John 17:4-5 - Jesus Prays To Be Glorified

John 17:4-5

4 I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Message: Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: The Tabletalk reading for this lesson talks about how Jesus set aside or veiled his divinity on earth multiple times and that is why this speaks to the idea of Jesus being glorified. And so here when He speaks of asking the Father to glorify Himself He is asking God to allow His divine glory to be seen again. 

It was veiled as has fulfilled his mission to provide eternal life to the elect. Atonement is required with the human nature; humanity can suffer, but God cannot. 

Yesterday in Sunday School our teacher asked us to mention things in our faith that remain difficult to understand - and we mentioned many different things. This to me is one of them - understand how the divine nature and human nature work together with Jesus. How can he be both? And when was He both? Other questions were asked like free will and sovereignty. I also mentioned what is the age of accountability. There is also the problem of evil or suffering. 

But with this idea of a human nature and divine one. Could it be that most of Jesus' time on earth or all of it was according to His human nature? And perhaps it was the Father working through Him always even as He did divine things like walk on water or understand what a person is thinking or motivates that person. Even when healing was done, was it God manifesting Himself through Jesus or was Jesus acting according to His nature. So this idea that His divine nature was veiled or set aside does seem congruent. 

Back in John 13:31-32, I saw this idea of the glorification of Jesus for the first time here in John. I saw in that lesson multiple passages that speak of God's glory. And that Jesus was our opportunity to see God's glory. The purpose of our life is to glorify God. In verse 31, "Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him."" Jesus' mission is fulfilled. It mentions that "now" or not earlier, but now is the Son of Man glorified. 

In verse 4, Jesus prays to the Father, "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do." Jesus has been perfectly obedience on the earth. In the same way that I myself now live and act and seek to Glorify God on this earth, this is what Jesus did on the earth, in all He did, glorified God on the earth. 

Albert Barnes (1798-1870) states, "He had preached to the Jews; he had given them full proof that he was the Messiah; he had collected his disciples; he had taught them the nature of his religion; he had given them his parting counsel, and there was nothing remaining to be done but to return to God." Thus, he finished the work God had given Him to do. He speaks as if the work on the cross had already been doing because for Him it had been done. 

Verse 5 Jesus prays words to the Father, expressing or asking that God would glorify Himself, would return to Him the divine glory that He possessed with the Father when the world began. These are clear words of divinity and it makes sense that Islam would not accept these words. As it states in verse 5, "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." These words are incredible. And very similar to John 13:31, but adds that Jesus previously had this glory, but his role was probably different. Now His role is to be mediator between God and Man, providing our atonement on the cross. 

What great words of comfort these are and how they explain to me so much of God becoming a man, in order to be an earth mediator between God and man and bring people to eternal life. Yes, Jesus did it all. He came with authority and power, showing us the truth of the Gospel message of salvation and yet also showing us that a full life is in Christ, living in Christ - being born again, embracing the bread of life, the water of life, the temple of Jesus' body, our Great Shepherd who guides us. We are to embrace Jesus, be in Jesus. 

Summary: Jesus now prays that God's glory, which He possessed before the world was, would be returned to Him and that Glory would be with God the Father. 

Promise: Christ has to be glorified in His humanity in order to dwell before God's face as the incarnate Mediator. 

Prayer: O Father God, you are rich in mercy and love towards me. You have given me life, abundant life through the work of Jesus on this earth and His completion of being glorified in the cross at Calvary. You came to bring us all eternal life and living with You as our sustenance is how I am to live now. Thank you that I can experience God's acceptance because of the work You did. And thank you for bringing me alongside You. God, you are to be praised. You are to be glorified. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

My Utmost for His Highest - May 22nd - Now This Explains It

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. - John 17:21

    If you are going through a solitary way, read John 17, it will explain exactly why you are where you are--Jesus has prayed that you may be one with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or have you some other end for your life? Since you became a disciple you cannot be as independent as you used to be.

    The purpose of God is not to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of God, and this revealed in John 17. There is one prayer God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus--"that they may be one, even as We are One. (John 17:22)" Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?
    

    God is not concerned about our plans; He does not say--Do you want to go through this bereavement; this upset? He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler men, and women; or they are making us more captious* and fault-finding, more insistent upon our own way. the things that happen either make us fiends, or they make us saints; it depends entirely upon the relationship we are in to God. If we say--"Thy will be done, (Matthew 26:42)" we get the consolation of John 17, the consolation of knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom. When we understand what God is after we will not get mean and cynical. Jesus has prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far off it, and yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him, because Jesus has prayed that we may be.

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition.

Mom's thoughts

*captious - fond of taking exception or raising objections

My thoughts

Very interesting thoughts here -- praying is to discern the mind of God and God does not consult us but allow things to occur in our lives for His purpose. -- I must remember always my purpose and it is to be one with God, not to have a happy, carefree life. 

My Utmost for His Highest - May 3rd - Vital Intercession

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, - Ephesians 6:18

    As we go on in intercession we may find that our obedience to God is going to cost other people more than we thought. The danger this is to begin to intercede in sympathy with those whom God was gradually lifting to a totally different sphere in answer to our prayers. Whenever we step back from identification with God's interest in others into sympathy with them, the vital connection with God has gone, we have put our sympathy, our consideration for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God.
    

    It is impossible to intercede vitally unless we are perfectly sure of God, and the greatest dissipater of our relationship to God is personal sympathy and personal prejudice. Identification is the key to intercession, and whenever we stop being identified with God, it is by sympathy, not by sin. It is not likely that sin will interfere with our relationship to God, but sympathy will, sympathy with ourselves or with others which makes us say--"I will not allow that thing to happen." Instantly we are out of vital connection with God.

    Intercession leaves you neither time nor inclination to pray for your own "sad sweet self." The thought of yourself is not kept out, because it is not there to keep out; you are completely and entirely identified with God's interest in other lives.

    Discernment is God's call to intercession, never to fault finding.

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition.

My thoughts

Chambers has these words that he uses repeatedly in these devotions. Today's words are sympathy (7) and a form of intercession (6). He makes the point here that we are to be about intercession for others in our prayers and not praying for ourselves because others will take care of this. We can do this because we are sure of God and the way He will work in others to pray for me. And there is this idea that the greatest waste or dissipater of our relationship to God is being too focused on self and personal sympathy. 

Mark 14:37-42 - Willing Spirits and Weak Flesh

Mark 14:37-42
37 And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”

Message: Willing Spirits and Weak Flesh

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus is preparing for a distressing time. He knows it. He comes down from the Mount of Olives to pray. He has predicted his death. But, he still asks for another way out, another way to satisfy the will of God. But no matter what He asks the will of God to be done. It is the night before He is crucified.

