“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret fault. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:12-14).
What will it take to be “acceptable in his sight”? Programs are important, but more important is the time that I spend in God’s presence.
Has the Lord ever woke you up in the night? It’s the quietest time of the day. Nothing demands anything from you, and the time holds still, while you listen to God, as he ministers to you on a personal basis.
Recently, the Lord woke me up. I looked at the clock and couldn’t believe that it was only 2:30 a.m.. As I looked up into the dark, I began to pray. For once, it seemed that I could talk to God and I didn’t have to fight my way to the throne, because I was immediately in His presence. Usually, I have to work so hard to get into prayer because of so many distractions, but it was different at that hour on that particular night. The Lord prepares us a place of refuge and after a daily battle with the world, it’s refreshing to find time with God. Time with God is vital to our victory because the world drains our energy. I found out some things about myself:
- I willingly give the enemy my peace of mind when I continue to worry about the very things that I lift up to God in prayer. You see, if I worry, I’m not trusting God, and the Lord desires my total confidence and trust, and I must make the time to worship him, no matter how tangled up I become in my daily living.
- If I want to be free from condemnation: I must worship so the Lord can break the chains.
- If I want to be blessed by God: I must be righteous.
- If I have a spirit of doubt and fear: I limit God.
- If I need strength: the “joy of the Lord is my strength.”
- If I can’t find my way: go “from strength to strength”.
- If I want the victory: put God first in everything.
Dear Lord,
My life is in your hands. Not my will; but your will be done.
Your daughter, Grace.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:7-11).
In the Time of the Lattereign 