From the beginning of creation and from ages past and
even till this present age, God loved His pure, undiluted fellowship with His
men; and the plan to dwell and walk with them. He has always desired that man
will turn away from his wicked ways - sin (which has always been a brick wall
after the fall of man) and turn back unto Him - his Creator. In His mercy and
uprightness, He provides men with the benefit to repent. But men tend to misuse
this given opportunity, forgetting that this time of repentance is very
limited; forgetting that there are consequences to their disobedience.
Matthew 4:17 - New International Version (NIV)
17 “From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven has come near.”
Let's Take a cue from the lives of such men from the scriptures to ask God for mercy on our men of courage (Remember what
the Word of God says in Romans 15:4 & 1 Corinthians 10:11)
Adam – Genesis 3:1-9, 17-20 (TLB)
Esau – Genesis 25:33; Genesis 27:34; Hebrews
12:16-17
Judas – John 13:21-30
Prayers For Our Brothers - His Men of Courage that He has brought to Calvary
Romans 2:1-11 (ICB) “If
you think that you can judge others, then you are wrong. You too are guilty of
sin. You judge people, but you do the same bad things they do. So when you
judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty. 2 God
judges those who do wrong things. And we know that God’s judging is right. 3 You
judge those who do wrong, but you do wrong yourselves. Do you think you will be
able to escape the judgment of God? 4 God has been very kind
to you, and he has been patient with you. God has been waiting for you to
change. But you think nothing of his kindness. Perhaps you do not
understand that God is kind to you so that you will change your hearts and
lives. 5 But you are hard and
stubborn and refuse to change. So you are making your own punishment greater and
greater on the day God shows his anger. On that day all people will see God’s
right judgments. 6 God will reward or punish every person for
what he has done. 7 Some people live for God’s glory, for
honor, and for life that has no end. They live for those things by always
continuing to do good. God will give life forever to them. 8 But
other people are selfish and refuse to follow truth. They follow evil. God will
give them his punishment and anger. 9 He will give trouble and
suffering to everyone who does evil—to the Jews first and also to the non-Jews.
10 But God will give glory, honor, and peace to everyone who
does good - to the Jews first and also to the non-Jews. 11 For
God judges all people in the same way.”
With a grateful heart O Lord, we come on behalf of
Your Men of Courage. Thank You for Your kindness that has been upon them and
upon us. Thank You for the provision of Your mercy that Jesus Christ has made
available to us all when we come to cry with our repentant hearts. Thank You
Father for the victory that You have bestowed upon us through Your Son, which
enables us to run back to You every time like the prodigal children. Let’s ask for mercy now for ourselves as well as the
men of courage and plead that God’s gracious hands will be all around us, so
that His wrath of judgement does not befall us. In Your kindness – in Your patience – in Your waiting
for Your men of courage to change their ways, please let the Holy Spirit
constantly beat on the door of their hearts for a change. May their hearts not
be closed – hardened against Your will and against Your instructions, O God. Help them Holy Spirit to take a step of faith to repent
from every despicable way of theirs; help them to take every opportunity of
repentance now before it is too late. Open their eyes Yourself Holy Spirit, to
see the need of repentance; help them to see the provision that the death of
Jesus on the cross has brought all His men into. A hardened heart – a stubborn heart – a heart that
refuses to change, You do not desire Lord, for it brings punishment upon a man
and could result unto everlasting damnation (as in the case of Judas),
therefore, save Your men of courage as the grace is available for them now;
please come to their rescue as we plead! Help them to see and cry unto You concerning their shortcomings/weaknesses/imperfections
and give them a sorrowful, humble, sincere and sober heart.
2 Peter 3:9 (AMP) – “The
Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but
is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for
all to come to repentance.”
Lord, we know that at so many times,
You are patient with us, with Your men of courage. The Holy Spirit in line with
our souls testifies of this to us. So Holy Spirit, please do not relent to
deliver us – Your men of courage, from procrastination. Help them to see
‘procrastination’ as a deadly and poisonous venom, which needs instant,
immediate action (else the victim dies). It was too late to repent for so many
of Your ancient-men in the past (e.g. Esau, Samson). Jesus, thou Son of the
Living God, may it not be too late for Your men of courage this day to change
their minds; send forth Your end-time prophets - Nathans, Jonahs, Jeremiahs, Ananias – to call
Your men of courage to repentance, as that day draws near and the end of time
is short. You used a donkey for Balaam – please use anything, everything,
within Your power to turn them away from this road of perdition.Lord Jesus, You touched the heart of
Zacchaeus, who received Your grace of forgiveness and also forgiveness from
men. The repentance of Zacchaeus brought salvation for his life and his
household, which came to be through the actions he took. Therefore, touch their
hearts to know that true sorrow can only lead to genuine repentance; remove
every pride of the heart (with the sharpness of Your sword – the Word of God) that
makes a man to look equally unto his Maker when You call him to repentance
(like Eli said, “It is the Lord, let him
do what seemeth him good").
Matthew 9:13 (KJV) – “Jesus said, ‘But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have
mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance.”
1. When strong
temptations surround me
And the world's tempest faceth me,
And Satan came in like a friend,
Pushing strong for me to fall.
Refrain:
And the world's tempest faceth me,
And Satan came in like a friend,
Pushing strong for me to fall.
Refrain:
Saviour, please fail not to call me
As thou didst Adam in Eden;
Saying ‘Where art thou O sinner?’
That I may be saved from ruin.
As thou didst Adam in Eden;
Saying ‘Where art thou O sinner?’
That I may be saved from ruin.
2. When Satan comes with his deceits,
Showing heights of worldly fame,
For my heart to bow and worship,
Just to gain worldly acclaim.
Showing heights of worldly fame,
For my heart to bow and worship,
Just to gain worldly acclaim.
