The Scripture and Prayer

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit for such things as God has promised.

[John Bunyan]

James 5:14 ...  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Matthew 21:22 ...  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Romans 12:12 ... Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Ephesians 6:18 ... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Philippians 4:6 ... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Colossians 4:2 ... Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

1 Peter 4:7 ... But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Proverbs 15:29 ... he Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Psalm 6:9 ... The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

Psalm 102:17 ... He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. ❤

Prayer at All Times!!

Frequently we pray that God would not forsake us in the hour of trial and temptation but we too much forget that we have need to use this prayer at all times. There is no moment of our life, however holy in which we can do without His constant upholding. Whether in light or in darkness, in communion with Him, or in temptation we alike need the prayer, "Do not forsake me, O Lord!" "Hold me up and I shall be safe!" (Psalm 119:117)

A little child, while learning to walk always needs the parent's aid. The ship left by the navigator drifts at once from her course. We cannot do without continuous preservation from our God!

Let this be your prayer every day:

"Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O my God!

 Father, do not forsake Your child lest he fall by the hand of the enemy.

 Shepherd, do not forsake Your lamb lest he wander from the safety of the fold.

 Great Gardener, do not forsake Your tender plant lest it wither and die!

 Do not forsake me now, O Lord! And do not forsake me at any moment of my life.

 Do not forsake me in my joys lest they absorb my heart.

 Do not forsake me in my sorrows lest I murmur against You.

 Do not forsake me for without You I am weak, but with You I am strong.

 Do not forsake me for my path is dangerous and full of snares.

 Do not forsake me for I cannot travel without Your guidance.

 The hen does not forsake her chicks. O Lord, give me refuge under Your wings.

 Do not be far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near and there is none to help.

 Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O God of my salvation!"

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Psalm 38:21 ...  Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.

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Thou Art Great!!

Lord, how great You are, beyond words, beyond comprehension, beyond anything my mind can fully grasp or my heart fully express.

Your greatness is displayed everywhere I look, in creation's vastness, in miracles recorded in scripture, in my own life where You've shown up time and again.

Teach me to live with constant awareness of Your greatness, not just acknowledging it intellectually but responding with awe, wonder, and worship that flows from really seeing who You are.

You are great in power, creating universes with a word, great in love, pursuing humanity relentlessly, great in mercy, forgiving what should be unforgivable.

Help me never lose my sense of wonder at Your greatness, never become so familiar with You that I forget how magnificent, how mighty, how marvelous You truly are.

Remind me that the greatness I see is just a glimpse, that what I comprehend is only a fraction of Your full glory, that eternity won't be long enough to explore Your greatness completely.

Give me a heart that responds to Your greatness with worship, with surrender, with trust, knowing that a God this great is worthy of my complete devotion.

Let my life declare how great You are, not just in words but in how I trust You, follow You, and give You the honor that Your greatness deserves.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

                                                                  faithfulgrace.com

Psalm 86:10-12 ... For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.  Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Psalm 145:3 ... Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

Psalm 95:3 ... For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. ❤

Until ...

 Pray. 

Not until God hears you, pray until you hear God!!

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1 Thessalonians 5:17 ... Pray without ceasing.

James 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.

Jeremiah 33:3 ... Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. ❤

Mediate, Practice, Pray

You must meditate and dwell upon what you read; otherwise, your labors will be lost. The more any man contemplates the Scriptures, the more deep and firm impression is made upon his heart by those truths. Heavenly meditation brings out the sweetness in divine truths. Not those who get most, but those who keep most, are the richest. Just so, not those who hear most, or read most; but those who meditate most, are the most edified and enriched.

You must also practice and live out what you read. To read much and practice nothing, is to hunt much and catch nothing. Ah! what cause have most to sigh, that they have heard so much, and read so much; and yet done so little!

You must also pray over what you read. Many read much and pray little; and therefore, get little by all they read. Galen writes of a fish called Uranoscopos, that has but one eye, which continually looks up to the heavens. Just so, when a Christian has one eye upon his Bible the other eye should be looking up to Heaven for a blessing upon what he reads!

[Thomas Brooks]

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Joshua 1:8 ... This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

119:97 ... O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 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. ❤

Time to Pray!!

