Video Bible Lesson - A Prayer for When Life Gets You Down By Carrie Lowrance

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

7/24/2020

A Prayer for When Life Gets You Down

By Carrie Lowrance

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without fault and it will be given to you.” -James 1:5Sometimes it’s hard to know how to pray and even what to pray when life gets you down. In my own experience, I always pray for three things: wisdom, discernment and for God’s will to be done.1. Pray for WisdomWhen we are in the midst of a storm and have to make heavy decisions that seem to have no answers, it can seem like wisdom is eluding us. It is always wise to first ask God for wisdom in order to make decisions. We must not lean on our own knowledge and understanding. According to Proverbs 4:7, wisdom and good judgment are some of the most important things to acquire.2. Pray for DiscernmentIt is crucial to pray for the ability to discern God’s voice, for it to be amplified beyond a doubt. We all discern His voice in different ways, from hearing His voice in our head to a feeling of utter peace and stillness. For some of us he speaks very loud and clear. Regardless, praying for discernment helps your spirit weed out the deceiver from a spiritually sound answer.3. Pray for God's WillWe sometimes get caught up in how we want things to work out or how we think things should go. It’s part of being human. When you realize you’re doing this, stop and pray and ask God for his will to be done. Give Him the praise and the glory because you know you are exactly where He wants you in order to teach you something or for you to grow.Are things so hard right now that you don’t even know what to pray? Let these words be your cry.Dear Lord, times are really hard right now and life has really got me down. I don’t know what to do. I ask that You bestow Your wisdom upon me. I don’t want to lean on my own knowledge anymore, because it has let me down so many times. I need to hear Your voice. Give me the discernment to hear Your voice and Your voice alone. Speak to me in the way You know I will hear you best. I also pray for Your Will, Lord. I give You the praise and the glory in my circumstances because I know that I am exactly where You want me. I know this is to teach me something or to help me to grow. No matter what, I trust you and ask You to show what is best in this situation. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

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

Believing is Seeing  

Streams in the Desert

Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel; but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul (Psalms 106:12-15).

We read of Moses, that "he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." Exactly the opposite was true of the children of Israel in this record. They endured only when the circumstances were favorable; they were largely governed by the things that appealed to their senses, in place of resting in the invisible and eternal God.

In the present day there are those who live intermittent Christian lives because they have become occupied with the outward, and center in circumstances, in place of centering in God. God wants us more and more to see Him in everything, and to call nothing small if it bears us His message.

Here we read of the children of Israel, "Then they believed his words." They did not believe till after they saw--when they saw Him work, then they believed. They really doubted God when they came to the Red Sea; but when God opened the way and led them across and they saw Pharaoh and his host drowned--"then they believed." They led an up and down life because of this kind of faith; it was a faith that depended upon circumstances. This is not the kind of faith God wants us to have.

The world says "seeing is believing," but God wants us to believe in order to see. The Psalmist said, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

Do you believe God only when the circumstances are favorable, or do you believe no matter what the circumstances may be?
--C. H. P.

Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.
--St. Augustine

Devoted to God.....Dr. Charles Stanley

Devoted to God

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 62:1-2

Having been saved by faith in Christ, we express our love and gratitude through devotion to Him. Regular Bible study and prayer will be an integral part of our daily lives. In addition, our commitment to the Lord will be revealed through a passion to obey, a spirit of humility, and a servant's heart.

1. Obedience. David sought to obey God all his life. As a shepherd boy, he faithfully tended the animals in his father's fields. While king, he set aside his desire to build the temple and let Solomon lead the effort, as God had commanded. Although David lived imperfectly, his desire was to do what the Lord asked. We see from Jesus' words in John 14:15 that obedience should be our high priority as well: He said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
2. Humility. After David killed Goliath, the crowds shouted praise about the young man. However, he did not become prideful. Instead, he remained in King Saul's service and waited for God to make him the ruler of Israel. Even as king, he remained humble. He knew that what had been accomplished was because of the Lord's actions and not his own (2 Sam. 7:18).
3. Service. Whether David was a lowly shepherd or a mighty king, his goal was to obey God and serve Him.

