Free of Offense in the Day of Judgment
Philippians 1:6-10
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.(Literal translation from the Received Text of the
Greek New Testament)
"I am persuaded the One who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion with a view toward what you are to be in the day of Jesus Christ."
9 And this I pray…
THAT your love might abound yet more and more in acknowledgment and all perception,
10 that you may be able to put matters to the test and discern what is superior,
THAT you may be sincere and free from anything offensive as we approach
the Day of Christ.
Does this mean some will fail to pass in the day of Christ’s judgment?DAY 1—The first step any of us must take is to admit, “I am a sinner.”
Ecclesiastes 7:20—For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
John 3:16—For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 3:21-24—But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. [msg]
Galatians 3:21-22—Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. [niv]
HEAVENLY FATHER,
I need no convincing to know I am a sinner.
I am probably a worse sinner than I even know.
I have no hope of cleansing my own soul.
In this condition I come before You, Dear Lord,
with the hope that You will receive me.
Oh, God of grace, take me in!DAY 2—The power of grace revealed in Jesus can set us free from the power of darkness...Coming into the Light for Cleansing
John 3:17—For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
Romans 6:12-14—That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God. [msg].
I John 1:5-7—5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
GRACIOUS FATHER,
Please help me and these I hold before You,
to open to the light that knowing You brings.
Help me not to fear that light, but let it shine into
every part of me to expose every sin and need.
And, DEAR LORD, show the glory and the power
and majesty of Your grace to these I hold before You.
Show them how far it will reach.
Many of them have no hope apart from Your grace.
Teach them how the blood of Jesus Christ can
cleanse them from all unrighteousness.
Bring conviction upon them to repent and believe
so they can know Your Grace, Your Peace and Your Love..
DAY 3—If we trust in Christ’s redeeming blood, we can find cleansing from ALL sin.
…God’s wrath against sin can be satisfied only in the death of His Only Begotten Son.
Ephesians 1:7-10—In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; 8Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:
I John 1:8-10—8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just that He might release us from the guilt of the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we continue saying that we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His Word is not in us. [lrt]
I Peter 1:18,19—For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect. [niv]
FATHER, what grace! You received even me!
At time I have felt like the chief of sinners.
But I see Your love is greater than all my sin.
I see the redemption in Your Son is powerful
enough to deliver me from the stronghold
of every sin that has held me in darkness,
And every lie that has deceived me.
Thank You, Lord
for your Love and Your Grace...
DAY 4—We are blessed when we can lay all our sin before the Lord and receive forgiveness.
...Knowing Jesus Christ Who Is Our Advocate with the Father
Psalm 32:1,2—1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.2Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
John 3:18—Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. [niv]
Romans 3:25—Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
1 John 2:1,2—My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
HEAVENLY FATHER,
I see my freedom comes only through
Your Son Whom I have taken as my Savior.
Because He is the Propitiation for my sins,
I have no more fear of Your wrath.
Because He is my Advocate before You,
I no longer fear Your presence.
I am learning to rest in Your presence.
Thank You for convicting me and
for not letting me go on with hidden sin.
The pain sin brought me has made the
blessing of Your forgiveness all the sweeter.
Help me never forget what sin did
and what Your grace is now doing.
Bless Your Holy Name...
DAY 5—When we bring our sin into the open, we can find mercy.
...Dealing with the Sin that Will Keep Us from Knowing God
Psalm 32:5-7—I acknowledge my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto Tim. Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psalm 51:2,3—Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. [niv]
Proverbs 28:13—He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Luke 17:3-5—So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" [niv]
Romans 3:20—And it's clear enough, isn't it, that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else's sin. [msg]
James 5:16—Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
DEAR LORD, raise up in Your church
honorable believers to whom those who
struggle with sin can go with their confessions.
Show us all the power of repentance
and the power of praying one for the other.
Bring honor and awe upon us who deal with
the delicate matter of confessed sin.
Show us the power of grace and deliverance.
DAY 6—An Old Way of Walking in a New Light
...Jesus is the Light of the world; we are the light of the world.
