Sunday Worship: Meeting God
Today, as you worship and rest, take a moment to ponder this Puritan Prayer.
Meeting God
Great God, in public and private, in sanctuary and home, may my life be steeped in prayer, filled with the spirit of grace and supplication, each prayer perfumed with the incense of atoning blood. Help me, defend me, until from praying ground I pass to the realm of unceasing praise. Urged by my need, invited by Your promises, called by Your Spirit, I enter Your presence, worshipping You with godly fear, awed by Your majesty, greatness, glory, but encouraged by Your love.
I am all poverty as well as all guilt, having nothing of my own with which to repay You, but I bring Jesus to You in the arms of faith, pleading His righteousness to offset my iniquities, rejoicing that He will weigh down the scales for me, and satisfy Your justice. I bless You that great sin draws out great grace, that, although the least sin deserves infinite punishment because done against an infinite God, yet there is mercy for me, for where guilt is most terrible, there Your mercy in Christ is most free and deep. Bless me by revealing to me more of His saving merits, by causing Your goodness to pass before me, by speaking peace to my contrite heart; strengthen me to give You no rest untiI Christ shall reign supreme within me in every thought, word, and deed, in a faith that purifies the heart, overcomes the world, works by love, fastens me to You, and ever clings to the cross.
Eternal Life Ministries. (n.d.). Puritan Prayers. https://eternallifeministries.org/prayers.htm#Longings%20after%20God.
Saturday Review
This week, while you pray through the Saturday Review, why not jot down some praises and answers to prayer you’ve seen through the week..or through the month! God is working and it’s good to remind ourselves of that! Even the smallest thing can be evidence of His hand. Take some time not only to pray, but also to notice what He’s doing!
Let’s pray these points again:
Pray with urgency that our sons and daughters can confidently say “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.” (Psalm 27:1, 3)
Pray that our sons and daughters are filled with hope and confidence that they WILL see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13-14)
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters fall more and more in love with Jesus and grow in their confidence and trust in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:7-9)
Pray that God would continue to carry on the good work in our sons and daughters for their good and for His glory and that He would bring it to a beautiful completion in His time. (Philippians 1:6)
Pray that our sons and daughters would continue in him, so that when he appears they may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)
Pray without ceasing, friends.
Confident & Unashamed
1 John 2:28 “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.”
Friends, what better thing to pray for our sons and daughters today than 1 John 2:28? Why not jot it down on a card, put it in your phone or write it on a sticky note and put it where you can pray it over again and again?
Come on, let’s pray it out loud now asking the Lord to sustain our sons and daughters and enable them to continue in Christ, faithful and committed, so they can be confident and unashamed at His coming.
Pray without ceasing.
Be Confident of This
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Have you been praying for your son or daughter for what seems like a lifetime? Is deliverance on the horizon ….or nowhere to be seen? Sometimes we grow weary, praying and pleading and yet, not seeing any movement or sign of hope that would show us a change of heart or about-face in direction. It’s hard. It’s painful. And it stretches our trust.
Friends, don’t lose heart and don’t give up praying for your son or daughter. God is not done working! Although we may not see the progress we hope and pray for, God may be working in ways we cannot see. He operates outside of time while we are constricted by it. We have to trust Him. Be encouraged by Philippians 1:6 today and pray that God would continue to carry on the good work in our sons and daughters for their good and for His glory. Pray without ceasing and any time you feel discouraged quote Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in (name) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Confidence in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:7-9 “For we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage (confidant!), and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”
At some point in life, we reach an age or level of experience when we begin to realize, this life isn’t really all it’s ‘cracked up to be’. The rave reviews we heard as a child and young adult painted a picture of ‘living your best life now!’. But as we grow older, we see the faults in the landscape and feel the burden of this life. We see sorrow and pain and perhaps live through it too. We realize that this life isn’t where we should fully invest our hopes and dreams, there’s got to be something more.
That’s where our faith in Jesus comes into play. The more we love Jesus, the less we’re enamored by this world. We know, with confidence, there is something more. We know that this is just a shadow. This life, this world is the ‘black and white’ version...the full color version is yet to come and we won’t believe how spectacular it is!! We have faith and confidence that God will deliver more than we could imagine and we’re hopeful and excited to see that day!
