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There is often an obvious broad gap between those who are the children of Lord and those who embrace the world as their master. There are sometimes those who claim to be part of the family of God but they fall short of authenticity and cannot produce the evidence of birthright.

One key measure for authenticity is faithfulness. The child of the King seeks to be known for their faithfulness to the One who loves us the most.

Paraphrased from the “Valley of Vision,” I offer a prayer for faithfulness:

O Lord,
Grant us always to know that to walk with Jesus makes other interests a shadow and a dream.

Keep us from intermittent attention to eternal things;

Save us from the delusion of those
who fail to go far in faith,
who are concerned but not converted,
who have another heart but not a new one,
who have light, zeal, confidence, but not in Christ.

Let us judge our walk with the Lord,
not only by our dependence upon Jesus,
but by our love to Him,
our conformity to Him,
our knowledge of Him.

Give us a faith that is both real and maturing,
That perseveres and grows stronger,
That lives and works in the Spirit,
That profits by every correction,
That is injured by no carnal indulgence.

Lord our King, grant us grace to be faithful to You.

There are somethings that are of such value that we cannot forget. Barring an organic disorder that corrupts our mental capacity, the believer is vested with grace, the passion and strength to reveal His glory. By His divine power we are given all things, all the grace, necessary for life and godliness.

Consequently, I cannot forget how my gracious Lord has
-forgiven all my iniquities,
-healed all my diseases,
-redeemed my life from destruction,
-crowned my life with lovingkindness and tender mercy,
-satisfied my mouth with good things,
-renewed my spirit like that of a soaring eagle’s.

Lord, may Your Word govern every part of my life,
and regulate the discharge of all that is on my plate,
so that everything I do is adorned by Your truth and reveals Your glory.

Valley of Vision p.211

The flood of obligations and distractions too often seems to overwhelm any sense of the Lord’s presence. My mindset is such that I think I am indispensable and the pride of life becomes a relentless, non-achievable quest.

When that occurs, it is time to step back up on the high ground of Lord’s grace and reset “the mind on things above and not on things of the earth.”

My prayer today goes like this:
O Lord,
“Flood my mind with peace beyond understanding;
May the meditations be sweet,
May the acts of worship be life, liberty and joy,
May my drink be the streams that flow from Your throne,
May my food be the precious Word,
May my defense be the shield of faith,
May my heart be more knit to Jesus.” (Valley, p. 194)

Governor Jindal Signs Pro-Life Bill Requiring that Mothers Considering Abortion to Be Informed of their Rights. See story below.
 
MONROE – Governor Bobby Jindal today signed HB 636 by Rep. Frank Hoffmann into law, part of the Governor’s 2011 legislative package which will protect the life of the unborn by requiring that women are informed of their specific legal rights and options before they undergo an abortion procedure.
 
Governor Jindal said, “We already make sure criminals know their rights. Before police arrest someone they inform them of all their rights under the law, so it’s only common sense that we would do the same for women before they get an abortion. Women deserve to know their legal rights and the protections already afforded to them under the law, and we are confident that the more they know, the more they will choose life. We must foster an even greater culture of life in Louisiana – one that recognizes that those who are last will be first, and that it is incumbent upon us to do everything we can to protect the weakest and most vulnerable among us.”
 
Rep. Hoffmann said, “I was proud to work with Gov. Jindal in passing HB 636 to protect Louisiana women and unborn children. This law will empower women who may be going through difficult circumstances – and give them the tools needed to make the best possible decision. When an unplanned pregnancy occurs we want to let folks know there are plenty of resources available. We also want to let women know their legal rights so they aren’t improperly forced into having an abortion. This bill will help accomplish that mission.”
 
President of Louisiana Family Forum Gene Mills said, “Any step we can take forward in protecting the unborn is a good one – and this law serves as a great step in the right direction. There are a lot of facts that get lost in issues surrounding abortion, and it’s important we inform women of their rights and let them know that many alternatives exist to abortion. I want to thank Governor Jindal and Rep. Frank Hoffmann for their hard work in making sure Louisiana is a state that continues to respect and value life.”
 
Director of Communications and Public Policy for the Louisiana Baptist Convention Dr. John Yeats said, “The preservation of life must be a non-negotiable for our public leaders. This bill sends a powerful message that in Louisiana, we value the sanctity of life. Thanks to the hard work of Gov. Jindal and Rep. Frank Hoffmann, HB 636 provides women in crisis with more resources and more information in dealing with abortion and the potential alternatives.”
 
Director of Louisiana Right to Life Benjamin Clapper said, “We commend Governor Jindal and the Louisiana Legislature for taking this important step toward protecting life in our state. This law clearly demonstrates that Louisiana’s leaders hold its citizens as their first priority. Education is a component of the decision-making process, and there is no decision more important than deciding whether to end the life of an unborn child. Every woman deserves to have all the facts, and thanks to this law, our state’s women will.”
 
Senior Counsel for the Bioethics Defense Fund Dorinda C. Bordlee said, “We are very grateful for the active support of Governor Jindal’s administration on this groundbreaking bill that will be a sign of hope for women and their unborn children. We are also thankful for the active support of Secretary Greenstein and look forward to assisting in the production of the website and mobile device site.”
 
Dept. of Health and Hospitals Sec. Bruce Greenstein said, “This law is going to ensure that women in our state have all the facts before making this life-changing decision, and I am proud that our agency will play such an active role in educating women of their rights and what help is available.”
 
Executive Director of the Life Choices Pregnancy Resource Center Lyndsey Sikes said, “When a woman discovers she is pregnant, she already faces so much uncertainty, but some things are absolute – no woman can be forced to have an abortion; adoptive parents are allowed to pay for pre-natal care, childbirth and newborn care; and assistance is available to help pregnant women carry to term and help after birth. As leaders, we must craft legislation that protects our citizens, and I applaud Governor Jindal and the Louisiana Legislature for making sure women in our state will now have access to this invaluable information.”

As I read the Scriptures and release the Holy Spirit to examine my ways, I realize how much of my life continues to be unconquered territory. You would think that after several decades in pursuit of God’s ways, a follower of Christ could say, “It’s all yours Lord. Nothing left that is not Yours. My life is exchanged for His.”

I leave the prayer closet thinking all that I call “me” is under the Lordship of Christ. And then discover quickly the impure motives of my heart that want to manipulate my circumstances instead of exercising faith. My flesh still prefers to perform instead of reveal the identity of my Lord. The temporal values that are engrained in my Western soul heighten my desire to possess stuff instead of thirsting for righteousness. When a genuine need arises, my knees are far to unfamiliar with the ground.

So what must I do? Practice His dominion. That’s the secret. He occupies the territory anyway. Now act like it is so. Work as if it is so. And faith will grow. Then the world where I live will know that He is the Lord of all as a testimony of His Grace.

“But Lord, I am sometimes Your enemy;
My nature revolts and wanders from You.
Though You have renewed me,
Yet evil corruptions urge me still to oppose You.

Help me to extol You with heart submission,
to be diligent in self-examination,
to ask myself–
whether I am truly born again,
whether my spirit is the spirit of Your children,
whether my griefs are those that tear repenting hearts,
whether my joys are joys of faith,
whether my confidence in Christ works by love and purifies the soul.

Give me the sweet results of faith,
in my secret character and in my public life.

Cast cords of love around my heart,
then hold me and never let me go.

May the savior’s wounds sway me more than the septer of princes.” (Valley, pg 189)