Cosmos

Righteousness by faith isn’t the ‘new’ Gospel, but it is the Gospel.

It seems new to alot of believers because so much mixture had infiltrated our teachings since people started to doubt the goodness of God, His unmerited favor of granting us justification by faith, Jesus’s faith.
When I share the gospel of grace with the new Christians friends I come across, they often look at me strange, a girl from the far east preaching the Gospel in the wild west, in ways that contradict from what they have been learned in their own neighbourhood churches.
The surprise look on their faces saddens me, of how much they have been missing out, from the liberty of God’s truth, the truth of His grace. The riches of God’s grace, the unending supply of our heavenly inheritance. And most importantly, the rest we receive from knowing that we are effortlessly established by God’s grace and not by our self-preservation.

I pray for the Gospel of Grace to breakout here in Europe too. Grace is the source of revival, just as it is the source of our life and salvation, which has to first outbreak within the churches. Restoration and renewal of the mind  to begin within the members of Jesus’s Body, we have to be well-fed (believe right) before we can have the strength to feed others (with the right beliefs). Preach undiluted Grace and you will be magnifying Jesus. Preach Jesus’s obedience and people will be set free. Preach God’s unmerited favor and people will fall crazy in love with Jesus and His body like never before, knowing just how much God loves them unconditionally, regardless of their performance. Preach Grace and people will start regining in life and in health, minds and bodies made whole.

Thank You Papa, for giving us this precious truth about who You are and what it truly means to be Your Child, about who we are, our position and identity in Christ. Thank You Papa that Your Grace is soverign as well here in Europe and You have great plans for the churches here, there will be extreme ‘renovations’ of minds and hearts, at the revelation of Grace. Let our knowledge of Your Grace and Truth be ever-increasing and ever-intimate, that is true to Your nature of unconditional love. Thank You Lord, in Jesus’s name, amen.

For wisdom during exams:
His Wisdom is more than enough for me!

For favor in exam questions:
His Grace is more than enough for me!

For favor in marking my assestments:
His favor is working through the hearts of my lecturers!

For peace while answering questions:
His Peace governs my heart and mind! He gives me rest all around.

Thank You Papa for the restful increase this Thursday! I rest, You work through me. Thank You Papa for the soundness and clarity of mind, legible handwritting and a confident expectation of good!
You are exceedingly able and willing to help me with the questions, I know I will be able to complete all the questions in time and favor in the spotted questions!

Don’t worry, this is not another prayer for you singles to remain single! This is a prayer to get you hitched.

Ask and you shall be given, speak blessings into your future, speak what you like to see in your own life! Blessed are those who believed, before they see, and one speaks from the heart of what one believes!
The prayers of the righteous avails abundantly and the desires of the righteous shall be granted!

This is my prayer just for each of you as an encouragement and reminder that you will meet your mate or get attached soon - if you believe you have met your ideal partner. Receive and believe, only if you desire so ;) And yes, it is God’s will for every of His children to get attached because marriage is the most intimate and closest representation of our union with Christ, our heavenly groom - on earth, as it is in heaven!

Okay so moving on..

• Thank You Father for every of Your precious kids, thank You for blessing them with a wonderful marriage that will be like heaven on earth.
• Thank You Father for blessing them with a mate who is so full of Jesus, full of Grace and Truth.
• Thank You Father for blessing them with a lover, who is an offspring of Your Love, who is enabled through Your Love, to love the way Jesus loves His Bride - like His own flesh.
• Thank You Father for a mate with a servant heart, who understands the blessings and honour of serving, of washing each other’s feet the way Jesus washes ours.
• Thank You Father for preparing a mate who is a pointer to Christ, who will be so faith-full of Jesus’s faith to cast their burden together back to Him, and the joy of the Lord will be His strength to carry the other when one is weak.
• Thank You Father for a mate who is emotionally available and vulnerable to share their deepest thoughts and feelings.
• Thank You Father for placing them at the right place and right time, where they will finally meet and embark on one of the most fulfilling relationship they can ever dream of.
• Thank You Father for blessing them with a relationship that exceeds above and beyond than what they can ask for.
• Thank You Father for protecting and reserving their mates from all evil.
• Thank You Father for surrounding their relationship with Your favor.
• Thank You Father for establishing their relationship on Christ-alone, on Grace alone.
• Thank You Father for what You have begun by Grace, will be maintained and accomplished by Your Grace too.
• Thank You Father for blessing them with such attractive partners, that when they see them, they will say ‘Father, Father, why have You so blessed me!’
• Thank You Father for paying the ultimate price for the ultimate relationship through the finished work of Jesus, theres no need for us to toil for one or even strive to be the one, we just rest in our complete identity in Christ.
• Thank You JESUS!
• Let everyone be merry and married in Your glory. Amen!

