Sharing the Word: March 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 31, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 31:10-12 (NLT)
¹⁰Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. ¹¹Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. ¹²She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 27:1-3 (NLT)
¹The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? ²When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. ³Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:11 (NLT)
And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

My observation:

Today's verse from Corinthians concludes Paul's encouragement to the church on God and suffering. What a great message to wrap up on. Paul finishes by saying that God uses suffering to teach prayer and thanksgiving.

Our prayers make a difference in the lives of other people when we pray for them. Paul was not too proud to ask others to pray for him because he recognized the power of prayer. Our prayer for others moves the hands of God to help those for whom we pray. For this reason the scriptures teaches and encourages us to pray for others.

James 5:16 (NLT)
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Philippians 1:19 (NLT)
For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

God will help if you will pray. In order for God to answer our prayers, we must pray. And, when he answers our prayers many will give thanks. In our suffering God teaches us prayer and thanksgiving.

My prayer:

Father God, I pray that I will not waste my suffering by failing to learn two of the important lessons that you want to teach us through our time of suffering. Father, I sincerely want to learn how to be a person who prays, and a person who is thankful. Father God, I am so grateful for the many who pray for me, and for the privilege I have to pray for others.

Colossians 4:12 (NLT)
Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://www.herbcotton.org
To receive via email: Send request to me at: herb@herbcotton.org

Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; ⁶think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 30, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 30:5 (NLT)
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:14 (ESV)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT)
And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.

My observation:

Paul was not sure about how long he would live, but when it came to trusting in God; he had a confidence that sustained his faith every day of his life. Trouble was his frequent companion, but his God was his ever present companion. Paul faced many dangerous toils and snares in his life, but God was faithful to see him through until he completed his work on earth.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT)
⁸We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. ⁹We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

I always remember something a pastor said on my 'Praying for You' radio program, he said, "Life is hard, but God is good, and the best is yet to come".

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful that I have a God in whom I can completely rely upon. Father, I thank you that you are able to deliver your people from the toils and snares that we encounter on our journey down here. Father, I thank you that we don't have to face life's difficulties alone.

My song:

No, Never Alone (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/688

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Daily Prayer_Tuesday

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 29:18 (AMP)
Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:13 (ESV)
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:9 (NLT)
In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.

My observation:

We don't know what circumstance Paul was alluding to in this passage. However, we do know how he felt about the severity of his situation. He felt like he was on death row. In spite of his circumstance something good came out of Paul's adversity. The lesson that Paul learned was to stop trusting in himself, and to rely totally on God. The Lord promises to bless those who trust in him.

Jeremiah 17:5-7 (NLT)
⁵This is what the Lord says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. ⁶They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. ⁷"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I thank you for the peace and joy that I have in being able to face the adversities of life that comes from putting my trust completely in the Lord. Father, I thank you that through the death and resurrection of Jesus death no longer has a sting for your people because you are a God who raises the dead.

My song:

Have You Any Rivers (Click on link below to listen to Mahalia Jackson version of this classic):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zna5h7iZAVU&feature=related

Monday, March 28, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 29, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 28:5 (MSG)
Justice makes no sense to the evil-minded; those who seek God know it inside and out.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:12 (NLT)
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:8 (NLT)
We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.

My observation:

It is a fact of life that trouble is a reality in our lives. There is no way to escape it through our ingenuity alone. We don't know exactly what Paul was referring to in this instance, but we know from scripture that he faced several situations that would fit this description.

Notice how he describes his circumstance. He said, "We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it".

This scripture is an encouragement to us because it is a reminder to us that even the greatest of God's servants encounter troubles in their life. None of us can point a finger at God to question God about our circumstances. The best preparation for trouble is to expect it.

John 16:33 (NLT)
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you will increase my understanding of the way that you use suffering in the lives of your people to accomplish your larger purpose for our lives. Father, I thank you that in spite of our troubles we can find peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I am so grateful for your promise that you will exchange our troubles for your peace.

My song:

Since Jesus Came into My Heart (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy5ucaiqPeY

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_March 27, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 27:21 (HCSB)
A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and a man for the words of his praise.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 9:1-2 (HCSB)
¹I will thank Yahweh with all my heart; I will declare all Your wonderful works. ²I will rejoice and boast about You; I will sing about Your name, Most High.

The Word for encouragement:

Jude 1:22-23 (MSG)
²²Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. ²³Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.

My prayer:

Our Father, my dear Father, I exalt your name above every other name. Father, I give you thanks with all of my heart for your tender mercies, and the gift of eternal life through Jesus, the Messiah of God.