Our sons and daughters may not be there yet. They still see ‘all the things’ they want to experience and accomplish here. Is that wrong? No, God created them to accomplish the ‘good works He prepared in advance for them to do” (Ephesians 2:10) But we need to begin to pray that their love for Jesus would eclipse their love for this world and that they would live fully, as a believer in Christ, and understand that their best life is yet to come.
Faith plays a big part in the confidence we hold in Christ’s promises. A growing faith gives us an increasing confidence so that when we face the hard things, our faith and confidence carries us through. We don’t look to this life here to fulfill our hopes and dreams, we look to Jesus. We can move past disappointments and we can handle the pain because we know and have confidence that what Jesus promises He will deliver.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters fall more and more in love with Jesus and grow in their confidence and trust in Him. Let’s pray that they are not looking to this life to be their satisfaction, but they have satisfaction in Jesus, no matter their circumstances.
Pray without ceasing.
I Remain Confident of This…
Psalm 27:13-14 “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
If we had to rate our confidence in the Lord, what score would we give ourselves? Oh if asked, we’d likely answer immediately saying we have full confidence in Him. I mean, that’s the appropriate and expected answer, right? But really, if the question is put to us when life is hard, when we’ve faced death and grief, when the diagnosis is not good, when the job prospects have dried up, when the wandering child we’ve been praying for is straying even farther, would we still answer with the same assurance? Do we have that complete confidence in our Lord that He can do more than we could ask or think….and do we live like we believe it?
But here’s something else to consider. We’ve taught our sons and daughters many things, but have we modeled full trust and confidence in God…especially when times are tough? So much more is ‘caught’ than ‘taught’. And if we want them to be adults who have full confidence in the Lord, we need to keep encouraging them to put their complete trust in Him, even when things look bleak.
King David wrote Psalm 27 and it’s a powerful testament to just how much confidence David had in the Lord. Even how it’s titled “A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God” shows David’s confidence. And how much confidence did he have? Let’s look at the challenges he was facing:
Wicked enemies advancing to devour him
An army besieging him
War breaking out against him
The day of trouble (most likely more like a season of trouble)
Enemies surrounding him
The threat of his mother and father forsaking him
False witnesses spouting malicious accusations against him
Did he complain? No. Did he rant and stress over the dire situation? No. No! What did his heart say? “Seek His face!” v. 8 Wow. Wow!! All those frightening challenges, enemies galore and David’s heart says “Seek His face.”
What do our hearts say when we face pain, disappointment, trial, turmoil and heartache? And what do our mouths say? Do we testify to the goodness of God or do we lament at our misfortune? And what about our sons and daughters? Do their hearts say “Seek His face!” when they encounter trials? Oh, friends, we desperately want our sons and daughters to seek His face, no matter what they’re going through.
Look at how does David ends the Psalm; “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” David was sure, beyond a doubt, of the goodness and power of the Lord. His trust in God eclipsed any threat or fear he might face. His God was strong enough to conquer any of it.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are filled with hope and confidence that they WILL see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. NO matter what they face, they have an Almighty God who loves them and wants to protect and provide for them.
“Heavenly Father, You are mighty to protect and preserve us in any situation and from any enemy. I pray that You would fill (name) with a strong confidence in Your faithfulness and provision in any situation. When they are faced with difficult or frightening circumstances, when they don’t know from where or when the answers will come, I pray that they would immediately seek Your face and be assured, beyond a doubt, that You will be their helper. You will not reject or forsake them. I pray that You would build (name)’s faith so they can say with confidence that You are their light and salvation and they will not fear. Lord, let them see Your goodness in every aspect of their life and may they testify with their attitude and words to everyone they encounter that their God is faithful. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
The Lord is my Light
Psalm 27:1, 3 “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Many people are convinced that Christ’s return is closer than ever. All around us there is so much sin, evil, darkness and trouble that it’s hard sometimes not to be overwhelmed by it, or at the least, discouraged by it all. Nations are in conflict with one another and man’s inhumanity toward man is horrific. Even ‘entertainment’ celebrates evil, darkness and demonic themes. We might ask ourselves, how much worse does it have to get? Satan is doing all he can to steal and destroy.
When darkness settles in, people will look for something, anything to light their way. Desperation will drive them to grasp for whatever promises rescue and relief and there will be a lot of things and people making empty promises. Are our sons and daughters spiritually equipped and ready to stand firm? There is only One Source of Light and Rescue. There is only One whose Presence can drive away fear. If our sons and daughters know anything, they need to know this. They need to know Jesus.
