Jennifer A

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Liberty and Free Will

Digging for Truth: Solomon reminds us, in one of the Books of Wisdom, that “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our step.” (Proverbs 16:9) God gave you and I free will, and that is what Solomon was referring to when he said, “we can make our plans”; yes, God allows us the choice of either being liberated and free through our connection to Christ or being bound and enslaved through our connection to Satan. The world that is separated from Jesus believes that sounds ridiculous, and that God is punitive, He is controlling, and living by His standards is unrealistic and narrow minded. A heart that is hard, that has never allowed Jesus in or has turned away from Jesus, will read the second part of Solomon’s Truth as God (the Lord) “requires or demands” that He determines a believer’s step all because “He is a controlling God”. Friends, that cannot be further from the Truth. The Apostle Paul tells us that through our salvation, and when we used our free will to hand over our hearts to Jesus, that we were set free (Galatians 5). Free from the bondage of our sins, free from our souls (minds, wills, and emotions) being trapped by the darkness of this world, and free from Satan who wants to destroy our spirit that was created by God and longs to be connected to the living Word of God, Who is Jesus.

Grace for the Heart: Only by knowing Jesus and living a life for Him can we begin to allow the Holy Spirit the room to move within us so that we can truly see with our spiritual eyes the Truth. Friends, Jesus wants to connect to us all of the time and He does that through the Holy Spirit. So, we must use our free will and choose to get closer to Him, He tells us, ‘You are my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free’ (John 8:31-32). Jesus wants to liberate you and me, He wants to set us free all of the time, we are the ones who use our free will to quiet the voice of the Holy Spirit, to dim the Spirit’s Light of Truth that shines within and through us, and thus our hearts turn away from Jesus and His grace that He wants to pour out onto us.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT)

17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Challenge: The Apostle Paul tells the Church, ALL of the CHURCH, not just those who attended and were listening back in Galatia or in Corinth, but each any every member of Jesus’s Church, His Family, so that means that he’s talking to YOU and ME when he said that Jesus is the Spirit, He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, and so wherever the Spirit is…that means in YOU and ME…that there is freedom! “So, Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Galatians 5:1) or in slavery to our old sin. Stay the course with Christ, stay in His Word, and share with others about His liberating love.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for allowing us to choose You. Holy Spirit, thank You for never giving up on us. For knocking on the doors to our hearts, for giving us spiritual eyes to see the Truth, and spiritual ears to hear the Truth. Please keep drawing us closer and closer to Jesus. Use our testimonies to share about our freedom in Christ and how we are eternally connected to His love. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: He Protects Us

Digging for Truth: When Jesus walked this earth, and just prior to His death, He promised to send the “Advocate” (the Holy Spirit) as His representative once He was no longer physically walking the earth and was resurrected to the eternal realm and seated at the right hand of the Father. He said to the disciples (and to you and me), “‘I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.’” (John14:27) Jesus provides all of His believers with the same gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. This gift is the One Who offers you and me protection as believers in Christ Jesus.

Grace for the Heart: Jesus came as the Son and it was necessary for Him to be made just like you and me, so that through the choice of our salvation His sacrifice would not only take away our sins but would ignite the Holy Spirit within us as believers (Hebrews 2:16-17). The grace that Jesus gives us allows our hearts to be filled with unwavering faith and only in this place can we put our full trust in the Holy Spirit to guide our decisions while protecting us from physical and spiritual danger.

Proverbs 1:33 (NLT)

33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”

Psalm 68:20 (NLT)

20 Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

Challenge: Friends, you and I have a choice, each and every second of every day, to live in the Shalom, the wholeness and pure peace that only Jesus offers. Jesus, Himself, went through suffering and testing. He broke the powers of Satan, He overcame death, and He rescues us (all of the time) when we are being tested by the darkness (Satan, himself) of this world (Hebrews 2:17-18). Press into Jesus, right now, throughout today, and later tonight. Heck, don’t EVER stop pressing in and allowing His peace to fill you, to surround you, call on the Holy Spirit to hedge protection over you and your family, over God’s Family. Ask God to save those who have never heard of Jesus, to reignite His Spirit within those who have lost their way, to make a way for all of them to know Him, and to allow Him into their hearts so they can experience His eternal love.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for saving us. Thank You for Your peace. Help us to be containers of Your peace and to bring it out, as a beacon of Your eternal light, into this really dark and hurting world. Holy Spirit, thank You for your protection. Please continue to hedge protection around each one of us as You guide us into places that need Jesus. Fill us with Your strength and cast away any earthly fears that we have as You call us to be the loving vessels of Christ Jesus. I ask all of this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Willingness to Serve

