Tag: prayer

For that person must never suppose that they will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, doubting all, unstable, in all his ways. James 1:5-8

James 1:2-8 J.B. Phillips New Testament

The Christian can even welcome trouble

2-8 When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence. And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Truth or False: There is a kind of prayer that receives nothing from God?

It is the prayer of the doubter, the one who does not “ask in faith.”

When James says we are to make our requests to God “with no doubting,” he’s not saying we must never have any uncertainty or confusion in our minds, ever.

To doubt in the sense that James uses the term here is more than simply saying, “I am struggling, wavering to be certain about this” or “I guess almost know this to be maybe 1% true but, ugh however, maybe sometimes I wonder it is not even less”; refusing to firmly ground themselves, entrust ourselves to our Father’s care.

It is to make a back-up plan that relies on our efforts even as we ask God for His intervention, or to ask for something that deep down we do not really want.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1252/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/

J.B. Phillips paraphrases this verse in a helpful way: “He must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not.”

James is addressing the issue of divided loyalty, describing the doubter as one whose prayers and desires are clearly at hard core odds with each other.

This person comes before God and asks for things that he or she has no intention of doing, much as the great 5th-century theologian Augustine famously prayed prior to his conversion: “Lord, make me pure, but not yet.”[1]

1 Confessions, 8.7.17.

God knows exactly when we are simply playing the game, using the language, singing the song without any truth or desire to match up our lives to our words.

He knows whether we really want His help, are secretly reserving the right to do only exactly what we feel like doing if His wisdom does not lead, move, us in the only direction we naturally desire.

Faith says no to this kind of deliberate insincere hypocrisy, which prays for wisdom but acts only in complete foolishness. The faith James describes is therefore more than comprehension; it is an expression of trust and devotion.

Honesty lies at the heart of any genuine appeal, whether to an earthly father or our heavenly Father.

When you come before God, you must “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

With this kind of sincerity, you will make it clear in your own soul and to God that you are fully trusting Him to be faithful to His promises and that you are serious about acting on whatever wisdom He provides.

In what area of your life are you particularly aware that you absolutely need God’s wisdom?

Entrust yourself to your heavenly Father and be ready to follow His guidance, so you will walk steady in your faith and joy, and not be tossed about by the wind.

When You Not so Simply Don’t Know What to Do

James 1:5-8 Amplified Bible

5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable and  restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].

Throughout my ministry I’ve had people come to me and say, “I just don’t know what to do. I want to do God’s will, but I don’t know what he wants for me.”

And, really, how do you know for sure what school to go to, or what job to take? How do you know when to move, or not to move, what cars, homes to buy?

How do you know what person you should marry, when to start a family, or whether you should adopt?

More than once when we had to make an important decision, I found myself wishing that God would send a clear message to guide us.

So how do we know God’s will?

James 1:5 gives the answer, at least in part: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God …” By ourselves we don’t have the wisdom to know what God plan has in mind for us. And that’s the reason we need to ask God, “who gives generously.” If you don’t know what to do, ask God for wisdom.

God gives us his wisdom through the Bible.

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

God gives us wisdom through the people in our lives. Don’t be afraid to ask other people for their insight. God gives us wisdom through open and closed doors and through doors closing, doors slamming, changing life circumstances.

We have to ask, and then we need to observe closely as God provides answers.

Truth or Nonsense?

When praying …

12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [[b]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.

Authenticity (Psalm 51) of our hearts 100% does not, will not, matter to God?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying …

Psalm 137 Complete Jewish Bible

137 By the rivers of Bavel we sat down and wept
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”

4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.

7 Remember, Adonai, against the people of Edom
the day of Yerushalayim’s fall,
how they cried, “Tear it down! Tear it down!
Raze it to the ground!”

8 Daughter of Bavel, you will be destroyed!
A blessing on anyone who pays you back
for the way you treated us!
9 A blessing on anyone who seizes your babies
and smashes them against a rock!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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‘It feels like it has been an Eternity!’ Praying to better Trust God’s Timing during our LONG seasons of waiting. Ecclesiastes 3:11-13

Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 Complete Jewish Bible

11 He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can’t fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them to do than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. 13 Still, the fact that everyone can eat and drink and enjoy the good that results from all his work, is a gift of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

There are so many profound truths throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, and Ecclesiastes 3:11 is a great reminder of God’s perfect timing. So often in life, we put a prayer in motion for exactly how we want and envision things to work out.

We think we’ve got things figured out, like we know what’s best for our future.

We pray and we pray!

We wait and we wait!

We are good and pious Christians and we believe we have a strong relationship, a strong connection to God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Except … How long are we actively, patiently, genuinely ‘waiting for the Lord’ before our prayers begin to sound like: “Lord, exactly how long is eternity?”

In our frail humanity, it’s easy to forget that God’s perfect timing for our lives can turn out to be completely different from what we imagine as being right.

In Isaiah 55:8-9, we’re told,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Our thoughts and ways are always vastly different from our Lord’s, aren’t they?

I also really like how Ecclesiastes 11:5 talks about the wonders of God: “Just as you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”

How many times have you and I been in a fluid situation, prayed and prayed, anticipated how circumstances would work out, as though we were in control?

How many times do you and I think that we are the one who’s in control, that we can climb any mountain with your own joy and our own strength, that we can persevere better and change someone’s heart through your own actions?

Faith Under Pressure

2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

5-8 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

9-11 When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.

12 Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

13-15 Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

16-18 So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures. (The Message)

The reality is, if we are 1% patient enough to accept that God is in control, it’s a real reality check for us that only through Him we accomplish anything at all!

In Matthew Henry’s commentary, he says the following about Ecclesiastes 3:11:

“Every thing is as God made it; not as it appears to us. We have the world so much in our hearts, are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we have neither time nor spirit to see God’s hand in them. The world has not only gained possession of the heart, but has formed thoughts against the true beauty of God’s works.”

