Tag: prayer

“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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 Then Joshua spoke unto the Lord, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.” Will we dare to pray for the impossible? Joshua 10:7-14

Joshua 10:7-14 English Standard Version

7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal.  10 And the Lord  threw them into a panic before Israel, who[a] struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
    and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
    until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.

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.

Today I want us to consider a much more obscure and unknown prayer, a very short prayer given to us by Joshua. It’s a bold and courageous prayer of just 3 words – 3 impossible words.

In Joshua 10:12 it says …Sun, stand still. Joshua asked God to do the impossible and make the sun stand still in the sky and as we read on in Joshua 10:13 we see that the sun stood still.

God answered Joshua’s prayer and did the impossible.

God kept the sun from setting.

Now let’s look at the context of this prayer, see why Joshua asked God to do this.

JOSHUA was a remarkable man. He grew up to experience firsthand his nation Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. He saw the miracles of God and trusted Him.

• He spied on the land, and with Caleb, came back with a message of faith – that God would surely help them seize the Promised Land.

• But unfortunately the majority won that day, gripped by fear. So Joshua and Israel were thrown into 40 years of unnecessary wandering in the desert.

• Yet he kept his faith in God. No complaining, no blaming God. Eventually God chose him to succeed Moses and take the nation into Canaan.

Joshua had to lead his men to fight their way into the Promised Land. He never doubted God’s promise to Israel.

• We read here in Joshua 10 that five Amorite armies were planning to attack. Joshua went for a pre-emptive strike.

• He led his entire army on an all-night march towards the enemy’s camp, under the cover of darkness so that they could launch a pre-dawn surprise attack.

The distance from Gilgal to Gibeon is about 25 mils and it takes 2 or 3 days on a leisurely pace, but Joshua’s army covered the same distance in just one night!

• The long night march took the enemy completely by surprise.

• When the enemy lines broke, the Amorites started to flee into the valley.

• God got into the battle in verse 11: “As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.” (Joshua 10:11)

As the sun set toward the horizon, Joshua knew that his time was up. Once it got dark, the enemies would slip away.

• Perhaps he realized that if he didn’t destroy them now, he would have lingering problems. And anything less than a victory would not glorify God.

• So he uttered into this outrageous prayer: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” (Josh 10:12) It wasn’t a private prayer but a public one, before all the people.

• And if you think this is too ridiculous, God answered him! Without delay!

(1) DARE TO SAY GOD-SIZED PRAYERS

Joshua has the audacity to ask God to do something, not just miraculous, but unbelievable and unprecedented.

• The fact that he could even thought of that was remarkable. Faith knows no limits, because with God, nothing is impossible. Joshua believed in a BIG God.

• Have you ever asked God for the impossible?

Does your unbelief limit what God can do for you?

That is, you believe God only for the achievable, the believable, the possible and so you pray only decent prayers; prayers that are more reasonable to answer.

When Peter saw Jesus walking on water, he did not stretch out his hand to help Jesus get onboard.

Instead he asked to be allowed to do the same – walk on water, and get to where Jesus was!

• In Acts 3 he saw a man crippled from birth, said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6)

and guess what happened … look it up for yourself.

• James says, “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:17-18)

Read that again just to be sure you read it right – “and the heavens gave rain.”

Prayer is the arena where the measure of our faith meets all of God’s abilities.

We can pray prayers worthy of the God we’re praying to.

• “Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:26-27)

• We worship the same God.

The only difference is Joshua, Peter, and Elijah had the audacity to pray prayers that lived up to God’s mighty power and glory.

Could it be that we are not seeing so much of God’s greatness because we have been making timid prayers? We have not been asking more than the natural?

Let us go beyond just timid prayers – giving thanks for the food I eat, asking God for a good weather day, heal from a serious illness, God to restore our land.

These are worthy prayers but we can go farther than that.

• We don’t have to worry about putting God in an awkward or embarrassing position. You’re not going to back Him into a corner (does the universe have corners?). You won’t ever challenge Him to do something beyond His aptitude.

• Let’s stretch our faith and ask God for the supernatural.

Ask for what He is capable of doing.