John 3:19-21—19 And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 8:12—Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.
I John 2:7-11—7Brothers, I am not writing a new kind of injunction to you, but the same old charge which you had from the beginning.8Again, I am writing a new kind of injunction to you which is an expression of Truth in Him, (that is, in Christ), and in you together. (When you and Christ walk together, a new light begins shining.) It is because the darkness is departing and the true Light is now shining. 9Whoever says he is in the Light and continues hating his brother is still in the darkness. 10On the other hand, whoever makes its his practice to love his brother is living in the Light, and there is nothing in him that will cause anyone to stumble. 11But whoever goes on hating his brother is in the darkness, and is walking in the darkness, and has no idea where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. [lrt]
Matthew 5:14-16—Ye are the Light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
DEAR LORD,
I know that You have called us unto
a new way of responding to others.
But, we are undergoing some trials
right now that is making this difficult.
Oh, Lord, bring a new movement
of Your Spirit in our midst!
Cause Your Spirit to bring new light
to the deepest recesses of our beings.
Change us from the inside out,
so others can see Your light in us again.
DAY 7—Freedom From the Guilt of Sin
...Remembering How God Loves the World
Romans 5:1-9—1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we (let us) have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we (let us) rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we (let us) also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! [niv]
I John 2:12-14—12 I am writing to you, little children, because it is on account of His Name you have been set free from the guilt of sin. 13 I am writing to you fathers, because You have known the One Who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.I am writing to you, little children, because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you fathers, because you have known the One Who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word (ho logos) of God is living in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. [lrt]
Hebrews 10:22-23—22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
I bow before you, Dear Lord,
and worship you in gratitude and humility
for sending your Son into the world
that I might have eternal life.
The downward pull of the world
is beginning to lose its strength in me.
The strong desire of my heart is growing
stronger toward You and what You want.
But, Oh, Dear Lord, please help me
love the world like You love it!
Let me be a source for Your love
to reach those who are lost.
I love You Lord and I Praise
Your Holy Name...
DAY 8—Deliverance from the World to Do God’s Will
...Leaving Behind the Old Way to Find the New
Ephesians 2:1-3—1 And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[msg] It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
I John 2:15-17—15 Do not love the world or anything in it. If you love the world, love for the Father is not in you. 16 Here is what people who belong to this world do. They try to satisfy what their sinful natures want to do. They long for what their sinful eyes look at. They brag about what they have and what they do. All of this comes from the world. It doesn’t come from the Father. 17 The world and its evil longings are passing away. But those who do what God wants them to do live forever. [lrt]
DEAR LORD,
I renounce the hold the world has on me.
I renounce the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Please help us live now, with eternity’s values in view.
Set all of us perfectly free from these strongholds
so we can be free to know You
and fulfill Your calling in our lives.
DAY 9—There is hope for believers for the final hour.
...Discerning Anti-Christ’s Last Hour Work
Matthew 24:4-8—4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. [niv]
Matthew 24:23-25—23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before.
I John 2:18-20—18 Little children, it is the last time (it is a final hour): and as ye have heard that (the) anti-Christ shall come, even now are there many anti-Christs; whereby we know that it is the last time (it is a final hour). 19 They (the anti-Christs) went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 But ye have an unction (an anointing) from the Holy One, and ye know all things (you instinctively know all).
I John 2:21-23—21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. [lrt]
LORD, I want to stand with You in the last days.
Deal with anything in me that makes me prone
to fall for the deception of the anti-Christ.
May that operation of Your Spirit called
“the discerning of spirits" work in me.
Draw me close to Your heart so
deception will not entice me.
Day 10—Let the Foundation of Your Faith Remain in You
...I John was written that we might know we have eternal life.
I John 2:24-27—24 Therefore let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains (in you as a foundation for your continuing faith), you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which He once and for all promised you, even the eternal life (which you now have as a new quality of living). 26 I have written these things to you because of those who are deceiving you. 27And you—the anointing which you received from Him remains in you and you have no need that anyone teach you (anything different from what you first received under the anointing of the Holy Spirit), but as the same anointing is teaching you concerning all things, and it is truthful and no lie, and just as He has taught you, remain in Him. [lrt] (We must receive this scripture in the context in which it was written. John wrote this Epistle to help believers overcome the deception that was spreading among early believers, and that will be prevalent in the very last days when the anti-Christ dispatches his spirits to draw believers away from their communion with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.)