Let’s pray with urgency that our sons and daughters can say with confidence “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Friends, today is a good day to spend time on your knees with eternity in view and bring your sons and daughters by name into the Throne room of the King. Pray that they look to the Lord alone for guidance and salvation and that their strong faith gives them confidence in the current and coming days of darkness.
Pray without ceasing.
Sunday Worship: The Deeps- A Puritan Prayer
Lord Jesus, give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach. Help me chastely to flee it and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be Thine alone.
Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself as saviour, master, lord, and king. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until Thou alone art seen in me, Thy beauty golden like summer harvest, Thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no master but Thee, no law but Thy will, no delight but Thyself, no wealth but that Thou givest, no good but that Thou blessest, no peace but that Thou bestowest. I am nothing but that Thou makest me. I have nothing but that I receive from Thee. I can be nothing but that grace adorns me. Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.
From: The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.
Saturday Review- Keep on Praying!
Friends, don’t EVER give up praying for this next generation. God positioned them here and now for this time to do the bold work He prepared in advance for them to do. Let’s be that great cloud of witnesses, standing beside them, going before them in prayer and in faith. Interceding on their behalf and praying hedges of protection around them. Pray boldly and with urgency. God is working!
Review our prayer points from this past week. Take time to pray through them again, bringing your sons and daughters, by name, to the Throne of God.
Pray Psalm 46:1-3 over our sons and daughters, asking the Lord to reassure them, encourage them and help them overcome their fear and doubt, no matter what they might face today or in the days to come.
Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah”
Pray that our sons and daughters confront their fear by trusting in God- that He is the One they run to when they are afraid; confide in God and confess their deepest fears to Him- He has the power to overcome them and have confidence and trust in the Almighty to protect them from even their worst fears- what can mortal man do to them?
Pray that our sons and daughters walk closely with their Heavenly Father and find refuge under His wings.
Pray for our sons and daughters to live with that Spirit-led power, love and self-discipline and to not just ‘think’ they can, but to fully believe they can and will do it! Let’s pray that fear steps aside and knows its place in light of the Spirit’s power and presence.
Pray that our sons and daughters would fear the Lord and that they would follow His precepts and have good understanding.
Pray that they grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, so that when the storms come, and they will, our sons and daughters will stand firm.
Pray that our sons and daughters would not be overcome but that they would anchor strongly into the Lord.
Pray that they are confident in their faith and they don’t doubt. But if they do, that a stronger believer would come alongside them to disciple and encourage them.
Pray without ceasing, friends. God is at work!
Wisdom- A Life Preserver
James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
True confessions. Sometimes, when we are confronted by the hard stuff of life, we might doubt our faith. We might have questions that remain, for the time, unanswered. We might feel alone and confused. Be honest. It’s happened, even to the most seasoned believers.
So when our sons and daughters begin to face those hard things, will they stand firm or will they be overcome by waves of doubt and confusion?
If you’ve ever been swimming in the ocean, you know it’s glorious and vast and the waves are beautiful. The gentle rolling of the ocean is almost mesmerizing as you float along. You can’t help but relax.
All is well and good until a breeze kicks up and a storm begins to roll in. Those waves you were so enjoying moments before begin to rock and toss your float and your easy calm turns into a nervous feeling and quickly moves toward nervous panic. You begin to paddle and kick your way back to the shore, but the currents work against you because the enormity of the ocean is not matched by your singular strength. That raft you were so in control of is falling victim to the mighty ocean. It’s frightening and you are at the mercy.
Life is like that ocean, isn’t it? Sometimes it’s so enjoyable and other times, well, we can barely keep our heads above water. Wisdom for life is what is desperately needed to weather the storms. Yet, often, our first go-to when we need wisdom isn’t the Lord. We look to friends, family, self-help books and websites that offer a wealth of knowledge. There isn’t anything wrong with these things, but our first call needs to be to the Lord. He is the Source of all wisdom and He is the One who generously grants it when we ask.
As we grow older, we quickly realize we don’t know everything. And, although we’ve spent a lifetime learning, our age and experience confronts us daily with just how little we know in light of eternity and our vast universe. It’s humbling. It drives us to our knees, praying for wisdom and humbly asking the Lord to help us in spite of ourselves.
But when we were younger, we thought we knew a lot….and it’s likely that’s just where our sons and daughters are right now. Here’s the thing, intelligence is not the same as wisdom. Someone can be very smart….and very unwise. Everyone is born with intelligence that is expanded through learning. But, wisdom, ah, wisdom is gained through living. Unless one lives and learns, they will not gain wisdom. And unless one reaches out to the Lord, well, their allotment of wisdom will be on the short end of the stick.
