love

  • loving truth ~ while so many hearts in heaven and earth are flaming with love and admiration...

    II Thessalonians 2:9  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

    That phrase "love the truth" has been on my heart for quite some time now. It's one thing for us to believe the truth, but aren't we as Christians also supposed to love the truth? Can we say that we love Christ if we make only a mere mental assent to the truth? Yes, we are to believe on Christ, but what kind of belief is a belief that does not prove itself by fervent love? Jesus Himself told us what the greatest commandment was:

    Mark 12:28  And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29  Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength? Is not Christ, called the way, the truth and the life? Is not genuine love for Christ shown as we love truth? Is not a lack of love for the truth one of the reasons why the church is in such a miserable and pitiable state today?

    Our God is the God of truth. He cannot lie.
    Our Father is the Father of lights, in whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
    Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the way, the truth and the life.
    Our Spirit is the Holy. He is the Spirit of truth, sent to guide us into all truth.
    God's Word is truth.

    Does not our Bridegroom wash His Church continually with His Word, which is truth?

    Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

    Should not our ministers do likewise?

    Our God delights in truth:

    Psalms 51:6  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

    Should not our ministers delight in truth?

    In spite of our professed desire to be valiant for truth, how easy it is for any one of us to be tempted, allured and drawn away by our flesh, by expediency, by fear of men, by the spirit of the age, and by the devil –– so we might "sell truth," in disobedience to the Biblical mandate:

    Proverbs 23:23  Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

    How can anyone be valiant for that which he does not love?

    I recently started reading "The Life and Sermons of Edward D. Griffin, Volume 1." Edward Dorr Griffin (1770-1837) was a minister in the northeastern United States for over forty years, and was privileged to witness a series of revivals under his ministry. In his journal, Griffin wrote the following examination regarding love for the truth in 1797, a few years after he entered the ministry.

    EXAMINATION. Sabbath Evening, August 20th. I have been this evening examining my feelings towards God, the law, and Jesus Christ, and the plan of salvation by him. I have asked myself such questions as these:  Am I pleased with a God who sits on the throne of the universe, governing all matters so as to promote the highest happiness of the universe; who, in the exercise of infinite benevolence, has entered on a system of operations most conducive to manifest and diffuse himself, and to complete a kingdom of holy, benevolent, and happy beings; who is perfectly pure and holy; and who, as the faithful guardian of the universe, has resolved to punish every thing which opposes its happiness; who abhors every sin, even mine; who has manifested his abhorrence of sin in the destruction of the old world, Sodom, &c. and on the cross, and in the punishment of my sins; who is just, merciful, patient, and faithful; who has made discoveries of these perfections in the gospel, and in all that he has done for Zion, from the days of Adam; who requires himself to be loved and respected supremely? &c. Do I love the law which requires perfect benevolence and sinless perfection, and condemns every transgression? Would I wish for a law any different? Have I any hopes of being able to atone for my sins? Am I pleased with the character and offices of Christ and the way of salvation by him? That he should have all the praise of my salvation, and that I should be exempt from punishment in consequence of the opportunity which he has given God to manifest, in his treatment of him, his abhorrence of my sins? &c. And after the most serious and elaborate examination, I dare not come to any fixed conclusion, though I hope my heart is pleased with this representation of God, and the law, and Christ. I think I feel ashamed that while so many hearts in heaven and earth are flaming with love and admiration in view of these truths, mine is so little affected by them, that I cannot decide whether I love them or not. Yet I solemnly determine not to give up the examination until I can answer decisively. I am resolved to pursue it to-morrow. And O, may the Lord give me light to see and know myself, and to love him with fervency.

     

    ~ Source: "The Life and Sermons of Edward D. Griffin" by William B. Sprague (orig. published 1839, republished in 1987 by The Banner of Truth Trust), 22-23.

     


    Holy God, we come to you and ask you to forgive us for Jesus' sake, as we confess to You how our hearts flame with love and admiration for so many other things, but our hearts are not flaming with love and admiration in view of these truths.

    Holy God, we come to you and ask you to forgive us for Jesus' sake, as we confess to you how quickly we are affected by worldly matters, but we remain so little affected by these sublime truths.

    May the God of truth lead us into all truth. May the Lord give each one of us light to see and know ourselves, and to love Him and to love the truth with fervency.

    May God's Spirit inflame in us an ever-increasing love and admiration for Him and His truth.

    May the Spirit of truth teach us the fear of the LORD, lead us in His way, teach us truth in the secret heart, so we might love the truth and walk in the truth.

     

    Psalm 86:11 (adapted)
    Teach us your way, O LORD,
    that we may walk in your truth;
    unite our hearts to fear your name.

    May our God be merciful and gracious to us and raise up ministers such as Edward Dorr Griffin.

    * Please add your PRAYERS below, as God's Holy Spirit leads you. *

     

  • May we find grace in Your eyes! Appear to us from far away! ~ Jeremiah 31:1-7

    Jeremiah 31:1  At that time, declares the LORD, "I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people."

    Church of God, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and adopted by the Father, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ – Has the LORD ever ceased being our God? Have we ever ceased from being His people?

