Sharing the Word: April 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 29, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 29:16 (AMP)
When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall see the fall of the wicked.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:89-90 (MSG)
⁸⁹What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. ⁹⁰Your truth never goes out of fashion; it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.

The Word for encouragement:

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)
¹⁵So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. ¹⁶Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ¹⁷Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

My observation:

As we come to the close of another week, I remember when I was in the workplace that I along with many of my associates would say on Friday, TGIF. I knew in my heart that I should treasure time because time is precious, but it is also perishable.

The admonition of the Apostle Paul is as timely to us as it was to the people he sent this letter to. Since time is perishable we need to spend it wisely. It is here that we should draw encouragement from the Psalmist. The psalmist testifies that the word of God is permanent.

The wisest thing that we can do is to live our lives according to the word of God. Time is perishable, but the word of God is eternal.

My prayer:

Father God, I am so grateful for the permanence and the power of the word of God. Father, I thank you that the word of God is a solid foundation upon which we can build our lives. Where time is perishable, we can take comfort in knowing that the word of God is permanent. Father, I thank you for the enabling work of the Holy Spirit in guiding us into all truth, and empowering us to live wisely.

My song:

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Guide_Me_O_Thou.html

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.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 28, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 28:9 (MSG)
God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:81-88 (MSG)
⁸¹I'm homesick—longing for your salvation; I'm waiting for your word of hope. ⁸²My eyes grow heavy watching for some sign of your promise; how long must I wait for your comfort? ⁸³There's smoke in my eyes—they burn and water, but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions you post. ⁸⁴How long do I have to put up with all this? How long till you haul my tormentors into court? ⁸⁵The arrogant godless try to throw me off track, ignorant as they are of God and his ways. ⁸⁶Everything you command is a sure thing, but they harass me with lies. Help! ⁸⁷They've pushed and pushed—they never let up— but I haven't relaxed my grip on your counsel. ⁸⁸In your great love revive me so I can alertly obey your every word.

The Word for encouragement:

Revelation 3:7-8 (HCSB)
⁷"Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: "The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens says: ⁸I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close.

My observation:

There is no place that I would rather be in life than to be in the center of the will of God for my life. This is the theme that I hear beating on the door of my heart this morning. At the heart of being in the center of God's will and purpose for my life is the word of God.

The Proverb reminds me that the keeping of the word of God is essential to God hearing and answering my prayer. The Psalm reminds me that I can rely upon the word of God to comfort me in my season of trouble. Finally, the passage from Revelation reminds me that God blesses his people that keep his word. Although our strength may be weak, if we are faithful to the word of God, he will be faithful to provide the strength that we need to endure whatever may come against us in this world.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful and so comforted by the promises of the word of God for those who believe in Jesus, and for those who obey the word of God. Father, keep me faithful to the end.

My song:

Faithful to the End (Click on link below to listen to this song):

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

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 27, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 27:21 (AMP)
As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold [bring forth all the impurities of the metal], so let a man be in his trial of praise [ridding himself of all that is base or insincere; for a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts].

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:80 (AMP)
Let my heart be sound (sincere and wholehearted and blameless) in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame.

The Word for encouragement:

1 Kings 18:36-39 (KJV)
³⁶And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. ³⁷Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. ³⁸Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

My observation:

The prophet Elijah lived at a time when most of the people of his nation trusted in Baal and not in Jehovah. Elijah wanted the people to know that what he had previously said and done was not of his own initiative. So, what we have in our focal passage is a prayer for God to demonstrate that is was of him, and not of Elijah.

This prayer of Elijah should be an encouragement to every believer of the power of God. It shows that God is willing to use ordinary people who are willing to do God's will and God's work in this world. The difficulty of the task is not an insurmountable undertaking for God.

At this time in the history of our nation we need a few praying people who will have the faith in God that Elijah had. Elijah simply asked God to show the people that he was God, and to turn the hearts of the people back to God. Every one of us is capable of doing what Elijah did, and we know that God is able to do again what he did then.

James 5:17 (AMP)
Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, will you stir up within me the passion that the prophet Elijah had for you and for the people of his nation. Father, I know that you have all power in your hands, and that nothing is too difficult for you. Father, I pray that you will show yourself to be God in our nation at this time in our history, and turn our hearts back to the true and living God.