Up to this point, Jesus knows that Judas will betray Him. I wonder at this point if the Judas was with them. It seems that  he is not. Because it seems that one reason here in these verses as to why Jesus was asking Peter, James, and John to keep watch is because He knows that He will be given over to leaders, but He needs to pray. So he asks them to keep watch. Jesus is in great distress at this time, as has been recorded. And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? The disciples are to do what Jesus says but continually they fail. And in this serious moment they have fallen asleep. Could you not keep watch for one hour? The task was somewhat simple. Whether the disciples thought this was an important task or not, they still had a task to do.

Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. This statement was for a specific purpose and yet it can be applied to many areas of our ongoing lives. Do I actively watch and pray that I may not come into temptation? I wonder if I take my flesh serious enough. I am doing a better job in these months of training myself by God's word. God has given me a great love for my wife and I continue to make her #1 and I am fortunate because she responds well to me as well. She enjoys my company so I have no reason to look elsewhere and thus, temptations are lessened. I work hard on that relationship. The kids are leaving and that relationship is central in my life. The kids needs are less and yet they still need the Word of God. I am not speaking into their lives enough. I am not asking to pray for their needs like I should be doing. Pamela and I need to be a stronger force regarding prayer. I do not need to get too big for my own britches or think that I am safe and all is good. I need to continue to watch and be careful not only for temptations that hit me but temptations that hit my family. I am their leader.

Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. What a sad picture this is of the Lord and His followers. Christ gives so much to us, his life. He bore the sin of the world and we take it for granted. He remains faithful to pray for us and I need to take my commission before the Father more serious.

And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; - It is sad to see this response by the disciples at this moment, but I also see a similar response by me and Jesus has come to me way more than 3 times and I have not replied.

the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” Get up. Get ready. Get going. Don't delay. It is time.

Summary - Jesus is preparing His death. It is getting closer and his betrayal is closer at hand. He needs his disciples to stand by Him. They have said they won't deny him but then they fall asleep and don't watch when they are needed. The commission of God is for Him to be seized, but man is still responsible to be alert and watch for those that may come for Jesus. It is the day before his crucifixion.

Promise: The message is simple here today but the application is hard. The message is 'people be ready' but the application is we are to be ready. Seek God's face. My flesh is weak. Serve the Lord and follow through on this daily. Wake me up.

Prayer: Lord, help me to stand watch over me and my family for temptations that enter our lives. Forgive me Lord for not protecting my family better. Help me God to encourage them and pray for them as you direct me to. They are your children and they all need you, whether they are here in this house or farther away. Help me to protect my wife as well. Yes, your Spirit is willing, but Yes our flesh is weak and we resort to being trained too often by the world and its ways. Thank you for using this verse to instruct me. Keep me faithful. Lord, I need to turn to your more. Lord, free up those things that so often distract me and pull me away from living for You. Wake me up O God.

Mark 11:25 - A Condition for Forgiveness

Mark 11:25
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

Message: A Condition for Forgiveness

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus and the disciples have come into Jerusalem in the morning, and it appears this is the 3rd day since they embarked on their entry into Jerusalem from Bethany and the Mount of Olives, as Jesus comes to die. Previously, he went to a fig tree seeking fruit from it because of seeing leaves, but found no fruit. It had the appearance of fruit and with that appearance is the expectation that the tree is following through on being a fruitful tree. Instead Jesus cursed it. A similar thing happened when he came upon the temple. There he saw the priests and scribes hustling people by turning the temple into a business or sort of market to sell things to people. The outcry by Jesus was inferring that they had missed their calling to reach all people, that includes the Gentiles. The priests and scribes didn't like this - they feared Jesus. Jesus left. The disciples and Jesus the next day come into Jerusalem again and see the fig tree and after Peter states that it is indeed withered, Jesus tells him and the disciples that they must have faith in God for God to act, for God to move mountains, for God to answer prayers.

After this, Jesus will now make another remark about praying and specifically the idea of forgiveness. Up to this point, in Mark's gospel the idea of forgiveness has been mentioned few times.

• Mark 3:28-30 - Jesus spoke of all sins being forgiven except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 
• Mark 2:1-12 - A key passage about forgiveness. Jesus has come upon a paralytic and in front of the Jewish counsel he first forgives the man's sin and then heals him of his paralysis. Jesus provides forgiveness to this man, the thing he needs the most, more than healing of his paralysis. Forgiveness occurred in response to the people who brought him and lowered him down to Jesus from the roof. Faith first, then forgiveness. 

Jesus remarks - Whenever you stand praying, forgive. Standing is simply their normal posture when praying. Jesus says, when you pray - forgive. Not when you pray, seek forgiveness. Jesus continually put forth a 'serving other people' idea. I'm not sure I completely recognize the significance of this message from Jesus and that -- it is the way I conduct myself with other people. Jesus came to save the lost - he came to redeem people - he came to serve them. I am asked to do the same - serve others. God saves, I serve. Yet, much of life is spent not on service, but acquisition. Even in my bible study, my desire is often to better my own understanding. Jesus has just spoken of prayer and getting answers to prayer, moving mountains, and getting what we want. And now Jesus more specifically says that with that praying is forgiveness - forgiving others.

If Jesus says we must forgive, then it must be clear that people are doing things toward us that we do not like - that hurt us - sin against us. And our response to them is forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a concept I understand, but the way I conduct myself is often not showing forgiveness. I get angry when people don't meet my expectations. If anything, I belittle them or ridicule them, sometimes behind their backs. I poke fun at them. Work is often a source of these types of situations. We all have jobs to do, tasks to accomplish and when they are not accomplished in the right way, I am often critical of this. But, do I take a moment and say in prayer "I forgive." I don't hold a grudge. Jesus commands - forgive, if you have anything against anyone. Anything.

I think of a friend in his marriage and the anger that he and his wife often display toward one another, for not getting what they want, for the other person not meeting their expectation and here Jesus says, forgive, if you have anything against anyone. I don't think we get this concept, this idea. In a way, it is so simple - it is too simple. But it is so powerful. In some ways it is a daily habit. I just see so often I first complain, then justify, then seek from other people agreement to my complaint and in unison we agree it was wrong and with that agreement I walk off satisfied. Ha! It's horrible. All that I have done is help other people sin as well. It's horrible. But, forgive, if you have anything against anyone. 

And Jesus says - so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. Forgiveness is something we do to be forgiven. Jesus says, "Have faith in God, then forgive others." So there Jesus is saying - you want to be forgiven? You want something for yourself? Then first do something for someone else. For me to really understand what it forgiveness means, I need to forgive others. Don't hold a grudge. Don't gang up on another person. Don't walk around with a critical attitude toward that person. Don't try to get other people on board with my way of thinking toward that person. No, instead I need to forgive first.

