Almighty God, I adore Your infinite patience, which has not cut me off in the midst of my follies; I magnify Your wonderful goodness, which has spared me thus long. Let me no longer abuse that precious treasure--time, which you have allotted me as a proper season to work out my own salvation, and secure that happiness which is great in itself, and infinite in its duration.
Let me bid adieu to all those vain amusements, those trifling entertainments and sinful diversions, which have robbed me of many valuable hours, and endangered the loss of my immortal soul. Let me no longer waste my time in ease and pleasure, in unprofitable studies, and more unprofitable conversation; but grant, that, by diligence and honesty in my calling, by constancy and fervor in my devotions, by moderation and temperance in my enjoyments, by justice and charity in all my words and actions, and by keeping a conscience void of offence to God and man--I may be able to give a good account in the day of judgment, and be accepted in and through the merits of Jesus Christ, my only mediator and advocate.
Amen.
(Hannah More, "The Book of Private Devotion")
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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6 comments:
A beautiful prayer, but do we really "work out our salvation"...for it is by grace we have been saved? I like to think I need to work out my bad habits of human nature caused by the fall of man by obedience to my Lord and the daily act of surrender.
I love your writings! Keep up the great work!
Hi Shannon. Amen! We do not work to earn our salvation, for it is by grace we are saved, through faith in Christ! But I do believe we work out our salvation in fear and trembling. Day by day, we grow in faith - and the obedience that comes by faith. Day by day we gain greater understanding of God's character and nature and strength, as well as our own weakness and utter dependency on Him! Day by day we pick up our cross, die to self and follow him!
Sam,very true indeed! We must have our own funeral everyday ...meaning... we die to self to gain Christ!
Awesome Sam! This is so important. A hard lesson learned, but well worth giving up the sinful ways of the flesh and world. Not an easy task always.
Thank you for your writings. You are an awesome brother in the Lord our God. May He adorn you with much Blessing.
We die to self to gain Christ! Amen! Self or Christ! You cannot have both! I love how Paul writes from his heart in this matter:
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Philipians 3:7-9
Omah. Thank you for your wonderful words of encouragement! They are true a spiritual gift to me!
It is my desire to see the Lord Jesus Christ lifted up so that all may come unto him, and also to encourage the saints who love Him!
I pray that we may continue to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith as we build each other up in the Lord!
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