When I find myself getting impatient or experiencing disappointment, or when things don’t work out as I think they should, it’s a great reminder to look at verses such as Ecclesiastes 3:11 about God’s promise of His perfect timing.

It may not make sense right now, but try praying, believing, God’s got a reason.

Our task, like Job, is to continue praising Him even when things don’t make sense, and to continue trusting Him and growing our Faith. “Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number.” [Job 5:9]

Job experienced more echelons beyond hardcore testing circumstances and situations throughout his life, yet he never once questioned what God was doing. He knew God had a plan and would work every thing out in His timing.

Job 19:13-29 The Message

I Know That God Lives

13-20 “God alienated my family from me;
    everyone who knows me avoids me.
My relatives and friends have all left;
    houseguests forget I ever existed.
The servant girls treat me like a deadbeat off the street,
    look at me like they’ve never seen me before.
I call my attendant and he ignores me,
    ignores me even though I plead with him.
My wife can’t stand to be around me anymore.
    I’m repulsive to my family.
Even street urchins despise me;
    when I come out, they taunt and jeer.
Everyone I’ve ever been close to abhors me;
    my dearest loved ones reject me.
I’m nothing but a bag of bones;
    my life hangs by a thread.

21-22 “Oh, friends, dear friends, take pity on me.
    God has come down hard on me!
Do you have to be hard on me, too?
    Don’t you ever tire of abusing me?

23-27 “If only my words were written in a book—
    better yet, chiseled in stone!
Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life—
    and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth.
And I’ll see him—even though I get skinned alive!—
    see God myself, with my very own eyes.
    Oh, how I long for that day!

28-29 “If you’re thinking, ‘How can we get through to him,
    get him to see that his trouble is all his own fault?’
Forget it. Start worrying about yourselves.
    Worry about your own sins and God’s coming judgment,
    for judgment is most certainly on the way.”

Wherever you are today, however like Job you feel like, whether you’re waiting, wondering, or worrying, or anxious take heart. God’s perfect timing is worth the wait! God is in control, and He hath made every thing beautiful in His time.

Restoration will come to you …

An over and above abundance of Blessings will shower down upon your life … (Job 42:7-17)

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 27 New King James Version

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat[a] up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the [b]beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be [c]lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of [d]joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait[e] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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An Expression of Love: “And it is my fervent prayer your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment, leading unto holiness.” Philippians 1:7-11

Philippians 1:7-11 English Standard Version

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace,[a] both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that  your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

One of the things my late grandmother used to say as I bade him farewell was “I’ll always be thinking fondly about you.” It always struck me as a strange thing to say. But by it she meant, “I will always care about how you are. I’m under the burden of praying for what you’re doing. I’m interested in where you’re going.”

Paul, here used similar phraseology when he wrote words like “feel,” “heart,” “yearn,” “affection” to the Philippian church. 

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5426/esv/mgnt/0-1/

The Greek word used Phronein, (Philippians 1:7) which means “to think,” is translated in the ESV as “to feel” because this verb is expressive not simply of a mental focus but also of a sympathetic interest and genuine concern.

PHRONÊSIS

Often translated as “practical wisdom,” the Greek word phronêsis derives from the verb phronein, meaning “to have understanding,” “to be wise or prudent.”

In its earliest uses the word is normative only in the sense that it signifies a correct cognitive grasp of some kind; only gradually does it come to be used in ethical contexts for a correct grasp of what ought to be done. For Plato and the other Socratics, phronêsis represents that aspect of our rational faculty that derives genuine knowledge about values and norms, that is, about our virtues …

 https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/phronesis#:~:text=Often%20translated%20as%20%22practical%20wisdom,come%20to%20be%20used%20in

Paul was communicating to the Philippians that although he was physically separated from them, they were very near and very dear to him and always remained in his thoughts and prayers. He was “thinking away” about them.

Paul—that man who had once been consumed by a hatred for Jesus’ followers—came to have this affection because Jesus gave it to him. He and his fellow believers were now bound together by God’s amazing love toward them.

The standard, source, of his affection was none other than Lord Jesus Himself.

As Bishop Lightfoot wrote, Paul’s “pulse beats with the pulse of Christ; his heart throbs with the heart of Christ.”[1]

1 Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians (Macmillan, 1898), p 85.

Because the Philippian believers were such an important part of Paul’s life, his love for them moved him to prayer, for Paul understood that prayer is one of the key expressions of love continuously being taught by the Lord Jesus Christ.

His love was not revealed in a cozy sentimentalism or in fine-sounding words.

Instead, he fervently prayed for his friends, and he did so daily.

When “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), we will find ourselves immediately drawn to others who love in the same way. It is the love of family life, for we share the same Father—and one of the fundamental ways in which we will express that love is to pray.

How much do you love your family? Pray for them. Do you love your church? Pray for them. As Christ’s love expands your heart and flows through you, the affection you have for those you hold dear will move you to prayer. Be “thinking away” about those “families” you love—and be “praying away” for them too!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 92 English Standard Version

How Great Are Your Works

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
    the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8     but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
    for behold, your enemies shall perish;
    all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
    you have poured over me[a] fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Thankful, Prayerful, Joyful, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you had first heard it until now. Philippians 1:3-6

Philippians 1:3-6 Common English Bible

Thanksgiving and prayer

3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. 5 I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 6 I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

I’ve often been reminded that the gospel message is all about people being in community, people supporting each other in community, ministering to the people in community, partnering with people in community (Acts 2:43-47).

I have to agree, but only if it is first of all about three Persons: the triune God—God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Paul reveals that his own memory of Philippian believers leads him right back to their Creator, Savior, and Counselor.

