The Anointed One

THE ANOINTED ONE

Read Isaiah 61:1-3

Read Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. Isaiah 61:1

The last of the Songs of the Servant is the greatest of all, in my opinion. I say this because it is the only one quoted by the lips of Jesus Himself. When Christ launched into His public ministry, He first preached in His home synagogue in Nazareth. The text He chose, the text for the synagogue reading of the day, was Isaiah 61:1-3. You can read about this in Luke 4:14-30.

This final song of the set of five presents Jesus as both the “anointed” (i.e., the Messiah; Christ) and as a preacher of the Gospel. Puritan Thomas Goodwin once commented: “God had only one Son, and He made Him to be a preacher.” Our anticlerical attitudes may buck at this truth, but it is hard to argue with Christ’s own assessment of His ministry, mission and message in life. Immediately after the sermon in the synagogue, Jesus clarified His calling for us:

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:42-43)

In this passage, Christ sets forth the three facets of Gospel ministry. We see them in the three sets of couplets, each containing two infinitive verbs (i.e., two statements each beginning with the word “to”). These are the three obligations of Gospel preaching.

First, we are to preach the forgiveness of sins (61:1), in particular “to bring good news to the poor” and also “to bind up the brokenhearted.” The parallelism of the Hebrew poetry here explains what Christ means. Those poor––both in spirit and in society––are the brokenhearted of the earth. These are the people spoken about in Christ’s Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11). These folks always respond more eagerly to the Gospel than do the healthy, the wealthy and the socially upscale. Perhaps we evangelicals are going after the wrong crowd––the affluent and comfortable suburbanite. Jesus trafficked among the poor: prostitutes, lepers, tax gatherers, Roman officials and mercenaries—the uncouth, unclean and uncool.

Second, we must preach the freedom from sorrow (61:2)––“to proclaim liberty to the captives” and “to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Jesus has in mind here the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-12). This was a 50^th year (a Pentecost) in which all debts were cancelled, all slaves were set free and all land was given a rest. It was a time of favor. Paul alludes to this when he speaks about Gospel mission: Please read 2 Cor. 6:1-2.

This favorable time of the Gospel dispensation offers us freedom from sin: its penalty, power, pollution, patterns, and finally, its presence (Galatians 5:1, 13). There is a joy that should mark Gospel proclamation––a spiritual jubilee!

Third, we are duty bound to preach the “foundation of social order” (61:2b-3). How? By preaching “to comfort all who mourn” and “to grant to those who mourn…the oil of gladness.” The Gospel does have social implications because God’s redemptive work forms the foundation for a new social order—a Gospel society. We can see this in the way the Gospel changed the West while the rest slept in misery’s darkness. We see it now as the Third World is being transformed by the Gospel, and as the New World (The City of God) appears on the horizon.

The Gospel is glorious and the Gospeller—Jesus Christ—is the Hero of it all! Slowly, but surely, He is completing His mission. Through the Spirit in the Church, He is “preach(ing) the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns” of the earth. Praise God the Father and Author of the Gospel, God the Son and Preacher of the Gospel, God the Spirit and Enabler of the Gospel for the new world order they are bringing about through their Good News—a new forgiveness, a new freedom and a new foundation for a better world!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Given the difficult financial challenges, pray for wisdom in CEP in making decisions regarding training and resources.

CC: Pray for the leaders of the Enrollment Management division: Rodney Miller, Dean of Records; Brad Voyles, Dean of Students; Brenda Rapier, Financial Aid Director; Roy Heintz, Athletic Director; Tom Schreiner, Director of Auxiliary Services.

MNA: Pray that God will encourage first generation Korean churches to engage in more second generation multiethnic church planting. Pray also for Korean Ministries Coordinator Henry Koh, as he works in leadership development with the second generation leaders.

PCAF: Pray that God will provide for the PCA Foundation’s own operational financial needs for 2009.

RH: Pray that the Lord will pour out His Spirit with such a blessing upon Ridge Haven and the PCA that there will not be room enough to contain it. This includes revival, conversions and new levels of commitment, faithfulness and service that are worthy of the price that has secured our justification, sanctification and glorification.