As the war in Iran rages on, experts are warning that World War III may be closer than ever. Scientists have moved the Doomsday Clock to just 85 seconds before midnight the closest it has ever been to symbolic global catastrophe.

Not surprisingly, fear and anxiety are surging. Among adults under 30, depression rates have nearly doubled since 2017. Almost one in five American adults experienced an anxiety disorder last year alone. Millions are glued to their phones, doomscrolling, constantly looking down, absorbing one alarming headline after another.

But Jesus told us to do something very different. He said, “When you see these things begin to happen, look up, for your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

In other words... don’t panic. Look up.

Don’t panic. Pray.

[Greg Laurie]

Philippians 4:6-7 ... Be careful 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. ❤

Sincere Prayer ...

Prayer is a sincere, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised in His Word.  Prayer opens the heart to God, and it is the means by which the soul, though empty, is filled with God's grace. 

The truths that I know best, I have learned on my knees. I never know a thing well, until it is burned into my heart by prayer.  Sincere prayer is a shield to the soul, a scourge to Satan, and a fragrant and pleasing sacrifice to God. 

Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer. When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words be without heart. 

[John Bunyan]

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

Ephesians 6:18 ... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Mark 11:24 ... Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. ❤

Hollow Religion!!

2 Timothy 3:4-5 ... Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them!

Titus 1:16 ... They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him being detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good. 

These verses pierce like a double-edged sword, exposing the solemn danger of mere external religion. They speak of those who have all the appearance of godliness the vocabulary, the rituals, the reputation; but are inwardly estranged from the transforming power of God. They are not described as atheists or pagans, but as professors of the truth. They are not outside the church, but within its walls. Their conduct, however, betrays them. While their lips speak of God their lives declare allegiance to self, sin, and the world. This strikes at the heart of false religion: people content with the form of godliness, while their hearts chase worldly pleasure! 

Paul warns that such people are "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." This is the spiritual climate of our age: entertainment reigns, self is worshiped, and personal fulfillment is the supreme good. But the genuine believer has been crucified with Jesus. He no longer lives for fleeting pleasures, but for the glory of God. The Spirit who dwells within him produces genuine holiness, not just the shell of religion. Where the Spirit has not wrought new birth, there may be "a form of godliness," but never its life-giving power. 

Titus 1:16 goes deeper. It describes those who "profess to know God, but by their deeds deny Him." Here is the sobering reality: a profession of faith is not the same as possession of faith. Words are cheap. Do our lives bear the unmistakable marks of submission, obedience, and love for Jesus? Or do we merely say that we know Him, while continuing in secret sin, pride, greed, or compromise? The Scripture does not mince words: Such people are "detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good!" God does not accept empty religiosity; He demands truth in the inward parts. Let us be warned. 

Let us examine ourselves. Are we content with an external Christianity: attending services and repeating pious phrases while our hearts remain cold toward Jesus? Do we delight more in worldly trifles, than in communion with God? Has the cross truly stripped us of self-glory, or have we merely added Jesus to our own kingdom? We must flee from hollow religion. We must plead with God to strip away every counterfeit and to give us reality: heart-deep, Spirit-wrought, cross-centered godliness. True faith does not just say Jesus is Lord; it bows before Him. It trembles at His Word. It walks in obedience, loves righteousness, and perseveres in gospel truth and a godly life. Let every reader take these verses seriously. Eternity is at stake. Jesus will one day say to many, "I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:23) 

Let it not be said of us that we had a form of godliness but denied its power. Let our lives declare by fruit and faithfulness, that we truly know Him. 

 [Charles H. Spurgeon]

~ Lord, search my heart. Expose every false profession, every form without substance. Make me not just a hearer of the Word, but a doer. Strip away all hypocrisy and self-deception. Fill me with Your Spirit, that my life might display the power of true godliness. May I love You more than the fleeting pleasures of this poor world. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

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One Hour in Hell ...

