Tag: prayer

Posted in Abide, Abiding in jesus, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Building on the Rock

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based on Abiding in Jesus, w4d4

Read and SOAP: Matthew 7:24-25

Building on The Rock

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.

Matthew 7:24-25

How firm a foundation are you standing on? Will you be able to stand strong when the rain falls and the waters rise? When the winds of life blow hard, will you be able to stand firm?

Friends, we must commit to building a firm foundation on the rock of ages, the rock of our salvation – Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. When you need refuge, make it your habit to flee to Jesus. Trust that God will strengthen you, help you, and hold you up with His victorious right hand. You can depend on Him, even in your deepest distress, your fiery trials, or river of sorrows. For this I know to be true – He will pour out, in bountiful supply, His all-sufficient grace ~ and prove His sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love. Find rest in him my friend, for He has promised to never forsake those who abide and find their rest in Him. Though the worst of evils attempt to shake us – He stands with us and for us and will never leave us as prey to our foes1

The More We Know

Key Scriptural Connections

  • Isaiah 41:10:This verse, which speaks of God’s presence and strength, is echoed in the hymn’s second verse, which assures believers of God’s aid and support. 
  • Isaiah 43:2:The hymn’s third verse about facing deep waters and fiery trials is reminiscent of Isaiah 43:2, where God promises to be with those who go through trials. 
  • Hebrews 13:5:The hymn’s promise of never being forsaken is a direct reference to Hebrews 13:5, which states that God will never leave or forsake His people. 
  • Matthew 7:24-27: The hymn’s overall theme of building a life on a solid foundation is inspired by this parable, which emphasizes the importance of building on the rock of Jesus’s teachings. 
  • 1 Corinthians 3:11: This verse highlights Jesus Christ as the only foundation for believers, which aligns with the hymn’s message of faith in God’s word. 

Into the Text, by LGG, offers more beautiful insight in today’s post. Read it, soak it in and look for ways to build upon the Rock – the firm foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 10:4; Psalm 62:6 and 18:2)

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

God’s Indisputable Presence

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p157

Read: Esther 7:5-6 and SOAP: Psalm 37:28

For the Lord promotes justice,
and never abandons his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,
but the children of the wicked are wiped out.

Psalm 37:28

If we were to backtrack on our journey through Esther’s story, we would see that there was a time when telling the king about her heritage was not on Esther’s agenda. However, when Mordecai pushed her on the issue with his “for such a time as this” speech, she acquiesced with the condition that the people would pray and fast for a period of three days, and she would do the same.1 As we have seen. While God’s name has not been mentioned, the evidence that He not only heard the prayers but answered them is indisputable.

 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13-17

Today’s journal entry says it best …

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Prayer > Anxiety

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From the journal of the LGG Study, For Such A Time As This, p153

Read: Esther 7:1-4 and SOAP: Philippians 4:6

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6

Sisters 💕 Philippians 4:6 is one of my life verses. It is a verse that has changed my life in many ways. It has not only rescued me from pits of anxiety and fear, but it has also taught me to pray and shown me that I can trust God with my life. This was a truth that Esther knew as well, which is why, from the time Mordecai called on her to make the plot to destroy the Jews known to the king, she insisted that she would only go before the king after a time of fasting and praying. Friends, may we always be so faithful to keep prayer at the forefront of the battles that we face.

Believing that God was with her, Esther does as Mordecai had instructed her. With courage and boldness, she reveals not only the slaughter planned for the Jews but the truth of who she is.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Moving Forward with Confidence

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Borrowed from the Journal of For Such A Time As This / w4d1

Read: Esther: 5:1-5 and SOAP: Psalm 34:7

The More We Know:

from the study, For Such A Time As This / w4d1

by Love God Greatly | May 4, 2025 | 0 comments

I wonder what Esther was feeling as she watched the sunrise on that third day.

“It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace…”
– Esther 5:1

This was the day that Esther would either end up a hero or end up dead. If I were in Esther’s place, I’m pretty sure I would have been tempted to crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and desperately pray that God would find some other woman and some other way to save His people. I would ask: 

Why me?

Why here?

Why now?

These are questions we often ask God when He calls us to be brave in less-than-ideal situations. Oh, we’re bold in the preparation, but when is it time to take that next step we can easily slink back in fear. We think, “Isn’t there an easier way, Father? Surely there’s someone else who’s more qualified… more available… more – I don’t know – “built” to handle these kinds of things?”

But Esther saved the doubt and the drama and instead responded with: …

click here for thE rest of this Wonderful Post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Pushing Pause

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Based on w3d5 of For Such a Time As This, by Love God Greatly, p109

Read: Esther 4:15-17 and SOAP: Psalm 32:8

I will instruct and teach you about how you should live. I will advise you as I look you in the eye.