My song:

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWxb6VvPrkE

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 26, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 26:24-26 (HCSB)
²⁴A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.
²⁵When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
²⁶Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:68-70 (HCSB)
⁶⁸You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁹The arrogant have smeared me with lies, but I obey Your precepts with all my heart.
⁷⁰Their hearts are hard and insensitive, but I delight in Your instruction.

The Word for encouragement:

Ephesians 1:11-12 (HCSB)
¹¹In Him we were also made His inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will,
¹²so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.

My observation:

The computer is being difficult this morning. However, I will not allow it to prevail. This circumstance provides me with a wonderful opportunity to work out in real life what our focal passage says about God's purpose for his people.

There are times in our lives that our circumstances and our feelings rob us of the joy of our salvation. Notice that the Word said that God made us, who are in Christ, that we might bring praise to His glory.

It is good to remember this truth when things come into our lives that we should not allow those things to steal our joy. Rather, we should encourage ourselves by remembering what our purpose is, and give praise to God because we know that He is at work in our lives for our good and His glory.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you will help me is every situation to remember who you are, and that I belong to you, and you made me for the purpose of praise. Father, when I am down, I will look up to you, and remember why you made me.

Ephesians 1:12 (HCSB)
¹²so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 25, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 25:21-22 (HCSB)
²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; ²²for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:61 (HCSB)
Though the ropes of the wicked were wrapped around me, I did not forget Your instruction.

The Word for encouragement:

Romans 12:19-21 (HCSB)
¹⁹Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. ²⁰But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. ²¹Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

My observation:

In Paul's letter to the church at Rome he gives some encouragement to the believers of how they should relate to their enemies. Notice that this message is to the church, and not to the world. In the matter of vengeance Paul reminded the church that this is an area that God has reserved for himself. I don't know about you but when God puts up a "No Parking" sign, you can believe that I will not park in the space that he has reserved for himself. We never know the whole picture, which renders us incapable of being a righteous judge of others.

If believers want to do something positive in the life of an enemy, Paul gives some advice. He encourages the church to give them a large dosage of love in action. He said that in doing this you might be able to shame them into repentance. If they fail to repent, they remain in the hands of God, who is the only one capable of judging righteously.

Romans 2:5 (HCSB)
But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you will give me the wisdom and the discipline to refrain from giving out vengeance to those who may have wronged me. Instead, help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit of God to do what Jesus would do. Father, help me to love my enemies, and to reserve vengeance to you.

Matthew 5:44-45 (HCSB)
⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Hebrews 10:30 (HCSB)
For we know the One who has said, Vengeance belongs to Me, I will repay, and again, The Lord will judge His people.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_April 24, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 24:14 (MSG)
Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul— Get that and your future's secured, your hope is on solid rock.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 22:27 (MSG)
From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him.

The Word for encouragement:

1 John 4:14-15 (MSG)
¹⁴Also, we've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. ¹⁵Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am delighted to associate myself with those who are pleased to testify that Jesus is the Son of God. If you ask me how I know Christ lives, He lives within my heart. I praise the Lord that the grave could not hold him, and Satan could not prevent him for finishing what the Father sent him to do. Hallelujah, Christ arose.

John 10:15 (HCSB)
as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.

John 10:17-18 (HCSB)
¹⁷This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father."

My song:

Up from the Grave He Arose (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN77HjfAc8k

Friday, April 22, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 22, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 22:12 (KJV)
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:57-60 (KJV)
⁵⁷Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. ⁵⁸I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. ⁵⁹I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. ⁶⁰I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

The Word for encouragement:

Colossians 1:19-23 (ESV)
¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. ²¹And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, ²³if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

My observation:

The thing that makes Good Friday good is what Jesus did on Friday, and completed on Sunday morning. In his letter to the church at Colossae the Apostle Paul reminded the church of the hope that is the foundation of their faith. Their hope and our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and what he did for us on Calvary's cross over two thousand years ago.

The Apostle Paul reminded the church of who it was that died on that old rugged cross. Notice closely how Paul describes Jesus. He said, "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell". Now, that declaration by Paul should bless your soul, and open wide your mouth with a shout of praise to our great and gracious God.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am blest beyond measure for the love that was displayed on the cross at Calvary on that Good Friday over two thousand years ago. It thrills my heart and blesses my soul to know how much God loves you and me. Hallelujah, what a Savior.

My song:

The Way of the Cross Leads Home (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_The_Way_of_the_Cross.html

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 21, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 21:23 (MSG)
Watch your words and hold your tongue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:52 (HCSB)
Lord, I remember Your judgments from long ago and find comfort.

