"Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Your presence--- As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil --- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him," (Isaiah 64:1,2,4).
* While praying that the Lord would manifest His power toward Israel's enemies, Isaiah mentions a proof that the Lord God really lives --- He acts on behalf of the one who waits on Him. In our day, waiting is viewed as weakness at best, and stupidity, at worst. Yet, as believers, His Name is at stake in our lives --- oh, that we would want His timing as much as His will.
* To the Lord's adversaries, waiting upon Him makes no sense, whatsoever. What makes sense to an unbelieving world is to take control of one's life as much as possible, since there is no help outside one's self. For the Christian, however, the Lord's timing is to be as important as His guidance. And He is worth the wait.
* Because of the persecution Israel was receiving at the hands of her enemies, Isaiah prays that the Lord God would demonstrate His awesome power in their sight. For, he knew that God's uniqueness as the only true and living God is found in His acting in behalf of those who wait for Him.
He yearns for us to want His timing just as much as His direction.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Bits & Pieces: Prayer Promises
"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me," (Psalm 50:14, 15).
* In the verses leading to this passage, the Lord makes it very clear that outward religious actions without inner commitment, are worthless. What He values most is a thankful-hearted son or daughter who follows through on commitments made to Him. And, He loves to show Himself strong on our behalf in times of trouble.
* The commands in these verses, 'offer thanksgiving', 'pay your vows', and 'call upon Me,' speak of humility, commitment, and dependence. We are told by God to be grateful for everything, follow through on promises we make to Him, and lean on Him in times of trouble.
* We honor our Lord when we express a grateful heart, when we fulfill our promises to Him, and when we call upon Him, thereby demonstrating our dependence. But when we walk in prideful independence, and rescue ourselves, then we get the credit, and He receives little or none.
It's a sign of maturity to be more concerned with our Lord's honor & reputation than our comfort.
* In the verses leading to this passage, the Lord makes it very clear that outward religious actions without inner commitment, are worthless. What He values most is a thankful-hearted son or daughter who follows through on commitments made to Him. And, He loves to show Himself strong on our behalf in times of trouble.
* The commands in these verses, 'offer thanksgiving', 'pay your vows', and 'call upon Me,' speak of humility, commitment, and dependence. We are told by God to be grateful for everything, follow through on promises we make to Him, and lean on Him in times of trouble.
* We honor our Lord when we express a grateful heart, when we fulfill our promises to Him, and when we call upon Him, thereby demonstrating our dependence. But when we walk in prideful independence, and rescue ourselves, then we get the credit, and He receives little or none.
It's a sign of maturity to be more concerned with our Lord's honor & reputation than our comfort.
Bits & Pieces: Prayer Promises
"Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD our God," (Psalm 33:6, 7).
* If one word were to be written over these verses, it would be "confidence." Because of the Lord's past unfailing faithfulness, David knew that He would certainly answer in the present and the future. Do we have such joyful confidence in God's response?
* The joyous confidence these verses exude stems from knowing the character of God. From past experience, David knew the he served a promise-keeping God. And, if others want to depend on physical means for their source of strength, we will rather rejoice in the mighty name of our God.
* We, like David, are in continual need of inner strengthening and encouragement by our Lord's response to prayer. Unlike David, however, we often lack the joyful confidence by faith to believe in His future provision. May we continually meditate on the past times when His answers were very obvious... and then thank Him for future faithfulness!
* If one word were to be written over these verses, it would be "confidence." Because of the Lord's past unfailing faithfulness, David knew that He would certainly answer in the present and the future. Do we have such joyful confidence in God's response?
* The joyous confidence these verses exude stems from knowing the character of God. From past experience, David knew the he served a promise-keeping God. And, if others want to depend on physical means for their source of strength, we will rather rejoice in the mighty name of our God.
* We, like David, are in continual need of inner strengthening and encouragement by our Lord's response to prayer. Unlike David, however, we often lack the joyful confidence by faith to believe in His future provision. May we continually meditate on the past times when His answers were very obvious... and then thank Him for future faithfulness!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Is America Blessed?
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...," (Psalm 33:12a).
* The number and variety of idols a nation can serve are limited only by its citizens' imaginations. Because our nation is by-and-large drifting deeper and deeper into idolatrous denial of the God who made her great, our land is perilously ripe for judgment. Only as we repent, and return to the Lord God of all that is, will we again experience His promised blessing.
* Throughout the biblical record, as well as secular history, every nation that denied and opposed the existence and sovereignty of the living God eventually fell. With the rampant idolatry and flagrant sin throughout our land, America, too, is deteriorating from within. Our only hope is to acknowledge our rebellion, genuinely repent, and return to the Lord whose blessing we urgently need.
* If the nation is blessed whose God is the LORD, then cursed is the country whose gods are idols. America has been spared destruction for the sake of the remnant, but we fool ourselves to believe we are exempt from His judgment. Our land will be blessed only as the Lord sovereignly brings spiritual awakening, for which we must pray.
