CLOSER TO GOD | A Morning Prayer For God's Love and Grace

We have many things that fight for our attention. Whether you're at home, at work or even at Church, there is always something that seeks to demand your time, to demand your focus, and your attention. But I encourage you today despite there being so many things demanding our attention we should be mindful of what we are giving our attention to.

The Bible says in Matthew 22:37 Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

When you love something, when you love someone, when you love them with all your heart, soul, and mind then that person has your attention. That person or that thing takes your time. You make room to accommodate that which you love, you make adjustments, you prioritize, and move things around so that you can give time to that which you love. In fact if you love something or someone enough you will wake up early, you will go to sleep later, you will find the energy somewhere and somehow to accommodate a relationship between you. You will do near enough anything when the love is so strong that it's with all your heart and with all your soul.

So as you listen may I ask you the question? Do you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all of your mind? Are you waking up earlier just so you can say, Good morning Lord Jesus I place today in your hands. Are you making room to accommodate the Lord in your daily schedule?  Are you making adjustments to your day so that you can read the word of God so that you can pray? I encourage you to be obedient to the words of Jesus, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Be obedient to the Word of God. 

In Deuteronomy 11 verse 1 which says, Therefore you shall love the Lord your God and keep his charges, his statutes, his judgments and his commandments always be obedient to the word of God. 

In Joshua 22 verse 5 which says, But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you to. Love the Lord your God to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments. To hold fast to  him and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul be obedient to the word of God.

In Psalm 31 verse 23 which says, O love the Lord all you his saints for the Lord preserves the faithful and fully repays the proud person so with this understanding. 

So, let us pray. Lord Jesus you are great and mighty, you are holy and worthy, thank you for your faithfulness. You have been good to me, Father, I pray that you remove everything that is hindering me from my life. Remove everything that is blocking me from having a closer relationship with you. Take away those things that are a distraction, those things that disengage me from you. Take away anything that wants or does demand my attention above you. Open my eyes so that I can see it so that I can discern those areas which are competing with you in my life. And I pray that you would give me the strength not just to identify but to remove those things. I desire to be more and more like you Lord. 

First John chapter 1 verse 6 says, If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth. I pray that I may always walk in the light that is your word. The Bible says your word is like a lamp unto my feet. I pray that you would help me Lord to keep your word on my heart. May I be focused and attentive to your word which is sharper than any two-edged  sword.  Give me the grace to put you first to put you ahead and above all of my daily tasks, my schedule, and my responsibilities. I will forever place you above all things.

Deuteronomy chapter 30 verse 16 says, I command you today to love the Lord your God to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his judgment that you may live and multiply and the lord your god will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 

Holy Spirit will you help me to be obedient to God's word, help me to walk in the way that pleases God. Help me to keep all of his commandments in my life, may his statutes be close to my heart. Give me the strength to live in a manner that is indicative of someone who has been transformed by the love of Christ. I pray for your help and guidance Holy Spirit, help me to stand up and stand out for Christ. The bible tells me not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Transform my mind, transform my way of thinking so that I may be focused on my relationship with you. Lord Jesus, give me a desire to chase after you. 

Lord, I pray for a heart of worship like David so that I can worship you in spirit and in truth. I pray that you would give me the strength and the boldness to refuse to bow down to anything and everything that seeks to take your place in my heart. Anything that seeks to take my attention away from you, help me to be bold tough to remove it, whether it be a career or a relationship. Help me not to bow down to any other gods or to any idols. I thank you for listening to this prayer. Lord may you be glorified and honored. I uplift your holy name for you alone are worthy to be praised. In the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen. ~Grace for Purpose Prayers

****GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY****

An Event for Everyone

Luke 2:8-12  There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

Psalm 61:1-2  God, listen to me shout, bend an ear to my prayer. When I’m far from anywhere, down to my last gasp, I call out, “Guide me up High Rock Mountain!”

A David Song, Which He Sang to God After Being Saved from All His Enemies and from Saul

Psalms 18:1-2 I love you, God—you make me strong. God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout.

Isaiah 55:8-11  “I don’t think the way you think.  The way you work isn’t the way I work.”  God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth,  so the way I work surpasses the way you work,  and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies  and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. 

The Message (MSG)

Isaiah Writes of Christ’s Birth

The first verse of this book names its author as Isaiah, the son of Amoz. The name “Isaiah” means “Yahweh Is Salvation.” The vision and prophecy are claimed four times by Isaiah; his name is mentioned an additional twelve times in the book. His name also occurs twelve times in 2 Kings and four times in 2 Chronicles.

The Book of Isaiah is directly quoted twenty-one times in the New Testament and attributed in each case to the prophet Isaiah. 

Isaiah entered his ministry at about the time of the founding of Rome and the first Olympic games of the Greeks. European powers were not quite ready for wide conquest, but several Asian powers were looking beyond their borders. Assyria particularly was poised for conquest to the south and to the west. The prophet, who was a student of world affairs, could see the conflict that was imminent. Assyria took Samaria in 721 b.c., resulting in the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel and its people being taken into Assyrian captivity.