The Suffering Servant

THE SUFFERING SERVANT

Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Read Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Isaiah 53:4

The fourth Song of the Servant is the one from which the whole group receives its title: Songs of the Suffering Servant. In each of the songs, there is a progressive revelation of the Servant’s suffering that climaxes in the fourth (and what many believe to be the last) Song of the Servant. This passage (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) is considered one of the most magnificent chapters in all the Bible. Martin Luther wrote that this passage “ought to be written on parchment of gold and lettered in diamonds,” and then memorized by every Christian. The Puritan Thomas Manton said that this passage “may rather be called the Gospel than prophecy.”

The passage is wonderfully constructed like a “sandwich.” It comprises five stanzas: 1 and 5 speak of Christ’s glory; 2, 3 and 4 describe Christ’s suffering. Hence the “sandwich” structure of Glory—Suffering—Glory. Or, better yet, Heaven—the Cross— Heaven again.

First, Isaiah tells us about the prosperity of the Messiah. Not apparent to all (v. 14) but true nevertheless, this suffering servant will baptize (“sprinkle”) many nations. The Hebrew could also read “startle” the kings of the nations. Why? Because the unassuming suffering servant would turn out to be the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

But for a season, it would look quite the contrary (53:1-9). He would come from a very unspectacular background: carpenter’s home, Nazareth, poor folks, common stock. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Then, he would be homely, even unattractive. He would not fit the picture in our minds of the conquering hero. As much as a handsome ladies’ man and stud that David was, this Son of David would be the opposite. Third, Jesus would not be esteemed or honored among the Who’s Who of society. He was not held in high regard by most men. He would suffer, almost like a criminal. And He would not display any of the political power, personal charisma or privileged authority you’d expect in a Messiah. In fact, he’d be like a lamb led to slaughter. His weakness in the hour of testing would be…well frankly, quite an embarrassment to his family and disappointment to his followers.

But, to everyone’s surprise, the portion of his reward from God would be incredible (53:10-12)! He will be numbered among the great and enjoy the spoils of God’s warfare. In fact, he will be exalted above every great name. His name will become the name!

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11)

This is Isaiah’s description of “the way of the cross.” This is the way of salvation. And what Christ saves us by He saves us to. His atoning life of sacrificial service calls us to a life of that same suffering, sacrifice and service. The privilege of being redeemed is the honor of serving Christ.

I remember when I was a young military officer, a Colonel said to me once: “Ross, a career in the Army can be explained this way: a lifetime of thankless service sandwiched between the glory of commission and retirement.” That is one of the reasons I chose to exit the Army after two years of service. But, lo and behold, I have entered another warfare, as an officer in another army. Now, my life is a life of thankless service sandwiched between justification and glorification. But what a glorious life it is! It is the life of my Master. And, in the end, the benefits are worth the difficulty…glory!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Give thanks to the Lord for the PCA and for the vision and calling He has given to so many who serve the Lord through the Committees and Agencies of the church.

CTS: Pray that God will provide funds to cover all of Covenant Seminary’s operating expenses, student scholarships and other needs, so that this ministry may continue to be productive—by His grace and for His glory. (The Seminary’s fiscal year ends on June 30, 2009.)

MTW: Praise God for the recent graduation of over 20 church planters and evangelists serving in South East Asia, who have completed our theological training program over the past three years. Pray that the Lord will protect and sustain them as they encounter much discouragement, opposition and trials. Pray also that their ministries will bear much fruit for the Kingdom.

RUM: RUF seeks to reach students for Christ and to equip them to serve. The Lord is gracious in allowing his children to advance the Kingdom. Pray that this ministry will be kept humble and dependent on the Holy Spirit. Pray that in all decisions and actions, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be in-working and out-flowing.

RBI: RBI’s purpose is to help PCA employees achieve financial security. Pray that the staff will stay focused on the Core Values and that the Strategic Plan will help RBI to better serve the denominational needs.

Qualified To Redeem

QUALIFIED TO REDEEM

Read Isaiah 50:4-9

Read Isaiah 50:4-9

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught. Isaiah 50:4

In this third Song of the Servant, Jesus is portrayed as the Great Disciple. In fact, this is how the New American Standard Bible translates verse 1 of this song: “The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples.” And this little song shows us the qualifications necessary for one to be the Redeemer of mankind. If we were advertising for the job of Savior, what would we be looking for? God tells us in this second autobiographical Servant Song.

