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Keep Praying! Ask, Seek, and Knock Persistently.

8/14/2016

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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. Luke 11:9 on photo of Rainbow in Bright Blue Sky
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. Luke 11:9
​Are you waiting on something you desire from your Good Father? Are you trying to hold on to confidence though it has been such a long time? You are not alone. I’ve been praying for healing for years. I’ve only gotten more ill. Recently, I gave up. I just couldn’t take keeping the hope anymore because it hurts so much when that hope is dashed. I lost faith for a little while. But God reminded me not to give up. Jesus told us more than once to keep praying.
Luke 11:5-13 reads,
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, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 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’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 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. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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!”
 
Too many of us have a hard time understanding how very profoundly, completely, and personally God loves us and just how very good He is. We can’t grasp it because we base our understanding of Him on the people we know in our lives, our dads, our employers, and other authority figures. But they are broken. They are not as good as God. We are imperfect. Jesus knew that, so He asked us to look at how we, even in our imperfection respond to a friend or a child. Then He went further and compared how even evil people will do good things if we keep asking.
Luke 18:1-8 says
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself,‘ Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
 
The Lord loves you and His love isn’t marred by imperfections, selfishness, or pride. God’s love is perfect because He is Love! (1 John 4:8). God loves you and He doesn’t want you to give up. Please don’t. Just keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Want it desperately! Want Him desperately. Want Him the way a thirsty animal desires water. That animal knows it needs water to exist and it does whatever it must to find that water. Life is not always sunshine and roses, sometimes it is storms and thorns. But if we know who our Father is, we know He is good and He will give us the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him (Psalm 37:4). We think on the goodness and love of God and we know the hope of our future.
Psalm 42:1-4 reads,
As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.

Verses 7-8 of that Psalm read,
Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
    have gone over me.
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.

And verse 11 says,
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God.

How many times did Jesus say whatever we ask, would be given or done? John 14:13 reads,
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
That sentiment is repeated in Matthew 18:19, Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24, John 15:7; John 15:16; John 16:23-24; James 1:5-6; James 1:17; 1 John 3:22; and 1 John 5:14-15. Jesus was insistent and tireless in getting this message across to us. Keep praying and do not give up hope. Have faith, people are watching us and how we respond to our difficulties. Our lives could glorify the Lord and lead them to salvation in Jesus Christ. We also understand that God is Sovereign, Good, Faithful and True. Don’t give up! Hang in there.
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The Power of Prayer

5/22/2016

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but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. John 9:31b
but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. John 9:31b
​Today rather than read a chapter and base my time communing with God on that, God is leading me to do a topical study on prayer. He led me to scripture after scripture today. I hope you enjoy the richness of these pearls and the wealth of the treasure of God Word.
Prayer is an important part of life as a follower of Christ. It is so easy to let the discipline of prayer fall to the wayside. It is internal and we have such busy lives we tend to say, I have to do this or that now, I’ll pray later.
Jesus understood the importance of prayer. He commanded we pray. He practiced it and gave us a great examples to follow.
Matthew 4- Jesus praying in the wilderness before His ministry and during His temptation
Matthew 14:23- Jesus praying alone on a mountain top
Luke 3:21 – Praying after His baptism
Luke 6:12-praying alone before He chose those would be the Apostles
John 17 is Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane before His arrest. He even prayed on the Cross as He was dying. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)
Matthew 6:5-13 reads,
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “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. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil

 
Sometimes, the only time we pray through the week is in church. Corporate prayer is great! It is essential, but it does not replace time alone with The Lord. The prayer during that time is really special and it is different than corporate and other kinds of prayer.
Just as much as God wants us evangelizing, healing, prophesying, teaching, and learning, He wants time with us. Hosea 6:6 reads,
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings

Although Jesus was active in doing God’s will in ministry, He also did God’s will in His relationship. Luke 5:15-16 reads,
 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Jesus spent time alone with God, even though He is God. Believers are filled with The Holy Spirit, God is inside us and yet, if Jesus who is God had to go be alone with Him, we should also seek alone time with God. We call it quiet time. I want to encourage us to make quiet alone time with God a priority. Since we do get so busy, and some of us have a hard time saying no to ministry and service, as well as full lives with family, work and church, it makes sense to make that quiet time, the first thing in the morning. There’s a famous quote that says, “If you don’t have time to pray, wake up earlier.” Martin Luther said it better though, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
Psalm 5:1-3 reads,
“Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”

Mark 1:35-39 tells us Jesus made prayer an integral part of ministry,
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”
 
That quiet time, is more than just expressive prayer, or prayer where we speak to God and tell Him all our wants and needs. It is also a time of praise, listening, reflection and meditation on The Word. Silence before God allows Him to do His will. And shouldn’t our time with God be about aligning our will with His? Zechariah 2:13 reads,
Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
Being doers of the word as James 1:22 commands, requires us to be hearers of the Word, being hearers requires us to listen. Isaiah 41:1 reads,
Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;
    let the peoples renew their strength;
let them approach, then let them speak;
    let us together draw near for judgment.