One of Isaiah’s purposes was to declare God’s displeasure with and judgment upon sin in Judah, Israel, and the surrounding nations. Almost all the Hebrew words for sin are employed by the prophet. A parallel purpose was to endeavor to turn God’s people away from disobedience in order to avert disaster, a purpose that was only partially successful. Perhaps the greatest purpose, however, was to lay a foundation of hope and promise for the faithful remnant of God’s people. Thus the book is full of promises of restoration and redemption, of the certain advent of the Messiah, of salvation for all the nations, and of the triumph of God’s purposes in spite of intervals of suffering.

No Old Testament book, with the possible exception of the Psalms, speaks more powerfully and appropriately to the modern-day church than the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah has been called both the “messianic prophet” and the “evangelical prophet.” He prophesied for all future ages, predicting both the first and second advents of Christ. His very name means “Salvation,” a salvation not only for those of his day, but also a salvation of the peoples of the nations for all time. This salvation issues from a Savior or Redeemer who has provided a ransom; it is always a vicarious salvation by grace. The prophetic time frame of Isaiah will not close until the Son of David rules over His kingdom of peace (2:1–5; 11:1–9; 42:1–4; 61:1–11; 65:17–25; 66:22, 23).

Isaiah speaks as powerfully to our day as he did to the society of his day. He focused a spotlight of holiness upon the sordid sins of Israel and Judah; he summoned his contemporaries to cease from their social injustice, their quest for carnal indulgence, their trust in the arm of flesh, and their hypocritical pretense of orthodox religion. He also warned of the consequences of judgment if sin continued.

After His resurrection Jesus walked with two of His disciples and “expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). To do so He must have drawn heavily from the Book of Isaiah, because seventeen chapters of Isaiah contain prophetic references to Christ.

Christ is spoken of as the “Lord,” “Branch of the Lord,” “Immanuel,” “Wonderful, Counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Everlasting Father,” “Prince of Peace,” “Rod of Jesse,” “Cornerstone,” “King,” “Shepherd,” “Servant of Yahweh,” “Elect One,” “Lamb of God,” “Leader and Commander,” “Redeemer,” and “Anointed One.”

Chapter 53 is the greatest single Old Testament chapter prophesying the Messiah’s atoning work. No text in either Testament more completely sets forth the purpose of Christ’s vicarious death on the Cross than this chapter. It is directly quoted nine or ten times by New Testament writers: 52:15 (Rom. 15:21); 53:1 (John 12:38; Rom. 10:16); 53:4 (Matt. 8:17); 53:5 (Rom. 4:25; 1 Pet. 2:24); 53:7, 8 (Acts 8:32, 33); 53:9 (1 Pet. 2:22); 53:10 (1 Cor. 15:3, 4); 53:12 (Luke 22:37). There are also many New Testament fulfillments of details in chapter 53 in addition to the direct quotations.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned specifically fifteen times in the Book of Isaiah, not counting references to the Spirit’s power, effect, or influence without mention of His name. There are three general categories under which the work of the Holy Spirit may be described:

1. The Spirit’s operation at Creation and in the preservation of nature (40:13; see also 48:16).

2. The Spirit’s outpouring upon Israel to give them success in their rehabilitation after the pattern of the Exodus (44:1–5; 63:1–5), to protect them from their enemies (59:19), and to preserve Israel in covenant relationship with Yahweh (59:21). However, Israel must be careful not to rebel and grieve the Holy Spirit (63:10; Eph. 4:30).

3. The Spirit’s anointing upon the Messiah to empower Him for His rule and administration as King on the throne of David (11:1–12); as the suffering Servant of the Lord who will heal, liberate, enlighten, and bring justice to the nations (42:1–9); as the Anointed One (Messiah) in both His advents (61:1–3; Luke 4:17–21).

The Lord Jesus, whose earthly ministry was carried out in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, as Isaiah has prophesied, promised to pour out His Spirit upon the church to empower it for ministry in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

~NSFLB

THE TWO KINGS

The Revelation

The greater our appreciation and apprehension of the majestic God whom we say we worship, the greater will be our reverence, adoration, and service. This is the effect that we find in the biblical records whenever people received fuller revelations of the God of glory. One primary example of this is in the account of the calling of Isaiah, which tells how the prophet saw a vision of the glorious, holy Lord that transformed him into a devout and dedicated servant. Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isa. 6:1b–4)

Isaiah 36:1 THE TWO KINGS - This chapter is recognized as a Hebrew poem of rare and superb beauty, one of the most glorious chapters in the Bible. It is a picture of the last-days church rising up out of the wilderness to shine in all the radiance of its glory. It is a picture of Eden restored as the kingdom-realm of God brings hope to the weak and struggling. “The Sacred Way” is the way of life in Christ as we live in heaven’s power and virtue.

This would be approximately 701 BC. Hezekiah means “strengthened of Yah, captured by Yah, Yah has made firm, power of Yah.” The prophets who lived during his reign included Isaiah, Micah, and Nahum. He ascended Judah’s throne at the age of twenty-five and reigned a total of twenty-nine years. He was considered to be a godly king and released the greatest period of restoration in Israel’s history. He repaired the doors of the temple, cleansed it, and made atonement for the altar. He consecrated the priesthood, ordered the observance of the Feast of Passover, and removed idolatry from the land. He supported the priesthood through tithes and offerings, and the nation prospered. He was buried with great honor in the sepul-chers of the sons of David. See 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chron. 29–32.

