Category: Prayer Starters

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Finding Hope In God’s Word

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Scripture: Psalm 119:145-148

I am becoming more and more forgetful, but I have not forgotten how and when I met God – or the years that followed. I remember the ebb and flow of growing in Him throughout my childhood and into my teens and throughout my adult life. I have not forgotten the waxing and the waning of my faithfulness to Him nor the pits of muck and mire that He pulled me from along the way! I remember the sin and the shame but those memories are always followed by the beautiful revelation of God’s grace that is greater than all of my sin. I remember not just His grace but His great love, a love that brings me hope, for it is because of His great love that I wasn’t and am not consumed. It is because of this great love and hope that I learned to call out to Him in prayer, not just in the morning but throughout the day and into the night.

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore, I have hope:

Lamentations 3:19-21

I cannot recall these memories without also recalling the prophet Jeremiah and the words of his sorrowful lament in Lamentations chapter three – when he remembered his affliction in the days following the destruction of Jerusalem. However, like Jeremiah, I find hope when I also recall the Lord’s great love. Jeremiah described this as God’s compassions that never fail – and I can testify to this truth. For it is because of His great love that I wasn’t consumed. Instead, I was pursued and delivered by His grace from the entrapments of the world into a relationship with Him – and a desire to keep His rules. I no longer found hope in my works or doing/being good but in talking to God and reading His Word. I fell in love with Him through His Word. I also had a baby in these early days of renewal, so like the Psalmist in our journey today – I looked to God in the early morning and looked forward to the naps and nighttime hours when I knew I could pray and meditate on His Word.

22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24

Oh, the beauty of these memories and of His faithful mercies, which are still new every morning! As my memory fades, this one prayer increases: May I always remember His Word and never forget that God, in His great love, pursued me, delivered me, and changed the desire of my heart.

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26
Encouragement for the Journey

Let’s never allow God and His Word or time in prayer to be just a “To Do” on the agenda of our day. Instead, let’s purposefully set aside or find time to spend with Him in His Word and in prayer. Let’s seek to know Him – His desires…the things He loves and delights in, and the things He detests… Let’s learn His rules… observe His character…put Him first in our lives – loving His ways over the ways of the world. Let’s look for His fingerprints every day, listening for His ‘still small voice,’ and learning to trust Him with every need and thank Him for all He has done.

The More We Know

You won’t want to miss this beautiful devotion from the Love God Greatly Team

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Joy in His Commands

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Scripture: Psalm 119:137-144

I grew up in a home where going to church was a Wednesday and Sunday habit, prayers were prayed, and God’s Word was taught and instilled in us. I am forever grateful for this part of my childhood. The foundations that were laid are priceless and counted as a treasured gift from the Lord. However, as I was reading this passage today – the thought hit me again of how easy it is to become so familiar with the Word and even with God through the eyes of others that we can find ourselves caught up in a religion rather than a relationship with God. We wake up one day to find ourselves living off of the beliefs and the truths we’ve heard preached, only to realize that they lack the joy and substance that come from a life spent with God.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a great gift to grow up in a godly home and to be familiar with God and His Word from infancy, and to place your faith in Him at a young age – but at some point, we must make it our own faith and build on the knowledge we have been given by searching out the Scriptures as the Bereans1 did and by building a relationship with God through Christ that leaves us able to say of our God the same beautiful truths that the Psalmist declared – by belief and experience – he knew and trusted God and found his joy in God’s commands – so much so that he became filled with indignation when others, namely his enemies, disregarded God’s Word.

Read the passage again, noting all of the declarations the Psalmist makes about the Lord. He sees God as righteous and His regulations as fair. He proclaims God’s laws to be perfect and completely trustworthy. He reveals that his love for God’s promises is based on the fact that they have been thoroughly tested, most likely throughout the course of his own life. He doesn’t just assess the Word of God but makes particular note of the indignation he feels because his enemies have disregarded God’s Word. My favorite acknowledgment and assessment comes in verse 143, when he talks of the joy he finds in God’s commands – even when the stresses and pressures of his life weigh him down.