Psalm 119:55 (HCSB)
Yahweh, I remember Your name in the night, and I obey Your instruction.

The Word for encouragement:

Acts 2:41-42 (KJV)
⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. ⁴²And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

My observation:

The focal passages for today have something in common, yet they are vastly different. The Proverb speaks about our words, and the other two passages speak about God's Word. The Proverb admonishes us to watch our words. The Psalmist testified that he remembered God's Word. Luke records in his gospel the birth of the church, and that first church gladly received, and continued steadfastly in God's Word. Oh, what comfort we forfeit when we neglect God's Word.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray for the grace to be faithful to the word of God. Father, I ask that your church today would become a people who gladly receive and obey your Word, and would continue steadfastly in your Word.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 20, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 20:12 (NLT)
Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:49-50 (NLT)
⁴⁹Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. ⁵⁰Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.

The Word for encouragement:

Revelation 7:9-10 (NLT)
⁹After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰And they were shouting with a mighty shout, "Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!"

My observation:

There are so many things that the child of God has to be thankful for. Everything that we have is a gift from God. We may experience trials and troubles while we travel through this world, but this world is not our home. We have a better day coming. Our past may be dark, our present may be bleak, but our future is bright. We have the blessed hope that one day these ears will hear what Paul's ears heard, "Well done thou good and faithful servant", and our eyes will see what John saw in our focal passage from Revelation.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that one day I will see and experience what the Apostle John saw. Father, my heart burns within me as I think about standing before God the Father, and God the Son, Jesus my Savior and Lord. What a glorious day that will be. Father, give me the grace to stay faithful until that day. Hallelujah!

My song:

What a Day That Will Be (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge9V1cOyVQM&feature=related

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 19, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 19:8 (MSG)
Grow a wise heart—you'll do yourself a favor; keep a clear head—you'll find a good life.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:41-45 (HCSB)
⁴¹Let Your faithful love come to me, Lord, Your salvation, as You promised. ⁴²Then I can answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in Your word. ⁴³Never take the word of truth from my mouth, for I hope in Your judgments. ⁴⁴I will always obey Your instruction, forever and ever. ⁴⁵I will walk freely in an open place because I seek Your precepts.

The Word for encouragement:

John 8:30-32 (HCSB)
³⁰As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. ³¹So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples. ³²You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

My observation:

The purpose of the law has always been to set people free. However, to be set free you must realize you are enslaved. Not everyone who believed in Jesus received salvation truth. There were some who did not see the need for salvation because they did not accept the truth that Jesus taught about sin.

John 8:33 (HCSB)
"We are descendants of Abraham," they answered Him, "and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, 'You will become free'?"

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the happy condition that I am in since I believed in Jesus, and received him into my heart. Father, I thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit of God in opening my eyes so that I could see Jesus. Father, I thank you that I can truly say, "I once was lost but now I'm found, I was blind but now I see". Father, I thank you for your amazing grace that set this captive to sin free.

My song:

Free from the Law –Oh, Happy Condition (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/1001

Monday, April 18, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 18, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 18:10-11 (NLT)
¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. ¹¹The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:37 (HCSB)
Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in Your ways.

The Word for encouragement:

John 8:12 (HCSB)
Then Jesus spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life."

My observation:

This week is spoken of as Holy Week, It begun yesterday with Palm Sunday, and it will conclude next week with Easter - - Resurrection Sunday. In our verse from today's Psalm the Psalmist prayed that the Lord would give him life in God's ways. In our verse from today's focal passage in John, Jesus testifies that he is the light of the world, and that those who follow him will have the light of life. John had spoken of this in the beginning of his gospel.

John 1:4 (HCSB)
Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men.

The Pharisees took exception to Jesus claim to being the light of the world. However, Jesus warned them that they did so to their own peril. The world is a place of darkness. Jesus is the only light in this world, and only those who follow him are able to see Jesus for who he is, and obtain life.

John 8:24 (HCSB)
Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am ⌊He⌋, you will die in your sins."

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for sending Jesus into the world to make it possible for all who believe in him to become children of God. Father, I pray that you would bind Satan, and open the eyes of those who the enemy has blinded to the truth about Jesus.

John 1:12 (HCSB)
But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name.