It’s likely our sons and daughters do know a lot, or at least they think they do… but they don’t know what they don’t know. And they don’t realize yet because they haven’t been confronted with all of the ‘hard’ stuff. Do they know they lack wisdom? Are they willing to admit it?
Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.” Major prayer point #1- pray that our sons and daughters would fear the Lord. And prayer point #2- that they would follow His precepts and have good understanding.
Today, simply take time to pray for your sons and daughters faith. Pray that they grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, so that when the storms come, and they will, that our sons and daughters will stand firm.
Pray that they won’t be overcome by the currents, trying to make it to shore on their own, but that they would anchor strongly into the Lord. Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,”
Pray that they are confident in their faith and they don’t doubt. But if they do, that a stronger believer would come alongside them to disciple and encourage them.
Lift your son or daughter today with confidence that the Lord hears and answers!
Pray without ceasing.
Have No Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
It’s rare that we live our lives without encountering hard things, isn’t it? Life is full of challenges. Some greater than others. Maybe it’s a day of ‘everything going wrong’ or maybe it’s a diagnosis that changes life altogether. It could be a short-lived challenge or a chronic issue that becomes a companion of sorts. Maybe it’s earth-shattering or just inconvenient. Whatever the ‘hard’, God equips us to deal. But it’s not US that makes us capable, it’s God IN us.
If we are believers, the Spirit of God lives in us. Think about that. The Spirit of God lives IN US. So, when we’re afraid or intimidated or overwhelmed, it is so important that we remind ourselves of the Scriptural Truth that God’s Spirit is alive and active in us and can empower us to do whatever it is God is calling us to...even the hard stuff. God’s Spirit does not make us timid and fearful, but gives us power, love and a sound mind (self-discipline).
When our sons or daughters call us in a ‘tizzy’ over something that has them fearful, frazzled or overwhelmed, let’s be mindful of how we’re going to encourage them. Friends, our responsibility as parents and fellow believers is to encourage them in Truth. More than just console them (which is needed) we need to encourage them to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and grab hold of that power of God that lives in them. We want to enable Godly living, not enable the fear.
God doesn’t indwell them in order to allow them to remain fearful, but to empower them to live with boldness and confidence to confront what they are facing with Godly strength, love and discipline.
Today, let’s pray for our sons and daughters to live with that Spirit-led power, love and self-discipline and to not just ‘think’ they can, but to fully believe they can and will do it! Let’s pray that fear steps aside and knows its place in light of the Spirit’s power and presence.
Pray without ceasing.
Under His Wings
Psalm 91:4-5 “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,”
Have you ever watched chickens…really watched them? The mature chickens strut about, pecking and scratching for food, but the baby chicks will curiously wander and then scurry back to their mother to hide under her wings. Each chick knows to which hen it belongs. Each hen knows her brood and if they’re threatened, she becomes more like a Momma Bear than a silly hen. She will pull herself up to her full height, flap her wings and protect her babies. All the while, gathering them underneath her to ensure their safety. Those chicks know, without a doubt, the safest place is under their Mama's wings.
But sometimes there is an ‘independent’ chick in the flock, one who wanders off, oblivious to the dangers. That chick may not realize that wandering too far could make life dangerous...and short-lived, putting them at-risk of attack by the Enemy. There is protection and security when the chicks stay near those wings of refuge.
So when Scripture gives us that picture of taking refuge under the wings of the Almighty God, we understand what the Psalmist is trying to tell us, in fact, we can picture it well. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” We can run to our Savior and know that He is watching over us and He is ready to protect us from anything that might threaten us. He gathers us in and covers us so that the Enemy can’t see us or reach us. Jesus shelters us so that we’re safe and He gives us warmth and protection in His presence.
As believers, we are not immune to fear or attack. It lurks around us and taunts us. It can bring on a sudden and desperate need for comfort. When we feel the attack we want to run and hide; we look for shelter and warmth that will reassure and protect us. We quickly search for what will offer a place of refuge and safety. If we are children of God, we don’t have to look far. God is that refuge and safe place for us and He is ever-present and always available.
We need to run to Him. We can trust that His wings are broad enough and strong enough to cover us and His feathers are soft and warm enough to provide the comfort we desperately crave. He will shield us from those flaming arrows of the Enemy so that we do not have to fear.