First, the Servant must possess a humble mindset. Please read Isaiah 50:4-5.

He must be characterized by four marks of a true disciple. First, he must be a learner, willing to model his life after God’s Word and Will. Second, he must be an encourager; one who uses words not as weapons but as balm for other weary souls. Third, the Servant must be a teachable man willing to change, grow and be shaped by One wiser than he. That is, he must be a good listener. Fourth, obedience must be the hallmark of the servant’s life. For this is always the preeminent qualification of disciples: They do what the Master commands. Obedience marks discipleship as genuine.

Second, the servant must possess a resolute spirit. He cannot give up if things get rough. He cannot quit if suffering results from discipleship. Please read Isaiah 50:6-7.

There appears here a reference to Christ’s passive and active obedience. Verse 6 points to the passive courage of Jesus Christ and His surrender to the passion of His atonement. They graphically predict the humiliating abuse Jesus forebears in Pontius Pilate’s palace. Verse 7 points to Christ’s active pursuit of the cross. Isaiah speaks of the Servant who would “set [his] face like flint” in doing God’s Will. Luke tells us that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). Servants of God are resolute in purpose: They will do God’s Will, come what may.

Thirdly, the Servant must possess a clear conscience. He is unafraid to stand before both God and men and be judged. Please read Isaiah 50:8-9.

This means that Christ (and Christians) are both accountable to others while ultimately judged by God. The test of time will prove the sincerity and the service of a servant of God (v. 9). Paul would put this truth before us in different words. Please read 1 Cor. 4:1-5.

Only the Gospel can transform selfish people into servants of Christ. Its power changes their hearts and their lives: The proud become humble, the insecure become teachable, words are no longer used as self-defensive weapons but to give grace to others, cowardliness is overcome by courage, a staying power appears where before we quit too easily, and, perhaps greatest of all, we are conscientious toward others but no longer slaves to their approval. Our consciences rest with God in Christ.

Servants are not born; they are made. And it is the grace of God that does the reno-vation––sinner to servant. “Behold, the Lord God helps me” (v. 9). Indeed He does. He saves us, and He saves us to serve Him.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of him

self more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each

according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:1-3)

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for CEP to be effective and missional in communicating the Kingdom perspective throughout all of the training and resources.

CC: Please pray for our international students, missionary kids and all diversity studentswho often face cultural challenges in their transition. Pray that Covenant, and especially those who work closely with the Cultural Diversity Program, will provide an environment that is open and comfortable, while celebrating and mirroring the varied texture of the world God has created. Pray that students can build relationships, gain support and encouragement, and experience true fellowship which looks out for one another while fully engaging and serving in the greater Covenant and Chattanooga communities.

MNA: Pray for Network of Portuguese Speaking Churches Coordinator Renato Bernardes, and for the churches in the network. Pray that the network will be strong in advancing God’s Kingdom through planting churches with a broad multicultural vision. Pray also that plans for their annual gathering in August will result in an event that is a great encouragement and time of equipping for the participating churches.

PCAF: Pray that God will be glorified in the day-to-day work and activity of the PCA Foundation and that the staff would be encouraged by their calling and be effective in ministry.

RH: Pray for increasing opportunities to serve individuals, families, PCA congregations, presbyteries, committees and agencies, including additional RUF groups, CEP, WIC, youth and children’s ministries, MNA, and MTW regional retreats and training opportunities.

Christ’s Autobiographical Song

CHRIST’S AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SONG

Read Isaiah 49:1-6

Read Isaiah 49:1-6

“But I said, ‘I have labored in vain.’” Isaiah 49:4

The second Song of the Servant is different from the first one. It is autobiographi-cal––the Servant speaks for Himself and about Himself. H. C. Leopold comments, “Some have suggested that the Servant, whoever he may be, is in reality telling the story of his life (Volz). Our approach to the problem of identity of the Servant is that he is in the last analysis none less than the Messiah”³⁰ I agree, and so in Isaiah 49:1-6, Jesus talks about the three phases of His life

His years of solitude (49:1-2)

His years of suffering (49:3-4)