Isaiah 36:1 Sennacherib means “the thorn laid waste.”

Isaiah 36:2-3. Schrader (p199) remarks on Rabshakeh that there occurs no mention on the monuments of the chief cup-bearer, as a high dignitary and officer of state. But rab-sak is mentioned. That however is not the chief cup-bearer. For sak means chief, captain, collective chiefs. Therefore rab-sak is the chief of the captains (comp. rab sarisim, rab tabbachim), perhaps the chief of the general’s staff. Then the form רַבְשָׁקֵה is a Hebraizing occasioned by accordance of sound with מִשְׁקֶה, Genesis 40:1 sqq. Chald. מַשְׁקֵי or שָׁקֵי which means pincerna, pocillator. The names Tartan and Rabsaris 2 Kings 18:17 are omitted here. Lacish, whence this detachment of troops came, is the modern Umm-Lâkhis, in the S. W, of Judea near the border of Philistia, on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. This was the extreme southern point to which Sennacherib penetrated at that time. On the approach of the Egyptian army he retired to Altaku (Eltekeh) that lay N. E. of Lacish. There is a bas-relief (Schrader, p170) with the inscription: “Sennacherib, the king of the nations, the king of the land of Assyria, sits on an exalted throne and receives the spoil of the city Lacish.”

And he stood,etc. The locality is described by exactly the same words that Isaiah 7:3 describe the place where Isaiah was to meet Ahaz. That now the Assyrians stand in such threatening attitude by the conduit of the upper pool is the fruit of Ahaz having so insolently rejected the promise given him at that time, and in the same place, and having preferred to call Assyria to his aid. We do not err, therefore, in understanding by this literal agreement of the naming of the place in both passages, that an intimation of the divine nemesis is intended. On Eliakim the chamberlain and Shebna the scribe see Isaiah 22:15; Isaiah 22:20 sqq. The סֹפֵר “scribe” appears as a state officer first under David, 2 Samuel 8:17, where he is distinguished from several other officers. He was the king’s secretary, who wrote all that the king’s service demanded. Thus his office would lead him to meddle with every branch of government, and we find him expressly mentioned in matters of finance ( 2 Kings 22:3 sqq.), and of war ( 2 Kings 25:19; Jeremiah 52:25). The מַזְכִּיר (LXX. ὑπομνηματογράφος, ἐπὶ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων, Vulg,a commentariis), is certainly not the monitor (Thenius), but the one that was charged with recording the res gestas of the king, and of the kingdom, and preserving them for posterity (comp. 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 20:24; 2 Kings 4:3; 2 Chronicles 34:8). As is well-known, national archives are found not only among civilized but also among uncivilized people. Of Joah, Asaph’s Song of Solomon, nothing more is known. Both the names are Levitical, comp. 1 Chronicles 6:6; 1 Chronicles 29:12; 1 Chronicles 26:4. In 2 Chronicles 34:8 is mentioned a Joah son of Joahaz, who was recorder to king Josiah.

Isaiah 36:2 Or “Rabshakeh,” a possible title of a military official.

Isaiah 36:2 Or “Fuller’s Field,” where cloth was washed and bleached. In Mark 9:3, the Greek text uses the phrase “whiter than any fuller can make them.” See also Isa. 7:3; Mal. 3:1-3.

Isaiah 36:2 This was possibly Hezekiah’s “tunnel.”

Isaiah 36:19 This is modern Hama, a city of west central Syria.

Isaiah 36:19 Or “Arpad,” an ancient city of northwestern Syria.

Parable of the Growing Seed

26 Jesus also told them this parable: “God’s kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. 27 He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how.  Mark 4:26-27 

The Passion Translation (TPT)

PARABLE OF THE TREES MEANING

LOVE OF DOMINION

By Rev. Edward Craig Mitchell

The love of dominion seeks to rule or to ruin. The higher principles of the human mind are satisfied to perform their own uses, in their proper way; but the lower, meaner propensities desire to rule over the others.

THE HISTORY

Gideon had been a successful military leader of the Israelites. And the people said to him, "Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son's son: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian." (Judges 8:22.) But Gideon replied, "I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Jehovah shall rule over you." And, during Gideon's life, and under his wise counsel, as a judge, the Israelites had peace and prosperity. But, after his death, they soon relapsed into idolatry and other evils. And Abimelech, Gideon's son by a slave and concubine, cunningly plotted to gain the throne: and, to secure himself in the position, he slew all the seventy legitimate sons of his father, except Jotham, who escaped. And the Lord employed Jotham, to rebuke Abimelech and the Israelites, as he did in the parable of our text, which is supposed to be the oldest formal parable of which we have any knowledge.

Jotham showed the men of Shechem that they had taken, as king, a man who, on one side, was of low descent, and who was bloody and cruel, using cunning and wholesale murder to secure the throne, which properly belonged to some legitimate son of Gideon. Jotham also showed the men of Shechem that Abimelech, like the bramble, had displayed an evil spirit, ready to rule or to ruin; and that his reign would be disastrous to Israel.

