Pray for President Bush - Day 1626

Dear Heavenly Father, we come before Your throne of grace tonight acknowledging that we are unworthy to be in the presence of a Holy and Righteous God, and we ask forgiveness for any sin that stands in the way of fellowship with You. We praise You, Triune God, Creator of the Universe and Blessed Redeemer.

We bring before You once again, our President, and brother in Christ, George W. Bush, thanking You for his strong testimony of a heart that was changed by Your love. We thank You that he continues to lift Your name up in prayer daily, and that he seeks guidance and wisdom from Your word. We ask that You would bless the time he spends with You each day and give him strength, enriching his spirit for the task with which You have entrusted him. We thank You for the many things that are happening around the world for the cause of freedom because of his steadfastness of mind, and the peace in his soul that he is doing the right thing. We thank You for the newfound freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the movement towards democracy in Lebanon and Egypt. We know that the safety of Your chosen people in Israel is dependent on the stability of the nations around it, and we thank You that You have given President Bush a vision for the people in that region. We ask that You continue to guide his steps as he leads this nation in righteousness, and we pray that the eyes of the American people might be opened to the way that we must take.

Father, we continue to pray as well for our troops who are serving this nation throughout the world, but especially for those who are in harm's way in Afghanistan and Iraq. We pray that the terrorists would soon be completely defeated in those two countries and that stability and peace would reign. We pray for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, that they would be open to the love of Your Son, Jesus, and pray that those who share it there would be empowered by Your Holy Spirit, and might radiate Your love where there once was darkness.

We pray for the families of those who are far from home. We pray for the protection of our troops from injury and death, and we also pray for those who have returned home that they might adjust to lives very different from those they left behind, and that You would help their relationships, and their adjustments to jobs and school, and the everydayness of life.

And finally Father, we continue to pray for this nation. We know that we have taken the wrong path in so many ways, and we ask Your forgiveness. We pray for Terri Schiavo, that her life would be spared, and that those who have become complacent regarding the sanctity of human life would be awakened to the importance of the value of each life. We pray that the horror of abortion might soon come to an end, and we pray for righteous judges that will honor life in their decisions. We pray for each member of Congress that they would be honorable, and live up to their oaths of office. We pray for each member of the President's cabinet that they would be open to Your leading in everything they do. All this we ask in the precious name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen!

AMEN OHIO AND AMEN ALL!
GRACE,BLESSINGS,PEACE,LOVE AND INFINITE MERCY TO ALL BRETHREN!

CHAPTER VIII.
Of Christ the Mediator.
I. It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only-begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and men, the prophet, priest, and king; the head and Savior of the Church, the heir or all things, and judge of the world; unto whom he did, from all eternity, give a people to be his seed, and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.

II. The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof; yet without sin: being conceived by he power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

III. The Lord Jesus in his human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure; having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell: to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety. Which office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father; who put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.

IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which, that he might discharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified and died; was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day he arose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered; with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.

V. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father; and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.

VI. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated into the elect, in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpant's head, and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being yesterday and today the same and for ever.

VII. Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures; by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes, in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.

VIII. To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same; making intercession for them, and revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey; and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit; overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdon, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.

THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION!

"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the
spices thereof may flow out."
- Song of Solomon 4:16

Anything is better than the dead calm of indifference. Our souls may
wisely desire the north wind of trouble if that alone can be sanctified to
the drawing forth of the perfume of our graces. So long as it cannot be
said, "The Lord was not in the wind," we will not shrink from the most
wintry blast that ever blew upon plants of grace. Did not the spouse in
this verse humbly submit herself to the reproofs of her Beloved; only
entreating him to send forth his grace in some form, and making no
stipulation as to the peculiar manner in which it should come? Did she
not, like ourselves, become so utterly weary of deadness and unholy calm
that she sighed for any visitation which would brace her to action? Yet
she desires the warm south wind of comfort, too, the smiles of divine
love, the joy of the Redeemer's presence; these are often mightily
effectual to arouse our sluggish life. She desires either one or the
other, or both; so that she may but be able to delight her Beloved with
the spices of her garden. She cannot endure to be unprofitable, nor can
we. How cheering a thought that Jesus can find comfort in our poor feeble
graces. Can it be? It seems far too good to be true. Well may we court
trial or even death itself if we shall thereby be aided to make glad
Immanuel's heart. O that our heart were crushed to atoms if only by such
bruising our sweet Lord Jesus could be glorified.
Graces unexercised are as sweet perfumes slumbering in the cups of the
flowers: the wisdom of the great Husbandman overrules diverse and opposite
causes to produce the one desired result, and makes both affliction and
consolation draw forth the grateful odours of faith, love, patience, hope,
resignation, joy, and the other fair flowers of the garden.
May we know by sweet experience, what this means.

C.H.SPURGEON!

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

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