Tag Archives: answered prayer

Psalms 107-117; The Downcast Soul, Part 2

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Yesterday I shared that my soul was downcast. I was discouraged about some things, and downright sad about others. I told you what I felt God’s Word said to do about that.

So I prayed. God revealed some things I needed to confess. So I did. And with that confession I repented, asked God to forgive me, and thanked Him for His faithfulness to me in the past.

Then I told Him what was on my heart. I told Him everything. I know He already knew. But I needed to say it, to put into words the things that were breaking my heart so that I would know exactly what it was that I was handing over to Him. Then I thanked Him again for His faithfulness, and I told Him I trusted Him with each and every situation.

During the day, as those feelings came back, I knew those thoughts weren’t from God. So every time I picked up one of those cares, I prayed and laid it back at the feet of Jesus. It seems that I spent most of the day reaffirming my trust in my Heavenly Father.

Now here is why I love being a child of God. This is why I can say for certain that He is Who He says He IS, that He is intimately interested in every aspect of my life:

Last night I got a text from a friend who gave me a word of encouragement over one of the things that had been heavy on my heart just that morning. My sister in Christ did not know my source of distress. I never hinted to her my discouragement.

But I had poured my heart out to God. He heard. And He prompted my friend to give me a word straight from His heart without her even knowing.

Oh, dear one, do you know Him? Do you trust Him? Are you confident He hears and answers the prayers of His children who pray according to His will?

This is my testimony this morning. I hope it is yours as well:

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1-2)

Psalms 5-7; Waiting in Expectation

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David certainly knew what it was to be mistreated, alone, physically and emotionally drained. In Psalm 6 he says things like: my bones are in agony, my soul is in anguish, I’m worn out from groaning, I weep all night.

My sister Peggy’s son Geoff died in a car accident in 2012. I have had losses in my life, times when I felt alone and defeated, agonizing over circumstances. But Geoff’s death is the single most devastating thing I have experienced. I, like David, had sleepless nights when tears drenched my pillow. I ached all over, and groaned uncontrollably.

Now I don’t want to compare my grief to anyone else’s. It’s not a contest. This aunt grieved deeply for the loss of my dear nephew. But who can touch a mother’s grief?

I watched my sister die that day, too. There was no life in her eyes. Smiles were forced. Laughter would occasionally break the mood, but it was short-lived. I will say her faith and hope in God never wavered. That deep trust enabled her to get out of bed each day, and has sustained her to this day. But the sadness was there, too.

I began to pray that God would restore her joy. Every day I’d pray that Peggy would know real joy once again. Then, over a year after Geoff went to live with Jesus, I was talking to Peggy on the phone when she said she woke up that morning and felt joy for the first time.

I was shocked!

“I’ve been praying for that,” I said.

Now why did that shock me? Why would I be surprised that God would answer my prayer?

My pastor shared a while back that he prays Psalm 5:3 to God every day:

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (emphasis mine)

I picture a child sitting in front of the Christmas tree, presents wrapped, waiting excitedly to see his wish list fulfilled.

That’s how David prayed. I think sometimes I pray because I’m supposed to, or because someone asks me to. I pray knowing God can answer prayer. I’m not sure I always pray expecting Him to.

Listen to what David says about God in Psalm 7: I take refuge in You, my shield is God Most High who saves the upright in heart, God is a righteous judge, and

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. (vs17)

David had confidence in God. He could lay out his troubles before God and believe that He would hear and answer his prayers perfectly. Then he would look for the ways God was working throughout the day, expecting to see His hand. Expecting God to answer His prayers.

My Dear Heavenly Father, let me tell you what is on my heart. I want to lay it all out there, and then wait expectantly for the ways You provide exactly what I need, the way You answer my prayers according to Your will. Make me aware of Your hand today, Lord. I will give thanks to You.

 

July 27 – Effective Prayer

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Isaiah 37-39, Psalm 76

Hezekiah is a pretty good example of effectual, fervent prayer. When he’d gotten a threatening letter from the king of Assyria, he spread those papers out in front of him, and presented them to the Lord. He gave it all, every detail to God.