I met Levi today on the busy streets on Newcastle, and it was raining hailstones. He was seated outside the bank, with a black trash bag which I assume to be his belongings. When I encounter the homeless, I feel helpless as what can I do to help them out of their situation. Then I thought, instead of buying this particular homeless person coffee, maybe I can pray for him instead.

So I squatted next to him and asked about his background and thats how I knew he’s homeless, a believer on his own accord, and his name as Levi. I asked if there’s anything he would like to be prayed for. He shook his head. Not even a home? I wondered to myself. So I suggested to pray for him a stable home and shelter, and he agreed. I was actually quite surprised by his lack of resistance, and expectations too, as though he has given up all his desires, even though he still believes in Jesus.

While praying, I looked directly into his deep sunken eyes. Initially he was distracted by the passerbys, but as I prayed on, I could sense an atmosphere of peace and grace descended on him. The hailstones also also grew lighter and lighter.

I wish I could do more for him, but God is able and our prayers are a way of entering into His rest, by casting our cares to Him, and to raise our expectations in His Grace to fulfill our needs, hence, lightening the burdens on our shoulders.

Hope my account would encourage you pray anywhere, anytime and for anyone :)
There may not be instant results but God is always working behind the scene. We believe before we see, we speak forth in the authority of Christ to command what we desire to see, and by praying for others, we are also showing them that God personally cares for them, He is not ashamed of their situation and loves them with unconditonally.

I anticipated the dawning of the morning and cried [in childlike prayer]; I hoped in Your word. — Psalm 119:147 (AMP)

I laid in my bed for hours, and finally decided to let down the walls of my heart, pulled my bedsheets over my head and spoke to the Holy Spirit like the most perfect friend I know. We had a genuine pillow talk and He listened with all His heart.
In between sobs, I spoke like a child, vulnerable with my hurts and disappointments, the Holy Spirit listened intently. I couldn’t see Him but I believe He is there, and continued to probe me about how I felt about the incident. He was interested to know how I feel, and what I think, He just want me to let them out, to entrust Him with the secrets of my heart.
Holy Spirit, gently probed me, and I verbally shared with Him. He understood with no condemnation and comforted me. I felt waves of goosebumps, and His comforting presence.
My mind started to pound due to all the crying, and I just asked in my heart for Him to relieve the pain. Almost instantly, the pain went away.

We can share with this Helper,Comforter, Spirit of God, with our deepest desperations that we can tell to no one, as we trust Him with those secrets, at the same time, He heals our pain.

The Spirit of God is closest in the sense, most tangibly felt, by the contrite hearts, to the wounded and brokenhearted, because that’s when He is the most welcomed.

You too can welcome Him into the private space of your heart today, where no one was allowed to trespass, where it is heavily guarded with all your might, He long to be there and be your true friend. Just ask Him in, and you will receive. The Holy Spirit is like a river of water that flows, refreshes, regenerates, and drench you with God’s love.

The Holy Spirit is our best friend, in Spirit and in Truth. A real gentleman, a gentle dove, a priceless gift and a promise from Jesus before His departure to heaven, to be our companion in His place . Thank You Holy Spirit for tonight.

Be greedy, be a generous receiver, be bold, be confident, be radical, be outrageous, be hopeful…in your prayers.

Ask, and keep asking for more of the qualities you can think of, speak those blessings into his/her relationship and into your future.

