God overlooks our honest mistakes

Scripture

Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

• 1 Kings 3:3

Wait

God is merciful.

Observe

God saw Solomon’s heart, so although he worshiped at the high places, God still honoured what Solomon understood of following Yahweh and blessed him for asking for wisdom instead of wealth and power, and gave him wisdom, and wealth and power.

We all have an incomplete understanding of God and His principles, so we may have all sorts of side issues we’re wrong about. Sometimes we argue with other Christians about these differences -- pre-trib, post-trib, post-millennial, amillennial, baptising babies vs adults, the bread and wine being purely symbolic or being sacraments, etc. 

But in the end, God knows our hearts and will honour faith where He sees it.

Request

Father, thank You for Your great mercy, and that You overlook our faults. Thank You that You saved us. May I become more and more like Your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Dedicate

I commit to following God as best as I know how, and to be open to His correction.

Consider the Cost

Scripture

If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else – your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.

• Luke 14:26-29

Wait

Consider the cost of building a tower.

Observe

Grace is free, but it is not cheap. Jesus paid a high price for our salvation, and as a result of our salvation, we should be disciples and not just believers. This means that there is a cost – to obey is better than sacrifice, faith without works is dead.

If not, then we’ll find ourselves headed down the wrong path anyway – “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”

So we need to give our all to Jesus. No compromise, when it comes to following God.

Request

Father, this is a tall order. I do not have the wherewithal to do this. However, I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. So give me your strength, especially when the flesh is weak.

Dedicate

I present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is my reasonable act of worship.

The love and mercy of God

Scripture

Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,

you forgive them all.

• Psalm 65:3

Wait

God loves us and is merciful.

Observe

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He saved us though we rebelled agaist Him.

Request

In response to Your great love for us, may I live for You. Remind me of Your great mercy and love, O Lord, when I am tempted.

Dedicate

Lord, I need You, oh I need You

Every hour, I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

Opportunities and Accolades

Scripture

Peter saw the opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness?”

• Acts 3:12

Wait

Taking the opportunity to share the Gospel. Healing by God’s power, not their own.

Observe

Peter took the opportunity to share the Gospel when it was presented to him. At the same time, he didn’t take credit for the miracle, crediting God for it. Too many times I let opportunities slip by. And we all have a tendency to take credit when God does something great through us. Many times, people have been used by God to do great things, and it goes to their head. 

Request

Father, help me to be alert to opportunities to share the Gospel, but also to not allow any accolades I get for things you do through me to get to my head, like leading worship, etc.

Dedicate

As John the Baptist said, You must increase, and I must decrease.

Really forgiving

Scripture

And perhaps YHWH will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.

• 2 Samuel 16:12

Wait

David didn’t allow Abishai to kill Shimei for cursing him, trusting instead for God to vindicate him. David is in the current predicament because of his own mistake for not judging Amnon’s rape of Tamar, which then embittered Absalom to him, so now he is fleeing Absalom’s coup. God indeed does deliver David and restore his throne in the end. David’s mercy is sort of partial as although when he returns as king to Jerusalem and Shimei meets him and asks for forgiveness, he spared his life (1 Samuel 19:18-23), he did tell Solomon to make sure to find some way to kill him (1 Kings 2:8-9) and so he did (2 Kings 2:36-46).

Request

Father, help me to forgive like You forgive, and not continue holding a grudge and looking for ways to do in people who hurt me.

Dedicate

May I continue to become more and more like Jesus.

God's way gives life

Scripture

Fear of YHWH is a life-giving fountain;

it offers escape from the snares of death.

• Proverbs 14:27

Wait

I need to keep God in the forefront of my thoughts. It will keep my way pure, and escape sin’s snare of death. So I need to replace the old thought pathways with new Godly pathways.

Request

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Search me, O Lord, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Dedicate

My heart is sinful and deceitful, but You can change me, O Lord.

Earnestly seeking God

Scripture

O God, you are my God;

  I earnestly search for you.

My soul thirsts for you;

  my whole body longs for you

in this parched and weary land

  where there is no water

    - Psalm 63:1

Wait

Do I really seek God like this? This is another aspiration that I have not yet lived up to. Yet “Lord, I believe! Help me in my unbelief!”

Request

Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like You.

You are the potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me, this is what I pray.

Dedicate

I commit to continuing on in the journey of theosis.