NO SCAR?

Prayer to my Lord

"For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ,

not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

Philippians 1:29

Precious Lord,

Let me live each moment in what is important to You, not to me -- not in the futile thoughts and interest of my worldly mind, but in your heavenly place where you reign without ceasing. Teach me O Lord to pray as Hudson Taylor did, living to "move man through payer alone."

Lord, by Your Holy Spirit in me, make me more sensitive to the evil all around -- and the sin within me. Let me not get so accustomed to it that I tolerate what you hate. Help me to remember your words to Ezekiel:

"Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” (Eze 9:4)

That was a holy mark from You, unlike "the mark of the beast" that will identify those who rebel against you in the last days.

How wise and wonderful the words of Jesus are. He says,

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, fand you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Mt 11:28-30

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you...
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil....
Honor the Lord with your possessions..." Proverbs 3:3-9

He sent a message to John

"that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Lk 7:23

The sovereignty of God is clearly seen in Jacob's life:

"And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob." Genesis 35:5

But the unsaved people can only drift with their futile perceptions and changing culture. Bound to the world, they cannot hear God:

"a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37

O Lord, I am so slow to obey You. Forgive me, my Lord! By Your mighty Spirit, give me grace to respond immediately to Your will without hesitation or argument whenever you speak to my heart!

This morning You said, "Fast." I asked "How". What kind of fast. Show me, O Lord, for I know how quickly I rationalize and forget when there is something I want. Now, Lord, I think I hear. I need to wait on Your leading all the time -- in all things. O Lord, stop me when I go my own way. Guide me in the midst of all the distractions and temptations. Give me grace to know and do your will, not mine, my precious Lord!

You said, "Come apart with Me," and I didn't do it. Instead I did the ordinary things: put away my groceries, cleaned my glasses, walked to the computer to check my email. You reminded again, "Come!" And I did. But, oh, my King, I was so slow to listen and follow.

My times are in Your hands! You reign over all! And I want you to reign in me each moment. But I get so easily distracted -- or caught up in what I feel I should do. I'm so easily tempted to do the next "good" or "important" thing on my mind, yet I want to respond to You first of all!

None of those other things matter compared to being with You! I long to follow You each moment. And I am confident that what you want is my heart and obedience, not those other "things." They don't need to be done this moment! Nothing comes before You. You call me to listen for your voice, delight in your sweet presence, and follow you each moment! By your wonderful grace and Spirit, my Lord, enable me to do that!

"Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God..." Psalm 123:1-2

We don't love the same things anymore. Children are captivated by entertaining fantasies, images, toys and games that plant all kinds of spiritual distortions and imagined realities in their minds. To the small ones, spiderman seems more powerful than You, my Lord! It makes me so sad, but not as sad a You, my Lord, who see the clash between Your holiness and our corruption far clearer than I do!

"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help...
Who trust in chariots because they are many,
And in horsemen because they are very strong,
But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
Nor seek the Lord!" Is 31:1

"There is none besides Me.
“Look to Me, and be saved,
sAll you ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other." Is 45:21-22

Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid; for Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’ ”
Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Is 12:2-3 Nelson.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." Hebrews 12:1-2