A Prayer to Remain Faithful to the End |
|
|
O Jesus, I Have Promised: John Ernest Bode It has long been the conviction of Christians that once we have truly come to Christ in repentance and faith, we can never fall away from that faith. Those who have been justified can never be unjustified; those who have been indwelled by the Spirit will never be abandoned by Him. Yet Christians have also agreed that it is possible for us to deceive ourselves and to deceive other people into thinking we have trusted in Christ when we have not. Hence we are told to be diligent in confirming our "calling and election" (2 Peter 1:10). Knowing that we can be self-deceived, we must examine our lives to ensure we are living as Christians are called to live — that we are putting sin to death, coming alive to righteousness, and finding ever-greater joy in our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And always we must pray that God would graciously preserve us by His Spirit so we can live in a way that is pleasing to Him, then finish our race well and go to be with Him forever. |
Observe The poet begins by affirming that he has promised to serve Jesus to the end of his life. But he knows this will not be easy, for in the second stanza he provides a long list of the enemies and temptations that will challenge him for mastery of his life. This is why, in the third stanza, he pleads with God to give him what he needs to overcome those challenges. By the end he turns his heart away from what he has promised and toward what Jesus has promised — the ultimate affirmation that He will, indeed, remain faithful. |
|
|
Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; O give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend! |
Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; O give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend! |
|
|
Pray O Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; Be Thou forever near me, My Master and my Friend; I shall not fear the battle If Thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway If Thou wilt be my Guide. O let me feel Thee near me, The world is ever near; I see the sights that dazzle, The tempting sounds I hear; My foes are ever near me, Around me and within; But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer, And shield my soul from sin. O let me hear Thee speaking In accents clear and still, Above the storms of passion, The murmurs of self-will; O speak to reassure me, To hasten or control! O speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul! O Jesus, Thou hast promised To all who follow Thee That where Thou art in glory There shall Thy servant be; And, Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; O give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend! ~ John Ernest Bode, "O Jesus, I Have Promised" |
|
|
Reflect John 12:26; 2 Peter 1:5–11. |
Apply Do you ever struggle with doubts about your salvation? Where do you turn for comfort when this happens? Instead of taking it for granted, it is good to take time today to pray to the Lord that, by His grace, you will persevere to the end. In addition to the encouragement of Scripture, it can be helpful to hear from others who might note evidence of grace in your life. Are there people who can speak into your life to tell you whether you are showing the marks of the Christian? If so, consider inviting their feedback today. |
|
|
Have you repented and put your faith in Jesus? It will show in how you live. If you wonder if your life shows demonstrable fruit, if you are worried that you've said the right words but not made following Him your passion, ask people who know you and love you enough to tell you! Then, come to Him and take Him as your Savior! ~ Devotionals Daily |
|
|
Explore the richness of Christian poetry |
Pilgrim Prayers: Devotional Poems That Awaken Your Heart to the Goodness, Greatness, and Glory of God |
|
|
+ Take $5 off $30+ with code FALL5 |
Tim Challies—author of Seasons of Sorrow—invites you into a treasure trove of devotional poetry from our spiritual forebearers. Throughout Pilgrim Prayers, you'll discover the poetic riches expressed through devotional prayers that celebrate the acts of God and marvel at his ways. This collection is designed for daily devotions and mediations and can be used for addressing specific topics in church gatherings or on special occasions. These prayers, devotional gems of past generations, will bless a new generation of Christians as they seek to grow in love and obedience to the Lord. |
|
|
This curated collection of 50 poems, which Challies has found over years of combing through volumes of poetry new and old, will offer you new language to express both joy and sorrow, praise and lament in any season of life. Each entry has an introduction reflecting on the prayer by Challies, helpful explanations of any difficult phrases or words, related Scriptures for study, and a question for application and reflection. |
|
|
What Happens Next Online Bible Study by Max Lucado |
What Happens Next Online Bible Study by Max Lucado |
Are we living in the end times? Join Max in the highly anticipated What Happens Next Online Bible Study and discover that for followers of Christ, the best is yet to come. Sign up now for FREE and get access to all 6 study videos with Max, an online community of people going through the study with you, and bonus end times resources. |
|
|
this devotion with someone who needs it today |
| |
*Sale price ends on 10/31/24 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available. Sale pricing excludes ebooks and audiobooks. Free Standard Shipping for U.S. orders over $35 excluding Alaska and Hawaii. *Offer valid until September 22, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET or while supplies last. Offer valid online and by phone only. Take $5 off your purchase of $30 or more with code FALL5, after promotions and discounts and before shipping and handling costs are applied. Shipping, gift cards, or customization of products does not qualify towards minimum purchase requirements. Receive free standard ground shipping on non-rush orders of $35 or more, valid within the 48 continental United States or to an FPO/APO address; offer does not apply to Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Territories, rush orders, or expedited shipping methods. Offer only available to customers in the United States age 18 and older. To redeem offer, enter promo code during online checkout or provide the code to a representative during phone orders. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with any other discount offer. FaithGateway reserves the right to de-activate the promo code in the event of fraud or technical issues and limit quantities of individual items eligible for purchase with this discount. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Not valid for resale *eBook and audiobook purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. Please note that: - To access your eBooks, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly in your browser by creating a Glose account using the same email address you use to purchase the eBooks.
- eBooks fulfilled through Glose cannot be printed, downloaded as PDF, or read in other digital readers (like Kindle or Nook).
- For more information about how to access eBooks purchased on this site, click here for our FAQs.
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment