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Where Do You Turn When You Cannot Sleep?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 4

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

Answer me when I call to you,

O God who declares me innocent.

Free me from my troubles.

Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

The Psalmist, David, has a right answer of where to turn when you can’t sleep. There are times when we all face difficulty in getting a good night of sleep. It is good to know that we don’t have to turn to medicine first. Instead, we can turn to God.

Psalm 3

A Psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.

O Lord, I have so many enemies;

so many are against me.

So many are saying,

“God will never rescue him!”

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;

you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

I cried out to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy mountain.

Through all of his troubles, David was able to say:

Psalm 3:8

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

The people of God have an always present helper that we can call upon when we cannot sleep because of worry, anxieties, and trouble within and without.

David gives us a first response to getting help for the thing are within us that results in worry, anxiety and inner turmoil.

Psalm 4:4-5

4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you.

Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude

5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,

and trust the Lord.

Why worry when you can pray? If you are going to pray, don’t worry. Words I was taught by wise women in my family from my childhood.

Prayer:

Our Father, hallowed by Your name. Father, thank You for a God who is always present in the lives of Your people.

Father, help us to remember to pray first; taking all of our worries, anxieties, and troubles to You in prayer. Amen!

—

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How to Have Peace and Victory in the Cave?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 57 King James Version (KJV)

57 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

We seldom get to live on earth without having a season of finding ourselves in a cave. In this season we lose our peace and victory.

We are not without hope when we encounter difficult times and discouragement that robs us of our peace, success and our joy.

Psalm 57 David gives us some encouraging words to help us escape the discouragement and the loss that comes when we get stuck in the caves of life. Living in a fallen world is hard, but God is good, and the future is bright for God’s people. God’s people have a merciful Father in heaven who hears and answers the prayers of His people.

Whatever you are going through and whatever your condition or circumstance may be, if you are a child of God, you have the blessed assurance that God cares about you, and He hears and answers the prayers of His people.

Psalm 56:9 King James Version (KJV)

9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

Notice what David did in his time of pressing need:

He asked for help (verse 1).
He trusted in God (verse 1].
He took refuge in arms of God (verse 1).
He drew near to God and cried out to Him (verse 2).
David expected a miracle from God; trust Him, and you will experience the goodness and faithfulness of God (verse 3).

Psalm 56:13 King James Version (KJV)

13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Father, we praise and thank You for Your goodness, faithfulness, and tender mercies.

Father, we thank You for delivering our souls and giving us peace and victory when we find ourselves in the caves that we encounter in this fallen world. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

—

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Are You Filled With The Fruit of the Spirit?

Today’s Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

Bible Text for Today’s Meditation and Application:

Psalm 37:3-6 King James Version (KJV)

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

My Reflections on the Word of God Today:

Today I changed the heading of my blog from Cup to Bowl. My desire and I pray that you desire to have more of the Fruit of the Spirit in your life. Also, that is why I choose the Bible text for today’s meditation and application of the Word of God. There should be no difference in your heart between God’s desire and your desire. Stay in His presence until they match.

Prepare to pray and receive your blessing that comes from above. The things of the world are insufficient to meet our needs, which are pressing upon us and keeping us from bearing much fruit. It’s time for a change. So open wide your heart, and receive all that the Father and Jesus have for you, receive the fruit of love, joy, and peace.

Matthew 7:7 King James Version (KJV)

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Galatians 5:22 King James Version (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Prayer Offered to Our Father in Heaven:

Father God, I open wide my heart, and I ask the Holy Spirit of God to fill me with the Fruit of the Spirit that comes from above where You live in a place called heaven.

Lord, fill each of Your praying children with love, joy, and peace. Father, its the prayer of all of Your children who will take the time to say together with all that who are in this House of Prayer that we believe Your promise that You hear and answer prayer, and we thank You, Father, Amen.

—

Link to my new devotional book Amazon Author’s Page. Everything about the book is found there with pictures, and more to come.

