Sharing the Word: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 30, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 30:5 (HCSB)
Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 94:22 (HCSB)
But the Lord is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Philippians 3:10 (HCSB)
[My goal] is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Philippians 3:12-14 (HCSB)
¹²Not that I have already reached [the goal] or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, ¹⁴I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

My observation:

The Apostle Paul had a lofty goal for his life and ministry. In our focal passage for today he expresses that goal, and he describes how he strives to achieve that goal in his life. In his explanation he acknowledges his agreement with Peter in that we should have our sights set on growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:18 (HCSB)
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The Apostle Paul disciplined himself to live in the present tense. It required the power of concentration. The Apostle had been given the gift of eternal life when Christ Jesus made him his own. Paul acknowledges that he is not a perfect man, and that the best is yet to come. However, he lived his life pressing for the prize to make it my own because Christ has made him his own.

In this passage we see the balance between faith and works. Our salvation is a gift from God that we received by faith. However, faith without works is a dead faith. Even demons have that kind of faith.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (HCSB)
⁸For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift— ⁹not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

James 2:18-19 (HCSB)
¹⁸But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.

My prayer:

Father God, Holy Father, I ask that you grant me the grace of having the power of concentration that will allow me to live in the present. Father, I ask for the power of the Spirit of God to enable me to forget the past and its failures. Father, grant me the faith to relentlessly press on for the prize that awaits those who have a live faith in God.

James 2:26 (HCSB)
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

My song:

Higher Ground (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.biblestudycharts.com/SH_Higher_Ground.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)
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; ⁶ think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 29, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 29:12 (HCSB)
If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.

Proverbs 29:14 (HCSB)
A king who judges the poor with fairness— his throne will be established forever.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 93:5 (HCSB)
Lord, Your testimonies are completely reliable; holiness is the beauty of Your house for all the days to come.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Joshua 23:14 (HCSB)
"I am now going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.

My observation:

Two servants of God who led God's people at different times in their history are in agreement in their testimony to the Lord, and in the presence of his people. Their testimony and my testimony is that God is a faithful God.

There are many things in this world, and many people in this world who are not worthy of our trust. You cannot count upon them to do what they say they will do. They are great promise makers, but they are not reliable as promise keepers.

The God of David, the psalmist, and the God of Joshua, is a God who makes a promise and keeps it. Therefore, his servants trust in him with their whole heart, and are blessed.

Psalm 91:2 (HCSB)
I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Joshua 24:15 (HCSB)
But if it doesn't please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh."

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, give us wisdom and discernment in the decision we make about who we will trust. Father, as for me, my trust is in the God of my salvation. Father, I have come too far, and seen too much to turn around now.

My song:

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NKIMfgOI_w&feature=related

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 28, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 28:10 (HCSB)
The one who leads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 93:2-4 (HCSB)
²Your throne has been established from the beginning; You are from eternity. ³The floods have lifted up, Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves. ⁴Greater than the roar of many waters— the mighty breakers of the sea— the Lord on high is majestic.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Isaiah 43:1-2 (HCSB)
¹Now this is what the Lord says— the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel— "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. ²I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and ⌊when you pass⌋ through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.

Isaiah 43:25 (HCSB)
"It is I who sweep away your transgressions for My own sake and remember your sins no more.

My observation:

When we realize what we deserve we have every right to fear. However, when we read these promises of God in Isaiah, God's people then, and God's people today should have nothing to fear. The Lord has done great things for us, and I am so glad that he did for me what I could not do for myself.

The prophet describes God's gifts to his people in our focal passage. Notice what he did; God created you, he formed you, he redeemed you, he called you by your name, he has blotted out your sins, and will not charged them against your account.

What God did for his people then, he also did for all of those who come to him through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:3-5 (HCSB)
³Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. ⁵To whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful for the amazing love you have for those who you have created in your own image. Father, when sin marred your plan for us, you sent your Son to redeem us.

Father God, I thank you that because of Jesus that I can live with peace and joy. Father, with the stain of my sins washed away by the blood of Jesus, I can now live rejoicing every day. Father, I thank you for exchanging my guilt for your grace.

My song:

O Happy Day that Fixed My Choice (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/347

Monday, June 27, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 27, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 27:1 (HCSB)
Don't boast about tomorrow, for you don't know what a day might bring.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 93:3 (HCSB)
The floods have lifted up, Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves.

