herbcotton.org

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 118:5-9 (NASB77) ⁵ From my distress I called upon the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me in a large place.⁶ The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?⁷ The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall look with satisfaction on those who hate me.⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man.⁹ It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes.  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

It is easy to pray when you find yourself facing a very difficult and distressing circumstance in your life, but our prayer life should be cultivated and practiced long before we find ourselves in such dire situations.

 

Having a vital and regular prayer life is as important to our spiritual life as breathing is to our physical life. An effective prayer life should include praise, confession, thanksgiving, intercession, and supplication.

 

When we have had time alone with the Lord we are prepared to face any circumstance that we may encounter in our daily walk with the Lord.

 

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Our Father in heaven, I praise and thank You for the privilege of prayer, and the opportunity it affords me to have a private and intimate conversation with the Sovereign God who is my creator and my redeemer. Lord, I agree with the psalmist when he said, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 118:1-4 (NASB77) ¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.² Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”³ Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”⁴ Oh let those who fear the LORD say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

The psalmist calls upon the nation, the priests, and all the worshippers to join with him in giving thanks to the LORD because He is good and because He is good to His people. It was true for the nation of Israel, and it is true for believers today that when you trust and obey the LORD, He will bless your life, and you will reap the benefits of His lovingkindness and tender mercies.

 Psalms 115:9-13 (NASB77) ⁹ O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.¹¹ You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.¹² The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.¹³ He will bless those who fear the LORD, The small together with the great.  

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Our Father in heaven, I praise and thank You that You are a God of goodness, and that it pleases You to bless Your people with goodness. Lord, I praise and thank You for Your lovingkindness and tender mercies that You so abundantly bestow upon Your people.

 Lord, I delight to join with the saints of the ages in singing praises and giving thanks to the God of our salvation.

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 116:15-19 (NASB77) ¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.¹⁶ O LORD, surely I am Thy servant, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid, Thou hast loosed my bonds.¹⁷ To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD.¹⁸ I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,¹⁹ In the courts of the LORD ‘s house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

It is comforting to know that the Sovereign God, the God of creation, loves and cares about His servant. God loves us so much that He came to the earth to live among us. That is the true meaning of Christmas.

 John 1:1 (NASB77) ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 (NASB77) ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  

God the Father loved His son, and His son was precious to Him. In sending His Son to die for us God demonstrated how precious we are to Him.

 Romans 5:8 (NASB77) ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  1 Peter 2:4-5 (NASB77) ⁴ And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God,⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  

The Psalmist who had been near death realized how precious God’s servants are to Him. In God’s eyes His servants are so precious that He has made the death of His servants an appointment rather than an accident.

 Psalms 31:15 (NASB77) ¹⁵ My times are in Thy hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. Psalms 139:16 (NASB77) ¹⁶ Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.  

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Father God, my dear Father, my heart is filled with gratitude for the love and concern that You have for Your dear children. Father, I thank You for emptying heaven of Your most precious possession and sending Jesus into the world to bear the sins of the whole world. Father God, I thank You that Your love extends from our birth to our death, and that the death day of our death is a divine appointment, and not an accident.

 

Father God, it is no wonder that the Psalmist who had tasted the goodness and lovingkindness of the Lord vowed to give praise to You, and I delight to join him in singing praises to the God who loved me enough to send Jesus into the world to die for my sins, and not only for me, but for the sins of the whole world.

 Psalms 116:17 (NASB77) ¹⁷ To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD. Psalms 103:1 (NASB77) ¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.  

Praise Him! Praise Him (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

 http://www.digitalhymnal.org/dhymn.cfm?hymnNumber=249

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 116:12-14 (NASB77) ¹² What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?¹³ I shall lift up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD.¹⁴ I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

In this passage the Psalmist is not attempting to repay God for blessings received because he was acutely aware that would be impossible.

 Job 41:11 (NASB77) ¹¹ “Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.  

What the Psalmist could do was to go to the Sanctuary and offer praise to God, and this is what he did.

 Psalms 116:13 (NASB77) ¹³ I shall lift up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD.  

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Our Father in heaven, it is with a sense of deep gratitude that I come to You in prayer, and in the presence of Your people I delight in singing praises to Your Most Holy and righteous name. Lord, I shall never grow tired of praising the name of the Lord for all of the blessings that You have so bountifully given to me.

 Psalms 13:6 (NASB77) ⁶ I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.  

Thank You for Giving to the Lord (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

 

Worship Music *Thank You For Giving to the LORD* Midi. hosted by: Lilly Of The Valley VA’s JESUS Loves You! Worship The LORD!! Worship Music

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 116:5-11 (NASB77) ⁵ Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.⁶ The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.⁸ For Thou hast rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling.⁹ I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living.¹⁰ I believed when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”¹¹ I said in my alarm, “All men are liars.”  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

Today we return to this Psalm that provides us so much food for thought as we approach the end of another year, and as we approach the promise of a New Year, and the hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow.

 

As the Psalmist considered his past condition he realized that his life had been hard, in his own words he said, “I was brought low”. Sometimes it takes the adversities of life to almost overcome us before we are able to appreciate the graciousness of the Lord, and feel his tender hand of compassion that God so abundantly lavishes upon His children.

 

Let’s listen to the words from the lips of the Psalmist that describes how low he had sunk, and how helpless and hopeless life had become for him.

 Psalms 116:8 (NASB77) ⁸ For Thou hast rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling.  

Everybody has a past, and our pasts are different. Your past is not like the past of the Psalmist, but you have a past. The past is history, but your past does not have to determine your destination.