My song:

Open My Eyes (Click on link below to listen to this song):

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

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:3-4 (ESV)
³The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts. ⁴An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 59:16-17 (ESV)
¹⁶But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. ¹⁷O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

The Word for encouragement:

James 1:2-3 (ESV)
²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I ask you to help me to set a guard over what my eyes see, my ears hear, where my feet go, and what my heart loves. Father, when you test my life, I pray that you will find it acceptable to you.

My song:

Oh Be Careful (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iihN9OnkHDg

Friday, April 15, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 15, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 15:22 (ESV)
Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:34 (ESV)
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

The Word for encouragement:

1 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)
¹So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. ²Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

My observation:

Today's focal passage reminds us of how imperative the bible is in the growth and maturity of believers. The desire for the word of God should be as natural for the believer as babies have for the mother's milk. We should have that same appetite for our heavenly Father's Word. The word of God is essential for nourishing and maturing our spiritual life.

John Bunyan author of the classic Pilgrim's Progress wrote in the cover of his bible, "Either this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book". If you find that you have lost your appetite for the Father's Word, take some time to inspect your life using the search light of the sins listed in this verse:

1 Peter 2:1 (ESV)
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Don't permit these sins or any other sins keep you from the Father's Word. Rather, drink regularly and deeply from the Father's Word and it will keep you from sin.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that you will stir up within me a hunger and thirst for your Word. Father, open my eyes to see the danger of not reading your Word, and the blessing of reading and heeding your Word. Father, today, I will write on the tablet of my heart the words that John Bunyan wrote in the cover of his bible, "Either this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book".

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 14, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 14:11 (HCSB)
The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will stand.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:33 (HCSB)
Teach me, Lord, the meaning of Your statutes, and I will always keep them.

The Word for encouragement:

Matthew 7:21-27 (HCSB)
²¹"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ⌊only⌋ the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?' ²³Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!' ²⁴"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn't act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!"

My observation:

Just as our home requires being built on a solid foundation so does our lives. Even more so our lives must meet the same test, and the stakes are so much higher because where we spend eternity is at stake. The only sure foundation to build our life upon is the solid rock of Jesus. All other foundations will result in a great collapse when the winds blow and the storms come in this life, and we will fail the ultimate test on the day of judgment. The only hope we have is to be in Christ Jesus, the solid rock. All other ground is sinking sand.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that you have provided everything that we need to build our lives upon in the person of your Son, Jesus Christ. Father, I thank you for the confidence that we can have when we build our lives upon Jesus because Jesus never fails.

My song:

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6-_jkYb1cc

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 13, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 13:3 (HCSB)
The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:25 (HCSB)
My life is down in the dust; give me life through Your word.

The Word for encouragement:

Hebrews 4:12 (HCSB)
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

1 Peter 1:23-25 (NLT)
²³For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ²⁴As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. ²⁵But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

My observation:

One of the greatest blessings you can ever receive from the hand of God is the blessing of eternal life. In our focal passage Peter reminds his readers that the life they received will last forever because this life comes from the eternal and living word of God. Now that is something that should encourage your heart for today, and give you a bright hope for all of your tomorrows.

My prayer:

Father God, I exalt you for who you are, and I bless you for your mighty works. Father, I am so thankful that my life has experienced the blessings of the living and eternal word of God. Father God, I thank you that the word of God has life, and that it imparts life to the readers, the hearers, and the doers of the word of God.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 12, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 12:15 (HCSB)
A fool's way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:22-24 (HCSB)
²²Take insult and contempt away from me, for I have kept Your decrees. ²³Though princes sit together speaking against me, Your servant will think about Your statutes; ²⁴Your decrees are my delight and my counselors.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (HCSB)
¹⁵and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

My observation:

Today's focal passage is a wonderful testimony of the value of the Holy Scriptures. The bible is unlike any other book. It is a book that is from the heart of God, and the words are from the mouth of God. The bible is God breathed.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (HCSB)
²⁰First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation, ²¹because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

When you follow the advice that Paul gave to Timothy about the word of God, you will have all that you need to become all that God purposed you to be. Only in the bible can you find the way and the wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

My prayer:

Father God, I am so grateful for the role that the bible has played in my life. Father, the bible is so precious to me. Father, I agree with what the Psalmist said about your Word.

Psalm 119:16 (HCSB)
I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 11, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 11:17 (MSG)
When you're kind to others, you help yourself; when you're cruel to others, you hurt yourself.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:19 (HCSB)
I am a stranger on earth; do not hide Your commands from me.