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Are You Searching for Peace? Come Let Me Show You Where to Find It

Text:

John 16:33 (NKJV)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Observation:

My friends, the answer to the question in the title is found in the Bible in John 16:33. Read the text listed above for your convenience. Did you see it?

The answer is Jesus. He said, “In Me, you may have peace.” Do you have Jesus alive in your heart?

John 1:12 (NKJV)

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Are you a child of God? If you are, you have the peace of God within you. Notice what the Bible says about the peace of God.

John 14:1 (NKJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

John 14:27 (NKJV)

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Application:

Make two columns. One the World, and the other Jesus on a sheet of paper.

The World Jesus

Sickness Jesus

Sorrow Jesus

Sin Jesus

Temptation Jesus

Testing Jesus

Trial Jesus

Isolation Jesus

Your problem Jesus

The world gives us troubles, but God gives His children peace, and the world cannot take it away. The peace that God gives you will stay with you. Your responsibility is to live in the presence of God who gave you the gift of peace. God gave you this peace when Jesus came into your heart.

Prayer:

Father God, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that your children will never forget the source of peace and that they will live in Your presence and enjoy the peace of God all of the days of their life.

Father, I pray that Your children will decide today that the devil is a liar, and He cannot steal our peace. Our Savior and Lord have us securely in His arms, and our peace is safe and secure in Jesus. Let all of God’s children say, Amen.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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How Should You Live in the Present?

Text:

1 Peter 4:7 (NLT)

7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

Observation:

How do we spend the present? In reality, we only have the present; the past is gone, and tomorrow is not promised.

Therefore, it behooves each of us to think seriously and soberly about the present.

Life may be difficult, but we still have a charge to keep and a purpose to fulfill. The time to do that is today and not tomorrow.

We would do well to be earnest and disciplined in our prayer life. Through prayer, we are able to see God’s perspective on our problems. When we read and meditate upon God’s Word we get a new perspective on our problems.

In the midst of our problems, we take them to God in prayer. Our prayers bring us into the presence of the Lord. In God’s presence, we receive His power and His peace.

As we are more earnest in prayer we go deeper into the Word and we are able to see God’s perspective and God’s purpose begins to be revealed in the midst of our problems.

In spite of our struggles and suffering, we begin to experience the unfailing love of God and God’s sufficient grace for our current circumstances.

As we look higher and go deeper with God our pain and suffering are transformed into praise and thanksgiving to God. The Word of God and prayer changes everything, and most of all it changes you and me.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for being the God of the present. We are so grateful that when we live in the present, and in Your presence, we get a new perspective on life.

Father, infuse our lives with a burning desire to be earnest and disciplined in our prayer life. O how we need to live in Your presence continually. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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Who Can Offer You More?

Text:

Romans 8:6-8 (NIV)

6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

Observation:

How many of you would like to have life and peace? Is that your desire? It is not an impossible dream.

Do you believe in God? Do you believe what He says is truth? What has God said about life and peace? The Bible says:

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:27 (NIV)

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Have you received God’s gifts? If you have, then you are the recipient of life and peace.

John 1:12-13 (NIV)

12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–

13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

A gift is of no use to you unless you open it, and use it. So it is with the gifts of God; you have to receive them. God’s promises have an eternal guarantee. How wonderful!

John 10:28-30 (NIV)

28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and the Father are one.”

Prayer:

Father, Your love and compassion amazes me. Father, I surrender my life to you, and in exchange I accept the forever gift of eternal life that is provided through Jesus; Your Son, and my Savior. In His royal and precious name we pray, 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.

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How to Be Calm In the Midst of Stress?

Text:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

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

7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Observation:

Today my message is two-fold. For those in Christ Jesus, and identify Him as being Lord of Your life, I speak to you first.

There is a place where we can find the peace of God, and have it as a present possession; even in the midst of our storm tossed lives. That place is to live in the presence of God.

Ephesians 2:6 (NLT)

6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

If God the Father has exalted you, who or what on earth can pull you down, or put you down. He paid the ultimate price for the purchase of your freedom from sin, death, and the grave.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Listen to the calming and reassuring words of Jesus to the first century believers, and to us today from the Word of God.