Imagine what it would be like, to be in Hell for an hour! What a sobering call to reflection! Even a fleeting thought of an eternity under the wrath of Almighty God, ought to arrest our hearts and awaken our consciences. Hell is not a metaphor or a scare tactic--it is a real place, a place of justice, a place prepared for the devil and his demons, and for all who die outside of saving union with Christ. To be in Hell for an hour, would be to taste the outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth! (Matthew 22:13) 

It would be to feel the full force of God's holy hatred for sin, without a drop of mercy to soften the blow. In this life, the wicked sip from God's kindness, sunshine, breath, family, pleasure. But in Hell, all these common graces are forever withdrawn. It is to be shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:9) to face the righteous punishment for every evil thought, word, and deed! 

One hour in Hell, how unbearable! Yet Scripture speaks not of one hour, or even one lifetime, but of eternity. The punishment does not purify; and it does not end. It is "eternal destruction" (2 Thessalonians 1:9) "eternal fire" (Jude 7) and "eternal punishment." (Matthew 25:46) The worm never dies. The fire is never quenched. (Mark 9:48) And the soul, still conscious, bears the weight of God's vengeance, without hope of relief. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Why did Spurgeon urge us to imagine such a thing? Not to cause despair, but to magnify the Gospel. When we glimpse even faintly, the horrors from which we have been rescued the grace of Christ shines all the more brightly. Jesus endured the wrath of God at Calvary so that His people would never taste a single second of Hell. He drank the bitter cup of damnation to the dregs. He was forsaken, that we might be brought nearby. 

Christian, you will never know what it is to be in Hell for an hour not even a minute. Because your Substitute suffered once for all you will be forever in Heaven with the Lord. Let such mercy humble you. Let it fuel your worship, deepen your repentance, and compel your witness to the lost. 

"Lord, awaken my heart to the dreadful reality of Hell, and to the infinite worth of Christ who delivers from it. Thank You for saving me from what I deserve. Give me a deeper love for Your mercy and grace. Let the shadow of the cross remind me daily of the judgment I have escaped and stir my soul to worship You with trembling joy. Amen." 

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Revelation 20:10 ... And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

1 Thessalonians 5:9–10 ... For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. ❤

Near At Hand!!

Christian! God is near at hand whenever you approach Him in prayer. 

Oh, comforting truth! You have a God at hand to listen to the softest breath of prayer, to listen to every confession of sin, to listen to every cry of need, to listen to every utterance of sorrow, to listen to every wail of woe, to listen to every appeal for counsel, strength, and support! 

Arise, O my soul! and give yourself to prayer for God is near at hand to hear and answer you! 

[Octavius Winslow]

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Psalm 6:9 ... The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

Proverbs 15:29 ... The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Jeremiah 33:3 ... Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. ❤

Groanings Heard!

The Christian life is not free from weakness, but rather full of it. We groan under the burden of indwelling sin, the brokenness of the world, and the mystery of God's providence. Often, we find ourselves overwhelmed, our thoughts confused, our emotions storm-tossed, our words failing in prayer. Yet even in these frail moments, the believer is not alone. For within him dwells the Spirit of God, the divine Helper, who prays with and for him. 

In this verse, we see the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit, so often overlooked, yet profoundly necessary. The Spirit does not merely assist us when we are strong; He helps us in our "weakness". He comes alongside us when we do not know what to say. When the burden is too deep for words, when the pain is beyond expression, He intercedes with groanings that reach the heart of the Father. These are not groans of despair, but of holy longing, divinely wrought desires for the will of God, rising from within the soul. 

The Spirit's intercession is continual and unceasing. It is perfectly aligned with God's will. Unlike our prayers, so often mixed with selfishness or ignorance, His groanings are pure and effective. The Father, who searches hearts, hears not merely the faltering words of His children, but the Spirit's cry within them. And because the Spirit is God, His intercession always prevails. What comfort this brings to the struggling saint! 

Prayer is not a performance to be perfected, but a dependence to be expressed. Even when we cannot articulate our need, the indwelling Spirit lifts our cries heavenward. We may feel that our prayers are weak, but they are carried by One who cannot fail. Though we stumble in the darkness, the Spirit groans with us, guiding our souls before the throne of grace. Therefore, do not despair when your words fail. Your great High Priest intercedes in Heaven, and the Spirit intercedes within you. You are upheld by divine prayers. You are never unheard, never forgotten, never left to fend for yourself in the place of prayer. 

