The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends —Job 42:10
A pitiful, sickly, and self-centered kind of prayer and a determined effort and selfish desire to be right with God are never found in the New Testament. The fact that I am trying to be right with God is actually a sign that I am rebelling against the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I pray, “Lord, I will purify my heart if You will answer my prayer— I will walk rightly before You if You will help me.” But I cannot make myself right with God; I cannot make my life perfect. I can only be right with God if I accept the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ as an absolute gift. Am I humble enough to accept it? I have to surrender all my rights and demands, and cease from every self-effort. I must leave myself completely alone in His hands, and then I can begin to pour my life out in the priestly work of intercession. There is a great deal of prayer that comes from actual disbelief in the atonement. Jesus is not just beginning to save us— He has already saved us completely. It is an accomplished fact, and it is an insult to Him for us to ask Him to do what He has already done.
If you are not now receiving the “hundredfold” which Jesus promised (see Matthew 19:29), and not getting insight into God’s Word, then start praying for your friends— enter into the ministry of the inner life. “The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.” As a saved soul, the real business of your life is intercessory prayer. Whatever circumstances God may place you in, always pray immediately that His atonement may be recognized and as fully understood in the lives of others as it has been in yours. Pray for your friends now, and pray for those with whom you come in contact now.
Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
These words ring so true to me. And you’ve even proved it quite a few times with answered prayer for those we’ve been praying for … and all the times you’ve saved me from death and serious injury. So why is it so easy to drift away from the truth that you’ve done it all and start trying to work out things that only stress me out and get me off track? And how am I to reconcile that phrase that “I’d rather burn out than rust out?”
Some of my choice soldiers died young. Some lived a long time on earth. Short or long is not the way to judge a life. Connection and Stewardship are the values I prize. And if you want to strive for something … strive for those. If you are connected and hearing my voice and doing it … you dont have to worry about “things” You will be fine. Stay curious and watch as I unfold your future for you.
Why you find it so easy to drift into the drivers seat … It’s because you are still in process. I’m not finished with you yet. The process of becoming more and more like me is a lifetime job. In the beginning, you thought you had free will and could do anything you set your mind to. There is some truth in that but it led you away from my best many times. Later you began to see that you were doing my job which I had already done. Now you’re beginning to see that my work of saving and redeeming you is all done and you cant improve on it. If you focus on the three C’s that we talked about you will do well.
Connected, Let it become a way of life. 24-7 not just at Christian Events
Curious,
Confident, Let these last two become a mindset. There are tools that you can use to cultivate that mindset and stay in it continually. This time with me is one example. Find and use more during your days and we will have an exciting joyous ride.
Thank you for the occasional feedback of answered prayer and blessings for those we are interceding for. It would be nice if I could just keep praying with no obvious answers for many years … but it really encourages me when I see some prayers get answered. Help me focus on that and double down on my intercession. I love you.
Click Image for John White's Original Vision For CO2's
