prayer

  • Lamentations 4:1 How the gold has grown dim

    Jeremiah, Haggai, and the rest of the prophets were given eyes to see how the temple of the Lord had been defiled, and how the glory of the Lord had been obscured.

    Lamentations 4
    1  How the gold has grown dim,
    how the pure gold is changed!
    The holy stones lie scattered
    at the head of every street.
    2  The precious sons of Zion,
    worth their weight in fine gold,
    how they are regarded as earthen pots,
    the work of a potter's hands!

    Psalm 79:1  O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
    they have defiled your holy temple...

    Haggai 2:3  Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?

    We are in a similar situation today.

    But thanks be to God, our Lord has always been jealous and zealous for His temple and His people for the honor of His Name. The Church is His temple, a dwelling place for God by His Spirit. We are His bride, bought with Christ's precious blood, kept by His covenant mercies and sealed unto the Day of Redemption by His Holy Spirit. Our God always has a remnant, and He will complete the work He has begun in us.

    By the mercies of God, some of us have been given eyes to see. We have been provoked and grieved in heart, and we are seeking the Lord's face for restoration, revival and renewal in the Church. And how much more is that our Lord's desire!

    Isaiah 62:1  For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
    until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
    and her salvation as a burning torch.

    As we look out upon the current deterioration and ruination that is becoming more and more apparent and prevalent in so much of the Church, let us beware of panicking or becoming dismayed and then reacting and working from our flesh. Rather, let us fix our eyes on Jesus and look to God's Word. It is there we will see that in our current state of devastation, our first course of action has already been clearly prescribed for us: to be watchmen ~ to get down on our knees in intercession on behalf of the Church, and to stand up and speak God's truth to God's Church.

    Isaiah 62:6  On your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have set watchmen;
    all the day and all the night
    they shall never be silent.
    You who put the LORD in remembrance,
    take no rest,
    7  and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it a praise in the earth.

    Acts 6:4  But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

    May our God be gracious and merciful to us and strengthen us to do His work of restoration in His power for the sake of His Name and the revival of His Church, so all the nations might see our righteousness and kings our glory. May His Spirit work in us to seek to please our Lord who has enlisted us, to patiently endure all things for the elect and to persevere in prayer to our God to rend the heavens, so we might see His glory come down upon us once again.

    O, come, Lord Jesus, and fill Your house with glory again, that the latter glory shall be greater than the former! O, we are thirsty and our ground is dry. Pour down Your Spirit down upon us, Lord, for the sake of Your Holy Name and for the nations who have yet to hear and come to You.

    Hebrews 13:20  Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21  equip you [us] with everything good that you [we] may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

    Haggai 2:1  In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 2  “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3  ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4  Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, 5  according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6  For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7  And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. 8  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. 9  The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’”

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

  • Pray to get our closed lips open in intercession (M'Cheyne)

    Pray to get your closed lips open in intercession;

    embrace the whole world, and carry it within the veil...

    Pray for the dead parishes around you.

    –Robert Murray M'Cheyne

     

    Hebrews 7:25

    Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him,
    since he always lives to make intercession for them.

     

    Isaiah 62

    6 On your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have set watchmen;
    all the day and all the night
    they shall never be silent.
    You who put the LORD in remembrance,
    take no rest,
    7 and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it a praise in the earth.

     

    Please add your PRAYERS as His Holy Spirit leads you.

     

  • "You have hindered God's work by your want of prayer." (from M'Cheyne's 8th Pastoral Letter)

    In my last post I quoted from Robert Murray M'Cheyne, who reminded us that we "ought never do anything without prayer."

    Once again I'd like to bring you something from M'Cheyne. As way of background ~ M'Cheyne wrote a series of ten Pastoral Letters during the time he was away from his flock at St. Peter's, Dundee (initially for a few months due to illness, during which time he sensed God's call to go on mission to the Jews, and then he was gone for a period of eight months after that on mission, before returning to Scotland). (As an aside, this is a reminder how God desires to use us regardless of where we are; I've found what I've read of these letters so encouraging!)

    In his Eighth Pastoral Letter, subtitled "Warnings to the unsaved—Causes why so many among us are unsaved," Robert Murray M'Cheyne first addresses his own sins and shortcomings as a minister after which he addresses his flock. His second point in that section of the letter dealt with his people's want of prayer. I think these words are a much-needed exhortation to the Church of God today.

