Daily Prayer_September 8, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 8:12 (NLT)
"I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 34:4 (ESV)
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:6 (ESV)
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)
⁷ "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

My observation:

Today we begin to examine some of the reasons why the psalmist was so exuberant in his praise of the Lord. If you think about it, every servant of the Lord has something that they can give praise and thanks to the Lord for. It is a wise and good thing to begin our prayers with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. It not only pleases the Lord, but it does wonders for us. Praising the Lord for his greatness and his generosity will brighten our disposition, and strengthen our faith in God.

We don't have to convince the Lord against his will to bless us. It is our heavenly Father's greatest desire to bless his people. The testimony of the psalmist is that the Lord delivered him from all of his fears. The Lord makes no distinction between who he blesses. He hears the high and mighty, and he hears the cries of the lowly and poor.

However, the Lord does require our participation. Front and center in that participation is that pleasing the Lord requires faith in the Lord. Do you trust him enough to seek him with your whole heart? If you seek the Lord, he will find you and bless you richly.

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, Abba, Father, I am so grateful that your arms are open, and your ears are attentive to the cries of your believing people. Father, my testimony is like that of David, the Lord has been mighty good to me, and I will give you the praise continually.

Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 





 

Daily Prayer_September 7, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 7:4 (NLT)
Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 34:1-3 (NLT)
¹ I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. ² I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. ³ Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness; let us exalt his name together.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

My observation:

David had a lot to praise the Lord for, and so does every child of God. After declaring, "I will praise the Lord at all times", he invites others to join him in the praise celebration, "Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness". When God has done something extraordinary in your life, you can't help but tell somebody else of his greatness and his goodness.

What a blessing it would be to those who see us in our daily walk and ministry if they could see God's greatness in his people. The Lord did a great thing in David's life. This same God will do great things in our life if we ask him, trust in him, and wait on him. Let's invite God into our lives and our churches, and watch what he can do. God is mighty, and we are not.

Psalm 70:4 (MSG)
Let those on the hunt for you sing and celebrate. Let all who love your saving way say over and over, "God is mighty!"

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, I stand in awe of your greatness, your goodness, and your faithfulness to those who believe in and trust in you. Father, you are an amazing God, and I ask for a faith that will ask big things from you so that you might be exalted on earth as you are in heaven. Father, in these trying times we need to see more of the work of God, and less of the work of man. Father, I am leaning on Jesus. Yes, God is able, and God is great.

My song:

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be Praised (Psalm 48:1-2):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/1335

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 





 

Daily Prayer_September 6, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 6:10-11 (HCSB)
¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, ¹¹ and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 34:1-2 (KJV)
¹ I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Ephesians 2:1-5 (HCSB)
¹ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins ² in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient. ³ We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, ⁵ made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

My observation:

The most amazing thing about the God of the bible is that he meets each of us where we are. He comes to us, and invites us to come to him. Paul reminds the Ephesians of this truth. God makes people who are dead spiritually alive.

In our focal Psalm for this week we see David in a heap of trouble. He tried to get out of that trouble by pretending to be insane. However, David, being a person who had a living faith in the Lord, knew that it was the Lord that had delivered him from the hands of his enemies.

The bible speaks of two kinds of faith; a dead faith, and a living faith. When you have a living faith you can make it through any circumstances you will ever face in life or in death.

James 2:17 (HCSB)
In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself.

David gave up running from his enemies, and returned to trusting in the Lord. He demonstrates that his faith was alive by what he wrote in Psalm 34. This Psalm is the personal testimony of David of what the Lord did for him.

The Lord delivered David, and David showed that his faith was real by expressing praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. David had every reason to be fearful of Saul who was determined to kill him. However, he had hope for the future because of what the Lord had done for him. David was a true God fearer, and when you fear God, you don't have to fear anything else.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful for the gift of salvation. I am so thankful that you met me where I was. Father, I thank you for saving my soul, and setting me free from sin, death, hell, and the grave. Only God, can raise the dead, and a God like this deserves the continual praise of my lips, and the working out of my faith by love in action.

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 





 

Daily Prayer_September 5, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 5:21-23 (MSG)
²¹ Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make; he's aware of every step you take. ²² The shadow of your sin will overtake you; you'll find yourself stumbling all over yourself in the dark. ²³ Death is the reward of an undisciplined life; your foolish decisions trap you in a dead end.