    Today, in the days of our decline, as we see so much of the Church a reproach to the name of our God, where we are nothing close to holiness to the Lord in either our doctrine or practice, when we are sorely tempted to lose hope and despair, yet here we are reminded to look back at LORD's continuing love, mercy and grace toward His people.

    2  Thus says the LORD:
    “The people who survived the sword
    found grace in the wilderness;
    when Israel sought for rest,
    3  the LORD appeared to him from far away.
    I have loved you with an everlasting love;

    My brothers and sisters, in our wilderness state today, let us fix our eyes on Jesus and remember the LORD's love, faithfulness, promises and covenant mercies to us in Jesus Christ. God's promises and His covenant are everlasting because His love for us is everlasting. He is our God and we are His people. He will never leave us or forsake us. Even in our languishing state here in the wilderness, even though we have grieved Him, even though much of the Church has so fallen short of His glory, where we can rightly be called Ichabod, where we are in ruins, where we are in desperate need of revival and where we are seeking rest like Israel, even today we can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Why? For we can be sure that just as the LORD did in the days of Moses, and as He did in the days of decline throughout Church history, because He is our God and we are His people, He will once again appear to us from far away and we too will find grace in the wilderness because He continues to love us with an everlasting love. In wrath, He will remember mercy and He will rend the heavens and cause His face to shine on us and we shall be revived!

    O, children of God, even though He seems so far away today, even though the heavens are like brass, even though the rain is turned to powder and dust, we can be sure of our Bridegroom's everlasting love for His bride! And so, one day we can trust that just as the wind blows, from far away, His Spirit will sound like a rushing mighty wind and breathe on us again to revive us and baptize us with fire. And the lukewarm church will be set ablaze for the glory of God! And one day we will rejoice and sing, "Behold He comes!" He will appear to us from far away because He is our God and we are His people and He has loved us with an everlasting love and like Israel, and we will find grace in the wilderness.

    Is there a time when the LORD's faithfulness has ceased toward His people? Does His love for us have an ending or beginning? Has He not loved us with an everlasting love? Will our Father's love and faithfulness not continue toward us for the sake of His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ?

    therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

    O, thanks be to God, that the LORD is faithful when we are not. Great is His faithfulness! Morning by morning, new mercies we see. O, we know how our love for Him is so often is like the morning cloud, but His love for us is everlasting.

    And so let us look to the everlasting love and everlasting covenant promises of our ever faithful and never failing God!

    Even today as we are broken down, in ruins and a reproach . . .  may the Spirit give us ears to hear Him:

    4  Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel!

    Rejoice with me, O Church, that He is our God and we are His people!
    Rejoice with me, O Church, in His everlasting love and His continuing faithfulness to us!
    O, LORD, may we find grace in Your eyes for we are Your people!
    O, LORD, appear to us from far away!
    O, LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel!

    Even today as we are unadorned and in lament . . . may the Spirit give us ears to hear Him:

    Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
    and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

    Rejoice with me, O Church, that He is our God and we are His people!
    Rejoice with me, O Church, in His everlasting love and His continuing faithfulness to us!
    O, LORD, may we find grace in Your eyes for we are Your people!
    O, LORD, appear to us from far away!
    O, LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel!

    Even today as we are barren and hungry  . . .  may the Spirit give us ears to hear Him:

    5  Again you shall plant vineyards
    on the mountains of Samaria;
    the planters shall plant
    and shall enjoy the fruit.

    Rejoice with me, O Church, that He is our God and we are His people!
    Rejoice with me, O Church, in His everlasting love and His continuing faithfulness to us!
    O, LORD, may we find grace in Your eyes for we are Your people!
    O, LORD, appear to us from far away!
    O, LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel!

    Even today as the watchmen are few and Zion is despised . . . may the Spirit give us ears to hear Him:

    6  For there shall be a day when watchmen will call
    in the hill country of Ephraim:
    ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
    to the LORD our God.’”

    Rejoice with me, O Church, that He is our God and we are His people!
    Rejoice with me, O Church, in His everlasting love and His continuing faithfulness to us!
    O, LORD, may we find grace in Your eyes for we are Your people!
    O, LORD, appear to us from far away!
    O, LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel!

    Even today as our faith has not yet become sight . . . may the Spirit give us ears to hear Him and voices to shout, proclaim, praise and petition Him:

    7  For thus says the LORD:
    “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
    and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
    proclaim, give praise, and say,
    ‘O LORD, save your people,
    the remnant of Israel.’

    Rejoice with me, O Church, that He is our God and we are His people!
    Rejoice with me, O Church, in His everlasting love and His continuing faithfulness to us!
    O, LORD, may we find grace in Your eyes for we are Your people!
    O, LORD, appear to us from far away!
    O, LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel!

    *Please add your PRAYERS and PRAISES as His Spirit leads you.*

  • Shower, O heavens, from above!

    Isaiah 45:8 Shower, O heavens, from above,
    and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
    let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
    let the earth cause them both to sprout;
    I the LORD have created it.

    John 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing... 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

    Please add your PRAYERS for God's Holy Spirit to shower down on us from above so we might abide in Christ, be fervent in prayer before His throne and bear fruit, much fruit and fruit that abides, fruit that will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea, so all the nations will taste and see He is good, to the glory of God!

tent_of_meeting

"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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