Digging for Truth: As a part of God’s Family, you and I are called to have a willingness to serve others. Paul teaches us about this in his lesson to the Church in Philippi. He reminds us that in our flesh we have selfish ambition, and we tend to look out for our own interests. But, in the Spirit, there is humility as we take on the same attitude as Christ and in that place, we can look out for others as Jesus does (Phil 2:3-5).

Grace for the Heart: After washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus asked them “Do you understand what I was doing?” He preceded to remind them that they call Him “Teacher and Lord” and although they were right, because He is “OUR” Teacher and Lord, He was giving “US” the greatest example to follow on how to serve others. Remember, He washed every one of their feet, including Peter’s feet, who would later deny Him, and Judas’ feet, who would later betray Him. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (John 13:12-17). God blesses you and me when we serve one another, because we are offering an extension of His love to His Creation to His Family.

Mark 10:43-45 (NLT)

43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Challenge: Friends, you and I have been made free through our salvation in Christ Jesus, and we are containers of His Spirit. Thus, He calls us to live in that freedom, and to not use it to satisfy our own sinful nature, as that has been laid down at His feet and forgiven. Instead, we are called to use our freedom in Christ to serve one another in love by the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:13). Allow the Spirit to use the freedom of your salvation in Christ today to serve one another in love.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to help be our reminder that we are to serve others. Help us, Holy Spirit, to put the interests of others before our own selfish interests. Use each of us today to serve someone else so that the love of Christ is spread into this hurting world. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Christ’s Glorified Presence in Us

Digging for Truth: In the Old Testament, the Lord spoke through Jeremiah and assured us that through Christ, a new covenant would be made for God’s children, and His instructions would live deep within them, and be written on their hearts (31:33). Friends, we are God’s children, and His instructions are written on our hearts. The Holy Spirit lives within you and me and is available all of the time to reflect Christ’s glorified presence within each of us. As our “full-time, 24/7, Advocate, or Holy Helper”, the Holy Spirit is constantly nudging you and me to press into God’s Truth (His Word), because it is written deep within our hearts, so that our words, actions, steps, and daily journeys can be guided by the Holy Spirit towards what God has for each one of us.

Grace for the Heart: Jesus told us that in order for us to receive the Holy Spirit (our Advocate) that He would need to go and be with the Father. Think about how many times throughout each day, week, or month, you dismiss or underestimate the Gift of the Holy Spirit within yourself. In every moment, you and I either glorify or dishonor Christ with how we live. Living an honorable life for Christ can only be made possible by the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ (2 Thes 1:12) and by allowing the Holy Spirit to stir and move within our hearts. It is the only way that Christ is glorified and witnessed through us.

John 16:7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

Challenge: Friends, we need to stop ignoring the magnitude of this Gift from God, the Gift to allow the Holy Spirit to be our One and only Advocate. By doing this we are honoring our position within God’s Family, with Him as the Father, Jesus as the Son, and the Holy Spirit as our Advocate. When we fixate on our “real” position within God’s Family, and understand that He lives within our hearts, we no longer want to make a practice of sin, but rather call on Him to help us stop sin before it happens so that we are reflecting Jesus in our lives and not Satan (1 John 3:9).