Father God, I pray that your people will always remember that there is power in praising Yahweh with our whole heart.

My song:

Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptq9SXPgQgc&feature=related

Friday, March 25, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 25, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 25:7 (MSG)
It's better to be promoted to a place of honor than face humiliation by being demoted.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:11 (MSG)
There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:6-7 (ESV)
⁶If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. ⁷Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

My observation:

The psalmist says that God's Word directs us to hidden treasure. How true and how timely is that message for today as we focus on how the believer should deal with suffering? I never cease to be amazed by the way the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to speak into the hearts of his people.

The sufferings that we experience in this world have a redemptive purpose. The God who allows trouble to come into our lives also provides sufficient grace for us to overcome those troubles. Our troubles may hurt us, but they cannot harm us if we respond to them appropriately. God's comfort provides us with the means to overcome our afflictions.

Notice that the scripture says, "If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation". First, the comfort that we receive in our time of trouble is not to be self-contained. We are comforted so that we may share the comfort we have received with others when they go through their season of trouble. Don't waste your troubles by hoarding your comfort.

If you want to reap the benefits from overcoming your troubles there are two things that you can do. First, in the midst of your suffering, take time to praise the Lord. A joyful heart is good medicine for the soul.

2 Corinthians 1:3 (HCSB)
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Proverbs 17:22 (HCSB)
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

The second thing that we can do when we face troubles and trials is fix our eyes upon Jesus. Resist the temptation to turn inward, and receive the gift of joy when you look upward. Our suffering may not cause us to have joy, but looking to Jesus will indeed cause us to rejoice and experience joy unspeakable and full of glory.

James 1:2 (HCSB)
Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (HCSB)
¹⁷For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. ¹⁸So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray for the faith to be able to praise you in all of the seasons of my life. Father God, give me the desire and the power to be a vessel that will share the comfort I receive from you during my season of trouble with others who are going through their season of trouble.

My song:

Praise medley by Steve Green (Click on link below to listen by clicking on Open Player):

http://www.stevegreenministries.org/lyrics/index.php?song=414#

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 24, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 24:1-2 (NLT)
¹Don't envy evil people or desire their company. ²For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:10 (MSG)
God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.

The Word for inspiration:

2 Corinthians 1:5 (HCSB)
For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows.

My observation:

When we look around our world we can see lots of trouble, distress, and pain. There appears to be trouble everywhere we look. However, the trouble is not just out there, but the trouble is also within; it is in our families, and in our own lives.

There is a word of encouragement that we can take from today's scripture when trouble knocks at our door. We need to encourage ourselves by remembering who we are, and who we belong to. We are our heavenly Father's children, and he loves us with an everlasting love. You are rich in the things that mean the most, and that will last forever.

Ephesians 1:18 (NLT)
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Yes, the problems we face are real, and the pain we suffer is real. However, so is the God we serve real, and his promises are for real.

2 Corinthians 2:4 (HCSB)
For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.

2 Corinthians 1:8 (HCSB)
For we don't want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia: we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life.

Paul had troubles and the members of the church at Corinth had problems. However, the troubles that they faced did not nullify the promises of God. The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort showed up in their time of need.

If you are suffering for whatever reason, and you are a child of God, open your arms, and place your faith in the God of all comfort. He will show up for you like he showed up for Paul and the members of the church at Corinth.

2 Corinthians 1:5 (MSG)
We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that my troubles although large in my eyes that in your eyes they are like molehills.

Father, I thank you that I have a God who is bigger than any problem I will ever face, and that I have a God who is gracious and overflowing in giving comfort to his children when they encounter trials and trouble in their lives.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 23, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 23:12 (HCSB)
Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:9 (HCSB)
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:4 (HCSB)
He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

My observation:

I remember a teacher telling us of his personal experience in dealing with a son who had a severe disability. He said that troubles come to everyone. When you look around you might think others have trouble free lives, but it is wise not to exchange your troubles for somebody else's. I thought this illustration was powerful when I heard it over twenty five years ago, and it has stayed with me all of these years.

Today's focal verse for our encouragement has a more powerful truth and a more enduring truth. This truth is that we will have troubles, but we don't have to face them alone. There are two words that Paul used repeatedly in this letter; trouble and comfort. Everyone faces troubles, and that includes believers.