    ... You have hindered God's work by your want of prayer. When God gives grace to souls, it is in answer to the prayers of His children. You will see this, on the Day of Pentecost, Acts ii. Ezek. xxxvii. 9 shews, that in answer to the prayer of a single child of God, God will give grace to a whole valley full of dry and prayerless bones. Where God puts it into the heart of His children to pray, it is certain that He is going to pour down His Spirit in abundance. Now, where have been your prayers, O children of God ? The salvation of those around you depends on your asking, and yet " hitherto ye have asked nothing in Christ's name." Ye that are the Lord's remembrancers keep not silence, and give Him no rest. Alas ! you have given God much rest— you have allowed His hand to remain unplucked out of his bosom. It is said of John Welsh, minister of Ayr, that he used always to sleep with a plaid upon his bed, that he might wrap it around him when he arose in the night to pray. He used to spend whole nights in wrestling with God for Zion, and for the purity of the Church of Scotland ; and he wondered how Christians could lie all night in bed without rising to pray. Oh! we have few Welshes now, therefore our Church is so dim, and our land a barren wilderness. Dear Christians, I often think it strange that ever we should be in heaven, and so many in hell through our soul-destroying carelessness. The good Lord pardon the past, and stir you up for the future. I learn that you are more stirred up to pray since I left, both in secret and unitedly. God grant it be so. Continue in it, dear children. Do not let it slip again. Plead and wrestle with God, shewing him that the cause is his own, and that it is all for his own glory to arise and have mercy upon Zion.

    * * *

    Isaiah 62:
    1  For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
    until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
    and her salvation as a burning torch.
    2  The nations shall see your righteousness,
    and all the kings your glory,
    and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the LORD will give.
    3  You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
    and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
    4  You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
    and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
    but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
    and your land Married;
    for the LORD delights in you,
    and your land shall be married.
    5  For as a young man marries a young woman,
    so shall your sons marry you,
    and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
    so shall your God rejoice over you.
    6  On your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have set watchmen;
    all the day and all the night
    they shall never be silent.
    You who put the LORD in remembrance,
    take no rest,
    7  and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it a praise in the earth.

    Holy Father, We confess how often we have left off in prayer. We confess we do not give You peace nor rest. Prayer is a privilege and a responsibility and a calling of all Your children. Your Son gave His body and blood so we might be given entrance to Your throne room. The Lord Jesus Christ made the way into the Holy of Holies so we might go there with Him also. He continues to intercede for us today without ceasing. Your Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Lord God, Forgive us for not availing ourselves of this blessed birthright of prayer.

    Holy Father, Forgive us for being lukewarm and complacent. Forgive us for being cold and uncaring. We confess that we are so hot and engaged in worldly pursuits. Yet, where is that same fire and engagement in heavenly pursuits? Cleanse and purify our hearts, our minds and our desires so we might have a greater passion for Your cause and Your glory. We confess how we are so often self-centered, concerned about our own causes and our own glory, ready to do just about anything for self-interest. We confess how little we are concerned about Your cause and Your glory: the saving of many souls from all nations through Jesus Christ to Your glory. We confess that our own self-interests consume us more than passion for Your cause and Your glory. Forgive us and cleanse us from us selfishness. You saved us so we might not walk according to our own lusts but to Your good, acceptable and perfect will. Send Your Holy Fire to consume us afresh and anew with a passion for Your cause and Your glory.

    Holy Father, Send Your Spirit to cleanse and purify our hearts, our minds and our desires so we might have a greater passion for intercessory prayer. Forgive us that we have hindered Your work by our want of prayer. Help us to be zealous for Your cause and Your glory. Help us to plead and wrestle with You for Zion without ceasing – for lost souls, for lukewarm souls, for our own souls. How often do we plead and wrestle for our own earthly, fleshly interests! Forgive us for having such impure thoughts and desires. May we be a bright and shining torch again, a city upon a hill, to which many nations will see Your light, righteousness and glory and stream there so they might seek and know You and the joy of Your salvation.

    Holy Father, Stir us up so we might pray without ceasing for Your cause and Your glory. Stir us up out of our beds. Stir us up in our homes. Stir us up in our church buildings. Stir us up as we walk. Stir us up as we sit. Stir us up wherever we are. Stir us up all the day. Stir us up all the night. Stir us up so we cannot keep silent but continue importunate in prayer. Stir us up to Your cause and Your glory. How can we be content unless we are united with Your mind and heart in this desire? Have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon Zion. Have mercy upon Your Church. Have mercy upon our dry and prayerless bones! Breathe life into us, Holy Spirit, so prayers might rise as incense to Your throne once again for Your good pleasure. Amen.

    Please add your own PRAYERS as God's Spirit leads you.

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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