Then, when he became ill he prayed again. And it wasn’t just a “God heal me” kind of prayer. It was a prayer of faith, of remembering, of trust, thankfulness, and petition. He even wrote it down.

So what can I learn from Hezekiah? God honors the prayers of His people. He wants us to be detailed in our requests. He wants us to lay it all out there and trust Him with the outcome.

Why? Is it so God knows what we want and need? Is it so we can tell God how we want our prayers answered? Do you honestly think you can tell God something He doesn’t know, or manipulate Him into doing what you want? So, if God already knows, and if He can’t be manipulated, why pray?

I believe we pray so that we can recognize God’s hands in the answers to those prayers. Somehow, putting into words exactly what is on our hearts defines things for us. Then, as we see how our prayers are answered, we can recognize how God is working, and give glory to Him.

God answered Hezekiah’s prayers. And I believe, because Hezekiah prayed specifically, there was no doubt in his mind that the answers came straight from God. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person accomplishes great things. (James 5:16) Beginning with hearts that are singing God’s praises.

I want to pray effectively.

 

May 20 – Expect It

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Psalms 5, 38, 41-42

David seems to be a man who prayed without ceasing. I think he was someone who was aware of God’s Presence every minute of every day. And he depended on that Presence.

David seems to pray about little things and big things, about personal things, and things on behalf of the nation of Israel.

I’m ashamed to say my prayer life doesn’t come close to David’s. I am convicted about what he said in 5:3:

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. (NASB)

Oh, I pray. I pray for a friend whose body is full of cancer. I pray for my sister still mourning the loss of her son. I pray for a man searching for peace. I pray for our nation, for the Church. I pray, say “amen” then wring my hands about the transgender lies being accepted, worry about the upcoming election, shake my head at the compromises Christians are making, and am tempted to say, “The end is near.”

So why do I even bother praying if down deep I don’t believe God will answer, that we’ve come too far to have hope? My friend is dying, our government is a disgrace, the Church is weak. Oh well. The end is near. I pray and assume nothing is going to change.

If that’s my attitude – shame on me!

David prayed, then eagerly watched for God’s answers. I am reminded God said that if His people – that’s us, Christian – humble ourselves and pray, He’ll heal our land. Do we really believe that? Do we pray expecting God to be true to His Word?

Will you join me in repenting of sin in our lives, then praying believing God can and will heal our land? May God’s will be accomplished in the lives of those of us who know Him. May bodies be healed, hearts mended, Truth revealed and accepted. And may Jesus Christ be glorified because His children prayed expecting Him to answer.

 

 

May 16 – Again And Again

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Psalms 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55

There sure are a lot of psalms that speak about David’s anguish. He pleads with God. He cries out, moans, with fear and trembling. I have to admit I chuckled as I read 55:17 where David says he will complain and murmur evening, morning, and noon. At least he’s honest.

I notice that in these psalms where David is at his wits end, at the point of despair, he still trusts God. He tells God what is on his mind, and turns it all over to the Lord. I could learn something from David’s example.

What struck me today is the number of psalms that contain David’s expressions of helplessness, despair, and grief. Scripture tells us Saul, the source of much of David’s grief, pursued David for years. It wasn’t the case that Saul was mean to David, David prayed to God and complained about Saul’s unfair treatment, and God eliminated Saul.

Oh, that’s what eventually happened. But it took a lot of praying, a lot of tears, a lot of pouring himself out to the Lord, and a lot of trust in God before that happened.

My takeaway today is to take my requests to God morning, noon, and night if I need to. Lay it all out there. Again. And again.

Then trust God. Again. And again.

During those waiting years, David grew into someone who would be described as “a man after God’s own heart.” It just didn’t happen over night.

Oh God, refine me like you refined David, even when I get impatient and want my prayers answered according to my timeline. As I lay my burdens down, as I bring to You my heart’s desires, as I trust you again and again, please mold me into a woman after God’s own heart.

