Glorifying God

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Four Prayers for Bible Reading | Desiring God

Great article:

When we open our Bibles to read, we’re never alone. The Holy Spirit hovers over and in the words of God, ready to stir our hearts, illumine our minds, and redirect our lives, all for the glory of Christ (John 16:14). The Spirit is the X factor in Bible reading, making an otherwise ordinary routine supernatural — and making it utterly foolish to read and study without praying for our eyes, minds, and hearts.

Prayer is a conversation, but not one we start. God speaks first. His voice sounds in the Scriptures and climactically in the person and work of his Son. Then, wonder of all wonders, he stops, he stoops, he bends his ear to listen to us. Prayer is almost too good to be true. With our eyes on God’s words, he gives us his ear, too.

How then should we pray over our Bibles? Here are four verses you might pray as you open God’s word.

1. Psalm 119:18: Open My Eyes to Wonder

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). We ask God to open our spiritual eyes to show us the glimpses of glory we cannot see by ourselves. Without his help, we are simply “natural” persons with natural eyes. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand [see] them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14–15).

“Seeing they do not” was Jesus’s phrase for those who saw him and his teaching only with natural eyes, without the illumining work of the Spirit (Matthew 13:13). This is why Paul prays for Christians, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” (Ephesians 1:17–18).

Join the psalmist in praying not just for the gift of spiritual sight, but for the gift of seeing wondrous things in God’s word. Wonder is a great antidote for wandering. Those who cultivate awe keep their hearts warm and soft, and resist the temptations to grow cold and fall away.

2. Luke 18:38: Have Mercy on Me

Pray, like the blind man begging roadside, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” For as long as we are in this life, sin encumbers every encounter with God in his word. We fail friends and family daily — and even more, we fail God. So it is fitting to accompany our opening of God’s word with the humble, broken, poor plea of the redeemed: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

Bible reading is a daily prompt to own our failures, newly repent, and freshly cast ourselves on his grace all over again. Prayer is the path to staying fascinated with his grace and cultivating a spirit of true humility.

3. James 1:22: Make Me a Doer of Your Word

Pray that God, having opened your eyes to wonder and reminded you of the sufficiency of his grace, would produce genuine change in your life. Ask him to allow the seeds from Scripture to bear real, noticeable fruit in tangible acts of sacrificial love for others. “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). You need not artificially capture one, specific point of application from every passage, but pray that his word would shape and inform and direct your practical living.

Ask that he would make you more manifestly loving, not less, because of the time invested alone in reading and studying his word.

4. Luke 24:45: Open My Eyes to Jesus

This is another way of praying that God would open our eyes to wonder, just with more specificity. The works of God stand as marvelous mountain ranges in the Bible, but the highest peak, and the most majestic vista, is the person and work of his Son.

As Jesus himself taught after his resurrection, he is the Bible’s closest thing to a skeleton key for unlocking the meaning of every text — every book, every plot twist, the whole story. First, “he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27), then he taught his disciples that “everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). And in doing so, “he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45).

The great goal of Bible reading and study is this: knowing and enjoying Jesus. This is a taste now of heaven’s coming delights. “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). This gives direction, focus, and purpose to our study. “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD” (Hosea 6:3). This forms great yearning and passion in our souls: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

Keep both eyes peeled for Jesus. Until we see how the passage at hand relates to Jesus’s person and work, we haven’t yet finished the single most important aspect of our reading.

We are desperate for God’s ongoing help to see, and so we pray.

Related Articles

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Resolved: To Read the Bible

How to Read the Bible for Yourself

David Mathis (@davidcmathis) is executive editor for desiringGod.org, pastor at Cities Church in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, and adjunct professor for Bethlehem College & Seminary. He has edited and contributed to several books and is author of Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines.