 
Another kind of individual prayer is called breath prayer. It is a practice that allows you to pray without ceasing, centering your focus on The Lord throughout the day while you do all the rest of what needs to be done. This practice does not replace specific time with The Lord or corporate prayer, it augments your prayer life. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 reads,
“Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.”
Breath prayers are done with your breathing. With your breath in say or breathe a name of God that you want to rejoice in and praise, such as Father, Savior, Healer, or Counselor, Your breath out is a God-given desire such as “Have Mercy on me” “Reveal yourself to me” or “Lead me” This breath prayer is one sentence. Breathe in, “Good Shepherd” Breathe out, “Lead me in your ways.” Breathe in “Abba,” breathe out, “hold me in your arms” or “Holy Spirit, Come”
Benefits of breath prayer include[1]:
• keeping company with Jesus whether or not you feel his presence
• abiding in Christ, opening yourself to constant union all day long
• putting into a phrase the deepest desire of your heart and praying out of that desire
• reminding yourself that God is present and living in you
• guarding self-talk so your thoughts, feelings and behavior flow from an ongoing dialogue with God
• regulating your imagination and fantasy life
• breathing in the life of Christ and breathing out the work of Christ
• developing a rhythm of turning to God at any time of the day
• developing a constant, inner, unbroken, perpetual habit of prayer
Whether individual or corporate, prayer is a conversation with The LORD God. It is a time when we cast our cares on Him and He gives us peace beyond comprehension. It is a time when we tell Our Father what we need, want, and hope. Does He already know? Yes. But He still wants to hear it from us. And more often than not as we speak to God, He will allow us to hear our words and see our hearts and so comfort, teach, encourage, and lead us.
Philippians 4:6-7 says,
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
I want to encourage us to pray together as well as alone, whether it is with a large group of people or two or three of us. Praying together is very important, especially in small groups. The prayers of a few of us together are very powerful. In Matthew 18:18-20 Jesus said,
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
 
Did you read the power God gives us when we pray together? We’re binding and loosing, we petitioning God with one another and He promises to respond and He promises He is among us. How many times have I been praying in a group of two or three and The Holy Spirit speaks through us, act through us, and manifests in ways we were not expecting? He is always with us, but there are times when we are much more aware of what He is doing and saying. These small group prayers, sometimes referred to as conversational prayers are an opportunity for Him to do great things.
The corporate prayer I’m talking about here is not the same as the liturgical or one person led prayer. It involves a group each praying in conversational tones in a dialogue with God. One example of this informal conversational prayer goes like this:
Each person prays briefly, usually just two or three sentences. Depending on how many people are involved, each person may speak more than once but in turn. If it is just two or three then the dialogue would likely go back and forth more. Being a dialogue means it requires listening as well as speaking.  When we practice prophetic prayer, we are often doing this type of prayer. It requires us to be ourselves, not using fancy words, thous and thees or give discourses in the midst of speaking with God. People pray briefly and plainly as they feel led by the Spirit.
Believer, I want to encourage you today to make the Lord a priority, to seek the Kingdom of God first above everything else in your life. Carve out a daily quiet time with the Lord. Pay attention to how that the intentional focus on The Lord and His will come to play in your day.
I also encourage you to add the discipline of the breath prayer to your day and see how this prayer without ceasing impacts your spiritual walk.


[1] Calhoun, A. A. (2005). Spiritual disciplines handbook: Practices that transform us. Madison, WI: InterVarsity Press.
 
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James 5:13-20 The Prayer of a Righteous Man Avails Much