O Lord, you are righteous,
    and your regulations are fair.
138 Your laws are perfect
    and completely trustworthy.
139 I am overwhelmed with indignation,
    for my enemies have disregarded your words.
140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested;
    that is why I love them so much.
141 I am insignificant and despised,
    but I don’t forget your commandments.
142 Your justice is eternal,
    and your instructions are perfectly true.
143 As pressure and stress bear down on me,
    I find joy in your commands.
144 Your laws are always right;
    help me to understand them so I may live.

Psalm 119:1137-144 NLT
Living Out the Journey (personal application)

How about you? How would you describe God and His Word (laws, commands, instructions, regulations)? Do you see them as fallible, fair, righteous, perfect, and trustworthy? Or do you doubt and question them? Are they so precious to you that you are offended or riled up when others disregard them? Do you strive to understand them, remember them, and live them out – or are they just in one ear and out the other until the next time? Have you experienced God’s peace and the joy that comes from His commands, even when life is pressing in on you? – I’m not trying to weigh you down with questions, but rather just simply hoping to share with you the encouragement that God pressed on me as I read the words of the Psalmist. – Know who God is, find delight in His Word, and if you don’t know or see God as the Psalmist described Him – search the Word – ask God for the understanding of who He is and the truths of His Word. Seek Him with all of your heart, and I promise you – He will be found –

The More We Know

You will find me when you seek me … While these prophecies and promises are specifically related to the people of Judah and Israel, the principle that God will draw near to those who draw near to Him is a universal truth (James 4:8a). But we have to draw near to God on His own terms—with clean hands and purified hearts (James 4:8b) that only God can provide by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). While Jeremiah’s letter recorded the words of God for the exiled people of Judah, readers today can benefit from recognizing that the same God who said, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart,” has also told us that we can draw near to Him and He will draw near to us (James 4:8) and that He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

gotquestions.org/Jer 29:13

Seek and you will find… The heart of Jesus’ point is that God is listening, paying attention to His people, and ready to give them good gifts. What a remarkable truth! The God of all creation cares so deeply about His children that He hears them when they pray. Even better: He answers. This also speaks to those with doubts and questions about faith. Those who lack faith, but pursue truth, will find it in Christ (Mark 9:24; John 14:6).

Bibleref.com/Matthew 7:7
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A Guiding Light

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based on the LGG Study, Psalm 119, Seeking Him with ALL our Hearts … / w5d2

Scripture For the Journey
Psalm 119:105-108 / SOAP verses 105-106

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path.
106 I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
    I will obey your righteous regulations.
107 I have suffered much, O Lord;
    restore my life again as you promised.
108 Lord, accept my offering of praise,
    and teach me your regulations.

Psalm 119:105-108 NLT
Observation and Application for the Journey

Friends, God’s Word has a purpose, and for me, realizing this truth made the Word not just something read on Sunday morning or carried to Sunday school but something of value and desire. It became a resource of wisdom and light that guided my decisions and tempered my thoughts. For example, if I became angry, the Word’s light was a reminder that my anger wasn’t pleasing to God,(James 1:20-22). Or, when I ran across people that I just really didn’t like – perhaps because they had hurt me or someone I knew – the light of the Word illuminated Jesus’ words: “But I say, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”(Matt 5:44) – and when I tried to redefine what that love would look like, there was the light of the Savior’s love surrounding me and reminding me to love just as He had loved me, John 13:34. You see, when we live by the light of God’s Word we will find these reminders, and others like them, lighting up our path and guiding our decisions.

God’s Word doesn’t just have a purpose; it has power. Biblehub commentary explains that “The Word of God is a lamp or lantern to the feet by night; it is a light, as that of the sun, by day. It makes provision for the whole of life; it is the secret of life’s true sunshine; it is the guide when all around is dark.” We live in a dark and often foreboding world. We live and work among people who belong to the darkness – but we serve a God of love who sent His ONLY Son, a Savior, into the world – the Savior who has declared Himself to be the “Light of the World.” Or, as one source writes, “Jesus asserts his divine nature and his role in guiding humanity out of spiritual darkness and into the light of truth and eternal life.”

Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 ESV

We are wise when we choose to follow the light that He sheds on our way. When we turn to His Word and follow its light to navigate our paths and the dark world we live in, we will not only please God but also reflect His light to the world around us—which is, after all, God’s call on our lives. For did Jesus not tell His disciples, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”? (Matthew 5:14-16)

The way is not always obvious, and the path is not always clear, but God’s Word is our guide, meant to shed light so that we can see in the darkness and live obediently by it. Why? All for the glory of God.

ME 🦋
Prayer for the Journey

Thank You, God, for shedding light on our path and for guiding our feet. Help us to walk faithfully and obediently by it. “Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness. You opened our eyes and let us see;” now, I pray, shine through us that others may see Your beauty, adore You, and share in the hope and light of a life lived with You. – In the One who is the LIGHT – I pray – AMEN!

The More We Know
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Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

The Delight of His Word

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based on the LGG Study, Psalm 119 – Seek Him With ALL Your Heart / w4d4

Scripture: Psalm 119:89-96 / SOAP verses 89-90, 92

Your eternal word, O Lord,
    stands firm in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
    as enduring as the earth you created.
91 Your regulations remain true to this day,
    for everything serves your plans.
92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
    I would have died in my misery.
93 I will never forget your commandments,
    for by them you give me life.
94 I am yours; rescue me!
    For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments.
95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
    I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
96 Even perfection has its limits,
    but your commands have no limit.

Psalm 119:89-96 NLT

Throughout his affliction, the author clings to the truths he learns from the Scriptures, which are eternal and “stand firm in the heavens”

Gotquestions.org / Psalm 119:89-91

Throughout this Psalm, we have seen the psalmist suffer various afflictions; we have heard him cry out to God for help in one breath and declare his faithfulness to God with the next breath – even in the hard and frightening times of his life. Again today, he cries out for God to rescue him – but not before declaring the faithfulness of God’s Word and how it has sustained him with joy. By his own account, he would have died in his misery had it not been for God’s commandments. For by them, he boldly proclaims God has given him life.

I am awestruck and inspired by the psalmist’s boldness in crying out to God for help, reminding God of how hard he has worked to remember and obey His Word. Even as his life is threatened by the murderous plots of others, the psalmist vows to keep his mind on God’s law. Surely, he has learned what we must learn and put into practice – when our minds are fixed on God and His Word – we will know His peace that transcends all troubles and concerns. His Word has the power that we need for any and every situation. Be it fear or strife, heartache or need, forgiveness or wisdom… His Word stands firm and able to rescue us and guide us to safe pastures.

The More We Know

This is some wonderful commentary I found on some of today’s verses – I hope it is a helpful blessing to take you deeper into our journey. You can find even more commentary on Psalm 119 by following this link https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-119/

(92-93) The sustaining power of God’s word.

Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.

a. Unless Your law had been my delight: The psalmist rejoiced that the word of God had been his delight. Reading and studying and meditating on God’s word were not burdensome; they were a delight.

i. We can speculate that one reason this was so was because God met him in His word. When we have fellowship with God in and through His word, it makes our time in His law delightful.

b. I would then have perished in my affliction: The psalmist knew that without his relationship with God and His word, he would not have been sustained in his season of affliction.

i. Again, it should be stressed that this delight goes beyond mere Bible knowledge. It is the relationship with God in and through His word that gives strength and spiritual nourishment.

ii. “What got him through his afflictions was his lifelong habit of reading, marking, learning, meditating upon, spiritually digesting, and above all obeying God’s Law.” (Boice)

iii. “‘Thy law…my delights…in mine affliction.’ I happened to be standing in a grocer’s shop one day in a large manufacturing town in the west of Scotland, when a poor, old, frail widow came in to make a few purchases. There never was, perhaps, in that town a more severe time of distress. Nearly every loom was stopped. Decent and respectable tradesmen who had seen better days, were obliged to subsist on public charity. So much money per day (but a trifle at most) was allowed to the really poor and deserving. The poor widow had received her daily pittance, and she had now come into the shop of the grocer to lay it out to the best advantage. She had but a few coppers in her withered hands. Carefully did she expend her little stock – a pennyworth of this and the other necessary of life nearly exhausted all she had. She came to the last penny, and with a singular expression of heroic contentment and cheerful resignation on her wrinkled face, she said, ‘Now I must buy oil with this, that I may see to read my Bible during these long dark nights, for it is my only comfort now when every other comfort has gone away.’” (Alexander Wallace, cited in Spurgeon)

c. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life: The psalmist remembered the life-giving power and character of God’s word. It was this life that strengthened him in the season of affliction.

