It's Time For A Change Up

O LORD GOD, Who Inhabits Eternity,

The heavens declare Your glory,

The earth Your riches, The universe is Your temple;

Your presence fills immensity, Yet You have of Your pleasure created life, and communicated happiness;

You have made me what I am, and given me what I have;

In You, I live and move and have my being;

Your Providence has set the boundaries of my habitation,

and wisely administers all my affairs.

I THANK YOU for Your riches to me in Jesus,

for the unclouded revelation of him in Your Word,

where I behold his Person, character, grace, glory, humiliation,

sufferings, death, and resurrection;

Give me cause to feel a need for his continual mediation,

and to cry with Job, ‘I am vile,’ with Peter, ‘I perish,’

with the publican, ‘Be merciful to me, a sinner.’

Subdue in me the love of sin,

Let me know the need for renovation as well as forgiveness,

in order to serve and enjoy You forever.

I come to You in the all-prevailing name of Jesus,

with nothing of my own to plead, no works, no worthiness, no promises.

I am often straying, often willfully opposing Your authority,

often abusing Your goodness; much of my guilt arises from my privilege,

my low estimation of it, my failure to use them to my advantage,

But I am not careless of Your favor or regardless of Your glory;

IMPRESS me deeply with a sense of Your omnipresence,

that You are the lead to my path, my ways, my lying down, my all in my end.

~ The Valley of Vision // A collection of Puritan prayers

“O LORD GOD, Who Inhabits Eternity,”

Think on this for a moment. Who is it that inhabits eternity? It is Yahweh and God. But think on this deeper. Will we ever inhabit eternity as creations of God? What is eternity? Is it not everything that is outside of our time that is set in chronos (motion) with the universe? Therefore how are we enabled to inhabit eternity with God?

“The heavens declare Your glory,”

Are not the heavens declaring the history of how God enables man to enter his glory? Are they not given for times and seasons that are winding down toward that final day when we can see the entrance of this eternal glory? But who do they declare this glory already revealed in us? What do those lights shine upon in the purpose of Christ indwelling the creation?

“The earth Your riches,”

Why has God made the earth, that is, the third rock from the sun, the storehouse of his greatest riches? Why has he chosen to pour out the blessings of eternity upon this rock? Why is he laboring to refine the core of this planet as the economy of his glory?

“The universe is Your temple”

If the whole universe is his temple, then why does he tabernacle among the creations of the dust of the earth? Why does he choose to inhabit our praises when there is not a maverick molecule in the heavens, for there is more order in the solar systems of the billions of galaxies than there is in one man’s expression of thanksgiving in the clear testimony of these things?

Psalm 22:1–3 (NKJV)

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

“Your presence fills immensity,”

Therefore all these things speak of his presence, but (why) don’t they speak of his (favorable) presence in all these things?

Romans 1:18–25 (NKJV)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

“Yet You have of Your pleasure created life,”

Now think on this further. Did God cast away his pleasure in all these things because of sin?

Romans 8:18–21 (NKJV)

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

“and communicated happiness”

In what then did God communicate his happiness if the heavens declare the glory which shines down upon us his righteous wrath?

John 3:13–18 (NKJV)

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

“You have made me what I am, and given me what I have”

Truly for this, we should be thankful. We should bless the day we were born because we were given opportunity to call upon him for more! Do you seek to inhabit eternity with Yahweh? Do you see the immense need for more than what you are and what you have when you stare into the glory of the heavens of his righteous wrath?

“In You, I live and move and have my being”

Does everyone have the right to claim that they live and move and have their being (in him)?

John 1:12–14 (NKJV)

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Surely everyone has reason to worship for receiving life (by) him, but what gives the soul the right to claim that their being is in Christ when they have been given their being through the sin of Adam?

Psalm 51:1–6 (NKJV)

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

“Your Providence has set the boundaries of my habitation,”

Therefore how does the Providence of God limit the boundaries of those who inhabit and are inhabited by the favorable presence of God?

Acts 16:6–7 (NKJV)

6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.

“and wisely administers all my affairs.”

Do you quarrel with the Providence of God? Are you able to rest in how his sovereignty administers the affairs of the chronos (order) that he set in place for the cosmos?

“I THANK YOU for Your riches to me in Jesus,”

Therefore think again about the love with which God deposited his greatest treasure in the vessels of clay shaped out of the dust of this earth.

2 Corinthians 4:3–7 (NKJV)

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

“for the unclouded revelation of him in Your Word,”

Though the Word is often clouded by us, we have a more sure Word in the sufficiency and clarity of the written Word. But do you treasure it enough to deposit his Word in your own soul since God has given the earth his only Son, and not to the angels that flicker in the darkness of the heavens?

Hebrews 1:5–6 (NKJV)

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

Galatians 1:6–10 (NKJV)

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

“where I behold his Person, character, grace, glory, humiliation,

sufferings, death, and resurrection”

We cannot search for his Person in the heavens, for these do not declare his humiliation. And none of us enters or inhabits eternity apart from his humiliation.

Philippians 2:5–13 (NKJV)

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

“Give me cause to feel a need for his continual mediation,”

Do you understand what your sin cost him? Have you counted your life as nothing so as to gain his eternal mediation?

Luke 14:26–27 (NKJV)

26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Philippians 3:7–11 (NKJV)

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

“and to cry with Job, ‘I am vile,’ with Peter, ‘I perish,’

with the publican, ‘Be merciful to me, a sinner.’ “

Do you know what you are outside of Christ? And if you are a Christian, do you remember what you were before Christ?

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (NKJV)

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Colossians 1:19–22 (NKJV)

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

Ephesians 4:17–19 (NKJV)

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

“Subdue in me the love of sin,”

Do you seek to be crucified with Christ to sin? If you are baptized in Christ, do you still seek to put to death the sin in your members? Do you prefer the love of the community over the body of Christ?

1 Samuel 15:7–9 (NKJV)

7 And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

“Let me know the need for renovation as well as forgiveness,”

Would forgiveness be enough to satisfy the glory of God’s purposes?

Ephesians 1:3–6 (NKJV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

“in order to serve and enjoy You forever.”

For what purpose then does God forgive us if it’s not so that we can be made holy to inhabit eternity with him in his favor?

“I come to You in the all-prevailing name of Jesus,”

Have you contemplated the name of Jesus, which alone gives you access to the glories of eternity?

“with nothing of my own to plead, no works, no worthiness, no promises.”

What is it in you that has no merit to plea before God to be given the right to inhabit the favor of eternity?

Romans 3:9–20 (NKJV)

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” 13 “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways; 17 And the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

“I am often straying, often willfully opposing Your authority,”

What is it in our members that still lives and rises up to challenge God?

Romans 7:16–25 (NKJV)

16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

“often abusing Your goodness; much of my guilt arises from my privilege,”

How well do you do in making every opportunity of his grace count for the glory of Christ’s name?

“my low estimation of it, my failure to use them to my advantage,”

Why do we Christians need to grow beyond using grace to our own advantage to using it for the advantage of others? How does that, too, advance the glory of Christ?

“But I am not careless of Your favor or regardless of Your glory”

“IMPRESS me deeply with a sense of Your omnipresence,”

How will a deeper impression of God’s omnipresence enlarge your heart to expand your sphere of influence for the sake of increasing the range of the gospel of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love in the light?

Colossians 1:13–14 (NKJV)

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

“that You are the lead to my path, my ways, my lying down, my all in my end.”

John 3:19–21 (NKJV)

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John 9:4–8 (NKJV)

4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”