4/26/2016

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Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16
​James 5:13-20
Prayer is powerful. It is a first defense, our go to move, not a last resort. Prayer does more than petition God for wants. Prayer is how believers are able to exercise faith and patience. It is how we maintain hope through suffering. It is one of the most important practices we can do for one another. Verses 13-14 read,
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 
Whether we are suffering, cheerful, or sick the answer is prayer. Speaking to and listening to God, exulting in our relationship with Him gives us the ability to endure through suffering. He hears us. He listens. And He carries us through. He gives us joy which in turn gives us strength. (Nehemiah 8:10). And when He gives us joy, we pray again singing praise to Him. The idea of singing praise reflects that while we can pray alone we would also pray with others, sharing our gladness with others as we lift up God as the source of our gladness, joy, and strength, as the One who is bringing us through the suffering and trials and the One who sees us and saves us. We are not alone. We have God With Us and we have each other. Romans 12:9-16 describes the church this way,
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
While often our prayer is between The Lord and ourselves it is not always the case. We weep with one another, rejoice with one another and love one another affectionately, demonstratively. Here, James tells us if we are sick, to call for the elders and let them pray over us and anoint us with oil. I know for me that there are times when I am too ill, too mired in suffering to feel able to pray well alone. Sharing my suffering, joy, or illness with the church gives them a chance to join with me and pray over me. The Holy Spirit loves to do His work through others. It is one way, He marks us as different from the world. We are not the most powerful and successful when we are living life independently but when we live life interdependently together dependent on The Lord. By our love for one another, people will know we are Jesus’ followers. (John 13:35).
Prayer does great things. When you are too weak to pray for yourself, when you allow your brothers and sisters to step in and pray with you and over you things happen. Verse 15 reads,
And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
That is a big deal! Believer, your demonstration of faith will save the sick, raise him up and bring him forgiveness. Your prayer makes miracles happen. Your prayer brings people closer to God. We shouldn’t each be closeted up suffering alone, hiding our weakness from one another. We should be living interpedently, weaved together into a tapestry of demonstrated love. We can’t do that if we wear masks of perfection to hide our sins, façades of happiness to conceal our pain, or disguises of strength to cover our weakness. Verses 16-18 read,
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
There was nothing magical about Elijah, he had faith in God to be God. He was a prophet and He had The Holy Spirit on him. You and I, Faithful, we have Him in us, united with our own spirit. If Elijah could pray for miracles and know God could and would, what more can we do? The prayer of a righteous person, (a person who has been forgiven of his sins) has great power as it is working. Prayer works. So many times we think prayer is inactive, it is just us hoping against hope, but prayer works, produces, and does. It acts. Prayer accomplishes things. When we pray, we practice the power of God, love in action. Jesus told us to pray. In Matthew 7:7-8 He said,
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
Prayer is a way of releasing God’s will onto the earth. God’s will for His followers is our sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:3). We are meant to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. We are mean to love one another expressively and effusively. We are meant to pray together. In Matthew 18:80-20 Jesus said,
“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Our prayers can bind and loosen; that is not some feeble thing. Our prayers for one another can bring people back into a walk with God and can bring people to Him. Our prayers bring people to salvation. Verses 19-20 say,
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Believer, that is not nothing! Your prayer is powerful in its working. Don’t say, “All I can do is pray” as if there is defeat in that. Say, “Let’s pray” then watch what God will do. He answers prayer. His Word, His will manifested goes out from His mouth and accomplishes His purpose. Isaiah 55:10-13 read,
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall break forth into singing,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
    an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

His Word is the Sword of the Spirit and you and I are meant to wield it (Ephesians 6:17). Prayer is a powerful practice not a desperate last-ditch effort.
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Revelation 8:1-5 The Seventh Seal: Jesus, Silence, and Prayer

12/19/2015

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And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him--a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
Revelation 8:1-5 The Seventh Seal
When Jesus opened the final seal of the scroll something different happened or rather didn’t happen. Everything stopped for about half an hour. Verse 1 reads,
“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”
For around thirty minutes everything stopped, there was silence. Many of us have a hard time dealing with silence and suspension of action. I, for one have a difficult time stopping my brain and giving myself true silence. John does not tell us the reason for this half an hour stillness. He doesn’t tell us if the quiet touched the earth, if there was a break in action on earth as there was in Heaven. He tells us only that there was silence. But huge events had just occurred on earth. An earthquake so massive that mountains could not stand up to it, The Day of the Wrath of the Lamb had begun. Perhaps their silence was for prayer, contemplation, or mourning for the people of the earth. Perhaps it was a rest from the horror, or a time of compassionate grief. John did not say and I do not know.
I do know that if all of Heaven stopped for thirty minutes of silence, then I should stop sometimes too. I know that if the elders, the angels, the creatures, and God Himself are silent when Jesus opens the seventh seal that He must approve of silence from time to time. I can say that too often my “quiet time” is filled with conversation with God. Yes prayer is good and excellent, but so is silence for the right reasons. I have forgone silence in lieu of listening to my own inner monologue. Silence before God has purposes. Lamentations 3:25-31 reads,
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke in his youth.

28 Let him sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
29 let him put his mouth in the dust--
    there may yet be hope;
30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

31 For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,”

Silence is an expression of our faith in God’s steadfastness. It is an exercise of our faith in His salvation.It allows reflection. It is the way we “pray” when we are most desperate. When words escape us, we give up on words we humble ourselves and put our mouth in the dust and show that we know where our hope comes from. It is an expression of Jesus’ kind of love. We know God is with us, He has made promises to us and we will faithfully wait as He faithfully remains The LORD. Zephaniah 1:7-9 says,
“Be silent before the Lord God!
    For the day of the Lord is near;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice
    and consecrated his guests.
8 And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice--
“I will punish the officials and the king's sons
    and all who array themselves in foreign attire.
9 On that day I will punish
    everyone who leaps over the threshold,
and those who fill their master's house
    with violence and fraud.”