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters walk closely with their Father and turn to the Lord when they are afraid, finding precious refuge under His wings.
“Lord, I pray that (name) would walk closely with You. Help them to rely upon You each day and turn and run to You whenever they fear danger or attack. You, Lord, are their refuge and protection. Help them to feel welcome and comforted under Your wings. I ask that (name) would understand Your sweet protection and would seek it out. Keep (name) from wandering away from Your protection and care. Lord, let your faithfulness be their shield and rampart. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
When I Am Afraid…
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Let’s try something. Read the following sentences and fill in the blank:
The thing I fear most is _________.
When I am afraid I __________.
Fear makes me think about __________.
Fear initiates a reflexive reaction, whether it be a scream, a jump or a paralyzing effect that holds the person statue-still. That reflexive reaction is not something one ponders and plans, it happens automatically. It’s what is ‘programmed’ into the body and mind as the go-to response.
When something makes us afraid, we can experience panic and insecurity, uncertainty or mistrust and even complete terror. We might lose all sense of hope, security and direction. Fear can unnerve and disorient us. Even the strongest, most confident person can be derailed by fear.
When our children were little and something frightened them, we would see them running toward us and then wrapping themselves around our legs, seeking refuge and comfort. Storms or bad dreams brought them scurrying in, crawling between us, seeking safety under our covers, wrapped in our arms. But, how do they respond as adults?
We don’t want to numb our fears or ignore them. We can’t put on rose-colored glasses and pretend they’re not there. No, we need to face them. But when we do, we must face them with the confidence the Lord provides. We can’t conquer our fears, but God can! Friends, it’s so important to be intentional about how we allow ourselves to respond to fear and that we encourage our sons and daughters to respond appropriately. If we do not seek the Lord, we risk embracing false comforts that are shallow and even dangerous. How many people have we observed seeking comfort in a bottle or pill? How many try to quell their fears in dysfunctional relationships, only to find another form of fear and insecurity there?
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
We need to work on our trust-response so that it becomes automatic -so we can say “when I am afraid I…. put my trust in God! … in God, whose word I praise!” And in order to praise God’s word, we need to know God’s Word in order to call it to mind. Intentional time with the Lord in His word prepares us well to face our fears with full trust in the Lord.
And, if we are trusting in the Almighty Sovereign God, really, what can mortal man do to us? We have the Creator of the Universe wrapping His arms of protection around us and He upholds us securely with His mighty, righteous right hand.
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters:
Confront their fear by trusting in God- that He is the One they run to when they are afraid.
Confide in God and confess their deepest fears to Him- He has the power to overcome them.
Have confidence and trust in the Almighty to protect them from even their worst fears- what can mortal man do to them?
“Father, we confess, too often we allow our fears to control us. We give more power and attention to the things that frighten us than we do to You. Change our view, Lord. Turn our attention to You, Lord. When we are afraid, help us to fully believe in and have confidence in You to protect us. Build in daily reminders that would cause us to look to You. Let our automatic response become trust and confidence, not fear. You alone are our confidence and secure fortress, we have nothing to fear. Do not let us be intimidated by others who would bully, persecute or try to destroy us- they cannot harm us. We are Your children, set apart and sanctified, citizens of Your kingdom with an inheritance from You, our Father. I pray, today, that (name) would be confident in You, free from fear and intimidation. Help (name) to learn Your Word and look to You, trusting in You for their confidence and deliverance. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Therefore, We Will Not Fear
Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah”
Have you ever experienced a life event that shakes you? You feel as if the earth is crumbling and the very ground under your feet is collapsing. Life is turned upside down and nothing is certain. Fear becomes all-encompassing and with it, doubt about everything of which we were sure of just days before. …Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea… our world crumbles around us and how will we survive it?
If that hasn’t happened, count yourself blessed, but, be ready. This life is difficult and God doesn’t promise it will be without trouble (John 16:33) But God gives us strength and hope to rest in Him because this world is not what we live for nor what we hope in. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,...
Even if doubt and fear are present, God is ever-present. He is our refuge and our strength. He hides us and protects us. Doubt and fear are real. If we deny that, we’re lying to ourselves. And if we act with bravado, as if we’re in complete control and never experience doubt or fear, we’re lying to others. God knows we have doubt and fear. But He assures us that He is with us and able to conquer anything that might assault us. Let’s be real. Let’s be honest. Then, let’s be encouraged.