THE REPRESENTATIVE MEANING

Historically, the trees represented the Israelites. The olive was Gideon; the fig-tree was Gideon's son; and the vine was his son's son; for all of whom Gideon had declined the throne. The bramble was Abimelech; and the cedars of Lebanon were the men of Shechem.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

But the parable has its spiritual application. As the Israelites, in their evils and idolatry, always brought upon themselves a defeat by some powerful enemy, so every man, as he departs from the ways of the Lord's commandments, sinks into evils, and worships himself and the world; and always he brings upon himself a serious defeat, at the hands of some great spiritual enemy, some foe of his own mental household.

In every condition of evil, the Israelites were attacked by some nation, or people, who represented the particular evil or falsity into which the Israelites then had fallen.

Sometimes they were carried away, as captives; and always by nations representing the evil principles which had inwardly carried them away, as spiritual captives to the lusts of the flesh, and had kept them away from the joy and home of regenerate life.

And when men see and acknowledge their bondage in sin, and when they turn to the Lord for deliverance, they can be saved from evil, by repenting, and by shunning evils as sins. But, often, when the trouble is past, men forget their Divine Helper, and relapse into selfish idolatry. Instead of keeping some grand Divine Truth as their mental king, they adopt some perversion of truth, some out birth of a slavish principle; and they set it up as their mental king.

ABIMELECH

Abimelech represents the low-born, selfish, cruel love of dominion over others, born from the love of self; a mere bramble, ready to rule or to ruin; to send forth its fires of lust, to consume all the better principles, which will not submit themselves to its rule.

TREES

The olive, the vine, and the fig-tree are frequently mentioned together, in the Scriptures. They represent the three discrete degrees of human life, the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural; the love of the Lord, the love of the neighbor, and the love of obedience to the law. Trees represent mental states, in men, the inward principles of men's minds and lives. Good principles, in good men, are called "trees of the Lord." Evil men are called trees that bear no fruit, barren trees, and cumbers of the ground. "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever" (Psalms 3:8.) "The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Psalms 92:12).

THE OLIVE TREE

The olive represents the celestial principle of love to the Lord, which, like the oil, is warm and smooth. "Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness" (Psalm 45:7). This oil of love is the "fatness" of the olive, mentioned in the text. When such love rules in the mind, governing all the affections, thoughts and conduct, the man is in a celestial regenerate state.

That the olive-tree declined to rule over the trees, does not mean that celestial love cannot, or will not, rule the regenerate mind; but it means that such heavenly love cannot rule in such a condition of mind as then existed in the men of Shechem.

They did not desire to be ruled in a heavenly way, but in their own way, and for selfish purposes, as is shown by their making the cunning and murderous Abimelech their king. Celestial love of the Lord cannot rule in a selfish and worldly mind. If it should unite itself with selfish principles, it would lose its good characteristic quality, and would become adulterated by evils. And so the olive, in declining to rule, replied, "Should I leave my fatness, wherewith, by me, they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?" The mental ground of its refusal was that a heavenly love of goodness could not mingle with selfish and worldly principles, without losing its own virtues.

Literally, the olive honors God and man, because the olive oil was used in the temple service, in the worship of God, and because the priests and kings were anointed with olive oil. Spiritually, it honors God and man, because the principle of love to the Lord, looks to the Lord, acknowledges Him, and gives all honor to Him, and brings man into a state of union with the Lord, in which man is honored.

THE FIG TREE

The fig-tree, also, declined to be king. The fig represents natural goodness, the love of obedience to the revealed law. It is right to cultivate a natural love of obedience to the Divine commandments; but, to make this virtue a means of feeding a spirit of ambition to rule over others, would be to destroy its good quality, and to corrupt it into a vice. The fig-tree would thus forsake its "sweetness" and its "good fruit." When a man intelligently knows the truth, and obediently follows it, then, spiritually, "the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength" (Joel 2:22). The "sweetness" of the fig-tree is its inward good principle, and its "good fruits" are its practical good works.

THE VINE

The vine, also, refused to be king. It said, "Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man?" The vine represents spiritual truth; and the fruit of the vine represents the good which springs from a love of truth; that is, the love of the neighbor, as distinguished from the love of the Lord. Literally, the wine cheered, or gladdened, "God and man," because the offerings of wine formed a part of the sacrifices, or offerings to the Lord; and because the effect of the right use of pure wine is to gladden and encourage the exhausted and saddened man.

Spiritually, wine represents Divine Truth, the spiritual "blood of the Lord," which the Lord loves to give to men, and which good men love to receive from Him. Such spiritual "blood of the grape," the Divine Truth, opens men's spiritual eyes, warms their hearts, and enriches their lives. The Lord, as the Divine Truth, calls Himself the Vine; "I am the vine; ye are the branches" (John 15:5). At the "Last Supper," the Lord mentioned to His disciples, concerning the wine, "that day when I drink it new with you, in My Father's kingdom." This new wine is the new spiritual truth which comes to us from the inward, spiritual sense of the Scriptures, and which we drink spiritually, with the Lord, when it unites its with Him, in love, faith and obedience. This spiritual wine "cheereth God and man," because, more and more, it carries the Divine blessings to men, and thus expands the operation of the Divine Love.

