Tag: prayer

Are You Living With Eternity In Mind?

 

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 145:18-19 King James Version (KJV)

18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

19 He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

When I think about the Lord, I cannot help but bow in humility at the wonder of His marvelous lovingkindness, tender mercies, and patience with His people. There is no place I would rather be than near to God, and experience the joy of living my life with the knowledge that He is always with me.

Do you desire such a relationship with God? If so, the Bible says that we can call upon Him in truth.

God made us on purpose and for His use. The Bible says that He created us to glorify His name.

1 Peter 4:11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

11 If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

What are your priorities? Where is your focus? Are you investing your time and talent in things that are temporary or eternal?

The most important thing we can do is to align our lives with the purpose and plan of God. We need wisdom and power to accomplish our mission for being alive. We need God in our life, and He needs to be our first and only source.

Proverbs 19:21 New Living Translation (NLT)

21

You can make many plans,

but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Father, help us to align our purpose in life with Your divine mission. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Why Should You Pray?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 5:1-3 King James Version (KJV)

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

I don’t believe that we can do anything that will please God more than being in constant communication with him. We need the presence of the Lord in our lives every minute of every day; there is never a time when we can make it alone.

Notice what Jesus said that John records in the Gospel of John.

John 14:12-14 King James Version (KJV)

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.

Do you desire with all of your heart to glorify God?  Then we must stay connected to God through prayer. That is the what Jesus did during his earthly ministry, and we should follow in his steps.

Notice a couple of examples of the prayer life of Jesus.

Matthew 14:23 King James Version (KJV)

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Luke 6:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

If Jesus had to pray, then surely we need to pray. Lord, teach us to pray as you taught your disciples to pray.

Prayer:

Matthew 6:9-13 King James Version (KJV)

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

— 

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

Where Do You Turn When Life Gets Hard?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 116:1-2 King James Version (KJV)

116 I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

Do you know the God of the Bible? In whom do you trust? Where is your God? To love the Lord, you must know Him.

Psalm 115:1-3 King James Version (KJV)

115 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

The following conversation of Jesus with a Gentile woman informs my understanding of the God of the Bible.

John 4:21-26 King James Version (KJV)

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

The Bible describes God in human terms that we can understand. He has eyes that can see us, ears that can hear us, and hands that can touch us. God is a great God and a loving heavenly Father.

There is no place I would rather be than in the hands of God.

Psalm 31:15 King James Version (KJV)

15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

There is nothing beyond the reach of God, and there is nothing too difficult for our Father in heaven.

Luke 1:37 King James Version (KJV)

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, we offer up to you our prayers of praise and thanksgiving. Father, we acknowledge that You are God, and we are not.

Father, we are so grateful that You have eyes to see us, ears to hear us, and hands that can reach down and touch us.

Father, we rest in the knowledge that nothing is too difficult for You. Father, we stretch our hands and surrender our lives to You. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

— 

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

Who Can Deliver Us from the Troubles of the World?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 120:1-2 New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 120

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

1 

I took my troubles to the Lord;
I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.

2 

Rescue me, O Lord, from liars
and from all deceitful people.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

I love reading and meditating on the Psalms because they speak to my heart about problems and opportunities every generation face.

I have discovered over the course of my life that you can expect to have problems living in this world. How we react to problems is often worse than the problem. Today’s Psalm is the first of the Psalms of Accent. The best things in life come when we take the upward look.

Notice how the people of God took their troubles to the Lord in prayer. Some people say we need to do more than pray. However, consider the results received from the provisions of the Lord when they ask for God’s help through prayer.

Notice how God did not change the circumstances of His people. However, He gave them the endurance to overcome their situations. 

Psalm 120:3-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

3 

O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
How will he increase your punishment?

4 

You will be pierced with sharp arrows
and burned with glowing coals.

5 

How I suffer in far-off Meshech.
It pains me to live in distant Kedar.

6 

I am tired of living
among people who hate peace.