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Advocate to help us with absolutely everything. Holy Spirit, please forgive us for the times when we have minimized the magnitude of Your presence within us and Your guidance for our lives. We want Christ to be glorified in our presence, and so please help each one of us to be more in alignment with You so that others may receive Christ through us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s passage aligns with Pastor Mary’s sermon from yesterday about “LISTENING” to God. The writer of Hebrews is speaking to believers, and the message is meant to be an encouragement so that we cling to Christ, especially during difficult times. But you and I cannot miss it, this message is meant to be spread to non-believers. Each one of us are a container of the Holy Spirit and we are called to spread Christ’s message of love. Think about it, if you and I spend more time in God’s Word, allowing Him to “preach and teach” us, as we really “listen” to His voice, then our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions) will begin to align with Him and shift away from this world. We will not feel the need to be pushy in the way that we “preach and teach” others. No, if we are really listening to God voice, and allowing Him to operate in our lives, we should exude Christ and His message of pure love in all that we do and speak. If that’s happening, it’s a very practical ways for non-believers to witness the love of Christ and to want more of Him and His love in their own lives.

Hebrews 2:1-4 (NLT)
A Warning against Drifting Away

1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? 4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for speaking clearly into my life. Please forgive me for quieting Your voice with my own soul’s earthly desires. Help me, Holy Spirit, to be One with You and the plan that You have for my life so that I may reflect Your love for others. I want hearts to want You, Jesus, and I am grateful that You allow me to be a part of that process for the good of Your Kingdom. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

When I decided to welcome Jesus into my heart and began to walk in a faithful relationship with Him, I noticed there was a lot of talk about God’s grace. Initially my mind thought it meant that God was being courteous, maybe even polite, or it had something to do with His good manners, because that is what I knew about the “word” grace, from a dictionary standpoint – to be courteous, polite, or to have good manners. Honestly, it was confusing to me, and I kept wondering what exactly is God’s grace? Then I heard Pastor Mary use grace as an acronym: G.R.A.C.E = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. At the time, I thought maybe grace isn’t about God being “courteous, polite, or using good manners”, but rather He has something of great value for me and it is directly connected to Jesus dying on the cross. As I continued to grow in my faith walk (connecting more in relationship with Jesus) I kept learning from Pastor Mary, many other Christians, and most importantly more and more from God, Himself, by spending time with Him in His Word. I started to realize when I welcomed Jesus into my heart, I was saved (my salvation came) by God’s grace through the sacrifice that Jesus made by dying on the cross so that my sins could be forgiven. I am no different from any other person, none of us deserve God’s grace (it is His favor, His forgiveness of our sins, and His acceptance of us), and there was (and remains) absolutely nothing I could have done in my own strength or by my own means to have gained it, or to have earned it, and I certainly was not entitled to it.

I believe the Word of God, the Bible, God’s Testimony, the Good News, the Gospel Message of Christ…whatever you want to say because it is all One in the same, is a message of God’s grace. His grace is the most priceless gift you and I will ever receive, and it was made possible because Jesus gave His life for us, and by welcoming Him into our hearts, asking for His forgiveness of our sinful ways, we are humbling bowing before Almighty God and recognizing that we were and are lost without Him. We desperately need His grace to cover us as He bestows His favor, forgiveness, acceptance, and guidance to us, and that happens because we gave our lives (really “back”) to Him as our Creator, on the day we asked Jesus into our hearts.

In today passage, Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium (which is known today as Konya, located in Turkey), and they were preaching boldly the Good News about God’s grace (v. 3). We see that conflict and division arose, because God’s grace provoked, and continues to provoke, an extreme reaction in both directions. Those seeking God’s grace want more of His Truth operating in a through their lives, while those not seeking it struggle to accept it because the darkness of this world blinds them to His Truth. In the previous chapter, Luke reminds us of what God promised in the Old Testament was now fulfilled through the resurrection of Jesus (v. 33). Therefore, in Jesus there is forgiveness of sins (v. 38), and everyone who believes in Him is made right in God’s sight (covered by His grace) and that is not something the Law of Moses could have done (v. 39). So, this Good News of salvation by grace, not by the Law of Moses, was not received well, and continues to not be received well. Not only by non-Christians, but at times by Christians who believe their good works, entitlement, years of church deeds, etc. earn them some type of heavenly reward or grace-pass to the front of the line. Only God knows each one of our hearts and Jesus will one day judge each one of our heart’s motives alone. In the meantime, we need to pray for God’s grace to move within our lives the same way it moved in today’s passage for Paul and Barnabas. God grace carried them away from the mob, from being attached, and stoned to death. He moved them to other regions where they were to preach the Good News (v.7), just as you and I are called to do the same.

