Friday, October 9, 2009

Two of My Favorite Scriptures:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will preserve my life:
You stretch out your hand against my foes,
With Your right hand You save me.

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your love, O Lord, endures forever
Do not abandon the works of Your hands.
(Psalm 138:78) NIV

What I heard made me sad. My nerves couldn’t stand much more. The words my husband spoke and the tone he used told me he was scared. I went to an old family bible a friend gave me. I turned to the Psalms.

I found Psalm 139 and started reading. I looked across the page and found the two verses above. I found it in the King James Version. The first line of verse eight in the KJV reads, ’God will perfect that which concerns thee.’
Whenever problems come our way, we sometimes panic. This passage tells us we don’t have to. King David reminds us that God will keep us safe whatever the trouble. God protects us from harm. David believed God rescued him from danger.

We can ask God what His will for our lives is. Then we seek His guidance and follow where He leads. When we have worries that consume us, the Heavenly Father takes our problems, moulds the circumstances, and gives us a way to conquer them.



“For I know the plans I have for you,”
Declares the Lord. “plans to prosper
You and not to harm you, plans to give
You hope and a future,” (Jeremiah 29:11) NIV

Sometimes we have circumstances that almost defeat us. We don’t know where to turn. We finally look to God. We should learn to look to Him first. God has plans for each of His children. He will see them through to completion. The only thing He requires is that we trust in and follow Him.

The Israelites were in exile, God told them to build houses and settle into the life of Babylon. They were instructed to give their children in marriage to those in this foreign land. He also told the exiles they would be there 70 years. This had to dishearten the Israelite people. ( It would me.)

In 1996, I saw this verse on an electronic sign at the Christian bookstore I passed twice a day, four days a week when I took my stepmother to radiation therapy. I felt like this passage was my friend. I started looking for it before I came to the book store. These words helped me through two health crises in my family.

I have found great comfort in both of these verses. God has taught me to trust Him and to run to him when I face a hard issue in my life.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Thoughts on Healing

In the course of a week, we often hear of people who find out they have catastrophic illnesses. We pray for them to be healed.
We celebrate with them when they have news of shrinking tumors, of remissions, of relearned skills, and of successful surgeries.
We continue to pray for healing. Sometimes the person isn’t healed. Did God chose not to hear our prayers?
We don’t fully understand, while we walk this earth, how God heals. God can heal a person’s spirit. He can resolve a persons emotional problems. Or Our Father can restore relationships .And He can cure our illnesses. He chooses to heal in the way that will bring glory to Himself.
Some have said their illness has brought them closer to God. Others find God after they have been diagnosed. Hmm, could that be His plan?

Monday, October 5, 2009

Some Prayers

Prayer of Thankfulness

Dear Lord:

We thank you for who you are, the Lord of our lives. We praise you for the beauty of the season.
Sometimes, we fall short of what you want us to be, for this we are sorry. Other times we have mean thoughts that don’t honor You, please forgive us.
Thank You for our families, thank You for our gifts bestowed for Your kingdom. Thank you for special friendships. Thank you for your guidance.
Lord, please be with all those who deal with Cancer, heart problems, digestive disturbances and their caregivers. Father, please resolve families that are divided. Please guide those who seek your guidance in making decisions affecting their future.
I ask these things because of Your grace and love for all your children.

AMEN



Prayer for Guidance

Dear God:

Please guide Your children as they go through each day. Let them give You their days and the minutes therein.
Help them to perform their tasks in ways that bring honor to You.
Please reward them as they go through their days and comfort them when they are down.
Please allow Your children to turn their planning over to you. Guide them as they go through the planning stages of any and all projects they have in mind.

In the name of Jesus,
AMEN


Prayer for the Uncertain Times

Dear Father;
We have learned that we have no security except in You. We have trusted other created things that have disappointed us but you have always remained steadfast.

We ask you to guide and protect us through these times of uncertainty. We read of so much crime in our land. We hear of banks being closed and of jobs vanishing. If it weren’t for you, we would be confused and fretful. But you tell us to look to our maker for our comfort and for instruction. Sometimes we think we know everything but we don’t-You do. Please, let us learn from you. Help us as we make decisions, let them honor You.
We will give You the praise.
AMEN

Prayer for the Lord’s Day:

Dear Father:

Thank you for this day You have made. I get to go to your house and talk to you. Of course, I talk to you all week long. But Your day is special and I desire to be in your house whenever I can.

Thank You for the music we will hear this morning. Thank You for the message you gave our pastor. Thank You for the offering I can bring. Thank You for the children who will attend and learn of You.

Thank You for our Sunday School class and our teacher. Bless him and his family and those whom he serves throughout the week.

Thank You for the ones who will sit around me. Guide them through whatever need they may have. Speak to their hearts, remind them of Your great love for them.

Bless those who will be visiting. Let them feel Your presence as they enter the front door. Walk through the pews and remind them they are not alone.

Please do these things out of the grace in Your heart, and I will give You the praise.

AMEN

God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...