Deliverance: Purpose: Prayers and Poetry

            Deliverance

            How often do we measure

            from the outside inwards

            struggling to achieve or at

            least survive in a 

            world conforming to

            present day Caesars'

            often in disguise.

            Holy Spirit guides

            from within our hearts

            showing mercy and grace

            bearing our burdens

            with counsel and strength

            patience and mercy

            offered every moment.

Psalm 18:50, "He gives great deliverance to His king, And shows kindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever."

         

Refuge:Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Refuge

Refuge

safety from avengers

wracked with grief

fury

place to plead

mercy

be heart heard

delivered

from evil

within and without

Refuge.

Protection: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Joshua 20

“These were the cities designated for all the Israelites and for the aliens residing among them…until there was a trial before the congregation.” Joshua 20: 9

Long before they settled the land, Moses had appointed cities of refuge according to the Lord’s directions. Now the time had come to implement the protection that would be necessary to uphold justice for both Israelites and aliens in their midst.

Refuge—not pardon.

Sins of error—not sins of deliberate intent.

Real justice—not revenge.

Time for adrenaline, and fury, and searing emotional pain, to subside from a roaring firestorm into a focused trial. To examine all the circumstances and separate out the innocent from the guilty before more death occurred.

Time for mercy to be examined both for the accused and the bereaved.

Time before time existed, before the foundation of the world, the Lord prepared a refuge for us in Jesus to give hope instead of death in the face of all sins. As a costly gift from God.

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scouring we are healed.” Isaiah 53: 5

Thank you, Lord, for the protection You offer us in all circumstances. Thank you for Your gifts of justice, and mercy, and faithfulness, when we do not deserve it and can never earn it. Thank you for Your deliverance from ourselves, both the enemies within and without. Thank you for

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 140: 7, 12

“O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer, you have covered my head in the day of battle.”

“I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy, and executes justice for the poor.”

Reflection Living Hope: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Is your understanding of living by faith all knowledge or experience or both?

2.     How does experience affect your faith decisions every day?

3.     Do you find acting in faith to be a choice or an instinctive response?

4.     In what kind of circumstances do you find one or the other to be more prevalent? Why?

Share: How has the Lord given you a new hope through deliverance recently?

Living Hope: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

We know we are grateful for the gift of forgiveness and grace that Jesus gave. And our minds understand the hope for eternity when the time comes. But how often do we recognize Christ’s living hope during days that are filled with stress or perhaps with a lassitude that numbs our senses.

In his devotional book, Faith’s Check Book, C.H Spurgeon continually challenges himself and his readers to take God’s words of promise to heart literally each day. To actually experience faith through relationship and not only knowledge.

“See! The Lord promises a present deliverance: ‘Now will I break his yoke from off Thee.’ Believe for immediate freedom and according to thy faith so shall it be unto thee at this very hour. When God saith ‘now,’ let no man say ‘tomorrow.’ C.H. Spurgeon

A living hope—in the present—hope now—new life—new beginnings—the awe of new birth—deliverance.

Lord, please keep our eyes and hearts open to Your life in us. Help us to spend our present days in the atmosphere of Your breath.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 32:7

“Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble;

Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance.”

Kingdom Manna

Grace

Romans 14:7, “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

For many centuries, in many nations, the code of rule included liege lords or stewards of monarchy or sultans. To these leaders the people under them brought tribute. Yearly supplies of food. Animals. Men when necessary to build or to fight. In return they received protection, justice, a measure of peace. A fair trade under honest leaders. A harsh existence under cruelty.

Supply and demand.

“For all the people to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” His kingdom over stretches all the earth over all the centuries over all that exists. He comes deserving everything we can garner. He comes with outstretched hands. But not to take—rather to give. Not a meager existence measured by whims of men and nature, but a richness of life immeasurable in content.

Supplication and deliverance.

For the asking. For a turning from the world’s methods to God’s. For simple words. Spoken in faith and trust and hope.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 116:18

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,

Kingdom Manna

Intercede

Acts 28:31, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Cowering in fear, behind locked doors, Jesus’ disciples hid. Cringing at each knock, burrowing into sorrow. Grief over His death, lost hope over dreams; their desire now only to hide from authorities and gossipmongers.

Preaching boldly before crowds. Teaching in the temple. Speaking publicly to their rules, elders, scribes and people. Uncowed by prison, unmoved by threats, unstopped by whippings.

Changed by the realization of Christ’s resurrection. Cloaked in the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples recognized and accepted the fact—the reality—of Jesus’ deliverance. Internal hindrances removed, exterior hindrances overcome; they spoke.

Push away my fears and timidity. Prompt me Lord to speak Your words openly as I follow Your leading. Nature proclaims You. No one can stop its witness to You. Help me to be as obvious.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 97: 6-7

The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.

All worshippers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in

worthless idols; all gods bow before him.

Kingdom Manna

Intercede

Luke 9:60, But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Time came for Israel to choose, again. Forty years of wilderness wandering ended. A generation died. Moses died, buried by God’s own hand. Go forward, they were told—into the Promised Land.

Did they hesitate? Did they remember the disobedience of their elders that had caused the wilderness wait? Did they anticipate the promises ahead, or cling to the dryness they knew?

To take the first step, Lord, requires a big gulp of air. No matter how faithful You remain. No matter the growing evidence of prayers You answer; the fear in me rises like a hot lava bubble.

Deliver me from faltering feet. From focusing on the ‘what ifs’ instead of Your victories. From clinging to the familiar, and missing the opportunity to grow.

Teach me Lord to proclaim Your deliverance. Teach me to go forward carrying with me all the words of Your successes.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 22:31

and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,

saying that he has done it.

Kingdom Manna

Hour

Matthew 8:12, “while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Driven by whips

and cords of wrath

deep in Egypt’s land. A people cried.

And God heard. He remembered.

With gifts of love and covenant.

He lavished them.

Land of milk and honey. A Law to serve.

And they prospered. And they forgot.

Dignity stripped. Dispossessed.

Exiled deep in Babylon.

On the river’s edge they cried.

And God heard. Again He restored.

Words of scripture. Prophets sent.

Hoped for Messiah stood

among them. Present.

And they were blind. They refused.

And God’s heart broke. And He cried.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 107:10-11

Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons

for they had rebelled against the word of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

Tabernacle

Brass

Sting of the serpent

brought death to Israel

in the desert.

Stain of sin

flows steadily

through the ages

through the cities

through hearts

corrupted, crusted.

Scorched Lamb

burnished judgment

brings deliverance.

Rev 1:15 “…his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace.”