Everything that happens to us has to go through God's hands before it gets to us. That is not as easy thing for us to get our minds around. However, if we keep our faith and our hope focused on the God of our salvation, we will be able to triumph over our troubles. Remember that we have a Father who is the author of mercies and the God of all comfort.

God is a God of purpose. He comforts us so that we may be a comforter to others. Paul found this to be true in his life. God used Titus to comfort Paul. God also uses the prayers of others to help and comfort us during our time of trouble.

2 Corinthians 7:6 (HCSB)
But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,

2 Corinthians 1:11 (HCSB)
while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through ⌊the prayers of⌋ many.

My prayer:

Father God, I praise and thank you that when I experience trouble in my life that I can cry out to you, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Father, I thank you for the help and comfort that I have received from others who are in that army of those who have been comforted to be comforters.

Father, I thank you for praying family and friends that have sustained me in my valley of trouble and trials. Father, I thank you that our problems when placed in your hands are raw materials for miracles.

My song:

God Specializes (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQyEqUZx6jc&feature=related

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 22, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 22:3 (NLT)
A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:8 (HCSB)
The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:3 (HCSB)
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

My observation:

There is a deep seated desire in each of us that longs for exaltation. However, it is in humiliation that we find grace that enables us to overcome the afflictions of life. This word includes all of the conditions of life that brings pressure to bear in our life. It includes trouble, tribulation, trials, and oppression.

When affliction comes into our life there is a normal tendency to resort to complaining. That is our natural human response when facing problems that exert so much pressure upon us that it feels like it will cause us to break and crumble.

The Apostle Paul knew what it was to have trouble in his life. He had been through the School of Suffering so what he said comes from a person who had firsthand experience of affliction.

Paul was able to write to this church and say to them that in the midst of his suffering that there was someone to look to that is greater than our troubles. That person is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we take the upward look we find that we have something to be thankful for, and we have someone to give praise to. The Apostle found something in humility that he could not find in exaltation. He found that God is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (HCSB)
But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.

My prayer:

Praise the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, Praise the name of the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.

Father God, thank you for being a God who supplies sufficient grace to cover my most pressing needs. Lord, I thank you for the confidence I have that I have someone to come along side of me to help me and to give me the strength to get through all of my troubles and trials.

Father, thank you that you are a God who is still on the throne, and that I can call upon when I am oppressed, and find comfort from the God of all comfort.

My song:

God is still on the Throne (Click on link below to listen to the song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwjWJuPUQWQ

Monday, March 21, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 21, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 21:15 (HCSB)
Justice executed is a joy to the righteous but a terror to those who practice iniquity.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 19:7 (HCSB)
The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one's life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 1:1-2 (HCSB)
¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and Timothy our brother: To God's church at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Achaia. ²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

My observation:

Last week our focus was on one verse. This week we will focus on one chapter as we center our attention on the Word of the Lord that is for our encouragement and growth in the Lord.

I was tempted to skip the greeting to this letter, and get right into the topic that was on Paul's heart, but upon closer examination I decided that there is much here to ponder.

Paul felt the need to remind the church at Corinth that the reason he was doing the work of the Lord was not something he decided to do on his own. He pointed out to them he was an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will.

When you do the work of the Lord you will have your share of critics. There were men with agendas who had come into the church at Corinth and they were spreading the message that Paul could not possibly be a man of God because of the suffering that he had in his life.

Another thing that blesses and encourages me in this greeting is the reminder that the church is God's church. The church belongs to God, and not to the members. God calls all of the members to be a part of what he is doing in and through the church.

2 Timothy 1:9 (HCSB)
He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

Finally, grace was a common greeting by Christians during the first century. God had truly granted his people grace, and with that grace he blessed them with peace. It is good to know that you can have peace without having a trouble free life when you are a child of God, and a recipient of the grace of God.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for choosing to bless me with your amazing grace, and with the peace of God that surpasses human understanding.

My song:

Amazing Grace (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJg5Op5W7yw&feature=related

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_March 20, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 20:29 (AMP)
The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head [suggesting wisdom and experience].

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 37:23 (NLT)
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

The Word for encouragement:

Deuteronomy 28:13-14 (HCSB)
¹³The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the Lord your God's commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow ⌊them⌋. ¹⁴Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not go after other gods to worship them.

My prayer:

Father God, I am so thankful that the eyes of the Lord are watching over every step I take, and that you delight in the details of the lives of your beloved children.

Father God, I pray that I will be quick to listen and swift to obey everything that the word of God commands and counsels me to do.

