Welcome to Week 16 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
April 15
We have noted that the relational titles for God suggest counterpart titles for us. So it is that, when we recognize God as Judge, two possible counterpart titles emerge as options for us.
Last week, we gave much thought to our role as plaintiffs. We come before God the Judge as people with complaints -- we make our case before Him, seeking justice and trusting His righteousness.
Meanwhile, the other type of person who stands before a judge is a defendant. Perhaps "defendant" is a title that applies to us in our relationship with God. In your prayer time just now, talk to Him about that role and relationship. Specifically, talk to Him about these questions:
(1) What does the "defendant" title reveal about me?
(2) What does that title reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How might that title impact and influence my relationship with You?
Last week, we gave much thought to our role as plaintiffs. We come before God the Judge as people with complaints -- we make our case before Him, seeking justice and trusting His righteousness.
Meanwhile, the other type of person who stands before a judge is a defendant. Perhaps "defendant" is a title that applies to us in our relationship with God. In your prayer time just now, talk to Him about that role and relationship. Specifically, talk to Him about these questions:
(1) What does the "defendant" title reveal about me?
(2) What does that title reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How might that title impact and influence my relationship with You?
April 16
The Apostle Peter wrote about people whose behavior was displeasing to God, saying, "They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." (1 Peter 4:5 NASB)
We can imagine having to give an account of what happened or what we did before a human judge. But the Lord is different, for our human judges, after all, do not necessarily know the whole truth. God does.
Talk to the Lord about this aspect of standing before Him as the Judge. Think through these questions with Him.
1) When have I given a skewed account because the person I was talking to didn't know the whole truth?
2) Since You already know the whole truth, why is it necessary for me to give an account to You?
We can imagine having to give an account of what happened or what we did before a human judge. But the Lord is different, for our human judges, after all, do not necessarily know the whole truth. God does.
Talk to the Lord about this aspect of standing before Him as the Judge. Think through these questions with Him.
1) When have I given a skewed account because the person I was talking to didn't know the whole truth?
2) Since You already know the whole truth, why is it necessary for me to give an account to You?
April 17
As we have been contemplating God as the Judge, we have naturally conjured images of courtroom scenes and roles in our minds. We have identified ourselves with the plaintiff. We have identified ourselves with the defendant. And so now it is time to put a face on the prosecuting attorney, if you will.
In the Book of Revelation, we read this about the defeat of Satan:
"And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.'" (Revelation 12:9-10 NASB)
Satan, you see, is identified as "the accuser," the one who "accuses (the brethren) before our God day and night." He is the prosecutor. He is the one who makes a case against us before God.
Talk to the Lord about this additional person in the courtroom scene. In your prayer time, ask the Lord these questions:
What does Satan say about me?
What is his motivation?
Is he correct in what he says?
As the Judge, what hearing do you give to him?
In the Book of Revelation, we read this about the defeat of Satan:
"And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.'" (Revelation 12:9-10 NASB)
Satan, you see, is identified as "the accuser," the one who "accuses (the brethren) before our God day and night." He is the prosecutor. He is the one who makes a case against us before God.
Talk to the Lord about this additional person in the courtroom scene. In your prayer time, ask the Lord these questions:
What does Satan say about me?
What is his motivation?
Is he correct in what he says?
As the Judge, what hearing do you give to him?
April 18
Today we flesh out the courtroom scene still further. The Apostle Paul wrote:
"If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." (Romans 8:31-34 NASB)
Knowing that you are guilty, and knowing that there is an adversary who is making accusations against you, talk to the Lord just now about the gospel truths from Romans 8. Meditate on each before Him. Thank and praise Him for each.
"If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." (Romans 8:31-34 NASB)
Knowing that you are guilty, and knowing that there is an adversary who is making accusations against you, talk to the Lord just now about the gospel truths from Romans 8. Meditate on each before Him. Thank and praise Him for each.
- God is for you rather than against you.
- God does not bring charges, but rather justifies.
- The Lord is not the One who condemns.
- While Satan may make accusations before God, Jesus Himself is at God's right hand interceding for you.
April 19
John 3:16 famously declares that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. The following verse, then, elaborates on the purpose for which God sent His Son:
"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:17 NASB)
The underlying Greek verb, which is here translated "judge," is sometimes translated "condemn."
In your prayer time just now, talk to God the Judge about His purpose in sending His Son.
1) What would have happened if You had sent Your Son to judge or condemn the world, instead?
2) What do I discover about my need and the world's need that You sent Your Son to save?
3) What do I discover about Your heart and Your will that You sent Your Son to save?
4) What, then, is the fate of the world apart from Your Son?
"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:17 NASB)
The underlying Greek verb, which is here translated "judge," is sometimes translated "condemn."
In your prayer time just now, talk to God the Judge about His purpose in sending His Son.
1) What would have happened if You had sent Your Son to judge or condemn the world, instead?
2) What do I discover about my need and the world's need that You sent Your Son to save?
3) What do I discover about Your heart and Your will that You sent Your Son to save?
4) What, then, is the fate of the world apart from Your Son?
April 20
In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul explains that the Law cannot save, but only condemn (see, for example, Romans 3:20) those who are guilty. And since all are guilty (see Romans 2:12, 3:23, 5:12), we imagine a courtroom scene in which the Law proves our guilt and condemns us.
But "what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin." (Romans 8:3 NASB)
And what does that mean for us -- for the guilty defendants as we stand before the Judge?
Paul says, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1 NASB)
In your prayer time, talk to the Lord your Judge about this gospel truth.
Confess your guilt under the Law.
Acknowledge the role of Jesus.
Rejoice in the "no condemnation" status that you have in Him!
But "what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin." (Romans 8:3 NASB)
And what does that mean for us -- for the guilty defendants as we stand before the Judge?
Paul says, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1 NASB)
In your prayer time, talk to the Lord your Judge about this gospel truth.
Confess your guilt under the Law.
Acknowledge the role of Jesus.
Rejoice in the "no condemnation" status that you have in Him!
April 21
As we conclude Week 16, we turn our attention to some lyrics by singer/songwriter Michael Card:
"To be so completely guilty
and given over to despair;
to look into your Judge's face
and see a Savior there:
Jubilee! Jubilee!
Jesus is our Jubilee!"
In your prayer time just now, talk to the Lord about the truths of the lyrics.
1) Talk to Him about your experience of being "so completely guilty."
2) Talk to Him about when and how your guilt as caused you to despair.
3) Thank and praise Him for the gospel truth that our Judge is our Savior!
"To be so completely guilty
and given over to despair;
to look into your Judge's face
and see a Savior there:
Jubilee! Jubilee!
Jesus is our Jubilee!"
In your prayer time just now, talk to the Lord about the truths of the lyrics.
1) Talk to Him about your experience of being "so completely guilty."
2) Talk to Him about when and how your guilt as caused you to despair.
3) Thank and praise Him for the gospel truth that our Judge is our Savior!