Category: Uncategorized

The Face of God

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

~ Psalm 105:4 (NKJV)

Note: Even though the Bible teaches God is Spirit, the Lord is sometimes described in Scripture using human features. He is said to have human characteristics. I think the best way to interpret the passages that speak of God in this manner is not literally, but figuratively. And the Lord uses this human (anthropomorphic) language to describe certain attributes, not so we know what He looks like, but so we can better relate to Him and understand more fully who He is in our relationship to Him.

In the passage before us here, God’s people are told to seek His face evermore. What, then, does it mean to “seek His face“? Think about it this way, what does it mean when someone turns their back on you? It means they are angry or indifferent towards you. It means they care not for you or your well-being. So when Scripture speaks of God’s face shining upon us, and not hiding His face from us, or that we are to seek His face, it simply means we should strive for the Lord’s gracious presence, favor and blessing in our life. It means to have our spirit gently warmed by sweet communion with Him where there is peace and rest for our soul. Seeking His face is seeking Him! And this, may we do, by prayer, by faith, and by Christ, now and forevermore!

~ apl

His & Mine

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

It is astonishing that I should so be one with Christ, that all that He is becomes mine; and all that I am becomes His! His glory mine; my humiliation His! His righteousness mine; my guilt His! His joy mine; my sorrow His! His riches mine; my poverty His! His life mine; my death His!

~ Octavius Winslow (1808-1878)

Meek Simplicity

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

What does the LORD require of you but to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

~ Micah 6:8b (NKJV)

Maybe the greatest beauty of the Christian Faith is it’s meek simplicity. It is true that you can multiply ad nauseam the theology, doctrines, practices and controversies of the church making the most simple things complicated. Over the centuries, well-meaning men have excelled in the art of making straightforward things complex. But ultimately, the question that should most intrigue the heart of the true believer is: What does God require of me?

The passage before us offers a wonderful summary of both God’s demands and desires for His people. And it is presented here in plainness and eloquence in three equally significant parts; do justly, love mercy and walk humbly. Imagine what the Christian life would look like if we but just consistently and faithfully followed these? How different would your life be?

The purpose of this short devotion is to remind the reader to keep their eye on those aspects of their faith and life that most matter to the Lord. These three requirements here in Micah essentially sum up the law to love God and love your neighbor. While engaging in the more weightier matters of our faith has its place and is important, we must begin and retain the simplicity of Christ as well, to do justly, love mercifully, and walk humbly with the Lord.

A Thousand Lives

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

I feel that, if I could live a thousand lives, I would like to live them all for Christ; and I should even then feel that they were all too little a return for His great love to me!

~ Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Lips & Hearts

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

[They] honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

~ Matthew 15:8a (NKJV)

The Christian faith is first and foremost a matter of the heart. If one thinks living for Christ is simply, or primarily, going through a set of religious rites and rituals, they have missed the point entirely. Sadly, we can convince ourselves otherwise. Many do practically, though maybe unintentionally, honor Jesus with their lips while their hearts are far from Him.

The Lord made this clear even under the Old Covenant with Israel. He desires our heart. Though true believers in the Lord Jesus should honor Him with their lips, it should be from a heart that is drawn near to Him. It isn’t either or, it’s both. May we not depend on our outward conformity as the basis for our experience with God, rather may we be inwardly convicted and surrender our whole hearts unto Him honoring the Lord heart, mind and soul.

Holiness & Love

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

Spiritually begins to have real meaning in our lives as we begin to exhibit simultaneously the holiness of God and the love of God. We never do this perfectly, but we must look to the living Christ to help us do it truly.

~ Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984)

Love, Pray & Do

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

Let us not despise our neighbor. Let us not mock him. Let us not shut the door of heaven and take away the key of knowledge. Let us be free from all hatred and rancor. Let us love all men, pray for all men, do good to all men.

~ William Farel (1489-1565)