The gospel begins with the Father, God for us. God revealed his loving character to Moses: “I have indeed seen the misery of my people … I have heard them crying out … and I am concerned … So I have come down to rescue them” (Exodus 3:7-8).

The Father then sent Jesus, God with us (John 3:16-17). Because he deeply loves his people, Jesus offers the invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Today we receive God’s love through the Holy Spirit, God in us! The Bible asks, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” Then the Bible also affirms for us, “You were all bought at a price. Therefore honor God” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

The Christian gospel reveals the unrelenting compassion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit toward all people.

Therefore, we can declare;

John 10:26-30 English Standard Version

26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Therefore, we can ask, with Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us”? This God does not need explanation so much as he deserves our joyful adoration.

Therefore, we can dare to emphasize;

Romans 8:37-39 English Standard Version

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How about partnering, being in mission and ministry with the churches in your neighborhood?

How about partnering, being in mission and ministry with the churches in your community?

How those prayers about partnering, being in mission and ministry with the new church plants, the struggling, smaller Churches in your communities?

In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 133 English Standard Version

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity![a]
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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“Will somebody please teach us how to Pray? Teach us ways we can build up our Prayer Lives?” Luke 11:1-13

Luke 11:1-13 English Standard Version

The Lord’s Prayer

11 Now Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,[b]
4 and forgive us our sins,
    for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[c] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for[d] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Prayer is an essential part of the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

1. When we pray we are speaking to our father God.

2. When we pray, we begin by honoring the greatness of God.

3. When we pray, we need to be in harmony with the priorities and plans of God.

4. When we pray, we express our dependence on God.

5. When we pray we ought to confess our sins before God.

6. When we pray we need to ask for spiritual protection.

7. When we pray, we are invited to come boldly to the throne of God.

Hebrews 4:16 Amplified Bible

16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

8. When we pray we must trust the goodness of God.

Charles Spurgeon once talked about a pastor having two legs:

a preaching/study leg and a prayer leg.

He said that “preachers needed to be balanced or else they’d walk funny. And I suppose you could also say that if one of those legs is incredibly short, you will end up spinning in circles.”

With a gimpy left hip, my prayer leg is that much shorter than my preaching leg.

In other words, I confess I probably shouldn’t be the one writing this article.

Now that most of you readers have probably left, for those of you readers remaining, I pray we can forgive each other, we be honest with each other?

There is something about the concept of prayer that seems a little, I don’t know…boring? How many sermons have you heard, devotions have you read?

That doesn’t sound right to say.

Uncomfortable? Unappealing?

None of these words are helping my case in the slightest.

We know that we ought to be people of prayer.

We know that God is the one who makes things happen, that we’re dependent upon Him, and that prayer is vital part of our relationship. But we still struggle.

In order to help with this, a whole bunch of very well-meaning, well educated well intentioned wise intelligent people have attempted to give us a nice simple definition of prayer:

“as we’re talking to our earthly fathers we’re talking to our Heavenly Father.”

Maybe that’s part of our problem.

Let’s think about this for a second.

Let’s say the wife and kids are out of town for the weekend and I want to invite a friend over.

How do I do it?

If I’m a guy, I’m probably not going to say, “Hey bro, want to come over so we can watch some football, have pizza, and maybe talk together afterwards too?”

Even if both of us are hungry for food, companionship and having a good talk, the reality is he’ll likely tell me he has to “do some work around the house” and won’t be able to come over. But what if I say, “Hey, the house is empty and I am buying, I am alone, want to come over and watch the game with me anyway”?

Chances are He’s all in this time.

We’ll probably have some conversation in-between timeouts – or if it’s an inferior sport we can quietly converse during a commercial. The point, though, is that us dudes don’t tend to schedule “guy talk time” on their “calendars.”

And I think that is why “prayer time” is starting from a deficit for many of us.

An idea occurred to me that if maybe we reframe our thinking on this a little. Compare it to say, more to “7 ways to get the most out of a ball game” and less on “7 ways to muster up the courage to attend our unscheduled ‘talk time.’”  

I don’t want to cast my weighted fishing net too far, too fast here.

Some of us guys aren’t nearly as threatened as we are apt to believe by the idea of talking and they’re probably in a better place with this whole prayer thing.

They might be better ones more qualified to write this devotional article. But for the time being you have only got me. So presented here are seven things that I have found which have help me with my prayer time. I pray they may help you.

I’ll try to make each of them mercifully short.

1. Set a Time and Place

This is where we can learn something from sports.

If I say, “our favorite teams are playing against each other today,” you are immediately going to ask, “What time?”

An athletic contest has a specific time and place for the event.

Unless it’s a weather delay, and then you spend a couple hours watching old episodes of Bonanza or Gunsmoke while you wait for the tarps to come off.

Attendance would almost certainly plummet if they said,

“The game will start at some point today, maybe, be sure to show up at the ballpark sometime, whenever you get around to it, the game might be going on, it might not be going on. But you know, whatever. that is the chance you take when you buy in”

Instead, you set a specific time and place when you’re committed to something.

It means that it’s going to happen.

Prayer should be the same way.

If we say, “I’m going to devote some time to prayer every morning at 7 AM” we will get into a disciplined practiced habit of keeping that appointment — even though we might have a brief encounter with that occasional “rain delay.”

2. Use a Prayer Journal

I probably lost some of you here.

I’ve had people tell me, “we don’t keep journals.” It is too out of fashion.

I’m a writer so it’s a little less weird for me, but I hear you.

I’ll pretend for a second that I’m weirded out by keeping a journal, just for your sake. I’ll try to bring out that super macho part of me where I have a ‘pray’ shop and will go in there and ‘saw’ things (that is true of me, minus the macho part).