© 2015 by the Author. Distribution Guidelines

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http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/four-prayers-for-bible-reading

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Music for the Unborn

Source: Music and Abortion

By Murray Campbell
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Scientists have discovered that babies in the womb, as young as 16 weeks, respond to music by ‘dancing’.
“The foetuses responded to the music by moving their mouths or their tongues as if they wanted to wanted to speak or sing,” said one of the researchers, Marisa Lopez-Teijon. The research has been published in journal of the British Medical Ultrasound Society, Ultrasound.

What this means is that babies’ cognitive faculties, creative faculties, and listening and communication skills are more highly developed at 16 weeks than previously thought.

The more scientists study human beings in the womb, the more wonder, beauty and complexity we discover. As scientific research advances, the findings increasingly demonstrate that embryos are not less human but fully human, and from the very earliest stages.

I am reminded of the words spoken by one excited mum, ‘As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy’ (Luke 1:44).

It was interesting to note that the article inThe Australian, while sometimes referring to embryos, also addresses them as babies. The days when scientists and proabortionists justified abortion by claiming embryos were not human has long gone.

This latest research makes the reality of abortions even more appalling. It is a dreadful paradox of our society, that a child who enjoys listening to music in the womb can, on the same day, be killed in the womb.

How can we justify killing a child who in their first weeks of life is being moved by the sounds of Mozart and Bach? Not that responding to music defines their humanity but it further proves their humanity. He or she is not potential life, but is life with a mind and body that is active and alert.

Science is showing us the ignominy of our attitudes toward the unborn, but will we listen? We have longed turned deaf to the Bible’s pleas about the sanctity of life, and I suspect that we will also turn a blind eye to these amazing revelations that are being proven through empirical research.

Through music, science is affirming an ancient theological truth, embryos are people like us. But will we listen?

If you are reading this as a pregnant mum and you are questioning whether you should keep your baby, please talk to someone. We have a trained female counsellor at Mentone Baptist who is available to listen and help –faye.Ludik@mentonebaptist.com.au. 

If you are reading this post as someone who struggles with a past decision to undergo an abortion, I want you to know that the good news of Jesus Christ means that real forgiveness and healing is promised through him. Abortion is wrong, but it is not the unforgivable sin. Again, please contact our church counsellor. If you don’t live near Mentone but are keen to find out more, please contact us and we’ll try to find a suitable church near where you live. 

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Waiting under the waterfall of Grace

This is a great little ‘sermon jam’ from Matt Chandler to renew your focus and hope in God.

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Frustrated in your song-writing?

Valuable Reasons To Try Co-Writing

Why You Need Writing Partners (from http://www.thesongsphere.com/co-writing-2/)

One of the biggest surprises for many songwriters who move to Nashville, is how much co-writing goes on in the professional circles.  Venturing an educated guess, I would say that 80% or more of today’s hit songs, across most popular genres, are co-written.  That’s a surprising number to most people, and the percentage could actually be higher.

A colleague of mine has often mused about the fact that songwriting might be the only art form where a work of art can be created through collaboration.   He gives the example that you don’t see fine artists “co-painting” or “co-sculpturing”.   He may be right that songwriting is different than painting in that way.  However when it comes to music, collaboration is not a new thing.  For decades (if not hundreds of years), society has created music through partnership.   And we have seen the same with the writing of literature and plays.  We certainly see collaboration in artistic performance everyday, with musicians “co-performing” as an orchestra, band or choir, and actors “co-acting” on the stage or screen.

Most of the professional songwriters that I know have a co-writing session on their calendar almost every day of the week.  Why are so many songs co-written today, and why should you work with writing partners too?