Summary - Jesus, after telling his disciples that faith is the key to our prayers being answered, tells them also that they need to forgive others. Receiving forgiveness from God happens when we forgive others for then we really understand what forgiveness means.

Promise: God is most concerned with my heart, and my forgiving hearts indicates to Him that I have seen my sin and I am truly casting myself on the Lord's mercy.

Prayer: Lord, change me. Make me new. Make me different than I am. Right now Lord I run to others when someone has hurt me or sinned against me. I complain. I try to get others to agree with me. And once I get that agreement I feel satisfied. Lord, I need to listen to what you are saying to me and forgive. Forgive first. I want to have faith in you and forgive others. Change my ways Lord.

Mark 6:45-46 - The Prayer Life of Jesus

Mark 6:45-46
⁴⁵ Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. ⁴⁶ After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

Message: The Prayer Life of Jesus

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus is in Nazareth, his hometown, but he doesn't get the reception that we would think. Instead of welcoming him, people question him. But he continues with his message of repent and believe. Jesus is becoming more and more well known and his message is reaching further and further. With that sometimes comes misunderstanding. Herod Antipas, one of 4 rulers of Rome now, wonders if Jesus is a resurrected John. Mark then explains how John was killed, mainly because Herodias was confronted with her sin and was upset at John. Now, the apostles arrive back after Jesus had sent them out. Jesus has them go off to a secluded place to get rest, but mobs of people swarm them and Jesus realizes these people need to be taught, so he does that, teaches them. Then the disciple see that they need to eat and send them away, but Jesus reminds the disciples that they can feed these people. Jesus shows them how with God it is possible.

Again, it seems that Jesus is more focused right now on his disciples and teaching them. It makes sense. He has sent them out, to spread the gospel, to share the message of repentance and believe, and teach people. He has given them the authority to cast out demons. He has told them they can trust people to provide for them wherever they go. Perhaps they are still learning what this means. The feeding of over 5,000 was one way to teach them that wherever they go they can depend on God to provide not only their need but people's needs as well.

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida. It is not immediately clear to me why he ushered them away and then He Himself was sending the crowd away other than the fact that He imply needed to leave for the mountain to pray. Perhaps he simply needed to get away and be alone. It makes sense. Jesus, especially, who was the center of all the attention right now, knew that time to be alone, to pray, was always important.

In some ways it is difficult to understand why it was important for Jesus to pray, based upon my understanding of Jesus and his eternal communion with the Father, but I suppose we are similar, to a degree, as the Holy Spirit has been given to us, to live inside, and yet we need that time in prayer as well. We need it daily. Jesus took time to get away, to be alone. If he need it, I must need it as well. But, Jesus is fully God and fully man. Thus, as a man, prayer is a part of his life on earth.

Jesus does send the disciples away, to be alone, but to be alone together, on a ship. He does desire them to be together, to go at life together. Jesus is teaching them something. He is teaching them dependence on Him.

Summary - Jesus asks the disciples to get in a boat, to be together, to perhaps have this time to once again think about their dependence on Him. He is preparing them for something to come, perhaps another test. Meanwhile, he needs time to himself as well. He sends the people away and then goes to the mountain to pray. He is fully man and he needs to pray.

Promise: When we are faced with temptation and need sustenance in life and ministry, we need to turn to God in prayer. God will sustain us.

Prayer: O Lord God, prayer, quiet prayer and solitude with you has always been a struggle for me. There are men and women of God that I have seen throughout time, EM Bounds, AW Tozer, Willa McCurdy, my mom -- these are all people that I have wanted to be like, but I struggle with the daily habit of taking alone time to speak to you. Lord, I know you are with me and you do not grade me, and perhaps I am tougher on myself than I need to be, but I do desire to walk with You and take things before you. Thank you for using the prayers I offer through the Jesus Calling posts to encourage others. It amazes me that those simple prayers can touch people, but that is you at work in me and I give you all the glory. I am just blessed to be a part of that. Lord, I walk with you, on this journey of life, and continue to help me learn from You and trust you.

Mark 1:35-39 - The Purpose of Jesus' Ministry

Mark 1:35-39
35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.36 Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37 they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.

Message: The Purpose of Jesus' Ministry

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Jesus here provides us his simple reason for coming and that is to preach. In Mark 1:15 Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." This seems to clearly be his mission as these were the first words Mark has Jesus saying. Mark 1:1 states that this book is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus, our text reminds us that the key and only key for Jesus' ministry is to preach the gospel, from town to town.

On the heals of everyone looking for him, to help them, he responds instead by saying his mission is to preach. His mission was not simply to heal people. Mark adds in verse 39 that he will go to synagogues throughout Galilee preach and cast out demons. The signs and wonders of miracles and deliverance are confirmation of the truth of the gospel, but the gospel must still be preached.

The world we live in today is no different. People love the supernatural. Hollywood and movies is built often on superheroes and people who can do things that humans cannot. People love this and flock in high numbers to view this. Computer games are built on this, doing the supernatural. TV shows more and more are bent on wizardry and supernatural events. This is the world we live in and get trained it. We get trained not to focus on the reality of the day and the mission of people living for the gospel of Jesus and instead we focus on Fantasy Island. And it is growing worse every day. The every day life is too hard to handle, which is why alcohol and marijuana are now so prevalent in our lives. We have been trained to not handle life but instead to medicate it and live in a fantasy world.

But Jesus reminds us that the purpose of His ministry and really our lives is preaching the gospel. I almost think that verse 35 is shown here as an example for us, that we need to take time from our life, always, and go to a secluded place and talk to the Father -  In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. It is as if Jesus is telling us how important it is for us to be reminded of our real purpose. It is not to escape, acquire, consume, be comforted, live at ease and free of problems and be entertained. Yes, life includes those outlets and we are clearly supposed to celebrate, but our purpose is to remind people of the hope we have in Jesus. The world would much rather put forth that there isn't even a problem that needs to be solved.

Promise: Fellowship with the Lord in prayer is an absolute necessity if we will be sustained in life and ministry over the long haul. This is true whether we are pastors, working in secular workplaces, or living in our homes.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the reminder today that you were all about preaching the gospel of repentance and believing and my life needs to always mirror this. Forgive me for getting carried away often into worlds that are a fantasy and don't reflect life here on earth. I too often want to escape rather than deal with what is in front of me. Thank you for being my anchor, my shield, my refuge, my cornerstone. Help me to continue to run to you and be reminded of this. I praise you God.

