VICTORY IN PRAYER

"Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me."

Psalm 35.1

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other

so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

James 5.16

David, the man after God's own heart, records in Psalm 35 one example of how he prayed so powerfully, effectively, and victoriously. 

There are four parts.

First, vv.1-3, David asks directly for help--"contend with me," "fight," "come to my aid," "Say to my soul..."  This prayerful meditation lets David see his enemy defeated in many different ways.  The Holy Spirit increases his confidence, courage, and faith in God's granting a victorious defeat of his enemies. 

Second, vv.10, David  again uses repetition and different ways of seeing the enemy 's defeat and his own deliverance--"be disgraced...put to shame...be turned back...in dismay...be like chaff before the wind..." and other ways of victory by God's power. 

The result of these visions create the realization and anticipation of victory with joy, proclamation, and ministry to strengthen, encourage, and comfort others who are in any trouble.  (1 Cor. 14.3; 2 Cor. 1.3-4)

Third, vv.11-18, David takes stock of how the enemy has effected him--ruthlessly, evil, forlorn, unappreciated, mournful.... Seeing more clearly what has happened leads to a more insightful prayer for victory, v. 17: "Rescue my life from these ravages,...these lions."  Faith, praise, and thanksgiving increase--v.18.

Fourth, vv. 19-26 describes an end, a full victory over, the power this enemy.

In conclusion, vv. 27-28 look forward to celebrating great and mighty things God that has worked into his life as he prayed his way through and out of painful and difficult tribulations.

He said (says) to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more glady about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardship, in persecution, in difficulties. 

For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

2 Corinthians 12.9-10



DAILY  WISDOM  AND  POWER

I have taught you decrees and laws....Follow them....

This will show your wisdom and understanding....

Our God is near us whenever we pray...

Be careful...Watch yourselves closely....Do not forget...Teach them.....

Deuteronomy 4:5-9

Moses' last admonitions to the Israelites have great value to us.  As for Israel, we must keep focused on the will and work of God.  The setting is, of course, 3500 years ago, but the benefits of the purpose of God--to make the people faithful for holiness and righteousness--is the same purpose as for us today.

The purpose is holiness and righteousness for God's eternal kingdom.

The plan is to follow the Scriptures.

The promise is that our God, the Holy Spirit, will be with us as we prayerfully seek His wisdom and power.

These admonitions and promises are repeated over and over, scattered throughout Moses' reviews of the laws and decrees God had given them.

Today, we have the entire revelation of God, Genesis through Revelation.  We are to read, review, and meditate on these words daily, memorizing as the Holy Spirit gives us special revelation and application to our livesfor our hearts, motives, thoughts, feelings, words, and actions.

 One more time, in the last few moments of his life, Moses admonished them,

"Take to heart all the words

I have solemnly declared to you this day...

By them you will live...."

Deut. 32-46--

Today we have the words of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Apostles.  We must take these words to heart, mind, soul, and body, that we may be sanctified body, soul, and spirit, and thereby be qualified for a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus.



The Father said, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him."

Jesus said,  "My words are life, and in them you will find life."

Paul said,  "In reading this you will understand...God's grace in all its truth."

Peter said, "Grace and peace...through very great and precious promises...make every effort...be all the more eager...if you do theses things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 1.2-11

Surely we will heed the words of Hebrews--

We must pay careful attention to what we have heard...

Holy brothers, fix your thoughts on Jesus...

"Be careful that none of you...fall short...

Hebrews 2.1; 3.1; 4. 1-2

"Today is the day...for DAILY WISDOM AND POWER."





OBEY MY COMMANDS

Moses--trained for 40 years, retrained for 40 years, a trainer of God's people for 40 years--uses his last few days to review and emphasize the life the LORD gave him to give to the Israelites.

In Deuteronomy Moses reviews the Greatness, Goodness, Grace, and Glory that he had experienced in his long lifetime.  It is a review for the benefit of God's people.

Chapters 1-3 review the experiences of the victories and failures of the people along with God's Gracious Patience, Mercy, and Goodness, His frequent appearnances in Glory, and the Greatness of His miracles in their behalf.

In chapter 4, we read of the strong, strong emphasis of Moses' message that we listen and obey the Law he was giving them.  This insistance on obedience is repeated over and over.

Let's listen with our minds and hearts for a few opening lines:

V 1--"Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you.

Follow them so that you may live...

(the life) that the Lord...is giving you."

The Father said,

"This is My Beloved Son. 

Listen to Him." 

V. 2--Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it,

but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.

Jesus said,

"This is My commandment...

Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me.

He who loves Me will be loved by My Father,

and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."

Vv. 5-8--I have taught you decress and laws

as the Lord my God commanded me,

so that you may follow them in the land you are entering...

Paul said,

"In reading this you will be able to understand my insight..."

"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses

entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others."

Observe them carefully,

for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations...

Paul:
"Study...a workman...who correctly handles the word of truth."

Set your hearts...and minds...

The Lord our God is near us whenever we pray...

Jesus said,

"Ask, and you will receive...Whatever you ask in My Name."

...so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws

as the body of laws I am setting before you today...

Jesus said,

Make disciples...

teach them to obey everything I have commanded you...

I am with you always...