His years of significance (49:5-6)

In His youth, adolescence and young adulthood, Jesus Christ, the Servant, was “hidden” by God from the world, in order that He might develop into the Savior of mankind (49:1-2). These hidden years of Christ are alluded to by only five verses in the Gospels: Luke 3:39-40 and Matthew 2:23 and 2:51-52. These were years of financial poverty, social obscurity, political oppression, sorrows of life in a fallen world and sinful family, and a myriad of human disappointments. Jesus suffered in all things like us. But these were also the years of self discovery and development, when Jesus slowly but surely came to grasp the full measure of His Messianic calling. In Luke, chapter 2, when Jesus visits the Temple in Jerusalem for His bar mitzvah, He comes to realize more fully his atoning life. When He sees the endless sacrifices and the river of lamb’s blood that flows from the altar of God, He realizes that He is the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world.

This forms the second part of this second Servant Song: The Years of Suffering (49:3-4). The sadness of these years almost overwhelms the Servant. He begins to muse: “has it been for nothing that I endured all I did to reconcile God and His people?” “No!” He answers. First of all, in the Suffering Servant, God is glorified (49:3). Luther was right. God is never more glorious than when He is in Christ dying on the cross to reconcile and redeem the elect. As well, “justice” is due the Servant. There is that ever-popular prophetic word mishpat; the idea of God’s perfect order installed on earth. (“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”) God cannot let His faithful servant go unrewarded.

Thus, the third part of the song: The future significance of the Servant’s life and mission (49:5-6). God “honors” Christ. His life will impact mankind more than any other person in human history, and His mission of suffering will transform the world. He will restore the people of God to divine favor. He will bring an end to all false religion. He will gather the elect together in the Church. He will bring the nations to salvation. And He will restore creation to its intended end…glory!

The One who suffers for God will be glorified by God. First the cradle, then the cross, and finally the crown. Such is the way of God, the way of the cross, the way of the Gospel life. We who suffer now will rejoice in the Kingdom yet to come. Christ knows our sorrows and sufferings; He has gone through them Himself. His promise to us is sure: “Suffer now for My Father; share My glory in the future…with Me.” The Suffering Servant offers hope to all God’s servants.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Ask the Father, by His gracious Spirit, to enable the staff of the Stated Clerk’s Office to serve the Church in wisdom and godliness as they handle a wide variety of needs and requests by PCA members and others. We need the wisdom and fruit of the Holy Spirit to be able to serve his people.

CTS: Pray for Brad Anderson, Covenant Seminary’s vice president for advancement, as he and his staff nurture relationships with Seminary friends and supporters, recruit promising new students to our pastoral training program, and seek new ways to walk beside and support our alumni as they engage in ministry.

MTW: Pray for strong missionary marriages, families and spiritual lives.

RUM: Much of the summer is spent equipping the staff of RUF. Please pray for the various training sessions held during the summer months. Pray that this time of learning and fellowship will be centered on the Gospel and leave the staff encouraged and strengthened. Pray that the instructors will be well prepared and able to communicate the goals and philosophy of ministry to the new staff members.

RBI: Gary Campbell, Mark Melendez and Harry Cooksey travel to Presbyteries, churches, conferences and schools to make presentations to those in leadership positions, as well as church and organization employees. Pray for traveling mercies and effective communication of PCA employee benefit plans. Also pray that those opportunities will continue to open.

The Servant’s Justice

THE SERVANT’S JUSTICE

Read Isaiah 41:21-42:4

Read Isaiah 41:21-42:4

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.

Isaiah 42:1

There are five wonderful poems in the Book of Isaiah that are known as “The Songs of the Servant.” They were first named as such by Bernhard Duhm in 1892. Duhm designated four servant songs: 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9 and, the most famous, 52:13-53:12. Many other Bible scholars see a fifth servant song in Isaiah 61:1-3. There are four “Canticles of Christ” in Luke: the Magnificat by Mary, the Benedictus by Zecharias, the Gloria in Excelsis by the Angels, and the Nunc Dimittis by Simeon; all of them foretelling the life of Jesus Christ. So too, there is a similar set of songs in Isaiah; all of them predict the Messianic ministry of Jesus Christ, God’s Servant.