What is God not capable of doing when asked for in His will, Jesus’ name?

We do the natural, and trust God to for the “super natural” and we will see His supernatural works in our lives.

• When that happens, everybody will know it was God who did it.

No doubt about it, His Son will shine and He will surely be glorified.

Are we so bold, courageous to actually pray for God’s promises to be revealed?

Why was Joshua so bold?

He knows God.

He knows God’s will.

• During the march, God spoke to Joshua and gave him a promise:

“Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” (Joshua 10:8)

• Joshua believed what God had promised him.

It was God’s will to defeat the enemy.

Joshua wants to see God’s purpose fulfilled.

• Someone says, “God listens to the voice of a man who himself has listened to the voice of God.”

Joshua knows God well enough to ask for the sun and the moon to stay still.

• He saw all the miracles God did back in Egypt, when He freed them from slavery.

He saw God drop food from the sky for 40 years to feed his people, Israel.

He saw how the Lord produced water from a rock and has no doubt what God can do.

• Here he did what he could as a commander, to plan and strategize, to lead the army in an all-night march and a pre-dawn strike – and let God do His part.

His faith in God comes through knowing God, and to know Him, we need to hear Him, we need to listen to Him, we need to trust Him and to obey Him.

• Romans 10:17 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

• That’s where we need to focus at – if you want your faith to grow, get to know Him more. To know Him, you need to HEAR Him more.

• Matt 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

DON’T STAND IN HOPE, WALK IN FAITH

We can pray and stand in hope – in other words, we do nothing but just wait and hope that God will show up and do something.

• This is passive faith. James called it DEAD faith – faith without deeds is dead (James 2:26), it is useless. I need to show God my faith by what I do.

• We need to WALK IN FAITH – to move out, to do something to get to our destination (God’s destiny for us).

It is amazing to see the extent of human effort involved in this battle.

• Joshua’s army made a 25 mile overnight long march and launch straight into battle that lasted all the way to the next sunset. And he asked the Lord to stay the sun, for another full day! Can you sense how bold, how confident that was?

• Even though God was with them, had given them the promise of victory, and was personally involved in the battle (raining hailstones), it did free them from personal commitment.

• They knew God promised victory, they had to fight the war no matter what; they had to sweat it out, fight it out for night and days; they had to pay a price.

Success doesn’t come easy, even with God’s presence and promise.

• God wants us to be fully committed.

Victory wasn’t just a gift dropped down from the sky, right onto their laps.

• They had to believe God, have faith, trust God, fight for His ‘promised’ victory.

So too, even 4000 + years later, must we.

Possible?

Impossible?

• God has given us His promises.

God says He will be with us.

God will fight the battle for us.

But we need to do our part.

We need to put our hard work.

Walk in faith, don’t stand in hope.

CONCLUSION

The lesson we learn from Joshua 10 is that we serve a God who can transform the most adverse situations we face into opportunities to display His glory.

• Like the people of Israel, you may be facing a very difficult situation.

I cannot promise that God will stop the sun for you, but we can be sure that He can work a miracle in your life.

• He can transform whatever you are facing into something that will show His glory.

It’s human nature to want to skip straight from the promise to the payoff.

Who doesn’t want to get right to the good stuff?

But the process is invaluable.

The process is a time of strengthening.

The process is the place where you lay down your pride and learn to rely totally on God.

Most importantly, the process is the way we grow – to know God.

And that’s really the whole point – to KNOW God!

The process is the point.

Do not Fear! Pray God-sized prayers because God is more than capable of that.

Cling on to His will and what He has promised, and move on in faith.

God will always come through for you.

When Joshua faced an impossible situation – he cried out to God to do what most people would have thought was impossible – he asked God to make the sun stand still. Joshua was bold and courageous and faithful and God responded.

I believe God is waiting for us to be bold, courageous and faithful in our prayers.

I believe God wants us to pray for that which many might think is impossible but we pray it anyway because we know that with God all things are possible.

All things are possible with God which means that there is no impossible prayer.

God doesn’t want us to pray for the impossible he wants us to pray with God like conviction and Jesus’ faith for that which we know can be possible with Him.