Father God, I thank you that I have the confident faith, and the blessed assurance that my God is able to carry me through.

My song:

Surely God Is Able to Carry You Through (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoAG9qqAVEI

Friday, March 18, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 18, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 18:13 (HCSB)
The one who gives an answer before he listens— this is foolishness and disgrace for him.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 15:1 (NLT)
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

Psalm 15:5 (NLT)
Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.

The Word for encouragement:

Romans 15:13 (NLT)
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

My observation:

Today we conclude our observation of this brief prayer of the Apostle Paul for the people of the church at Rome.

The theme of this verse has been hope. It is a hope that comes by entrusting your life, by faith, to Jesus Christ.

One morning while going to work Edward Mote was inspired to write a hymn based on the hope that every genuine believer has because they belong to the God of hope.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus' Name.

When you belong to God, you have his presence with you at all times because God is omnipresent. He can be everywhere at the same time. Therefore, there is never a time in your Christian life that you are without hope.

Psalm 16:11 (HCSB)
You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful and blessed to have the abiding presence of the God of hope living in my life. Father, I thank you that no matter what I am going through I can have joy, peace, and hope in abundance because these are things that you give your children, and the world can't take them from me. Father, I thank you for being my rock in a weary land, and my shelter in the time of storms.

My song:

My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJnb3l9UuYU&NR=1

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 17, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:15 (HCSB)
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just— both are detestable to the Lord.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 15:1 (NLT)
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

Psalm 15:4 (NLT)
Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts.

The Word for encouragement:

My observation:

Today we consider the third prayer request that the Apostle made for the people of the church at Rome. This request is that they would overflow with hope. The source of our hope comes from trusting in Jesus, and asking for what we need from our heavenly Father. Our Father has given us in his word many wonderful promises that are available for the asking. Prayer is the key that unlocks the door to the Father's storehouse. He has gifts and blessings with your name on it.

Romans 15:4 (HCSB)
For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that you are a God of abundance so that when I come to you with requests I don't have to be concerned about scarcity. Father, I thank you that you are able and willing to fill your people with an overflowing hope. Father, by faith, I ask you to fill my cup until it overflows with strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.

My song:

Fill My Cup (Click on link to listen to CeCe Winans sing this song and two others):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nuSgCAuHqs&feature=related

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 16, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 16:7 (HCSB)
When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 15:1 (NLT)
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

Psalm 15:3 (NLT)
Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.

The Word for encouragement:

My observation:

Today we will ponder the second thing that Paul prays for the members of the church at Rome. The first thing was joy, which we covered yesterday, and the second is peace. This is a peace that comes from trusting in Jesus.

This peace comes from trusting in a God who can do anything but fail. It is a peace that fills the heart and thrills the soul. There is nothing sweeter this side of heaven than having the peace of God living and abiding in you completely. If you trust in him completely he will fill you completely with his peace.

Philippians 4:7 (NLT)
Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that you are a God in whom I can trust with my whole heart.

Father, I thank you and I praise you for being the Rock on whom I can build my life upon. Father, I thank you for your word that is truth, and that will stand the test of time and eternity.

My song:

Take Your Burdens to Jesus (Click on link below to listen to this song by the Barnes family):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnfQ5qyv1cc&feature=related

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 15, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 15:13 (MSG)
A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 15:1-2 (HCSB)
¹Lord, who can dwell in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain? ²The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart—

The Word for encouragement:

My observation:

Today we will consider the first of three things that the Apostle Paul prayed for the people in the church at Rome. The source of these things that Paul prayed for is God. The first of the three is joy.

This joy that Paul asked for in his prayer is essential to the spiritual life of the members of the church of every age. It is joy that produces a cheerful heart, and a cheerful heart that produces cheerful behavior. Notice what our featured Proverbs says about the condition of our heart, and how it affects our life. This joy creates in those who have it an inner joy, and gladness of heart. This joy forms a confidence that is unmoved by circumstances. The poet said, "The joy of the Lord is my strength".

Jesus prayed that his followers then and his followers of every age would have this attribute of joy in their life.

John 17:13 (HCSB)
Now I am coming to You, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have My joy completed in them.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I acknowledge you as the source of everything that I need for living and serving you. Father, I come to you in faith, and believing that there is no other source for the things I am asking.

Father God, I am confident that you are able and willing to give your people the joy that Jesus prayed for his followers then and for those who would come after them. Father, fill our hearts with the joy of the Lord.