The groans of the Spirit are God's pledge that your weakness will not hinder His purpose. 

[A. W. Pink] 

Romans 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.

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"Last Day of The Year"

We kneel together, O great God, for the last time in the year, which has now reached its close. May our last united cry be our best the most glowing in fervor the most abased in humility the most fragrant in the reconciling blood the most hallowed by the interceding Spirit. 

We look to ourselves, and we turn to You. Our earthly days roll rapidly away. Our moments vanish while we grasp them. But You change not. Time is not time to You. From everlasting to everlasting Your name is, "I am that I am." 

Glorious Jehovah, we are astounded at Your unspeakable greatness. We marvel more at Your surpassing goodness. Trusting in Your superabounding grace, we thus draw near. It befits us at the end of each day, to bring the tribute of thanksgiving for our daily mercies. What shall we render for all the mercies of all the days of the year now fled? 

Oh, that we could gather all into one mass and meet them with deserving praise! But we cannot count the ocean's sands. How, then, can we calculate Your mercies, which in number are far more! Our thanks are worthless for the least of all Your favors. What are they when weighed against the wondrous whole! 

We know but a part, but that part surpasses praise. But we ardently desire that the concluding year should bear witness that we bring adorations with overflowing hearts. For all Your personal mercies for the measure of health with which we have been favored for the preservation of our frames from fatal sickness and from evil accident for the comforts of a sheltering roof for the sufficiency of food and clothing for the continuance of mental and bodily power.

Good Lord, accept the praises of our inmost souls! For Your goodness to us as a family for mutual support and help for the sweet delights of domestic harmony and peace for seats now filled which might have been a vacant blank. 

Good Lord, accept the praises of our inmost souls! For Your distinguishing favors to us as a nation for the peace which smiles upon our borders for the plenty of our fields for the absence of wasting sickness and destroying plagues for the protection of right laws for the Bible open to our use for the continued light and liberty of our glorious Reformation.

Good Lord, accept the praises of our inmost souls! Enriched with all these blessings, and with countless more, we close this year. We know our privileges. We feel them. We bless Your holy name! But other thoughts oppress us. We blush to lift up our eyes unto You, O God of all grace and love. Shame and confusion of face humble us to the very dust. Wherever You have been boundless in mercy we have been abundant in sin. We cannot measure our ingratitude. We cannot estimate our vileness. We cannot in thought reach to the extent of our transgressions throughout this traversed year. Each day has added to our guilt. Each scene has witnessed our straying feet and our offending tongues. 

What is there in heaven or in earth, above, around, without, within which condemns us not? The sun condemns us, which has seen our misdeeds; the darkness, too, which hides nothing from You. The cruel accuser justly accuses. How often have Your good angels been provoked to leave us! Your righteous law, your holy Word, our sin-soiled consciences, our public and our private hours, our neighbors and ourselves write dark things against us. We make no denial. We frame no excuse. We confess, Father, we have sinned throughout this year against heaven and before You and are no more worthy to be called Your sons. 

But still, we live! We live to fly as contrite penitents to Your extended arms! We know that You will not cast us off for Jesus brings us nearby. You will not condemn us for Your dear Son died in our place. You will not mark the mountains upon mountains of our sins for the Savior has removed them all. His precious blood has washed out every crimson stain! His beauteous righteousness covers all our deformities! 

O God, our God, we bid farewell, then, to this year, clinging to His cross, sheltered by His side, hidden in His wounds, cleansed in His blood, covered by His spotless robe, beautified in His salvation. Thus, we conclude our last united prayer, blessing You for Jesus Christ. All honor, and glory, and might, and majesty, and dominion, be unto You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the God of our salvation, now, henceforth, and ever. Amen. 

[Henry Law]

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If God Feeds His Birds ...

Romans 8:32 ... He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

This glorious promise carries us from Calvary's crimson hill to the spacious plains of God's boundless provision. The Father, having offered His beloved Son as a substitutionary sacrifice for His people, thereby demonstrated that every cost of our redemption was borne in full. If the Sovereign of Heaven did not count the anguish of Golgotha too great to spare His only begotten Son, then will He now withhold from us any good thing? Never! 