Psalm 32:8

Esther’s story is full of drama, and for those unfamiliar with the story, there is undoubtedly intrigue. The Jews are facing annihilation by edict of the king. Mordecai has sent word for Esther to talk to the king about what is about to happen and why. Esther has responded with the reminder that she cannot do that because entering the king’s presence without invitation can end in death, and most recently, Mordecai has lovingly and necessarily admonished Esther with the reminder that “she may very well have achieved royal status for such a time as this.” Today, we read Esther’s reply, a beautiful and bold statement of her faith. May we be so bold with our faith.

 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast on my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish.”

Esther 4:15-16
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

“I Need Your Help.”

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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.

Psalm 86:1-7

Hey Sisters 💕 No blog today – just this passage from Psalm 86:1-7 that struck me earlier this week. I felt God leading me to use it as a post this week but never could quite figure out how or why – so I laid it aside. Today, He made it clear to my heart and mind what He meant for me to do with it. I’m not sure the picture does it justice, but if you look closely, you will see a tear on the cheek of the woman – which is exactly how I pictured my youngest daughter (she will be 30 on April 4th) when she called in tears today. They aren’t the first of the tears of this storm, and I feel certain -they will not be the last.

Those who follow this page might remember that a few weeks ago, she was notified that her job would be ending at the end of the school year, as they were making significant cuts in the budget and staffing. As she says, this is her dream job, and her heart is breaking a little more each day as the end of the school year approaches. Tears have flowed, anger at a broken system, hurt beyond words, fears of the future, hopelessness of the present, and heart felt sorrows and brokenness have been among the myriad of emotions. Yet, our faithful God, by her own admission, has given peace in great measure – and faithfully reminds her to trust in Him… to remember that He has a plan… to know that He will provide. Yet, as we all know, walking by faith rather than sight is a difficult thing … and waiting for other jobs to open and spending money she doesn’t have – to qualify for other subjects and add to her resume – only adds to the frustration and concerns.

We do not doubt that God will provide. I am confident that He has a plan and that He is walking with her and holding her up with His victorious right hand … However, I am equally confident in the power of prayer and am using today’s post to ask you to pray boldly and fervently for Abi. She is a sister in Christ who is weak and weary and in desperate need of sisters (and brothers) standing in the gap, holding her up to the One who holds her in His hand. Please pray as God leads you. We love to pray specifically; if you do as well, we are praying that God would let this cup pass from her – that positions would miraculously open up so she would be able to teach in the coming school year, preferably in this school that she dearly loves, but ultimately in the place God wants her. While she would love to continue teaching English, we also pray that she passes her qualification tests for social studies and other subjects that would keep her employed. We are praying for God to send hope and encouragement daily and to protect her from the enemy’s tactics of wearing her down and feeding negativity. Mostly, we pray for God’s will to be done (we believe He is a miracle-working God – completely and perfectly in control of all things). We are also praying for strength to trust His heart when we cannot see His hand.

Friends, I would be remiss to make this prayer of David only about Abi and our family. There are many who need prayers – perhaps even you. I encourage you to ask God to help you know who to pray for and to use David’s prayer as a springboard to pray God’s Word back to Him. I also encourage you to share your requests with someone in your concentric circle or perhaps in the comments bar of this post, or feel free to drop me an email – I would be honored to pray for you.

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer ~ answer Abi who needs Your help. Father, You know she needs a job, and You know the love that she has for this school and position. She is devoted to You, O Lord – please protect her. Save her job with the county, which we believe You led her to and provided according to Your will, come to her rescue and provide for this daughter who serves and trusts You. You are her God ~ be merciful to her, as she calls on You constantly. As David prayed for happiness, I pray the same for my child – as she gives herself, her cares and fears and needs to You. You are so good, and we have tasted the fullness of Your unfailing love for all who ask for Your help – as we do now. Listen closely, O Lord; hear my urgent cry – I call out to You on behalf of my child, Your daughter who is in misery and trouble -and I trust You will answer me – according to Your perfect will. Please, send encouragement even today – and thank You for those who are praying with me for Abi – hear our prayers according to Your loving kindness. – In the name of the One who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or even imagine – to Him be all the glory now and forever more – Amen!

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues, Quiet Time

Loyal Love

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from the LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues

Who is a God like you? Who forgives sin and pardons the rebellion of those who remain among his people? Who does not stay angry forever, but delights in showing loyal love?

Micah 7:18

INTO THE TEXT

Wonderful insight from the Love God Greatly Journal, p111


We are forgetful people. We can walk into a room and forget what we came to get. We forget a person’s name after they told us two minutes before. Part of this is because we’re so busy that we forget to focus. The biggest reason we forget is because we’re selfish. We spend our days thinking about our wants and needs and how we can build up our kingdoms. We forget who God is.