Psalm 93:1 (HCSB)
The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty; The Lord is robed, enveloped in strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.

The Word for encouragement:

John 15:11 (HCSB)
"I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

John 14:27 (HCSB)
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.

My observation:

In this world we will experience storms in our life. I have observed over many years that when it comes to storms there are three types of experiences regarding storms. You have been in a storm in the past, you are currently in a storm, or there is a storm you will experience in the future. Storms are the rent we pay for living in this fallen world.

The Psalmist reflects the way that we should view storms and the way that we should respond to them. When the storms of life are raging, that is an anchor in which you can find shelter, safety, and security. When storms come in your life, read those verses from Psalm 93 listed above.

I am encouraged by the Word for today that Jesus promised his followers that he would give them joy and peace. That is a promise that every Christ follower of every age can claim. It takes faith in God to receive your promise because there is an adversary who wants to rob you of what God wants to give you.

John 10:10 (HCSB)
A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

My prayer:

Father God, Abba, Father, I am so thankful that there is a God in heaven who reigns, and that you are robed in majesty, and enveloped in strength. Father, I thank you that you are an able shelter for your people from the storms of life.

Father God, in faith, I claim the promise of Jesus to his followers that he would give them joy and peace. The enemy is out to rob me of these grace gifts, but he will not succeed.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (HCSB)
²³Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

My song:

Peace in the Midst of the Storm (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.muzu.tv/gb/zoerecords/shirley-caesar-peace-in-the-midst-of-the-storm-music-video/714179/

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_June 26, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 26:11 (MSG)
As a dog eats its own vomit, so fools recycle silliness.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 13:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵But I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. ⁶I will sing to the Lord because He has treated me generously.

The Word for encouragement:

Psalm 16:7-8 (HCSB)
⁷I will praise the Lord who counsels me— even at night my conscience instructs me. ⁸I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am greatly comforted by your faithful love. Father, like David the psalmist, I have decided that I will praise the Lord at all times. Father, with you by my side in the daytime and the night time, I never need fear the dangers, toils and strife that may surround me. Father, when fear knocks at my door I will send faith to answer the knock. I will sing to the Lord because you have treated me generously.

My song:

Give Him Glory (click on link below to listen to this song):

YouTube - Minister DeAndre Patterson - Give Him Glory

Friday, June 24, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 24, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 24:16 (MSG)
No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 121:1-2 (HCSB)
¹I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? ²My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

The Word for encouragement:

Genesis 28:16 (HCSB)
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it."

Genesis 28:20-21 (HCSB)
²⁰Then Jacob made a vow: "If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, if He provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear, ²¹and if I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God.

My observation:

I have a prayer partner who has a passion for prayer. Presently thousands of miles separate us. However, the presence of God links and binds our hearts together in love. Yesterday he told me in an email that he would be praying for me at the Thursday morning breakfast that I attended with him and a few other men for many years when we lived in the same community.

Today, as I reflect upon the selected scriptures I sense a common theme, and that is the power of the presence of the Lord. For the people of God, the presence of the Lord brings peace and joy. That is what my friend said he was praying for in my life, and the others who are in his circle of prayer focus this week.

Have you had the peace and the joy that comes in those special moments when you sense the overwhelming presence of God in your intimate space? That is what Jacob experienced. The experience so touched and changed his life that he said, "The Lord will be my God".

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that you are a God who is everywhere. I thank you that our location no matter where we go in this world we cannot ever be in a place where you cannot reach us and touch us with your powerful and tender hands. Father, I thank you for the peace and joy that fills my life because of your abiding presence in my life.

Jeremiah 23:24 (HCSB)
Can a man hide himself in secret places where I cannot see him?"—the Lord's declaration. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?"—the Lord's declaration.

My song:

Close to Thee (Click on link below to hear this gospel version of this hymn):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH0IK84wyG0

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 23, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 23:17-18 (HCSB)
¹⁷Don't let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the Lord. ¹⁸For then you will have a future, and your hope will never fade.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 121:6-8 (HCSB)
⁶The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. ⁷The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. ⁸The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

The Word for encouragement:

Isaiah 40:11 (HCSB)
He protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries ⌊them⌋ in the fold of His ⌊garment⌋. He gently leads those that are nursing.