The gift of Christ for our salvation, secures every lesser gift. As we behold the infinite compassion manifested in the cross, we trust that such love will daily supply our every need. If God did not spare His beloved Son for us, then He will withhold no needful blessing from those for whom Jesus died. If God has given you Jesus, then He has engaged all the riches of Heaven for your good. He who gave the greater, will not deny the lesser. If God feeds His birds, then surely, He will not starve His babes. 

Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace along the way, and glory at the end all this our Savior has promised to give! Believer, when fear whispers that your burdens exceed your father's care, return to Calvary. There you see the height of His giving and there you find the answer to your every need. Rather than sinking under anxiety, let faith boldly think: "Will my God, who gave His darling Son for my salvation refuse to give me daily bread, comfort in sorrow, or needed strength?" 

No trial can outstrip His upholding grace; no Scriptural request can exceed His generosity. 

Heavenly Father, you did not spare Your own Son but delivered Him up for us. Teach us to rest in that matchless gift. Grant us faith to plead Your promises, courage to cast all our cares on You, and joy in anticipating Your gracious provision. May our lives overflow with gratitude as we receive the riches of Your grace. Amen. 

[Thomas Watson] 

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"Christmas Day"

Lord, we will extol You, O God, our King. We will bless Your name forever and ever. But especially on this hallowed morn, we desire to pour forth floods of adoring praise. O our souls, bless the Lord. O every faculty within us, magnify His boundless love. We bring our thanks for the gift of gifts. Your only begotten Son is born into this world. He is made bone of our bones, flesh of our flesh. The least gift from heaven to guilty earth exceeds all praise. 

What shall we render unto You for sending Your own dear Son to take upon Him our nature, and truly to be one of the family of man! Utterance cannot express due gratitude. But accept, we beseech You, the breathings of Your Spirit in our hearts. Mark how fervently we love You, and how we strive to testify thanksgiving. "Wonder of wonders! The Son of God comes down from heaven that to heaven we poor sinners may be raised. Our Lord Jesus Christ takes the manhood into God that we may become partakers of the divine nature. He is born one with us that we may be one with Him forever. 

Herein is love, when we could not rise to Him, He flies down on the wings of grace to raise us to Himself. Herein is power, that when Deity and humanity were infinitely apart, God has joined them in indissoluble oneness. He has united infinite opposites in one Christ. Herein is God's wisdom in the highest, that when we were utterly undone by sin, without will to return, without intellect to devise recovery Jesus appears on earth, able as God to save us to the uttermost, and qualified as man to die our death, to shed sin-atoning blood in our stead, and to work out perfect righteousness in our behalf. 

Father, God most merciful, help us to bless You more. In spirit we take our station by the watching shepherds. So, we strive to expand our contracted hearts. We hear, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord!" (Luke 2:10-11)

We hear, we believe, we rejoice, we give thanks, we adore. We bid all fears to flee away. We call upon our consciences to bathe in an ocean of repose. We look up with filial confidence. We see You our reconciled Father. Separation has ceased. We draw near, because You have thus drawn near to us. We love You because we have this proof that You have so loved us. A Redeemer has come! We put all our trust in Him. We believe that we are fully and forever redeemed from sin, and all sin's penalties and woes. You have raised up a horn of salvation for us. We see its all-sufficient might. We embrace it with undoubting faith. We realize that You have saved us. Like Simeon we clasp the new-born Savior to our hearts. 

We exult that He is ours, and we are His. We are one with Him. Therefore, You are our Father because His Father, and His God because our God. Father, again we say, help us to bless You for all the benefits of this wondrous birth. Give us grace, that our lives may praise You better than our lips. Keep our thanksgiving free from every blot. You have given so much for us, that heaven itself could give no more. Here we present ourselves to Your undivided service. Accept us. Preserve us. Rule within us. 

May Your dear Son indeed be born within us. May His continual indwelling sanctify every movement of our minds. May the good tidings of this day have free course and be glorified throughout earth's length and breadth. Wherever man lives, may he rejoice in the Child born, the son given. Hasten the time when He who as at this time came to visit us in great humility, shall come again in His glorious majesty with all His saints. Holy Father, we offer our prayers and praises in the way which You have ordained Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

[Henry Law]

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Merry Christmas!

