Video Bible Lesson - A Prayer of Release to God for What We Cannot Control By Debbie McDaniel

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls
4/23/2020

A Prayer of Release to God for What We Cannot Control

By Debbie McDaniel

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” -Psalm 55:22

So often in life we may find this to be true: we hold on too tightly to things we were never meant to control. It’s hard sometimes, to let go.

We struggle to change things. We strive hard to maintain order and keep all in line. But when problems mount high and pressures feel overwhelming, we begin to understand more fully how little control we really have.

Maybe we look all different places for help, yet forget we can press in towards our Savior. Maybe we forget that He never changes, and He still holds the power to heal and set free. Maybe we don’t believe that He can, or wants to, work on our behalf. Maybe we forget at times, that He’s still the God of miracles, that He can act “immediately,” that He can do in a moment what might take years for us to work through on our own.

Let’s set aside our fears and move towards Him today, in faith. Let’s press in close, and reach out to the One who is All-powerful, compassionate, loving, and kind. He knows already, the wounds and troubles we’ve carried, He knows the pain and worries we’ve felt, He knows how much we’ve tried to let go, and fix things in our own power. Let’s choose to believe that our situation or circumstance is never too big for Him to bring healing and freedom. He is Able. Nothing is too difficult for Him.

He is always within reach.

He is never far away.

He is close.

He is with us.

He cares.

He heals.

He restores.

He redeems.

Go in peace.

Walk in His freedom and healing.

May His huge grace cover you this day…

Dear God,

We confess our need for you today. We need your healing and your grace. We need hope restored. We need to be reminded that you work on behalf of those you love, constantly, powerfully, completely. Forgive us for trying to fix our situations all on our own. Forgive us for running all different directions and spinning our wheels to find help, when true help and healing must be found first in You. Forgive us for forgetting how much we need you, above everyone and everything else. We come to you and bring you the places we are hurting. You see where no one else is able to fully see or understand. You know the pain we’ve carried. The burdens. The cares. You know where we need to be set free. We ask for your healing and grace to cover every broken place. Every wound. Every heartache. Thank you that you are Able to do far more than we could ever imagine. Thank you for your Mighty Power that acts on behalf of your children. We reach out to you, and know that you are restoring and redeeming every place of difficulty, every battle, for your greater glory. Thank you that you will never waste our pain and suffering. We release to you this day every need and problem we’ve carried or tried hard to control. We believe in your goodness to see us through. We love you. We need you today.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Eye of the Storm.....Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert
Eye of the Storm

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me" (Ps. 138:7).

The Hebrew rendering of the above is "go on in the center of trouble." What descriptive words! We have called on God in the day of trouble; we have pleaded His promise of deliverance but no deliverance has been given; the enemy has continued oppressing until we were in the very thick of the fight, in the center of trouble. Why then trouble the Master any further?

When Martha said, "Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother had not died," our Lord met her lack of hope with His further promise, "Thy brother shall rise again." And when we walk "in the center of trouble" and are tempted to think like Martha that the time of deliverance is past, He meets us too with a promise from His Word. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me."

Though His answer has so long delayed, though we may still continue to "go on" in the midst of trouble, "the center of trouble" is the place where He revives, not the place where He fails us. When in the hopeless place, the continued hopeless place, is the very time when He will stretch forth His hand against the wrath of our enemies and perfect that which concerneth us, the very time when He will make the attack to cease and fail and come to an end.

What occasion is there then for fainting?
--Aphra White

THE EYE OF THE STORM

Fear not that the whirlwind shall carry thee hence,
Nor wait for its onslaught in breathless suspense,
Nor shrink from the whips of the terrible hail,
But pass through the edge to the heart of the gale,
For there is a shelter, sunlighted and warm,
And Faith sees her God through the eye of the storm.
The passionate tempest with rush and wild roar
And threatenings of evil may beat on the shore,
The waves may be mountains, the fields battle plains,
And the earth be immersed in a deluge of rains,
Yet, the soul, stayed on God, may sing bravely its psalm,
For the heart of the storm is the center of calm.
Let hope be not quenched in the blackness of night,
Though the cyclone awhile may have blotted the light,
For behind the great darkness the stars ever shine,
And the light of God's heavens, His love shall make thine,
Let no gloom dim thine eyes, but uplif t them on high
To the face of thy God and the blue of His sky.
The storm is thy shelter from danger and sin,
And God Himself takes thee for safety within;
The tempest with Him passeth into deep calm,
And the roar of the winds is the sound of a psalm.
Be glad and serene when the tempest clouds form;
God smiles on His child in the eye of the Storm.

Trained to Discern.....Dr. Charles Stanley

Trained to Discern

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 5:11-14

In today's world, impatience is all too common a trait. We want food, help, and information fast. Just waiting for the computer to boot up or the "next avail-able agent" to answer our call can cause frustration. But the Lord specializes in slow, steady work. He's more interested in a quality outcome than a speedy process.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of spiritual discernment. When we become Christians, we aren't instantly wise and knowledgeable. It takes a lifetime to grow to maturity. Some believers, however, don't seem to grow up at all. They get older, but their understanding of God's Word never goes very deep.

This lack of godly wisdom is caused by ignorance of the Scriptures, apathy and complacency about spiritual things, and a failure to apply biblical truths. Discernment requires time and effort. You can't simply move through life, thoughtlessly reacting to situations yet never learning from them. Take time to reflect on your responses and observe the consequences of your actions and choices. If you feel convicted by what you notice, let that motivate you to begin a lifelong pursuit of the Lord and His ways. Start reading the Bible regularly. And as you do, ask the Lord to open your heart and mind to understand what He's saying.

