my name

Pray for fulfilled promises

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There are a lot of stats flying around these days on how people are dying. Some go far back into history and others talk about the first six months of the year.  I saw a stat that broke my heart. There was a list of the top 10 ways individuals are dying today and the greatest number, by millions, were abortions. There is an actually site that counts the number of abortions taking place in the world today. When I started to meditate on this verse it took me a while to come to a place of prayer.

‘We did not murder this one, and we do not know who did it. Lord, forgive your people Israel, whom you rescued from Egypt. Forgive us and do not hold us responsible for the murder of an innocent person.’ And so, by doing what the Lord requires, you will not be held responsible for the murder. – Deuteronomy 21:7-9 GNT

At first I was thinking this was a great verse to pray over my children, my city, my province and my country and that God would be merciful. Then I thought of the abortions and I was immediately overwhelmed for all of them were intentional. I had to take a few steps back just to breathe. Does that not make this prayer come to our lips.

May his life soon be ended;
    may someone else take his job!
May his children become orphans,
    and his wife a widow! – Psalm 109:8-9 GNT

Now I am evaluating why and for whom I pray. I need to find a place of grace and mercy and I need for those who have sinned so greatly, including myself, to find forgiveness and life.

“In order that people will praise my name,
    I am holding my anger in check;
    I am keeping it back and will not destroy you.
I have tested you in the fire of suffering,
    as silver is refined in a furnace.
But I have found that you are worthless.
What I do is done for my own sake—
    I will not let my name be dishonored
    or let anyone else share the glory
    that should be mine and mine alone.” – Isaiah 48:9-11  GNT

Out of this I have a prayer and it starts like this, “Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honoured.” I too need to find myself praying that God will fulfill His promises and rescue His name and His reputation from the world.

BUT herein it is required, that we rest not in the Notion of this Truth, and a bare Assent unto the Doctrine of it. The affecting Power of it upon our Hearts, is that which we should aim at. Wherein doth the Bles∣sedness of the Saints above consist? Is it not herein, that they behold and see the Glory of God in Christ? And what is the Effect of it upon those blessed Souls? Doth it not change them into the same Image, or make them like unto Christ? Doth it not fill and satiate them with Joy, Rest, Delight, Complacency and ineffable Satis∣faction? Do we expect, do we desire the same State of Blessedness? It is our present View of the Glory of Christ which is our Initiation thereinto, if we are exercised in it, until we have an Experience of its Transforming Power in our Souls. – John Owen

 

Prayer and action in coming to the Father

prayer and action

How many times did Jesus mention the Father as He prayed in John chapter fourteen?

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.” – John 14:6 GNT

I love the invitation that we can come to the Father through Jesus.

And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me[d] for anything in my name, I will do it. – John 14:13-14 GNT

And I love the promise that He will answer and will respond to our ask.

My mind today is on the work of God in my town and how I am called to respond.

A city becomes great when the righteous give it their blessing; but a city is brought to ruin by the words of the wicked. – Proverbs 11:11 GNT

Can I imagine how I can benefit my town through my prayers rather than my debates? Prayer changes things. I believe my town is preserved and prospered because of those who are praying for it. Prosperity depends on my prayers. and my actions as I serve my community.

The same is in my own life. I always fight sin and temptation. It is a spiritual battle.

So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy. – Ephesians 4:22-24 GNT

The idea of getting rid of my old self is not a passive undertaking. I cannot just pray about it and walk away thinking my job is done. Prayer without the pursuit of holiness puts me in a bad place. I am called by God through the power of the Holy Spirit and able to obey God through the same Spirit. I can grow in my holiness as the Spirit of God works in me and the more I have Him dwell in me the more I can war against the sin that wants to set up camp within me. I am not only called to salvation, put to a pursuit of holiness and wholeness.

I repeat here what I previously said in reference to the Lord’s Prayer: if in the midst of such thoughts the Holy Spirit begins to preach in your heart with rich, enlightening thoughts, honor him by letting go of this written scheme; be still and listen to him who can do better than you can. Remember what he says and note it well and you will behold wondrous things in the law of God, as David says. – Luther