7 

I search for peace;
but when I speak of peace, they want war!

Before pointing the finger at others, it would be well to do some self-examination. God wants to give you endurance that will deliver you from your present and future troubles in the world.

Jeremiah 9:3 New Living Translation (NLT)

Judgment for Disobedience

3 

“My people bend their tongues like bows
to shoot out lies.
They refuse to stand up for the truth.
They only go from bad to worse.
They do not know me,”
says the Lord.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, O how we need to take the upward look and fix our eyes upon Jesus. Father, we need You, and we are so grateful that You are just a prayer away. Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, draw us closer to You.

Jeremiah 33:3 King James Version (KJV)

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

—

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

How Did Jesus Prepare to Lead and Preach?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Luke 6:12-13 King James Version (KJV)

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

What should a godly preacher do before preaching? If you are a Christ follower, why not do what Jesus did before he taught? In fact, before doing anything, the history of the ministry of Jesus is that he sought his father’s will through prayer. Notice from our text that Jesus had a special place to pray, and he spent plenty of time in prayer.

Oh, how we need to be able to sing that old hymn of the faithful about our personal prayer life and connection with Our Father in Heaven.

“O the pure delight of a single hour

  That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

  I commune as friend with friend!”

Hymn: Draw Me Nearer by Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915}

In verses, Luke 6:14-16, you can find the names of the twelve disciples of Jesus.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+6%3A14-16&version=KJV

Now, let us turn our attention to what happened after Jesus prayed and preached that great sermon in which he ordained the twelve apostles he had chosen to be world changers.

Luke 6:17-19 King James Version (KJV)

17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

My dear family, friends and neighbors; I beg you, don’t attempt to do the work of God without praying. If Jesus needed to pray, then what about you and me.

Luke 6:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Prayer:

Our Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, forgives us for forfeiting the privilege and invitation You have given to us of taking everything to You in prayer. Father, we ask You to stir up within us the desire to be devoted to prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Colossians 4:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

An Encouragement for Prayer

2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

—

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

Why Do We need to Focus on the Truth?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 119:129-136 King James Version (KJV)

129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.

130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.

132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

My Opening Prayer:

Father, open my heart so that I might see the truth, and open the hearts of your people who are seeking a word from you. Father, may all who pray, ask you to sanctify them by the power of Your Word. Father, we need mercy in this world so that we will not have to face the wrath of God when the time of mercy has expired at the first death.

Father, please save the lost from the penalty of sin, and keep the redeemed from the power of sin, and we look forward to the day when Jesus will deliver us from the presence of sin. Father, may we work while it is the day because night is coming when no man can work. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

Allow me to ask you a penetrating question about what I heard and received in last weekend sermons at my church. I got a double barrel of truth; Saturday night and Sunday morning. 

I heard the truth that confession purges your heart of the shame that appears when the light of the Word of God shines into the dark places of your mind, heart; this darkness affects your total body; from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet.

My family and friends, we are all imperfect people. We all miss the mark of our creator, and He gets the final word. The Bible says:

Romans 6:22-23 New Living Translation (NLT)

22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

It’s time for each one of us to have a real talk with God. The next step is to talk with three to five closest friends of the same sex in our circle of influence. Notice what the Bible says:

Galatians 5:16 King James Version (KJV)

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Prayer:

Father, I pray that men and women who are within reach of this message will surrender their hearts to You, and will surrender their shame in exchange for the deliverance of our mind, soul, and body from the darkness of death, and move into the light of the presence of God now and for eternity. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

 

—

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

My Friday Morning Thoughts From My Annotations

Today Somebody Prayed for You

Today’s Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

Bible Text for Today’s Meditation and Application:

2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

My Reflections on the Word of God Today:

The thought that just popped into my head is to take me back. My next idea was where did that come from, and what does it mean? Who is this speaking to me? First, I thought the devil, but then I remembered something excellent and worth going back to remember, and I decided it was the Spirit of God speaking to me because the devil has nothing truthful to say to me.