Silence allows us to reflect on our heart condition and let God prepare us for the Day of Judgement. He can, through our silent awaiting of His fulfilled promise tell us if we are invited to and dressed for the Wedding Feast.
Do not relinquish the exercise of faith that silence is nor the blessing it is to the LORD our God. Do not forgo the benefits and blessing of silence. Silence allows you to seem intelligent (Proverbs 17:28), listen and become wiser (Proverbs 19:20-21), grow in faith (Psalm 27:14), feel God’s peace (Psalm 62:5-6), and be blessed by His goodness (Lamentations 3:25).
Perhaps the silence of Heaven at that time increased the faith and prayers of the Believers on earth. Perhaps their prayers grew more as their faith was exercised and strengthened. Verses 2-4 read tell us,
“Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.”
Our prayers come to the Throne of God like incense. Exodus 30:6-10 are God’s instructions regarding incense.
“And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”
Incense was an integral part of worshipping God, and has represented our prayers from the time that the Lord instituted the Tabernacle. The incense did not replace the sacrifices nor did the sacrifices replace the incense, they were separate and went together. Our salvation from Jesus does not mean we do not need to pray, and our prayer without Jesus is fruitless. The two go hand in hand. It is most holy to the LORD. He is pleased by the aroma, and that fragrance affects both the saved and lost on earth (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).
The prayers of the faithful believers rose before God. Imagine our prayers as incense, its smoke and its fragrance rising up before God. Incense affects the room and the one in the room, depending in its aroma. One aroma causes calm, another energy, and another healing. Depending on the make-up of the incense the perfume will be different and so the effect distinctive. Our prayers do not float up into the universe like random energy they go to the golden altar in the throne room of The Lord, they rise before God. He does not remain unmoved. Read Romans 8:31-35 as you picture your prayers rising up hand in hand with the blood of Jesus to God’s throne.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
God loves us so much. He doesn’t ignore your prayers. Seek Him, seek the Kingdom of Heaven (God’s will) first above everything else and He will make sure you lack nothing in regards to His image and your needs. (Matthew 6:33). Jesus would not have taught us to ask for God’s will on earth as it is in Heaven nor for the Kingdom of God to come if He were not willing to give it to us (Matthew 6:9-13). In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus said,
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
What happened in John’s vision when the saints’ prayers rose to God? Verse 5 reads,
“Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.”
God acted on the prayers of the saints. The silence was replaced with fire, thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. These events are reminiscent of those from the sixth seal. God did not sit idly by while His children cried for vengeance, begged for help, or pleaded for relief. He responded.
The dynamics of God come in threes. God is triune, Father, Son, and Spirit. We are made in His image, body, spirit, and mind. Marriage consists of man, woman, and God. Fellowship with the Lord consists of three parts, salvation, silence, and prayer. Believer, do not let any of these three go to the wayside. Put on the robe washed in the Lamb’s blood, your salvation (Isaiah 61:10).Be silent and wait upon the Lord (Psalm 37:7). Pray without ceasing_ (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). If you let even one go, you put yourself at risk. Salvation and prayer may do you well, but when you add in silence you are even more fortified. It is the same for any of the three-part gifts of God. If you ignore The Father in place of exalting Jesus and the Spirit, you will not know the complete God. If you leave Jesus out of your marriage you forsake perfect unity. If you choose to care for your spirit and mind in lieu of your body, you will become weak or diseased. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 put it this way,
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
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2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 Pray for One Another

9/4/2015

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“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 on photo of The Church of Life Prayer Lounge
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Why do we pray for each other? Do our prayers really affect anything? Yes, our prayers affect The Kingdom of Heaven, the church, the world, and each of us. Verse 1 reads,

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,”

Our prayers influence the church as we work toward making disciples. The workers are made bolder and The Spirit within us strengthens us and works through us because of our prayers for one another. The hearts of the people who we meet are softened, opened, or broken in preparation for the Word of The Lord. It was someone’s prayers which affected each of us and brought us to a place where we could meet, accept, and come to know Jesus.

We are told numerous times to pray for one another. We are one body, whether near or far from each other. Our prayers united us further. James 5:13-16 reads,

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Whether sick, sad, happy, or wavering the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ help us. Prayer in Jesus’ name is powerful. (John 14:12-14). Adding “in Jesus’ name” to the end of a prayer is not authoritative. Those words have no effect on the prayer. It is faith with Jesus’ authority for His will that makes the person righteous and the prayer formidable.

Prayer grows our faith and protects us from attacks of the enemy. Verses 2-3 read,

“and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.’