Psalm 119:169-176 - Crying Out To Understand

Psalm 119:169-176

169 Let my cry come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170 Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171 Let my lips utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my tongue sing of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174 I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

Message: Crying Out to Understand 

Time: Based upon authorship and subject matter, Psalms cover a range of centuries. David is mentioned 73 times, Solomon 2, Moses 1, and 50 designate no specific person. It is believed they were compiled around 537 BC. The psalms deal with such subjects as God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.

What the Lord is Saying:

This is the concluding passage of Psalm 119. There have been 22 lessons I have done on this Psalm. The Blessedness of keeping God's Law, God's Word in the Heart, A longing for God's Word, The Power and desire to obey, A heart inclined to God's Law, Saved to Testify, The Word of God in Times of Trouble, Not forgetting God's Law, The Word of God and Affliction, God's Word, Affliction, and Glory, God's Sustaining Word, God's Fixed and Enduring Word, Love for God's Law, The Joy of God's Law, A Lamp to our Feet, The Single-Minded Law of God, When Others Don't Keep God's Law, Faithful Obedience, The Nearness of God in His Word, Seeking God's Statutes, The Treasure of God's Word.

So just looking at those titles is clear to see that this Psalm has been about the high honor we place on God's Word and hiding it in our heart. It lasts the test of time. It endures for all time and we are to be near to it, inclining our heart to it continually. 

I need to be near it. It needs to continue to be the center of my life. As I look out at my study of this, I see it started in August 2015, so I've been at it over 2 years. Honestly, that is too long. I am a little saddened that this tells me that for a tabletalk reading of 250 readings, I've been at it over 750 days, which is 1 every 3 days. The only good news is I haven't given up and continue to persevere. 

In addition to Tabletalk, I have also relied on various commentaries, including lately the books I have on the Psalms by John Phillips, copyright 1987. John Phillips (1927-2010) served as assistant director of the Moody Correspondence School as well as director of the Emmaus Correspondence School, one of the world’s largest Bible correspondence ministries. He also taught in the Moody Evening School and on the Moody Broadcasting radio network.

LORD, HEAR ME (169-172)

The Prayer: For Enlightenment (169)

Let my cry come before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word.  As I have even said in this reading earlier, I'm been on a quest for knowledge, but it is really for understanding. It is better to understand, as is clearly shown here, than simply amass more knowledge. In understanding, the Word becomes part of me, not just a reference book. And I want to be changed by the Word of God. Here in this verse is the cry of the Psalmist - O Lord, Give me understanding according to Your Word. That is profound. Again, my favorite verse of Proverbs 3:5 that says, Lean not on my own understanding. I don't want to be trained and live by my own understanding, but rather I want my understanding to be according to God's Word. 

The Prayer: For Enablement (170)

Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word. He cried for understanding and then also brought his request before Him to be delivered. He had a thirst for the Word taking up ownership in His life. Here, he mentions needing to be delivered, not just from circumstances, but from his doubts. He had cried, he had prayed, and yet change had not occurred. Perhaps he was holding onto God's promises, acting his life in a way that honored God, praying, fasting, and praying again and yet, through these actions, the results did not come. Could something be getting in the way, perhaps even a darkness and wicked spirit getting in the way. He pleaded that he needs his supplication to come before God. The Devil is scheming and we need protection of the Word of God in our life. 

The Promise: He Would Praise the Lord (171)

Let my lips utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes. O the joy that I receive when I understand the statutes, the words of God. I have seen it in my family as well, in Pamela, in Megan, and in Tyson. Derek, I am waiting. It will come. But, there is such excitement and joy and praise to God as the Spirit intercedes and interprets the Bible sometimes directly, sometimes through a preacher or a commentary, or a song or even a person, but the Joy that I receive when it comes into my life. How exciting when I discover a truth that is in the Bible? Where did that come from? Wow. This book is incredible. 

The Promise: He Would Proclaim the Word (172)

Let my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.  I have seen in the last 24 hours the destructiveness of my tongues. How I need to be silent more, praying more, and expounding less. I need to keep myself quiet and not try so hard to make sense of things. Instead, let it sing of God's word. My brother does such a great job with this. Bobby, my friend, does as well. That is what I need to be boasting about - God's word and not leaning on my own understanding. It starts with verse 169 - Give me understanding. I want it to move from a text to an understanding. Maybe it is, through my mistakes. As I said earlier, it is the word of God that I need to meditate on. It and it alone.

LORD, HELP ME (173-176)

Lord, Save Me: The Ground of the Appeal (173b)

For I have chosen Your precepts. I choose God's word. I'm not choosing to be guided by anything else in life. I come before the Lord, expecting him to act and word, not because of another philosophy but because I have chosen His Word

Lord, Save Me: The Greatness of the Appeal (173a)

Let Your hand be ready to help me. I am not asking help from a pastor, a saint, Mary, a statue, or any other form. I want Your Hand. I want You Lord. I come before the Throne room of God and beseech You O God. 

Lord, Satisfy Me (174)

I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. It is clear from the preceding verses that the Psalmist is not getting what he desires. He is asking and is not receiving. He thinks something is obstructing his asking and yet in spite of all of this he continues with the plea to the Gospel of Salvation and continues to proclaim that the Law is his delight. What a great encouragement and challenge to us today. Society is replete with people who punt God because he does not supply their every need. Many get the comforts of life, and good job, good family, healthy for a while, a nice house, all the time thinking those things come their way but when something bad happens and they call on God and don't get what they want, they throw up their arms in disgust and leave. O Lord, I don't want to be this type of person. I don't want to be that person that thinks I must get my way, all the time, and when I don't, I abandon you. 

Lord, Strengthen Me: Wrought in Him (175a)

Let my soul live. He pleads once again to the Lord to let his soul live. Bring me alive God. 

Lord, Strengthen Me: Brought from Him 

Let my soul live that it may praise You Why does he want his soul to live? In order to Praise God. Let me wake up in order to praise You. I don't want to resent or be angry God at you, so wake me up to praise You. 

Lord, Strengthen Me: Taught to Him (175b)

And let Your ordinances help me. He wants God's word to be the help and the vehicle to help him Praise Him. He asks God to have his soul live, being aided by God's word. 

Lord, Seek Me: Straying

There have been 175 verses sung to this point, exemplifying and extolling the great Word of God and leaning on the Law of God and how does this Psalmist Conclude? Maybe not as I would expect. I see honesty. I have gone astray like a lost sheep. What honesty. The standard is there, but his life remains, he knows, absent from what he has read and memorized and taken to heart. He voices that he has gone astray. 

Lord, Seek Me: Praying

Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments. He is lonely, vulnerable, afraid. After all that he has seen, there is the reality that he still struggles. And He sort of pleads to God, that still he will not forget Your commandments. He shows himself to be vulnerable, a sinner, and yet still a Christian desiring obedience in his life.