Jesus said if we faith the size of a mustard seed that nothing will be impossible.

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.

Knowing that all things are possible with God, what are all those seemingly impossible situations God wants you to pray for with boldness and courage?

What impossible situation in your life is God just waiting for you to pray about so he can amaze you with his power and grace and goodness?

Is it a relationship that needs to be healed or a financial problem that needs to be fixed?

Is the impossible or possible situation a spiritual transformation in your life or in the life of someone you know or love?

Is it a prayer for physical or emotional healing, power to overcome temptation or finally to achieve a certain goal that has eluded you for an entire lifetime?

What is the impossible situation in your life that God wants to make possible?

Can you name it – write it down and start getting specific with God about what you want?

God is waiting for us to be bold and courageous in our prayers – so what is the impossible prayer (or possible prayer) you need to be praying today?

Now… what will take for you to pray this impossible prayer with boldness, faith and confidence?

What will it take for you to pray like Joshua knowing that God can 100% make it happen? What does it take for us to ask God to do that which is impossible to us?

Praying for the impossible means we stop trying to do it ourselves and start asking God.

Whether it’s in relationships, finances, health, our jobs, our community or finding our place in the church or in our world, when we finally stop trying to do it on our own, start asking God to do it for us, God can finally step in, do it.

So what it takes to pray for that which seems impossible is

  • A vision of God’s Power
  • An understanding of God’s love
  • Being in synch with God’s word
  • Humbling ourselves in the Presence of God.

That’s what it takes to pray for the impossible

– all that’s left now is to actually pray.

Are you praying yet?

One final thought, while Joshua prayed his prayer once and God did it, that prayer only came after a lifetime of Joshua praying and walking with God.

God may not answer our prayers the moment we pray them, it may take a bit of patience and perseverance and persistence in prayer until God answers – so don’t pray once and then give up when the sun sets. Pray every day until God reveals Himself and moves in your situation or moves in your heart and life.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 29 English Standard Version

Ascribe to the Lord Glory

A Psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,[a]
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.[b]

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth[c]
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless[d] his people with peace!

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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“Have faith in God?” “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours?” The seeds of faith to move the mountains. Mark 11:20-25

Mark 11:20-25 Revised Standard Version

The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Master,[a] look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received[b] it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”[c]

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.

As Jesus and his disciples walked along toward Jerusalem, they came across an unexpected surprise: a fig tree in full leaf.

This was a surprise because it was too early in the year for figs.

But where there was a fig tree in leaf, you could expect figs.

So Jesus and the disciples went over to the tree to see if it had any fruit.

It had none.

What seemed at first to be a remarkable tree turned out to be a disappointment.

So Jesus said to the tree: “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

And he walked away.

The next day, as they left Jerusalem and passed by the same tree, the disciples were astonished to find the tree totally withered.

When Peter expressed his surprise about the tree, Jesus used the opportunity to teach two lessons.

The first lesson was about failure. The empty tree serves as a stern hardcore warning we cannot pretend to be spiritually alive, for we won’t bear any fruit.

The second lesson is about faith. Jesus says, “Have faith in God.” We are to 100% trust in him for all the life and strength we need in order to serve him.

When we are rooted in Jesus through sincere prayer, our faith will bear fruit.

Our faith in Christ will be strong enough to help move people to believe in Jesus and enter his kingdom. Through his strength in us, we will show he is alive!

Probable or Improbable: Faith to Move Mountains

In reading our Bibles, we will come across verses that seem straightforward and easy to understand immediately.

On the other hand, there are also verses like this one!

“Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours,” says Jesus.

We are tempted essentially to sidestep what these words say.

We try to bury them under a hundred qualifications.

The misapplication of such verses has scared some of us so much that we hardly give any attention to the sheer encouragement and the challenges they contain.

In this bold command, Jesus reminded His followers to trust God, because it is actually faith’s foundation in God that gives that faith significance. We should not have faith in faith or faith in ourselves, but 100% faith in God, God alone.

The metaphor that Jesus employed—that of someone commanding a mountain to be thrown into the sea—was perhaps familiar to the disciples; it was similar to a common rabbinic figure of speech for accepting an impossible challenge to then, with all effort accomplishing something that was seemingly impossible.[1] 

1 Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Longmans, Green, and Co., 1898), Vol. 2, p 376 (footnote).