My song:

Joy (Click on link below to listen to this song by The Georgia Mass Choir):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmvX3YwETdQ&feature=related

Monday, March 14, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 14, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 14:14 (MSG)
A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 15:1 (HCSB)
Lord, who can dwell in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain?

The Word for encouragement:

Romans 15:13 (HCSB)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe ⌊in Him⌋ so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

My observation:

Today I want to begin to reflect and meditate on the prayer and benediction of the Apostle Paul as he concludes the doctrinal section of his letter to the church at Rome.

If you are looking for hope, you will search in vain until you look to the God of hope. The only way that you can find that hope is to believe in Jesus.

Romans 5:1-2 (HCSB)
¹Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

God has already done the heavy lifting in purchasing our redemption. I am so glad the author of our hope and our salvation is able to save us and keep us.

Jude 1:24-25 (HCSB)
²⁴Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy, ²⁵to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

My prayer:

Father God, I praise and thank you that in you, and in you alone, I can find hope. Father, thank you for sending Jesus into the world to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Father I rejoice because of the blessed hope that I have in Christ Jesus my Savior and the Lord of my life.

My song:

Oh to Be Kept by Jesus (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxH56Stt_BI

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_March 13, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 13:10 (MSG)
Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other's counsel.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 34:15-16 (HCSB)
¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry for help. ¹⁶The face of the Lord is set against those who do what is evil, to erase all memory of them from the earth.

The Word for encouragement:

John 17:14-17 (NLT)
¹⁴I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶They do not belong to this world any more than I do. ¹⁷Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the knowledge that this world is not my permanent home. Father, even more, I am grateful that the all seeing eyes of my heavenly Father are always watching over me to keep me safe from harm.

Father, like the Apostle Paul, by faith in you and your word, I renounce independence, and I declare my dependence upon the Lord. I entrust my life to the cause and the care of my God who is able to carry me through anything I may encounter in this world.

Acts 20:24 (NLT)
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

My song:

This World is Not My Home (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4rKhOb-J0A&feature=related

Friday, March 11, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 11, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 11:1 (MSG)
God hates cheating in the marketplace; he loves it when business is aboveboard.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 150:1 (MSG)
Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies;

Psalm 150:5 (MSG)
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise him with fiddles and mandolin.

The Word for encouragement:

Luke 24:50-53 (HCSB)
⁵⁰Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. ⁵¹And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²After worshiping Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³And they were continually in the temple complex praising God.

My observation:

Today we come to the end of our walk through the Gospel of Luke that we started the first week of January. Our focus has been to examine and meditate on everything Luke recorded about prayer. We have observed how Jesus begins his ministry, and how he ends his ministry with prayer. I don't believe that Jesus went a day without talking with his Father in heaven, and neither should we.

Luke closes his gospel with the ascension of Jesus. In a sense the ascension closes the earthly ministry of Jesus, but it opens his heavenly ministry. If you are a believer in and a Christ follower, you have the blessing of Christ living in you, and you have the blessing of Christ interceding for you at the right hand of God. Are you washed by his blood, are you covered by his righteousness?

1 John 2:1-2 (HCSB)
¹My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. ²He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

What an awesome thing that Jesus did for us at Calvary, what an awesome thing he does for us as he lives in our lives as we travel through this world on our way to heaven. The disciples had reasons to praise him then, and we have reasons to praise him every day.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I lift up my voice and with all that is within me I give praise to your most holy and righteous name.

Father, I am so thankful for your amazing love, grace, and mercy that you offer as a gift to those who believe in Jesus.

Father, I thank you that Jesus lives in me. Father, I thank you that Christ is my advocate who intercedes for me in glory. Father, I am so grateful to know that I have a Savior who is watching over me, and praying for me that my faith will not fail.

My song:

I Have a Savior, He's Pleading in Glory (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/933

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 10, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 10:4 (HCSB)
Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 149:5 (AMP)
Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds.

The Word for encouragement:

Luke 23:44-46 (HCSB)
⁴⁴It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, ⁴⁵because the sun's light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. ⁴⁶And Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit." Saying this, He breathed His last.

My observation:

In our focal passage from Luke we hear one of the final words of Jesus from the cross. In the original language Jesus cried out with a shout of joy one word, "Tetelestal". In life and in death Jesus was always talking to the Father. His Father is our Father, so we can call upon him too.

John 19:30 (HCSB)
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

There was another event that happened that is significant to us as we conclude our focus on prayer this week. It was this, "The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle". Now access to God is available to all of God's people. The curtain was a shut door is now an open door.