Psalm 119:18 (HCSB)
Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction.

Psalm 119:21 (HCSB)
You rebuke the proud, the ones under a curse, who wander from Your commands.

The Word for encouragement:

1 Peter 2:11-12 (HCSB)
¹¹Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you. ¹²Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation.

My observation:

Those of us who belong to the family of God must always remember the words of the psalmist, "I am a stranger on earth". Our focal passage from 1 Peter also reminds us of this truth, and encourages us to walk honorably in the world so that your life brings glory to God.

Living in the world has its obstacles. The world is a battleground and not a playground. There are temptations and hidden snares everywhere. To navigate through this world we need a roadmap, and that roadmap is the Word of God.

We need to pray daily for the wisdom and the strength to keep our eyes open to what the Lord wants to say to us in the Word, and to keep us from wondering from the path where the Word leads us. We need to walk in the Word, walk in the light, and walk in the Spirit everyday and each step along the way from our temporary home to our heavenly home.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, I praise and thank you that this world is not our permanent home. Father, I thank you that we are just strangers down here in route to our heavenly home. Father, while we are here I pray that you will help us keep our eyes open to the bible, which is our roadmap to guide us safely home. Father, help me to stay in the Word; read up, fed up, and watching to be caught up.

My song:

When We All Get to Heaven (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_When_We_All_Get_to_Heaven.html

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_April 10, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 10:29 (ESV)
The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:1-3 (ESV)
¹Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! ²Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, ³who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!

The Word for encouragement:

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NLT)
¹⁷For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! ¹⁸So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you will give me the wisdom that the Apostle Paul wrote about in his letter to the church at Corinth. Father, I pray that you would help me, by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit of God, to look at my current troubles through Your eyes. Father, shine your light of glory and grace upon your hurting people as they fix their eyes upon Jesus.

My song:

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWxb6VvPrkE

Friday, April 8, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 8, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 8:6 (MSG)
Don't miss a word of this—I'm telling you how to live well, I'm telling you how to live at your best.

Proverbs 8:32 (MSG)
"So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.

Proverbs 8:34 (MSG)
Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Timothy 3:15 (NLT)
You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (NLT)
And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

My observation:

I'm glad I start my day by reading the bible. I do read widely, and when I read what man has to say about the world it is depressing. Here are some of the topics I observed from recent news reports: accidents, bad habits, crimes, drugs, disease, death, envy, famine, greed, hatred, indulgence, killings, lusts, murder, oppression, purposelessness, unemployment, and war. This list makes my head spin out of control. Is there any help, is there any hope?

Yes there is help and hope. Our focal passages for today give us the answer. Listen carefully to what the bible says about man's condition, and God's remedy.

2 Timothy 3:15 (NLT)
You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

There is deliverance from the awful conditions than people face in this world. The answer is in the deliverer. The Holy Scriptures are God's love letter to you. It is true and it is reliable. The God who gave the Word also gave us the Holy Spirit so that we may know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

My prayer:

Father God, I am so grateful for the bible that shines a light into our dark lives, and reveals to us the wonderful hope that we have of deliverance from the hellish conditions we face in this lost and decaying world. Father, I thank you for sending Jesus to be our Savior. Father, I thank you for Jesus who is my Savior, and my friend for life and eternity.

My song:

What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Click on link below to listen to Mahalia Jackson sing this classic):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM2kbogwgBM

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 7, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 7:1-2 (HCSB)
¹My son, obey my words, and treasure my commands. ²Keep my commands and live; protect my teachings as the pupil of your eye.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:11-12 (HCSB)
¹¹I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. ¹²Lord, may You be praised; teach me Your statutes.

Psalm 119:15-16 (HCSB)
¹⁵I will meditate on Your precepts and think about Your ways. ¹⁶I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

The Word for encouragement:

James 1:22 (HCSB)
But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

My observation:

It is true that we should not judge others, that is an area that God has reserved for himself alone. However, we should be able to see the results of God's work in the lives of those who confess with their mouths that they are believers in Jesus. Someone has suggested that we can be fruit inspectors. Jesus said that everyone who believes in him will bear much fruit.

John 15:5 (HCSB)
"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.

David said we are to treasure the word of God in our heart. To memorize the word of God is a good thing, but not the most important thing. The most important thing is to obey the word of God. To do otherwise is to deceive ourselves.