The devil is out to destroy our witness. He doesn’t want us glorifying Jesus and so he attacks those who are strong in The Lord. Once we’re weak he is thrilled. There is nothing for him to fear from a weak Christian. because Satan is afraid of us. That is one of his primary reasons for attacking us.. 1 Peter 5:6-11 reads,

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

But our prayers for one another make us more aware of the spiritual warfare going on around us, and strengthen us, making the enemies attacks futile. Ephesians 6:14-20 says,

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Asking for prayer is not a weakness, it takes courage. Asking for prayer gives an opportunity to hear the Word of The Lord spoken through His servants, our brothers and sisters in Christ. Praying in The Spirit and in Truth is a weapon against the devil. That kind of prayer changes us individually and corporately. 1 Corinthians 14:14-19 says,

“For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

We should be praying privately, but we should also be praying together, out loud in The Spirit with plain language. Verses 4-5 read,

“And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

Prayer as we commune with The Holy Spirit, who is so much more abundantly present when we are together and even when we are praying for each other although we are apart fortifies our walk, allows us to hear the Word of God, obey the Word of God, and follow His guidance. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 says,

“Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.”

Believer, do not think that prayer is a last resort when our efforts have come to no avail. Prayer is the first step, and present throughout every step of the Follower of Christ. It is a powerful tool, an authoritative weapon, and a light to us and the world. It keeps The Spirit’s fire hot in us and allows us to Glorify Jesus Christ.

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James 1:5-7 Go Ahead and Ask The Father, He Loves to Give Us Good Things

8/17/2015

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Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 on photo of Fire Pit
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20
James 1:5-7

Our awesome and loving Father loves to give us good things that will help us and develop us to be more like Jesus. In the previous verses James said to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds because our faith would lead to steadfastness. God loves to give us things. He is generous. When we ask, He doesn’t click tongue and tell us we want too much, we shouldn’t ask, or we’re wrong for asking. Verse 5 reads,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

God gives us wisdom when we ask. We know He is happy to give us wisdom. Solomon could ask The Lord for anything and he asked for wisdom. When he did that The Lord blessed him with great wisdom and much more. (1 Kings 3).

What James says next though has caused a bit of confusion or allowed some people to believe false doctrines. Verse 6 reads,

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

People have allowed this verse to tell them that they had to have no doubt whatsoever when asking God for anything. Some false prophets and false healers use this verse as an excuse for why God will not work through them. They blame the prospective recipient of healing for not having enough faith to be healed. But the person who receives healing is not the one who needs faith. Jesus, John, Peter, and Paul all healed people who had not asked for the healing who were not believers until after their healing and at least one who likely didn’t become a believer even after Jesus had healed him. (John 5:1-17).

So then what does it mean that we can’t have doubt when asking God for wisdom? Consider first what James is telling us to ask for, wisdom if we lack it. Wisdom, counsel and guidance from The Lord requires that we ask without doubt, or hesitation because when we ask for wisdom, we have to be willing to recognize, and listen to God. If we ask for The Lord to guide us or give us wisdom yet we don’t trust that He will give it, we won’t be listening to that counsel. Asking for wisdom from God without trusting He will give it is an empty request. The person asking that way will not hear or follow the counsel God gives, so he may as well be floundering blindly as if they had not asked for guidance. Verses 7-8 read,

“For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

If we’re going to ask The Lord for something that will help us become more like Jesus, shouldn’t trust that He will give it? We are encouraged time and again to ask God for gifts and blessings. He tells us to ask for Spiritual gifts, (1 Corinthians 12:31), provision, (Matthew 6:11), and guidance. (Matthew 6:13). Jesus told us that God loves to gives us good things, all we have to do is ask. Luke 11:9-13 reads,

“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 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!”

Not only does God love to give us what we ask for but more than we can even imagine asking for. Solomon asked for wisdom, and God blessed Him with wisdom, wealth, and honor. God loves us more than any earthly father could love us. He loves us persistently and tenaciously. He gives us the good things we ask for, He gives us the needs we do not ask for, and He gives us blessings we didn’t dream of asking for. He wants us to be like Jesus. He wants us to be spiritually strong and faithful. He wants us to live as testimonies to Christ and impact the Kingdom of God. Ephesians 3:14-21 says,

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Jesus told us there are no limits on what we can ask Him to do, especially when we ask as the Body of Christ. Matthew 18:18-20 says,

“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Jesus told us to ask for God’s Kingdom to be revealed and for His will on earth as it is in Heaven! (Matthew 6:10). Consider the greatness of that. Jesus told us to ask. Consider the greatness of this promise in John 14:12-14,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Jesus did amazing things in order to bring people into the Kingdom of God. He healed, He spoke with revolutionary love and wisdom, and He raised people from the dead!  As Jesus’ followers, we work in His name and with His authority. Just ask Him in our role of ambassador, evangelist, citizen of Heaven, royal priest, and child of The Living God and it is ours, He will give us what we ask for.

We are promised difficult times, but we are also promised that God is with us, that He will guide us, and give us everything we need to make it through. He will speak if we will listen. He will lead if we will follow.  He promises that the troubles we go through will make us more like Jesus. Don’t be afraid to ask your Father for anything. And know that He will give you what you ask for.