Acts 14:1-7 (NLT)

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

1 The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. 3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

5 Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. 6 When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. 7 And there they preached the Good News.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for laying Your life down so that my sins are forgiven. In my own strength I am weak and unworthy of Your favor, but in You, Jesus, I am made whole, forgiven, and worthy to accept Your most gracious gift of grace. Thank You, Father, for Your eternal love. Help me, Holy Spirit, to walk out a life that reflects Your love, to speak words that are guided by You, bathed in Your love, and filled with Your Truth. Please keep guiding my life and using me for the glory of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’s Name. Amen.

There were many times in King David’s life when his fellow associates, friends, and even his own family stood against him. They humiliated him, betrayed him, and some even sought to kill him. It’s not hard for you and me to identify with David’s feelings of loneliness, disappointment, frustration, or even anger. But we need to ask ourselves, how does Jesus want to guide each one of us during these moments?

In today’s Psalm we see initially that David wanted revenge for how he was mistreated. He was asking for God’s help in battle against his enemies. We know that David lived prior to Christ’s birth, and since David was the anointed leader of a nation, he called on God in a revengeful way as he was seeking for God to set things right on his behalf. You and I do not need to call on God for revenge after what Christ accomplished on our behalf. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, you and I are now commanded to pray for our enemies’ salvation (Matt 5:44-48). Just like David, we must trust, by our faith, that God will set things right, but it must be in God’s own time and by God’s own way. You and I are to never repay evil with more evil, rather we are to do things in such a way that everyone can see we are honorable and living like Christ (Rom 12:17).

We must realize that within Psalm 35 David is in constant communion, or prayer, and even praise with God. That is an example for you and me. No matter what is happening in our lives, or not happening in our lives, we are to connect with our living God and commune with Him in prayer and praise His Holy Name. Remember, He knows all things, He is in all things, and so why would we attempt to do anything on our own. He is seeking for us to call out to Him so He can take care of all things on our behalf. We cannot forget that Jesus died for us, He is sitting at the right-hand of the Father, and He alone will be the One Who comes for “The Final Judgment”. As our Shepherd, He will gather His sheep to His right to enter into eternal life, but for those who do not call on His Name, the goats, they will be at His left and will go away into eternal punishment (Matt 25:31-46). So, never forget that Jesus will handle EVERYTHING!

Psalm 35:1-10 (NLT)

A psalm of David.

1 O Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight against me.
2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.
3 Lift up your spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Let me hear you say,
“I will give you victory!”
4 Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.
5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
6 Make their path dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
8 So let sudden ruin come upon them!
Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.

9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will be glad because he rescues me.
10 With every bone in my body I will praise him:
“Lord, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for being in all things and for orchestrating all things for good, even those things that I cannot see. Forgive me when I am lacking in my trust that You are taking care of things. Help to strengthen my faith, to be able to trust in You more quickly, and to constantly be in communion with You. I do not want to have anger within me, so please take that from me, and handle those places as Your ways are the highest and always good. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Do you remember the details of when you answered Jesus’s call to be His follower? The moment when you gave up your own way, picked up your cross, and decided to follow Jesus (Matt 16:24). Really think about it:

· Where were you?
· What was going on?
· Did you immediately respond?
· Have you walked away from His call?
· Did you miss that He was calling you?
· Has He had to call you multiple times?

Where, when, and how Jesus called each one of us is different, none of us share the exact same story or testimony. But we all do have one part in common and that is we chose to be delivered from our sins through our salvation in Christ Jesus and thus we are all eternally connected to Him and to one another as His Church, Body, or Family.

In today’s passage we are reminded of our brother, Abram’s call. Abram (who God would later rename, Abraham) obeyed God’s call and followed His plan. Abram was 75 years old, he picked up his entire life and relocated per God’s request. He had no idea that the Savior of the world would one day be among his offspring. Abram is proof that God’s ways are not our ways because His ways are so much higher and far beyond what we can even begin to image or put in place for ourselves (Isaiah 55:8-9). Each time Abram moves we read that he built an altar and dedicated it to the Lord. His faith was active, an example to you and me, that our faith must be active, while we are being obedient to God’s call. As a result of Abram’s active and obedient faith God blessed him, his family, and all who are connected to his lineage, and that my friends includes you and me as brothers and sisters of the Most High, Jesus Christ.

