Sue O’Donnell. 02.10.20
“Christ is to be Lord in your hearts! Of course, you must always be ready to answer those who question why you have this hope that is expressed in these positive attitudes.” (1 Peter 3 v 15 The Truth)
What brings me real joy in life?
My faith, fantastic adventure,
Undertaken in trust of the Lord Jesus.
I turn to my best Friend,
My closest, most reliable Companion,
And I feel safe and secure.
He as Lord, Saviour and Master,
Is undoubtedly an inspiration daily.
So each morning I venture further,
Deeper into this friendship of trust.
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the (wo)man who trusts in Him.” (Psalm 34 v 8)
Trust is making today happier, more fulfilled
Than yesterday, and still more lies ahead tomorrow.
I delight to receive of the gifted Spirit,
That Spirit so very busy about faith building,
Faith strengthening, deepening and developing.
The Holy Spirit is a direct gift from my Brother,
Returned to heaven to be fully glorified,
As He should be for His completion of the task,
That God set as His mission to live amongst us
As Saviour, Teacher, Master and Word.
“The Word then, became a Man and came to live among us. Those of us who knew Him, have seen His glory that could only belong to the One and Only Son of God.” (John 1 v 14 The Truth)
Without the Spirit I would know none of this,
For the knowledge of the Lord Jesus is experiential.
My faith’s progress is gradual, but nevertheless evident,
All thanks to the Spirit being prevalent,
Helping me to assess right from wrong,
Because I belong to the Word of God.
Yes, my Saviour Brother is fullness of life to me,
A life I hope to spend progressively
In meeting with Jesus and completing the God given tasks,
Which the Holy Spirit does ask of me.
“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of Your love.” (A traditional prayer)
That which will let myself and others be free
From the clutches of the life threatening enemy,
Prowling about to disturb our happy tranquillity,
Found, made sound when adhering to Christ Jesus.
May the Spirit always be the Paraclete,
Standing alongside to assist and correct as necessary.
For faith should not suffer at the hands of the enemy,
Because we have the Victor over all negativity.
The Lord Jesus being at hand we should have no worry.
In summary, faith is an exciting journey of trust.
Trust in the almighty, all loving, life gifting Trinity.
There is no illusion here, not when the Lord God is so near.
“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (based on Nehemiah 8 v 10)
“You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.” (Psalm 3 v 3)
Everyday, I would like to offer all thanks and praise for the uplifting of my life since seeking faith’s meaning, through calling upon the Holy Spirit. I was in dire need of help.
That help came as the result of prayer, and I am so truly very grateful for the personal encounter with my Saviour Brother. That meeting was completely life changing, way beyond any hope or expectations.
Then I find that each day presents me with an opportunity to deepen or strengthen or widen or embolden that most precious friendship, as long as I remain open to the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit, and never please leave me. Draw me daily deeper and deeper into my friendship with the Lord Jesus, the One through whom I can worship.
I worship in joy, in faith, in trust. I worship because I must! My worship is a response to the love I feel coming continuously from the Holy Trinity. I must worship to offer my thanks.
The hope that is in me is that of striving prayerfully to become more and more like the Lord Jesus, amazed that this is even possible and delighted to be a disciple, whilst also saddened by my failures.
O Lord, help me to become holy! I have started on this journey and for that I am truly grateful. But I have such a long journey ahead of me, I need Your continuous company to uphold me, especially when the going is
a steep climb.
Stay with me, Lord Jesus, in me by Your Spirit, the Inspirer and Encourager. Thank You that carrots are more effective than sticks, and You are always merciful, patient and tolerant in the face of my failings.
But I do not want to fail You at all, so I can call upon the Spirit daily. “Holy Spirit, soul of my soul, I adore Thee,” (Cardinal Mercier) I do, really do, for You have helped me enormously, thank You.
I read how important it was to submit to You and so I have tried to do so. Please “Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me; tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it” (Prayer cont) for this will always be for the very best God given reason.
“I promise to be submissive in everything that You shall ask of me” yielding willingly I hope, “And to accept all that You permit to happen to me” (Prayer cont) for I realise this is for my benefit.
“Only show me Your will” (Prayer concluded) and please, please help me to submit to Your leading, knowing this is in line with our Father’s wishes and with how the Lord Jesus would act.
Joy is in our own hands, for it is the outcome of our attitude and actions. I ask for You to make these holy, to be worthy of a child of God, to be in line with our Saviour Brother.
And I do so offer all thanks that the prayer card inviting this prayer offering concludes “If you do this, your life will pass happily and serenely. Consolation will abound even in the midst of troubles.” Thank You!
“For Grace will be given in proportion to the trial as well as Strength to bear it, bringing you to the Gates of Paradise full of merit. This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity.” (the teaching concluded)
If there is any merit in my life, please combine these to the merits of my Saviour, for He alone is the holy One, fully pleasing to our Father in heaven, and therefore able to glorify the Lord God.
I must yearn to do and learn to do what is pleasing to the Lord God at all times, according to my life given to the Lord Jesus as Master. “This is the kind of worship He really wants and that is the outworking of the life of You, His Spirit who lives within us.” (based on Romans 12 v 1 The Truth)
Holy Spirit, Lord and Sanctifier, please never leave me for I am lost without You. Draw upon me a likeness to the Sacred Heart of love the Saviour offers to us all. “Blessed be Jesus Christ, the God and the Man. Blessed be the Name of Jesus” as Saviour, as Redeemer, as Word, as Life, as Love above all else. “Blessed be His most Sacred Heart.” (The Divine Praises)
“Blessed be His most Precious Blood” (Cont) as shed for us at the †of our salvation. Jesus is the Divine Healer, all praise, all thanks, all glory ever be to the holy Trinity.
“Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar,” (Cont) the Sacred Mystery by which He comes to us hidden under the form of a wafer of bread and chalice of wine, to be here amongst us in reality.
This is Your richest, highest, most glorious work, Holy Spirit of love and mercy. “Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.” (The Divine Praises) the One who to know is life and peace.
Blessed be our heavenly Father, who says “Listen carefully to me...and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me, hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you...” (Isaiah 55 v 2, 3)
We join ourselves to the Lord Jesus by means of the Holy Spirit. “To love the name of the LORD, and be His servants – everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant’.” (Isaiah 56 v 6)
What joy there is to be found! “Them I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer ...their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56 v 7)
Here is our Christian heritage, the promise of our Father, fulfilled for us in the Lord Jesus’ life and death and resurrection as shown to us by the Spirit, who works within to secure our holiness.
Our Father is merciful, compassionate, kind, tolerant and patient, gathering us together beneath the outstretched arms of our Saviour. May we then “Trust in You LORD, with all our heart and not lean upon our own understanding.” (Proverbs 3 v 5) for in that way lies danger.
Let us instead, be alert to the life changing, faith energising Spirit, offer our life to the service of the Lord Jesus, daily and during the day. And “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvellous things!” (Joel 2 v 21)
We are redeemed and restored, the Lord Jesus’ good works in progress under the loving guidance and correction of the Holy Spirit. All thanks, all praise, all glory ever be to the amazing Holy Trinity. “He will keep the feet of His saints.” (1 Samuel 2 v 9) I rejoice in this truly amazing love freely gifted us in the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
JOY
FAITH