 

Life is a journey and every living person has a destination. God has a wonderful plan for your life, and it involves living with Him eternally. Listen to the words of Jesus as He tells us of His great plan for your life.

 John 10:10 (NASB77) ¹⁰ “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.  

The Psalmist had a story to tell. He found that the Lord was gracious, righteous, and compassionate. He personally experienced the reality of this in his own life. He experienced the touch of the Lord upon his own life.

 Psalms 116:6 (NASB77) ⁶ The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.  

In conclusion, let us look at the lessons that the Psalmist learned from his experience, and the lessons that we can also learn from his testimony about what the Lord did for him.

 Psalms 116:7-9 (NASB77) ⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.⁸ For Thou hast rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling.⁹ I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living.  

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank You that You are a gracious, righteous, and compassionate God, and that what You did for the Psalmist You will do for anyone who will call upon You in prayer.

 Psalms 116:1-2 (NASB77) ¹ I Love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications.² Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.  

God Will Take Care of You (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

 

http://www.biblestudycharts.com/SH_God_Will_Take_Care_of_You.html

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 116:1-4 (NASB77) ¹ I Love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications.² Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.³ The cords of death encompassed me, And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.⁴ Then I called upon the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I beseech Thee, save my life!”  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

In this Psalm the Psalmist expresses the faith and the confidence that every child of God can identify with who has put their trust in the Lord. In this Psalm he indicates that he could not trust in himself, and that he could not trust in others.

 Psalms 116:3 (NASB77) ³ The cords of death encompassed me, And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Psalms 116:11 (NASB77) ¹¹ I said in my alarm, “All men are liars.”  

Have you ever felt like the Psalmist in his view about himself and others? Yes, life has its struggles, disappointments, heartaches, pain and suffering. However, in the midst of all that the Psalmist experienced in his life, he never lost hope because he trusted in the Lord. He found help by trusting in the Lord, and calling upon the Lord in prayer.

 

It is comforting to the heart and uplifting to the soul to know that there is a God in heaven who hears and answers the prayers of His believing children. Like the Psalmist, I can testify of the Lord’s faithfulness.

 Psalms 116:1 (NASB77) ¹ I Love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications.  

In view of the Lord’s faithfulness and His unconditional love, I will remember to call upon His name in prayer, and take everything to the Lord in prayer. I am so glad that I serve a God in whom I can trust.

 Psalms 116:2 (NASB77) ² Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.Psalms 116:13 (NASB77) ¹³ I shall lift up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD.Psalms 116:17 (NASB77) ¹⁷ To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD.  

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank You for the privilege I have to be able enter into the presence of the Sovereign God of the universe, and have the confidence and assurance that You will welcome Your children, and that You will hear and answer the prayers of Your people.

 

Father God, words seem so inadequate to express the love and thanksgiving that swells up within my heart when I think about how much You love and care for me and for all of Your beloved children.

 

The Love of God (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

 http://www.biblestudycharts.com/SH_The_Love_of_God.html

The Word of God says: Psalms 135:5-7 (NASB77)⁵ For I know that the LORD is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.⁶ Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.⁷ He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain; Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.  

My reflections on the Word of God: This psalm is a call to worship and praise the Lord. The Psalmist directs it to the priests and all who serve in the house of the Lord. Psalms 135:1-2 (NASB77) ¹ Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; Praise Him, O servants of the LORD,² You who stand in the house of the LORD, In the courts of the house of our God! One of the reasons the psalmist gives for praising the Lord is His greatness. The Lord God Almighty is the creator of the heavens and the earth. The Lord created everything, and everything is under His control. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, and whatever happens He uses to bring about His purposes on earth and in heaven. My prayer in response to the Word of God:Our Father in heaven, I come to You in the name of Jesus to offer my response to the psalmist call to worship and praise. Lord, I acknowledge that You are the Lord God Almighty, and I worship and praise Your name because You are a great God. Lord, I stand in awe of Your mighty works in the creation of the heavens and the earth. I am so glad that I can call You Father, and I delight to sing of Your greatness and Your wonderful work in the creation of the world and everything therein. This Is My Father’s World (Click on link below for lyrics and midi): http://www.biblestudycharts.com/SH_This_Is_My_Fathers_World.html

The Word of God says:

 Psalms 114:1-8 (NASB77) ¹ When Israel went forth from Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,² Judah became His sanctuary, Israel, His dominion.³ The sea looked and fled; The Jordan turned back.⁴ The mountains skipped like rams, The hills, like lambs.⁵ What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?⁶ O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?⁷ Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, Before the God of Jacob,⁸ Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of water.  

My reflections on the Word of God:

 

This psalm is a celebration of the mighty works that God performed in delivering His people from Egyptian slavery. The recitation of the history of God’s provisions and protection of His people teaches future generations that there is nothing that can keep them from achieving God’s purposes if they remain faithful to Him.

 

Today’s focal passage has a message that is applicable to His people of any age. There is no mountain high enough, and no sea powerful enough to thwart the purposes of God for our lives. The only things that can hinder God’s work in our lives are sin and unbelief. God is willing and able to help us if we will trust and obey Him.

 

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

 

Our Father in heaven, I praise and thank You for the provisions and the protection that You provide for Your people. Lord, I thank You that the child of God has the assurance that we never have to face the mountains and raging waters of the troubled sea alone, but that the might power of God is always available to deliver us. Lord, help us to remember Your history of dealing with Your people, and to joyfully celebrate that history.

 

He Is Able to Deliver Thee (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

 

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/He_Is_Able_to_Deliver_Thee/midi/