Friday Morning Prayer:). October 15, 2015

October 15, 2015 - 6 minutes read

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.[1]

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.[2]

Beloved,

Our God of all mercies has not left us to our own devices. NO! Our sovereign God is the “Fount of every blessing…” and through His grace has softened my heart to sing “thy grace…” Through the brutal, painful, cross God has redeemed those who humbly cry out for mercy. In fact, In Christ, we experience “…streams of mercy, never ceasing…” which calls us to sing! Indeed, “…songs of loudest praise.” “Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love.”

The Apostle Paul confidently knew his life was in the sovereign hands of God and his good purposes. God had permitted afflictions, even “…far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.”[3] Why? “…that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead…. And he will deliver us.”[4]

We cry out for and rely on supernatural comfort, mercy, abundant grace from our gracious God every day! Suffering, it hurts… we feel despair… even want to give up life… NO! We cry to God! Yes! The deeper the hurt the deeper our cry goes forth to Jesus, who can save us from ultimate spiritual death, and comfort us through the suffering in this life. God is aware of our sufferings.

He is always at work molding and shaping us, allowing afflictions to create a greater dependency, and more fervent prayer life, a constant crying out for not only ourselves, but others. One purpose of our suffering is a greater God-given ability to comfort others who are suffering. All of you have suffered in this life. Many of you I know and have suffered with you, and you with me, even today, and days past. I’m thankful. We pray, majestic, holy, might God, allow us to understand suffering from Your perspective and empower us to love and encourage those around us who are suffering, unceasing prayer for your supernatural comfort.

Our brother John Rice is suffering today. The extent of his suffering is hard to understand. However, John is a faithful brother who loves Jesus and is leaning on the Everlasting Arms. He suffered 3rd degree burns on his hands and feet. He lost his wife Angel in a house fire, and lost everything he owned. His daughter is physically okay. Her boyfriend died in the fire.

We are relying on the God of all comfort to empower John through this suffering. Through much prayer! Paul said, “On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.”[5] Moreover, brothers and sisters are visiting him to love and encourage.

John is at UCSD 11th floor in Hillcrest. Room 1119. The password initially set up to tell the nurse in order to visit is “Pearl.” Furthermore, we are gathering funds, clothing, etc. for John through Behold Christian Ministry. If you’d like to give
go to www.beholdministry.com and designate your gift for John Rice. Any questions feel free to email me or call either Joseph or myself.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

Sisters are meeting at First Baptist. 1912 Arnold Way. Alpine. 0900. You are invited. Join and encourage!

Brothers are meeting at First Baptist too! Praise God! Join us Friday Morning at 0730. A time of encouragement, praise, and much prayer! We pray, even in silence as the Holy Spirit leads. Bring your offering and join faithful brothers to cry out to our God of all comfort.

LoVe Others! MUCH!

Randall:).

[1] http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh400.sht
[2] 2 Cor 1:3-4
[3] Ibid. v. 8b
[4] Ibid. v. 9-10
[5] Ibid. v. 10b-11