Come, Holy Spirit. Come. ... Day 3

My apologies for the lateness in the day... we offer this as an evening sacrifice to the Lord.
Lord, in your mercy ... hear our prayer.

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, Master of the Universe, who sanctified us through Jesus our Messiah, upon You we wait to kindle the fire of Your Holy Spirit within us

A time of silence...

“There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?” But this I say, “O LORD, lift up the light of your face upon me [bless me with Your Presence - the Light of Your Face], and that shall put joy in my heart, more than they have when their grain and wine abound.” (220)

I entreat your favor with all my heart, (221) for in this I labor [seeking the deeper awareness of Your Holy Spirit in my life], that whether I am at home or away, I may please the Lord. (222)”

“Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands be acceptable in your sight as the evening sacrifice. (228)

I must beg for the powerful assistance and influence of the blessed Spirit of grace in my prayers.

"Lord, I do not know what to pray for as I ought, but let your Spirit help me in my weakness and intercede for me. (229)

O pour upon me a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, (230) the Spirit of adoption teaching me to cry, Abba, Father; (231) that I may find in my heart to pray this prayer: Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling; to God, my exceeding joy. (232)

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. (233)

This is what you, O LORD, have said, that you will be sanctified among those who are near you, and before all the people you will be glorified. (234) I therefore worship before you, O Lord, that I may glorify your name; (235) and therefore call upon you that you may deliver me, and I may glorify you. (236)”

For from you and through you and to you are all things. (237)

“I do not present my plea before you because of my righteousness, (238) for I am before you in my guilt, (239) and cannot stand before you because of it; (240) but I make mention of Christ’s righteousness, even of his only, who is the LORD our righteousness, (241) and therefore the LORD my righteousness.

I know that even spiritual sacrifices are acceptable to God only through Christ Jesus, (242) nor can I hope to receive anything but what I ask of you in his name; (243) and therefore bless me in the Beloved, (244) that other angel who put much incense to the prayers of the saints and offers them up on the golden altar before the throne. (245)

I come in the name of the great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, who is able to sympathize with my weaknesses, (246) and is therefore able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (247)

Behold, O God, my shield, and look on the face of your Anointed, (248) in whom you have by a voice from heaven declared yourself to be well pleased; Lord, be well pleased with me in him. (249)”


Sing or play a song of worship to God. 

Come, Holy Spirit. Come.

A time of silent waiting ...

In the powerful Name of Jesus,
AMEN.

God bless you. +++


220 Ps 4:6-7
221 Ps 119:58
222 2 Cor 5:9
228 Ps 141:2.
229 Rom 8:26.
230 Zech 12:10.
231 Rom 8:15.
232 Ps 43:3-4.
233 Ps 51:15.
234 Lev 10:3.
235 Ps 86:9.
236 Ps 50:15.
237 Rom 11:36.
238 Dan 9:18.
239 Ezra 9:15.
240 Ps 130:3.
241 Jer 23:6.
242 1 Pet 2:5.
243 John 16:23.
244 Eph 1:6.
245 Rev 8:3.
246 Heb 4:14-15.
247 Heb 7:25.
248 Ps 84:9.
249 Matt 3:17.


Excerpt From: Henry, Matthew. “Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (ESV 1st Person Version).” Matthew Henry. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/matthew-henrys-method-for/id428439436?mt=11

Come, Holy Spirit. Come. ... Day 2

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, Master of the Universe, who sanctified us through Jesus our Messiah, upon You we wait to kindle the fire of Your Holy Spirit within us

A time of silence...

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! (13)

O you whose name is the LORD, who alone are the Most High over all the earth! (14) O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you (15); my God, and I will praise you, my father's God, and I will exalt you. (16) O you who are the true God, the living God, the one only living and true God, and the everlasting King! (17) With your redeemed people I confess your great name: "The Lord our God, the LORD is one." (18)

Sing or play a song of worship to God.

O God, "You are good, and your steadfast love endures forever. (97)

Your steadfast love is great toward me, (98) and your faithfulness endures to all generations. (99)

You have proclaimed your name: The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. (100) And this, your name, is my strong tower. (101)

You are good and do good, (102) good to all; and your mercy is over all that you have made. (103) But truly God is in a special manner good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. (104)

O that you would make all your goodness pass before me, (105) that I may taste and see that the Lord is good; (106) and your steadfast love may be always before my eyes. (107)"

Come, Holy Spirit. Come. 

A time of silent waiting ...

In the powerful Name of Jesus, 
AMEN.

God bless you. +++

13 Rev 4:8.

14 Ps 83:18.

15 Ps 63:1.

16 Exod 15:2.

17 v. Jer 10:10; 1 Thess 1:9.

18 Deut 6:4.

97 Ps 136:1.

98 Ps 117:2.

99 Ps 100:5.

100 Exod 34:6-7.

101 Prov 18:10.

102 Ps 119:68.

103 Ps 145:9.

104 Ps 73:1.

105 Exod 33:19.

106 Ps 34:8.

107 Ps 26:3.

Excerpt From: Henry, Matthew. “Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (ESV 1st Person Version).” Matthew Henry. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/matthew-henrys-method-for/id428439436?mt=1

Come, Holy Spirit. Come. ... Day 1

I begin ... or may I be bold enough to say, We begin ... a 10 day vigil for the Holy Spirit to fall afresh in our lives. I didn't know how to start and then, my friend, Nancy, shared this book with me, Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer. (great price ... FREE on iBook! See link below.) I opened to the first page and there it was ... the way to begin to pray, to be attentive to, to "Walk. Stand and Wait."... with vigilance ... for a deeper awareness and renewal of the Holy Spirit in my life. Worship. Adoration. Praise.