The way to get real-life results in prayer is to seek God with an attitude that says, “No matter how long it takes, or whatever I have to do, I will not be denied.”

This is not arrogance; it is Godly hunger. It is not about pushing God to give us what we want and how and when we want it, but about pushing yourself into God. It is not praying for the sake of praying. It is praying to see the hand of God move. It is desperate hardcore praying. It is the type of prayer that gets answers.

The disciples would not have misunderstood Jesus as suggesting that they  can literally hurl the Mount of Olives into the Dead Sea over 4,000 feet below them.

They would have understood his words as a proverbial statement indicating God wants to do extraordinary things through His children, for His children.

We discover vivid proof of Jesus’ teaching on faith and prayer throughout the book of Acts.

Early on, when a lame beggar asked Peter and John for money, Peter told him instead to look up, to stand up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ(Acts 3:6).

Perhaps as he spoke to this man, Peter was remembering Jesus’ words and he was thinking to himself, “Whatever you ask in my (Jesus) name … believe…”

When God is the object of our faith, we can have an audacious faith—a faith that believes the impossible to be possible with Him.

We can know that we are speaking to someone who is able to do far more than we can even imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21), we can do even greater works than Jesus (John 14:12-14).

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13  Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask[a] anything in my name, I will do it.

Jesus essentially says to us, I want you to pray in a way that says you actually truly believe in One God who is too wise to make mistakes, who is too kind to be cruel, and who is too powerful, unchangeable to be subdued by the great forces of the universe.

Don’t set aside these verses with hundred impossible improbable qualifications.

Just let them sit there in your spirit for a minute – preferably a whole lot longer.

Enjoy the truth that God is able to do things beyond anything you can imagine.

Rest secure in the indelible reality Father, Son, Spirit, know no impossibility.

And then ….

Pray Until Something Happens!

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

Psalm 20 Revised Standard Version

Prayer for Victory

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

20 The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
    The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary,
    and give you support from Zion!
3 May he remember all your offerings,
    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

4 May he grant you your heart’s desire,
    and fulfil all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over your victory,
    and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfil all your petitions!

6 Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
    he will answer him from his holy heaven
    with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some boast of chariots, and some of horses;
    but we boast of the name of the Lord our God.
8 They will collapse and fall;
    but we shall rise and stand upright.

9 Give victory to the king, O Lord;
    answer us when we call.[a]

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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I will not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the eyes of my heart are enlightened to see the surest, and truest hope we should all have in you. 2 Kings 6:17

2 Kings 6:14-20 Complete Jewish Bible

14 So he sent horses, chariots and a large army there; they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 The servant of the man of God got up early in the morning; on going outside, he saw an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. His servant said to him, “Oh, my master, this is terrible! What are we going to do?” 16 He answered, “Don’t be afraid — those who are with us outnumber those who are with them!” 17 Elisha prayed, “Adonai, I ask you to open his eyes, so that he can see.” Then Adonai opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw: there before him, all around Elisha, the mountain was covered with horses and fiery chariots. 18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Adonai, “Please strike these people blind”; and he struck them blind, as Elisha had asked. 19 Next, Elisha told them, “You’ve lost your way, and this isn’t even the right city. Follow me, and I’ll take you to the man you’re looking for.” Then he led them to Shomron. 20 On their arrival in Shomron, Elisha said, “Adonai, open the eyes of these men, so that they can see.” Adonai opened their eyes, and they saw: there they were, in the middle of Shomron.

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.

Prophet Elisha’s servant was looking but not seeing. He saw only hopelessness. He saw the army of Aram surrounding their town, but he did not see the host of the angel Army protecting God’s people. He was walking in spiritual blindness.

We can be the same way.

We might see only disappointments, or discouragements, or hopelessness, our spiritual enemies descending with all their might, all around us, our dark souls.

We might fear the stranger, complain about the lazy, and point fingers at those who disagree. We might fear that the world is lost to the devil, and we are the ones who suffer. We might be baited, shackled to the idea of putting God aside so we all can earn our fortune and have fun, only to experience everlasting loss.

