Friday Morning Prayer:). July 10, 2014

July 10, 2014 - 9 minutes read

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Brothers and Sisters In Christ:).

Friday Morning Prayer: Brothers are meeting at Mt. View Bible. Located at 2710 Alpine Blvd. Alpine. You are invited to join us for a time of prayer and worship. It is always exciting to get with brothers who embrace our shared faith! We cry out to our holy, holy, holy God on behalf of Alpine and the surrounding communities. Yes! We pray for the lost! We need our God’s help to equip us to effectively pray, fill us with power, and grant us confident boldness to proclaim redemption through the cross! Join us if you can! With David we pray,

“Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” Psalm 28:2.

Moreover, we pray for the Body of Christ represented through various churches here in Alpine and the surrounding communities. I just got an invite today from the Willows Baptist Church for VBS. We have been praying for the body of believers represented there. May God empower their children’s program and may many many families hear the gospel and experience supernatural transformation! :).

We keep praying for the leadership, proclaiming of the gospel clearly, and Holy Spirit power to be manifest through the lives of many! We appeal for your prayers of this nature for all our churches: Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Worship Leaders, Teachers, Youth Leaders, etc., Residents of Alpine and the surrounding communities.

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

Gospel! I couldn’t bring myself to leave out any of this powerful hymn:).

“Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,’the veil is taken away.’ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3:15-18

Freedom! Eyes open! Behold the glory of our Lord! We “In Christ” behold in the mirror of the gospel, the glory of Yahweh, Who is Jesus! So, how is your soul? I pray your heart, mind, and soul are continually transforming into His likeness with every-increasing glory! I find this idea of “transformation” to be stimulating, motivating, and exciting! Moreover, this ever-increasing glory is reflected, displayed, especially as we behold our Glorious, Mighty, Awesome God In Christ!

Sometimes it is hard to reflect well, especially if I am not beholding our God with all my being! Loving our God with all my strength! May I earnestly pray, and appeal to YOU, brother, sister to pray that our gracious God, because of His great love for us, help us to behold and experience more and more of His glory. Increase our desire to behold His soul-shaping likeness! “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

Reflect Him? God is Holy, Holy, Holy… I have to choose daily, holiness. I fail, but I keep trying by God’s grace. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy because I am holy.” 1Peter 1:15-16. Discipline! Oh man! Adams (Summer 2014) wrote, “We reflect him when we adopt his holy habits, his disciplines of prayer, solitude, discernment, Scripture study, meditation, fasting, and more. We reflect him as we suffer for the sake of others, and as we show love to our neighbors and enemies. And as we do all these things, we display him to a watching world.”

This process takes place in community! Our churches! Our small groups! 1:1 time with brothers, sisters hanging out and praying through the power of the Holy Spirit! I pray YOU are pursuing connectedness with the Body of Christ and loving others, caring for others, praying for folks. In turn, being loved and being cared for and prayed for all the time! I need this! You do too! :).

“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with AWE, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common….” Acts 2:42-44 Radical devotion! “…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. v. 46b-47.

I pray we, especially me, as transformed people for God, will intentionally emphasize and pursue the care and nurture of the soul in the context of community for the sake of our suffering brothers and sisters and for the lost in our communities. “By this all men (mankind) will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35. :).

Keep praying for our Alpine Youth Center: Kevin, Jonathan, Joseph and his precious family.

Persevere In Christ!

YOU are LoVed much!

Randall:).

Reference: Adams, Gwenfair. The Ministry Magazine of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Summer ’14 Vol 42 No. 1 Spiritual Formation.