Here’s the thing… our focus has to be on Him, not on the turmoil. Note how Psalm 46:3 says “Selah”. What does that mean? It’s a musical term found in Scripture that means, stop, pause, be silent. God doesn’t want us to focus on the crumbling earth, falling mountains and raging sea, He wants us to focus on Him.
Psalm 46 creates a model for us to follow in desperate situations:
State what we know about God: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Remind ourselves of the surpassing nature of God’s attributes over anything in creation, time, and our life here: “Therefore (because He is our refuge, strength and ever-present help in trouble) WE WILL NOT FEAR, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Then, be still before God and ponder His Supremacy: “Selah”. Ponder for more than a moment. Allow the peace of God to settle in.
Doubt and fear can paralyze us, but focusing on the power and protection of God can help us overcome the doubt and fear.
Today, let’s pray this scripture over our sons and daughters, asking the Lord to reassure them, encourage them and help them overcome their fear and doubt, no matter what they might face today or in the days to come.
Pray without ceasing.
Sunday Worship- Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Saturday Review- Pray Continuously
It’s Saturday and time to review all of our prayer points from the week of June 7-11.
Pray that our sons and daughters serve well and with the correct motives. “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
Pray Hebrews 10:22-24, taking time on each phrase to pray those truths intentionally. “ Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,”
Pray that our sons and daughters have child-like faith with firm confidence in the Lord.
Pray that they are firmly assured that God is working even though they may not ‘see’ it and what He promises in His word will come to pass.
Friends, let’s wrestle and be fervent in prayer that our sons and daughters would stand firm, remain in God’s will, be mature and be fully assured.
Pray that they are persuaded and standing firm on God’s sovereignty and that He keeps His promises.
Pray without ceasing.
Without a Doubt
Romans 4:21 (Abraham).…”being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
What does it take for someone to be ‘fully persuaded”, to be convinced beyond a doubt, willing to stake everything on that person, that statement, that promise?
It’s not difficult to make promises, but to fulfill them, well, that takes integrity and power. But breaking promises...it happens every day. And when a promise is broken, so is trust and the ability and willingness to believe in that person again.
Abraham was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He promised. And what was God’s promise to Abraham? That Abraham (99 years old and childless) would be the father of many nations.
Abraham didn’t know HOW God would deliver but he knew that He WOULD. He had faith and trust in the Almighty. God had never failed. Abraham believed God would do what He promised. And He did. Abraham became a father at 99 and his wife, Sarah, a mother at 90. Talk about a miracle!
But later, God asked Abraham to sacrifice that long-awaited and very loved son. What? And, yet, Abraham obeyed, fully trusting, once again, that God would deliver. He had full assurance in the faithfulness and goodness of his Heavenly Father. And God did deliver Isaac. Abraham’s faith was strong. God’s faithfulness was true and His promise was sure.
Oh friends, are our sons and daughters fully persuaded that God will do what He promises?
Today, let’s pray that they are assured, persuaded and standing firm on God’s sovereignty and that He keeps His promises.
“Lord, I pray that (name) would be fully persuaded that You will do what You promise. Don’t allow cynicism to rule in their heart and mind. I pray that they would know, without a doubt, that You are faithful and trustworthy. Lord, increase their faith in You and grow their trust. Protect them from deception that would pull them away from You or that would cause them to question Your goodness and Your promises. Remind them each day of your faithfulness and point them to scripture that reinforces their assurance. Lord, keep them standing firm. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Wrestling in Prayer
Colossians 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.”
If we had to describe our prayer life that we practice on behalf of our sons and daughters, what words would be fitting? Would we answer with words like ‘hurried’ or ‘repetitive’? Maybe we would say we’re ‘desperate’ or feel ‘flat’, even ‘uncertain’ or ‘stuck’.
Don’t get frustrated and don’t give up. There was a guy, Epaphras, who, by his prayer life, made an impression. He was a friend of the Apostle Paul and a strong Greek believer, but not much else is known about him. But Paul described his prayer on behalf of other believers as “wrestling in prayer that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.”
Read that again, friends. He was wrestling in prayer. It’s likely he didn’t even personally know everyone he prayed for, but he knew they were believers who needed to stand firm.
The Greek word used here for wrestling is agōnizomai (1). He agonized in prayer over and on behalf of the other believers. Strong’s concordance describes it as “to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strife, to obtain something;” He prayed as if to obtain the victory, gain the answer, see his plea for other believers come to reality.