John 16:33 (NLT)

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

If you are not a Christ follower, I encourage you to consider the benefits of becoming one. The cost has been pre-paid, and the benefits are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21 (HCSB)

19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Prayer:

Father, with grateful hearts, we give thanks to You for loving us so much, and doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Father, draw Your people closer to You, and may we willingly, and joyfully live in Your presence in the heavenly realms because of what Christ did for us. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, 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.

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Why Am I So Discouraged?

Text:

Psalm 42:5 (HCSB)

5 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:11 (HCSB)

11 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Observation:

Why is the Psalmist so depressed? He asked the question not two, but three times; twice in Psalm 42, and in Psalm 43.

Psalm 43:5 (HCSB)

5 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Could it be that the Psalmist was not living daily in the presence of the Lord? Notice what he says in his cry to God for help.

Psalm 43:1-3 (HCSB)

1 Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.

2 For You are the God of my refuge. Why have You rejected me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?

3 Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to Your dwelling place.

Why does the Psalmist feel that God has abandoned Him? Could it be that the Psalmist has abandoned the Lord? Notice God’s promise to His people.

Hebrews 13:5 (HCSB)

5 Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Do you believe God, or the devil? Do you live by faith, or by fear? Listen to your heavenly Father.

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.

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for Your promise to never leave us or forsake us. Father, help us to remember Your promises.

James 4:8 (HCSB)

8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!

Father, draw us nearer to You, and help us to rely upon Your presence every moment of our life. Help us to remember this gift you have given us.

Romans 8:9 (HCSB)

9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Father, we thank You for Your presence, peace, power, and provisions. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, 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.

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How Do You Deal With Suffering?

Text:

Psalm 30:2-3 (KJV)

2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Observation:

The questions that many are asking is, “Why Am I Suffering?” As we read the bible we see that all of the disciples suffered. They suffered, and many died a martyrs death. Even Jesus suffered, and died. A better question to ask is, “How do we suffer?”

The bible says this about our suffering.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

In the season of our pain we should never forget that God is a good Father, and He cares for His children, and He has a great, and enduring love for us. We know that in everything God is working for our good.

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The response to our pain should be praise from our lips to God’s ears. That is what David did, and that is what we should do. No matter what you are going through, the best is yet to come. God has you in His heart, and in His hands. Don’t allow your suffering to make you bitter. God has better plans for you; so offer up some praise to Him. A song of gratitude will change your attitude.

Psalm 30:4 (ESV)

4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

Prayer:

Father God, we exalt You, and we extol, and give praise, honor, and glory to Your most holy and righteous name.

Father, with grateful hearts we say thank You for loving us with an everlasting love, and for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Father, we love You, and cling to Your presence in our lives both now, and forever. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

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An Invitation To A Life Of Rest

Text:

Matthew 11:25-30 (HCSB)

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants.

26 Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.

27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal Him.

28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Observation:

Today’s topic is based on the revelation that grips my heart, and thrills my soul; the invitation to come to the source of rest.

Jesus says:

Matthew 11:28 (HCSB)

28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

The lyrics of a song is ringing in my heart.

“There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God”. This is a place where no person or circumstance can rob you of the rest and peace that God gives.

You may be discouraged, discontented, and disappointed about the unrest in our world today. However, nothing that happens in this world is a surprise to God. This morning I read these comforting words as I opened my eyes to begin a new day.

Isaiah 49:14-16 (HCSB)

14 Zion says, “The LORD has abandoned me; The Lord has forgotten me!”

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.

16 Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.

Do you believe that Jesus will give you rest if you accept His loving and graceful invitation?

The offer rest is a gift from God. However, a gift has to be received in order to do you any good. The next step is yours to take. Jesus is waiting for you with open arms.

Matthew 11:29 (HCSB)

29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the loving invitation to find rest in Jesus. Father, I am so grateful that the invitation is to all people. Father, I stretch my hands to Thee, and receive Your invitation to find rest in Jesus. In the precious, and royal name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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