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Psalm 70 Our Prayers Bless the Lord, Us, and All Who Hear.

7/30/2015

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Psalm 70:4-5 on Photo of Ponce Inlet Lighthouse by Donna Campbell
May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! Psalm 70:4-5
Psalm 70

In this Psalm David used words he had previously used in Psalm 40:13-17. He didn’t keep the words exactly the same there are changes. We do sometimes use words and prayers we have heard and prayed before, especially when we pray scripture.

This Psalm by David was written to be prayed with the memorial offering described in Leviticus 2:9-10 as a part of the grain offering described in Leviticus 16:14-23. The offering was a voluntary one of worship that normally accompanied the burnt offering which was another voluntary offering made to atone for unintentional sins. The memorial offering was the portion of the grain offering not given to the priests but burned up to be a pleasing aroma to The Lord. It was meant for Israel to remember who God is and what He has done. It was meant to be complete worship to bless The Lord.

Verses1-3 read,

“Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”


So why would a Psalm of worship and thanksgiving begin with a plea to be delivered from one’s enemies? Because our prayers while blessing All-Knowing and Almighty God are also meant to edify us and those who hear them. 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 says,

“Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

When we pray thanks to the Lord for His great deeds and when we ask Him to do great things for us, we remember who God is, what He has done, and what He is capable of. He already knows. We are the ones who need to be reminded and therefore our faith is strengthened and the people who listen are encouraged. God knows our needs, we do not always realize them. Our prayer reminds us.

And for those of us who are saved, we are already delivered from the enemy but praying for our enemies, the enemies of Christ, and those people who need deliverance reminds us of who we used to be. We don’t recall our old selves in order to be the way we were but to grasp the awesome miracle God has done in us through salvation. He made us new. He didn’t just make us better but He made us completely new. It is up to us to remember that each day and to choose to be the new creation instead of our old dead selves. (Colossians 3:5-11).

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 puts it like this,

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We are new. We are delivered. We are saved. This is such an astonishing miracle. We have reason to praise, sing, and worship. Verse 4 reads,

“May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”


Our praise glorifies God. God’s glory is like a beacon to the lost, calling them to salvation. And that salvation brings eternal life, not one day in the far off, not after we physically die, not after our resurrection but now. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Life gives us that life through Jesus and by the Father. (John 6:60-71).

John 3:33-36 describes eternal life,

“Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

We live in the Kingdom of God now and forever. Look at the tense of John 3:36 it does not say, ‘Whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life.’ It says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” It also says, “whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

What does that mean? The first, the most crucial thing a person does in obedience to The Lord is to repent and be baptized. Acts 2:36-39 says it like this,

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

We have to admit we need God by admitting we are sinners. We have to acknowledge and confess that we have done wrongs in our lives. But we don’t leave it like that. What good is conceding a fault without reparation? Would it do any good to say, ‘I need to lose weight’ yet not eat healthy and exercise? No! And so confessing our sins does not forgive them or give us eternal life. It is the obedience to repent, to ask Jesus for His salvation, and believe that He is the Lord that gives us eternal life. So David cried out to God often remembering his sin and God’s grace. Verse 5 reads,

“But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!”


I encourage you today to worship The Lord by remembering who He is and what He has done. Of all the awesome, wonderful, loving, and miraculous deeds He has done, salvation is the most awesome, wonderful, loving, and miraculous.

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Psalm 44 Where is God in my Trials?

7/4/2015

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Psalm 44

I know there are times when you feel detached from The Lord, even when you have not sinned, even when you are doing everything a good Christian does. You’re going to church, you’re spending time with Him, and you’re reading the Bible. But somehow you are still being persecuted, you are still suffering. What do you do in times like that?

What do we do when it feels like our prayers are hitting the ceiling instead of being breathed in by Holy God? We trust God. We remember all the miracles, the guidance, and the good He has done for us. We trust that He hears us and knows what is best for us. We remember the truth, God will never leave us nor forsake us. Verses 1-3 read,

“O God, we have heard with our ears,
    our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
    in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
    but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
    but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
    nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
    and the light of your face,
    for you delighted in them.”


It was not Israel that won the Promised Land for themselves. It was God Almighty who gave it to them. He defeated their enemies. It was not their strength but His. What is it in our lives that we’ve taken credit for that we should be thanking God for? What gifts and talents do we have that we have not acknowledged are from God and used them for His Kingdom? God loves us so much. He enjoys giving us blessings, fighting for us, and bringing us to the city He has promised us in eternity, New Jerusalem. When we remember all God has done for us so far and all He did for those in the past, we are reminded that we can trust Him to carry us through all our present trials and all our future hardships. Verses 4-8 read,

“You are my King, O God;
    ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
    through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
    nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
    and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
    and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah”


Didn’t He save us before? Didn’t He vindicate us? We can trust in His strength not ours. We can have faith in His plan instead of our own. We can believe that salvation is ours and that eternal life began the moment we submitted to Him as Lord and King. Even when we are in the midst of persecution, tribulation, and suffering we can thank God and praise Him. He used our past suffering for our good and He is using our present pain for our good, and He will use our future experience for our good.