The occasion probably was in connection with the first solo led crusade by Franklin Graham in1995 in Anchorage, Alaska. I was the Chairman of the local sponsoring group of churches in Anchorage.

We were having a kickoff meeting, and I was the keynote speaker, and it was at the Greater Friendship Baptist Church. The text I used that day was 2 Chronicles 7:14.

This morning I am writing to you what today’s verse from My Gateway Online Bible prompted me to write because it was at the top of the front page listed as Verse of the Day.

I opened my Online Bible to search for the following verses that spoke to me when I explored what was inside the tab that said, “My Annotations.”

Under My Annotations, I found these verses that had been automatically put into that listing by me at some time in the past, and now the Spirit of God brought them to my mind for today.

The verses all come from the Book of Wisdom, written by King Solomon, who God describes as the wisest man of his time.

Proverbs 16:9 King James Version (KJV)

9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Proverbs 19:21 King James Version (KJV)

21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

Proverbs 15:7 King James Version (KJV)

7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Proverbs 12:18 King James Version (KJV)

18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

Proverbs 18:21 King James Version (KJV)

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

What shall I say and what shall I do in response to this Word from the Spirit of God? The answer came in the Word from Solomon’s father, King David who was King of Israel before Solomon.

Psalm 119:130 King James Version (KJV)

130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Prayer Offered to Our Father in Heaven:

Psalm 118:1-2 King James Version (KJV)

118 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever.

2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth forever.

Father, thank You for continuing to speak to Your people today when we read Your Word, meditate on the Word, and do what You tell us to do.

Psalm 119:105 King James Version (KJV)

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Psalm 46:10 King James Version (KJV)

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Father, help us each day to take a long pause and spend time alone in the Word of God and Prayer. Let the whole church say, Amen.

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 24:10 (NLT)

If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 78:1 (KJV) Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)

This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Jeremiah 6:19 (NLT)

Listen, all the earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my word.

The Gospel Message:

Colossians 2:8-10 (NLT)

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.

So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Observation:

How are you handling the circumstances and conditions in your environment? How are you dealing with the pressure of living in a fallen world? Do you have the strength to make it in these times of chaos and strife?

If you depend upon your strength or the strength of the world to get you through these troubling times, you will find it is too small. Where do you discover the power you need? Where can you find peace in the midst of the chaos that is happening all around the world?

Why not listen to the one who made the world and every living being? Today’s reading from the One Year Bible Reading Plan is where I started my day. Then the Lord spoke these words of comfort to my heart.

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.

John 14:27 (NLT)

“I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Prayer:

Father, we are so thankful that even in the most chaotic of times we can find in You the strength that we need and the peace that the world cannot give us or take away from us.

Father, I pray that we, the people of God, will learn to live in prayer and receive the gift that will enable us to live in peace.

Father, we are so grateful that there is nothing that is beyond the reach of prayer when we trust in God, who can do anything but fail.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

—

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

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

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

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

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.”

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

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

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What Is Your Prayer For Today?

Text:

Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV)

20  Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,

21  equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Observation:

What would you like for God to do in you today? The prayer that is speaking to me is the prayer that is our focal passage today from Hebrews.

This is the portion of that prayer from the AMP version that instructs, informs, and inspires my prayer.

Hebrews 13:21 (AMP)

21  Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).

Lord, my prayer today is that You would strengthen, and make me what You want me to be, and equip me with everything good that I may carry out Your will by Your divine power.

What is Your prayer for today? Have you prayed it? If not, why not pray it now?

Prayer:

Father, I exalt Your name today above every name of earth, and in heaven. Lord, I make the prayer You taught Your disciples my prayer to You for my daily bread, and the strength I need to do Your will, and Your work.

Matthew 6:9-10 (AMP)

9  Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.

10  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Father, to You be the glory forever, and ever, 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/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

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