April 27, 2009

  • Our Father in heaven comes to the contrite and lowly


    The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

    In him we live and move and have our being;
    as even some of your own poets have said,
    For we are indeed his offspring.

    29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

    –Acts 17:24-31


    The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

    –Acts 5:30-31


    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
    I dwell in the high and holy place,
    and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
    to revive the spirit of the lowly,
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.
    Isaiah 57:15

    Lord of heaven and earth,

    You are high and lifted up.
    You inhabit eternity.
    Your Name is Holy.
    You dwell in the high and holy place.
    You do not live in our temples.

    We were without strength.
    We were dead in our trespasses and sins.
    We were not seeking You.
    We were guilty before You.
    We were children of wrath.
    We were rightly condemned.

    You made Your Son who knew no sin to be sin for us.
    You showed Your love in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
    You sent Your Son to be an atoning sacrifice in our place.
    You sent Your Son to bring us to You.
    Your merciful kindness has led us to repentance.

    Your have breathed life into us and made us Your sons and daughters.
    You have granted us remission of sins by His blood.
    You Holy Spirit dwells in us.
    You have lifted us up to heavenly places.
    You have called us Your holy people.

    You have called us out to be a people holy unto You. Yet we confess that though You have breathed Your life into us, though the Spirit of Your Son dwells in us, Your Holy Spirit, too often we do not live like Your children, we do not reflect our Father in heaven who is holy. We do not hallow Your name. Forgive us. We confess our sins to You now and know that You are the just and justifier and You will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    Lord of heaven and earth,

    You who dwell in the high and holy place,
    Humble us, break our spirits, bring us down

    When we become like Peter
    and think we can walk in our own strength

    When we forget we are but branches
    and forget we cannot bear fruit apart from the True Vine

    When we act like the proud Pharisee
    and forget we have no righteousness of our own

    Remind us we are not sufficient for these things
    Show us our sufficiency is all of You

    Whenever we see ourselves as high and lifted up
    May Your kindness grant us repentance

    For You are alone must reign
    For You alone are worthy

    You alone are our Lord
    You alone are Lord of heaven and earth.

    we are not.

    Show Your mercy to Your children for Jesus' sake.

    You have promised to revive the lowly.
    You have promised to revive the heart of the contrite.

    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
    I dwell in the high and holy place,
    and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
    to revive the spirit of the lowly,
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.
    16 For I will not contend forever,
    nor will I always be angry;
    for the spirit would grow faint before me,
    and the breath of life that I made.
    17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,
    I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
    but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
    18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
    I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
    19 creating the fruit of the lips.
    Peace, peace, to the far and to the near, says the Lord,
    and I will heal him.

    Isaiah 57:15-19

    Lord of heaven and earth, our God, You are high and lifted up, but too often we lift ourselves up. You alone are worthy. You alone are holy. Holy Spirit, open our eyes, show us our sin, show us how we have become proud and puffed up. Show us how we have come to rely on ourselves rather than You. Forgive us our sins for Jesus' sake. Lord of heaven and earth, be kind to us, come to us now, help us to bow our knees and our necks to You. For Jesus' sake, grant us repentance. Revive and restore us. Keep us from lifting ourselves up. Keep us lowly and humble before You. For You alone must receive all the praise, honor and glory, not us. Revive us. Restore us. Renew us. Comfort us. Heal us.

    Please take time to bow and kneel before Him in confession and repentance.

Comments (2)

  • Lord of heaven and earth, my Father,

    I look at the Israelites who trusted in their chariots and horses and say, "How could they?" Oh, how often I do the same. How could I?! Even though I've tasted and seen You are good and You have supplied all my need up until now, I turn away from You and rely on my own abilities or I look to other people. Forgive me that I do not depend on You and You alone. Forgive that I keep looking at my enemies and lose sight that You are in the midst, a very present help in time of trouble. Forgive me that I keep looking to the hills when my only help is in You. Through Your gift of the Holy Spirit You dwell in me. You have promised to never leave me or forsake me. You have promised You will equip me for everything good for godliness and righteousness and supply all my need as I walk the works You have ordained for me. You are my Helper, my Shield, my Protector, my Strong Tower, my Comforter. How often I grieve You when I do not rest in Your easy yoke. Forgive me and show Me that You alone are Lord of heaven and earth. You are my Sufficiency and my Supply, the Fountain of Living Water which flows forevermore. Help me to drink only of You. Help me to see Your all-surpassing glory so I might drink of You even while the chariots and horses continue to allure and charm me. Help me to walk by faith when all I have a few stones or a few loaves and fishes.

    Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. Psalm 60:11-12.

    Amen.

  • Father,

    I think, too, of the heathen kings like Nebuchadnezzar and Sennacharib who arrogantly spoke against You. Enable us to keep remembering that You are, and always will be, in control.

    In Jesus' Name

    Amen

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"he called it the tent of meeting..."

I am burdened to pray to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the reformation and reviving of Christ's church.

The phrase tent of meeting comes from Exodus 33:7: Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.

This site is devoted to God first and foremost. In all that is done here, my prayer is that God is glorified and His Name magnified and Christ and Him crucified is lifted up so He might be preeminent and God might receive all the praise, honor and glory due His Holy Name. All who have come to a saving knowledge of our Father by grace through faith in the all-sufficient sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are welcome to enter this tent of meeting to seek the Lord.

This blog is a place for all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to come and seek God's face for revival. My intention is for this tent of meeting to be a holy place where we can enter into PRAYER together to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit leads you, please enter into prayer either here (think of "comments" as prayers) or on your own.

Habakkuk 3:2 O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

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