That means that sometimes we do go through persecution, hardships, and pain. That means that sometimes God will test our faith. He doesn’t do it to punish us. He doesn’t condemn us. He strengthens us and He shows us who we have become in Him. He holds up a mirror and lets us see His reflection looking back at us with immense and stalwart love. Our Father hasn’t forgotten us, instead He let go of the bicycle. He is so proud of who we are becoming and what we are doing. If He had never let go of the bike, if He had not proven our faith we would never know we could ride that bike wherever we needed to go. Falling is not fun and the injuries it causes are painful but we get back up, we get back on, and we trust God when He tells us He will always be there with us.

The author of this psalm felt the heaviness of the ordeal he endured. He could see that God was allowing the enemies of Israel to oppress them. Verses 9-16 read,

“But you have rejected us and disgraced us
    and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe,
    and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
    and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
    demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
    the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
    a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
    and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
    at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.”


But he prayed anyway, he trusted in who God was and he remembered all God had done and promised. He didn’t stop praying because times were hard. He didn’t stop believing that God is awesome because of his pain. And he didn’t stop praying for deliverance or believing that God would save him. Verses 17-22 read,

“All this has come upon us,
    though we have not forgotten you,
    and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
    nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
    and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?
    For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”


These verses reflect the agony of suffering and the hope of maintaining and exercising faith. Look again at verse 19.

“yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
    and covered us with the shadow of death.”


What does the shadow of death bring to mind? Psalm 23:4 says,

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.”


God didn’t promise we wouldn’t walk through darkness or experience the effects of the evil of the world, but He did promise to be with us, and to use it for our good. (Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:28-29). He did promise that our response would be a testimony to the lost. (1 Peter 2:21). In Romans chapter 8 Paul quotes verse 22 of this psalm. Let’s read a portion of that profound chapter now, Romans 8:31-39 encourages us through the worst of troubles.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[i] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”


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

Do you see how much God loves us? He is making us better and stronger because the world will war with Him and therefore us. But we are overcomers and victors in Christ. We are united with Him and cannot be separated from Him.

God can handle our honesty. He knows whether our words and thoughts reflect our heart. Because we are indelibly intricately inseparably united with God we can be sincere about our feelings. Often times when we bare those thoughts that are born from our flesh, God reveals our hearts to us and makes it possible to repent and further solidify our faith and trust in His greatness. Don’t be afraid to ask God for help. Don’t be afraid to say, “Yo, God did you forget me?” He will remind you He has not. The psalmist wasn’t afraid to authentically ask God to rescue Him, even when his attitude seemed irreverent. Verses 23-26 read,

“Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
    Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
    Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
    our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
    Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!”


Just remember this, The Lord loves you. He loves you deeply, consistently, and without condition. You cannot earn His love. You cannot merit His favor. How do you know this? Because Jesus died for you long before you were born. He died for your salvation before you took your first breath. He loves you so much. Remember that and trust Him through all your hardships. Celebrate Jesus no matter what you suffer.

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Psalm 17 God Listens to His Beloved. You are Hidden in the Shadow of His Wing.

6/6/2015

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Psalm 17

When you have trouble, anxiety, fear, or grief what do you do first? Do you struggle to meet your needs? Do you look for ways to lighten your emotions or numb your pain? Or do you pray? Do you lighten your load by giving it to The Lord, your Loving Father, Savior, and Advocate? Do you know that God hears you, He listens, and He cares?

King David prayed. He was not afraid to unload all his deepest worries, fears, and feelings on God because he knew how much God loved and cared for him and he knew that whatever he said, God knew his heart better than he did. He cried out to God for vindication, for justice, and for protection. Verses 1-2 read,

“Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry!
    Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence let my vindication come!
    Let your eyes behold the right!”


From the time David first knew he would become king, he had enemies. They were not just out to hurt him or make him miserable, they were out to kill him. Once he was king it didn’t stop, his enemies were plentiful. But, David was a man after God’s own heart. The songs and poems David wrote to praise God exemplified his heart and prayers.

David was not perfect. His sins were many, but he had faith and friendship with God. And because of his faith The Lord saw the righteousness not the iniquity of his soul. And David took pleasure in God, His Word, and His path. David delighted in God and God delighted in him. God made David over, ever transforming him and maturing him to be conformed to His image. Verses 3-5 say,

“You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,
    you have tested me, and you will find nothing;
    I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not slipped.”