In my ‘pray’ shop I do have a few things written down in various places. In fact, I tend to keep a white board in there so I can write down pressing issues, think through writing plans, and make a list of topics I don’t actually have the next level of expertise to try to write about while I drive down to the grocery store.

Why do I do this? Because I am writing down things that are important.

Some of them I might even save because I pray I’ll keep coming back to it.

Consider keeping something like this.

You don’t have to call it a journal.

Call it something that makes you feel more manly if that’s your schtick.

Keep a captain’s log of all the important things you are thinking about and praying about.

3. Have a prayer list

I’ve found this to be helpful in keeping me focused.

I know another pastor of a pretty large church that has a high stack of prayer requests that he goes through daily. He prays maybe 10-20 seconds for each one, just pausing for a moment, thinks about the person, entrusts them to God.

It’s a beautiful thing because I’ve been on the receiving end of this prayer list ministry. He’d text me at times and say, “Just prayed for you today.” That’s one of the benefits of keeping a prayer list — it keeps us focused and allows us to do things like tell other people we’ve prayed for them. That can encourage others.

You can use the notes feature on your phone or keep a little notebook with you.

I need to do a much better job of this one as well. I’m far too confident in my own ability to remember things. I used to be much better at this when my life was a bit simpler, less worried about my surgically repaired heart. But now I have “a million” thoughts running through my head. I just forget things.

4. Pray the Psalms or Other Scripture

Discipline yourself to download a Bible App and spend time with it. You will find a God sized treasure trove of inspiration within that book of Psalms-Psalm 23.

Psalms are God’s own book of worship … Dig In …

5. Pray with Others

6. Use Prayer Apps or Tools

7. Learn Breath Prayers

Okay, this is where you’re going to think I’m a little crazy. And if you’re one of those super theological nerds (like myself) you might be a little uncomfortable thinking this sounds like New Age mumbo jumbo instead of scriptural practice.

I’ll admit that, in my opinion, some people take this a bit far and will go in some weird directions.

A breath prayer, though, is really just a prayer that can be said in a single breath.

Breath prayers are exactly what they sound like: prayers that can be said in a single breath. To practice this discipline — which has been shared by Christians for many ages — you simply take in a deep, calming breath and, while exhaling, pray quietly or aloud a simple phrase meant to reorient you to God’s presence, his kingdom, and his good will for you. It’s a practice that brings the whole person — heart, mind, and body — back to an awareness of God’s presence.

I think it’s a way for us to “pray continually.”

Remember earlier when I said I was awful at praying?

Well, the reality is that I’m probably being too hard on myself. I do these breath prayers many times throughout the day. I’ll give you an example.

I’m a pastor. This means that sometimes I have difficult hospital visits. Before entering almost every room I will pause, take in a big breath, and simply pray something like, “God, Help me be your presence to this hurting person.”

Sometimes my breath prayer is as simple as, “Lord Jesus, keep my mouth shut and don’t let me say something stupid.”

Or when people are being kids and I’m just wanting a month full of Sabbath rest, “Help me be more like Jesus for them for what they need is a boxing ring.”

You get the picture. This has you praying throughout the day.

Pick a few phrases that you can start with and practice these little breath prayers throughout your day.

Lord, I pray that ….

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 17 Complete Jewish Bible

17 (0) A prayer of David:

(1) Hear a just cause, Adonai, heed my cry;
listen to my prayer from honest lips.
2 Let my vindication come from you,
let your eyes see what is right.

3 You probed my heart,
you visited me at night,
and you assayed me without finding evil thoughts
that should not pass my lips.
4 As for what others do, by words from your lips
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent;
5 my steps hold steadily to your paths,
my feet do not slip.

6 Now I call on you, God, for you will answer me.
Turn your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Show how wonderful is your grace,
savior of those who seek at your right hand
refuge from their foes.
8 Protect me like the pupil of your eye,
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked, who are assailing me,
from my deadly enemies, who are all around me.
10 They close their hearts to compassion;
they speak arrogantly with their mouths;
11 they track me down, they surround me;
they watch for a chance to bring me to the ground.
12 They are like lions eager to tear the prey,
like young lions crouching in ambush.

13 Arise, Adonai, confront them! Bring them down!
With your sword deliver me from the wicked,
14 with your hand, Adonai, from human beings,
from people whose portion in life is this world.
You fill their stomachs with your treasure,
their children will be satisfied too
and will leave their wealth to their little ones.

15 But my prayer, in righteousness, is to see your face;
on waking, may I be satisfied with a vision of you.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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If I were you in all your ashes, I would immediately appeal to God; would lay my cause before Him, as He performs wonders which cannot be fathomed, miracles which can never be counted. Job 5:8-16

Job 5:8-16 The Message

What a Blessing When God Corrects You!

8-16 “If I were in your shoes, I’d go straight to God,
    I’d throw myself on the mercy of God.
After all, he’s famous for great and unexpected acts;
    there’s no end to his surprises.
He gives rain, for instance, across the wide earth,
    sends water to irrigate the fields.
He raises up the down-and-out,
    gives firm footing to those sinking in grief.
He aborts the schemes of conniving crooks,
    so that none of their plots come to term.
He catches the know-it-alls in their conspiracies—
    all that intricate intrigue swept out with the trash!
Suddenly they’re disoriented, plunged into darkness;
    they can’t see to put one foot in front of the other.
But the downtrodden are saved by God,
    saved from the murderous plots, saved from the iron fist.
And so the poor continue to hope,
    while injustice is bound and gagged.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

These verses from Job highlight the miraculous insight the author of Job made thousands of years ago regarding God’s unlimited power. How does one who is living in such ancient of days rightly conclude that Our God is a God of miracles?

When I see countless videos of countless Christmas lights shining brightly on a dark night all over the globe, I like to think about the fact God is constantly up to something miraculous–much higher and more often than I could ever count.