Deuternomy has a lot of "maintenance laws" for the Israelites.  Often perplexing to us, these many details show serve to show us how God's directions for living are.  Jesus said every word maters, and Paul said every thought must be brought into obedience to Jesus.  These "old laws" help us consider how important it is that we meditate on the laws in the entire Bible--Genesis to Revelation.  Finding and obeying results in our becoming like an oak displaying the splendor of our God.

God's Word--His laws, decrees, commandments, etc.--are empowered by the Holy Spirit to develop holiness and righteousness, character and conduct, integrity and credibility that

"will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations,

who will hear about all these decrees and say, '

Surely this great nation is

a wise and understanding people.'" 

Deut. 4.6

And so, we become the salt and light of the glory of God to this generation, chosen for us before the creation of heaven and earth.

And so, we will have many to disciple, baptize, and teach.

And so, there will be untold thousands upon thousands from every tribe and language and people and nation around the throne of the Lord Jesus proclaiming and singing in loud voices:

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom

and strength and honor and glory and praise...

Then I heard every creature

in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea,

and all that is in them singing:

'To Him who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!'"

FOR EVER AND EVER!!!

CHOOSING WHAT IS BETTER

LIKE MARY

Mary has chosen what is better...

See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 

Therefore, if your whole body is full of light,

and no part of it dark,

it will be completely lighted...

Luke 10.41; 11.33-36

Mary chose to sit with Jesus and listen to Him talk and teach.  She learned things from Him, and she learned things about Him.  In choosing the "better"--the best!--Mary saw, not just a man, but the Son of Man. 

We too can listen to Him and see Him in His present glory through the simplicity of "abiding."  (Jesus will later tell His Disciples to "abide in/with Me." John 15. 1-17.)

Luke moves from Mary--Luke 1.38-42--to Jesus' teaching on prayer--11.1-11--as if to say, "To choose the better/best, we must pray."  Then Luke tells us what Jesus says about how to pray.

After giving us specific areas of prayer, Jesus uses a request for bread at midnight and a child's request for a fish to emphasize that prayer must be based on believing that our Father will always give and do good things to and for us.  

(Hebrews 11.5-6 says--He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

Romans 8.28-39 affirms--Our Father makes all things work out for our good.)

Luke shows how Jesus emphasized that we must choose these good things, as did Mary.   (11.14-26)

Then comes the point of all this report from Luke:  v.28--

"those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Vv. 29-32--Nineveh listened to Jonah.  The Queen listened to Solomon. 

Jesus is now speaking.

We, too, must listen to Jesus--

"See to it"--

now!

We must listen as Mary listened. 

To hear what Jesus said.

But also to see what she saw--

the Light of the Glory of the Father in the Son.

Mary saw a portion of the gloriousness of Jesus--

       the Messiah of the Prophets,  

       the Christ, 

       the Son of Man,

       the Son of God.

She heard His words and understood!

He was glorious. 

Mary saw Him.

Jesus said that if we see Him, we will see the Father in and through Him.

His prayer was for us to see and to know the only True God through knowing Himself--John 17.3; see also, 2 Cor. 4.6.

Peter's last words were his heart's desire for us to know Jesus--2 Peter 3.18.

As were John's--

These things have I written unto you

that you might fellowship with us,

 and truly our fellowship is with the Father

 and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 1.1-3 

The glory of God comes to us as we listen to and read from, prayerfully and thoughtfully, the Words of God--Luke 11.28.  (Think about Ephesians 4.3.)

We see that glory as we look for it, prayerfully, thoughtfully, listening, reading the words God has written and kept for us.  As we look for and listen to our Father and Lord, we will see the glory of God.

See to it, then, that ...

your whole body is full of light,

and no part of it dark...

completely lighted.....

Luke 11.35, 36



MARY'S CHOICE

Martha was distracted by all the preparations...

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered,

"You are worried and upset about many things,

but only one thing is needed. 

Mary has chosen what is better,..."
Luke 10.38-42

It is very difficult not to be distracted, become worried, and then be upset about many things. 

It gets worse! 

We can save ourselves a lot of trouble by keeping first things first--listening to Jesus before we get around to anything else.

Listening to Jesus is the only thing we need to do.

When we get to the worried, upset place, listening to Jesus is what we can and must do if we want to get back on a peaceful and productive path with Jesus.

Time out.  Distaction on pause.  Time for Jesus.  Time with Jesus.  Calm down.  Peace.  Peaceful, Peaceable.  At peace with Jesus.  Other things will be taken care in their time. 

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 

and all these things will be given to you. 

Do not worry...(period)...

Pray and listen to Jesus.

As Mary listened to Jesus, Mary saw Jesus.  She realized something wonderful about Who Jesus Is. 

Listening to Jesus leads to understanding

 and realizing

something about Jesus.

Listening lets us understand what He is saying to us, but far more importantly, listening to Jesus opens the eyes of our heart to realize Who He Is. 

We see Him and His gloriousness fills our heart and we are transformed, as well as transfixed.

Now we can take of the other things with a song in our heart and on our lips.

(Matthew 17.1-8.  2 Corinthians 3.18; 4.6.  Romans 12.1-2.  Philippians 3.7-16.)