Here are four reasons you may consider co-writing your songs:

  • LEARN SOMETHING NEW –  Writing with others helps expand your possibilities – whether it’s new genres, new structures, new techniques, or something else, you’ll almost always sharpen your songwriting skills from writing with a partner.   Songwriters improve in their craft much quicker when they collaborate often.
  • BREAK BAD HABITS –  When writing solo, we tend to fall into ruts that limit us in our growth as a songwriter.  Sometimes our songs even begin to sound the same.  Through collaboration we more readily realize our weaknesses and the imaginary limits that we’ve put on ourselves.
  • TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE –  With two or more working together on a song, it’s easier to get through the tough spots or the hurdles.  If you’re writing alone and you just can’t find the right word, or don’t know what to do for a bridge, you’re stuck.  With a team of writers contributing to the song, those issues are much easier to navigate.  Plus… we all want to write songs that others will enjoy.  If you bounce ideas off of one another, and you both like the outcome, there is a better chance that other listeners will like it too.
  • GET AROUND YOUR WEAKNESS –   Know what your strengths are and find someone that is strong where you are weak.  For example, one of you may be strong with melody; the other with lyric.  Or one may be more of an idea person and the other  a “finisher”.  There have been many famous songwriting teams over the years.  Often when two writers find that their skills successfully compliment one another, they will become a career team. . . .

It’s normal to be apprehensive about collaboration, especially when it’s with someone you don’t know very well.  But co-writing has become part of the fabric of today’s music business.  If you’ve never tried writing a song with someone else, let me encourage you to step out and try it.  Maybe the first time will be more of a “get to know you” coffee session.  You don’t have to write something the first time you get together.   Do try writing with 3 or 4 different partners and see which ones are the best fit.  And don’t throw in the towel immediately.  It might take a while to get the hang of it, but I believe you’ll love it in the long run!

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The Joy of the Lord is my strength

THE JOY OF THE LORD

Verse 1
Though tears may fall
My song will rise, my song will rise
To You
Though my heart may fail
My song will rise, my song will rise
To You
While there’s breath in my lungs
I will praise You, Lord
In the dead of night, I’ll lift my eyes
I’ll lift my eyes to You
When the waters rise, I’ll lift my eyes
I’ll lift my eyes to You
While there’s hope in my heart
I will praise You, Lord

Chorus
The joy of the Lord is my strength!
The joy of the Lord is my strength!
In the darkness I’ll dance
in the shadows I’ll sing
The joy of the Lord is my strength!

Verse 2
When I cannot see You with my eyes
Let faith arise to You
When I cannot feel Your hand in mine
Let faith arise to You
God of mercy and love
I will praise You, Lord
Oh You shine with glory Lord of light
I feel alive with You
In Your presence now I come alive
I am alive with You
There is strength when I say
I will praise You, Lord

Chorus
|2x|

Bridge
When sorrow comes my way
You are the shield around me
Always, You remain
Like courage in the fight
I hear You call my name
Jesus, I am coming
Walking on the waves
Reaching for Your light!

Chorus
|2x|

2015 – by Rend Collective and Ed Cash 

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Grace… The decisive actor

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Paul realized that the first part of this verse might be misunderstood. So he goes on to say, “Though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

This text does not say that Paul is obeying Christ out of gratitude for grace he had given in the past. It says that, at every moment, the future grace of God enabled Paul’s work.

Does it really say that? Doesn’t it just say that the grace of God worked with Paul? No, it says more. We have to come to terms with the words, “Though it was not I.” Paul wants to exalt the moment-by-moment grace of God in such a way that it is clear that he himself is not the decisive doer of this work.

Nevertheless, he is a doer of this work: “I worked harder than any of them.” He worked. But he said it was the grace of God “toward me.”

If we let all the parts of this verse stand, the end result is this: grace is the decisive doer in Paul’s work. Since Paul is also a doer of his work, the way grace becomes the decisive doer is by becoming the enabling power of Paul’s work.

I take this to mean that, as Paul faced each day’s ministry burden, he bowed his head and confessed that unless future grace was given for that day’s work, he would not be able to do it.