THE TREES IN GENERAL

The other trees appeared to desire the good trees to rule over them. But, to do so, the good trees would have had to leave their own high and holy character, and to go down to the general condition of the trees. The trees did not offer to go to the olive, the fig-tree, and the vine, to be governed by them, in their own places. But they said, "Come thou, and rule over us." They did not propose to abandon their selfish conditions, that they might be lifted up to a better condition and character. They sought to bring down the higher things, to agreement with their own lower condition. And the mental good trees could not do this, without losing their own distinctive qualities and character.

DISTINCTIONS

The olive and the fig represent states of the will, or heart, as to inward and outward good, or love; and the vine represents a state of the understanding, and its life of truth. And these cannot afford to leave their goodness and their truth, to join themselves with any selfish form of the love of ruling over others.

THE BRAMBLE

But, as the good trees declined to be made king, the trees applied to the bramble. Personally, this bramble represents those dangerous members of society, who love to rule, or to ruin.

Abstractly, the bramble represents the selfish form of the love of ruling over others, which is worldly, haughty and dangerous. All natural things, when perverted to evil uses, become mere brambles, and dangerous and inflammable, quick to burn in the infernal fires of selfish lusts. Even the letter of the Lord's Word, when separated from its inward spirit, and corrupted to evil uses, becomes a bramble, in the mind so abusing it, for pretended and spurious goodness. It is said of Zion, in her sinful condition, "thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be a habitation of dragons, and a court for owls." (Isaiah 34:13.)

The bramble was ready to rule over the trees. Self-love will feed a man's love of rule, until he will be willing to rule over anything and everything. And the more an evil man knows, the more evil he can do. Though he knows truths as doctrines, yet the fires of his own sensuous lusts will burn out all truth from his mind, even the tall cedars of Lebanon, the far-reaching truths of the Lord's Word, rationally seen.

The love of rule is ever ready to use its knowledge for selfish purposes. It will be patronizing towards the church, and towards all good influences, if they can be made to serve its desire to rule; if they will leave their goodness, and come down to it. But, if they attempt to oppose it, it will send out its infernal fires, and burn them out of the mind. The history of society is full of such brambles, in the priest-craft of the churches, in the party-craft of politicians, and in the abuses of social life, uniting in the common endeavor to rule, or to ruin. The unregenerate natural man regards self-love as his real God; but, while he expects it to give him life, it is destroying him in infernal fires.

Abimelech, like the bramble, was the least entitled to rule, because he was the most unworthy. But the people wanted such a king; and he was ready to rule them, for his own benefit.

The trees inclined to the bramble, and it was ready to be king, on its own terms, which were, to rule or to ruin.

ARROGANCE

The insolence of Abimelech, in seeking to rule over Israel, and the boldness of the natural man, in seeking to rule over the spiritual man, are shown in the arrogance of the low, mean bramble demanding that all the trees, even the grand, old towering cedars of Lebanon, should come under the shadow of the miserable bramble.

And, spiritually, the same monstrous insolence is shown by the lust of rule in our natural mind, when it attempts to bring down the higher principles of the mind, and to make them subservient to its evil purposes; utterly to overshadow them, or to destroy them in the unholy fires of evil lusts.

THE CEDAR TREE

The cedars of Lebanon represent the grand rational truths of regenerate life; noble trees, reaching far above the earth, evergreen in their foliage, teaching man of his spiritual and immortal character. "Praise ye Jehovah, . . . fruitful trees and all cedars." (Psalms 168:7-9.) How can these lofty, glorious truths stoop low enough to put themselves under the shadow of the low, earthy bramble? How can we be willing to prostitute the knowledge of spiritual and Divine. things to the low lusts of a selfish love of ruling over others? But, if we do this folly, the fires of the hells in our own hearts will surely arise, and destroy our mental cedars of Lebanon.

INDIVIDUAL USES

There is all order in creation, ordained by the Creator, and fixed in the organism of every creature. According to this order, each man has his place and his use; and each finds happiness in the loving performance of the use for which he is adapted. And each part of man has its place and its use. The eye is organized for seeing, and it is adapted to that use; and the ear is organized for hearing, and is adapted to that use. The eye takes no cognizance of sounds, nor the ear of light.

The eye does not wish to leave its seeing, nor the ear to leave its hearing, to go away to do other things. Each is happy in the performance of its own use, according to its organism. It has no selfish ambition to rule over other things. So, in the regenerate mind, each principle of life has its place and its work; and it is happy in performing its own use. And if it should have a selfish lust for going out of its way, to rule over other things, it would lose its own good quality.

THE LUST OF RULING

But our bramble, our selfish ambition to rule, will seek to rule over all other things, or to ruin their quality, by subjecting them to the infernal fires of evil lusts. Heaven is full of the spirit of humility; but hell is full of self-assertion.

If any heavenly principle has begun to grow in our minds, it must not be brought under the control of any worldly or selfish purpose. If we abuse a good princ1ple, it will lose its oil of love, and its wine of spirituality, and the sweetness of its good fruit. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Matthew 3:10.)

The love of rule shows itself in many ways; in the lust of having one's own way; in hard pride of opinion; in conceit of one's-own mental abilities, which is impatient, even under proper criticism; and, especially in the vile vice of contempt of others. All these are but forms of the love of ruling over others, mentally or physically.