But just reading God's Word isn't enough. Without applying what you've read, all you'll have is head knowledge. Obedience trains us to discern good and evil. Through practice, we learn wisdom and develop spiritual maturity. If you'll begin today and patiently persevere, in time discernment will come.

Jesus’ Encouragement to Our Troubled World...🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻.

Jesus’ Encouragement to Our Troubled World
By Debbie McDaniel

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In John 16 we find Jesus speaking to his disciples of events that would soon unfold. They needed to hear His words of encouragement and Truth more than ever, for He knew the darkness of the hour still to come. He taught them about the power of praying in His name. He told them how they would soon be scattered, but that those who belong to Him would never be alone. For God is always there, close. He reminded them that they should not be surprised at the tension they would feel in an unbelieving world.

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace (security, safety, undisturbed, blessed state). In the world you have tribulation (trouble, oppression, pressure, affliction), but take courage (be of good cheer, take heart), I have overcome (carried off the victory, conquered) the world.” John 16:33

Words that have such meaning, that hold such power still today. These were some of the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before his journey to the cross.

Last words always contain rich meaning. These are important for us to hold onto today.

He reminds us that only in Him can true peace be found.

He reminds us that in spite of the struggles we will face in this life, we never walk alone, for He is with us. He will never abandon us in our trials or leave us to work it all out on our own.

He reminds us to take courage.

He reminds us He has overcome. He has won the victory, and through Christ, we too are more than conquerors.

Jesus never called us to embrace the world and all it offers. But He calls us to follow Him, to be salt and light, and to walk in love.

It’s a whole new day ahead. And He has plans for you, for me, to make a difference in these days, in the life of another soul, for His purposes.

To be a friend.

To encourage.

To offer care and show compassion in a world that is broken.

Praying that His huge grace, wisdom, and strength cover us today. And that in Him, we will find freedom from worry, letting go of the stress that clings too tightly, the pressing needs of tomorrow, and struggles we battle today, and fully embrace His peace.

Take courage my friends…

For He’s the Overcomer. And we are never alone.

Peace.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Do you sometimes struggle with feeling like you’ve been left all alone in your troubles? Choose to take courage today, reminding yourself of this truth: God promises peace in the midst of all we walk through. He will never leave us and is faithful to see us through.

Further Reading: 
John 14:27
Romans 8:37-39
Philippians 4:6-7

Life is Short... How Do I Make it Count?

Life is Short... How Do I Make it Count?
By Jeanne Doyon

I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I still have my being. - Psalm 146:2

I don't know how many years I have left to live and love. Life is short and the older I get, the clearer that is to me. The fact is, none of us know. Life is short, so I think I should live each day with that in mind.

The meaning of this verse is the psalmist’s desire to lift up the Lords praise throughout his whole life – while he still has breath. I will praise – I will sing.

This is a determined prayer. It is present tense—I will do it now.

No matter what I face – I will praise.

No matter what is going on, I will sing praises to God...

Praise is more powerful than we can imagine:

- Praise routes the enemy.

- Praise stirs our spirit.

- Praise ascends to God’s throne as an offering.

- Praise erects a shield to combat defeat, and depression.

- Praise overcomes grumbling.

- God is worthy of that praise and he loves to hear it – to smell the fragrant offering.

We can find other references to this:

Psalm 63:4 says, “so I will bless Thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name.”

Psalm 104:33 that tells us, “sing to the Lord in my lifetime; Let me sing praise to my God.”

I want my life to matter. Romans 12:1 says to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice—as worship. I want to give my all to God. How about you?

We don’t know about tomorrow—we aren’t even sure there will be a tomorrow. So, I want my life to be a fragrant offering today. Because life is short. And, my life belongs to God. He bought me with the blood of The Lamb.

What are some ways you can live in the spiritual moment?

What is worthy of praise today?

A Prayer for Spiritual Strength.....By: Tony Evans

A Prayer for Spiritual StrengthBy: Tony Evans

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." - (Ephesians 6:12)

Everything visible and physical is controlled or derived from that which is invisible and spiritual. If you want to fix the visible and physical problems you are experiencing in your life, you have to address the spiritual and invisible issues behind them.

Why? Because if you don’t address the spiritual and invisible, then you will not have addressed the divine precursor from which to solve the tangibly manifested issues at hand. What you can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell in your physical senses must first be addressed from God’s realm before you can make any lasting and real difference on the earthly level.

Satan wants to get you to skip the divine perspective because he knows that you will never be able to solve your visible and physical problems until you address them from the divine realm. Heaven rules earth. What happens up there determines what goes on down here. So in order to actualize success in the challenges that you face, you need to remain in contact with heaven in order to tap into the solutions you desire for earth. In other words, abide in Christ.

Reflection: Do you agree or disagree that everything physical has a spiritual reality behind it? Why? How does the spiritual reality of life relate to your own life? How do you abide in Christ?

A Prayer for Spiritual Strength:
Heavenly Father, give us the wisdom to walk in two worlds. Help us to recognize the movements of the spirit, and sew peace where the enemy would create strife. Open my eyes to see Your vast kingdom which exists in the invisible realm. Remind me in my daily activities to keep Your presence and power in the forefront of my mind. Divert my gaze from the problems or issues that I can see to the root which lies hidden behind them so that I may overwhelmingly conquer through Christ Jesus my Lord.