I wonder how many times people give up just before a breakthrough - when they are on the very brink of success.
- Joyce Meyer
Psalms in the Night…
With so many wonderful Biblical promises and powerful examples of God's interaction with mankind, see Psalms of Delight, Psalms in the Night are a way of exploring and sharing some of the difficult and challenging thoughts, feelings and experiences God's people encounter while endeavoring to fully enjoy His presence and power, protection and provision. In ever more genuine and meaningful ways. For themselves and their children, family and friends.
Psalms in the Night are written in concert with Psalms of Delight. Both series contain Modern Psalms meant to comfort and inspire those seeking the Omni-God revealed in Scripture.
Breakthrough Summary
Examples not only abound, but are on the rise, of well meant but errant seeker and even sin friendly versions of Churchianity. A troubling trend complete in both local congregations and fellowship groups, as well as entire denominations. Yet the kind of radical discipleship that marked 1st Century Biblical Christianity remains a requirement throughout all times and places. Furthermore, Christ and His apostles not only demanded, but demonstrated the goal of perceiving and entering the Kingdom of God is nothing short of complete transformation into a New Creation. A task made all the more difficult in the growing social and spiritual pitch darkness. So much so, spelunking has become an apt metaphor.
Breakthrough
Modern Psalm in the Night 14
Trust all is well. I imagine You have a busy day ahead, Three Heavens and the multiverse to run. Faithful angels and saints to see. Angelic and human rebellions to quell. The trinity of sin to deal with. Billions of prayers and actions to sort through. Creation's Trial to Judge. A Rapture to plan. Great Tribulation to prep for. Then of course there's the White Throne Judgment to prepare. New Jerusalem to ready. Eternal ages of Heavenly rewards and Hellish punishment to arrange.
As You know from tens of thousands of hours of conversation, in speaking plainly I mean no disrespect. In fact quite the opposite. Who else is like You? Who has or will ever have a schedule like the one You keep? I fully appreciate, or as much as a modern man night, that You're the Awesome and Awful God. I well aware of Jeremiah's lament and what happened when Isaiah, the most powerful prophet to walk the Earth and the most righteous man of his day came face to face with Your glory. I'm haunted by the idea of just Whom it is I'm trying to approach. I'm aware that Old and New Testament alike suggest a sinner like me proceed with extreme caution when addressing You:
- "Watch your step when you enter God's house. Enter to learn. That's far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, doing more harm than good. Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better." Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 MSG
- "You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.” No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things... Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire." Hebrews 12:18-29
Why? Because who else do we have in Heaven but You?" To Whom else can we turn when even Your will is being frustrated? Scripture declares You "have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" yet they die like flies, tens of thousands every day. The Bible assures You're "not willing that any should perish" yet how many billions have, are and are about to? According to passages like these Your holy number is All yet today fewer and fewer seriously believe in, much less obey You. The whole world and half the church is at extreme and eternal risk!
Please forgive me but given Your apparent silence and distance in the face of all this and more, how can I remain quiet? You know I wish I could. How wonderful to replace my prayers of petition with praise and complaint with contemplation. There's so much to be thankful for. There's so much wonder in the world. Yet what good will it be when it all goes up in smoke? What joy can there be knowing judgment is near.
Christ's Counsel
So should our words be few or many? Shouldn't we "cry out day and night" as Christ counseled in His story of the Persistent Widow? Shouldn't we loudly "ask, seek and knock" as He advised. Should we seek to be polite or delivered? Dare we obey Jesus and pound on Heaven's door at midnight until we get the resources we need? Should we continue to settle for almost being filled with the power and presence of the Spirit? Should we take the kingdom by force and violence or act "wise and prudent?" Doesn't the scripture record Jesus looking to Heaven and rejoicing that You hid your power from such and delivered into the hands of "babes and sucklings?"
Should we give up? Should we make religious excuses for unanswered prayer? Should we console ourselves that You promise to always be with us, or be like Your disciples who when tossed by the sea demanded "Lord, get up. Don't you care we are perishing?" Should we comfort ourselves with platitudes or select Bible verses or use scripture to rouse ourselves up and stop taking "no" for an answer:
- "From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon. They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit." Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy." Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel." Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me." He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs." She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table." Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well." Matthew 15:21-28 MSG
I'm painfully aware we need unprecedented repentance and a New Pentecost to achieve a tenth of such a mandate. I hope to add my foolish prayers to His, in hope that He and the Spirit who searches the heart, will make them and me acceptable and effective. I long for us to breakthrough before before we break down any further. For our ship to come in before our deck rots. For Your glory to rescue us from choosing the world and over Your jealous Spirit. From aborting our future. From doing our Enemy's will rather than Yours.
As You have every right to ask of us I ask of You. Today, when You hear our voice, don't harden Your heart. Have mercy, even though, if as I fear, our sins exceed those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Have grace, though it be true that even once Christian nations now deserve judgement.
Help us produce the fruit You require that we not be plucked from the Vine and thrown into the fire. Let Paul's wonderful prayer take hold in us today that we might experience the length, breadth, width and height of Your love and presence. That our relationship may transcend knowledge and that we "would be filled with all the fullness of God." Now to You who are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to You be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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