i. God’s word brings life because it is alive. “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me. The Bible is not antique or modern. It is eternal.” (Luther, cited in Boice)

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Crying Out to God

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based on the LGG Study, Psalm 119 – Seek Him With ALL Your Heart / w4d3

Scripture: Psalm 119:86-88 / SOAP verse 86-88

All your commands are trustworthy.
    Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.
87 They almost finished me off,
    but I refused to abandon your commandments.
88 In your unfailing love, spare my life;
    then I can continue to obey your laws.

Psalm 119:86-88 NLT

Today’s post is borrowed and shared from the original LGG Post for w4d3 of Psalm 119… May it be a rich blessing of encouragement and hope –

CRYING OUT TO GOD…

by Angela Perritt | Jul 8, 2015 | 38 comments

Love God Greatly

Seeking, longing, searching… this poor Psalmist is waiting on the Lord to deliver him from this affliction.

He is trying to remain strong, but he is growing weary, feeling as though he could faint. His eyes are tired from looking for glimpses of God.

Have you ever been there? I know I have.

The Psalmist knows that God loves him, but the questions are building in his mind: “How much longer, Lord?” “When will you comfort me?” (Psalm 119:82).

He is needing a break.

If his life was a football game, he’d be calling a time out.

Let’s just say that the path he is walking is no “walk in the park.” It may be the “straight and narrow,” but God never called it “easy.”

I love the honestly of this Psalmist. He’s just real with God. He’s over this affliction he has been going through, and he’s ready for God to move in and pronounce judgment over the men who have been causing him so much pain.

“Enough is enough,” you can almost hear him say.

“When will you punish my persecutors?”  The question that has been taunting him in his mind finally breaks free (Psalm 119:84).

“How much more?”

God is building this man’s patience and faith.

As before, the Psalmist turns to God’s commands and declares them trustworthy… even in the midst of the unknown.

“Help me…” (vs. 86).

It’s not a fancy prayer, but it’s genuine and comes straight from the Psalmist’s heart. God will take simple and heartfelt prayers over fancy and routine any day.

And so we find our Psalmist friend waiting on the Lord to intervene. To be his Deliverer, his Redeemer, his Savior.

But in the waiting, he doesn’t lose hope. And neither should we.

I’m not sure why God is waiting so long to deliver this poor man from this difficult situation, but I do know this: God is good and what He does is good. And so we continue to seek the Lord, placing our trust and hope in Him.

One of the many beautiful aspects of being a Christian is that no matter how dark our life is right now, we always have heaven to look forward to.

Our best is yet to come.

And so like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in the waiting.

Waiting for God to move.

Waiting for “doors” to open.

Waiting for a break in our “storms.”

And in the waiting God is there.

Though we may feel like we are being torn down, He is building strength into us. As we dig into His Word and ponder Scripture – holding His promises closer to our hearts than ever before – we cling to His truth. What Satan may have tried to hurt us with, God uses to bring us closer to Him, strengthening us in our faith and increasing our capacity for greater patience.

Like the Psalmist, maybe you too feel weak, like you are ready to “tap out” of the battle. It’s just getting too hard.

Know this… you are not alone.

“Rest on His promises and rely on His love. When the Father allows His children to go into the furnace of affliction, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how much. To walk by faith will bring unrest and weakness, but to meditate on the Word will bring peace and power.” –Warren W. Wiersbe

No matter what you are facing today, remember that God is strengthening you and purifying you for a greater purpose.

Keep your eyes focused on Him. He will not forsake you.

Let’s Talk: How is God using your time of  “waiting” to strengthen you in your faith?

Love God Greatly!

angela
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

His Unfailing LOVE

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Scripture: Psalm 119:73-80 / SOAP verses 75-79

You made me; you created me.
    Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
74 May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
76 Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant.
77 Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
    for your instructions are my delight.
78 Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me;
    meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments.
79 Let me be united with all who fear you,
    with those who know your laws.
80 May I be blameless in keeping your decrees;
    then I will never be ashamed.

