April 23, 2024

I Can Pray

June 6, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I may never sing a song that brings people to their feet
And mighty men of world renown I may never get to meet
But I have an invitation to hasten to His throne
To lay my burdens at His feet and make my petitions known

I can pray
Though the storm around me rages
I can trust the Rock of ages when I pray
And the peace I can’t explain when I call upon His Name
I just know I’m not the same when I pray

When it seems the road I’m trav’ling on just doesn’t have an end
I have found that He will be my brother and my friend
For He never will forsake me; He will always hear my plea
Because He stands beside the Father, interceding just for me

If my people
Who are called by My Name
Will humble themselves
Will humble themselves and pray

Singer/ Songwriter: Kim Culpepper
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I heard this song several months ago, and it spoke to me.  I put it in my ‘maybe’ list of songs to blog, not knowing when or if I was to share it.  Over the past two months a 16 year old young man in our church has been struggling with a deadly illness and has been through several brains surgeries already, with the almost certain need for more.  Our congregation, friends and family, both near and far, are praying for this boy!  What more can we do?!

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2

Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,
letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness,
everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Philippians 4:6-7 MSG

The songs I sing will never bring people to their feet, and won’t heal Zach.  The mighty men of world renown can visit him at his hospital bedside, but they can’t heal Zach.  This road that Zach and his family are traveling on seems to have no end.  This is a storm that is too great for any human to conquer.  Perhaps you, too, (physically, emotionally, or spiritually), are on a rugged road that seems to have no end, and are in a storm too great to conquer.

BUT GOD!  Each of us has an invitation to hasten to the Throne of the One and Only God, the Rock of Ages, Who can do anything, including heal our dear Zach and calm your storm. That is exactly what Zach’s parents, and we are doing daily, even moment-by-moment, and I encourage you to do the same.

Where else can we find peace?
Who else assures us that He hears our prayers?
Who else promises to never leave us or forsake us?
Who else can calm the storm?
Who else can heal Zach?
Who else can smooth your road?
No one, BUT GOD!

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.
There we will receive His mercy,
and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 14:16 NLT

Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock.
Isaiah 26:4

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our Refuge.
Psalm 62:8

As one song says, “Our God is an awesome God, Who reigns in Heaven above, with wisdom, power, and love, our God is an awesome God.”  With that assurance, we run into God’s Throne Room, and lay our “burdens at His feet and make my (our) petitions known.”

It is there

  • we have the assurance that He hears our prayers
  • we know that Jesus is interceding before our Father for us
  • we find our peace
  • we find our answers
  • we are “not the same when I (we) pray.”

If God is for us, who can be against us?
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?…
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….
Romans 8:31-39

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Whatever your storm is today, dear friend, believe that Jesus wants you to come to Him with it.  Believe He will take care of your need, no matter what is it.  When you can’t do anything else, YOU CAN PRAY.  And we, your sisters in Christ, will pray with you.  Jesus is waiting and listening…and answering.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 NIV

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

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Let It Go

May 1, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

I am of the opinion that there is no comparison
between the pain of this present time
and the glory which we will see in the future.
Romans 8:18 BBE

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Spring seems to be a time of deep cleaning and emptying out the places that only you can really see.  You know the ones, right? Everything seems to be in order on the outside, but if we really go into cabinets and drawers, there’s stuff that needs to be thrown away and papers that need to be shredded…and so on and so on.  ‘Organized clutter’ that’s what I used to call it.

Same with our lives sometimes.  There are so many things we are holding onto and our minds are so cluttered that we have a hard time just enjoying the present. And if you are sentimental, like I am, it is hard to let it all—the good and the bad— go.  When we think of the phrase ‘let go and let God,’  we tend to lean toward thinking about letting our past mistakes and sins go, and  not to dwell on them…and that is definitely right!  But…we also need to let go of the days that we loved so much, the awesome times that we cherished, so that we can truly enjoy the life that is ahead of us.  For me that means the house that I loved so much—the one where I strolled my babies around the lake, and had picnics in the park.  It can still be a good memory but it cannot be what I dwell on and long for.

God has so much more for us here and now.  Our lives are full of purpose and meaning.  We are His children and every day of our lives is His beautiful masterpiece.  The past is the past.  The future is the future.  And today? It is the “present”…the gift that unwraps minute by minute, so full of His blessings and joy and opportunity to share Him with so many.

I have lost a lot in the past and for a while I truly yearned and mourned for those things; so much so that I couldn’t even look at pictures from that time.  God heals those broken places and redeems them with so much more than we could ever imagine or hope for!

And we know all things work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

My prayer for us today is that we don’t want what we have lost so much that we miss what we have.  And that we will always see the blessings in each day as well as all the ways He loves us today. What do you need to let go of?  Is there pain in the hidden places?  Or maybe there are so many good memories you long for that you can’t see the beauty in today?

God knows your heart and He is willing to help you in anyway you need.  He is the Healer of our hearts and the Lover of your soul.  He is so good at helping us clean out the clutter so that we can see more clearly and hear His voice above all.  If anxiety is haunting you today, here are some verses for you to claim:

When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 94:19

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Matthew 6:34

Trust in Him at all times,
pour your heart out to Him,
for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8

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And if you don’t know Him, and you want Jesus to be your Lord, would you pray this simple prayer with me?

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe that Jesus is Your Son and You sent Him to die for me and to forgive my sins.  Thank You for what You are about to do in my life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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God is (He IS!) our Rock

November 1, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

Throughout this week, I have been drawn to a similar theme written about by my fellow devotional writers—God is my Rock.  Actually, He is (or, as Cheris reminded us on Wednesday) HE IS!  These ladies have been writing from the perspective of Psalm 62.