He desired that they would “stand firm”- that they would be steady and strong to the end, perfect in their faith and undefeated by the Enemy and remaining in God’s will. He prayed they would be “mature”- not remaining as ‘baby’ Christians, but growing, seeking wisdom and knowledge of Christ and bearing fruit. Then, he prayed that they would be “fully assured.” He wanted to see them remain faithful to the cross, to finish well and be persuaded beyond any doubt in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and only hope of salvation. That is a mighty prayer!
Oh, and Epaphras? He’s mentioned again in Philemon as a fellow prisoner with Paul, likely imprisoned for his faith. (Philemon 1:23)
Friends, do we strive in prayer for our sons and daughters? Today, let’s be an Epaphras. Let’s wrestle in prayer and fight for them. The Enemy wants them, but as long as we have breath, we will fight and wrestle on their behalf so that they will embrace Christ and stay true to Him.
Stop what you’re doing and pray this list right now for your sons and daughters:
Stand firm
Remain in God’s will
Be mature
Be fully assured.
Then, jot the list down and carry it with you and continue praying throughout the day. Wrestle to win, friends.
Pray without ceasing.
G75 - agōnizomai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g75/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Be Assured- God is Faithful
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
We’ve all heard the phrase “Oh, they’re a person of faith.” What does that even mean? Often, it’s a nod to ‘being religious’. But Hebrews says faith is ‘confidence’ in what we hope for AND ‘assurance’ of what we do not see.
When our kids were little we taught them Bible stories and songs that shared Biblical truth. We sang along to songs like “Jesus loves me, this I know” and “I’ve got peace like a river.” They sang at the top of their lungs and fully believed with a childlike faith all the words they were singing.
We helped them memorize scripture that reinforced the basic tenets of faith. Scriptures like John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” and Psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.” They could say them easily and even explain what they meant.
As little children, they soaked it in and learned with eager curiosity. They understood and believed God loved them. They understood He embodied joy, peace and love and enabled us to have those qualities in our lives too.
Yet, somewhere along the line, that childlike faith likely became a bit more complicated. Our sweet sons and daughters began to develop an awareness of the difficulty of life and the struggles that come with growing up. And maybe it began to color their relationship with the Lord and their faith in Him.
Faith is confidence in what we hope for - let’s pray that our sons and daughters can return to that confidence they had as a child. Mark 10:14-15 ““Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.””
Then, let’s pray that our sons and daughters have a strong spiritual assurance that God is working even though they may not ‘see’ it and what He promises in His Word is true - that assurance that God’s Word is flawless and reliable, Psalm 18:30 “As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”
Let’s lift our sons and daughters in prayer today asking the Lord to build their faith and affirm their assurance that He is faithful and worthy of their complete trust and devotion.
Pray without ceasing.
Full Assurance is Ours
Hebrews 10:22-24 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,”
Friends, we are going to pray this powerful scripture for our sons and daughters today. Take some time with each phrase to really meditate on what it is saying and what it means for our loved ones.
“Father, I pray that (name) would draw near to You today with a sincere heart. Lord, don’t let them stand on pretense, but let them be honest with You and with themselves. They need You. Help (name) admit that. Lord, let their faith be sincere, not ‘religion’ and not just ‘Christianity’ in words only. Don’t let them play the part. Help them believe in all sincerity. And in their belief, give (name) the full assurance that faith brings- the FULL assurance. Faith brings a confidence that is unlike any other; one that will not be shaken by spiritual oppression and attack . Faith isn’t ‘insurance’- “a contract for coverage against loss or harm,”1 it does not ‘ensure’: “acting to secure or guarantee, make sure or certain.”2 Faith ‘assures’, it “causes us to know surely, it secures and confirms, it renders safe and stable, it gives confidence and encourages us.”3 I pray today that (name) would walk confidently in the assurance that their future, their eternity and their every day is safe in Your hands and secure in Your plan. Help (name) to know surely and live securely in the promises You provide. I ask that (name) would hold unswervingly to this hope they profess, and give them boldness to share the reason for their hope, clearly and often. Lord, surround them with other believers who hold confidently to this faith that transforms hearts and minds in Christ. I pray that You would encourage (name) today to walk faithfully and help them to encourage others. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
1. Dictionary.com. Insurance. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/insurance.
2. Dictionary.com. Ensure. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ensure.
3. Dictionary.com. Assure. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/assure.