 

May 12 – Confession Before Petition

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Psalms 65-67, 60-70

If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear. (Ps 66:18)

I think too often we think God is our celestial bellboy. We call – he jumps to fulfill our requests. And if we think that to be the case, we can get pretty angry at God for not answering our prayers.

As I consider this Bible I love so much, I realize the only prayer God answers every time is the one from a repentant heart: Father, forgive me.

I John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Every time.

But when we go to God with our demands, or beg Hm for answers, yet harbor hatred toward someone, or tolerate sin, or live in disobedience, the psalmist seems to be saying: save your breath.

In my experience, when I confess my sin and go to God out of a pure heart with a request, I can ask, even plead, then leave my request at His feet and trust Him completely to answer for my good and His glory. His answer might not come like I’d imagined, but His answer is always right.

The psalmist reminds me today that , before I go to my Lord with any request, I need to check my heart. Confession needs to always come before petition.

Feb 28 – Dear God, Waa, Waa, Waa

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Numbers 11-13

Do you ever complain to God? Do you ever tell Him He’s not fair because your life isn’t like that person’s down the street? Or you wish you had a husband like Suzie’s? Or that you deserve that promotion at work?

Be careful, dear one. God just might give you what you’re crying about.

The Jews were tired of manna. Give us meat, they cried! We want meat!! They went as far as to tell God that, at least while they were still in Egypt, they had plenty of meat.

So God sent meat. Lots of meat. Quail surrounded the camp, and everyone gathered bunches. Finally, they ate their fill of meat, and had plenty leftovers besides.

But the meat they demanded from the LORD ended up making many of them sick. Some died as a result.

Has anyone ever told you to be careful what you wish for? I’d go a step further and say, be careful what you’re complaining to God about.

You might not know that the guy down the street who you’re so jealous of is dealing with an addiction. You might not know that Suzie’s husband, who is the kids’ soccer coach and always brings Suzie flowers, belittles and mistreats her behind closed doors. You might not realize the promotion that went to someone else, would have placed you next to a coworker who would have broken up your marriage.

I don’t think this passage in Numbers is telling us not to pray about things we’d like. God said we could make our requests known. But I think the lesson here is to be careful about making demands.

Philippians 4:6&7 says: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

You know, I think I’ll trust God to handle the details of my life.

My Praise Prayer

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I read Psalm 103:1-5 this morning and was encouraged to just praise God in prayer, instead of telling Him what I need. So using the Psalm, this is my praise prayer:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy Name!

You are holy, God. You are all powerful, ever-present, eternal, loving, gracious, kind.

You have forgiven every sin I’ve ever committed, and have paid the price to forgive the sins I’ll yet commit while on this earth.

You are the Great Physician who heals, who gives me the ability to get up in the morning, who gives me eyes to see, ears to hear, fingers and toes, arms and legs, the privilege of tasting and smelling. I have witnessed your healing touch in the lives of family and friends, and also have seen the ultimate healing you provide when you take your children home.

You changed me from a self-centered, sinful person, to a woman who wants only to please you.

You help me resist temptation, to guard my heart, and you arm me with all I need to be victorious every single minute of every single day.

You shower me with love and mercy, beyond what I even realize, in ways I often neglect to recognize.

And God, I can still come to you like a child, as trusting as a child, as dependent, excitedly and expectantly, knowing You are there with arms open wide.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy Name!

God Doesn’t Give you… What?

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Naaman’s story from 2 Kings 5 is a pretty familiar story for those of us raised going to Sunday School. It’s the story of a little Jewish slave girl who shared her faith in Israel’s prophet, and whose master’s husband Naaman was not only healed of leprosy, but became a believer in Israel’s God because of it.

I’ve read or heard the story many times over the years, but today I had one of those laugh-out-loud moments when I read something in the story I’d never noticed before. Naaman, who was a Syrian warrior, went to Israel on the word of this little Jewish girl, with a letter to the King of Israel written by his boss, the King of Syria. In it, the Syrian King said:

“Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”

The reaction of Israel’s King is priceless and it is what made me laugh this morning. He tore his clothes, a sign of distress and anguish and says: WHAT? Does he think I’m God? Is this a trick so he’ll have an excuse to go to war with us when I don’t heal this man? I CAN’T DO THIS! WAAAA!