Elisha’s prayer is a great way to address our blindness to God’s sovereignty. We can pray, “Open our eyes, Lord, that we may see.” When our eyes are opened, we see our sin as the chief of sins and the lust of the flesh as rebellion against God.

And we finally see that Jesus has already won the victory. Christ already rules in heaven. This world is all in his hands. Have no fear, for we know that God wins.

When the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, “he looked up and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” All these angelic heavenly hosts were surrounding and protecting them. The servant’s fear melted away. If there is an Elisha warrior praying for us, God is on our side, who can stand against us?

Ephesians 1:15-21 Amplified Bible

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers; 17 [I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son]. 18 And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the [a]hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the [b]saints (God’s people), 19 and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength 20 which He [c]produced in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come.

In order to go deeper in God, we must allow him to open the eyes of our hearts to see him as he truly is.

So often we settle in our relationship with him for that which can only be seen with our physical eyes.

We settle for community apart from unity in the Spirit, God’s word apart from revelation from the Spirit, and look to “open” or “closed” doors as our guide rather than making space to ask for the Holy Spirit’s leadership.

It’s time for us as the body of Christ to truly live in the fullness of relationship afforded to us by his sacrifice.

It’s for this reason, in Ephesians 1:16-19, Paul told the Church in Ephesus,

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.

We need the “eyes of our hearts” to be enlightened today.

We need the Holy Spirit to come and do a mighty work that we might no longer live only for that which is seen, but by faith pursue the unseen. 

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 

God longs for us to pursue the deeper things of him in faith. He longs for us to grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit and learn to live life with his presence, leadership, voice, and love as the foundation for everything we do.

To live only by the things we can physically see is to live only for that which is temporal and fleeting. 

Psalm 101:3 says, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.” 

God has worthwhile work in store for us. He has a plan to bring heaven to earth through our lives every day. But in order to make an impact on eternity we must be able to see, know the heart of God. We must become, as Elisha, increasingly aware of exactly how God feels and what he wants to do moment-by-moment.

Growing in our relationship with the Holy Spirit is the foundation of seeking the deeper things of God.

Learning to live by and with him is the only way to advance his kingdom.

Take time in guided prayer today to ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart. Ask him to lead, guide and direct you into a deeper, far more connected relationship with him. And choose Elisha’s prayer today, to pursue a life marked by deep connection with your heavenly Father and powerful works of his Spirit.

17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

Guided Prayer:

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart. Meditate on Scripture and take time to rest in his presence.

“Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18

“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17

“The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.” Proverbs 20:12

2. Where have you been doing life apart from connectivity to the Spirit? Where have you been living temporally instead of for eternity?

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live connected to him today.

“Be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Jesus promised us in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” 

When we authentically seek all the blessings which God has to give such as being loved, being known, being provided for, and being filled with the Spirit, we can know that we will find what we seek.

The door to going deeper in God will always be opened whenever we come to it and knock.

God will never withhold himself from us when we purely desire more of him.

Have faith today in the perfect goodness of your heavenly Father and deeply pursue the deeper things of him that you might live in greater union with him.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 42 Complete Jewish Bible

Book II: Psalms 42–72

42 (0) For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:

2 (1) Just as a deer longs for running streams,
God, I long for you.
3 (2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God!
When can I come and appear before God?

4 (3) My tears are my food, day and night,
while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?”
5 (4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me,
how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God,
with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs
observing the festival.

6 (5) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for the salvation that comes from his presence.
7 (6) My God, when I feel so downcast,
I remind myself of you
from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon,
from the hill Mizar.
8 (7) Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls;
all your surging rapids and waves
are sweeping over me.
9 (8) By day Adonai commands his grace,
and at night his song is with me
as a prayer to the God of my life.
10 (9) I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel
as if my bones were crushed,
as they ask me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’ ”

12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and 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.

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Elohim Shama: The God Who Hears. Exodus 2:23-25

Exodus 2:23-25 Amplified Bible

23 Now it happened after a long time [about forty years] that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel (Jacob) groaned and sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out. And their cry for help because of their bondage  [a]ascended to God. 24  So God heard their groaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice [of them]  and was concerned about them [knowing all, understanding all, remembering all].

