Daily Prayer 10/23/07

1 John 2:12-14 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Father- Your Word is clear. There are only two types of people in the world. Children of God and Children of Satan. (Psalm 1, John 8:39-44), I thank the Holy Spirit for giving us these verses through John to show us the stages of the Christian life. The little ones with only a basic understanding of Christ's death for the forgiveness of sins, young men who have sound doctrine to keep them from sin and the fathers of the faith who have grown beyond the intellectual side of their faith and have come to truly know You and have a very dear and personal relationship with Christ the Savior. That is our desire Lord, to always be growing in our faith. Just as the song says "Just a closer walk with Thee, grant it Jesus is my plea..." We so strongly desire to know You more and have a dear and personal relationship with You that results in a faith so strong not even trials like Job's can shake us because we will know You and Your character and Your sovereignty and Your love for us and care for us. The joy of that faith is so deep-seated it produces an unshakable peace, joy, hope, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. How will we know You so well? By knowing You through Your Word. By knowing God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the perfect Triune God. Give us this growth we desire Lord.

Let me feel I am with You and You are with me every minute of the day. When I do not "feel" You is it You who has forgotten me, or have my thoughts turned from You? When I read Father, keep Your words in my thoughts during the day. May I wake up at night with great thoughts of You on my mind. May the joy of Your Word consume me! Prepare me for heaven Father! Make me more like Christ and sanctify me and each day move me closer to the perfection I will know in heaven.

For those who have already attained this wonderful joy of perfection and knowing You and having the OVERWHELMING joy of being in Your presence right now in heaven, we thank You. Help us to let go of this life in this world and start setting our minds on the life that is to come in heaven. Our losses have not been losses, but gain to our dearly loved family and friends who are now with You. For those of us still here waiting for You to bring us home, we have a job to do. Believe in Christ and His death for our sins, and to grow and share all that we can with a world that does not know You and in sin does not want You. Turn their hearts from this world to You. Save them from being children of satan and adopt them as Your Children by sending Your Holy Spirit to dwell in them and open their eyes to sin and their need for Christ's death for their sins since we must face a Holy and Just Judge.

Lord, I have already died. You did not take my life from me 5 years ago, You gave me life. The man that was forever lost is not a loss, but a good riddance. I never want to be that man again. Like a child becomes and adult, I can never become that person again. Sometimes an adult acts like a child, but an adult can never become a child again. The same way Your grip on me is as permanent. It can not be undone. I may act like that sinner that died 5 years ago, but it is to my shame. May he be buried a little deeper in the ground each day as I ask You to lift this new man a little closer to Christ in heaven each day.

Every step and every breath we offer to You Lord Jesus as a living sacrifice for what You have done for us. Make us holy people for Your glory, Amen.