James 1:22 (MSG)
Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that if we have any doubt about whether we are genuinely Christ followers, then help us by the power of the Holy Spirit of God to examine ourselves to see if we are truly a child of God. Father God, please save us from the folly of self-deception. Father, may our lives show by the fruit we bear that when we confessed that we believed in Christ, that we truly turned from our sins, and turned to Christ, and he came into our lives to remain forever.

My song:

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

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Since_Jesus_Came_into_My_Heart.html

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 6, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 6:23 (HCSB)
For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:10 (HCSB)
I have sought You with all my heart; don't let me wander from Your commands.

The Word for encouragement:

Matthew 6:33 (HCSB)
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

My observation:

This is the time of the year when the class of 2011 is planning and looking forward to graduation. My son-in-law posted on his Facebook wall recently a request to pray for the 2011 graduates. I am the proud grandfather of a granddaughter who will graduate from High School this year.

Today's focal passage presents a wonderful foundation for the 2011 graduates to build their lives upon. Having God at the center of your life is an anchor that will enable you to face and overcome the many obstacles that you will encounter in your journey through this world.

If you depend upon yourself alone you will get out of life what you can do. If you rely on your strength, abilities, and energy alone, you will end up constantly worrying about succeeding or failing in life. There are too many things that you do not know, and too many things that you cannot see to choose this way of living.

There is a better way. It is to turn from the independent way of living, and declare your total dependence upon God. Why not submit your life to the supervision and the care of the all knowing and all seeing God. He knows the way, and he will lead you in the way. It is never too early, and never too late to put your trust in God.

God gives the assurance that the person that puts their trust in him will always have the necessities of life. Additionally, what God provides in this life is only a token for what he has in store for you for eternity.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the promise of the Word of God that you will provide out of your abundance the things that are necessary for every believing and trusting child of God who puts you first in their life. Father, help all of us to put first things first in our life.

My song:

Seek Ye First (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/ns/120

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 5, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 5:21 (MSG)
Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make; he's aware of every step you take.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:9 (NLT)
How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

Psalm 119:11 (NLT)
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

The Word for encouragement:

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
²⁸Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

My observation:

Today's focal message from the gospel of Matthew has some good news for the weary soul. The load of sin is too heavy for any person to bear.

Isaiah 1:4 (NLT)
Oh, what a sinful nation they are— loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

Psalm 38:4 (NLT)
My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear.

Romans 6:23 (NLT)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

I was talking to a friend yesterday, and he said something that struck a responsive chord in me. He said, "If you tell me who you are, I will tell you where you are going". Selah!

If you accept the invitation of Jesus to come to him, you can settle the question today of where you are going. The Word says, "The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord".

John 1:12 (HCSB)
But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for your amazing grace and love that you have demonstrated in your concern for lost humanity. Father, I thank you that the invitation by Jesus to come to him does not exclude anyone. O Lamb of God, I come, and I receive from you the gift of eternal life through Jesus your One and Only Son.

John 3:16 (HCSB)
"For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

My song:

Just as I Am (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Just_As_I_Am.html

Monday, April 4, 2011

Daily Prayer_April 4, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 4:20-23 (HCSB)
²⁰My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. ²¹Don't lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. ²²For they are life to those who find them, and health to one's whole body. ²³Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 119:1-2 (HCSB)
¹How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the Lord's instruction! ²Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart.

Psalm 119:5 (HCSB)
If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes!

The Word for encouragement:

John 8:12 (HCSB)
Then Jesus spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life."

My observation:

The passage from Proverbs reminds me of the importance of life, and the source of life. The word of God is life; it is the source of life. The Psalmist continues this theme of the importance of the word of God, and the value it has for those who read it and heed it.

If you read the bible with an open mind and an open heart you will find that the theme that runs throughout the bible is Jesus.

The Word for encouragement for today was the text for my pastor's sermon yesterday. He spoke on the subject, "A Worthy Christian Walk". The world that we live in is a dark and dangerous place. However, we never have to walk alone. We have a leader who goes before us to lead and guide us each step of the way. If you follow Jesus you will have the light of life. Jesus says, "Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life".

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for the Word. Father, I thank you for Jesus, the Word that became flesh. And, Father, I thank you for the written word of God that we have to instruct us so that we may know the God of the Word, and the Word of God. Father, I thank you that Jesus is the light of the world, and that when I follow him I never have to walk in darkness.

My song:

Wonderful Words of Life (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://biblestudycharts.com/SH_Wonderful_Words_of_Life.html