Promise: As the Word of God is preached and studied, the Spirit brings His people to salvation and by the supernatural gift of wisdom enables us to live in a way that pleases Him, moving us to a life of worship and praise.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your word and hearing me, saving me, strengthening me and seeking me. Lord, thank you that you are there. As I turn to you, remove the barriers and may the spiritual forces not get in the way of my petitions. Thank You God for loving me and knowing my needs. You God are in Control. I am a sinner, daily in need of You. Thank you for the beauty of Your word and I praise you for it. 

Psalm 119:145-152 - The Nearness of God in His Word

Psalm 119:145-152

¹⁴⁵ I cried with all my heart; answer me, O Lord! I will observe Your statutes.
¹⁴⁶ I cried to You; save me and I shall keep Your testimonies.
¹⁴⁷ I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words.
¹⁴⁸ My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.
¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances.
¹⁵⁰ Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law.
¹⁵¹ You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.
¹⁵² Of old I have known from Your testimonies that You have founded them forever.

 
Message: The Nearness of God in His Word

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: I like how this section because as it is a cry to the Lord for help. Lord, I need your help throughout life. Life is full. Yesterday I had that feeling in the morning of just wanting to rest and take it easy and remembering what my friend Julie said when I spoke to her the previous week, her being retired now and able to enjoy her days. It sounded blissful and yet I wonder if I will ever be there or need to be there. I still think of that message I heard at church last summer about Bible times and how life was about survival and so there was always work to be done. I think this should be my perspective. And this seems to be the perspective of the writer today -- I cried with all my heart. This is someone that comes before the Lord and needs an answer.

Lord, help me to be this person that when I am at the end of my rope, I cry to you. The writer reminds the Lord (as if He needs reminding) that he will observe Your statues. But it is a good reminder that we are full-time followers of God, obedient to His ways, and yet calling to him for favor. Save me and I shall keep Your testimonies. God saves us and our response is to keep His testimonies.

I rise before dawn and cry for help. I come before God with a cry for help. Help me Lord. As I cry, I also wait for Your words. And the words repeat. Hear my voice. Receive me, O Lord. I will meditate on Your word. I stand close to You throughout the tough times, throughout my life. And then i see the contrast here between the wicked who are near to injure and the Lord who is near to truth (v. 150-151). Thank you Lord for being near.

The Psalmist mentions the Lord being near. He is near because the Psalmist is walking with the Lord continually. He is continually present with the Lord. He spends his days in close contact with the Lord. His life is walking with God. Lord, I want to be this person that knows you intimately so that as I navigate life I can do it being near to You and dependent on You.

Promise: Although we do not always feel as if God is near to us, we can be sure that He always draws close to His people when they study His Word and hear it preached.

Prayer: Help me Lord. Help me God. I cry out to You for help. I need you. I will follow You and obey your statutes. I will wait for your words. Keep me far from impatience. Don't let me be a symptom of my circumstances, tossing like wind based upon how things are going at any one time. But instead I want to remain consistent to Your ways. Thank you Lord for being near. Keep me ever mindful of Your ways and You in my life. Don't let me forget.

Jesus Calling: January 23

It's all right to be human. When  your mind wanders while you are praying, don't be surprised or upset. Simply return your attention to Me. Share a secret smile with Me, knowing that I understand. Rejoice in My Love for you, which has no limits or conditions. Whisper My Name in loving contentment, assured that I will never leave you or forsake you. Intersperse these peaceful interludes abundantly throughout your day. This practice will enable you to attain a quiet and gentle spirit, which is pleasing to Me.
     As you live in close contact with Me, the Light of My Presence filters through you to bless others. Your weakness and woundedness are the openings through which the Light of the knowledge of My Glory shines forth. My strength and power show themselves most effective in your weakness. 

Deuteronomy 31:6
English Standard Version
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

1 Peter 3:4
English Standard Version
4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 

2 Corinthians 4:6-7
English Standard Version
⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

2 Corinthians 12:9
Amplified Version
⁹ but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

My Prayer
Lord, help me to realize that often getting distracted when I pray is okay and normal and the important thing is to keep going and just get back on track. Thank you that you are always focused on me. That you look at me without any distractions. This is hard for me to fathom that you know me like that and you know all people, throughout eternity in the same way. This reminds me Lord how you are infinite while I am finite. I have limits. You do not. 

I can rest in You. You can work through me, no matter what. You don't need in me, a fully functioning vessel that is healthy and has no deformities. You can work through any vessel and you do. You are the potter, we are the clay and it is your glory that reminds us that you work through all different types of vehicle. Thank you for that beautiful picture. Thank you for showing me that and help me to praise You continually. 

I can be strong and courageous. Not because of my own ability, but because the Lord goes with me and he will not leave me nor forsake me. The beauty of me is that you are in me. The light can shine through any vessel. You are there, no matter the situation. It is in my weakness that your power shows forth the most. So keep me humble. Keep me aligned with you. Help me to not be trained like this world is trained thinking that survival of the fittest is the ideal and the success and money and health are what brings rest and peace. Peace is only found in You. 


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Jesus Calling: November 3

Every time something thwarts your plans or desires, use that as a reminder to communicate with Me. This practice has several benefits. The first is obvious: Talking with Me blesses you and strengthens our relationship. Another benefit is that disappointments, instead of dragging you down, are transformed into opportunities for good. This transformation removes the sting from difficult circumstances, making it possible to be joyful in the midst of adversity.
     Begin by practicing this discipline in all the little disappointments of daily life. It is often these minor setbacks that draw you away from My Presence. When you reframe setbacks as opportunities, you find that you gain much more than you have lost. It is only after much training that you can accept major losses in this positive way. But it is possible to attain the perspective of the apostle Paul, who wrote: Compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, I consider everything I once treasured to be as insignificant as rubbish. 

Colossians 4:2
English Standard Version
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Philippians 3:7-8
English Standard Version
⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

My Prayer
Lord, I want to be a person that talks to people, talks to you, to people, to you - back and forth. I want my talk to you to just naturally outflow of me throughout my day, constantly consulting you, sharing with you; I don't want to get too caught up in the moment so that I can be joyful in the midst of adversity. Lord, I want to train myself daily to be Godly and respond to situations in a manner that will always glorify You. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 45:1-9 - The Divine and Davidic Throne

Psalm 45:1-9 

My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, In Your splendor and Your majesty! And in Your majesty ride on victoriously, For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; Let Your right hand teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under You; Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows. All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad. Kings’ daughters are among Your noble ladies; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

Message: The Divine and Davidic Throne

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

This Psalm is a love song, written for the celebration of marriage between king and queen, though in the NASB (above) God is recognized throughout this Psalm as the ultimately the God who appoints kings.