The Word of God for inspiration:

A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

Psalm 34:1 (KJV)
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

The Word of God for encouragement:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

My observation:

Today we will begin to look at Psalm 34 for the purpose of learning how to deal with concern about the future. To understand what David was facing we must look at some background to shed light on his predicament that prompted the writing of the Psalm. David was in a tough circumstance. He was running from Saul who wanted to kill him. His body was weary and his faith was weak.

1 Samuel 21:10-14 (ESV)
¹⁰ And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. ¹¹ And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?" ¹² And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. ¹³ So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. ¹⁴ Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?

When you are afraid and tired you often make poor decisions. David made a poor decision in running to King Achish, the Abimelech. We all have a past, and we have made poor decisions that have a cost attached. Hopefully, we can learn something from David's experience that will help us to deal with worries about the future. We will begin that journey tomorrow.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful that you are a God who has a supreme interest in your people as we travel through the wilderness with all of its dangers and detours. Father, I shudder to think of where I would be without the goodness and grace of the Lord in my life.

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 





 

Sunday Morning Reflections_September 4, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 4:14-15 (HCSB)
¹⁴ Don't set foot on the path of the wicked; don't proceed in the way of evil ones. ¹⁵ Avoid it; don't travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 31:7 (NLT)
I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

The Word of God for encouragement:

1 Peter 3:8-9 (MSG)
⁸ Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. ⁹ That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful for your unfailing love. Father, I am so thankful that you are a God who knows my needs, sees my needs, and meets my needs. Father, I pray that you would work out in me that same unfailing love for others.

 Father, I thank you that the capacity to love others is already present in me because you have poured out into my heart your love through the Holy Spirit. Father, may others know that I belong to you by my unfailing love for you and others.

Romans 5:5 (AMP)
Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

Romans 8:9 (AMP)
But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God].

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 





 

Daily Prayer_September 2, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 2:11-13 (NLT)
¹¹ Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. ¹² Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted. ¹³ These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 113:7-9 (NLT)
⁷ He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. ⁸ He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! ⁹ He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!

The Word of God for encouragement:

Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

James 4:6 (NLT)
But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble."

My observation:

There are two significant reasons for why we worship the Lord. The first is because of whom he is, which we looked at yesterday. The second is for what he does, and that is our focus today. The choice word for today is "work".

Notice the works of God in our focal passage from Psalm 113, and you will get a picture of the marvelous works of our Lord.

The Lord raises the poor from insufficiency.

The Lord lifts the needy from insignificancy.

The Lord delivers the barren from infertility.

If you are lacking in your life, you will find that the Lord is an abundant provider. What he has done for others, the Lord will do for you.  Just like he provided for those who were powerless and needy as described by the Psalmist, he will provide for you. The work of the Lord is to help the deficient, disenfranchised, and the desolate.

The more you know God the more you will worship him. The more grace you receive from God the more you will praise the Lord.

My prayer:

Father God, Abba, Father, I want to know your more, so that I can worship you more. Father, I desire more of your grace so that I can praise you more. Father, you are the giver, and I am the grateful receiver of your love and grace. Praise the Lord!

My song:

I Want to Praise You Lord (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L7t-38HNgo

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 





 

Daily Prayer_September 1, 2011

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 1:5-6 (ESV)
⁵ Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, ⁶ to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

1 Kings 4:32 (ESV)
He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 113:4-6 (ESV)
⁴ The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! ⁵ Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, ⁶ who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?

The Word of God for encouragement:

Revelation 5:12 (ESV)
saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!"

My observation:

In our selected verses from Psalm 113 the Psalmist answers the question of who we should worship. The object of our worship is the Lord.  He is the creator God, and the author and finisher of our salvation. The choice word for today is "worthy".

The Psalmist also addresses the question of why we worship the Lord. The answer is that we worship the Lord for who he is. That is more than enough for the servants of the Lord. When I think about where the Lord has brought me from, I can't help but praise him. When I think about where he is taking me to, well my praise goes off the chart.

My prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, I exalt you because you are the Most High God. Father, it is a wonder to consider how great you are, and high you are above earth and heaven. You are so high that you have to stoop down to look on heaven.

Psalm 113:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵ Who is like Yahweh our God— the One enthroned on high, ⁶ who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?

Now, a God who chooses to humble himself to be concerned about people like you and me deserves our highest praise. God is worthy, and I delight to praise him.

My song:

Lord I Lift Your Name on High (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQ6cni_TG8&feature=related

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

1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV)
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.