OH, DEAR FATHER,
I praise You for the new quality of life
You have given me through Your Son, Jesus Christ!
What a wonderful expression of divine Love!
Please cause the Spirit of Truth to move among us.
Bring upon these I hold before You
a strong desire to know the Truth of Your Word.
Bring conviction upon those in our midst
who are lukewarm toward You.
Especially draw these in my own family,
lest they be led astray by the subtle deception
I see creeping in on them.
DAY 11—A Love of the Truth
...The Strongest Reason to Abide in Christ...That We Be Not Deceived
Ephesians 4:14,15—14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ:
Ephesians 5:6,7—Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with Him. Don't even hang around people like that. [msg]
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12—9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the Truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the Truth but have delighted in wickedness. [niv]
1 John 2:28,29—28 And now, little children, remain in Him, that whenever He might become manifest, we may be possessed with bold confidence and not be put to shame by Him in His Coming (in Christ’s Parousía). (This verse seems to imply that the Parousía of the Lord Jesus could come upon us at any time. It has been the purpose of the anti-Christ’s deception to draw us away from knowing Christ with the intimacy into which the redemption has drawn us and, thus, make usunprepared for His appearing.) 29 If you instinctively know that He (Jesus Christ) is righteous, then you know that whoever is making a practice of doing what is right has been begotten out of Him, (He is begotten of God and is thus made a partaker of the Divine nature, without which no one can have a holy heart or live a holy life.) [lrt]
FATHER GOD, keep us from deception.
It is the cry of my heart today that we be led by
Your Spirit into the Truth we need for this hour.
Guard our fellowship from a deceiving spirit.
Let those who stand among us as Teachers
remain under the anointing of Your Spirit.
Guide them as they guide us into the
understanding important for this day.
Give all of us a love of the Truth
that will enable us to be always aware
of anything that is not of You.
Keep us in the Truth for the hour
that may be now so close upon us,
when Your Son will be revealed.
I rejoice in Your Holy Name, Dear Lord,
and await your appearing with an
urgency that will not be denied.
DAY 12—Beloved of God, Unknown to the World
...The Hope that Brings Purity to the Children of GodRomans 6:6,7—6For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 8:14-19—14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 12:1,2—1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ephesians 4:23,24—23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
I John 3:1-3—1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
FATHER GOD,
Today I just need for You to love me.
My love toward You is not perfect,
but I wait in Your presence as Your child.
Please draw me out of the spiritual poverty
that has had me bound, Dear Lord and
transform me, Lord, by the renewing of my
mind, that I might know You more intimately.
I know that You are drawing me onto something
I have not yet seen. You are drawing me into
a lire that I have never known. A strong hope
and anticipation is rising within me.
Please give me a pure heart as Your draw me on
so nothing will hinder what You are doing in me.
I commit my path unto You, Dear Lord,
and I thank You for the Glory of Your Grace!
DAY 13—Love, the Prime Mark of a Child of God
Luke 10:27—He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" [niv]
I John 3:1—Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
I John 3:2,3—But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own. [msg]
I John 3:18-24—18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the Truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. 24 Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.
DEAR LORD,
I come before You now, not with a heart of
condemnation, but with confidence in Your Word.
Let the Spirit of Your Love and Your Truth
be seen in my actions so that I might be a
witness of Your mercy and grace.
Oh, please, Dear Lord, release in me
the grace to let Your Love flow through me,
even to those who are hard to love.
Help me, especially, love these I now name…
DAY 14—In the Day of Judgment everything, both good and evil, will be revealed.
...If we come into the light of truth now, we can standin the day of judgment.
