybe even involved in some sort of leadership among the Lord's people; please, with integrity of heart, know the Lord with all Your heart, and not just your head.  Examine your hearts before the Lord and get right with Him.

The "one who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven," said Jesus, is the one who will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21 NIV).  When they say, "Lord, Lord," the door will be opened to them. In contrast, if one says, "I know Jesus" but does not keep His commandments and shows that he/she does not know Him, expect that the door would not be opened to them no matter how heartfelt the "Lord, lord" had been. God will be the Judge in the end.  He is the One to let anyone in.

Those who "know the Lord," keep His commandments and truly love Him will be perfected.  First John 2:5 and 6 explain how a person can know, that they know the Lord.

"By this we may know that we are in Him:  whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked" (ESV).

Walking the talk, at heart level; truly loving Him both in head and heart, and keeping there.

May this truth be in all of us through Jesus Christ, in all sincerity and when we call upon Him, "Lord, Lord!" we will be confident of His opening the door to us.  The ones who choose Jesus and accept salvation through Him, have a firm foundation and are ready when the Bridegroom comes no matter the time of day or night; no matter whether awake or asleep.  These are the "ready and waiting" ones.

There will be no frantic knocking nor desparate, alarmed screaming, "Lord, Lord, open to us!" at the door, because You know Him and He knows you.  In fact, we will not even have to knock, the Door will be opened to us and Jesus will beckon us on in because He knows each one.

These are the ones who have ,

"washed robes and a right to the tree of life and enter the city by the gates" (Revelation 22:14 ESV).

May each and every one reading this know the Lord in both head and heart and so enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Lord is there and awaits you.  He wants to know you.  Choose Him.

"May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with all" (Revelation 22:21 ESV).

                                                    ~ERC  March 2021~

See also:  Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:11-13; 1 John 2:3-6; Revelation 22:14.

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Prayer - "Poetic" Justice

 

Heavenly Father, the rain comes down on the righteous and the unrighteous.  Covid-19 attacks earth's citizens equally as well, as it does upon the rich and poor.  No amount of money could stop any of it.  Back in Febuary 2021, the Texas freeze affected Texan residents without discrimination.  No doubt they got their helps and are "back in business".  Yet the conditon of the poor and needy, the fatherless and the weak across the scope of the world, often have little to no justice in the general daily run of things, just as in Asaph's day.

Rescue them.  Deliver them from wicked men.  The so-called "strong" may think they are gods:  those politicians; tycoons, or even the social media platform CEO's; those of whom You have put into position of power and authority.  These people don't always bring the justice needed for "the little guy;" those "weak" who are close to Your heart.

O Most High, the Righteous Judge of all the earth, the One who is perfect in meting out justice,

"Arise...judge the earth" (v 8.)

In many ways covid, freezes, earthquakes, and so on, are wake-up calls to Your human creatures.  May they take note.  May they seek You.  May they seek Your message from You, their Divine Councillor.  May they 'get it' and start treating all with equal justice before the fullness of Your judging comes upon us.

Father, may those who are Your meek children and who mete out justice on behalf of and to the poor and needy, to the fatherless and widows and the weak, inherit all the nations to do more of Your work.  Those ones who "Go" and those who send the "Go-ers" into all the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, who are Your eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet, be sold out to You and justice for these people.  They honor You; may they be honored by You.

May justice reign.  We look forward to Jesus' coming and the fullness of Your justice through Him.  That would be gracious 'poetic' justice we all can appreciate.

In Jesus, our Advocate's Name, we ask.

                                                    ~ERC  February 2021~

Based on Psalm 82:1-8 (ESV)

Good Book - Light From Heaven

 Christmas Carol Kauffman, I kid you not, that is really the author's name, was from a Mennonite background.  Her stories reflect that way of life and are often based on true events and people.  Such is this book, Light From Heaven.

A story of a father's abuse of his children especially of his eldest son, and of a mother whose influence could overide the negative effects of the cruelty through her strong faith and reliance on Jesus and her Heavenly Father.  She too suffered unnecessary deprivation and neglect, and that in silence.  Not many knew of the depth of this family's plight as the father presented a very different public facade.

If anyone reading this comes from such a severely dysfunctional family such as this, you may find this story very close to your own heart and experience.  The 'journey' of the main character, Joseph, may run parallel to your own struggles of heart and mind as you fiercely strive to respond to the hurt and insults of vebal and physical abuse, in a Christ-like manner.  A huge test of faith especially if you do not have a praying mother or father (or other champion) as steadfast support throughout the lifetime years spent in the parental home.  In Joseph's case, the Light from Heaven shone through the mother to her children even into the barren desert places of their lives.

(I in no way advocate that one keep silent as did the mother, who also suffered, in such cases.  There are organizations and people who can help people to get the protection and justice needed.  Please seek out those places if at all possible.  At the time the events of this story took place, there were few, if any such 'helps' and these things were likely more taboo to mention.)

I've read this story ten times or more over my life and still revel in that ability of the most injured of the family to be able to forgive.  It is a truly magnificent story from this perspective of God's forgiveness working in and through both mother and children.  Truly a heart-warming story.  Only  through the grace and goodness of God could such a history have such a good outcome.

Father God, You know who is hurting excruciatingly in such abusive situations.  Help each one to be able to overcome with Your Holy Spirit's help, to forgive.  Help them find their way of escape from their respective dysfunctional situation.  Give them freedom from their own sins and the sins of others perpetuated against them.  May they each have freedom in Christ to live for Your glory and honor, and to shine with Your Light through them to others.  Bless all the readers of this book as they find and read a copy of Light From Heaven.

                                                          ~ERC  June 2021~