I think God has been teaching me something about prayer–it is meant to be earnest.  One of the basic essences of prayer is the cry for HELP!  I have realized recently that I am very slow to earnestly cry to God for help.  In various ways, he has shown me my absolute inability to do life without him.  Therefore, in the moment of an argument, the moment of temptation, or the moment of difficulty, I want my first and strong emotion to be a heartfelt cry for HELP!!!

“To be spriritually minded is…to have our minds really exercised with delight about heavenly things…especially Christ himself as at the right hand of God.”

“Spiritual-mindedness is developed, exercised and reinforced by meditation. By…meditation, I intend the thought of some subject spiritual and divine, with the fixing, forcing, and ordering of our thoughts about it, with a design to affect our own hearts and souls with the matter of it…In meditation our principal aim is the affecting of our own hearts and minds with love, delight, and humiliation.”

- John Owen, Works, ed. W. Goold (London: Banner of Truth, 1965), 7:348, 384.
- Quoted in J.I. Packer, Prayer

• Psalm 130:4

  But with you there is forgiveness,

  that you may be feared.

• Daniel 9:9

  To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

• Matthew 26:28

  for this is my blood of the1 covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

  Footnotes

  [1] 26:28 Some manuscripts insert new

• Mark 1:4

  John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

• Mark 3:29

  but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

• Luke 1:77

  to give knowledge of salvation to his people

  in the forgiveness of their sins,

• Luke 3:3

  And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

• Luke 24:47

  and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

• John 20:23

  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

• Acts 2:38

  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• Acts 5:31

  God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

• Acts 10:43

  To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

• Acts 13:38

  Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

• Acts 26:18

  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

• Ephesians 1:7

  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

• Colossians 1:14

  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This map shows clusters based on Facebook public profiles based on where they live and where their friends are. Read the post. It is very interesting.

http://petewarden.typepad.com/searchbrowser/2010/02/how-to-split-up-the-us.html

I recently started reading the Confessions of St. Augustine. This quote form the first chapter is worth the book:

What art Thou then, my God? what, but the Lord God? For who is Lord but the Lord? or who is God save our God? Most highest, most good, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful, yet most just; most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, yet most strong, stable, yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet all-changing; never new, never old; all-renewing, and bringing age upon the proud, and they know it not; ever working, ever at rest; still gathering, yet nothing lacking; supporting, filling, and overspreading; creating, nourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet having all things. Thou lovest, without passion; art jealous, without anxiety; repentest, yet grievest not; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy works, Thy purpose unchanged; receivest again what Thou findest, yet didst never lose; never in need, yet rejoicing in gains; never covetous, yet exacting usury. Thou receivest over and above, that Thou mayest owe; and who hath aught that is not Thine? Thou payest debts, owing nothing; remittest debts, losing nothing. And what had I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy? or what saith any man when he speaks of Thee? Yet woe to him that speaketh not, since mute are even the most eloquent.

Where is this deep, full, expansive, understanding worship of our amazing God today? Thank you God for Augustine’s confessions.

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