From the very beginning we read, in wonderment we see God’s light is always overcoming the darkness in our world. Do we ever pay attention to notice it? (Genesis 1 and John 1:1-14)

God operates in ways that are far beyond our limited human understanding.

God’s wonders are too great to fully grasp, and this is precisely what makes them so miraculous. When we encounter situations in our lives that seem impossible, we must remember that nothing is too difficult for God to do. 

These verses also speak of the authors incredible insight of God performing so many miracles they can’t be counted. God’s miraculous power is not confined to a few select moments in history. Instead, God is continually doing miraculous work in such an over abundance that we can’t even understand or count it all.

From His timely answering of our prayers to working through creation, God is 1000% performing miracles all the time – even if we don’t always recognize it. 

When you pray about it, over it, try to count how many times you have been protected, provided for, or blessed without even realizing it was God at work?

The breath in your lungs, the beating of your heart, the peace that sustains you through difficult times are all evidence of God’s wonderful work in your life. 

God is always ready and willing to do something wonderful for you, if you ask him to do so. God invites you to walk unto him with your needs and dreams.

He wants you to pour out your thoughts and feelings honestly, and to seek his help. God is approachable, compassionate, and eager to intervene in your life.

We don’t need to hesitate to ask God to perform a miracle when we need one. 

God’s miracles are often linked to faith. While God is not limited by your faith, God loves to know that you implicitly trust him and his vast power to help you.

When you come to God with faith, believing that He is really able to help you, you open innumerable long locked doors for God to do miracles in your life. 

One of the hardest challenges you face is waiting for God’s miracles, especially when you’re going through those difficult seemingly unassailable challenges.

But just because you and I and we don’t see an obvious miracle immediately doesn’t mean that God is not at work.

God’s timing is always going to be different from yours because He sees the bigger picture. God’s delays are not necessarily denials. Instead, they’re divine setups for something immeasurably infinitely, greater than you can imagine. 

Not all miracles are dramatic or spectacular. Some miracles are as simple as a timely word of blessings, encouragement, an unexpected provision, or a broken relationship healing. It’s important to learn to recognize and appreciate these everyday miracles because they’re just as significant as extraordinary miracles.

God never sleeps, God is ever vigilant, is constantly working behind the scenes, constantly, continually orchestrating events for your good. (Romans 8:28) 

So, live life, love life, with the unyielding expectation that God is always ready to do something wonderful in your life. His wonders are beyond what you, I, we, can understand, and believe his miracles are beyond counting. Approach God with faith, lay your causes before him, wait expectantly for God to answer you. 

No matter what you’re facing today – a financial burden, a health crisis, a broken relationship, or a season of uncertainty – know that God is always able to perform miracles beyond what you can imagine. He is not only capable, but also willing to intervene on your behalf, reveal such miracles for others to see! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you reach for Bibles, read through His promises, consider how God is busy with something wonderful, miraculous in your life, reflect on these questions: 

  • When was the last time you witnessed or experienced a miracle, big or small? How did it affect your faith? 
  • In what areas of your life do you need to appeal to God and lay your causes before him? What is holding you back? 
  • How can you start expecting God to work wonders in your life? 
  • Are there any “small” miracles in your life that you may have overlooked or taken for granted? How can you develop a greater sense of gratitude for God’s daily blessings? 
  • How can you encourage someone else who is struggling to see God’s miracles in his or her life? What testimony can you share to inspire faith?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 105:1-6 The Message

105 1-6 Hallelujah!

Thank God! Pray to him by name!
    Tell everyone you meet what he has done!
Sing him songs, belt out hymns,
    translate his wonders into music!
Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs,
    you who seek God. Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works;
    be alert for signs of his presence.
Remember the world of wonders he has made,
    his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered—
        O seed of Abraham, his servant,
        O child of Jacob, his chosen.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Just some Biblical thoughts about our bonding with our families, friends, at times bonding isn’t our first thought neither Thanksgiving nor Christmas. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Amplified Bible

16 Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Happiness(?!?) of the United Family

One of the greatest blessings we have is our family. A happy marriage is worth more than any fortune; a united family is worth more than any wealth. A family that honors God is a valuable testimony to the richness of God’s blessing in life.

A family dedicated to serving the Lord and is devoted to each other in all things and at all times and during all seasons and under all circumstances, is a family that at all times, during all seasons, under all circumstances knows happiness.

The husband who fears the Lord and wants to live God’s way works with all his energy for a safe and well behaved godly home for all of his family members.

He loves his wife “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25); he is united to and faithful to his wife, who is “like a fruitful vine.” They love, respect, show open affection and care for one another too.

And if they are blessed with children, their children are “like olive shoots,” fruitful in bringing more blessing into their lives. Godly parents teach their children in the ways of the Lord so that they may be blessed all the days of their lives. Mothers and fathers are not antagonizing nor provoking their children.

And if God wills it, as long as he tarries, they may live to see their children’s children, receiving even more abundant blessings and joys from God’s hand.

With blessing the Lord brings prosperity, peace, and joy to families who seek to honor him. Coming together as a family is a wondrous time of faith, fellowship.

When you each honor God in your home, you will always have him as an ally.

The Word of God for the Children of God, for the Body of Christ, our own church family and our neighbors is neatly set before each one of us on our meal tables.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Amplified Bible

16 Rejoice always and delight in your faith; 17 be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

But we know that in the Kingdom of God, not all is always going so “ideally.”

Grateful When You Aren’t Where You Want to Be …

November and December are months we see lots of pictures and quotes and Bible verses about thanksgiving appearing all across social media platforms.

But for all too many years my heart on those November and December days and nights in the dark, emptiness and quiet of my apartment and currently my own home would 100% suffer mightily to be acknowledged, recognized as thankful.  

