A Pilgrim’s Prayer

H

oly Father,                                      

I know that within me lies a natural disposition to sin, inherited from Adam; that I lie because I am a liar.  I know as regenerate, your calling me was for my transformation to reflect the beauty of Christ Jesus for your glory.  I am part of your plan, my life is your labor, yet what I am will attempt to hinder your progress; overwhelm my soul so that my flesh yields to your holiness.  I am nothing yet everything through your Son and in your hands.  So work in my life your power that brought forth my Lord from His tomb and invest in me the attributes of those forever honored in your Word.  Grant this Pilgrim…

The sacrificial love of Christ, the steadfast faith of father Abraham,

Wisdom beyond Solomon’s, a heart like David’s,

Strength- that of the mighty Samson, the incomprehensible patience of Job,

A discipline exemplified by Daniel, discerning eyes to see like Elisha,

The veracity of Paul, a willingness to be used like Isaiah,

Brokenness like Jeremiah over my sin and for your people, the persistence of Moses,

A lively hope that Peter defended to death, a boldness to confront as Elijah,

An attitude to encourage like Barnabas, the motivation to work like James,

The undying courage of Stephen, to epitomize John in my love for the brethren,

A forgiving heart like Joseph, and an unconditional commitment to you like Hosea.

I ask these things of a great and generous Father who delights in blessing his children in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus~ Your Son.

Amen.

The Valley of Vision: The Deeps

LORD JESUS,

Give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach; Help me chastely to flee it, and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone.
Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being.
Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King.
Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth.
Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virture apart from thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly Husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until thou alone art seen in me, thy beauty golden like summer harvest, thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no Master but thee, no law but thy will, no delight but thyself, no wealth but that thou givest, no good but that thou blessest, no peace but that thou bestowest.
I am nothing but that thou makest me, I have nothing but that I receive from thee, I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.
Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.

From The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions

The Valley of Vision: The Cry of a Convicted Sinner

THOU RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY SOVEREIGN,


In whose hand is my life and whose are all my ways, keep me from fluttering about religion; fix me firm in it, for I am irresolute; my decisions are smoke and vapour, and I do not glorify thee, or behave according to thy will; Cut me not off before my thoughts grow to responses, and the budding of my soul into full flower, for thou art forbearing and good, patient and kind.
Save me from myself, from the artifices and deceits of sin, from the treachery of my perverse nature,
from denying thy charge against my offenses, from a life of continual rebellion against thee,
from wrong principles, views, and ends; for I know that all my thoughts, affections, desires and
pursuits are alienated from thee.
I have acted as if I hated thee, although thou art love itself; have contrived to tempt thee to the uttermost, to wear out they patience; have lived evilly in word and action.
Had I been a prince I would long ago have crushed such a rebel; Had I been a father I would long since have rejected my child.
O, thou Father of my spirit, thou King of my life, cast me not into destruction, drive me not from thy presence, but wound my heart that it may be healed; break it that thine own hand may make it whole.


Prayer from The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions

What is a Pilgrim?

A Pilgrim, in the manner that I will always refer to it, is one who has been called from death into the magnificent light of Jesus the Messiah. A true Pilgrim believes that God as our Maker and Sovereign would be just in His Holiness to smite us where we stand and destroy our souls because of sin.  A true Pilgrim does not confuse our Creator’s will in choosing whom to save, providing them a way for salvation, and ensuring those elected come to see Jesus as the Christ with their own ability to search, choose, and navigate their own way to the kingdom of heaven.  A true Pilgrim’s faith rests on the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.  Everything that a Pilgrim does is to be about the Father’s work because we know that the Word of God is the only Way, Truth, and Life for those whom God will call into His fold.  A true Pilgrim is one who believes that what God said is true and lives by it.      

Relay for (Eternal) Life

Relay for (Eternal) Life

I

dentify in your mind the worst physical affliction and I will tell you another far worse.  Did you think of a disease or plague or cancer?  Maybe the disease in mind is pandemic in its reach; both directly and indirectly influences its subjects.  Maybe its genetic, maybe it’s something that has yet to be identified but has or will take the greatest number of lives.  Whatever it is, I say it is still not the worst affliction known to mankind.