John 10:7-11 (HCSB)
⁷So Jesus said again, "I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. ¹¹"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

My observation:

How we view God is significant to how we respond to what the word of God says. How big is your God? What say you of Jesus?

Our selected passages for today are reflective of the God of the Word. Although he has strength enough to be a conquering King, he has a heart that loves enough to be a tender shepherd.

I don't know how people can make it through this world without the Lord in their life. And, even more importantly, I don't know how they expect to live eternally in the presence of a God who is holy and righteous in all his ways without the Lord in their life.

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, I am so grateful that you have strength enough to be a conquering King. However, for our sake, your heart is compassionate enough to be a tender Shepherd. Father, I thank you for sending Jesus to be the door, the only door through which we can enter the kingdom of God. Father, grant to any who are outside of your sheepfold the grace gift of faith to trust in Jesus. I have found him to be the good shepherd.

John 10:11 (HCSB)
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

My song:

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km63bQinoJk&feature=related

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 22, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 22:5 (NLT)
Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 92:14-15 (HCSB)
¹⁴They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green, ¹⁵to declare: "The Lord is just; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him."

The Word for encouragement:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (HCSB)
⁹Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. ¹⁰For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. ¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? ¹²And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

My observation:

The passage from Ecclesiastes is my focus for today. I believe that the poet had it right when he said, "No man is an island". I believe that the scripture is clear about the high value that it places on the people of God gathering together. We are to love each other, and demonstrate our common faith by action on behalf of others for the glory of God.

John 13:34-35 (HCSB)
³⁴"I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. ³⁵By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

How can we love one another as we should if we don't spend time together in worship, fellowship, and service?

Hebrews 10:24-25 (HCSB)
²⁴And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, ²⁵not staying away from our ⌊worship⌋ meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

My prayer:

Holy Father, Sovereign Lord, I pray that you would bind your people so close together that one of us could not fall without the other there to help us get back on our feet. Father, help us by your power to love one another, and serve others. Father, bind us together with your love.

My song:

Bind Us Together (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emCaGJfM0gs

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 21, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 21:2 (NLT)
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 92:5-9 (HCSB)
⁵How magnificent are Your works, Lord, how profound Your thoughts! ⁶A stupid person does not know, a fool does not understand this: ⁷though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be eternally destroyed. ⁸But You, Lord, are exalted forever. ⁹For indeed, Lord, Your enemies— indeed, Your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered.

The Word for encouragement:

1 John 2:17 (HCSB)
And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever.

1 John 5:11-13 (HCSB)
¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹²The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

My observation:

The passage from today's Psalm causes me to pause and think about the eternal. This subject is difficult for our minds to get a handle on. However, it is not too difficult for our magnificent God. Our heavenly Father has eternity on his mind, and he has provided the way for each of us to experience eternal life in his Son.

It is not wise for us to put our hope in the things that are temporal because those things are perishing. Where will the material things that we invest so much in today be in 100 years? Where will some of our expensive toys be in 2 years?

Do you get the picture I am attempting to paint in just a few words? We need to take the time to ponder the things that will last for eternity rather than putting all of our energy in pursuing the things that are perishing.

Do you know if you have eternal life? If eternal life is not your current possession, it can be. Eternal life is a gift of our heavenly Father. The Apostle John wrote his gospel to show us how to have this life that is forever.

John 20:30-31 (HCSB)
³⁰Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

The gospel of John is a book that every person needs to read. Have you read it? If not, why don't you take the time to read it. The return on your investment of just a small amount of time could reap benefits that will last for eternity.

My prayer:

Father God, Abba, Father, I am so taken aback by your amazing love for the fallen human race. How breathtaking it is to ponder the truth that the Sovereign Lord would have me on his mind, and care so deeply about me. Father, your love, grace and mercy just blows me away. Father, in the face of such an incredible gift, all that I can do is to humbly receive it by faith. With a grateful heart, I say thank you Father for sending Jesus to provide for me the way to have eternal life.

My song:

When He Was on the Cross, I Was on His Mind (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD8wg9LyQ84&feature=related

Monday, June 20, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 20, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 20:6-7 (HCSB)
⁶Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man? ⁷The one who lives with integrity is righteous; his children who come after him will be happy.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 92:1-4 (HCSB)
¹It is good to praise Yahweh, to sing praise to Your name, Most High, ²to declare Your faithful love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night, ³with a ten-stringed harp and the music of a lyre. ⁴For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done; I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hands.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Samuel 6:21-22 (HCSB)
²¹David replied to Michal, "I was dancing before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord's people Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord, ²²and I will humble myself even more and humiliate myself. I will be honored by the slave girls you spoke about."