Without humility, the oil of love loses its heavenly warmth; the wine of truth loses its spirituality; and the fig of obedience loses its practical sweetness.

In our minds, the bramble is ruling over the trees, whenever we exalt ourselves above others, in our own estimation; and whenever we harbor contempt of others; and whenever and wherever the holy truths of Divine Revelation are dragged down, to cater to the selfish pleasures of our senses.

SPIRITUAL TRUTH

The Bible is of little use to men, spiritually, while they quarrel over it, as a mere record of literal facts, or a treatise of the history, science and geography of a small portion of the earth. When the prophecies of the Lord's Word are supposed to relate to nothing more than the things of the natural senses, then spiritually, the celestial olive yields but little of its oil; the fig-tree bears little of its sweet good fruit; and the vine gives but little of its spiritual wine. Only as the Divine Word is regarded as a mirror to the human soul, in the spiritual light of revealed truth, and as its truths are seen in their spiritual aspect, can these truths be seen as heavenly truths, opening our minds to a new world, and displaying the history of the spirit of man, from his birth to eternity.

In His spiritual coming, the. Lord comes to give men life "more abundantly," and of higher quality; to enable every man, if he will, to be "a green olive-tree In the house of God." "In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor, under the vine and under the fig-tree." (Zechariah 3:10.)

THE BOOK OF GALATIONS

The epistle of Galatians was written to the churches scattered throughout Galatia (a portion of modern Turkey). It is one of the most important writings of Paul in establishing the importance of Grace compared to the Law. Paul and salvation by grace alone were under attack by those in the churches of Galatia.

Paul wrote Galatians to clarify that justification by faith alone is central to the gospel by defending the gospel he preached, showing that adherence to the Mosaic Law is not required for a person to be justified, and explaining that Christ sets believers free from the Law in order that they may love all people.

Galatians contains biographical, doctrinal, and practical divisions of two chapters each. In the first section (chs. 1 and 2), Paul defends his apostolic independence, not in a spirit of personal indignation, but to establish the divine origin of his gospel. In the doctrinal section (chs. 3 and 4), Paul presents a series of masterful arguments and illustrations to prove the inferiority of the Law to the gospel and to establish the true purpose of the Law. In the practical application of his doctrine (chs. 5 and 6), Paul exhorts the Galatians to use properly their Christian liberty and not to abuse it. Rather than giving license to sin, the gospel provides the enabling means to attain the righteousness that the Law demands.

The same perversion of the gospel that Paul combats in this letter keeps appearing in various forms. Legalism, which teaches that justification or sanctification depends upon a person’s own efforts, thus denying the sufficiency of the Cross, is the most persistent enemy of the gospel of grace. Circumcision and other requirements of the Mosaic Law may no longer be issues pertaining to salvation, but oftentimes the observance of certain rules, regulations, or religious rites is made coordinate with faith in Christ as the condition of Christian maturity. Galatians clearly declares the perils of legalism and establishes the essential truth of salvation by faith alone.

Paul teaches that Jesus places those who have faith in Him (2:16; 3:26) in a position of liberty (2:4; 5:1), freeing them from bondage to legalism and to license. The apostle’s main emphasis is on the crucifixion of Christ as the basis for the believer’s deliverance from the curse of sin (1:4; 6:14), self (2:20; see 5:24), and Law (3:12; 4:5). Paul also describes a dynamic faith-union with Christ (2:20), visibly portrayed in baptism (3:27), which relates all believers to each other as brothers and sisters (3:28). Concerning the Person of Christ, Paul declares both His deity (1:1, 3, 16) and His humanity (3:16; 4:4). Jesus is the substance of the gospel (1:7), which He Himself revealed to Paul (1:12).

The Judaizers were as wrong about the means of sanctification as they were about the way of justification. A key passage is 3:2, 3, in which Paul asks the Galatians, who would readily admit that they had begun their Christian life by the Spirit, why they were seeking spiritual maturity by performing works of the Law. The intimation is that the same Spirit who regenerated them causes their new life to grow.

In 3:5 Paul asks a similar question concerning the Holy Spirit. The language he uses indicates an experience of the Spirit that extended beyond the Galatians’ initial reception. The verb “supplies” suggests a continual supplying in bountiful measure, while “works” indicates that God was continuing to perform miracles in their midst through Spirit-filled believers who had not slipped into legalism. The word “miracles” refers to the charismatic manifestations of the Spirit evidenced by outward signs, such as those described in 1 Corinthians 12—14. The phrase “the promise of the Spirit” in 3:14 was also used by Peter to explain the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:33).

These verses teach that we receive the Spirit by faith and that the Spirit continues to manifest Himself in power as we walk in faith.

In 5:16–25 Paul graphically describes a fierce and constant conflict between the flesh, our lower nature prone to sin, and the indwelling Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit, when we submit to His control and actively walk in Him, can enable us to die to the flesh (vv. 16, 17), deliver us from the tyranny of the Law (v. 18), and cause the fruit of holiness to grow in our lives (vv. 22, 23).