This wasn’t how life was supposed to go. I wasn’t at all where I wanted to be.

For years I struggled with giving thanks. Family tragedies occurring in too close a proximity. My heart wanted to praise and be joyful in these circumstances, but I knew that I wasn’t happy with where God was leading our family at the time.

In fact, it felt like God wasn’t leading us at all. The quietness and the lack of direction from God was disheartening, further magnifying my thanklessness.

In my head I “knew” God had not left me, and this was part of His perfect plan. I even told people that I was thankful just to be “home.” But deep down I wasn’t.

One day, I read those verses in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

“16 Be rejoicing always, 17 be praying unceasingly, 18 be giving-thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.“

Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica.

If you were to read Acts 17, you would see the hostile environment in which this church was founded.

Their circumstances hadn’t much improved since Paul had left them.

Maybe some of the believers felt like I did.

Maybe they thought to themselves, “I don’t really like it here… this isn’t where I thought I would be.”

In the middle of those hard situations, Paul writes and tells the believers always to give thanks. Not only just a general “Hi, give thanks”-but a specific covenant call to give thanks in all circumstances. 

Even the hard, harder and hardest ones.

Paul tells the church to give thanks because first this is the will of God.

We give thanks because God commands it. We don’t have to feel joyful when we do, but we can rejoice in God despite how we feel. Paul also tells the church to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer has a way of aligning our hearts, connecting our minds to the truth of who God is, His plan for our lives.

Prayer connects us to God and that is a great reason to give thanks.

In verse twenty-four of that chapter, Paul says, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

Paul also says something similar in Philippians 1:6. He says,

“And I am sure of this, that he (meaning God) who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

God will work out our lives according to His plan.

Those plans include His glory and our good. 

Romans 8:28-29 tells us this. Paul tells the Romans that they can trust that all things are for their good, which is to be conformed into the image of Christ.

The truth is God is always working and we can give thanks that He never leaves us. We can come to Him in prayer, and He is shaping us to be more like Christ.

Although the circumstances might not be good, we can give thanks to a God who has a purpose even when we find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be.

Today, I have come to the Throne of God to thank God for changing my plans.

These truths from the Bible help me give thanks.

I’ve been told by God to give thanks, that God has a definite direction, purpose, for my life, God will never leave me nor misguide me.  I have learned that being grateful isn’t about our surroundings, but about the God who surrounds us all.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Paul also talks about giving thanks in Philippians 4:6. It says,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

How are we to not be anxious?

The answer is prayer.

Two types of prayer are mentioned here in Philippians 4.

The first is supplications. These are the prayers we pray on behalf of others and for ourselves. They are the prayers we pray when asking God to meet our needs.

Maybe you are not in a place you want to be, so ask God to change things.

Who better to ask to intervene in a bad situation than God Himself?

After asking God to help you, the next phrase says, “with thanksgiving…”.

As we ask God to help us we also give thanks.

This is the second type of prayer. If you are struggling to give thanks, look up the additional scriptures and find reasons even today to give thanks to God!

What about your current situation feels less than joyful?

How has God shown up in your life recently?

Take your cares and concerns to God, thanking Him for being with you.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving casting your burdens and cares upon the Lord!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 84 English Standard Version

My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.[a] A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

84 How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
    to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
    ever singing your praise! Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.[b]
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
    they make it a place of springs;
    the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
    each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
    give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
    look on the face of your anointed!

10 For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
    from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Come, O’ faithful ones, and hear, all you who revere God; let me tell you what he has done for me. Psalm 66

Psalm 66 New American Standard Bible 1995

Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

For the choir director. A Song. A Psalm.

66 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
2 Sing the glory of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will [a]give feigned obedience to You.
4 “All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.” [b]Selah.

5 Come and see the works of God,
Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through the river on foot;
There let us rejoice in Him!
7 He rules by His might forever;
His eyes keep watch on the nations;
Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

8 Bless our God, O peoples,
And [c]sound His praise abroad,
9 Who [d]keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to [e]slip.
10 For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.
12 You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.
13 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,
14 Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.
15 I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,
With the smoke of rams;
I shall make an offering of [f]bulls with male goats. Selah.

16 Come and hear, all who [g]fear God,
And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth,
And [h]He was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I [i]regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord [j]will not [k]hear;
19 But certainly God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

We have needs which God meets. Quite often, with and in as much gratitude as we can muster we are led to give thanks after giving honor and adoration to God in our prayers for blessings received. We give thanks for all the amazing things God has done—for this world, for his people, and for us in our personal lives.

Notice how Psalm 66 moves from adoration to thanksgiving.

In the first four verses the psalmist declares how awesome and glorious God is.

Then in verse 5 we see a transition to “come and see what God has done.” From this point on, the psalm reads like an inventory of God’s gifts and amazing help.

The psalmist describes how God continually saves and never stops watching over his people, even in the context of anxiety, fear, trouble, disappointments, and psalmist shouts thanks for what God has done for him personally as well.

The ancient words of Psalm 66 teaches us the value of being specific when we give thanks to God. Many people like to keep a personal “thanks be to God” prayer journal that helps them pay attention to what God is doing in their lives.

As the Psalmist did here in Psalm 66, they keep a running list of God’s blessings and His mercy, love, for them, and they review their list in thanksgiving to God.

In our own personal prayer life (if we actually have disciplined ourselves to have one), do we even .01% acknowledge, recognize gratitude grows in many ways?

God is incredibly gracious and generous.

As we read in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father. . . .”

The One who gives so abundantly, so much of Himself to us, without caveats, is in my own personal belief, is truly most worthy to receive our abundant thanks.

Psalms 66:20 in the King James Version of the Bible reads: “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.”