The Gate of Heaven!

The best and sweetest flowers of Paradise God gives to His people when they are upon their knees. Prayer is the gate of heaven, a key to let us in to Paradise. 

 [Thomas Brooks]

Hebrews 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. ❤

Fixing Someone ...

Only God can change the situation. Pray and give it to the Lord!

"Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference."

[Max Lucado]

Philippians 4:6 ...  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Proverbs 3:5 ... Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Isaiah 41:10 ... Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

1 Peter 5:7 ... Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.❤

"Hold Me Up!"

Almighty Father, 

Conscious of our own weakness and trusting only in Your grace and power we beseech You this day to multiply Your mercy upon us. We are going forth to tread on slippery ground may You uphold us. 

Our march is through a land of which Satan is the prince may You protect us. Snares at each turn await our steps may You guide us. We look around and fear. 

We look up to You and take courage. By Your grace alone can we stand. If Your grace should fail us instantly we fall. Our earnest prayer is, "Hold me up and I shall be safe!"

[Henry Law] 

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Psalm 119:117 ... Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

Jude 24 ...  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,

1 Peter 1:5 ... Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ❤

A Privilege

Prayer is a privilege given to you from God to make a difference in someone else's life. 

 [Dr. Charles F. Stanley]

James 5:16 ... Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Ephesians 6:18 ... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Revelation 8:3-4 ... And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. ❤

Christ in the Old Testament

The Holy Spirit here reminds us that the message of the Old Testament is the same as that of the New: Christ crucified! The Bible, the Word of God, is one; and its message is one the gospel of Christ! Christ is the sum and substance of the Old Testament! To Him, the earliest promises pointed in the days of Adam, Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

To Him, every sacrifice pointed in the ceremonial worship appointed at Mount Sinai. Of Him every high priest was a type, every part of the tabernacle was a shadow, and every judge and deliverer of Israel was a picture! If we read only that which was written by Moses in the books of the law, we would see Christ everywhere! 

Jesus is the Seed of the woman, who would break the serpent's head. He is the Seed of Abraham, in whom all nations would be blessed. He is the great Prophet like Moses, who would teach His redeemed people. Not only is Christ crucified the message of Moses, but He is also the message of all the prophets. When Philip described Christ to Nathanael, he said, "We have found the One who Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote, "Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph!" (John 1:45) 

All the law and all the prophets spoke of Him! They wrote of his birth through a virgin's womb, and the place of his birth, Bethlehem. The prophets spoke of the Savior's sufferings and the glory that would follow. And they wrote about many things relating to His person, offices, and work as Jehovah's righteous servant. They described Him plainly as the King of the house of David, who came to be David's Lord, as well as David's son. 

Jesus is the Lamb foretold by Isaiah, the righteous Branch mentioned by Jeremiah, the true Shepherd described by Ezekiel, the Messenger of the Covenant promised by Malachi, and the Messiah who, according to Daniel, was to be cut off, not for Himself, but for His people! Do we find it difficult to see Christ in the Old Testament? It is our spiritual blindness and ignorance that is to blame. The eyes of our understanding need to be enlightened. The veil needs to be taken away. 

Let us pray as we open the Scriptures: "O Spirit of God, open this Book to my heart and open my heart to this Book. Take the things of Christ written upon these pages and show them to me!" The whole book of God is about our Lord Jesus Christ and His glorious accomplishments as our God-man Mediator! 

[Don Fortner] 

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1 Peter 1:10-11 ... Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Luke 24:27 ... And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:44 ... And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. ❤

12 Promises...

12 Promises Every Parent Should Ask God to Fulfill:

Isaiah 59:21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

Psalm 102:28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalm 112:1-2 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!  His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed

Isaiah 44:3-5 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams.  This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.

Isaiah 61:8-9 I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.

Isaiah 65:23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them.

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him.

Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Jeremiah 32:39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.

Deuteronomy 4:40 Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.

Acts 16:31-33 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

[12 Promises Every Parent Should Ask God to Fulfill - Topical Studies | Bible Study Tools ]

Don't stop praying for your children!!

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