Brothers and Sisters,
Most of you know that I don't believe in coincidence. Something amazing just jumped off the page and hit me between the eyes, and I have to share it. For my part, I simply want to say that the language of man is insufficient to describe the absolute Grace, Love, Mercy, Might, and Majesty of God - our Lord and Saviour.
In reading the following message, I couldn't help but reflect on how wonderful it is to pray and know that God wants to hear our prayers. Over 2,000 years ago, mankind needed a Levitical priest to intercede and pray for them. Part of the Good News is that we can pray any time we wish. This is a reminder about what reverence we should have when we pray. It's also a reminder to give thanks that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords has allowed us to come into His presence, walk with Him, talk with Him, and have the Holy Spirit living in our hearts. We probably wouldn't be able to get an audience or an appointment with the Governor of our State, but our LORD and KING will allow us to approach HIS Throne of Grace and Mercy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please notice the date and you will see why I felt this was no coincidence and had to share it.
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May 2
THE FIRST LESSON
"When ye pray, say 'Father'."-- Luk_11:2.
HEAVEN IS "the Father's House." It is our Home. We are strangers and sojourners here, and on our way home. What fascination is in the word! Home will draw the sailor, soldier, explorer, prodigal from the ends of the earth. God has given to most of us the dear memory of what Home is, that we may guess at what awaits us and be smitten with home-sickness. "Blessed are the home-sick, for they shall reach home!"
But the charm of Heaven will be the manifested presence of our Father. All doubts and misunderstandings will be dissipated. We shall know and see, as we are seen and known. In the closing verses of Jude we are told that we shall be set before the presence of His glory, without blemish and in exceeding joy. It is as though our Saviour will introduce us to the manifested presence of the Father.
But we need not wait till then. If we know our Lord, we know the Father. It troubled Christ that His disciples had been so long with Him in familiar intercourse and yet had not realized that the beauty and holiness which shone from His nature were beams of the Father's character. To have Jesus is to have the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father. To pray to Him is to pray to God, for He is God manifest in the flesh. He is not simply an incarnation of God, in the sense of the old Greek mythology, adopting a cloak or disguise which was afterwards cast off. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.
There must be reverence in our prayer. God is in heaven and we upon the earth. We must not rush unceremoniously into His presence, as though it were a common and too-familiar room, where ceremony and respect are laid aside. There should be the constant remembrance that in prayer we stand in the presence-chamber of the great Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the Universe. We wipe our shoes and remove our hats when we enter the home of our friend; let us not forget our manners in the opening sentences of prayer. Angels veil their faces and cry "Holy!"
But there may be a blessed faith and trust when we pray. The Father of Jesus awaits us. He ascended to His Father and our Father. We pray to One who loves us in His Beloved Son with an everlasting love, and holds out the golden sceptre towards us.
PRAYER
I adore Thee, Heavenly Father! There is no limit to Thy power, or to Thy love. Thou art greatly to be praised! Thou art greatly to be loved! Accept the homage of my soul and life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
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Written by F. B. Meyer
The F. B. Meyer devotions are distributed freely and Internationally in the excellent freeware Bible Study package called e-Sword. You can also subscribe to Day-By-Day By Grace at the above link for Living In Christ Ministries.
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http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.htmlAuthor: Rick Meyer
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