Psalm 119:73-80 NLT

Today’s Post is by Joy, a member of the LGG Team

We are in verses Psalm 119:73-80 today, and there is so much richness in these verses. I’m not going to be able to cover all of them, so I want to camp on just a few.

Verses 76-77 say this: “Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me that I may live. For your law is my delight.”

The Psalmist is crying out to God for His favor. As we saw in verse 75, he owned God’s justice for his affliction – which is a big deal – and is now asking God for His mercy.

God’s steadfast love is a comfort. It is THE comfort {verse 76}. As the Matthew Henry commentary says, “Gracious souls fetch all their comfort from a gracious God, as the fountain of all happiness and joy.”

I love the word comfort!

Then it goes on… “For your law is my delight.” God’s word becomes a delight- a comfort to our souls.

So let me ask you:

Where are you turning for comfort? Is it giving you lasting and true satisfaction? Or, as Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that workin’ for ya?”

My challenge for this week is this: Turn your heart back to the Lord and His steadfast love. Ask Him for His blessed mercy and experience His steadfast love as you read and meditate on His Word. 

With Love From Uganda,

joy signature

Week 4 Challenge:
Turn your heart back to the Lord and His steadfast love. Ask Him for His blessed mercy and experience His steadfast love as you read and meditate on His Word.

WK4MV

Week 4 Memory Verse

The More You Know

For the full post, including video and reading plan click here

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REVIVE ME-

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Response to Week Two’s Journey
Scripture: PSALM 119:25-48

I lie in the dust;
    revive me by your word.
26 I told you my plans, and you answered.
    Now teach me your decrees.
27 Help me understand the meaning of your commandments,
    and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.
28 I weep with sorrow;
    encourage me by your word.
29 Keep me from lying to myself;
    give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.
30 I have chosen to be faithful;
    I have determined to live by your regulations.
31 I cling to your laws.
    Lord, don’t let me be put to shame!
32 I will pursue your commands,
    for you expand my understanding.

He

33 Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
    I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
    I will put them into practice with all my heart.
35 Make me walk along the path of your commands,
    for that is where my happiness is found.
36 Give me an eagerness for your laws
    rather than a love for money!
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things,
    and give me life through your word.[a]
38 Reassure me of your promise,
    made to those who fear you.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways;
    for your regulations are good.
40 I long to obey your commandments!
    Renew my life with your goodness.

Waw

41 Lord, give me your unfailing love,
    the salvation that you promised me.
42 Then I can answer those who taunt me,
    for I trust in your word.
43 Do not snatch your word of truth from me,
    for your regulations are my only hope.
44 I will keep on obeying your instructions
    forever and ever.
45 I will walk in freedom,
    for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
46 I will speak to kings about your laws,
    and I will not be ashamed.
47 How I delight in your commands!
    How I love them!
48 I honor and love your commands.
    I meditate on your decrees.

Psalm 119:25-48 NLT

by Joy Forney | Jun 25, 2015 

Revive.

It stirs up strong feelings of desire for me. In Psalm 119:25,  it says, “My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to your Word.” In other versions, it uses words like “quicken” and “give me life,” but revive brings about a beautiful word picture.

Revive means making alive, keeping alive, and giving more life.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me right about now!

Here in Uganda, we really have only two seasons: rainy and dry. But since the kids’ school schedule lines up with the US, we still call the school break “summer.” So we are on summer break. And there is no better time to sit before the Lord than when schedules are just a bit slower. So this summer, I am asking the Lord, “Revive Me! Revive me according to Your Word!”

Why do we need reviving?

In verse 37, David reminds us to “turn our eyes from looking at vanity.” I don’t know about you, but my eyes could use a turning back to His Word.

Two things in my life cause me to turn my eyes:

One is my own sin…

Chasing after things of this world that do not satisfy and turning to them rather than to God and His Word. Oh yes, these things are small – like certain television shows or engaging in gossip with a friend, but as the Ugandans say, “slowly by slowly” my eyes are turned toward the vanity of the world instead of loving and feeding on God’s Word.