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.

The beginning of the beloved Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” depicts many people praying simultaneously, and the juxtaposition of voices — to our ears — becomes a cacophony of noise.

How exactly, we wonder, does God separate each voice to hear individual prayers? Does He answer them all? Then we wonder, “Does God hear me?”

The question posed is a perplexing one when viewed through our human lens.

How does God keep everyone’s praises and prayers straight?

How does He hear them all?

And, in a far more personal nature, how exactly do I know He hears me?

The answer, of course, is to regard who God is and how we are to “see” Him according to what Scripture teaches us.

We’ll investigate what the Bible says, and because of what His Word says, we are assured He does hear Christians’ prayers (which encompasses all of our communication with God).

We will understand God gives “ear” to our needs according to His will and according to His own timing.

Where Does the Bible Say God Hears Us?

The Bible is God-breathed, meaning He inspired the writers to impart His exact words into the canon of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16).

When we read the Bible, we are reading God’s very words to us.

Therefore, any implication about God hearing the writers tells us He hears us.

In fact, one of His covenant names is Elohim Shama – The God who hears (Exodus 2:24; Psalm 139:1; Philippians 4:19; Hebrews 4:14-16).

Yes, He hears us.

What is Elohim Shama in Hebrew?

“Elohim Shama” is not an official name of God, it refers to the fact that God hears… He listens, He Hears.

Elohim Shama: The God who Listens, The God Who Hears

But He doesn’t merely hear our words; He is also moved by the unvoiced groanings of our hearts (Romans 8:26).

What does Shama means in the Bible?

to hear, to listen

Obedience in Hebrew is: shama (שָׁמַע). It means to hear, to listen, to give attention, to understand, to submit to, and to obey.

There is only one word in Hebrew for obedience, and it is this word – shama.

This Hebrew word is also generally translated as “hear”.

What does Jehovah Shammah mean?

“The Lord is There”

Jehovah-Shammah is found Ezekiel 48:35,

“The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord is There.”

Jehovah-Shammah is the name of God that means I am the Lord who is there and is symbolic of Jerusalem. This name promises His presence.

The following short list cements the truth God hears us:

King David cried to the Lord in many psalms, and he knew God heard him.

Psalm 6:8-9 English Standard Version

8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.

Psalm 18:6-19 English Standard Version

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,[a]
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens and came down;
    thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
    thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
    hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his voice,
    hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

Psalm 19 English Standard Version

The Law of the Lord Is Perfect

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above[a] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice[b] goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5     which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,[c]
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules[d] of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?
    Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
    let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

The psalmist, Asaph, wrote a definitive and uncontestable verse which tells us God hears us, “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and He will hear me” (Psalm 77:1).

The Lord Jesus tells us He (God) hears us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

How Does God Hear Us?

We must remember God is wholly unlike any of His creation.

He does not “listen” as do we, for we cannot fathom all He is.

When we listen to someone, our minds are, more often than not, racing around in distraction, thinking about what’s for lunch, or how many minutes are left on my parking meter, silly things such as what some other person was thinking when they decided on a particular hair style.

We’d love it if our thoughts could be completely focused on our subject and what they are saying, but we often “aren’t there,” we miss important details.

For our mighty God, however, His listening skills are perfect.

We never need worry He is otherwise distracted, because in His infinite being, He “hears” perfectly, beyond our scope of comprehension.

God is Spirit (John 4:24); He has no physical nature that would include eyes, ears, etc.

Lest we get caught in theological details about God as Spirit, however, we need to understand how God “hears.”

Due to God’s sovereign condescension, He has graciously chosen to reveal Himself to us by speaking in ways that we can understand.

The Bible, therefore, uses anthropomorphic language to give us God’s revelation of Himself to humankind.

The immutable truth is God is incomprehensible, yet in His kindness has chosen to make Himself known in a way to which we can relate. God, in His omniscience, already knows everything, including what we will soon pray.