Service to God is the theme of Isaiah. Both Israel and a mysterious “Suffering Servant” are seen throughout Isaiah’s message as “the Lord’s Servant.” We know this mysterious servant to be Jesus Christ. We know this because both the Gospels and the Apostolic writings reference these servant songs in Isaiah as prophecies that point to Jesus Christ and His redemptive mission.

This week we will look at these five Songs of the Servant to close out our 50 Days of Prayer. It seems that Israel was not a very good servant of God, despite being called “My servant” by God 14 times in Isaiah. Service to God is measured by three things: faith, obedience and righteous living. Israel failed on all three counts. What the people of God needed was one who would come, fulfill their duty to God for them, and set before them the model of a servant life. This is what Jesus Christ did. And these servant songs are quoted by Matthew, Luke and John to point to Jesus Christ. The essence of Christ’s life and ministry was that of service. This Jesus clearly states: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

In the first of these Songs of the Servant (Isaiah 42:1-4) the nature of the Servant’s life and ministry is set forth; it will be a life of “justice” (mishpat), a word used three times in the four verses and three sentences that make up this song. “Justice” (mishpat) carries with it the root meaning of “to govern” (shapat). This first Servant Song explains the three facets of Christ’s gracious government. The three basic meanings of mishpat have to do with the three functions of any good and balanced government: judicial, legislative and executive.

First, the Servant will render for God a just decision in a court case brought by God Himself against Israel. That case is set out in Isaiah 41:21-29: Israel worships false gods (idols), and they are guilty for doing so. The Servant (Christ) will render for God the judicial settlement that no god but God is real, and that the only way to know this true God is to behold Him in His Son, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 42:1). This is exactly what Jesus told us Himself: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

Secondly, the Servant will reveal God the King’s law (42:2, 3). His legislative duty is to show forth God’s proclamation (His euangelion or good news; a decree of a king) in Himself. As the Word made flesh (John 1:1-18) Jesus reveals God’s new law: the Gospel. This is first and foremost in Jesus’ earthly ministry (See Mark 1:14-15).

Thirdly, His executive function will establish a just order, a God-ordained government, known as the Kingdom of God. This is the third meaning of mishpat: a society under righteous and just law and order (42:4). The very ends of the earth (“the coastland”) wait for this government to make right all that is wrong and do justice where injustice has reigned for millennia. Of course, this pressing forth of the Kingdom of God and its Gospel government is the very essence of Gospel missions (Matthew 24:15). Edward J. Young comments on this law that changes the world:

This law refers to this servant’s teaching or doctrine which the servant will give

to the world. The content of this teaching is simply the Gospel itself.²⁹

This first Song of the Servant is a restatement of a wonderful promise given earlier. Please read Isaiah 9:6-7.

In a year when a new president takes office––one whose election has left America with mixed feelings about “the time for change”––it is comforting to know that all three branches of God’s government––judicial, legislative and executive––are in the competent hands of The Servant: Jesus Christ the Lord.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray for CEP staff and regional trainers as they work with local church leaders in equipping them with a kingdom framework for disciple making.

CC: Please pray for students, faculty and staff as they travel off-campus to locations throughout the world for study abroad and missions opportunities, including Break on Impact missions trips, May Term study abroad programs, and summer internships. Pray that they will learn to appreciate a new culture and be able to navigate cultural barriers. Pray that they will graciously interact with their hosts and share the good news of the Gospel with those they meet.

MNA: Pray for Dony St. Germain, Haitian Ministries Coordinator, for wisdom and strength as he oversees the planting of healthy, worshipping, and evangelizing Haitian churches both in the United Sates and Haiti. Pray also that the various short term opportunities available in Miami will attract many volunteers and be a blessing to the community.

PCAF: Pray for the men who will serve on the PCA Foundation’s Committee of Commissioners, that they will have a heart for and an understanding of the work and services necessary to help financially support God’s Kingdom, and that they will make wise and proper decisions regarding business referred to General Assembly.

RH: Pray for Administrative Assistant Christy Mitchell, as her responsibilities include helping the Guest Services Manager, the Ministry Director and the Executive Committee.