Then there are the stories of the world’s vanity…

They bombard me, worry me, sicken me, and turn my focus away from trusting God. When I look at the world getting caught up in its own vanity, I get discouraged – rather than encouraged – by God’s story.

As Charles Spurgeon says, “We have nothing to do with this vain world! We are not citizens of this land!”

So let me ask you: Do you and I live this way? Do we live as citizens of another land? Or instead, do we keep our eyes turned toward the vanity of this world, telling ourselves that it is okay; it’s just a little bit; it’s no big deal? Yes, we are in the world, but we are not to be of it.

It is time to be revived, sisters! 

Let this be our prayer:

-Revive me according to Your Word. v.25

-Revive me in Your ways. v.37

-Revive me in Your righteousness. v.40

-May Your lovingkindness also come to me, O Lord. v.41

-I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. v.48

O Lord, we pray that you would revive us, your daughters. Thank you for Your Word, which is living and active. We are sorry for turning our eyes toward vanity. Forgive us, and turn our eyes back to You and Your Word. We want to love Your Word. Give us fervent love for Your Word. Give us love for Your commandments. Help us to meditate on Your statutes. Let this summer be a time of reviving our hearts. Amen.

I want to hear from you in the comments. What has been turning your eyes toward vanity? And are you going to join me and ask the Lord to be revived?

With love from Uganda,

joy signature
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

I WILL RISE UP AND GIVE YOU THANKS…

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Scripture: Psalm 119:61-64 / SOAP verses 62-64

Evil people try to drag me into sin,
    but I am firmly anchored to your instructions.
62 I rise at midnight to thank you
    for your just regulations.
63 I am a friend to anyone who fears you—
    anyone who obeys your commandments.
64 O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth;
    teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119:61-64 NLT

by WhitneyD | Jul 1, 2015 | 87 comments

The generator had been shut down hours before. Funny how many things you can hear in the middle of the night without the hum of electricity drowning out the sounds of the earth. I was twenty-one and wide awake in a foreign land, and God had met me there.

Of course he was there. He’s everywhere.

But somehow less noise, less stuff, less of me had helped me see him more clearly than I had in a very long time. 

To my shame, I had uttered a lot of telling words in the weeks leading up to the trip…

Words of doubt as I struggled to make solid plans for my future.

Words of envy as I saw others prospering around me while I floundered.

Words of strife as I worked hard to take one step forward, only to end up two steps back.

Words of emptiness as I secretly chased worldly acceptance over God’s ways.

Words of frustration as I questioned the lack of peace my life.

My heart had been so consumed with all that was going wrong that – sadly – I was stuck wallowing in the negative instead of joyfully pursuing God and his Word.

“I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.” ~ Psalm 119:59

But in the quiet of that night, when everything else had been stripped away, God’s Word came alive.

I was reminded that my future is in God’s hands (Jeremiah 29:11).

I rejoiced over the fact that God is for me, and that his ways are intended for my good (Romans 8:31-32).

Peace flooded my soul as I once again found delight in God’s commands (Psalm 119:35).

And instead of sleep evading me due to the usual stress and overthinking, I was kept awake by a profound gratefulness for God’s unmerited grace in my life.

It was high time that I uttered new words…

I used to resent how often my desperation drives me to the feet of Jesus, but now I know that very place is often where I find even more reasons to celebrate the goodness of God.

Why?

Because his grace is simply more beautiful in my need. 

When little ones won’t settle down for the night, I will rise up and give you thanks.

When relationships are strained, I will rise up and give you thanks.

When my health is compromised, I will rise up and give you thanks.

When my future is unknown, I will rise up and give you thanks.

When I am persecuted for my faith, I will rise up and give you thanks.

When nations turn their backs on you God, I will still rise up and give you thanks.

“Whatever else may happen in this world, whoever else may turn their back on you when the chips are down, of this you may be sure: he whose trust and hope and confidence is in the unfailing love of God will never be put to shame.” ~ Sam Storms

Father, because of your righteous laws and your steadfast love – no matter what trials come our way – we can rise up and give you thanks.