This version of Method for Prayer prays Scripture using the ESV in the first-person. I've added a salutation derived from the Passover prayers. It is written in plural form. This we pray together, then the main body of prayer will be first-person. Another addition are two times of silence. Just, tell all the voices in your head that they can wait for a few minutes. Right now you want to be still and listen. OK, and one more addition ...  music ... either sing yourself or play it. Choose a song of worship and praise, one that focuses on Who God Is, and have it at the ready. Once that is done ... please, pray with me ... (bold, italic mine)

Blessed are you, O LORD our God, Master of the Universe, who sanctified us through Jesus our Messiah, upon You we wait to kindle the fire of Your Holy Spirit within us

A time of silence...

“My spirit being composed into a very reverent and serious frame, my thoughts gathered in, and all that is within me charged in the name of the great God carefully to attend the solemn and awful service that lies before me and to keep close to it, I must, with a fixed attention and application of mind and an active lively faith [vigilance!], set the Lord before me, see his eye upon me, and set myself in his special presence, presenting myself to him as a living sacrifice, which I desire may be holy and acceptable to God and a spiritual service; (1) and then bind this festal sacrifice with cords up to the horns of the altar, (2) in such thoughts as these:

Let me now lift up my heart, with my eyes and hands, to God in heaven. (3)

Let me rouse myself to take hold of God (4), to seek his face, (5) and to ascribe to him the glory due his name. (6)

Unto you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. (7)

Let me now with confidence enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for me through the curtain, that is, through his flesh .(8)

Let me now attend to the Lord with undivided devotion, (9) and let not my heart be far from him when I draw near to him with my mouth and honor him with my lips. (10)

Let me now worship God, who is spirit, in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (11)”

http://goodtidingsassemblyofgod.blogspot.com/2010/05/pentecost-sunday-22nd-may-2010.html

Sing or play a song of worship to God. 

Come, Holy Spirit. Come.

A time of silent waiting ...

In the powerful Name of Jesus,
AMEN.

God bless you. +++

1 Rom 12:1.
2 Ps 118:27.
3 v. Lam 3:41; John 17:1.
4 Isa 64:7.
5 Ps 27:8.
6 Ps 29:2.
7 Ps 25:1.
8 Heb 10:19-20.
9 1 Cor 7:35.
10 Isa 29:13.
11 John 4:23-24.

Excerpt From: Henry, Matthew. “Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (ESV 1st Person Version).” Matthew Henry. iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright. Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/matthew-henrys-method-for/id428439436?mt=11

Derailed for a moment...

http://media4.s-nbcnews.com

So, I was derailed for a moment. Not to worry, I'm back on track now. But, sometimes something blind-sides you ... something happens or someone does something or says something ... and even with all your effort, with all you've learned and practiced ... your journey jumps track. This jumping track is not always altogether a bad thing. Would I wish it on anyone? No. Would I invite again? No. But, when I stop and take stock of the situation, derailing helps me learn, helps me grow so that the next time it won't derail me. Instead, I will stay on track. So, what did I learn?

This whole thing about "Walking. Stand and Wait.", this whole thing about our journey in Christ, into Christ-likeness ... is a daily thing. Daily. D. A. I. L. Y. And, sometimes when we are attending to a specific way of following Christ, e.g. ridding our hearts of a besetting sin, changing a habit, practicing a new way of relating to God or to others or to yourself ... sometimes it takes a moment-by-moment attention. Sometimes it takes what a friend of mine calls vigilance.

Vigilance: the process of paying close and continuous attention, watchfulness, the state of keeping careful watch, alertness or attention with care.

With care. Hmmm. I'm adding to that ... with Love. With the Love of Christ ... from Him, for Him, for others, and for myself ... I practice vigilance. With the Love of Christ I "Walk. Stand and Wait." in order to gain Him and His ways ... the way of His Kingdom. Daily I remember His Love and forgiveness and mercy and grace. Sometimes, I have to remember this moment-by-moment. How will I do this? By the power of His Holy Spirit at work within me.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1256/4604189528_a93e4fc3e7_o.jpg

Today is the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ. Without Christ ascending to His Father, to God's right hand (place of authority over all things ... ALL things, even those things that need changing in us!) we would not have His Holy Spirit living within us. When Christ ascended to His Father, the disciples were sent back to Jerusalem to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Ten days later at Pentecost the Holy Spirit was sent upon those who believe in Him, who believe that He saves (the meaning of His Name, Jesus, is God Saves). That same Holy Spirt lives with and in those of us who believe in Him. With the power of the Holy Spirit and vigilant attention to how I travel this track, my journey and my life will change ... I will change ... to be more like Him. And, I will know His peace. If you believe, this is true for you as well.

The Church has observed and celebrated the Feast of the Ascension at least since the third century and possibly as early as 68AD. It marked a period of 10 days of vigilant prayer for the Holy Spirit to fall upon them. I think it's time we practiced this kind of vigilance again. Beginning today and lasting until Pentecost (10 days), I commit to pray daily for a greater awareness of the Holy Spirit that lives within me ... for His power to be at work within me for God's glory. What about you?