Tag: affliction

Will My Troubles and Trials Ever Go Away?

Text:

Psalm 55:1-5 (ESV)

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!

2  Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan,

3  because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

4  My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5  Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.

Observation:

In this Psalm David writes about the troubles and terror that he was facing in a season of his life. The troubles were from within, and without, but they both drained him of his peace, and his joy.

Psalm 55:6-8 (ESV)

6  And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest;

7  yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah

8  I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”

When we find ourselves feeling like this, when we think will I ever get out of this pit. This is the time to be still, and remember who we are, and whose we are. It is time to connect with our Father in heaven.

Psalm 55:16-17 (ESV)

16  But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.

17  Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

Yes, there is nothing in this world that will satisfy our souls, and heal our wounded hearts like the presence of the Lord. That is why David writes this near the end of his Psalm, and you can claim this promise in your season of trouble, and pain.

Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

22  Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

The Apostle Peter draws upon this wisdom, and writes this encouragement to the first century believers, and it speaks to us today.

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

7  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Prayer: 

Father, I exalt and give praise and honor to Your name; the name that I cherish above every name on earth below, and in heaven above.

Father, hear our cry; hear our plea as we cry out to You in prayer for others, and for ourselves. Father, we declare that our hope is in You, and that our help comes from You.

Father, we know that You can, and that You will hear our prayer. We watch, and wait for Your answer to our prayers. Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV) 
10   Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

How Do You Get Through Hard Times?

Text:

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (ESV)

8  For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

9  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

10  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Observation:

We should expect hard times.

John 16:33 (ESV)

33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We are never alone in hard times.

Isaiah 41:10 (HCSB)

10  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

There is a purpose in the hard times.

James 1:2-3 (HCSB)

2  Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,

3  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Stay close and connected to God.

Psalm 50:15 (HCSB)

15  Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Things to remember during hard times.

Romans 8:18 (ESV)

18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

James 1:12 (ESV)

12  Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Prayer: 

Father God, I am so thankful that you are the Sovereign God, and that the hard times your children face in this world are not a surprise to you.

Father, we thank you for your presence, power, peace, and provisions for your children in the good times, and in the hard times.

Father, in these difficult days, we pray that the testing of our faith will produce endurance, and joy in the Lord. We pray this prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 
11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Daily Bread

Title: You Were Born for a Purpose, and God Has a Plan for Your Life

Text:

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Observation:

God made you, and his promise is one that we can rely upon; you were born to be a winner. If you focus on your circumstances, you may doubt this. However, if you rely on the promises of God, you can be the person God made you to be.

Life will present its obstacles. However, we should remember that God has a plan. Sometimes God’s plan for us requires patience on our part.

Jeremiah 29:10 (ESV)
10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

Things in this fallen world can get messy and untidy. Life can become very uncomfortable and difficult as you wait on God. Remember that God surrounds his children all the days of that life with two angels; goodness and mercy. When the going gets tough don’t look down; you will get discouraged. Rather, look up, and be encouraged. And, don’t forget those two angels; they are God’s agents to guard you and guide you.

Psalm 23:6 (ESV)
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that I can go to bed every night, and wake up every morning knowing that my life is in good hands. Father, I thank you that I can sleep in peace, and walk in victory because my life is in your hands.

Father God, I pray that you will keep me close to Thee; when I faint and falter, help me to remember to look to Calvary; the place where my Savior died to pay my sin debt, and to give me the gift of eternal life with you. What a future, and what a friend I have in Jesus.

Father, help my family and my friends to keep the faith, and to keep their eyes upon Jesus. When life gets hard; I pray that they will remember to take the upward look. In Jesus name, Amen.