Because David had such a close relationship with God he really relished pleasing his Lord and he endeavored to be an example of God’s virtue. He wasn’t afraid to bring it to God’s attention. He knew just as much as God overlooked his flaws ad forgave his sins, that he noticed his endeavors and took pleasure in his good works.

David chose to follow God, not man. He chose God’s love over man’s selfishness. We know David sinned. David had many wives and concubines. He had an affair and murdered the woman’s husband to hide the affair and the pregnancy that resulted. But when God thought of David that isn’t what He thought of. He remembered his faith, his joy, his praise, and his camaraderie.

Believer, do you know that God loves you that much too? He doesn’t bring to mind the sins nor the mistakes you’ve made. He thinks of your faith, your love, your efforts, and Jesus’ righteousness which is now your righteousness. He adores you with an unwavering unfaltering love. He is transforming you to His image. David praised Him for His profound and constant care. Verses 6-7 read,

“I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O Savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.


8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.”


God listens, he pays attention to His beloved. And His beloved seek Him first above everything else because we know that He will ensure everything else falls into place. God is our Refuge, our Sanctuary, and our Rock. We are the apple of his eye. That means God cherishes you above everything else! The phrase literally translates as ‘little man of my eye’, the reflection you see of yourself in the others pupil. We are the reflection of God, made by Him in His image. He chooses to see His glory in us and not the sin. Because He values us so much, He protects us, we are hidden in Him, in His strength and power. Nothing can hurt us. They can’t even see the true us in order to hurt us because we are hidden in God’s protection. All they can hurt is our temporary shell, our soul is hidden in God.

It’s different for the lost. They blindly follow the enemy. They try to fill the hole in their souls with selfish ventures. They hate God and his children. They make Him and us out to be hateful because they are blinded by the enemy and fooled by his backward thinking. They serve Satan and self and in his service they want to destroy the work of God. Verses 10-14 say,

“They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our steps;
    they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.
12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
    as a young lion lurking in ambush.


13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
    Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O Lord,
    from men of the world whose portion is in this life.
You fill their womb with treasure;
    they are satisfied with children,
    and they leave their abundance to their infants.”


The lost only have the temporary earth and this present life. They have no hope of eternity, no expectation of The Kingdom of Heaven, and no promise of salvation. So they live to gratify their cravings and take pleasure in now. They are not our enemy.

Satan is the enemy. The lost are his oblivious prisoners. Pray for them. Pray for their deliverance. Give them the same hope God gave us. Jesus is calling them and Satan seeks to keep them deaf to His voice.

But we are not deaf to God’s voice. We clearly hear His Spirit, and He hears us too. He listens and He pays attention. We need nothing more than God. He is our All in All. One day we will see Him face to face. We keep our hope. We know His promise. And we have complete confidence that it is already done. Verse 15 ends the Psalm.

“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
    when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.”


When you suffer where do you turn? Do you turn to yourself or your Lord? He is I Am. We only need Him. Be satisfied with His glory. Can you imagine anything more splendid?

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Psalm 13 Earnest Prayers are Not Always Positive But There is Always Hope with Jesus

6/2/2015

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Psalm 13

It is difficult sometimes when we are in the midst of suffering, trials, or tests. God understands that we do not always feel happy. He gets that there are times when we are sorrowful even despondent. He knows there are times when we will be anxious, afraid, or angry. We are made in God’s image. He is not emotionless and neither are we. Remember Jesus wept (John 11:35). He got angry (Matthew 21:12-13). He even agonized (Luke 22:39-46).

I think people feel they need to put on a mask and pretend that all is well, even with God. But He knows our hearts better than we do, He is compassionate to us. We don’t have to hide our negative thoughts and feelings from Him or our brothers and sisters in Christ.

King David was going through a trial. God was testing his faith. He prayed to the Lord honestly. Why pray any other way? He felt so alone. Verses 1-2 read,

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?”


Have you wondered where God was during your low points? Have you felt as if He just let you suffer while undeserving people hurt you and prospered? It is not a sin to express that to The Lord. Verses 3-4 continue David’s questioning.

“Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.”


David thought he might die because his situation was so bad. He didn’t want to let the enemy win. David was not afraid to question The Lord because He knew God loved him. Talking to The Lord, even when you think He won’t like what you have to say allows Him to talk to you too. Communicating with Him give Him a chance to comfort you, to be your Peace, and help you mature. Verses 5-6 read,

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.”


David brought his fears to The Lord and when God comforted him, he praised him to the whole world. David knew he was not alone, that The Lord loved him with an unwavering and persistent love. He knew that God was his redemption and deliverance from everything, including his own flesh.

Believer, that is true for you too. The Lord loves you with a stalwart love.  He is faithful, always. Even through your most difficult times you can rejoice in Him. Even when you grieve, when you feel the worst, you can rejoice in Him. When Jesus was agonizing over His crucifixion, He also rejoiced over all God had accomplished and would accomplish. He prayed for the apostles, and prayed for us. (John 17).

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