The Word for wisdom:
Proverbs 13:4 (HCSB)
The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied.
The Word for inspiration:
Psalm 146:3-4 (HCSB)
3 Do not trust in nobles, in man, who cannot save. 4 When his breath leaves him, he returns to the ground; on that day his plans die.
The Word for encouragement:
Luke 9:16-18 (HCSB)
16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them. He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 Everyone ate and was filled. Then they picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces. 18 While He was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
My observation:
The passage from the Psalms today reminds us of the relationship between praise and faith. When you lack faith, your level of praise will be low or nonexistent. When your level of praise is high, your faith will increase.
When we come to the passage in Luke today we see what faith in God can do. The disciples could never have done what Jesus did in feeding that crowd with the resources that they had. It is amazing what the Lord can do if we have the faith to give him what we have, and trust in him to supply our needs.
If you have needs in your life, take that need to the Lord in prayer. Tell him how much you trust in his almighty power to help you. As your praises go up to him your faith in him will increase. To demonstrate your faith in God, open your hands and lift them toward the heavens to receive your blessing. Let the words of this Charles Wesley hymn encourage you to increase your praise and strengthen your faith in your heavenly Father.
Father, I stretch my hands to Thee,
No other help I know;
If Thou withdraw Thyself from me,
Ah! whither shall I go?
Author of faith! to Thee I lift
My weary, longing eyes:
O let me now receive that gift!
My soul without it dies.
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I delight to lift up and exalt your name to the highest reaches of heaven. It is a blessing to know that the more I praise you the more my faith in you will grow.
Father God, I come to your throne of grace and mercy today to present to you my problems and my cares. Father, I give them to you, and I ask you to fix them for me. Lord, I believe that you can do what no other person or power can do.
Father, I come with clean hands, because I come in the name of Jesus, and I come with empty hands as evidence of my complete dependence upon you.
My song:
Father I Stretch My Hands To Thee (Click on link below to hear Dorothy Norwood sing this song):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSG4VrxGsaA&feature=related
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http://www.herbcotton.org
To receive via email: Send request to me at: herb@herbcotton.org
Current topic: A Proverb a day for wisdom, and a Psalm a day for inspiration.
Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
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