Psalm 86:8-12 (HCSB)
⁸Lord, there is no one like You among the gods, and there are no works like Yours. ⁹All the nations You have made will come and bow down before You, Lord, and will honor Your name. ¹⁰For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God. ¹¹Teach me Your way, Yahweh, and I will live by Your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name. ¹²I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever.

My observation:

David said in our featured passage from Psalms that it is a good thing to give praise to the Lord. It is good to praise him in the morning, it is good to praise him at noon time, and it is good to praise him in the evening before you lay your head to rest. It is good to praise God anytime and all the time. I tell you my friend that God is an all right God. As my mother-in-law used to say, "Who wouldn't serve a God like our God?"

David learned the lesson of looking up to God rather than looking back to the past. To be sour about the past is to live on stale bread. The past is behind us, and we have a bright future. Today is a day of hope and promise because we have our heavenly Father as our source. We can ask him to give us fresh bread to nourish us each day.

Luke 11:3 (HCSB)
Give us each day our daily bread.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that we would never forget that our help and our strength comes from looking up and not looking back. Father, I thank you for the gift of faith that enables me to trust in you with my whole heart. O the joy of giving praise to God.

Psalm 86:12 (HCSB)
I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever.

My song:

O Praise Him (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpVsF4W8V2Y

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day Reflections_June 19, 2011

.The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 19:26-27 (MSG)
²⁶Kids who lash out against their parents are an embarrassment and disgrace. ²⁷If you quit listening, dear child, and strike off on your own, you'll soon be out of your depth.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 68:4-5 (HCSB)
⁴Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds — His name is Yahweh—and rejoice before Him. ⁵God in His holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows.

The Word for encouragement:

Colossians 3:21 (HCSB)
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so they won't become discouraged.

Ephesians 5:25-27 (HCSB)
²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. ²⁷He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, Abba, Father, I thank you for the privilege and the gifts of praise and prayer. Father, I am so grateful that the family is your gift to us. Father, I pray that our families will come to resemble in the last days the picture we see in the bible rather than the picture that we see in the media outlets of the world. Father, help each of us to fulfill our God assigned role in the family. Father God, make me holy and blameless in your eyes.

My song:

Faith of Our Fathers (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh710.sht

Friday, June 17, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 17, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:27 (HCSB)
²⁷The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:16 (HCSB)
¹⁶I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.

The Word for encouragement:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (HCSB)
¹But know this: difficult times will come in the last days.
²For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
³unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,
⁴traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
⁵holding to the form of religion but denying its power. Avoid these people!

My observation:

The verse from the Psalm today is appropriate because it reminds me and my wife of the faithfulness of God. We received the news yesterday that two of our friends, one 82 years old, and the other 98 years old ended their journey down here, and went to their eternal dwelling place. The Lord satisfied these two women with long lives.

I know in the place that they are resting this morning they don't have to face the difficult times that the Apostle Paul refers to in his letter of encouragement to his mentee Timothy. To prepare for these times we should expect them.

2 Timothy 3:13 (HCSB)
¹³Evil people and imposters will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

My prayer:

Father God, Almighty God, I praise and thank you for being a God who knows my name, and who loves me supremely. Father, I thank you for loving me first. Father, I am so grateful that you have already demonstrated your love for me in sending Jesus to be my Savior.

Father God, I pray that in these difficult times your people will not be the wrong kind of lovers that the Apostle Paul described in his letter to Timothy. Father, deliver us from being lovers of self, lovers of money, unloving, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Father God, create in the hearts of your people a burning desire to return to their first love; the love of God, and your beloved son, Jesus, our Savior.

My song:

O, How I Love Jesus (click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Bc-GBHAvg

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 14, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 14:30 (HCSB)
³⁰A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:11-13 (HCSB)
¹¹For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.
¹²They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the young lion and the serpent.

The Word for encouragement:

Matthew 15:29-31 (HCSB)
²⁹Moving on from there, Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee. He went up on a mountain and sat there,
³⁰and large crowds came to Him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, those unable to speak, and many others. They put them at His feet, and He healed them.
³¹So the crowd was amazed when they saw those unable to speak talking, the deformed restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they gave glory to the God of Israel.