In Heavenly Places

IN HEAVENLY PLACES

Read Daniel 10:1-21

Read Daniel 10:1-21

The prince of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days. Daniel 10:13

In his letter to the Church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul informs the saints about the reality of spiritual warfare and the nature of the opposition the Church and each Christian faces:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:10-12)

These spiritual forces in the heavenly places (i.e., the spiritual realm of angels and the invisible but real dimension of the cosmos) wage a war against the Kingdom of God on several fronts. They harass and oppress individual believers, they attempt to deceive and discourage the Church and they lead astray the nations of the earth.

Angelology (the study of angels) has long debated over whether or not believers have assigned to each of them a “guardian angel.” Historically, the Church has believed this is so. I hold that view. We know that Churches have angels assigned to guard and preserve them. These angels are mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3. The word “messenger” in most English texts is really the Greek word angelos, rendered either “angel” or “messenger.” The English Standard Version translates it literally (“angel”), and is one of the few English translations unafraid to render the Greek in that manner.

In Daniel 10, we meet an even more startling revelation about angels. It appears that powerful angels––both holy and fallen––are assigned to nations by God to preserve them and by Satan to pervert them. In a massive vision that spreads from Daniel 10:1 to the end of the book, the prophet learns that “the prince of Persia” grappled with a heavenly messenger until Michael, the archangel, who is also the guardian of Israel (12:1), came to break the stalemate and release the messenger to speak to Daniel (10:10-14).

The Scripture seems to allude to some order of rank, power and glory among the angels. Lucifer, the devil and Satan, was a cherub in the angelic ranks, the “Son of the Dawn” or the “Day Star,” as he is called in Isaiah 14:12. Michael, the archangel, is the commander of the heavenly ranks of angels (Revelation 12:7). Then came the cherubim to carry the throne of God; followed by the seraphim to guard the throne of God; then “rulers” (principalities), “authorities” (powers) and “cosmic powers” (forces) seen in Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12. Last in line would likely be the “messengers” (like Gabriel and the “man” of Daniel 10), the “angels of the churches” (Revelation 2 and 3), and “guardian angels” especially of children, and the ones who aid us unseen or unknown (Hebrews 13:2).

Here is the sobering reality of life: As we pray, worship, work, witness and go about our daily lives as God’s people in the world, angelic forces fight all around us––from the White House, to your house of worship, to the nursery in your home. God’s heavenly forces are there to protect and preserve you, to strengthen and encourage you, and to push forward the Kingdom of God against evil’s spiritual forces.

The first Psalm in the Bible (Exodus 15) calls God “a Warrior” (in the ESV “a man of war;” Ex. 15:3). And with the Lord of Hosts (armies) goes forth the legions of angels from Michael to the guardian of the crib. We are not in this alone. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, and great is His army of heavenly watchers He sends to our aid. Praise the Lord for our powerful friends in heavenly places!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray for the Administrative Committee office staff: Bob Fiol, Assistant to the Stated Clerk; Angela Nantz, Operations Manager; Sherry Eschenberg, Meeting Planner; Priscilla Lowrey, Documents manager; Susan Cullen; Monica Johnston; Peggy Little; Ashley Cloud; Carla Schwartz; and Jeanne Dunham. Ask that in the day-to-day work of the Stated Clerk’s office each will demonstrate the mind of Christ.

CTS: Remember Covenant Seminary graduates serving as missionaries and church planters around the globe, especially those in areas that are actively hostile to Christianity, and pray that they will reflect the character of Christ in all they do, drawing many to eternal life in Him.

MTW: Pray that God will continue to bless and protect new believers, protect them from false teaching and cultural pressures, give them courage in persecution and bring them to maturity as disciples

RUM: Please pray for the RUF groups that continue holding meetings during the summer months. Pray that this unique opportunity to minister will be a time of fellowship and learning for those who remain on campus.

RBI: A number of our PCA churches have limited financial resources for providing benefits for their pastors and staff. Please pray that these congregations may be able to adequately supply their pastor’s compensation and benefits, especially during the difficult economic times.