This is what happened to the people of Judah. They forgot who God is, so they turned toward serving themselves, building up their nation, and serving other gods. What did this leave them with? Brokenness and shame.


It can be easy for us to read about the people of Israel and Judah and criticize them. We can think, “How could you turn your back on God? Haven’t you seen how much He has done for you?” But if we stop and think about it, we are just like them. We make life all about us and forget who God is.


Micah 7:18 is a great verse to help us reorient our hearts. It reminds us of the character of God. He is unlike anyone or anything else in this world. He is merciful, gracious, loving, compassionate, and patient. The list could go on. When we meditate on the character of God, it helps us to turn our focus off our own selves and onto the One who is all and sustains all.


PRAYER

God, you are good, loving, patient, and sovereign. I can easily forget this and make life all about me. When I do this, help me orient my heart back to focusing on You. Amen.

The More We Know
For more insight from LGG

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Love, Quiet Time

The Love that Makes it Happen

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God’s love for us passes knowledge; it is vast and complete, and yet He urges us to lean into its impossible dimensions and to rest there.

Michele Morin / Living Our Days / August 9, 2018

One of the prayers I learned to pray for women in my life years ago, specifically those who have been/are in my life-groups, is found at the center of this nugget of gold I’m sharing today, borrowed from the archive of Living Our Days. The prayer comes from the pen of the Apostle Paul and is found in chapter three of Ephesians. – I pray it for all who come upon this post and read the words within – that you may understand that God’s love for us not only passes knowledge; but that it is vast and complete. May you learn to lean into its impossible dimensions and find rest there.

My Prayer for You  
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

The following blog was originally posted on August 9, 2018

Big Pizza Love and the Recipe that Makes it Happen

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, He Sees He Knows He Cares, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

The Hope of His Compassion

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land/w5d3

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 9:1-19 (9); Jeremiah 25:3-12

Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. Daniel 9:9 NET

Wow! I know I’ve said it before but it is worth saying again – I am loving this study of Daniel and the various Scriptures from others like Jeremiah and Peter where we get to see the interwoven tapestry of God’s fingerprints and hear His voice in both the Old and New Testaments.

I also love that Daniel is seen chasing ‘Scripture squirrels” as I do. We see it today in verse two of chapter nine, where Daniel describes how he came to understand from “the sacred books” that the number of years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem, would be 70 years. Please excuse me for overusing the word “love” in this post but I simply love his response to the realization that the “end time” wasn’t far off. Oddly enough, his first response wasn’t shouting praises but rather what seems to have been somber, rather gut-wrenching prayer. It was a serious, sackcloth and ashes and fasting prayer. It was a fervent from the-heart prayer of praise, petition, and confession- not just for himself but for the Nation of Israel.

Daniel acknowledged God’s greatness and faithfulness. He confessed the rebellion of the people, who were unfaithful, wicked sinners who had sinned against the Lord God—the great and awesome God. Then, he cites what I call a “But GOD” moment, writing, “YET the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving—even though we have rebelled against Him.“

Over and over, Daniel cries out to God on behalf of His people, Israel. – As I read it, I could hear the depth of his sorrow over the depth of their guilt. Listen to Daniel’s confession: “We have sinned against You! … We have rebelled against You by turning away from Your commandments and standards … We have done what is wrong and wicked … We have behaved unfaithfully toward You … we have not obeyed, we have ignored the messages of the prophets, we have not turned away from our sins … We have not obeyed the LORD our God by living according to His laws that He set before us through His servants the prophets … All Israel has broken Your law and turned away by not obeying You.” Three more times he says “we have not obeyed … we have sinned and behaved wickedly.”

If you have ever heard or asked the question, “So what is sin anyway?” Daniel makes it clear in his prayer that sin is disobedience to, or breaking, the law of God. Ignoring and rebelling against the teaching of God is sin. All of this, Daniel confesses, is worthy of the calamity and humiliation that came upon Israel by God’s own doing. – Jeremiah’s words in Jeremiah 25:3-12 verify the reality that while God allowed the captivity of His people, it was because they had not listened to what God had said through the prophet, which angered the Lord their God. “Thus,” the LORD said to them, “you have brought harm on yourselves.”

Disobeying God is to “break His law,” and this is sin. Sin is deserving of God’s wrath and worthy of exile, but our hope is in this truth that Daniel proclaimed in his prayer: “The Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.” 🦋

Encouragement from the LGG Journal entry, quotes from p163 –

We all struggle with certain sins we wish we could be done with once and for all. We feel bad asking God for forgiveness for the same thing yet again. God is patient, compassionate, and merciful. There can be a sin that you struggle to forgive yourself, and you think, “There is no way God can forgive me for this!” That is a lie. Don’t allow a lie to keep you from turning to Him to ask for forgiveness and receive it. – When you are praying over a sin, keep remembering that ‘the Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5;11B).