Talk about a major misunderstanding by someone who was looking within himself way too hard.

I laugh because, sadly, I recognize myself in the king’s panic. Sometimes I look at the circumstances of life, feel the weight of expectations on my shoulders, fret about a situation I’m facing, and think I CAN’T DO THIS. Then someone tells me, God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.

LIAR!

Read 2 Kings 5. When the prophet Elisha heard that the king was losing his mind over this situation he sent a message to the king: Relax. God’s got this covered.

And God is saying that still. The truth is, God does allow things in our lives that are too much for us to do on our own. If he only sent things our way that we could handle, we wouldn’t need him, would we? God delights in revealing himself in every circumstance you face, good or bad. He wants you to go to him, to trust him, to depend on him, to show the world what he is able to do through you. I am convinced that God is not concerned about strengthening your ego, or teaching you how powerful you are. He wants to point you and me, and everyone around us to Himself as we allow him to handle every situation, as we trust him with every detail.

And I have found that, when I do surrender to him, I am blessed beyond what I can imagine. I believe it’s Satan’s lies that tell you you can handle things on your own, or worse, should handle things on your own. Satan certainly doesn’t want you surrendered to God.

The next time you are tempted to think God won’t give you more than you can handle, think again. Then turn the situation, your very life, over to him and see what he can do when you get out of the way.

Elijah Makes Me Smile

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I love Elijah. (I Kings 17&18) First, it was ok with him when God told him ravens would supply his food for a while. Ravens are scavengers. Yuck! But because God said it, Elijah looked forward to his next meal. (the ravens brought him bread and meat, and I believe they came straight from heaven’s kitchen)

When Ahab meets Elijah on the street, the king accused the prophet of being Israel’s trouble-maker. Elijah didn’t get angry, or pout. He simply replied: HA! You are!

Gotta love his spunk.

Elijah took care of a widow and her son, and God supplied enough flour and oil for them to live on during the famine. Elijah even prayed for God to revive the dead boy. I love how Elijah was quick to see a need and go to God about it.

Every time I read the account about the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, I get a tickle. I mean, the prophets were making fools of themselves and old Elijah just encouraged them to make bigger fools of themselves, to show everybody that there is one God. And Baal wasn’t it.

But here’s what spoke to me this morning. The land was suffering from that long drought. People were desperate. And God pretty much left it up to Elijah as to when the drought would end. So Elijah went up into the mountain to pray for rain. After he says, “Amen”, he tells his servant to run up to the top of the mountain and check the skies. The servant returns to report the skies are clear. So Elijah gets back on his knees and prays again, then sends the servant back to look for storm clouds. Nothing. Elijah continued to pray and look for the answer to his prayer seven times.

After the seventh time Elijah prayed for rain, the servant came back and, probably a little timidly reported that he might have seen a teeny tiny little white cloud on the horizon. And this is what I love:

Elijah jumped up and said: Yes! Get the umbrellas!

Made me stop and think about how often I might have missed recognizing an answer to prayer because it wasn’t the answer I was looking for. I think Elijah was imagining dark, rolling clouds, thunder and lightning as an answer to his prayer. But Elijah recognized that that little white cloud was, indeed, God’s answer.

Elijah’s story also challenges me about my faith. He was so sure God was going to answer his prayer immediately, he sent his servant to go look for the evidence as soon as he was done praying. Then, when the answer wasn’t immediate, Elijah didn’t give up. He dropped to his knees in prayer, and looked expectantly for the answer, again and again. His faith didn’t waver. In fact, the waiting may have prepared him to recognize God’s answer in the form of a little white cloud in the distance.

Father, I thank you for answered prayer. I believe you hear and answer every request that is asked by your children. Forgive us if we miss your answers because we are looking for something else. Help us to bow before your Sovereignty and trust you to answer our prayers according to what you know is best. And may we recognize your hand at work in our lives for our good and your glory.