He recalled the words of Jesus, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). So he prayed for future grace for the day, and he trusted in the promise that it would come with power. “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Then he acted with all his might.

from http://www.desiringgod.org/books/future-grace

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A Prayer for Father’s Day (Down Under)

I prayed this prayer last year on Father’s Day at our church. Praise God for his heavenly Fatherliness!

nativitystorythe_photos_1Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to earth, entrusting him into the care of an earthly Father and modelling to us your sacrificial love and servant leadership. We give thanks for our own earthly fathers, for the love, provision and protection they have given us, even though imperfectly at times. Lord, forgive us for demanding perfection from our dads, which is only something you can give. Help us all to be prayerful for our fathers and appreciate the important role they played in leading and guiding us. Help us to show and express our love for our dads today.
We also think of the many children around us who live in a fatherless world, through absence or neglect or abuse. We pray that those children might find in you the father they seek. We pray children and families we connect with through Clubhouse and the Kids holiday program, that they might know your perfect Father’s love, that they might know you as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord that you are the Father to the Fatherless.
We pray too for those who have lost fathers in the last year, for your comfort at this time while others are celebrating the love of fathers. Thank you Lord for the good memories we can share at this time, and the many good things our fathers have contributed to our characters and lives.
Pray for all dads, that they can love and accept and affirm their children, showing wisdom and patience as they seek to teach their children about Jesus. We pray particularly for new dads, for the task of leading and guiding which they may feel so unprepared for. Thank you that no matter what experiences they have had, with a good, bad or absent father, that they can love like you because your holy and fatherly spirit lives in them, by faith.  We pray that your design for families to be led by Christ-following dads, would be lived out amongst us, and would influence the society around us, for good and your glory!
Amen

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Dog Filmed Home Alone Gives His Parents A Surprise

https://www.thedodo.com/dog-plays-piano-sings-1330099739.html?

This is too good not to share. It would be interesting to know what a dog actually hears when it hits those keys…..a much greater range of harmonics than we mere humans, I guess.

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Reflectors

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God made humans in his image so that the world would be filled with reflectors of God. Images of God. Seven billion statues of God. So that nobody would miss the point of creation.

John Piper

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Songs of the Saved

IMAG3748_1 (1)Sharing today my two favourite songs from Emu Music‘s most recent album Songs of the Saved.
(You can listen to the album on Spotify). Both these songs would probably be good for a congregation to sing. I’m particularly keen on introducing Risen asap. It has such a triumphant chorus and bridge – and much encouragement! Blessings to you in your ministry.

Track 10: Risen 

1. When I am weak you are strong
When I am poor you are rich
When I am on my knees you are with me

2. When I lay down calm my fears
Death has no power you are near
Jesus my Lord will save
Jesus, you conquered the grave

Chorus
Jesus, you are our Saviour
Mighty, death has no hold
Risen, reigning forever
Jesus, you conquered the grave

3. Trumpets will sound, we will rise
Ashes and dust glorified
Never to die again
Never stop singing his praise

Bridge
You are wonderful, you are powerful
You are glorious, Jesus
You are wonderful, you are powerful
You are glorious, Jesus

© 2014 Michael Morrow, Philip Percival & Simone Richardson

Track 3: Rock of our Salvation

1. Have you heard the day is coming?
When the things our hearts have loved –
Dust and ashes ever-failing –
Will be seen for what they are

2. Can you hear a voice now calling?
Saying, “This is not the end
Come and walk new ways of blessing
And sing a new song to our Lord”

He’s the rock of our salvation
We will trust and be not afraid
He’s the sure and firm foundation
When every other ground gives way

3. Have you heard the condemnation?
Who could pay the dreadful price?
But, look, the silent suffering servant
Took on death to give us life!

4. Can you hear the voice of splendour?
Calling out “whom shall I send
To be a light to every nation?”
“Send me Lord God, here I am!”

The former things will be forgotten
A new creation descends at last
All fear and loss will be no more
All grief and sorrow and tears will pass

Mountains and trees will clap their hands
We’ll enter Zion with songs of joy
And every eye will see his glory
Our king exalted forevermore

He’s the Rock of our Salvation
Soon our hearts will be renewed
Crowned in everlasting gladness
And Jesus’ splendour fills our view

© 2013 Liv Chapman & Gavin Perkins