Ecclesiastes 12:14—And that's it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it's good or evil. [msg]
Luke 12:1-3—1Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. [niv]
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 —10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Revelations 3:18—I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
GRACIOUS FATHER,
please show me Your mercy.
There are hidden things in me
that I am so ashamed of.
But, l am too afraid and spiritually weak
to deal with the strongholds inside of me.
At times I feel the downward pull
will cripple me, break me, destroy me.
Please, Dear Lord, show me Your mercy.
Let Your enabling grace give me strength.
I want with all my heart to stand without fault
through the times of trial and the judgment fire.
Indeed, I want to be pure and clean
for Your Kingdom, Dear Lord,
so cleanse me, not for the sake of my shame,
or my broken heart, but for Yours and for
the sake of Your Kingdom.
Praise your Holy Name...
DAY 15—God’s abundant mercy has given us a living hope of a grace
that extends to the day of Christ
Romans 5:17-19—For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one(that is by Adam); much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.
I Peter 1:13-16—Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." [niv]
HEAVENLY FATHER,
Thank You for taking my sin upon Yourself.
What Love! What mercy! What grace!
Teach me, and these I hold before You, Lord,
to be sober minded and full of hope for
the final day and the grace it will bring.
My ability to do what is right is hindered by sin
that has become strongholds in my very being.
But now Your grace is reaching that sin.
Oh, let conviction continue as we move toward
the day when Your Son will stand as Judge on earth.
Let the Holy Spirit bring to light everything
in me that is an offence to You.
Bring us forth in that day, Oh Lord,
fit for Your Kingdom.
Bless Your Holy Name...
DAY 16—We stand in danger of judgment if we defile ourselves after receiving God’s grace
...We must not use the grace of God as a license to sin.
Romans 6:1-3—What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [niv]
I Corinthians 3:16,17—Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (mar) the temple of God, him shall God destroy (mar); for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (Both defile and destroy are from the same Greek word, phtheíro, meaning, "to corrupt to the point of uselessness.")
Galatians 5:13-15—It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? [msg]
I Peter 2:16,17—Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. [niv]
FATHER GOD, the holiness within me
is not for man to behold, but that my life
might be acceptable for Your use.
I can hide some sin from others,
but I cannot hide from You.
Oh Lord, Let Your mercy endure upon me.
Search out every dark thing in me
until I am clean in Your eyes.
I praise your name, Heavenly Father
that Your mercy endureth forever.
DAY 17—There are those who take the grace of God and defile it to their own ruin.
...the true grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness.
Jude 3-7—Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. You already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Titus 2:11-15—For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
FATHER, let me stand in fear of sin’s power.
I see it can be a destructive force in my life
even though I’ve trusted Your saving grace.
Let me count no sin as small and insignificant.
Convict me of anything I do not consider
sinful, but that is offensive to You.
Forgive me for the times that I have
fallen short of the life you have made
available through the death and
resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
DAY 18—Some who walk among the redeemed will be judged unworthy of God’s Kingdom.
Matthew 13:27-30—So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Ephesians 2:4-10—But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. [niv]
Titus 3:5—Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
FATHER OF MERCY,
Please bring a spirit of repentance upon us all.
Bring to us the powerful revelation of
what Your grace can do in us.
Thank You, Lord,
that through the riches of Your grace
You have saved us and brought regeneration
and renewal through the Holy Spirit.
It is an awesome and fearful thing that some in
our midst may be unworthy of Your Kingdom.
Please, Lord, draw these particular ones
before You to know the power of Your grace.
DAY 19—We find an example of God’s end-time grace in His selection of Noah
...As in The days of Noah, so shall it be in The days of The Son of Man
Genesis 6:6-8—6 The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. [niv]
Matthew 24:37-39—37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the Coming of the Son of man be.
Luke 17:26-30—26 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 2 9It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. [niv]
DEAR LORD,
Strengthen me within so I can resist
the sin that is spreading in the earth.
I’ve experienced Your grace.
Now let me know how you detest sin.
Teach me to hate what You hate
and love what You love
so I can be, like Noah,
a fit vessel for Your Kingdom
in the final days.