This section (5:16–25) is a part of Paul’s exhortation concerning the proper use of Christian liberty. Apart from the controlling, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, liberty is certain to degenerate into license. ~NSFLB

Praying the Prayers of Scripture

The “Model Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4) 

• Pray for God’s glory

o For God to be number one

o For God’s kingdom to come

o For God’s will to be done

• Pray for your good

o For food

o For forgiveness

o For freedom from sin

The Praying of Epaphras (Colossians 4:12-13)

• Pray for others

• Pray frequently

• Pray fervently

• Pray fondly

• Pray for believers to be firm in their faith

• Pray for believers to have the full assurance of their fullness

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians (Philippians 1:9-11) 

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

• Pray for believers’ love for God’s Word to grow greatly

• Pray for believers to approve and practice what is proper

• Pray for believers to be pure and unproblematic people

• Pray for believers to do lots of good so that God would be glorified

The Prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray passionately

• Pray for prosperity

• Pray for protection from pain

The Prayer of Jacob (Genesis 32:9-12)

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray according to God’s promises to you

• Praise God for His person and for prospering you

• Pray for protection

• Praise God for protecting you

The Prayer of Jonah (Jonah 2:1-9)

• Pray

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray from any place

• Pray to be delivered from death

• Permeate your prayers with Scripture

The Prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-39; Luke 22:39-46)

• Pray

• Pray at any point in time

• Pray from any place, particularly a private place

• Pray privately and with other people

• Pray with a posture that is proper

• Pray for believers to be prevented from apostatizing to persevere in the faith

• Pray for the prevention of pain

• Pray for the performance of God’s will

• Pray passionately

• Pray persistently

The Prayer of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4-11) 

A Prayer of the Early Church (Acts 4:24-31) 

Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians (Colossians 1:9-14) 

The Colossians’ Prayer for Paul (Colossians 4:2-4)

The Prayer of Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36-37) 

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray with a submissive, servant’s spirit

• Pray for God to be recognized and revered

• Pray that God’s people would repent

The Praying of Elijah in the Days of Ahab (James 5:16-18)

• Those who pray are finite and fallen

• Those who pray are to be faithful

• Pray frequently

• Pray fervently

• Pray effectively (according to the revealed will of God) 

Paul’s Prayer for the Romans (Romans 1:8-13)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

• Let other believers know you are praising God for them

• Pray in submission to the sovereign, secret will of God

• Pray for the edification of the saved through you

• Pray for the evangelization of sinners through you

The Romans’ Prayer for Paul (Romans 15:30-32) 

• Pray persistently for other believers

• Be prepared by praying

• Pray for the protection of those proclaiming God’s Word

• Pray for the proclamation of God’s Word

• Ask others to passionately and perseveringly partner with you in prayer

o Prompted by a common connection to Christ and His cause

o Prompted by a Spirit-created concern for Christians

• Pray for rescue from sinners

• Pray for your service to be received by saints

• Pray in submission to the sovereign, secret will of God

• Pray for replenishment through God’s people 

Christ’s High Priestly Prayer (John 17)

• Pray

• Pray at any point in time

• Pray from any place, particularly a private place

• Pray privately and with other people

• Pray with a posture that is proper

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray for the glory of God

o For the glorification of God’s Son

By God the Father

By God’s people

o For the glorification of God the Father

• Pray for the good of God’s people

o Their security

o Their purity

o Their unity

The Prayer of Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:14-20; Isaiah 37:14-20)

• Pray about problems (ask, rather than be anxious)

• Pursue the prayers of other people

• Praise God

o For being King

o For being the Creator

• Pray for God to be praised 

Paul’s First Prayer for the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 3:9-13)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

o For their faith

o For their fondness

• Pray passionately

• Pray for the furtherance of the faith of other believers through you

• Pray for the furtherance of the fondness of other believers

o Their fondness for saints

o Their fondness for sinners 

Paul’s Second Prayer for the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

• Pray according to the revealed will of God

• Pray that God would graciously cause the conduct of other believers to be in keeping with their call

• Pray that God would graciously complete the desires for goodness and the faith derived deeds of other believers

• Pray that God would graciously cause the deeds of other believers to be done for divine adoration

Paul’s Third Prayer for the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

• Pray to God the Son

• Pray to God the Father

o One who is caring

o One who is sharing, sharing with believers continual encouragement and  confidence in what is to come for them

• Pray for the encouragement of other believers

• Pray for the establishment of other believers

The Thessalonians’ Prayer for Paul (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

• Pray persistently for other believers

• Be prepared by praying

• Pray for the protection of those proclaiming God’s Word

• Pray for the proclamation of God’s Word

• Ask others (not just pastors, but also other parishioners) to persistently pray for  you

• Pray for the success of God’s message

o For the gospel to advance

o For the gospel to be admired

• Pray for the safety of God’s messengers

David’s Prayer of Confession (Psalm 51)

• Confess corrupt conduct

• Confess the corrupt character that causes corrupt conduct

• Confess that corrupt conduct is contrary to God

• Be contrite over corrupt conduct

• Cry for cleansing of being and behavior 

The Ephesians’ Prayer for Paul (Ephesians 6:18-20)

