Day Seven: Marked by GOODNESS May 12, 2016
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"Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm,
sealed with this inscription:
"The Lord knows those who are His," and,
"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord
must turn away from wickedness."
(2 Timothy 2:19)
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MORNING MEDITATION
THE LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Instead of leading the people to God, the religious leaders of Jesus' day were shutting the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; and they were not even attempting to enter into God's presence themselves (Matthew 23:13-14). They arrogantly paraded in the temple courts in their priestly attire, making themselves an obstacle, rather than standing in the gap on behalf of the people to lead them closer to God. This is the heart of the message the Lord is revealing to us during this season of restoration. He is rebuilding His body and reviving His priesthood to return to our original calling as His holy priesthood, so we can offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God and intercede on behalf of the people all around us. Our great longing should be to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to worship in His temple, and to lead others to experience the joy of seeing Him face to face in eternity. "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 to seek Him in His temple" (Psalm 27:4).
Only those who have clean hands and a pure heart can enter into the Holy of Holies of intimacy with Christ (Psalm 24:3-4). He has made a way for us through the precious blood of Jesus Christ to enter into His presence and experience deep, abiding relationship with the Father and to gain access to the throne of grace to lay hold of heaven's blessings for the world (Hebrews 10:19-22). God is absolute moral perfection, and cannot look upon evil; this should move us, as His children to pursue purity so that we can see God and bring Him an acceptable sacrifice of a pure and holy life (Habakkuk 1:13a). It should be our utmost desire to honor our Lord with holy and pure lives and have Him look upon us with pleasure and delight. "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me" (Psalm 51:10-12). God has purposed that the center of our being be entirely centered on Christ. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23). Our mind, will, and emotions are to be fully surrendered to God and connected to the Fountain, where we can be continually cleansed and purified, so that out of us will flow springs of living water to refresh this dry and weary land (John 7:38). "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (1 Corinthians 7:1). Let us pray for believers everywhere to have submissive and willing hearts to surrender to the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work in our lives, so that we can be purified and made holy, and wear the distinctive mark of the God proudly upon our heads: HOLY TO THE LORD (Exodus 28:36). "And I - in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness" (Psalm 17:15).
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AFTERNOON PRAYER
Click on the LINK below to listen to the afternoon prayer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAw2TOECG-g
A prayer for purity of heart and for goodness to flow from our lives.
"Since we have these promises, dear friends,
let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,
perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
(2 Corinthians 7:1)
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EVENING DEVOTION
EVERYONE WHO CONFESSES THE NAME OF THE LORD
MUST TURN AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS
AND PURSUE...GOODDNESS
The fruit of the Spirit is GOODNESS
(Galatians 5:22)
In His great love and mercy the Lord is reviving His priesthood and awakening our hearts to our First Love and our first calling. His desire is to make us pure and holy, cleansing us by the washing of water through His Word, and to dress us in our priestly garments so we can be serviceable to our generation. Our hearts are to be purified by faith and made entirely for God, so that we can experience our soul's greatest happiness and delight - seeing God! Only the pure in heart will receive the blessing of seeing God. And nothing but the sight of God will satisfy the longing or our heart.
Our hearts are to be kept free from all filth and pollution and set apart entirely for God. For everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness (2 Timothy 2:19b). "O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?" (Jeremiah 4:14). We are to oppose the works of the flesh and yield to the Spirit's work in our lives and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. When we produce the fruit of goodness we sow goodness where others sow evil. We are ready to do good to everyone as the opportunity presents itself. Goodness is love in action. Let us pray that we would be a holy priesthood who trust in the Lord, turn from evil, and do good. For our Lord, "gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:14). Let us pray for the church to respond in this hour to God's call to separation from the world and to be set apart to Him and allow Him to purify our hearts so that we can look beyond our circumstance and see Him high and lifted up and seated on the throne. Then this world will be to us like a heaven on earth, until our Bridegroom comes to take us home and we shall see Him as He is. "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:3).
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INSCRIBE - Set Apart to the Lord A 10 Day Prayer Journey Waiting On God Copyright © 2016 Traci A. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
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