This verse is a resounding declaration of the Psalmists praise and thanksgiving to God for not rejecting the psalmist’s prayers, for continuing to show mercy.

The book of Psalms is a compilation of 150 poetic songs and prayers and pleas the Psalmist’s raised, that were used in worship and praise in ancient Israel.

The psalms cover a wide range of deep emotions and themes, including praise, thanksgiving, lament, and petition. Psalms 66, in particular, is a psalm of high magnitude thanksgiving and wall shaking praise for deliverance from trouble.

The verse at hand expresses the psalmist’s gratitude for God’s faithfulness in hearing and answering prayers.

It acknowledges the mercy and compassion of God, as well as the fact that He has not and will not forsaken or turned away from the psalmist’s cries for help.

This verse reflects the psalmist’s strength of faith, deepest trust in God and his recognition of God’s constant, continual continued presence, grace in his life.

The theme of gratitude and thanksgiving is central to this verse.

It vividly highlights the psalmist’s recognition of the blessings and deliverance that have come from God alone. The act of praising God for His faithfulness in answering prayers and showing mercy serves as an empowering reminder to all believers to express gratitude for all God’s goodness and provision in their lives.

The context of this verse within the larger psalm is also significant.

In the preceding verses, the psalmist recounts a time of distress and trouble when he called out to God for help.

He describes how God has brought him through the trials and has answered his prayers setting the stage for the declaration of praise and thanksgiving in verse 20, as our psalmist reflects on the faithfulness of God in answering to petitions.

The symbolism of verse 20 lies in the essential contrast between the continual faithfulness of God and the never ending tiresome fickleness of human nature.

The psalmist juxtaposes the unwavering nature of God’s mercy and the innate tendency of humanity to forget or neglect the goodness of God. The image of God not turning away the psalmist’s prayer signifies His steadfastness and His 100% willingness to hear, to listen and to respond to the cries of His people.

In a broader theological sense, this verse also points to the character of God as being merciful and compassionate. It emphasizes the idea that God is a loving and caring deity who is attentive to the needs and pleas of His people.

This is a critical source of comfort and reassurance for believers, as it affirms the Psalmist’s belief in God’s loving-kindness and His willingness to extend, unconditionally, His grace and mercy with no boundaries, to those who seek.

In conclusion, the ancient words of Psalms 66:20 is a verse of highest gratitude and maxed out praise, expressing the psalmist’s deepest thankfulness for God’s faithfulness in answering prayers and showing mercy.

It serves readers of all ages, of all generations as a reminder to all believers of the importance of acknowledging, praising God for His goodness and provision.

The verse also highlights the symbolic contrast between God’s unwavering mercy and the fickle nature of humanity, as well as pointing to the character of God as loving and compassionate. It is an incredibly inspiring, and an incredibly powerful statement of hope, trust and reliance on God’s faithfulness and grace.

If we were the modern contemporary Psalmist and were inspired to be thankful to God for blessings given and blessings received, how would our own Psalm 66 read? How would future generations of Psalmist’s be empowered, inspired to write theirs’s? And we the readers and writers of devotionals, to just HUG GOD?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 150 Complete Jewish Bible

150 Halleluyah!

Praise God in his holy place!
Praise him in the heavenly dome of his power!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!

3 Praise him with a blast on the shofar!
Praise him with lute and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing!
Praise him with flutes and strings!
5 Praise him with clanging cymbals!
Praise him with loud crashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise Adonai!

Halleluyah!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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An Expression of my Inexpressible “All Thanks be to God for Answered Prayers; He is leading my heart to the Rock which is always higher than I!” Psalm 61

Psalm 61 English Standard Version

Lead Me to the Rock

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David.

61 Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
2 from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,
3 for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in your tent forever!
    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Prolong the life of the king;
    may his years endure to all generations!
7 May he be enthroned forever before God;
    appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

8 So will I ever sing praises to your name,
    as I perform my vows day after day.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Psalm 61 expresses the desperate prayer of one who senses a great need for God.

David prays “from the ends of the earth” (61:2).

Although this could mean that he was far away from home, the sense of this phrase is more than literal. It speaks of neediness, when we are far away from what is comfortable, familiar, and safe. It may also point to times when we feel more than far away from God, it seems as if he is not near to hear our prayers.

In such times, our hearts can become overwhelmed. The Hebrew term ‘ataf, translated here as “overwhelmed,” can also mean “faint” or “weak.” There are times when our circumstances batter us, when our inner reserves are drying up.

We can feel as if life is just too much for us, and that we’re not going to survive.

In such times, like David, we cry out to God for mercy.

Even though God might feel far away, or we are stuck at the very bottom of the Grand Canyon and looking up at the sheer cliffs we have no skill set nor any equipment nor any inclination, to climb out, even though we are emotionally spent, we nevertheless call out to God to lead us to a place of safety and security.

The “towering rock of safety” is a place where the floods cannot engulf us or our enemies can get to us and crush our spirits. The rock that is literally “higher than” we are, signifies unassailable heights of God’s protection and presence.

Perhaps you’re in a place like David today, feeling beyond far away from God, overwhelmed by the challenges before you, overwhelmed by the challenges that keep coming. If so, cry out to the God who will lead you to his rock of safety. If you’re not in such a place today—thanks be to God!—I’m sure you know people who are. Their hearts might even be too faint to pray, but you can do it for them.

We know the words, we preach, teach, model “TRUST GOD, do not be afraid. “

Yet the circumstances remain, more keeps coming, too many things feel out of control … there never seems to be enough time to “schedule our daily prayers!”

Your routines are not running smoothly.

You tend to feel more secure when your life is predictable.

Let GOD lead you to the rock that is higher than you and your circumstances.

Take refuge in the shelter of GOD’S wings, where you are absolutely secure.

When you are shaken out of your comfortable routines, grip The LORD’s hand tightly and look for growth opportunities.