Genesis 12:1-9 (NLT)

The Call of Abram

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshipped the Lord. 9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for allowing Abraham to be an example of obedient and active faith for me. I want my faith to keep growing so that I can be closer in relationship with You. Help me, Holy Spirit, to be fully dependent and trusting in Your guidance for my daily life. I want to connect more with You and less and less with this world. I want others to see my faith and be drawn to Your love, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

When King David wrote Psalm 86, he knew that only God could help him, and especially during his times of trouble. We learn in the Old Testament Books, 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, that during David’s times of trouble, when he experienced great pain, anxiety, fear, grief, betrayal, hunger, violence, sin, loneliness, and tremendous loss, he called upon God. David’s response to trouble was simple, he prayed and cried out to Almighty God, “I will call to You whenever I’m in trouble, and You will answer me.” (v.7) David’s faith allowed him to trust in God to answer his prayers, to cover him with His protection, to shower him with His mercy, to forgive his sin by His unfailing love, and to fill him with His joy, no matter what was going on within the physical world around David.

Friends, you and I face trouble, just like David, and God is looking to answer us, He actually wants to use everything within our lives, especially our trouble, to work together for our eternal good (Romans 8:28). We just need to find ourselves having a heart for the Lord like David (Acts 13:22) because with a sold-out heart for the Lord our faith grows and we begin to trust God more and more, we see His protection for our lives more clearly, we are quicker to recognize His mercy, and we want to turn away from sin and seek His forgiveness because all we want is His unfailing love and His joy to fill us to overflowing.

Prayer can seem difficult at times or challenging for some people. Eight years ago, to the month, Pastor Mary shared an acronym with me to help during my times of prayer with my daughter, Hannah. She said while you are praying, breakdown the word, P.R.A.Y. and go in this order: P – Praise (spend time being grateful to God, thanking and praising Him for all that is good within your life), R – Repent (spend time asking God to forgive your sins, and to lead you away from those places of sinful living within your life), A – Ask (ask God what you want, not necessarily for “things” but places within your life or people you want to see Him bless), and Y – Yield (remember that God’s timing is not your timing and His ways are not your ways, so have humble patience and be willing to wait and shift to His ways and timing of your asks because His ways are higher than our own and are ultimately the best for our lives).

Psalm 86:1-13 (NLT)

A prayer of David.

1 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
4 Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.

8 No pagan god is like you, O Lord.
None can do what you do!
9 All the nations you made
will come and bow before you, Lord;
they will praise your holy name.
10 For you are great and perform wonderful deeds.
You alone are God.

11 Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
13 for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being there during all of my troubled times. I need for You to take the wheel of my life and be my Navigation System. Forgive me when I am not in alignment with Your plan for my life. Please allow me to quiet the noise of this world, so that I may receive from You, Holy Spirit. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

George Campbell Morgan was an evangelistic Bible teaching preacher in the early 1900’s and when speaking about Psalm 69 he said, “Perhaps in no psalm in the whole psalter is the sense of sorrow profounder or more intense than in this. The soul of the singer pours itself out in unrestrained abandonment to the overwhelming and terrible grief which consumes it.”

Today we will be looking at the first three verses of Psalm 69. Many credit King David as the author, while some say that the Prophet Jeremiah wrote it. Even though these two brothers of faith lived about 400 years apart, God uses their recorded testimonies for you and me so that we can keep learning from them and growing as we journey along on our own faith walks.

David, Jeremiah, and each one of us have experienced moments when we feel like we are completely drowning, where the waves of life are crashing into us, flooding over us, and we just cannot seem to find a foothold. In these moments Jesus tells us to look up (at Him), to not be afraid, and to take courage because He is with us (Matt 14:27).

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.” Psalm 34:18-19

Psalm 69:1-3 (NLT)

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Lilies.”

1 Save me, O God,
for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
I can’t find a foothold.
I am in deep water,
and the floods overwhelm me.
3 I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for my God to help me.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being all we need in our times of great trouble and despair. Help us to fully rest in You and to trust that You have, are, and will use all of our painful trials for good. We love you, Jesus, and ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.