Friday Morning Prayer:)… September 6, 2018
September 6, 2018 - 8 minutes readNearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.
There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.[1]
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.[1]
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.[2]
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A life in Christ, our new life set apart, the divine call working faith in us to know God and move us toward maturity in our shared faith. It seems that a life transformed, a regenerate heart continually longs for a deeper consistent sense of God’s presence. The apostle Paul longed for a righteousness not by his own making through the futility of his own works. He wanted to gain Christ and be found in him, a righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”[3] The longing is there because we have not yet obtained all this, the process of sanctification continues.
Be encouraged as you press on by the power of the resurrected Christ now abiding in you. I need to be reminded that this supernatural power enables me to live this new life in Christ. Moreover, when I do not sense God, or I struggle with the flesh and selfish ways, God is faithful. Our indwelling God moves the depraved heart to prayer, even a crying out for mercy and recognition “I need Thy presence every passing hour; what but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.”[4] A sister said to me recently, “May Jesus be the sunshine in your rain.”
I know I have suffered many times at the hand of God as he achieved his gracious purposes for my life. I am forever thankful. We talked about God’s sovereign hand over every aspect of our lives in mid-week Bible study. My life is devoted to helping reduce suffering in others, and sometimes to just come alongside and suffer with another. In those times of suffering, we trust our gracious God and find comfort in leaning on one another through the body of Christ. In varying kinds and degrees, we are likely to suffer both inward and external sufferings in a world that is hostile because of our allegiance to Christ. We persevere together! Many times our prayers are answered not just by physical healing, but by spiritual growth and maturity that enables us to boast in Christ through our weaknesses and burdens we are called to carry.
How do I become like Jesus in his death? In Christ, we died to sin. “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”[5] I am in Christ, you are too, and our constant pursuit is to experience him and continually move with ever-increasing conformity to Jesus. I need you, you need me to accomplish this sanctified end as God intends for every believer. I appreciate brothers who keep me accountable and encourage growth in grace and death to sinful ways and old ways of being, thinking, and speaking. Our constant plea before our gracious God, help us listen well and speak from a truly regenerate humble heart.
In one sense we have experienced a resurrection from death to life through the blood of the Lamb. The power of our abiding God is evidence of our new life in Jesus. Our hope is the final resurrection should the Lord tarry and we physically die or we receive a newly transformed body without dying should the Lord return quickly. Either way, we continue to prayerfully sing, “Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.”
Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
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Sisters are meeting to pray. First Baptist. 1912 Arnold Way. Alpine. 0900
You are invited to join diverse gals for prayer and fellowship. If you have an hour or so on Friday morning, go enjoy hanging out with sisters in Christ.
Brothers are meeting too! Alpine Youth Center. 2153 Arnold Way. Alpine. 0730
Join brothers in Christ for a sweet hour of prayer. It is always a joy to gather and pursue our God through intentional prayer. As the Spirit leads we follow. No pressure or expectations, just humble before the throne of grace with like-minded brothers in Jesus.
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