Sue O’Donnell. 19.07.20
“If the gospel we preach is not understood, this is only because those who are perishing are blind to the truth.” ( 2 Corinthians 4 v 3 The Truth)
Troubled life,
Much strife.
Angst and worry,
We hurry, hurry.
As if to make
Our worries take
Another pathway,
Yet we fail to pray.
The world’s trouble
Will ever double
Unless we turn
And for Jesus yearn.
Instead of the blessing
We could be possessing,
We struggle and stress
In such an unholy mess.
Yet God’s blessed opportunity
For any community,
Can be readily
Obtained prayerfully.
More than mere survival,
Must be our revival.
“The good of this age has blinded their minds and understanding, so they are incapable of receiving the glorious light of Christ, who is exactly like God the Father, and is revealed through the gospel.”
(2 Corinthians 4 v 5 The Truth)
A troublefree life
Without any strife
Is not possible,
But trouble is redeemable.
For to pray
Is to say,
‘Over to You, Lord.
Will You help afford?’
And He can, He will,
Your life freshly fill.
Prayer the key,
Go on bended knee.
Ask to believe.
Ask to receive.
Ask then to be
Through Jesus’ company,
A part of the blessing
Mankind is seeking.
Blessings come, blessings go,
But we can prompt the flow.
“So we do not preach for our own glory and adulation but as Your servants, to reveal Jesus to You.”
(2 Corinthians 4 v 5 The Truth)
The Spirit is promised
By Jesus, to us,
Given to support.
So we are caught
Up in God’s love
Direct from above.
The Spirit comes to us
In the Lord Jesus.
They remain
Our life to reframe.
Trouble, strife undone,
By the Spirit, whereupon,
We more than survive,
We thrive!
Praying in the blessing
That in our Brother possessing,
His Spirit addressing
Every situation as blessing.
Love wins through
By what we do.
“For God has declared, ‘Light is to share where before there was darkness, and so He caused His light to shine in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 6 The Truth)
Prayer reforms us,
Prayer transforms us
Into sharing holiness,
Precious gift of Jesus.
Make no mistake,
The time we make
To pray wholeheartedly,
Results in glory.
Our spiritual communion
Is love’s perfect union,
The result of Jesus
Living now in us.
His love victorious,
Ever most glorious.
The † of forgiveness
Results in this.
God with us
In the Lord Jesus,
By the Spirit of holiness.
He traces upon us
A likeness to Jesus.
“He has given us the light that comes from knowing God’s glory in our experiences, as revealed
through the Person of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 6 The Truth)
Praise, praise ever be
To the Almighty Trinity,
Who assesses us,
To address us,
Who addresses us
To fully possess us.
Thus we send
satan packing, his end
Determined by prayer,
As we with the Trinity share.
Never give up,
Instead, lock up!
Dethroned of self
What riches, such wealth
Develop and gain
As life you reframe.
Wanting nothing but goodness,
You carry us forwards.
Forwards to accomplish this calling
The highest point in faith’s developing.
“He asked Jesus, ‘What is the most important of all God’s commandments?’ ‘You are to love the Lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength’.”
(Mark 12 v 28, 29 The Truth)
“The second most important command is: ‘Love your neighbour as much as you already love yourself.’ God has not given us commands greater than these!” (Mark 12 v 30, 31The Truth)
“There are times when we seem to be surrounded by insurmountable problems, but we are never crushed or defeated by them. At times we are thoroughly perplexed about why certain things happen to us, but we never despair.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 8 The Truth)
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.” (Psalm 28 v 6, 7)
“The Lord is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever. Amen.” (v 8, 9)
“While we are in the world it seems that we have to die continually to self for Jesus’ sake, so the life of His Spirit can be revealed through our natural bodies.” (v 11) Holy Spirit, Lord please help us with this.
“This process of death is at work in us, to enable God’s life to be at work in us!” (based on v 12) May our spirit be dead to the call of self, the lure of the world and the temptation of satan, but fully alive to the impact You have upon us, dear Holy Spirit, tracing upon us a likeness to our Saviour Brother.
We need Your power, Your input, Your influence, that impact which impresses upon us the urgent, insistent call to holiness at all times, not just when this suits us. Please keep us praying.
Enable us to put right through prayer and the diligence of perseverance, whatever it is in love’s outreach that has fallen into neglect, disrespect or disobedience. Call us back to the love the Lord Jesus offers us. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
OBEDIENCE
COMMANDMENTS
