Psalms 5:7
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word):
Jeff, see David's prayer that he has access to me by my love, but that he bows down before me in fear. You can know that my love for you will always endure and that you will always have access to me. I will always be with you. Remember, however, that I am a holy God. Remember that you cannot take sin lightly. Remember that you must fear me and allow me to calm your fear. Do not comfort yourself and come before me as one in a higher position. Know who I Am when you approach. David knew...
2 Samuel 24:15-17See above Jeff that David prays for guidance and deliverance from the midst of his enemies, my enemies. He does not trust in his own discernment to find his path but relies on me. David knew that he should not just mingle with the enemy or be distracted by their flattery. See how he knows that I can protect...
So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men. 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.”
Psalms 5:8-9
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. 9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
Psalms 5:11-12So now look at what Jesus tells the disciples about temptation, sin, and forgiveness...
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. 12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Luke 17:1-4First notice Jeff that temptations are sure to come. You may be in a time of joyful surrender but the temptations WILL come. Be alert!
1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves ! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Ephesians 6:13-18And Jeff, do NOT cause others to sin or stumble them in their faith. Look at your life and honestly evaluate if you may be doing this in any way. Yesterday I asked you to surrender your financial resources. Perhaps the way you have previously not surrendered 100% of your resources could be such a stumbling block to another's faith. Perhaps your areas of excess can be cause for envy or covetousness. "Pay attention to yourself!" Love your neighbor as yourself.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Jeff, if someone sins against you do not harbor bitterness, thus entering into sin yourself. You need to confront that person and rebuke him- forgiving if he should repent. Reason with him...
Leviticus 19:17But Jeff, step back and see that I said forgive him if he repents. I also forgive in this way. Repentance is mandatory Jeff...
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.
1 John 1:6Notice Jeff that this obedience is how you know that you have ALREADY come to know me. I do not call you to repent before coming to me. I ask that when you came to be in that single act of repentance 23 years ago I granted the ability by my Holy Spirit to free you from sin. Recall however, that you spent many years grieving my Spirit and you yet embraced the self-life. Yes, Jeff, you were caught in the thorns.
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 2:3-4
And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
I mentioned Jeff that you should reason frankly with the one who sins lest you incur sin because of him. This can also come from listening to false teaching and deception. Do not take part in their wicked works by giving them audience...
2 John 1:9-11Jeff, take note that the teaching of one who abides in me includes having both the Father and the Son. Do not receive one who teaches another gospel contrary to what you find in my Word or one who does not accept my Son as the messiah, as the second member of the trinity...
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Galatians 1:8Jeff see that fulfilling the work of my kingdom is not about you gathering a great deal of faith together, but more about where you place your faith and that you are humbly surrendered to me...
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Luke 17:6See that your work for the kingdom is not something to be praised. This is expected and you shall be before me as a good servant, not a noteworthy trailblazer or something special. Understand that you are simply a branch and rejoice in that. Rejoice in the fact that you may be used as a vessel, but understand the praise is reserved for me.
And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Luke 17:10
So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty. ’”
Luke 17:20-22The pharisees asked my Son about the coming kingdom. They did not understand that my Son was in their midst and that my kingdom had therefore arrived. Yet my kingdom is not consummated until His second coming Jeff. Know that many will be brought into my current kingdom in that they will sit in the pughs and attend services, but their hearts may be far from me. See what John Piper says regarding this topic of the pharisees questioning Jesus about the kingdom...
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is! ’ or ‘There! ’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
From a sermon by John Piper on February 4, 1990-
The power of the kingdom gathers many ( Matthew 7:22 ) into its net that will be cast out in the end because they loved healing and not holiness; they loved power and not purity; they loved wonders and not the will of God.Application:
Today I will come before you thankful for your steadfast love and yet trembling in recognition of your holiness and might.
Today I will not trust my own discernment regarding the path to take to navigate the evils this world presents but I will look to your Word and I will ask for the guidance of your Holy Spirit.
Today I will evaluate whether I might have a lifestyle that could cause other believers to stumble in their faith or to sin.
Today I will not give ear to false teaching or any other gospel.
Today I will pray for humility and I will not serve you with expectation of merit, but merely as a branch surrendered to the vine, enjoying the fruit that the vine delivers from it's abundance.
Today I will trust You and not my faith
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for your Word. Thank you for loving me and for allowing me access to you by this love. Please let me always come before you humble and contrite Lord, confessing my sin and acknowledging my depravity. Let me never think something of myself but always rejoicing in you Lord. Please show me how to remove any element of my life that might stumble another believer and may it be a joy to do so. Please empty me and show me how to get out of the way so that you might use me mightily for your kingdom. I believe Lord that you are calling me to fast for this purpose and I pray that you might continue to refine that message to me and help me to understand how to proceed.
In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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So this is what it looks like to be Refined in The Fire.
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