December 24, 2009
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Has the fullness of time not yet come?
In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son . . . Galatians 4:3-4aOur Father,
We confess we have once again become children.
We drink milk when we should be eating meat.We are unwise as to what is good and infants regarding evil.
We build on sand rather than on the Rock.
We are withering instead of abiding in the Vine and bearing fruit.
We each do what is right in his his eyes rather than what is right in Your eyes.
We trust in our own wisdom rather than You.
We rely on our own might rather than You.
We make our own plans and ask You to bless them.
We walk in the broad way of the world rather than the narrow way of Life.
We confessing You as Lord but not making You Lord.
We confess we have become enslaved to the world and to our flesh.
Holy Father, when the fullness of time had come You sent Your only begotten Son...
After the Lord Jesus Christ lived a holy life here, coming not to be served but to serve, wholly submitting Himself to Your will for Him, having finished the work You had sent Him to do, He was crucified, died and was buried. Then He was raised from the dead and declared to be Your Son with power. After His ascension to Your right hand in glory, You did not leave us as orphans, but Your Spirit was sent to dwell with us forever.
We confess how we have continued to grieve, quench and limit Your Holy Spirit.
We confess how we have once again become children.
Forgive us, O Father, for Jesus' sake. Cleanse us, O Father, for Jesus' sake.
Now we ask You humbly, yet boldly, for what You have told us to ask for...no — for Whom You have told us to ask...
Father, You have promised us You would send Your Holy Spirit to Your children who ask You.
So we are coming to ask You. Yes, we know we have Your Spirit indwelling us, but yet we are asking. Asking for a fresh infilling. You have told us to be filled with the Spirit. We cannot fill ourselves. We cannot make this happen, but we can ask. We cannot manipulate You, but we can ask. We have seen how You have blessed Your people in the past by the sovereign movement of Your Spirit not only in individual lives, but in large numbers of people, when the Church was at her lowest, Your sovereign Spirit came to breathe life into the dead Church and revive her.
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
O, Holy Father, do You not see the state of Your Church. We are grieved when we see how we are falling so short of Your glory. Are You not even more grieved?
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
You are our Father. We are Your children. We bow before You, yet we come knowing You will hear us as we ask in the Name of Jesus. Will You not freely give us all things? Have You not promised to give Your Holy Spirit to those who ask You. So, here we are, lying at Your throne and begging of You. Our hands are empty. Our mouths are empty. We have nothing apart from You. We are nothing apart from You. Will You not look with pity on us? We are Your children. Do You not hear our groaning? Is not Your Spirit groaning along with us? O, Father, remember the new covenant You have made with us through Your only begotten Son. We are Yours.
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
We have seen how we have become children in so many ways.
How childish and immature we are. How lukewarm and apathetic we are. How powerless and ineffective we are.
You have called us to be holy. You have called us to be bold. You have called us to turn the world upside down. We are failing. The fault lies wholly with us, not with You.
Forgive us, O Father, for making a mockery of Your love for us.
Forgive us, O Son, for showing contempt for Your blood shed for us.
Forgive us, O Spirit, for limiting Your work in us.We have seen that we have no other recourse but to call on You. We can do nothing apart from You. We can do nothing to revive ourselves. What has been begun by Your Spirit can only be continued and brought to full fruition by Your Spirit. Will You leave us as we are?
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
Can we continue to be childish? Can we continue to be immature? Can we continue to be lukewarm? Can we continue to be apathetic. Can we continue to be powerless? Can we continue to be ineffective?
We are groaning. We are crying out to You. Are You not the God who sees and hears us? Will You not have mercy on us and be gracious to us for the sake of Your Name?
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
Father, we are desperate here. How can our childishness and immaturity bring You glory? How can our lukewarmness and apathy bring You glory? How can our powerlessness and ineffectiveness bring You glory?
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
For the sake of Your blessed and holy and pure and wonderful Name, will You not look with favor on us, because we are Your children, because we are Your sheep, because we are Yours bought with the blood of Your Son and once again do a mighty thing like You did by sending Your Son. Send Your Spirit once more, O Father, so we might bring You glory and honor and praise as You have intended. Revive us, Almighty God. We have no ability, we have no passion, we have no power apart from You. Breathe into our dry bones.
Come again to us.
To refresh what is arid.To renew what is weak.
To restore what is decayed.
To revive what is unconscious.
To resurrect what is dead.
To rebuild what is wrecked.
To reclaim what is ravaged.
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
Holy Father, have mercy on us and be gracious to us for Jesus' sake. We know we do not deserve anything except through our Mediator. We come in His blessed Name, through His Body and Blood, to Your throne. You have told us to come in our time of need. Is this not a great time of need?
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
We are poor and needy. We no longer what to remain in the pig sty. We are coming home, Father. Look with favor on us for Jesus' sake. We are Your adopted children. Will you not send Your Spirit to us? We know we cannot continue on as we are.
Father, look on us, be merciful to us, hear our prayers for Your Name sake. Make us a praise in the earth. Make us the shining city on a hill You have intended us to be.
Has the fullness of time not yet come?
Please add your prayers for the Holy Spirit to come and revive you and the Church as He leads you...
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Comments (2)
This poster recalls a section of Deuteronomy in which the children of Israel are admonished to remember what You did for them in bringing them out of Egypt--and also warned them what would happen if they forgot you. If it is Your will, keep enabling Your people to truly appreciate You, Your word, and all You have done and will continue to do for them. Give them the strength You can for any future trials they may face.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Father, I so agree with @WLCALUM. You do long for us to appreciate You, to remember You, to continue to render to You praise for who You are and thanksgiving for what You have done for us. You have saved us so we might make much of You, so we might proclaim Your praises. We confess we are no different than the Israelites. Forgive us. We too often forget You. Give us a greater vision of You, of Your glory, so we will be enraptured and captivated by Your love, mercy and grace for us like the apostle Paul was on the Damascus Road. Taken down from any thought we are anything in and of ourselves.
We are nothing apart from You.
We have nothing apart from You.
We can do nothing apart from You.
We are Yours, O Lord. Not our own. We were bought with a price. O, may we glorify You and You alone.
Grant us an increasing hunger to know You, that we would not be satisfied with where we are now, but that we would press on to know You and the power of Your resurrection and, yes, share in the sufferings of Christ our Lord. We are to live to you and not ourselves. Restore our vision. Set our minds on You. Set our affections above. Let us march here in this world as citizens of heaven. We are bound to You by Your mercy, grace, blood and Your covenant promises to us. Let us shine as lights, rather than fading into the world's darkness. We are Yours. May we live like it. We have Your Spirit in us so we can live like it! Be gracious to us. Fill us with Your Spirit. Baptize us afresh. Circumcise our hearts so we might no longer adore the things of this world but adore You only, for You alone are worthy, You alone are holy, You alone, Lord God, our Creator, our Maker, our Sustainer, our Sufficiency, our Life, our Hope, our Peace. We love You, Lord Jesus. Fulfill in us what we cannot do on our own. May we work out the salvation You are working in us. To Your glory, O Lord. May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.