Ann wrote about our Lord Jesus—our solid Rock—and how we have been given salvation and how we are covered through His sacrifice for us.  Laura shared about how our God is in control; and, as The Rock, He is our Shield, our Provider, our Defender.  Cheris reminded us that we don’t have to worry and think ‘what if?’ because we know that HE IS!  He is faithful and always will be.  Ahmee told us a story about a little one in her life who needed to trust.  Just like herself (and us, too!), she needs to trust in, have faith in, and believe God’s Word.

Listen to a few selected verses from Psalm 62.

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.  Selah.
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:
That power belongs to God, and that to You, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

The psalmist pours out his heart uttering these words of praise!  He uses definitive words that communicate the concepts of strength, steadiness, reliability and permanence. He writes that his Rock is his refuge, his fortress, and his salvation, his glory, his hope. And that, because He is (HE IS!) then the psalmist trusts in Him, rests on Him, waits for Him, and is not shaken.  When you read these terms, what thoughts come up in Your mind and heart?  I think of comfort, of love, of peace, of hope, of strength.  I think of my God…Who is (He IS!) strong, steady, reliable, faithful!  Who is my Rock, my Refuge, my Fortress, my Hope, my Glory, my salvation.  He IS…He really, really, really IS!

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.  Selah.
Psalm 62:8

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord!  Thank You for being my Rock!  Thank You for being able to place my total trust, my hope, my faith…my entire self…in Your arms.  Thank You for Your grace, Your mercy, Your peace, Your love!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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Trusting God’s Word

October 31, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoOne afternoon my mom, nephew Tae, and I went swimming.  My mother spent most of the time carrying Tae.  I dunked him, and needless to say…he didn’t want me holding him.

My mom wasn’t able to enjoy swimming or floating while carrying around Tae, so she finally gave him to me—with much protest from him.  I couldn’t take it anymore!  He would sit on the steps holding the metal bar.  He did venture to stick his foot down and touch the ground, which wasn’t as far as he thought, but the water was distorting the actual distance between his feet and the ground of the pool and he kept getting scared he’d fall.

I do the same thing Tae did, but with the Word of God.  I hold on to God’s Word…the metal bar that is unmoveable…and then I get adventurous and build up the courage to actually put the Word into action, like with tithing.

Sad thing is I often can’t see the floor and, when I don’t see results fast enough, I pull back, clinging to the word of God, but afraid to put it to action because “I tried and it didn’t work.”

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8

Ah…trust. Trust can be hard when what our eyes see and our minds reason poinst to the impossible.  When the gap between our feet and the floor appears to be too far and we worry if we can actually reach.  This is known as doubt.  Our tangible factual conclusion can poke holes in our faith; after all, we are tangible beings.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

We live by faith not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

We as Christians are called to live by the Word of God, not with our eyes or own understandings.  We are to operate with THE TRUTH—”… the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:4).

And I am always honest with God about my doubts. He alone can provide the assurance I need to truly replace my doubts.

As for Tae…I took him to the other side of the pool, grabbed hold of his foot and pushed it down, with resistance and a little screaming, all the way to the floor of the pool. Once he realized his foot was on the ground he let go of me and started walking around in the shallow end.

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, for Your Living Word.  Thank You for those people who You place in my life to encourage me.  Thank You for those timely words that push me forward!  And help me to trust You more than the tangible world around me.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

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Selah

September 23, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us—Selah.
Psalm 67:1
A beautiful blessing, yes?  Do you remember when God told Moses to speak this blessing over the Israelites?
And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.  And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
Numbers 6:22-27
This blessing had particular meaning because Moses and Aaron had been giving many ‘rules and regulations’ to the people from God.  Some of the instruction they received also included ‘cursings’ (consequences that would come due to sinful behavior).  And so, God gave  grace to them and had Aaron speak this blessing over them.
Note the seemingly odd word at the end of Psalm 67:1—selah.  This Hebrew word, selah, has no absolute and definitive meaning.  Most Biblical scholars understand it to connote something that is valued, or can be measured against (such as in a comparison).  One Scripture that immediately jumps to mind talking about value and comparison is Proverbs 31:10.
A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her?
She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
See, her worth (value) is being shown by comparison, i.e., ‘she is far more precious than jewels,’ and ‘her value is far above rubies or pearls.  We should consider her of much value because she is being compared to these costly gems.
There are quite a few—seventy plus—uses of this word selah in the Scriptures…and almost every one of them is in the Book of Psalms.  We are told to ‘consider the value’ of these things.    Here are but a few:
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.  Psalm 32:7
In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever.  Selah.  Psalm 44:8
He will send from heaven and save me;… Selah.  God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.  Psalm 57:3
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.  Selah.  Psalm 62:8
How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!  They are ever praising You.  Selah.  Psalm 84:4
In our selected verse for today, Psalm 67:1, we are ‘considering the value’ of God graciousness…His blessing.  The value of God’s grace…oh my!  It would seem to me to be un-measureable!  It would have great and incredible ‘value,’ don’t you think?  But we are told to consider the value of it…so let us do just that!
  • Grace saves us by faith.  (Ephesians 2:8)
  • In our weakness, grace is sufficient.  (2nd Corinthians 12:9)
  • Esther found grace and favor in the king’s eyes.  (Esther 2:16-17)
  • Jesus came and brought grace and truth.  (John 1:15-17)

 

These are just a very few examples…the Scriptures are filled with examples of God’s grace being given in many, many, many different ways.  What verse comes to your mind that communicates about God’s grace?  Would you share it with us?

* * * * *
Dear Lord, may we always be aware of Your blessings!   May the magnitude and the vastness of Your amazing grace always fill our hearts with praise and thankfulness!  Please help us to recognize Your grace and blessings; and tell others, Lord,  about the blessing of our great God!   We love You, Lord!
Amen.
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