Instead of bemoaning the loss of your comfort, courageously accept the challenge of something new.

The LORD leads you on from glory to glory, making you fit for HIS kingdom.

Say yes to the ways GOD works in your life. Trust GOD, and don’t be afraid.”

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” ISAIAH 12 : 2

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. PSALM 61 : 2 – 4

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 CORINTHIANS 3 : 18 (NKJV)

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: 

When have you felt like David, far from God and completely overwhelmed?

How did you pray?

Did you pray?

How did you experience God’s deliverance?

What, for you, is the “towering rock of safety”?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

PRAYER: O Lord, there are times when you feel so very far away, when it seems as if you aren’t even there to hear my prayers. And there are times when I am so haggard in soul that I can barely pray. Thank you my God and my King for the inspiring example of David, whose desperation reminds me that I am not alone.

Lord help when things feel unpredictable and uncomfortable, help me to look up to You, stand tall in the shadow of your Son’s cross, for growth opportunities and stepping forward, accept the challenge of something new. You are leading me, molding me to look more and more like Jesus. I trust you. In Jesus’ name.

Thank you also for his quiet confidence in you. Help me to know that you will lead me to the towering rock of safety when I am feeling lost and exhausted.

Psalm 121 English Standard Version

My Help Comes from the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

121 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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For our whole heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in, lean on, rely on, and are confident, in His holy name. Psalm 33:18-22

Psalm 33:18-22 Names of God Bible

18 Yahweh’s eyes are on those who fear him,
    on those who wait with hope for his mercy
19 to rescue their souls from death
    and keep them alive during a famine.

20 We wait for Yahweh.
    He is our help and our Magen.
21 In him our hearts find joy.
    In his holy name we trust.
22 Let your mercy rest on us, O Yahweh,
    since we wait with hope for you.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

How well do we know that God authentically cares deeply about our emotions?

Your heavenly Father truly 100% longs for your life to be marked by emotional joy, fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace. He longs for your emotions to be rooted and grounded in his steadfast love and goodness. Our God is an emotional God.

He is not void of feelings.

We feel because he feels.

We have emotions because we are made in his image.

For much of my Christian life I thought my emotions had to be based on my circumstances. I felt happy or sad or mad or depressed solely based on others’ opinions of me, the pressures of life, and opportunities I had or didn’t have.

As a result I was on a constant emotional roller coaster following the ups and downs of this shaky world. I found myself controlled by the things of the world rather than the foundation of love laid before me by the sacrificial love of Jesus.

Scripture continually describes a link between emotional health and trust.

Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” 

Psalm 56:3-4 says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” 

Psalm 33:21 says, “For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.”

We are robbed of having our emotions rooted in God whenever we take on more pressure than we are meant to carry.

Our emotional health is directly linked to our level of trust.

We feel pressure at work when we look to our job and co-workers for our bosses assurances, provision, identity, purpose, and fulfillment.

We feel pressure in our relationships when our worth isn’t based on God’s perspective but the opinions of others.

We are robbed of peace whenever we try and plan our own steps rather than our efforts at following our Good Shepherd into the green pastures and still waters.

Trust is something we are not created to give away very lightly. We value trust as deeply as we value our own lives, constantly scrutinizing others to see if they’re worthy of our trust. But still we are created, shaped, to do life with help.

We are made to place our trust in that which will provide us with more life, joy, and peace. I pray that this week you and I will discover how trustworthy our heavenly Father is. I pray that we will willingly hand over control of our lives to a capable, loving, and near God. And I pray we will experience the abundant life that only comes through placing our trust in a God who gives up everything for true 100% authentic abiding relationship with us. I pray for the sun to be still.

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

God’s heart is to fill you with peace. He longs for you to have all the fruit of the Spirit dwelling within you. He has consistent, constant peace available to you.

But you must trust him in every area of your life.

You must hand over the reins of your relationships, job, identity, and plans to your Good Shepherd.

You must trust that he will guide you perfectly into an abundant life.

Look to your heavenly Father for peace.

Find rest in his abundant love.

Find your self-worth in the fact that God so desired relationship with you that he laid down his own life to have it.

Your Father counts you worthy of the death of his only Son.

Trust him today.

Place your entire life in his capable hands.

Experience abundant life in the area of your emotions, rooting and grounding yourself in his unconditional, available love.

May your life be marked by increasing emotional health as you grow in trust.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the link between trust and emotional health. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire and willingness to trust God with every area of your life.

“For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:21

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4

2. Where are you not experiencing abundant life in your emotions? 

Where are you void of peace, joy, passion, and purpose?

3. Ask God to help you discern what part of your life you are not trusting to him. Hand over that area to him and find peace and rest in his trustworthiness.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

Don’t settle for less than Jesus died to give you.

Your life can be completely wrapped up in God’s presence, unconditional love, and ability to guide you.

You can be filled with the emotions of God.

You don’t have to settle for pressure, stress, anger, and frustration.

You don’t have to settle for sadness, insecurity, or depression.

Place your trust in God, open your heart, and receive the peace that can only come from your life being hidden in the heart of your perfect heavenly Father.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 23 Names of God Bible

Psalm 23

A psalm by David.

1 Yahweh is my Roeh.
    I am never in need.
2         He makes me lie down in green pastures.
        He leads me beside peaceful waters.
3         He renews my soul.
        He guides me along the paths of righteousness
            for the sake of his name.
4 Even though I walk through the dark valley of death,
    because you are with me, I fear no harm.
        Your rod and your staff give me courage.

5 You prepare a banquet for me while my enemies watch.
    You anoint my head with oil.
    My cup overflows.

6 Certainly, goodness and mercy will stay close to me all the days of my life,
    and I will remain in Yahweh’s house for days without end.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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