Friday Morning Prayer:)… July 23, 2020
July 23, 2020 - 9 minutes readWhen peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.[1]
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”[2]
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I want God-given desires. You know that supernatural thirst and hunger that God gives and the only one who truly satisfies. In the midst of evil all around our call is to trust our gracious God, do good, dwell and enjoy the safety in him. Moreover, the divine call is to delight in him and God-given desires overflow from my and your regenerate heart. I need to be reminded that God is for me, loves me, helps me, and empowers me. You do too! Do you see, sense, experience God as Father, through Christ our Savior, manifest in the power of the Holy Spirit helping you sing and overflow with humble confidence, “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul…[?]” From a firm gospel foundation God gives an all-consuming passion in Jesus that conforms our heart’s desires to enjoy and glorify him with our thoughts, feelings, verbal expressions, and behaviors.
Peter speaks boldly to our firm gospel foundation. “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”[3] Peter was speaking to the Sanhedrin—Jewish religious leaders of the day. The apostles took a bold, Spirit-empowered stand in the midst of persecution, persecuted for ascribing salvation to Jesus. To the church at Rome, Paul makes the power of the gospel clear, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”[4] I want to know better and experience more the supernatural empowering passion with overflowing God-glorifying desires! You do too! This ever-increasing desire began when, by God’s grace, you and me embraced God’s Prince and Savior—Jesus our salvation. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”[5]
Peter said, “We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”[6] Jesus told the disciples before his death, resurrection, and ascension, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”[7] Even today, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”[8] The Holy Spirit brought the power of God to your heart and mine unto salvation! We are witnesses and today as we delight in Christ, the Spirit reminds, reassures, encourages, and empowers! “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”[9] In Christ, my heart, thoughts, feelings, behaviors are constantly being modified, corrected, adjusted as I battle to stay consistently living, relating, and being in the Spirit.
We overcome through much prayer with constant help from God indwelling. In Christ, standing firm on gospel truth we are ever-learning to enjoy, delight, and rely on the Spirit, our Counselor given by God who is with you forever—the Spirit of truth.[10]
How do I delight in God? What does delight look like? Am I looking for, expecting, experiencing this supernatural delight in every context and circumstance? Is delight in God similar and different among fellow believers? Do I recognize and overflow God-given desires?
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
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Sisters are meeting to pray together! First Baptist. 1912 Arnold Way, Alpine. 0900
You are invited to join for a time of encouragement and prayer with diverse sisters in Jesus. Oh, the significance, value, and necessity as sisters gather to pray and express love for one another. If your schedule allows, go enjoy our God in the presence of warm, kind, full of grace sisters.
Brothers are meeting too! Mt. View Bible. 2710 Alpine Blvd. Alpine, 0730
We gather to pray as brothers in Christ who recognize the necessity of the Spirit to help us. Join us for a sweet hour as we gather to encourage, love, and pray as the Spirit leads. No pressure, but you are missed and it is always, always a joy to see you!
[1] https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul/
[2] Psalm 37: 4-5
[3] Acts 5:30-31
[4] Romans 1:16
[5] John 1:11-13
[6] Acts 5:32
[7] John 15:26-27
[8] 2 Corinthians 6:2b
[9] Romans 8:16
[10] John 14:15-17a
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