Friday Morning Prayer:)… March 8, 2018
March 8, 2018 - 7 minutes readI stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
For me it was in the garden
He prayed: “Not My will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.[1]
“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.[2]
____________
A brother comforted me today by reminding me of God’s sovereignty. God knew this or that would happen, and he knows why things unfold as they do. We need not fear or be overly concerned as if something strange is happening in this sin broken world. Like the psalmist, we cry to our gracious God in earnest prayer. “Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer−it does not rise from deceitful lips.”[3] Through Jesus we trust God, though mingling toil with peace and rest, our God is sovereign. Let’s stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene.
We sing, “What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear and what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” In Christ, you know that longing to know God better to trust him and cry out unceasing for that sense of his presence and comfort. This life can become overwhelmingly difficult. The unexpected suddenly occurs, evil prevails, people and circumstances change. The seemingly secure is now insecure. The proclamation is, “we should never be discouraged… can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness take it to the Lord in prayer.”[4]
Day by day we ask, seek, and knock, a continuous pursuit of our God. “Help me then in every tribulation, so to trust Thy promises, O Lord, that I lose not faith’s sweet consolation offered me within Thy holy Word.[5] The Proverbs reminds us to “keep my words and store up my commands within you.” Praying and meditating on God’s Word keeps us from the ways of evil and the flesh that so easily entices. O man, help me Lord. “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.”[6]
We walk in the light and we fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin. I do wonder, ponder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. Despite my selfish and sinful ways, the Lamb of God, Jesus shed his blood for me and you too. Brother/sister, be ye encouraged! In the cross we rejoice! We sing, “All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me, He Whose Name is Counselor and Pow’r.”[7] “Because he lives I can face tomorrow because he lives all fear is gone; because I know he holds the future and life is worth the living just because he lives.”[8]
Whatever this life brings, let us help one another to persevere in our shared faith. I need you and you need me. We need each other to love and encourage and carry each other’s burdens as Jesus holds all things in his sovereign hand. As we contemplate this glorious truth, we inevitably have to sing how marvelous! How wonderful! And, echo with the psalmist, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”[9]
In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.
He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calv’ry,
And suffered and died alone.
When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.
__________
Sisters are meeting to pray. First Baptist. 1912 Arnold Way. Alpine. 0900.
You are invited to join faithful Christian gals for an hour or so of intentional prayer. Diverse gals coming from various churches meet week after week to encourage and carry one another’s burdens. As the Holy Spirit leads, you are welcome to check it out.
Brothers are meeting too. Mt. View Bible. 2710 Alpine Blvd. Alpine. 0730.
You are invited to join diverse brothers meeting to pray together before the throne of grace. Humble and reliant on the leading of the Spirit, we gather to pray and be encouraged through our shared faith. If your schedule allows join us to help others through the prayers of many. We close at 0830.
[1] http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/My_Saviors_Love/
[2] Psalm 9:1-2
[3] Ibid. 17:1
[4] http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/What_a_Friend_We_Have_in_Jesus/
[5] http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Day_by_Day/
[6] Proverbs 7:1-3
[7] http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Day_by_Day/
[8] http://www.karaoke-lyrics.net/lyrics/hymn/because-he-lives-313294
[9] Psalm 13:5-6
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