A Prayer For Revival

A PRAYER FOR REVIVAL

Read Daniel 9:1-19

Read Daniel 9:1-19

We have sinned and done wrong, and acted wickedly and rebelled. Daniel 9:5

There are many prayers for revival in the Old Testament; prayers by Solomon, Ezra, Nehemiah, Habakkuk, the Sons of Korah and others. But no prayer for revival is as glorious as Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:1-19. The old prophet, now in his eighties, is in Babylon in 539 B.C., during the inauguration of a new administration: the rule of Persia under Darius the Mede (Cyrus). Daniel realizes that Jeremiah’s prophecy that had shaped the life of him and his three companions (now probably all dead) was about to be fulfilled. Please read Jeremiah 29:10-14.

So Daniel does what God said he should do: He seeks God’s face in earnest prayer for his own people. What is so wonderfully unique about Daniel’s prayer is the way he shapes his thoughts. He is able to summarize the seventy years of captivity under four grand thoughts.

First, Daniel states that it was the sin and rebellion of God’s people that caused this traumatic captivity. In particular, the people refused to listen to God’s prophets again and again. Their rejection of God’s word became their national sin.

Please notice that Daniel prays in the first person plural: “We” have sinned, done wrong, rebelled, acted wickedly and broken the covenant. Daniel includes himself in that “we.” He personally takes responsibility for the corporate sins of his ancestors: “for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers” (7:16). Daniel does not stand apart from his nation’s sins.

Second, Daniel acknowledges that God has ever and always been faithful to His Covenant. His love, mercy and loyalty to Israel are unquestioned. The Covenant had been broken by the Church but never abrogated by the Church’s God. God is faithful even when His people are not.

Third, Daniel remembers Deuteronomy 28-30 and Moses’ warnings that the Covenant carried with it both blessings and curses. The lawgiver had told the people that someday they would fall to ruin because they spurned the Covenant of Grace. Daniel admits that the people of God got what they deserved. They had been forewarned.

Fourth, Daniel asks God to forgive, revive and restore the people to faith and to return them to Jerusalem and the promised land for one reason: “Delay not for your sake, O My God, because your city and your people are called by your name” (7:19). It is primarily for God’s glory that Daniel asks God to complete His word and fulfill Jeremiah’s prophecy. The nations will see it and will honor God for His faithfulness to both His promise and His people.

I used to meet monthly for lunch with the late John Reed Miller, a true churchman and the retired minister of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi. My day for lunch with him was, like clockwork, the third Thursday of every month. And every time I dropped him off at his Belhaven apartment after lunch, he’d take me by the hand and say to me: “Mike, the church will not see revival until the people of God take responsibility for the corporate sins of America.” It was like a mantra––every month the same profound reminder.

How does the Church do this? Look to Daniel’s example. First, humility: We pray not in anger, self-righteousness or frustration about “those dirty pagans.” We pray as broken people who say, “Lord, these are our sins! Why, 78% of all abortions are by Church people. Racism is rife in our congregations. Our marriages end in divorces by the same percentage as the world. We have sinned with our fathers and with our neighbors.”

Second, we intercede for our people. We ask for forgiveness, for reviving, for reformation, for restoration to favor and for a release from captivity to our culture. We ask God to deliver our double-minded souls from the things we love about Babylon.

Finally, we ask God to refine and repolish His glory in us. His name we have drug through the American mud, especially for the last 70 years since the Roaring Twenties. It is time, we think, for God to rise up and reclaim His honor in our land, the honor we sacrificed to the gods of this age.

“The Church will not see revival until the people of God take responsibility for the corporate sins of America,” and until it begins to pray for America like Daniel prayed for Israel.

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

CEP: Pray that God will enable CEP to continue to help churches develop a strong PCA men’s ministry.

CC: Pray for the continued safety and security of our campus, especially with so muchcampus violence in the past few years around the country.

MNA: Pray for Leadership and Ministry Preparation (LAMP), led by Brian Kelso, for their learning sites and for the students and their families as God continues to move them through the LAMP program.

PCAF: Pray for the PCA Foundation’s Board of Directors, that their focus will continue to be on helping to financially support God’s Kingdom.

RH: The continuation of Ridge Haven’s services depends on the number of people we serve. Just as an increase allows us to expand ministries and services, so also do decreases hinder our ability to maintain equipment, facilities and sufficient staff to do the job. Pray that all will be done in such a way as to bring all glory and honor to the Lord.