There is no greater affliction than sin.  In fact- just to be clear, all physical conditions take on a life of their own within a life, until it completely consumes that life and both the life and the condition die.  Sin has overcome us all and we are in fact already hopelessly dead as it pertains to our spiritual condition (Eph2:12).  Every other physical malady known to man is only the by-products of sin.  What was once unblemished; made in the image and likeness of God, now profanes the original created order and the Hand of our Creator.  So what are we as Pilgrims (Ref: "What is A Pilgrim") to do with such physical challenges that test the greatest medical minds and science? 

“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” 1Peter4:19

A Pilgrim should use their "cancer" as a podium to proclaim God as Just and Merciful.  A Pilgrim should understand that although the road ahead may be wearisome and difficult for all who sojourn with you, God will not forget you and will always be there even when you haven’t the strength to call on Him.  A Pilgrim should also trust that it is not what you are dealing with or who you were that defines you, for every true Pilgrim acknowledges Jesus as the One who heals our greatest affliction.  As a new creation in Christ Jesus you are free to use the affliction instead of the affliction using you which ultimately directs the glory given and received to the One who rightfully deserves it (Rev4:11).  We all are summoned to die once (Heb9:27) and Death will do his duty in calling upon all who are guilty of offending a Holy God.  For some, Death will collect payment into eternity.

It is never easy to watch someone die for any reason, especially if it is a loved one.  It would be safe to say that most of us, if not all would rather die quickly and without suffering.  With that said, as a Pilgrim, it is (or shouldn’t be) never pleasing for man to look at God’s justice in His dealings with mankind, but more importantly with His own Son.  But rest assured Pilgrim, it pleases the LORD to look upon His Son and pardon you, and allow you such an amazing platform to extend eternal life to all whose death sentence is sealed by sin.  Whether you are the suffering Pilgrim or the Pilgrim watching a beloved suffer, relay for what matters most- eternal life.  Are you a gatherer or a scatterer (Matt12:30)?

A Pilgrim's Thought

Simplify, simplify, simplify!  Oh how preoccupied, impatient, and self serving we are in this culture.  Eliminate those things that are useless in spiritual maturation, zero in on the things that really matter, and forget what others around you think when they scrutinize your lack of knowledge on what is currently "in".  Let them see a separation from worldliness- let them see a joyful dependence on someOne greater; something eternally important other than the new hit series, the weekend, the next best thing, what the gang is doing Friday night; the exhausting search for the relationship that really can not be found outside Christ.  We are a people of little faith- but you don't have to be.     

A Pilgrim's Thought

A Pilgrim's Essentials~  The Word: that gives Life and Prayer: which empowers the Life.

A Pilgrim's Thought

"Saving faith is not believing in God but believing that what God says is true." R.C. Sproul

A Pilgrim's Thought

Holiness and sin cannot coexist.

A Pilgrim's Thought

Though the road called sanctification defies simple, it is the only way to Glory. 

So what should authentic Christianity look like today?

1--Authentic Christianity trusts the whole Word of God to be inspired; that man was the instrument as the Spirit of God promulgated special revelation.  As God Himself is the Author, so is He authorized to sanction, pardon, and enforce (James4:12a) all that is contained in Holy writ- as He pleases.  We believe that God’s Word is His oath, and He cannot lie (Heb 6:13-20)  The Word must be the plumb line; standard of truth and right-choiceness that every Christian cherishes, is bound to, feeds on, and trusts throughout their pilgrimage- come what may.  The Word is what shapes authentic faith and must be regarded as all sufficient for collective, genuine worship and individual progressive sanctification.  (2Tim 3:16/Heb 4:12-13)

2--Authentic Christianity recognizes that because of Jesus the Christ, we now are alive (Eph 2:5) and represent (2Cor 5:20) the Kingdom of Heaven; that Jesus is very much alive (Matt 28, Mark16, Luke24, John20) and is waiting for the decree from the Father (Matt24:36) to return for those loyal through faith to the Crown of Christ.  Rejoice Pilgrims- look around you; the return of the true King is very soon (Matt24:3-14, 29-31)!