This Psalm is also a hard Psalm. I am struggling a little with it, not real sure what I am supposed to get out of it. I have been looking at it for the past couple of days now and I'm not real sure about it.

This is a King or a monarchy that follows the Lord: You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Again, something I have struggled with or rather, found challenging, as I read these Psalms is how my prayer life often doesn't praise God or acknowledge God for who He is. My prayers are all about supplication and requests and needs versus praise and being satisfied for who God is and what He has done.

In a way, this is a Psalm that praises the King that we have in the King of Kings. He is fair. He is upright. His reign is forever and ever. He anoints people and gives His power to them. Grace is on His lips. He blesses earthly kings. He is full of splendor and majesty. People bow down before Him.

Lord, I want to serve You and speak to You through my prayers in a way that honors You correctly. Forgive me for simply coming to you with requests and what I need and not starting out singing your praises. Lord, you are the King of Kings. You are fair. You are upright. Your reign is forever and ever. You anoint people and give them power. Grace is on Your Lips. You bless us and all earthly kings. You are full of splendor and majesty and we bow down before you. You are great indeed.

Promise: Look for leaders that humbly serve God and His people. 

Romans 8:26-27 - The Spirit's Intercession

Romans 8:26-27 - 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Message: Prayer as it should be

Time: This book was probably written between 56 and 57 B.C. Paul was in Greece, probably Corinth when he wrote. It was sent to Gentile believers, but also believers with a strong Jewish element.

What the Lord is Saying:

Review
It never gets old to review where I've come from so far in this study of Romans. I definitely am loving this study. I've studied Romans before but I don't think I've ever gotten this far into it. I tend to be a starter and not a finisher, so I still have a goal to finish.


Romans 1 continues to be my favorite in all of scripture. I love the introduction Paul makes of this letter in the first 17 verses, proclaiming that it is all about the gospel, not just the letter, but really his life is all about the gospel and proclaiming it. He longs to see the people in Rome. Why? Because they are all about the gospel and making it known.


But then the rest of Romans 1 gives us a heavy dose on the reality of our culture. The reality is our culture has replaced God with, well, basically anything else. And the scariest thing is, "God has given them over" to it. It reminds me of Moses and Pharaoh. God sent Moses to Pharaoh and Pharaoh's heart was hardened. In the first half mentions of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, it was Pharaoh admitting a hardened heart, but in the last half it was that God had hardened his heart. Same thing in Romans 1. It starts out with people knowing God, but not honoring, not giving thanks, but exchanged God for something else and then it moves to God giving them over to their degrading passions.


So, in my opinion the only way they can come back is if God draws them and this often the result of our fervent praying.


The last half of Romans 1 is really directed toward the guilt of the Gentile, so Paul takes the time to speak of the guilt of the Jew in chapter 2 and 3 through verse 20.  It is clear the Law won't save the Jew and the act of circumcision won't save the Jew. No one gets a free pass before God. Paul clearly shows that there is nothing of man's doing that can make him right with God. That is a very hard truth for people to accept.


At the end of chapter 3 is really perhaps a small Gospel presentation which is really kind of fitting. The Gospel is simple. God will make me righteous. Without God interceding I am unrighteous. God intercedes by sending His Son as our redeemer. I receive righteousness by faith apart from any works I may do. It's actually very simple.


Paul then confirms that this is nothing new and Abraham had the same thing happen to him whereby God  declared Him righteous and Paul explains this in chapter 4.


What does it mean to be justified? Chapter 5 tells us the benefits. The first one is well understood and received, it is peace. But, the 2nd one is rarely celebrated. We have joy in tribulation. It is out of our sin, our mistakes, our goof-ups and then our trials and tribulations that God is glorified and in our trials as redeemed people our faith is confirmed, validated, and brings us hope in the day of Glory. and the 3rd benefit is I am saved from God's wrath. In Adam, sin spread to all men resulting in death to all. In Christ, redemption is available to all, resulting in eternal life with God.


Chapter 6, 7, and 8 then pose the question, "What then?" Between this justification and glorification resides my sanctification. As I heard a pastor say, when a person is baptized, they are not held under and sent to glory, they are raised up to walk new in life. The Life of a regenerate Christian should be all about growing in holiness. Chapter 6 tells me sin is dead in me, so flee from it. And then in Chapter 7 don't continue in my old life of being obedient to the Law on my own strength, I must always remember the Law is not capable of making me righteous. But God working through me can fulfill the Law. But, I must always keep in mind the weakness of my own flesh (this is why I personally think accountability is of utmost importance to all believers in Christ per Hebrews 10:24-25). And Paul then shows me really the crown of my life now in Christ and that is the Spirit of God is in me. The Spirit will deliver me from the power of my flesh, will confirm me as a son (child) of God. and will focus me in life on my future glory. I love how Solomon records it in Ecclesiastes 3:11. "He has made everything beautiful (appropriate) in its own time. He has also set eternity in the human heart. Yet so that man (no one) can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." The key in that verse is God takes cares of the details. God tells us the beginning and focuses on the end and I must let him take care of and trust Him with the in between. Easier said than done.


So, once again, in Chapter 8 the Holy Spirit is confirming and focusing me on the future. On one hand I can rejoice now because I am part of the family of God. Life is futile. No doubt. But, I have hope. Again, rely on eternity.


Current context
What is so important about verse 26 and 27 is their leading up verse to verse 28. Verse 28 is one of those often name it, claim it verses. Like so many verses pulled out and used in the Bible, I think we and I must be careful of its use. And verse 26 and 27 are so important in its understanding as well as the meaning of these verses going back to verse 18.


According to my Bible, 18-25 is one paragraph. And 26-30 is another paragraph.


Weakness in praying
Very clearly these two verses, 26 and 27 are speaking of prayer (28-30 as well in my opinion). The Spirit clearly as spoken of in verses 18-25 and going back to verse 1 of chapter 8 is there with us in life. He is there for the in-between -- the time between the beginning and end and more specifically in life of the justified, the time between justification and glorification. So, the Spirit is with us in life. Well, the Spirit is also with us in our weakness. Could it be Paul is letting us know that a weakness is prayer?


"In the same way" that hope helps us while we live in the midst of futility, the Spirit helps our weakness. And so obviously, what Paul is saying we (or more specifically the church in Rome)


I can identify with this. Prayer is a weak thing in my life. I can sense the Spirit prompting many times to pray. Some times I listen, many times I don't. I often listen to the lie that prayer doesn't make sense. Why would a sovereign God ask me to pray?  But I think that's a question I don't need to ask. My tendency is to ask why, but as scripture tells me the clay doesn't ask the potter why did you make me this way so I don't ask why, I am to do because the command to pray is clear.