My observation:

Today we continue to look at the healing ministry of Jesus outside of the borders of the Jewish nation. He moves from the Gentile area of Tyre and Sidon to the area of Decapolis. It was here that many people brought to him those who had infirmities and all kinds of diseases.

Notice what the people did. They brought these people to Jesus and put them at his feet. What they did then people are still doing today. When we pray for the sick, we bring their needs to Jesus and put them at his feet.

What these people found then and what we will find today is a compassionate Jesus. No one who comes to Jesus goes away disappointed. Others may disappoint us, but Jesus satisfies. Why not try him, and bring your case to the Great Physician. Those who do always find help, and leave his feet giving glory to God.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful that you are still in the healing business. Father, I thank you that in prayer we can still bring all of our cares and place them at the feet of Jesus. Father, I am so appreciative that you are a God who has compassion for those who are hurting, and that you have the power and the willingness the help them.

My song:

What a Friend We Have in Jesus (click on link below to listen to this song by Mahalia Jackson):

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

Monday, June 13, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 13, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 13:20 (MSG)
²⁰Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:9-10 (HCSB)
⁹Because you have made the Lord—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place,
¹⁰no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent.

The Word for encouragement:

Matthew 15:21-28 (HCSB)
²¹When Jesus left there, He withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon.
²²Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon."
²³Yet He did not say a word to her. So His disciples approached Him and urged Him, "Send her away because she cries out after us."
²⁴He replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
²⁵But she came, knelt before Him, and said, "Lord, help me!"
²⁶He answered, "It isn't right to take the children's bread and throw it to their dogs."
²⁷"Yes, Lord," she said, "yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table!"
²⁸Then Jesus replied to her, "Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want." And from that moment her daughter was cured.

My observation:

The God you believe in matters. This truth is on display in our focal passage from the gospel of Matthew. In this passage we see the Canaanite woman, a Gentile, coming to the Son of David for help. She knew more about the Gentile gods then she knew about the God of the Jews, but she came to Jesus.

Jesus at first appeared to deny her request for help. However, this passage is instructive because it shows us that God's delay is not an indication of his denial. God's uses delay in this case to grow the faith of the seeker.

This passage causes me to do an inspection of my life. What does Jesus see when he looks at me? Does he see a person whose faith will grow when tested? Does he see a person who is persistent in their prayers to him? Would Jesus say about me what he said about this woman?

Matthew 15:28 (HCSB)
²⁸Then Jesus replied to her, "Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want." And from that moment her daughter was cured.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that you are a God who cares about people without distinction. Father, I am so grateful that you recognize and are pleased with faith in whoever you find it, and that faith can grow in the most unlikely people. Lord, help us!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sunday Morning Reflections_June 12, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 12:19-20 (HCSB)
¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue, only a moment.
²⁰Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 23:6 (HCSB)
⁶Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

The Word for encouragement:

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (HCSB)
¹⁷Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸yet I will triumph in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
¹⁹Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights! For the choir director: on stringed instruments.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that you are the God who provides abundantly for your beloved. Father, I thank you that you give us feet that enable us to overcome the difficulties and the troubles that we encounter in life. Father, I thank you for being all that I need for today, and for all of my tomorrows.

My song:

On Eagle's Wings (click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVEvD30e5yc&feature=related

Friday, June 10, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 10, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 10:17 (HCSB)
¹⁷The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day,
⁶the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon.

The Word for encouragement:

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 (HCSB)
⁸But since we are of the day, we must be sober and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation.
⁹For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
¹⁰who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

My observation:

Yesterday we talked about having the patience to wait until the appointed time. Today's passage talks about how we should wait for the blessed hope of salvation that God has appointed the believers to. This truth should encourage our hearts, and greatly influence the way we live our lives.

The believer has so much to be thankful to the Lord for. What a blessing it is to know that you have been appointed by God to salvation, and not to wrath.

John 5:24 (HCSB)
²⁴"I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

How then shall we live? Paul had a good answer for that question. Hear and heed what he says to the church then because it applies to us today.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (HCSB)
¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

Like the Apostle John, we can pray this prayer every day because of what our Savior has done for us. Members of the Body of Christ, let us encourage and build up one another until he comes.