3--Authentic Christianity appreciates the cost of the ransom (Matt20:25-28, 1Pet1:17-21) that paid for the purchase of our freedom from sin, the justifiable wrath deserving of our sin, and residency into the Kingdom of God.  Our liberty was the result of the horrendous transaction in exchange of Jesus' righteousness for our sin that demands bloodshed; life (1Pet1:19).  We simply trust in Jesus as the Messiah and obey His commands out of authentic gratitude for what God alone has done.  Once we are in Christ Jesus, our works of morality and kindness are thereby recognized by God as proper, or holy, when we exercise our free will in association to our new nature.  (Read Paul’s epistle to the Romans)

4--Authentic Christianity values the ideology that there is only one way to live out our faith.  Genuine Christianity is not selective when it comes to the Word or the likes and dislikes of sinful man.  What one denomination embraces, another despises- neither of which operating within full potential because of the division (1Cor1:10).  Our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1Cor2:5); founded on the Son of God who leads us back into a relationship with the Father due to His merit, His worthiness, His power, His authority, His resurrection, and His covenant- anything else is not faith at all.  Our faith is to be cultivated and nurtured and always defended, for we are called to avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge”, for by professing it some have swerved from the faith (1Tim6:21).

5--Authentic Christianity realizes that we are on a countdown to the end of our lives (James4:13-17), the next perfect storm, the next catastrophe, the next loss of a loved one, the next abortion, the next heinous crime, the next terrorist attack, the next physical malady, the next knock at the door that confirms a mysterious feeling; anything else that can be contrived by the wicked heart of man (Gen6:5-8, Jer17:9), or the influence of a greater evil, or as consequential to the sin that we all reside in.  BUT, these things should not discourage the heart of an Authentic Christian because of the Living Hope (1Pet 1:3) we have in Jesus our God and Savior, and because of the truth of His promises that lead our faith- until this Pilgrim’s faith becomes sight (1Pet510).  Each new day is a gift and is potentially the day for salvation for someone; someone that may truly hear the Gospel for the first time.

6--Authentic Christianity understands the importance of consistent communion within their Kingdom minded family (Heb 10:25).  Our collective worship is to be in Spirit and truth that cannot be confined to a specific location (John4:23).  Authentic worship does require the Word to be the focus and the people to be attentive and responsive (Heb12:28, Psalm29:2).  Another reason for fellowship within the body of believers is the search for greater understanding of the Common Thread that brought us and keeps us in the fold. The quest for truth, strength, and assurance is as essential as our being continually reminded that we too are yet sinners that were once in the hands of an angry God, but now are indeed saved by grace (Eph 2:8).  

7--Authentic Christianity understands that the remainder of the world’s population has yet to be dealt with; that some are numbered among the elect (Gal1:4) and will be violently moved to saving faith in Jesus the Son of God, while the rest are destined to face God's wrath (Rom1:18) and eternal judgment (Heb4:13).  It is not up to us who we should or should not share the good news with, a compassionate act of service to, sacrifice money, talent, or time for; but that we have a duty to do all in the Name of Jesus for the sake and glory of His Kingdom that will reign forever (Col3:17).  It is all the work of the LORD.

8--Authentic Christianity recognizes that although we as people are distinctly different from one another, in Christ Jesus we are to be one; united in our effort in communicating Truth, extending love, sacrificial service, diligently working, joyful living, sound doctrine in teaching, and generously sharing- all as one unit, hence the call from God to die to self (Eph 4:17-5:1) and for each Christian to take up His cross and follow Him (Matt10:38).  This identifies Jesus as the source of all Life, love, wisdom, peace with the Father, and Truth.  He must increase while we must decrease (John3:30).

9--Authentic Christianity understands that we are not perfect- but forgiven; that forgiveness (Rom6:1-4) is no excuse to live like we did in the days prior to Jesus raising us up from spiritual death or to treat any other human being disrespectfully (Matt7:12).  We understand that God provides the peace that we are to extend to our closest friend as well as our enemies as peacemakers (Matt5:9, 43-48) for we are relational creatures; designed to give and to receive the many meanings of love.  Authentic Christianity sees the sinfulness first within one self and understands the nature in which we are dealing with and allows the Spirit to lead in those situations where the flesh demands to dominate.  We also understand that in all things honesty (James5:12) is the only mode of operation. 

10-Authentic Christianity recognizes the constant struggle within and the necessity to feed the Spirit to ensure the hope in making right choices and standing victorious over sin (Rom6:14). Although impossible, it is in total, consistent, uninterrupted dependence on God that the Authentic Christian lives in the greatest joy of the Lord.  Unfortunately, for the Authentic Christian, this joy is interrupted and suppressed by the sorrow of sin.  In this failure lies the Pilgrim’s reminder that we are not Home yet, that there is still hard labor ahead, and even though our flesh craves autonomy- in our minds and deep in our hearts, we know we will always need the one true God who will give us the strength to make it through another weary day.  This is how we glorify God.