Daniel’s desire was for God’s people to worship Him in the temple and throughout the land. His desire was for God to be honored, praised, and glorified. God’s purpose for sending His people into exile was to discipline, cleanse, and restore them in order for them to renew their relationship with Him. So they’d no longer be adulterous seeking after other gods.

God’s intention for both Old Testament and New Testament believers is that they would be a faithful light to the nations, drawing others to Him.

Prayer, Our Response to the Journey

Heavenly Father, You are full of compassion, Your mercies are new every morning, and Your faithfulness is great. Thank You that through Jesus, we can know Your forgiveness for our sins. Thank You for setting us free from captivity to sin and from the law of sin and death. May we learn from the wayward ways of Your people before us and the prayer of Daniel – that we are meant to obey You – we are not to ignore You or stay in our sin. Instead, we are to love You with all of our being – and Your Word says if we love You, we will obey You. Remove any love of sinning that we might have and replace it with an unfaltering love for You, which seeks to bring You honor and glory. – Amen

The More We Know

Be sure and visit today’s LGG Blog- for more insight.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

Confidence in Lions

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living by Faith in a Faithless Land / w4d3

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:1-10 (10)

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Daniel 6:1-10

Babylon has fallen, just as Daniel saw in the visions and the handwriting seen in the earlier part of our journey. The once great and beautiful city of Babylon, as Nebuchadnezzar had called it, was no longer. As we read in today’s passage, it was now known as the Kingdom of Medo-Persia and was ruled by a man named Darius.

It is essential to understand that under Darius’ rule, he appointed many leaders to be in charge of the kingdom and three supervisors over them, not surprisingly, “one of whom was Daniel.” Yes, our Daniel, who would have been close to ninety years old at the time. From our first encounter with Daniel, as a young exile from Jerusalem, Scripture has borne witness to his faithful and outstanding service first to his God and then to those he served under in Babylon. He was not only a man of integrity but also of skill, power, and position that clearly exceeded that of others. If this wasn’t enough, we must never forget that Daniel’s greatest asset was the unusual aptitude God had given him for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom and the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

“Because of these valuable attributes, Darius took notice of Daniel. He could trust Daniel to manage kingdom business with integrity and efficiency. As such, the king planned to make Daniel the most powerful of his advisors and governors. These plans set the stage for the hateful plans made by other politicians.

bibleref.com

I heard a statement years ago from the show West Wing that stuck with me: “If people are after you, you must be doing something right.” Well, Daniel was certainly doing something right—living the way of His God from the time we read of him being exiled. He had chosen to live faithfully in a faithless land, trusting God, praying through the difficult dangers, and refusing to bow or cave to the ways of the culture he now lived in.

It’s not the first time the king’s people have sought his demise or the demise of his friends. Daniel’s testimony was so strong that the other advisors and governors who served with Daniel could find no way to bring him down short of threatening his relationship with God. Oblivious to their plot, Darius agreed to have anyone who prayed to any other besides him would be thrown into the lion’s den.1 Daniel’s enemies had laid all the proper groundwork and covered all the bases, and were certain that their plan of the lion’s den would lead to Daniel’s demise – BUT – they didn’t account for the power of Daniel’s God.

Daniel’s faithfulness to duty, even in his old age, sets an example for believers today. A believer should never retire at any age from serving the Lord. He should always “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). – Bibleref.com

Regardless of the plot and the real and present danger of the lion’s den, Daniel remained faithful and did not deter from his daily habit of prayer. He did not try to hide it but went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Please note this was not an act of defiance; it was his daily habit to meet with his God, and he wasn’t willing to give it up, even under the threat of a lion’s den.

Prayer of Response to the Journey

God in heaven, greater than any hungry lion, fiery furnace, or threatening people – I praise You for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. Greater is Your Spirit in me than all the powers and forces of his world. Help me to live like Daniel, who knew You could shut the lion’s mouth but also knew that You might not – yet he would not turn from his daily habit of kneeling down to You, the God of Jacob. He trusted in You and Your promises and remained a man of integrity and visible faith. Help this to be true of me – even in this world filled with so much wrong – help me to do what is good and right in Your eyes – so that others will see and know that Your Spirit is in me. – Amen and Amen!

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight about today’s passage, read today’s Love God Greatly blog post.

For Further Reading: Matthew 10:28-31; Titus 2:6-8

  1. A lesson to be learned from Darius unknowingly jeopardizing Daniel: Pay attention to what others are asking you to do. Don’t just agree to something without thinking it through. ↩︎