* The number and variety of idols a nation can serve are limited only by its citizens' imaginations. Because our nation is by-and-large drifting deeper and deeper into idolatrous denial of the God who made her great, our land is perilously ripe for judgment. Only as we repent, and return to the Lord God of all that is, will we again experience His promised blessing.
* Throughout the biblical record, as well as secular history, every nation that denied and opposed the existence and sovereignty of the living God eventually fell. With the rampant idolatry and flagrant sin throughout our land, America, too, is deteriorating from within. Our only hope is to acknowledge our rebellion, genuinely repent, and return to the Lord whose blessing we urgently need.
* If the nation is blessed whose God is the LORD, then cursed is the country whose gods are idols. America has been spared destruction for the sake of the remnant, but we fool ourselves to believe we are exempt from His judgment. Our land will be blessed only as the Lord sovereignly brings spiritual awakening, for which we must pray.
Bits & Pieces: Prayer Promises
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it," (John 14:13, 14).
* In these two verses the Lord Jesus reveals the pattern, purpose, and promise of prevailing prayer. Basic to answered prayer is asking according to the Lord's will, implied in the phrase, 'in My name.' The purpose of prayer is to glorify the Father, meaning He receives the credit and the praise. And the promise of answered prayer is based on who the Lord Jesus is: our sovereign Savior.
* Too often we use the phrase, 'in Jesus' Name' with little or no thought of the implications involved. Tacking the phrase on the end of our prayer, as if it were a magical formula for getting what we want is to miss the spirit of Jesus' promise. He so desires that we glorify the Father by praying with the supreme purpose of submission to His will.
* At first glance, the Lord Jesus seems to be offering a signed blank check to us, bidding us ask for every whim imaginable. The phrase, 'in My Name', however, involves an immeasurably holy standard by which He answers. Submission to His will, a deep desire to glorify the Father, and please the Son, are part of what it means to pray, 'in His Name.'
* In these two verses the Lord Jesus reveals the pattern, purpose, and promise of prevailing prayer. Basic to answered prayer is asking according to the Lord's will, implied in the phrase, 'in My name.' The purpose of prayer is to glorify the Father, meaning He receives the credit and the praise. And the promise of answered prayer is based on who the Lord Jesus is: our sovereign Savior.
* Too often we use the phrase, 'in Jesus' Name' with little or no thought of the implications involved. Tacking the phrase on the end of our prayer, as if it were a magical formula for getting what we want is to miss the spirit of Jesus' promise. He so desires that we glorify the Father by praying with the supreme purpose of submission to His will.
* At first glance, the Lord Jesus seems to be offering a signed blank check to us, bidding us ask for every whim imaginable. The phrase, 'in My Name', however, involves an immeasurably holy standard by which He answers. Submission to His will, a deep desire to glorify the Father, and please the Son, are part of what it means to pray, 'in His Name.'
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Bits & Pieces: Prayer Promises
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:6, 7).
* Someone has well said that worry slanders every promise in the Word of God. The antidote for the poison of anxiety is thankful, praise-filled prayer. And as we bring our specific requests with an attitude of trust in our sovereign Father, He promises His peace will stand guard over our emotions and thoughts.
* When we worry, we assume responsibilities that God never intended for us to have. Paul urges us to replace anxiety with petitions replete with gratitude. (A word to the wise: make specific requests in order to see specific answers.) As we do, His inexplicable peace will replace the fretting that can so easily entangle us.
* Someone has well said that worry slanders every promise in the Word of God. The antidote for the poison of anxiety is thankful, praise-filled prayer. And as we bring our specific requests with an attitude of trust in our sovereign Father, He promises His peace will stand guard over our emotions and thoughts.
* When we worry, we assume responsibilities that God never intended for us to have. Paul urges us to replace anxiety with petitions replete with gratitude. (A word to the wise: make specific requests in order to see specific answers.) As we do, His inexplicable peace will replace the fretting that can so easily entangle us.
Bits & Pieces: Prayer Promises
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened, " (Matthew 7:7,8).
Amid other Scriptural qualifications for answered prayer such as salvation, pure motives, obedience, and submission to the Lord's will, there is here added the necessity for perseverance. These commands of our Lord to ask, seek, and knock imply continuous action in persistent prayer. Additionally, there is a sense of progressive intensity here-- a sense of greater and greater aggressiveness as we move from asking to seeking to knocking. Finally, note that the Lord Jesus gives no timetable in this promise of prayer answered. The timing will be His, rest assured. And He always answers!
Amid other Scriptural qualifications for answered prayer such as salvation, pure motives, obedience, and submission to the Lord's will, there is here added the necessity for perseverance. These commands of our Lord to ask, seek, and knock imply continuous action in persistent prayer. Additionally, there is a sense of progressive intensity here-- a sense of greater and greater aggressiveness as we move from asking to seeking to knocking. Finally, note that the Lord Jesus gives no timetable in this promise of prayer answered. The timing will be His, rest assured. And He always answers!
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