This man after God's own heart was devoted to his Lord. He sought to know Him and longed to carry out His will. David's actions reflected His humble attitude of servanthood and his longing to please his heavenly Father. Take steps each day to be sure your life expresses commitment to Jesus.

You Are Loved and Not Forgotten

You Are Loved and Not Forgotten
ARLENE PELLICANE

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.” Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)

Years ago, my mom was traveling next to a woman who was wrestling with a pie. The lady was trying to take out her work things and get settled while not upending the pie she held in her lap.

My mom offered to hold the pie, and soon a friendship was born. Turns out, the pie was a gift from the woman’s mother. My mom and her new friend, Karen, chatted for much of their flight and exchanged phone numbers. From that day on, Karen often joined us for family meals and celebrations. I even interned for a year at Karen’s workplace as a public relations assistant.

I don’t think my mom meeting Karen on that airplane was an accident, coincidence or good luck. These words imply randomness and chance. Our Heavenly Father is a God of divine order and planning. God never rolls the dice or crosses His fingers, hoping for the best. He spoke the world into existence!

I believe God arranged for the airplane meetup with that pie as the connector. Today’s key verse, Psalm 37:23, says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.”

What delightful thing might God be arranging for you today?

Maybe you’ll meet someone new this week who really needs a friend like you. Maybe you’re wondering where your rent payment will come from, and an unexpected check arrives in the mail. Maybe you’ll write a kind letter to your best friend, lifting her spirit and yours.

Now just because there’s divine order in your life doesn’t mean you won’t encounter difficulty and disappointment.

Right after the key verse, the psalmist David writes, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds His hand. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:24-25, NKJV).

Falls in life are inevitable but not irreversible. God has a grand plan not just for individuals, but for generations.

My parents celebrated their 50th anniversary earlier this year. We were supposed to take a family vacation to celebrate this milestone. But like many of us, our plans were changed by COVID-19. We stayed home and didn’t see each other. But you know what? Our steps are still divinely ordered. We know all things work together for the good of those who love God and who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Who knows? Maybe God has something even better planned.

Our lives are not haphazard. We are not victims of chance, chaos, tough luck or bad timing. We can live in peace even in troubled times because our days are ordered by an Almighty God who loves us. The more you get to know God, the sweeter and sweeter your relationship with Him will become. His plans for you are good. You are loved and not forgotten. He knows exactly where you are and will continue to be the architect of your divinely ordered life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for ordering my life. I choose to trust in You and find my delight in Your laws. I commit my ways to You and ask for divine guidance over my life. I rest in You, believing You’re working all things for good in my life. Come and have Your way in me. Keep my heart steadfast in hope, and fill me with joy today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 37:18, “The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.” (NKJV)

Proverbs 29:25, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” (NIV)

Longing for the Last Trumpet

Longing for the Last Trumpet
by Mike Pohlman

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. - 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Grandpa Erickson was a Navy man. That’s why there was a flag ceremony at his gravesite last Saturday. Having served in the South Pacific during WWII, Grandpa Erickson was appropriately honored with the playing of “Taps” on the trumpet and a “Final Salute” by two representatives from the United States Navy. The presentation of the American flag to his beloved wife Carol left few eyes dry.

I had the privilege of conducting the gravesite service—no little pressure given that we’re talking about my mother-in-law’s dad. The pressure, however, was welcome as the funeral gave me the opportunity to offer comfort to a grieving family.

I began my brief remarks by recognizing the two distinct emotional currents that undoubtedly flowed through the couple dozen people gathered namely, sorrow and joy.

