My help – Praying Pint

No Time

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

“and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places”

Psalms 63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Psalms 42:8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalms 77:4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:

Psalms 119:55 I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.

Psalms 139:17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Psalms 149:5 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.

Lamentations 2:19 “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.”

Psalms 31:19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

Psalms 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

To desire God is to long after Him with a want to know Him more. To know Him and long for Him is to be at the well of living water. To remember Him at night while laying on our bed brings rest to our soul. To meditate on Him in the night is to have hope for the morning. In the shadow of His wings there is absolute safety, peace, joy, hope and rest. How many days go by where God is but a second thought if a thought at all? How are we to find rest for our soul if we spend no time desiring/seeking the only one who is able to give true rest? It is hard to find something that you are not looking for. It is hard to walk by faith in the promises God speaks in and through His word you do know. It is hard to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God when there is no time spent with Him. It is hard to proclaim praise to God for something you give hardly a second thought. Neglecting God’s word has many detrimental affects – all of which seem to compound over time to a place where your heart, mind, and soul do not hear whispers of God. If your heart, mind, and soul are void of His word do you ever wonder what fills that void? I can tell you – SELF, PRIDE, COMPLACENCY, WORRY, ANGER, ANXIOUSNESS, UN-REPENTANCE, SHORT TEMPER, LACK OF KINDNESS, LACK OF GIVING and SACRIFICIAL GIVING, UNCERTAINTY, UNFULFILLED, UNFORGIVING, NO PRAISE, NO DISCERNMENT, LACK OF DISCIPLE MAKING, UNABLE TO SEE THE LOST, UNABLE TO GIVE THE REASON FOR THE HOPE IN YOU, WEAK OR NO FAITH, and NO DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE COMPARED TO THOSE WHO ARE LOST. God’s word does not magically fill your heart, mind and soul. Nor does it find solid ground if it is only thought about once per week for an hour while at church. Commit to place Him and His word first in your live each day. Do not let the busyness of the life and what it has to offer over shadow and void your life of knowing God and humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying Him.

Those who know Your name

“ And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”

“ for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”

Psalms 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Psalms 142:1 With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.

Psalms 56:1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

Psalms 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

Psalms 119: 76 Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Psalms 125:1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

Psalms 17:7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Psalms 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 61:4 Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Isaiah 50:10 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Zechariah 1:4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

Nehemiah 9:30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,

You can see the heart of man that calls out to God, has these attributes: relies on God, trusts in God, clings to God, believes in God, obeys God, seeks God, delights in God, and finds comfort, rest, peace, joy and hope in God. On the other hand we can see the heart of those who choose not to stay close to God and do exactly the opposite. How much do we rely on God? Do we delight in His word and the direction it gives to our daily lives? Do we discern what it is saying and rejoice in the promises of God? Do we acknowledge God’s reproof and conviction in our lives? Do we choose to hear His voice? Do we seek His leading? Replace the “We” in all of the questions above with “I”. Truthful answers will expose where we are lacking in humbly serving, giving, following, honoring, and obeying God. Every commitment starts with a purpose/goal and choice to change and prioritize time for it, frequent reflection and focus. Commit to Him and His word. Commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, obeying Him with all you heart, soul, and mind.

My God why have you forsake me?

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?”

Psalms 10:1
Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Psalms 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Jeremiah 14:8
O you hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?

Psalms 13:1-3
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

Job 13:24
Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?

Job 34:29
When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?

Psalms 27:9
Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!

1 Corinthians 2:9
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Psalms 34:1-4
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

We all face times of trouble where our heart hurts so bad and we seem to find nothing to ease it. Why does it seem like God is not there with us during these times when His word clearly says “He is very present help in trouble?” I wish I had the answer. I do know this – Every time, on the other side of those darkest moments I was better for it in some way. Seeing a deeper need for God – a greater hope in His help – a firmer faith in His word – an understanding of something other people went through that I gave no thought about – a clearer focus on seeking Him – in the future able to help someone else through the same trouble – a stronger desire to serve Him…… And a thankful heart. I know it seems strange but on the other side of trouble there is reflection on what you went through and an inner peace from God that strengthens you. A peace that passes all earthly understanding. However you don’t need to look very far before you see those without Christ who come through trouble with very bitter and resentful hearts and minds. Trusting God is for all times – good and what seems bad. The old hymn said it so clear “turn your eyes to Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”