Month: January 2009

A Prayer for Barack Obama

Father,

This is your world, and you do with it as you please. You’re the King of Presidents and the true director of all nations. A man can’t become president, or pastor, or prime minister, or plumber, without your consent. There isn’t a country or king or child or bird or insect that sustains itself. You work all things according to your plans, and no human plan can stand apart from you.

We bless you for allowing Barack Obama to be elected as President of the United States. We know that he wasn’t ultimately elected by Democrats or Republicans, but by You. So we trust you. You knew exactly what you were doing.

Lord, our greatest desire is not that the economy would be righted, or that health care would be solved, or that the war in Iraq would be resolved. We want to see You glorified in whatever way you choose. Glorify Yourself through Barack Obama. We pray that four years from now more people would know and love you because Barack Obama was in office.

We pray that you would draw Barack Obama to yourself. Open his eyes to see the glories of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Press Your hand upon him. Allow him to feel the fragility of this country.

Your word tells us that you control his heart like a waterway. Please cause him to enact godly laws, laws that will promote the spread of your gospel. Breathe into him a love for human life, a heart that moves with compassion for the needy, and a deep sense of Your justice.

Above all else, use Barack Obama as a channel for Your kingdom.

In Jesus name, amen.

Via: The Blazing Center

The Price that Love Pays

God’s love is his holiness reaching out to sinners; grace is but the price that his love pays to his holiness; the cross is but its victory over sin and death; and faith is but the way in which we bring our worship to him who is holy.

—David F. Wells
The Courage to be Protestant

Via: Of First Importance

Blindside Gospel

The gospel is the most unexpected message in history. It blindsides you and then leaves you gaping in wonder. Let yourself be blindsided by Isaiah 53:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way… (Isaiah 53:6)

What would you naturally expect the next words in this passage to be. Here’s what I would expect: “And God crushed you for your wicked rebellion.” Or, “And God gave you what you deserve, blistering wrath.”

But that’s not what we find at all. Let yourself be astonished by these words:

…and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

This is mind boggling. I’m the one that’s lusted in my heart. I’m the one that’s spoken harshly to my wife. I’m the one that’s grumbled and complained about the amount of work I’m doing at the Pastor’s College. I’m the one who has arrogantly talked about others behind their backs. And I’m the one that should be crushed for my sins. God should wipe me off the face of the earth and cast me into hell for eternity.

But he doesn’t. Instead God lays our iniquity on the servant, his son, and crushes him. For me. For my forgiveness. This is blindside gospel.

It’s the kind of love that’s impossible to fathom. Do you ever doubt that God loves you? Spend some time soaking in this verse.

Via: The Blazing Center

Our Daily Duty

Let faith look on Christ in the gospel as he is set forth dying and crucified for us. Look on him under the weight of our sins, praying, bleeding, dying; bring him in that condition into thy heart by faith; apply his blood so shed to thy corruptions: do this daily.

—John Owen
On the Mortification of Sin

Via: Of First Importance

Give as Worship

God made us, sustains us, and lavishes us with good gifts. He loves us and gave his only Son for us. Our response of praise can and should be expressed through giving. The supreme reason to give away our money and possessions—the motive that permeates all other motives—is to worship God. Like a precious cut gem gleaming in the sunlight, every facet of Christian giving should reflect the glory of God’s grace. The immediate beneficiaries of Christian giving are earthly, but the One who receives honor from each gift is in Heaven. It is nothing to hoard, to indulge, to beautify ourselves. It is divine to lay down all that we are and all that we have as a tribute at the feet of the King of kings.

Via: Eric Costa

How Deep the Father’s Love

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

—Stuart Townend

He Lives at the Right Hand of God

That same Jesus who once died for sinners, still lives at the right hand of God, to carry on the work of salvation which He came down from heaven to perform.

He lives to receive all who come unto God by Him, and to give them power to become the sons of God.

He lives to hear the confession of every heavy-laden conscience, and to grant, as an almighty High Priest, perfect absolution.

He lives to pour down the Spirit of adoption on all who believe in Him, and to enable them to cry, Abba, Father!

He lives to be the one Mediator between God and man, the unwearied Intercessor, the kind Shepherd, the elder Brother, the prevailing Advocate, the never-failing Priest and Friend of all who come to God by Him.

He lives to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption to all His people—to keep them in life, to support them in death, and to bring them finally to eternal glory.

—J. C. Ryle
Old Paths

Via: Of First Importance

Prayer for the New Year

O Lord,
Length of days does not profit me
except the days are passed in Thy presence,
in Thy service, to Thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,
sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from Thee,
but may rely on Thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth Thy praise;
testify Thy love,
advance Thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with Thee, O Father as my harbour,
Thee, O Son, at my helm,
Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to Thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me They grace to sanctify me,
Thy comforts to cheer,
Thy wisdom to teach,
Thy right hand to guide,
Thy counsel to instruct,
Thy law to judge,
Thy presence to stabilize.
May Thy fear by my awe,
Thy triumphs my joy.

—Valley of Vision

Stand Fast in the New Year

In the last days many shall be as “clouds without water, carried about of winds.” And this is one of the special perils of these “perilous times.” The winds are let loose, and are now performing their awful work of tossing hither and thither these empty clouds.

Hence the instability that prevails. Men are “carried about with every wind of doctrine.” They are not “rooted and grounded in love;” and having never “tasted that the Lord is gracious,” nor rested their weary souls upon Him, they go about seeking they know not what. They want something that will fill them, but not going to the Divine fulness of the incarnate Word for it, they wander on in sadness of spirit, vainly trying to soothe their uneasy souls with every new doctrine or device that meets them in the way! All in vain. For what can be a substitute for God and His free love?

Amid all this instability, let us “stand fast in the faith.” Let us be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Let us beware of novelties in religion. Let us guard against fickleness of opinion and hastiness of decision. Satan will let loose his blasts and call up his storms; let us only moor our vessel firmer, and keep faster hold of the anchor, which is sure and steadfast, “and which entereth into that which is within the veil.” Thus, in patience shall we possess our souls, for “he that believeth doth not make haste.”

—Horatius Bonar
Words of Peace and Welcome

Via: Horatius Bonar