We experience sorrow at the loss of a loved one because deep down we know death is not the way it’s supposed to be. Therefore, we grieve. But as Christians we do not “grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). Death will not have the final word; there is hope beyond the grave for those, like Grandpa Erickson, who die in Christ.

We hear this hope, for example, when Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” (Jn. 8:51). A staggering promise, indeed.

I concluded my portion of the service by acknowledging the Navy representative that would come forward to play “Taps” on the trumpet. “As beautiful as this will be,” I said, “I want to point us to another trumpet—one that will sound grander and more glorious than anything we can imagine.”

It’s what the Apostle Paul calls the “last trumpet.” The thought of it was, in part, the inspiration behind Handel’s “Messiah.” And yet, as beautiful as Handel’s symphony is, I imagine the last trumpet will make Handel’s work sound like a garage band in comparison.

For the last trumpet is what announces the second coming of the Lord Jesus. This trumpet will herald the return of the King of kings and Lord of lords—the time when the dead in Christ shall rise to sing, “Death is swallowed up in victory!” What a choir this will be! It’s the sound that will usher in the new heavens and the new earth, and that climactic moment when every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This is the trumpet sound I long to hear.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Ask yourself some probing questions today like, “Am I viewing my current circumstances in the light of eternity?” “What things in my life might be hindering me from longing for the last trumpet?” “What am I doing to help others see life in the light of eternity?”

What Are You Living For?

What Are You Living For?
By Greg Laurie

There are many things you can seek to live for in life. You can live for a lot of things. You can live for your physical appearance. You can live for a successful career. You can live for pleasure. But here is what Jesus said: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33).

With those words, Jesus gave us the secret to living a worry-free life: Instead of worry, put God and His will first in your life. Among a number of options, put God in the number one position.

Here is what your goal should be: to honor God in everything you do. Here is what you need to ask yourself: “As I’m doing this thing, what is my goal?” If your goal is just to make money no matter what it takes, you have the wrong goal. Your goal should be to honor God, give honest work, and have personal integrity and a good testimony in the workplace.

When the day is done, you want to have a good name and a good reputation. Proverbs 22:1 says, “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold” (nlt).

Seek first the kingdom of God. If you want a life free of worry, anxiety, and fear, then put God’s kingdom before everything else. Seek Him first, and He will take care of you.

Heavenly Father, help us to seek you and your kingdom above all things. It's so easy for us to give into fears and anxieties, especially when our gaze is downward, instead of upward toward you. We know that you take care of all of our needs, help us live in the joy and hope of that precious promise. May our lives be a reflection of you, may they point others to your kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Prayer for Strength against Spiritual Warfare

A Prayer for Strength against Spiritual WarfareBy Jack Graham

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” - Ephesians 6:12

Two brothers came home drunk one night for what must’ve been the twentieth time. They had been warned by their parents not to do it again, but the warning didn’t seem like it was deterring them at all. So when the father heard them come in this time, he didn’t confront them but let them go to bed to sleep it off.

The next morning when the two brothers awoke, their dad was sitting at the kitchen table with two pistols. He handed one to each of the brothers. They asked him, “Dad, what’s this all about?” The dad responded, “The way you’re living is slowly killing me and your mother. You might as well just shoot us.”

Cruelty, like Chinese water torture, just pounds and pounds away at others until they either explode into rage or shut down altogether. And while it may not be ‘murder’ per se, it’s an act of disrespect that is akin to hating others.

Maybe today, you’re on the receiving end of someone else’s cruel behavior. Or, perhaps you find yourself on the giving end of cruelty. Wherever there is hatred and anger, combat it with the truth wrapped in love. Overcome cruel behavior by fighting evil with good and speaking the truth in love!

Heavenly Father, each day is a struggle against sin and temptation. Give us the strength to overcome cruelty with grace, and hatred with love. God, remind us that our actions matter. We do not fight a physical battle but a spiritual one, and with each act of compassion we build your kingdom. Help us to be kingdom-builders today. Amen.