Are you taking advantage of the door to the Father that Jesus has provided for you through his sacrificial death on the cross?

Ephesians 2:18 (HCSB)
For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Ephesians 3:12 (HCSB)
In Him we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I do rejoice in the glory and the beauty of the gifts that you have conferred upon your people because of what Jesus did for us at Calvary.

Father, I am so blessed by having direct access to you. What a confidence I have in knowing that I have access to the same resources that Jesus had when he prayed. I pray that I will use this privilege as often as Jesus did.

My song:

I Need Thee Every Hour (Click on link to hear Randy Owen & the Isaacs sing this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VeQrymN568

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 9, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 9:4-5 (AMP)
⁴Whoever is simple (easily led astray and wavering), let him turn in here! As for him who lacks understanding, [God's] Wisdom says to him, ⁵Come, eat of my bread and drink of the [spiritual] wine which I have mixed.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 149:1 (HCSB)
Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly.

The Word for encouragement:

Luke 22:45-46 (HCSB)
⁴⁵When He got up from prayer and came to the disciples, He found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. ⁴⁶"Why are you sleeping?" He asked them. "Get up and pray, so that you won't enter into temptation."

My observation:

There is never a time or condition when we are more prepared to face the trials and temptations of life than we are alone with the Father in prayer.

The experience of the three disciples who went with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane learned an invaluable lesson that night. Our failures can reap the benefit of learning some of life's most enduring lessons.

Jesus had admonished the disciples to pray, but at that point they had not yet fully grasped the importance of prayer. The disciples were asleep, when they should have been awake, and praying with Jesus.

If you are sleeping you can't see the temptation coming. If you fail to pray you will be powerless to overcome the temptation.

The lesson the disciples learned from this experience is that dependence and trust in God are indispensable. If Jesus needed to pray in his hour of temptation, then certainly all of God's children need to pray.

Matthew 26:41 (HCSB)
Stay awake and pray, so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

My prayer:

Father God, thank you for waking me up early this morning, and starting me on my day. I can identify with the hymn writer who wrote, "I've seen the lighting flashing and heard the thunder roll". Father, I thank you that I have a peace within me in knowing that I am never alone during the time that I spend alone with you in prayer.

Father, how sweet it is to my soul to simply trust in you, and not to lean on my own understanding, and my meager means. Father, I pray for the grace to stay humble, watchful, and prayerful so that I will see temptation coming, and have the power to overcome whatever Satan throws in my pathway.

My song:

Never Alone (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Never_Alone/

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Daily Prayer_March 8, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 8:1-5 (HCSB)
¹Doesn't Wisdom call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard? ²At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand. ³Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out: ⁴"People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind. ⁵Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 148:13 (HCSB)
Let them praise the name of Yahweh, for His name alone is exalted. His majesty covers heaven and earth.

The Word for encouragement:

Luke 22:43-44 (HCSB)
⁴³Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴Being in anguish, He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

My observation:

Today we continue with our examination of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. In today's focal passage from Luke we see Jesus experiencing extreme emotional and physical agony. Jesus had prayed this prayer previously:

Luke 22:42 (HCSB)
"Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done."

However, Jesus knew who he was, and why he was in the world. Satan was in the garden, but Jesus knew that his Father was in heaven watching over him, and that he was on a mission for his Father for the sake of his beloved children. Jesus was willing to endure the agony that he faced for the sake of doing the Father's will.

John 18:11 (HCSB)
At that, Jesus said to Peter, "Sheathe your sword! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given Me?"

Jesus had set the example for how we can face and overcome the temptations that we face on our journey through this world. Our response to the temptations and the traps of Satan is to call upon the name of the Lord in prayer. This is what Jesus told his disciples to do.

Luke 22:40 (HCSB)
When He reached the place, He told them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

If you humble yourself, watch and pray, the Father will carry you through. But, you have to ask the Father to help you. What he did for Jesus, God will do for you.

Philippians 2:8-9 (HCSB)
⁸He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. ⁹For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that I can live my life with the assurance that my heavenly Father is always watching over me and caring for me.

Father, I pray for the desire, the willingness, and the strength to persevere in prayer until I hear from heaven.

Father, I pray that I will not give in to temptation, and that I will not give up because of emotional or physical agony, but that I will hold on to reap the blessings that accrue to those who endure to the end.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (HCSB)
⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.

My song:

When the Battle is Over (Click on link below to listen to this song by the late Bishop Walter Hawkins):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHSjW4JKtcU