DAY 20—The power and the Glory of God’s Kingdom will be known in all the earth.
...Let our prayer be that His Glory will fill all the earth.
I Chronicles 29:10-13—
David blessed God in full view of the entire congregation:
Blessed are You, God of Israel, our Father from of old and forever.
To You, O God, belong the greatness and the might,
glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor;
Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth;
Kingdom all Yours! You've raised Yourself high over all.
Riches and glory come from You, You're ruler over all;
You hold strength and power in the palm of Your hand
build up and strengthen all.
And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to You,
Your splendid Name. [msg]
Habakkuk 2:14—For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea.
Psalm 72:17-20—
May His name endure forever;
it continue as long as the sun.
nations will be blessed through Him,
they will call Him blessed.
be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be to His glorious Name forever;
the whole earth be filled with His glory.
and Amen.
This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse. [niv]DEAR LORD, I feel You want to make me a vessel
fit to bear Your glory in the day when the knowledge
of Your Kingdom fills the earth. I know it is only
Your grace that can bring this forth in me.
I long to know the greatness and power
of Your Kingdom. I yearn to see its glory and
discover its majesty. I exalt You as my King today.
DAY 21—The righteous government of His Kingdom will extend over every nation.
...It is God’s will that all people come to the knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 2:2,3—
2 In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple
will be established as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us His ways,
so that we may walk in His paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. [niv]
I Timothy 2:1-6—1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
DEAR LORD,
I want To be free and confident to stand before You in Your day.
But, I know I still hold ways of thinking and responding
that will hinder me in Your Kingdom.
Please let the conviction of Your Spirit increase in me.
Let Him come upon me like a fire to consume all that offends You.
I want my life to give praise to Your grace.
DAY 22—The earthly rule of God’s Kingdom will be manifest under the headship of His Son.
...There shall be no end to the increase of Christ’s Government.
Daniel 7:13,14—In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (brought to a place of corruption). [msg]
Isaiah 9:6,7—6For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
DEAR LORD,
If Your Kingdom is eternal,
then it has power for today.
I can know it today, right where I am.
Show me the extent of its glory and splendor.
Instruct my heart with awe for
the Kingdom of Your Son.
Let its rule be made firm in my
inner man as we approach the day when
its Government will cover the earth.
Oh, let Your Kingdom come, Dear Lord!
Let me see its light and its glory
in this present darkness.
Let its rightness come forth in me.
Praise Your Holy Name…
DAY 23—Every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus.
...The Holy Spirit has come to prepare us for The day of judgment.
Isaiah 45:22-24—
22"Turn to Me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
23By Myself I have sworn,
My mouth has uttered in all integrity
a Word that will not be revoked:
Before Me every knee will bow;
by Me every tongue will swear.
24They will say of Me, 'In the LORD alone
are righteousness and strength.' "
All who have raged against Mim
will come to him and be put to shame. [niv]
Philippians 2:10—That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
John 16:7-11—7 It's better for you that I leave. If I don't leave, the Friend (Holy Spirit) won't come. But if I go, I'll send Him to you.
8-11"When He comes, He'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He'll show them that their refusal to believe in Me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted. [msg]HEAVENLY FATHER,
I can’t begin to imagine what it will mean
for every knee to bow to You.
But, I receive Your Word that it is so.
Oh, prepare us for that day! Remove fear from us.
Bring forth in us great honor for Your Kingdom
so we can meet that day with rejoicing, and peace.
Do this in these I bring before Your Throne of Grace.
DAY 24—We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ
...If we confess Christ before men, He will confess us before His Father—Matthew 10:32
Romans 14:10-13a—10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before Me;
tongue will confess to God.' "[Is 45:23]
12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. [niv]
Luke 12:4-10—4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess He before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
LORD, I am laying my life before You.
Deal with everything in me that will
not pass Your judgment.
I am ready for the secrets of my own heart
to be revealed so I can become pure before You.
Search me. Try me.
Know my thoughts. Cleanse me.
DAY 25—In the light of Christ’s final judgment, we must be careful how we judge others.
