Coffee With The Lord

There’s just something wonderful and uplifting about a testimony – a witness – of God’s saving grace in Christ Jesus! I love to hear the “before – and after” stories! I love to hear authentic accounts that glorify God’s grace, are saturated with gratitude, and lead to renewed commitment to Christian service…

One of my absolute favorites is Apostle Paul’s testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-17… In fact, I think it is one of my favorite passages in the entire Bible! Here it is from the New Living Translation…
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work! He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!’—And I was the worst of them all! But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies! He alone is God! Amen!”

What’s your story? Here is what I jotted in the margin of my Bible this morning in response to that testimony…and mine!

Oh Lord, help me to always remember my past! And help me to always be grateful… and faithful in serving you!

The last couple of days passages I’ve read in the Psalms have been so appropriate for personal prayer!  The passage I read today during my time of “coffee with the Lord” is an ideal one if you’re in deep trouble way over your head!

David was on the run… Saul was hot on his trail with murder in his heart!  David had slipped into a cave with his men to hide from him (1 Samuel 22 or 24).  It was David’s little band of men against Saul’s entire army…  He cried out to God and this is what he said…

“With my voice I cry out to the Lord!  With my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord!  I pour out my complaint before Him; I tell my trouble to Him!  When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! … I cry to You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion… Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!  Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!  Bring me out that I may give thanks to Your name!  The righteous will surround me, for You will deal bountifully with me!’” (from Psalm 142 ESV)

Now I just know someone needs that prayer today!  If you’re the one in deep trouble that I have in mind today, my advice is to pray David’s prayer over and over again… make it your own!  Cry out to the Lord!  He is with you and will help you!

Woman zippering mouth closed

Zip your mouth! Guard your heart!

Good advice eh?  Hey if King David had to make it a matter of prayer, believe me, so do I!  If there are any issues that I struggle with on a regular basis – any issues that get me into trouble – these are the issues… what my mouth utters and what my heart entertains!  Do I hear a witness?!

So today, during my time of “coffee with the Lord,” I made King David’s prayer my own…

“O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!  Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!  Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!  Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity.” (from Psalm 141:1-4 ESV)