Revelation 22:20 (HCSB)
²⁰He who testifies about these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

My prayer:

Father God, Abba, Father, I am so grateful that I am included in that number that have been appointed for salvation. Father, help me to live every day as one who belongs to Jesus, and who is a child of the King. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

My song:

Soon and Very Soon (click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu-J4L-rcI&feature=related

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 9, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 9:7-9 (NLT)
⁷Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return. Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
⁸So don't bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.
⁹Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

Psalm 141:5 (NLT)
⁵Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it. But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:4 (HCSB)
⁴He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.

The Word for encouragement:

Lamentations 3:25 (HCSB)
²⁵The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.

Galatians 1:15-21 (HCSB)
¹⁵But when God, who from my mother's womb set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased
¹⁶to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.
¹⁷I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who had become apostles before me; instead I went to Arabia and came back to Damascus.
¹⁸Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him 15 days.
¹⁹But I didn't see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
²⁰Now in what I write to you, I'm not lying. God is my witness.
²¹Afterwards, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

My observation:

It pays to wait on God because he is a faithful God. The verse from Lamentations reminds us of God's faithfulness, and his goodness to those who wait on him. There are some things in life that have an appointed time, and you can never go wrong by waiting until the appointed time.

The Apostle Paul's conversion and preparation before service is a wonderful example of why waiting on God is a good thing. While Paul was waiting on God's timing, the Lord was molding his character for service.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, Sovereign Lord, I am so thankful that you are in charge of directing the affairs of my life. I am so glad that my waiting and my going are in your wise and strong hands. Father, I don't want to move before the appointed time. Father, I thank you for being a faithful, and on time God.

My song:

Great is Thy Faithfulness (click on link below to listen to this song):

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

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 8, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 8:6 (HCSB)
⁶Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:3 (HCSB)
³He Himself will deliver you from the hunter's net, from the destructive plague.

The Word for encouragement:

Matthew 7:24-27 (HCSB)
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:

When Jesus speaks, the people listened. There was a reason for this, and Matthew in his gospel tells us why.

Matthew 7:28-29 (HCSB)
²⁸When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
²⁹because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

The wise person will build their life upon the foundation of Jesus. He knows the way, shows us the way, and leads us in the way. He is the way to the Father's house.

John 14:6 (HCSB)
⁶Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The test of your wisdom is how you live your life. Profession of faith without obedience to the Word of God is not saving faith.

James 1:22-25 (HCSB)
²²But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
²³Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror;
²⁴for he looks at himself, goes away, and right away forgets what kind of man he was.
²⁵But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts—this person will be blessed in what he does.

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, I thank you that Jesus is the way to the only kind of life that is real, the life that is eternal. Father, I am putting my trust and hope in Jesus, and building my life upon Christ, the Solid Rock.

My song:

I'd Rather Have Jesus (Click on link below to listen as George Beverly Shea sings this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXOlh6RI008

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Daily Prayer_June 7, 2011

The Word for wisdom:

Proverbs 7:24-25 (NLT)
²⁴So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words.
²⁵Don't let your hearts stray away toward her. Don't wander down her wayward path.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 91:2 (HCSB)
²I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

The Word for encouragement:

Luke 24:29-32 (HCSB)
²⁹But they urged Him: "Stay with us, because it's almost evening, and now the day is almost over." So He went in to stay with them.
³⁰It was as He reclined at the table with them that He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
³¹Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight.
³²So they said to each other, "Weren't our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?"

My observation:

Today's focus is on the passage from Luke. In this passage Luke records the encounter that two men traveling to the village of Emmaus had with Jesus. Just think how important it was for these men to invite Jesus to their home.

We can never get to know Jesus until we learn to trust in him. The way that we learn to trust in him is through his Word.

Romans 10:17 (HCSB)
¹⁷So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

By inviting Jesus to come to their home Jesus was able to get to the heart of the matter. What a lesson that must have been as Jesus open the scripture to them that evening. The problem that these men had is the problem that we all have. It's a problem of the heart that keeps us from knowing Jesus personally and intimately.

Luke 24:25 (HCSB)
²⁵He said to them, "How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken!

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, I pray that you would give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to receive all that you desire to teach us from your Word. Father God, I pray that you will give us a hunger and thirst to know more about you. O Holy Spirit, come and set our hearts on fire as you open up the scriptures to our needy hearts.

My song:

The Savior is Waiting (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Mbcob2R2M