Because God has incommunicable attributes such as omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, etc., we are only able to comprehend Him via His communicable (moral) attributes and we were, created in His Image to reflect God in them, albeit not equally (only He is perfect in His moral attributes).

God “hears” us because of who He is and how He created us in His image.

Pastor and theologian R.C. Sproul adds,

“We are a composite being made up of body and spirit. We are spiritual yet finite humans; God is infinite Spirit who is not bound by a body.”

As far as God’s holy essence is completely different from His creation,

“God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change his mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).

Yet God deigns to intervene in the works of man, to vividly reveal His love of us by the Scripture that speaks truthfully of how He hears our cries (Psalm 61:1).

What if I Don’t Feel Like God Hears Me?

We cannot expect God to answer us with an audible voice from heaven or with a “sign.” What we have is the Holy Scriptures, and from the Holy Spirit working in us through them, we “receive understanding, insight, and wisdom.” 

2 Peter 1:3 gives us great hope, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.”

It is through the Bible we learn about the Lord Jesus and grow in His grace and knowledge. As we read and study God’s Word, we learn how He wants us to live, and our prayers and petitions will be guided by His Spirit based on His Word.

No matter our emotional state or physical circumstances, God listens, hears our cries to Him.

It’s true God always answers our prayers.

The answer is either, “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” We are, however, a people who desire and sometimes demand immediate answers, so waiting is very hard.

But as we wait for His answers, we are to occupy ourselves with kingdom work and with careful study of the Bible.

As we take the time to learn more of God’s Word, many answers to our prayers will become apparent, will be revealed to us by Holy Spirit, and we can act in a righteous manner because of how God has revealed His will through his Word.

So then, when God graciously and mercifully answers our prayers, the solutions will come through the study of His Word and/or godly counsel, wisdom, from a more mature believer who knows Scripture and daily strives to live a holy life.

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).

Here we need to remember deliverance may come here, or not until heaven.

We can pray with confidence because God does hear us and He will respond.

We may think He is silent, but when we remember He speaks to us every day through His Word (Psalm 19, Hebrews 4:12), we know He isn’t being silent; we’re just looking for our answers to “materialize: in all those wrong places.

We aren’t to go to the Lord with demands, for when He hears us, He’s listening to see if we are coming before Him with hearts that are being sanctified as we attempt to live holy lives.

The Bible speaks of God’s omniscience, “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows Him his counsel? Whom did He consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14).

God knows what we will ask before it is even on our hearts (Psalm 139:4), and, more importantly, He knows what we need.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:7-8).

This passage tells us what to pray for, and it precedes the Disciples’ Prayer, which teaches us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13).

How Should I Pray?

We saw above the Lord Jesus taught His disciples (we too as Christians are His disciples) how to pray.

The Apostle John later wrote, “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, emphasis added).

At first glance, it appears He will give us we want, but that’s not the case.

The key phrase is, according to His will. 

How do we know His will? By fearing God and keeping His commandments, which King Solomon said is the “whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

We know Him by His creation (general revelation) and by His Word (special revelation).

Nicodemus, learned from Jesus the only way to know His will is to become a Christian, grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus by immersing yourself in His Word, and surrounding yourself with godly people (the church).

John 3:1-8 English Standard Version

You Must Be Born Again

3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d]  must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Once we do all of that, we will come before the Lord with right motives and petitions, with patience as He hears, answers our prayers in His perfect time.

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 4 Complete Jewish Bible

4 (0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David:

2 (1) O God, my vindicator!
Answer me when I call!
When I was distressed, you set me free;
now have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

3 (2) Men of rank, how long will you shame my honor,
love what is vain, chase after lies? (Selah)
4 (3) Understand that Adonai sets apart
the godly person for himself;
Adonai will hear when I call to him.
5 (4) You can be angry, but do not sin!
Think about this as you lie in bed,
and calm down. (Selah)
6 (5) Offer sacrifices rightly,
and put your trust in Adonai.

7 (6) Many ask, “Who can show us some good?”
Adonai, lift the light of your face over us!
8 (7) You have filled my heart with more joy
than all their grain and new wine.
9 (8) I will lie down and sleep in peace;
for, Adonai, you alone make me live securely.

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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