I notice Paul doesn't tell people to pray. Prayer is assumed. It is assumed the Christians in Rome are praying. Pray is assumed to be a part of our lives. Has Paul assumed anything in Romans? That is almost a comical question because the man who has presented such a thorough presentation of condemnation, justification and sanctification thus far has clearly assumed nothing in those concepts. And yet, here, prayer is assumed to occur and also prayer is clearly a weakness.


Good news about prayer
Paul offers to me good news about prayer. The Spirit is with me. The Spirit comes alongside me. I know the Spirit prompts me to pray, though these verses don't convey that thought. But, the Spirit, just as He is gives me hope in the midst of futility, is also there to help me with my praying.


The word "groanings" is used here. It has been used before. In verse 22, the creation groans in regards to the reality of life being about nothing and the creation experiences the pain of life. And in verse 23, groaning even occurs for those in Christ in regards to a new position in Christ, including as adopted sons) and that our body is redeemed. To me groanings is non-verbal. It's something that occurs within us that is there, but not able to be articulated or voiced. It is something that is happening, but can't readily be described. It doesn't mean that we don't often try to describe it for we habitually feel a need to answer all of the "why" questions in life. But, I really think Paul is saying to me basically that, "yes, you know you are to be a praying man, and the Spirit is there helping you in ways that really can't be described."


I don't think this is too hard to comprehend. When I do think about how big God is and what it means that everything I see He authored and I see this world in all of its intricacies and continuous movement and long-term time and timeline is all being sustained by Him, it just seems easy to realize that God speaks and works through me in ways that aren't describable.

Good news in praying
Verse 26 is the principle. Verse 26 describes the principle. Paul continuously in Romans offers me a principle first and then the application or the specifics or further explains what this means to my daily life and the practical part of the principle.

"God searches our hearts." Prayer is a time often about Psalm 139 time where God is searching me to see if there is anything offensive in me (verse 24). I think this is an application for the Christian and Non-Christian. It is God who is at first is helping man see where they have been a sinner. It is God that draws people to Himself. He searches our hearts to help us see our offense.

But here further what God is doing is searching our hearts to help us see our sin, see where our flesh has corrupted us, as is spoken of at the end of Romans 7. Our heart is being searched to align ourselves with the indwelling Spirit in us ("He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is"). We are meant to be better aligned in prayer.

God intercedes for us
And in praying we realize that God is interceding for us. My Bible adds words to this text and those are in italics. So, the rest of the verse says, "He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." If I remove the italics, it reads, "He intercedes for the saints according to God." God prays for me according to Himself. So, God is praying that I would be about Him and His ways.

We work so hard to pray. We bring God big lists. We often pray, "if it's according to your will God" Prayer has become more about what people are struggling with at any given time that about exposing our own selves in prayer.

One of the things that I really enjoy about the new church we are attending (over the last 6 or 7 weeks) is that, in the service, they have a time of confession. They have an intentional time set aside to confess ones sins. One week, one of the pastors mentioned that many times that time needs to be about Psalm 139 because often we come into prayer having no idea what our sin is. And then other times we should be about Psalm 51 and confessing those sins. There is no problem with mentioning the hurts that people are experiencing, the trials and tribulations, but I must not forget that first and foremost prayer is about exposing me. And then aligning me with God and His ways.

As I learn through scripture, I need to be careful. And I think I need to be careful as I pray. Ultimately, the Spirit is there, and God is praying for me. I need to pray for others and the things that matter most in their lives, namely their salvation and God rescuing them from their habitual life of sin without regret or remorse towards God. And I need to be careful about making prayer just a time to focus what I feel like is a problem for me (getting out of a trial).

One last note
It is clear that we don't pray correctly. I think we tend to think that any prayer is a good and right prayer. But, I think I can see through these verses that some prayers need not be prayed. 

Promise: I am limited in my understanding of myself and my circumstances. The Holy Spirit takes my prayers and makes them perfect. God prays perfectly in accordance to the way of the Holy Spirit and His requests are always granted. - My conclusion from June 26, 2014 Tabletalk

Romans 3:10-11 - No One is Righteous

Romans 3:10-11 -
10 as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;

Message: No one is righteous; no one is right before God on their own and no one seeks for God.

Time: Paul probably wrote Romans between A.D. 57-58 while he was at Corinth in the home of his friend and convert Gaius. He planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver a gift of money from the Gentile churches to the poor in Jerusalem. Then he hoped to visit Rome on his way to Spain. His hopes were later realized, but not as he had expected. When he finally arrived in Rome in early A.D. 60, he was a prisoner under house arrest (Acts 28:11-31).

What the Lord is Saying:

Paul now begins to explain verse 9 and what it means that all men are sinners. This message is only of value if God's standard is perfection. If all man has to be is good enough then it isn't important to show that no one is righteous.

Why are these verses so important? To me, they are here because people quickly think they are good. Partly, because there is so much in life that reinforces that we are good. The hardest thing to do, it seems, in sharing Christ with others is helping them to see that they are not completely good and that none of their good merits God's acceptance. [The other big problem I see is people misunderstand God's forgiveness and think that when God forgives their life doesn't have to change very much because God will always be there to forgive them of their sins.] 

Verse 10 begins with "as it is written." I think this is important because what Paul is saying is this thinking didn't originate with him. But, he is simply bringing forth something already taught in scripture (the Old Testament). And so for 9 verses Paul will quote from various passages:

• Romans 3:10-12from Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3
• Romans 3:13 from Psalm 5:9 and Psalm 140:3
• Romans 3:14 from Psalm 10:7
• Romans 3:15-17 from Isaiah 59:7-8 and see Isaiah 48:22
• Romans 3:18 from Psalm 36:1

As we begin in verses 10-11, Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3 states, "The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. 2 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one."

Verse 10 is a complete statement. Nothing more really needs to be said. This lecture could end at verse 10. "There is none righteous, not even one." To be righteous is obviously the goal here. It is the standard. Paul originally told his readers or hearers in Romans 1:16-17 that the "righteous person will live by faith." And in Romans 2:29 it is by the Spirit that man is declared righteous.

So from verse 11 on, Paul will do what Paul does and that is further clarify what this means when he says that no one is righteous.

On a side note, this message of none righteous is not a popular message nor a message prevalent today. We would much rather talk about how great God is or even how we are to be a better person. And sometimes I feel like that what is missing from my church is the weekly reminder that we are sinners. God is great but man is also not simply, "not great" but more specifically man is a sinner. Sin and hell seem to be subjects that are not talked about very much, so it seems.

The Greek word for "understands" is suniemi and here it is in the present tense, to indicate that no one continually puts it all together to comprehend the truth about God and His demand for righteousness.

