Friday Morning Prayer:)… August 21, 2019
August 29, 2019 - 8 minutes readHow
deep the Father’s love for us[i]
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only
Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How
great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face
away
As wounds which mar the
Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold
the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking
voice
Call out among the scoffers
It
was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought
me life
I know that it is finished[1]
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”[2]
____________
The encouragement of the gospel message continues from days past, embraced today by many, and will be forever more precious than gold, sweeter than honey. We readily proclaim gospel truth because “…of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”[3] I can remember when I was separate from Christ, without eternal hope. By nature, I lived in transgressions and sins and followed the ways of this world. Every person without the mercy of God is spiritually dead. “Calvin insisted what is meant is ‘a real and present death.’ The most vital part of man’s personality—the spirit—is dead to the most important factor in life—God.”[4] The gospel message is an incomparable, joyful, full of awe, a blessed hope for all mankind, for those who are far away, and especially for those who have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Through Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, we have access to the Father by one Spirit. I absolutely love the truth that we are no longer foreigners and aliens, but citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household. Our life in Christ, our understanding and experience of the gospel is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.[5] I have had many opportunities to share, even overflow the excitement that we, the body of Christ, you sister, brother, are “…being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”[6] We grow in grace together in various ways as the Spirit leads us. I desperately need to seek our God, hide the Living Word on my heart, meditate, listen, and cry out to our gracious God daily to help me stand. You do too, especially as we grow in grace together as the church where God lives by his Spirit.
This supernatural process and ever-evolving outcome of the gospel message is that we live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Moreover, you and me are referred to as ‘God’s holy people’ yet the process of becoming, growing, maturing in holiness, and supernatural love is a pursuit individually and collectively. This Spirit-empowered pursuit is manifest as we ‘be imitators of God,’ in empathy, compassion, mercy, and grace toward others, especially those in the family of God. “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood [or body of priests], offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”[7] We are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood! A high calling! By God’s grace, we embrace for “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
In the body of Christ, we submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. This is only accomplished by Holy Spirit power. A couple of brothers and me talked about submission to one another and being living sacrifices recently. With the Spirit’s help, my attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. You have encouragement from being united with Christ and comfort from his love; and we have fellowship with the Spirit, tenderness and compassion. Therefore, as the church, we work toward being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit, and purpose. Our inclination toward selfish ambition and vain conceit is mortified daily. Submission to one another is accomplished when humble is our life and we consider others more significant than ourselves.[8] A constant prayer, help me Lord.
I will not
boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I
gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Why should I
gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Sisters are meeting to pray and encourage one another. First Baptist, 1912 Arnold Way, Alpine, 0900
Join sisters in Jesus for a sweet hour of prayer. We are thankful for the help received through the prayers of many. Go enjoy a time of fellowship and be encouraged through at time.
Brothers are meeting too! Alpine Youth Center, 2153 Arnold Way, Alpine, 730
Join us, the
brothers representing the body of Christ in all its diversity and love. It is always good to fellowship with the
brothers in prayer.
[1] https://www.stuarttownend.co.uk/song/how-deep-the-fathers-love-for-us/
[2] 2 Peter 1:3
[3] Ephesians 2:
[4] Wood, S. A. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1978). Vol. 11 Gaebelein, F.E. (ed).
[5] Ibid 2;19-22
[6] Ibid 2:22
[7] 1 Peter 2:4-5
[8] Philippians 2:1-5
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