June 30, 2009
-
how are we sacrificing to any god, other than the Lord alone?
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me.
–Exodus 20:2-3
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? 37 And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
–Matthew 22:36-38
Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
–Exodus 22:20Please read Revelation 2 and 3.
Lord Jesus Christ, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who is and who was and who is the come, the Almighty,
Speak to us today through Your words to the seven churches. Give us ears to hear what Your Spirit has to say to us.
When you spoke to the seven churches, You made it clear you want us to love You with our all. You seek a people who will be wholly devoted to You. You demand undivided allegiance to You and You alone.
Just as the Israelites were to offer the best of the flock, unblemished lambs, we are to offer You our best.
Just as the Israelites were to offer the firstfruits of the harvest, we are to offer You our firstfruits.
Just as the Israelites were to offer offerings without leaven, we are to offer You offerings without leaven.
How often do we compromise in what we offer you?
How are we sacrificing to any god, other than You alone?
Show us how our offerings to You are blemished, second best, leftovers and laden with leaven.
We are to offer to You our whole selves.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
–Romans 12:1How often do we compromise in what we offer you?
How are we sacrificing to any god, other than You alone?
Show us how our offerings to You are blemished, second best, leftovers and laden with leaven.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where we are sacrificing to other gods but You.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where we are not loving You with all our heart.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where we are not loving You with all our soul.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where we are not loving You with all our mind.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where are not single-eyed for You.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where are we are trying to serve God and mammon.
As we read Your Word, may Your Holy Spirit come and open us up and show us where are not wholly devoted to You.
Where are we not offering ourselves wholly to You?
How are we sacrificing to any god, other than You alone?
To the church at Ephesus You spoke of the need for Pure Unreserved Love.
To the church at Smyrna You spoke of the need for Pure Persevering Faith.
To the church at Pergamos You spoke of the need for Pure Doctrine and Practice.
To the church at Thyatira You spoke of the need for Pure Uncompromising Teaching.
To the church at Sardis You spoke of the need for Pure Lively Religion.
To the church at Philadelphia You spoke of the need for Pure Perseverance.
To the church at Laodicea You spoke of the need for Pure Flaming Devotion.We confess there are times we have been doctrinally correct, but we have lost our first Love.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our love for You be pure.We confess there are times we have become fearful and lack pure persevering faith.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our faith be pure.We confess there are times we have allowed leaven to creep in and have not been pure in doctrine and practice.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our doctrine and practice be pure.We confess there are times we have allowed leaven to corrupt the teaching of the pure Gospel.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our teaching be pure.We confess there are times we have turned lively fellowship with You into dead and dry religion.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our religion be pure.We confess there are times we have lacked faith to persevere through trials and we have denied Your name.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our faith be pure.We confess there are times we have become lukewarm and we have lost our flaming devotion for You.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus Christ.
May our devotion for you be pure.
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
–I John 3:3-6Father, Son and Spirit, You are pure and holy. Show us where we are not pure and holy. Show us where we have been sacrificing to any god, other than You alone. Holy Spirit, work within us so we might have a desire to be pure and holy. Holy Spirit, impart to us Christ's resurrection power so we might purify ourselves and be holy as He is holy, so we might no longer sacrifice to any god, other than the Lord alone, but we would sacrifice to the Lord alone. Amen.
As His Spirit leads you, come before Him now and confess to Him where You have been been holy, where you have been offering to any god, other than the Lord alone. Ask Him to make You holy. (Please keep in mind this is a public forum, so please use discretion as you pray here.)
RSS Feed
Comments (6)
Forgive me, Lord, for the times my instrumental performances have fallen short of expectations, and/or for the stretches in which I don't practice as I should. Your call in Malachi ("Would you show your bad offerings to your governor?") hits home.
Show me more areas where I need to be better at "getting real" with You.
In Jesus' Name
Amen.
Father, forgive me, as You put into my heart something to do for you today, I balked and questioned and wondered and then I said, "Haven't I done all You asked me?"
Yes, but now I'm asking you to do something else...What was that about offering yourself as a living sacrifice, giving your all, giving your best, giving without leaven? What was that?
Father, how often I promise You things and then I want to take them back. Forgive me. Thank You for calling me to repentance. My faith is so small, my strength is small, my fear is large, my doubts are large. My love for you is lukewarm and not wholehearted. I am looking at myself and I am looking at what it might cost me. I am looking at how I feel overwhelmed already. Give me a vision of who You are. That You are almighty. Yes, I am poor and needy, I am wretched and have nothing. You have all I need to do the work You call me to. Thank You that You are the God who does wonders. You have shown me that time and time again. Forgive me for doubting You are the God who does wonders. I forget You are the God who tells me to come to You and take Your yoke upon me when I am weary and heavy laden and You will give me rest. O, help me take on that easy yoke, for it is only then I walk in obedience to Your will for me. Increase my faith. Help me wholly trust myself to You and render myself unto You to the uttermost, just as Jesus Himself did for us and just as Jesus does for us now so we might be saved to the uttermost. You are a God who gives all. How can I not give You all? Forgive me for doubting and for holding back and being selfish. I am Yours. Let me have no other gods but You. Let me no longer sacrifice to any God, other than You, O Lord. I love You but my love is so small. Baptize me with Your Spirit. Anoint me to do Your work. I have no power or ability apart from Your Holy Spirit. Be merciful to me, O God. Use me how You will. Let me have no regard for my own life. May I no longer live but Christ in me. Help me to truly be united to Him in purpose for it is only then I can love You with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. Amen.
Father, I agree with @WLCALUM -
Show me more areas where I need to be better at "getting real" with You.
Amen. We know that is a dangerous prayer but we know that is to Your glory and for our ultimate joy and peace. When we are out of your will in even a small thing, even when a very small speck of leaven remains, we cannot experience the abundant life You have intended for us. Make us holy as You are holy. Sanctify us with Your Spirit, O God, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
Holy Father, I am grieving today at how people profess to know you, they claim to be Christians, but they have allowed the leaven of the Pharisees to come in, they have corrupted the pure, unblemished Gospel of Jesus Christ. They claim faith saves but then continue to insist works save. If our works save us, why do we need Christ's work? Certainly our faith must bear good fruit and good works, but these works do not save us but are proof of Your great salvation shown us and showered on us only because You have chosen us and shown mercy to us. How Your Son's glorious sacrifice is shown contempt when we make much of our works! Forgive us, O God. Our salvation is all of you and nothing of us, so You alone might receive all the praise, honor and glory! May Jesus Christ be lifted up to the preeminent place in Your Church. Lord Jesus, You are in our midst. Bring Your sharp two-edged sword and expose the false Gospels that are in our midst. Your are our Shepherd. We are sheep and easily led astray. We cannot protect ourselves. Protect us from error. Protect us from the evil one. Guard us, O good Shepherd and great Shepherd of the sheep. The wolves are in sheep's clothing. The wolves appear like angels of light. Give us discernment. Holy Spirit, lead us into all truth. Raise up men and women who will shepherd and care for and guard the flock and the Gospel and fight to the death for the glory of the Gospel! By Your grace, may I be one of those women. Amen.
Father, May the hearts of wives and husbands be refreshed in Christ today so they can enjoy the love from heaven rather than from the world. amen
@FRANK@revelife - Amen, Father, I agree with this prayer. We thank you for our loved ones and friends. They are truly gifts from you to love, care and support us, but may we never make them idols, may we never give them the place You alone should have. May we keep You as our first Love always. Amen.
Comments are closed.