• Pray persistently for other believers

• Be prepared by praying

• Pray for the protection of those proclaiming God’s Word

• Pray for the proclamation of God’s Word

o For the words to proclaim

o For the nerve to proclaim

• Petition God in prayer for yourself and others

• Pray under the power or control of the Spirit (i.e., according to the revealed will  of God)

 Paul’s First Prayer for the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:15-23)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

o For their faith in Christ

o For their fondness for Christians

• Let other believers know you are praising God for them

• Pray for illumination

o To perceive how precious is the believer’s prospect

o To perceive how powerful is the believer’s present 

Paul’s Second Prayer for the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:14-21)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

• Pray according to the revealed will of God

• Pray with a posture that is proper

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray for believers to be strengthened in their spirits by the Spirit

• Pray for believers to more completely comprehend the incredible concern that  Christ has for them

• Pray for believers to be fully filled with God’s fullness

David’s Prayer for Purification (Psalm 139)

• Confess God’s character

o His omniscience

o His omnipresence

o His omnipotence

• Praise God in prayer for His omnipotence as seen by His work in the womb

• Ask God to search your heart

• Ask God to show you your wrong

• Ask God to show you the right way

Hannah’s Supplication for a Son (1 Samuel 1:10-20)

• Pray when you have a problem, such as barrenness

• Pray to the right Person

• Pray persistently

• Pray passionately

• Give glory to God for answered prayer

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

• Passionately praise God in prayer

o For His being

His sacredness

His stability

His sovereignty

o For His blessings, including exalting us

The Prayer of Daniel (Daniel 9:1-19)

• Pray in the midst of predicaments

• Pray privately and with partners

• Praise God in prayer

• Have a place where you pray

• Have an appropriate posture in prayer

• Pray persistently

• Our prayers are part of the bigger picture of the spiritual war in which we are engaged

• Pray according to the revealed will of God

• Prepare to pray

• Affirm God’s character in prayer

• Admit your corruption

• Pray for God to be glorified in answer to prayer  

The Prayer of David After Receiving the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:18-29)

• Prays as one who is in the presence of the Lord

• Pray with the right perspective, that of a servant

• Praise God in prayer, such as for His holiness of being

• Pray for the final fulfillment of the Davidic covenant by praying for God’s    kingdom to come

• Pray according to the revealed will of God

• Pray for God to be glorified in answer to prayer

Paul’s Prayer for Philemon (Philemon 4-7)

• Pray with other believers

• Pray for other believers

• Pray persistently

• Let other believers know you are praying for them

• Pray for the purity and perseverance of other believers

• Praise God for other believers

o For their faith in Christ

o For their fondness for Christians

• Let other believers know you are praising God for them

• Pray for believers to manifest magnanimity

The Prayer of Ezra (Ezra 9)

• Have an appropriate posture in prayer

• Contritely confess your corruption

• Confirm God’s character

o His graciousness and lovingkindness

o His mercy

o His righteousness

David’s Prayer of Praise for the Offering for the Temple (1 Chronicles 29:10-19)

• Praise God publicly in prayer

• Pray for God to be praised perpetually

• Praise God for His perfections

o His greatness

o His power

o His glory

o His sovereign supremacy

• Praise God for His possessions

• Praise God for His provisions

o Enrichment

o Exaltation

• Pray with the proper perspective

• Pray that God would cause and continue devotion to Him in others

PRAY FOR OUR GOVERNMENT

PRAY FOR OUR GOVERNMENT!

Father, in Jesus’ name, we give thanks for the United States and its government. We hold up in prayer before You the men and women who are in positions of authority. We pray and intercede for the president, the representatives, the senators, the judges of our land, the policemen and the policewomen, as well as the governors and mayors, and for all those who are in authority over us in any way. We pray that the Spirit of the Lord rests upon them.

We believe that skillful and godly wisdom has entered into the heart of our president and knowledge is pleasant to him. Discretion watches over him; understanding keeps him and delivers him from the way of evil and from evil men.

Father, we ask that You compass the president about with men and women who make their hearts and ears attentive to godly counsel and do that which is right in Your sight. We believe You cause them to be men and women of integrity who are obedient concerning us that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. We pray that the upright shall dwell in our government — that men and women blameless and complete in Your sight, Father, shall remain in these positions of authority, but the wicked shall be cut off from our government and the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.

Your Word declares that “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12). We receive Your blessing. Father; You are our Refuge and Stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation). So we declare with our mouths that Your people dwell safely in this land, and we prosper abundantly. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus!

It is written in Your Word that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord and that You turn it whichever way You desire. We believe the heart of our leader is in Your hand and that his decisions are divinely directed of the Lord.

We give thanks unto You that the good news of the Gospel is published in our land. The Word of the Lord prevails and grows mightily in the hearts and lives of the people. We give thanks for this land and the leaders You have given to us, in Jesus’ name.

Jesus is Lord over the United States! Amen.

Scripture References:

1 Timothy 2:1-3 Deuteronomy 28:10,11

Proverbs 2:10-12,21,22 Romans 8:37 AMP

Psalm 33:12 Proverbs 21:1

Psalm 9:9 Acts 12:24

If you would like to continue to pray for our country's leaders, Germaine suggests that you pray the Prayers for Peoples and Nations to be found in the Prayers That Avail Much Commemorative Edition.

http://www.prayers.org