And just like that, thanksgiving turns night into day…

At His feet,

*LET’S TALK: What kinds of words are you uttering in your trials? Whatever is going on in your life right now, together, let’s flood heaven with prayers of thankfulness to God for his righteous laws and steadfast love. Would you share your prayer in the comments today?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

WHEN FEAR GRIPS US…

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Psalm 119

This week’s response to : Psalm 119:25-48

Today’s post is shared from the LGG archives / written by Angela Perritt | as posted Jul 2, 2015 

“Mama… I can’t sleep. I’m so afraid. So afraid something bad is going to happen to all of us,” she says with tears streaming down her beautiful face.

Fear.

This sweet girl of mine has recently been struggling with a crippling fear that something bad is going to happen to her family. And like all of us with fears, it’s been keeping her up at night.

I walk her back to her room, tuck her in bed, and lay down next to her. With foreheads pressed in, I pray over her as I stroke her hair, quote Scripture, and recite God’s promise to never leave or forsake us. I remind her that this type of fear is not of God.

And so we talk about God – how powerful He is, how much He loves us, and how very GOOD He is.

God is good all the time.

Despite the nightly news reports… God is good.

Despite the diagnosis… God is good.

Despite the pain and heartbreak in this life… God is good.

The two of us cling a little closer to Jesus those nights as I pray my heart out over my girl – fighting this unseen battle as powerfully as any mama can – in the name above all names…

Jesus.

Eventually after prayers, kisses on the forehead, and a back rubbed, she drifts off to sleep. Peaceful and no longer battling fear, my girl knows that she is loved. She has been reminded that God loves her and will never leave her, and she rests in that truth.

God is good.

When bad things happen in our lives, we must remember this truth. “You are good and what you do is good…”– Psalm 119:68

Sweet friends, this world is not our home. We have to stop wishing that it is and start looking forward to the one that is to come.

We are not home yet, but let’s not give in to the fears in this life. Our God is good and what He does is good, in spite of what people say.

Yes, we live in an evil, evil world….and I am heartbroken over what I see. But we must remember that we are here for a purpose. YOU are here for a purpose, so let us NOT lose hope!

∼ May we fight back the fears that keep us up at night with God’s Word and His truth.

∼ May we use these battles for good, allowing them to make us cling even closer to Jesus as we press our foreheads in next to Him and cry “Abba, Father.”

∼ May we fall more in love with Him and His Word, truly treasuring it like pieces of silver and gold (Psalm 119:72).

God has the power to bring good from what Satan plans for evil.

“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Psalm 119:71

Charles Quote

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the amazing work YOU are doing in our lives. Thank you for the hope that is found in YOU! Thank you that you never leave us or forsake us. Thank you that you have equipped us for every good work You have planned for our lives. Help us to see you. Open our eyes to your presence and help us to be women whose faith is deepened and stronger due to affliction. Help us to treasure You as our King…..more than any precious stone. And help us to fall more and more in love with You each day. Thank you for your love, and thank you that you are good.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

May we all cling a little closer to Jesus…

Angela- Love God Greatly

Love God Greatly!

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Trust His Heart

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based on Love God Greatly’s study of Psalm 119 / w2d4

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 119:41-48 / SOAP: 41-42, 45

May I experience your loyal love, O Lord,
and your deliverance, as you promised.
42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me,
for I trust in your word.
43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony,
for I await your justice.
44 Then I will keep your law continually
now and for all time.
45 I will be secure,
for I seek your precepts.
46 I will speak about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
47 I will find delight in your commands,
which I love.
48 I will lift my hands to your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.

Psalm 119:41-48 NET

The psalmist longed for expressions of God’s chesed (Hebrew for “covenant loyalty, faithful love”) in light of the persecution and hostility against him. He sought God’s salvation from oppression. The freedom offered to the person who walks according to God’s word enables him to remain strong through adversity and to maintain his focus on God’s decrees. The righteous person is courageous enough to speak of the Lord, and he will not be ashamed.