God will grant above and beyond, than whatever you can ask and imagine. Ask, believe and receive. Don’t be afraid to keep your hopes up in Christ. God gave you those desires and dreams for a reason. You are worthy of every good thing. You will be granted your heart’s desires in Jesus’s name :)

I don’t know about you, but for me, at my most desperate moments, I often cry out to God in prayer. My tears are my genuine heartfelt prayer. Because I don’t know what are the right words to pray over myself and sometimes praying in tongues wasn’t suffice. I had to weep to my heart’s content like a little child in my Abba’s arms. Some of us may think that crying before God is childish, but I think it’s being real and genuine with God. Being real to admit our helplessness. Being real to admit our true feelings. Being real to let God know, we can do nothing without His Grace, the situation is irreversible without His intervention. And thank God, there’s another woman in the bible who did the same. Her name is Hannah. She was praying in great distress and desperation, because of her barrenness, which is also her greatest area of weakness and helplessness. She could do nothing to reverse her barren womb, it was beyond her control that she could not be pregnant. It was against her will to be barren. It was against her own ability to bear a child. So she turned to the Lord, knowing only He can graciously help her. Notice how Hannah was praying earnestly, yet it wasn’t audible, because she was just praying in her heart. 1 Samuel 1:10-18 (AMP)

And [Hannah] was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly. She vowed, saying, O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid and [earnestly] remember, and not forget Your handmaid but will give me a son, I will give him to the Lord all his life; no razor shall touch his head.And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli noticed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Eli said to her, How long will you be intoxicated? Put wine away from you. But Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I was pouring out my soul before the Lord.  Regard not your handmaid as a wicked woman; for out of my great complaint and bitter provocation I have been speaking. Then Eli said, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him. Hannah said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So [she] went her way and ate, her countenance no longer sad.

Matthew 18:1-4 
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(NIV Bible)

In this scripture passage, Jesus calls us to become like little children. The call isn’t to be childish, but to simply be child like. Young children know that they are needy. They look to their parents to provide everything that they need and want…food, clothing, shelter, teaching, activities, guidance and even discipline. They are like love sponges, having the capacity to soak into their little bodies as much love as we can give them. They live for hugs and kisses and meaningful touch, an intimate connection that affirms them and tells them that they are welcome into this world and that they are greatly loved.

Jesus calls us to become like little children. Since Jesus says that becoming child-like is a pre-requisite to entering the Kingdom of Heaven, we should take note of another characteristic of a little child. Simple faith. Little children have the faith to simply believe that they will receive what they need when they need it. They don’t worry about it, they don’t strive over it, they simply expect it.

When my youngest daughter Candice, was very small, she was completely confident that I had an unlimited supply of personal finances for her to draw from. Whenever she wanted something extravagant, she would tell me just to go to the bank and get the money, because they had lots. “Just go to the bank dad” she would say. I think in some ways that God wants us to relate to him like my daughter, Candice related to me.

No worries, no striving, just complete confidence in the ability of her father to meet her needs. While my little girl did not always get what she wanted when she wanted it, I couldn’t help but to delight in her boldness and her complete trust in me. As you read this devotional, my challenge to you is to simply let yourself become very little. The expectations in the world we live in are often to be very grown up. While maturity and responsibility are wonderful attributes, for a moment, set aside the strong, self-sufficient, independent you and allow yourself to become very small and needy before God.

He wants to pick you up, give you a hug, and whisper your name in your ear. You are his child, and he is your Father. This is your destiny, this is what you were created for. When you let Him love you in this way, as a father loves his little child, you will begin to realize that you are still a love sponge, and the need for love and affirmation that you had as a little child is still there within you. When we allow ourselves to be embraced by God, we begin to see that this is what we have been looking for all our lives. We may have searched for it in careers, relationships, and in many others things, but we only find it in one place…the arms of our Heavenly Father.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I pray that you would give me the grace to become more childlike. I want to walk in the simplicity of faith that allows me to trust you wholeheartedly for all my needs. I want all that is within me to cry out Abba Father just like Jesus did. In the name of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

—
Father’s Love Letter Devotional Series #1 of 53

(Source: fathersloveletter.com)

God I need an emotional and spiritual reboot.