And "there is none who seeks for God." John 6:44, Jesus said, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent me draws Him." Our tendency is to pat ourselves on the back and say, "look how spiritual I am" but the rightful perspective is to thank God for bringing His light to us. This should, therefore, make us want to pray. It is through prayer that we talk to God and request of God to save sinners. This is why Jesus came, to save sinners.

Do we really seek for God or are we instead seeking for the Lord's benefits in our lives? Do we really want Him or do we really want His blessings?

Promise: None righteous, none who understand, none who seek for God. That is a promise.

Romans 1:8-12 - Paul's Intent to Visit Rome

Romans 1:8-12:  ⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. ⁹ For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, ¹⁰ always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; ¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Message: Paul encourages, is praying for and desires to visit Rome to share with them a message

Time: Written sometime in AD 57-58, probably from Corinth, at the end of Paul's third missionary journey.  
 
What the Lord is Saying: 

Paul begins with a thank you to these Christians living in Rome, for not just their faith, but for proclaiming their faith. And the fruit of that proclamation they are doing is affecting the entire world. 

And Paul is praying for them, despite probably not having seen most of them. By God's will, he hopes to succeed in visiting them, because he wants to share something with them. 

Other Key Thoughts:

Thankfulness - The first thing that Paul did in speaking to the church in Rome is offer thanks. How quick am I to offer thanks to God for everything in life? Often, the condition of my heart is wanting more and a desire to be better and improve. Those are good things, but they can often overshadow an attitude of thankfulness for all that God has done for me. But often I equate giving or providence with monetary blessing or even a healthy well-being. Yes, I am rich in these areas, but He has done so much for me, simply iin saving me. Help me Lord to not lose sight of this. Help me to not be so focused on self-improvement or self-betterment. Right now, I stare to much at my finances and constantly want more. There is such a danger then to not be grateful for all that we have and have been given. 

Faith proclaims - It is such a great thing that the first words about this church is thankfulness for how their faith is being proclaimed. They are not a church of yachting boats, but a church of fishing boats. Their first focus is on proclaiming the message of Jesus. I continue to see in my own life that proclaiming the Gospel, while something I believe in and like, is not something I live on my sleeve at all times. I look for appropriate times. I wait for people to speak to me about their faith. I wait for God to be brought up. I speak of God only at certain times. I am segmented in proclaiming the Lord. And yet, I think I am progressing in this. Right now, I don't speak words of eloquence. But, I'm asked to be faithful. I need to be loving towards those I work with at work. As a friend said, he has given me a ministry to those in my sphere of influence, whether it is my neighborhood or work associates.

Serve - Paul agrees with the service of the Gospel, echoing that he lives his life in the same manner. Service is sometimes translated worship in the NT. We are to serve God in a deep way, with our whole heart (affection), mind (inner thoughts), soul (devotion), strength (abilities) (Mark 12:30). Our service is not a part-time thing.  

Prayers - The word used for prayer in verse 10 is used 37 times in the New Testament. In the book of Acts (the early church) it is used 9 times. Preaching should be the result of prayer. 

Promise: There is encouragement in the Body of Christ

Jesus Calling: March 23

    I am a God of both intricate detail and overflowing abundance. When you entrust the details of your life to Me, you are surprised by how thoroughly I answer your petitions. I take pleasure in hearing your prayers, so feel free to bring Me all your requests. The more you pray, the more answers you can receive. Best of all, your faith is strengthened as you see how precisely I respond to your specific prayers.
    Because I am infinite in all My ways, you need not fear that I will run out of resources. Abundance is at the very heart of who I AM. Come to Me in joyful expectation of receiving all you need--and sometimes much more! I delight in showering blessings on My beloved children. Come to Me with open hands and heart, ready to receive all I have for you.

Psalm 36:7-9
English Standard Version
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.

Psalm 132:15
English Standard Version
I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.

John 6:12-13
English Standard Version
And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
My Prayer
Lord, it is always good to speak to You. Thank you for always hearing my prayers and that your Holy Spirit guides me in my words. You love is steadfast. You are the fountain of life. You bless me with abundance continually. I place my trust in You.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 15

    Listen to the love song that I am continually singing to you. I take great delight in you...I rejoice over you with singing. The voices of the world are a cacophony of chaos, pulling you this way and that. Don't listen to those voices; challenge them with My Word. Learn to take mini-breaks from the world, finding a place to be still in My Presence and listen to My voice.

    There is immense hidden treasure to be found through listening to Me. Though I pour out blessings upon you always, some of My richest blessings have to be actively sought. I love to reveal Myself to you, and your seeking heart opens you up to receive more of My disclosure. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 

Zephaniah 3:17

English Standard Version

The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

Matthew 7:7

English Standard Version

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

My Prayer
Lord, you delight in me. You saved me. You rejoice over me. You love me and exalt over me with loud singing. You want me. What a comfort you are to me. Lord, help me to know continually the difference between Your voice and the voices that I hear elsewhere. Thank You for living inside of me. Help me to listen more to You and talk less.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 6

    Continue on this path with Me, enjoying Presence even in adversity. I am always before you, as well as alongside you. See Me beckoning to you: Come! Follow Me. The One who goes ahead of you, opening up the way, is the same One who stays close and never lets go of your hand. I am not subject to limitations of time or space. I am everywhere at every time, ceaselessly working on your behalf. That is why your best efforts are trusting Me and living close to Me.

Hebrews 7:25
English Standard Version
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.

Psalm 37:3-4
English Standard Version 
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

My Prayer
(3/6/14) - Lord, may I find comfort today in You. Help me to recognize Your nearness in my conversations, in my daily disciplines. You are there. Draw me closer to You. 
(3/6/17) - Lord, sometimes the adversity in my life is challenges I place on myself. Lord, my anger, which has always been a problem with me, got the best of me Saturday night when I laid into my son because he wasn't listening to me and heeding my call. So, I went to yelling and cursing to demand his adherence. But I showed him then how to deal with situations in life that are unwelcome. Lord, I get concerned that I am training my children at times to not deal with their problems correctly, and instead to yell things. My 16 year old son proceeded to punch a hole in the wall, thus he demonstrated his anger. Lord, forgive me. I hate those times because it is hard to see myself as Your child and be accepted into your presence for I act in a manner that is not befitting for a child of God. I fail and it feels like I am distancing myself from you through those actions. Thank you that I took the time to seek out reconciliation with my son and offered my apology but I still think I permanently misdirected the ship of life into a course that does not glorify you. Lord, help me to stay in Your Presence and even for my kids to stay in Your Presence. I realize I make mistakes and that I often get in the way of my own growth, but bring me back to the cross. Remind me that you are there, close. And I need to trust in You. Help me to learn how to deal with these situations where my kids are simply challenging my authority.


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.