HCSB Commentary on Psalm 119:41-48

Have you ever experienced a time or even a season when it felt like God was absent? In your struggles, you search for signs of Him, a fingerprint or a whisper, something that lets you know He is near and hasn’t forgotten you. You know that God loves you and has promised deliverance. Like the psalmist, you long to feel that He is near – you want to experience His promise of deliverance; you want to feel His love and know He hasn’t forgotten you. While we don’t know for sure who wrote this Psalm and find few commentaries on the ‘story behind the scenes’, it seems to me the psalmist was dealing with these emotions. Yet, in the absence of experiencing or feeling God’s presence near, he proclaims his trust in God’s Word and announces he will find security by seeking God’s Word, or as the Holman Christian Standard Bible translates it – “focusing on God’s decrees.”

As I read through this passage and began making my observations, an old hymn flooded my mind and seemed to sum it up nicely for me. You may remember the hymn, “Trust and Obey.” Like our passage today, the song is a reminder that while troubles will come and doubts and fears will arise, and while we will undoubtedly experience sorrows and burdens from grief and loss – when we faithfully “do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.” Friends, you may not be experiencing God’s love right now, you may not be seeing His fingerprints or hearing even a whisper from Him – but to borrow from a quote I once read and from teachings throughout the Scriptures- “when you can’t see God’s hand, trust His heart.”


Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
will trust and obey.

Living Out the Journey (Application)

When we TRUST in the LORD – when we know His love and salvation – we will be able to answer those who taunt or insult us … we will walk in freedom when we are devoted to His commandments because we will not be weighed down with the sway and guilt of sin… In other words, we will be controlled by His Spirit in word and deed from the inside out, and we will know life and peace rather than a life that leads to death (Romans 8:6).

So, letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.

Romans 8:6 NLT

In searching out the commentaries for clarity on this portion of our journey, I ran across the following treasure from the Blue Letter Bible. I’ve shared just the portion on our soap passage – however, you can find the entire Psalm explained in “The More We Know” section at the end of this post.1

 a. Let Your mercies come…Your salvation according to Your word: Here the psalmist acknowledged that mercy and salvation come from God to man through the word of God. The word of God doesn’t merely point us toward mercy and salvation, as if it were a self-help book. It actually brings mercy and salvation to us.

  • i. The psalmist rightly said mercies, in the plural. God’s gracious mercy to us is so great that it can only be described in the plural, with mercy piled on top of mercy.
  • ii. “He desires mercy as well as teaching, for he was guilty as well as ignorant.” (Spurgeon)
    • He needed mercy, not only teaching.
    • He needed many mercies, so the request is in the plural.
    • He needed mercy from God more than from man, so the request is made to God.

b. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word: Trust in God’s word provides an answer to those who reproach us. The disapproving voices we often hear can be answered by our abiding trust in the approval that we believers find in God.

  • i. When we believe who God is and what He has done for us in Jesus Christ, the disapproval of this world is answered.
Study Guide for Psalm 119 / BlueLetterBible.org (41-42)

And I will walk at liberty: Having just spoken of the obedience that comes from having God’s word within, the psalmist now testifies that this obedience brings a life of liberty. Freedom comes through obedience and submission to God.

  • i. It is proven in many lives, in both the positive and the negative: Obedience and the pursuit of God’s word and wisdom lead to liberty. Disobedience, rejection of God’s word, and reliance upon one’s own wisdom lead to bondage.
  • ii. “Saints find no bondage in sanctity. The Spirit of holiness is a free spirit; he sets men at liberty and enables them to resist every effort to bring them under subjection. The way of holiness is not a track for slaves, but the King’s highway for freemen.” (Spurgeon)
Study Guide for Psalm 119 / BlueLetterBible.org (45)
Prayer for the Journey

Father, Your Word is full of instruction and examples from those who have walked before us. The teachings and examples both warn us and encourage us, and they fill us with wisdom – that if we are wise, we will heed. We have been gifted Your Holy Spirit, and we have been promised that You will never leave or forsake us, but like the Psalmist, we find ourselves at times in places where we can not sense Your presence – help us – in these times to pray the prayer of this Psalmist: May I experience your loyal love, O Lord, and your deliverance, as you promised. Help us to know the security that comes from seeking Your Word diligently, with all our hearts – that we might not be controlled by the sinful nature but by Your Spirit. – Amen and amen!

Music for the Journey
The More We Know

F. Waw ו: Liberty comes from loving God’s word.