Coffee With The Lord

In Bible college, we had an old “holiness preacher” who served as dean, W. H. Kesler – good, godly man!  Every day in chapel he would lead us in a prayer right out of the Bible.  That prayer has served me well over the years!  It has helped cleanse my mind, and heart and life so that I might be a vessel that the Lord can use!  I recommend it!  In fact, I prayed it again today…

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts, And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting! (From Psalm 139:23-24)

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer!” (From Psalm 19:14)

And to that prayer he added this declaration:  “I am crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!  And the life I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who love me and gave Himself for me!” (From Galatians 2:20)

And I have one prayer of commitment that I often add…

“Today Lord, I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You, as a spiritual act of worship!  I choose not be conformed to this world, but desire to be transformed by the renewing of my mind so that I can discern Your will and do what is pleasing to You!” (Romans 12:1-2 adapted for my daily time of devotions)

We cannot buy our salvation – our acceptance with God – with money! (Psalm 49:6-8; Matthew 16:26)

We cannot earn it by doing good works (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Thinking that we can change ourselves, and make ourselves acceptable to the Lord with great resolve, will only leave us frustrated and helpless! (Romans 7:18—25)  But the very last verse of that passage declares God’s wonderful secret to our victory… “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

This morning during “Coffee with the Lord” I read a great Old Testament prophetic passage that predicted the coming of our Savior and what He would accomplish on our behalf on the cross to deal with our sin and provide salvation…

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all… By his knowledge shall the Righteous One, My Servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities… He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”  (From Isaiah 53:4–12 ESV)

There is an old gospel song that captures the truth of God’s provision to deal with our sin through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ…

“What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Nothing can for sin atone!  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Naught of good that I have done!  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my hope and peace… Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my righteousness… Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”

–Robert Lowry

I’ve just got to say it… Praise God for our wonderful Savior – the Lord Jesus Christ!