Friday Morning Prayer:)… January 2, 2020
January 2, 2020 - 8 minutes readO Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer
Greatest treasure of my longing soul
My God, like You there is no other
True delight is found in You alone
Your grace, a well too deep to fathom
Your love exceeds the heavens’ reach
Your truth, a fount of perfect wisdom
My highest good and my unending need
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer
Strong defender of my weary heart
My sword to fight the cruel deceiver
And my shield against his hateful darts
My song when enemies surround me
My hope when tides of sorrow rise
My joy when trials are abounding
Your faithfulness, my refuge in the night[1]
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”[2]
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What does this 2020 new year have in store for the regenerate heart? Our common pursuit is our highest good and unending need; help me, empower me, have mercy on all of us who call on you O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer, gracious Savior. To know and experience the depths of our Lord Jesus more and more in the day to day, even moment by moment is our pursuit. Indeed! ‘May all my days bring glory to Your Name.’ We need his presence, his power to endure and overcome the rigors, challenges, failures, uncertainties, disappointments, rejections, and even enjoy fully the victories, insights, blessings, gifts, maturity, and growth as God molds and shapes you brother/sister and me too into the likeness of Jesus full of evident love and mercy; yes, O Lord more and more, humble we kneel before the throne of grace.
This new year, and always according to sovereign grace, “Jesus is calling, O come to the alter, the Father’s arms are open wide forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.”[3] “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”[4] Jesus is our greatest treasure! “Oh what a Savior, Isn’t he wonderful Sing alleluia, Christ is risen Bow down before him For he is Lord of all.” Therefore, by God’s grace, “Bear your cross as you wait for the crown Tell the world of the treasure you’ve found.”[5]
My precious son shared his struggle to know more and more the intimacy, relational, comfort, and empowerment of our gracious God in every circumstance in the day to day context. A struggle I’d say we all have in varying degrees. We spoke about the love of God and his kindness to us because of the cross. He recognized his need to be in the Scriptures daily and pursue the Christ-life. He said he understood, but the process seemed abstract when compared to having to deal with real and present life duties, interpersonal interactions, and just everyday concrete goals. I am thankful for his honesty and transparency. We shared and prayed. He confessed sin recognizing that his frustrations and anger feelings were behind his withdrawal from vs pursuit of God.
In this new year the maturing process continues. Be ye resolute in Christ and pray continually that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you and me with power through his Spirit in our inner being, rooted and established in love with increasing power together with all the saints to truly grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.[6] Below are five daily pursuits that I pray will increase and become more and more evident this new year for me and you too as we grow in grace and the true regenerate heart can really appreciate our supernatural and real treasure, very much applicable, practical, and necessary in every context God has placed us to both enjoy and glorify him:
· immerse oneself in the Word,
· truly believe the Word, and be expectant,
· pray earnestly, and
· obey the prompting of the Spirit.[7]
· pursue fellowship and meaningful relationships with like-minded believers
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer
Gracious Savior of my ruined life
My guilt and cross laid on Your shoulders
In my place You suffered bled and died
You rose, the grave and death are conquered
You broke my bonds of sin and shame
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer
May all my days bring glory to Your Name
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Sisters are meeting to pray together. First Baptist, 1912 Arnold Way, Alpine, 0900
You are invited to join gals from various fellowships for a sweet hour of prayer. This is a time of encouragement and love for one another. Diverse gals praying as the Spirit leads and relying on God for abundant grace and mercy.
Brothers are meeting too! Alpine Youth Center, 2153 Arnold Way, Alpine, 0730.
Diverse brothers gather to love one another and pray. Our constant cry to the Lord is for his love to be evident and his mercy to overflow to many that salvation is known and experienced in true supernatural power. We pray as the Spirit leads and may speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as our real and present God leads. Join us if your schedule allows.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5BB2J7R-8
[2] Acts 4:31
[3] https://youtu.be/JUYqzmtdVLI?list=RDyx5BB2J7R-8&t=6
[4] 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUYqzmtdVLI
[6] Ephesians 3:16-18
[7] How Can We Be Clothed with Power?
How Can We Be Clothed with Power?God gives special power, extraordinary power, for the extraordinary challenges of an expanding witness to Chri…
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