...How we judge others will set the standard as to how we are judged.
Matthew 7:1-5—1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. [niv]
I Corinthians 4:5—Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
II Corinthians 5:10—For we must all appear (make our appearance and be laid bare) before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Jude 21-23—21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
FATHER,
I’m one who has been quick to judge others.
I repent of this. It has arisen in me because of the haughty attitude of my heart.
Rid me of this fault. Teach me to be compassionate toward those I think are wrong.
Let them see Your light in me so they will want
to respond to the righteous rule of Your Kingdom.
DAY 26—God has given the Lord Jesus authority to execute judgment at the end this age.Daniel 7:25-27—25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
John 5:26,27—It's urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in Himself, He has conferred on the Son life in Himself. And He has given Him the authority, simply because He is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment. [msg]
Revelations 20:11-15—11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. [niv]
DEAR FATHER,
Please help me live with eternity’s values in view.
Help me know the power of Your grace
is our only hope is for the final day.
Increase in our hearts the desire for what is right.
Let Your work its way through everything that I think, and say, and do.
Cause these I hold before You
to know how late the hour is.
DAY 27—The Word preached with long-suffering will prepare people for the final judgment.
…And many people will submit to the Kingdom of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:1-10—1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.
2 For He says,
"In the time of my favor I heard you,
in the day of salvation I helped you."
I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. [niv]
II Timothy 4:1,2—1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
FATHER, let faith come in the church.
Let understanding come for these dark days.
Bring a spirit of supplication upon us
as a body of believers—in this area,
and in these people I love so dearly.
Help the preachers in the land
bring a clear and anointed word.
May Your Spirit bring repentance to
people everywhere who hear Your word.
DAY 28—With the fear of the Lord and wisdom, we minister the Gospel in the final days.
...As servants of The Lord, we must remain meek and patient as we help prepare
a peoplefor Christ’s Kingdom
II Corinthians 5:lla—Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...
Colossians 1:25-28—25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
I Timothy 2:24-26—And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. [niv]
HEAVENLY FATHER,
help those of us who minister to understand
what You are bringing to pass for this hour.
Bring forth in all of us—and in all who pray—
a conviction that is right for this time.
Let it come over upon all Your people
that we may stand pure before You
in the final day.
Make us right for Your Kingdom.
DAY 29—The Settled Confidence of a Deep Conviction
…The Working together of Love and faith
Romans 8:38,39—For I am persuaded ("I hold a firm conviction with a deep confidence"), that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Galatians 5:4-6—I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. Meanwhile we expectantly wait for a satisfying relationship with the Spirit. For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love. [msg]
Philippians 1:6,7—Being confident (firmly persuaded) of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace (that is, "of grace with me").
FATHER, there are forces against me
—at work constantly—trying to convince me that
Your love is conditional and I don’t measure up.
Please show me how great Your love is.
Help me become settled in it,
with deep confidence,
that nothing can separate me from it.
Teach me to hold these people I have
a tendency to worry about before
Your Throne with confidence
that You will move in them.
Stir hunger in their hearts
for the Love they see working in my life.
DAY 30—As we becoming free from bondage, we can come before the Father
with confidence as joint-heirs with Christ.
Ephesians 2:18—For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Ephesians 3:12—(Christ Jesus) In Whom we have boldness (bold freedom) and access (admission into the presence of God having been persuaded that the faith of the Son of God allows me to come into Him) with confidence by the faith of Him.
Galatians 2:20—I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Hebrews 4:16—Let us therefore come boldly (with bold freedom and confidence) unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Romans 8:15-17—15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
FATHER, I come to You today in the boldness of what the Lord Jesus has done.
I have great need. I feel like I’m drowning in the pressures of life.
I am afraid of letting down those who depend on me.
I thank You for receiving me and setting me free
from the timidity I once held in praying.
Now, with confidence, I am coming unto the Throne of Your Grace
with urgency asking for Your mercy That I might find grace
to face the trying days that lie ahead.
And, I bring these souls before You as well,
naming them and holding them before You
with confidence and faith in the Son of God.
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