Tag: #prayer&asking

What Would Victory Look Like to You?

 

Text:

Psalm 126:1-3 (ESV)

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

2  Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”

3  The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.

Observation:

This passage speaks of something God had done for His people. He had delivered them from Babylonian slavery, and returned them to Jerusalem. It was a time of great rejoicing.

Psalm 14:7 (ESV)

7  Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Let’s go a little further in this Psalm.

Psalm 126:4 (ESV)

4  Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!

Deliverance was a great victory for God’s people, but in time they desired more so they cried out to the Lord.

In your distress, don’t get depressed. Why not do like the people of God of every age?

Psalm 120:1 (ESV)

1 In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.

The people were looking to the future. Notice they looked to the Lord who had provided their deliverance. This is what victory would look like for them. They had a vision of peace and prosperity.

Psalm 122:6-7 (ESV)

6  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!

7  Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!”

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, there is none like You, no not one. Father, we lift our eyes and hearts toward the heavens for hope and help in this difficult season.

Father, I stretch my hands to Thee, no other help I know. Father this I also know that the God who has brought us thus far; Our God will see us through. So, we ask for an outpouring of Your amazing grace, and tender mercies to flood our hearts, souls and minds. Father, stir our hearts to run to You.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

20  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

21  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. 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.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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

Do You Know Why It Pays to Pray?

 

Text:

Luke 11:1-2 (ESV)

1  Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

2  And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

Observation:

I frequently hear people say, “We need to do more than pray”. I never receive those words.

I heard something recently that  reflect more accurately what the Word of God says about prayer.

“We can do more than pray after we pray, but we cannot do more than pray until we pray.”

Notice that Jesus said to His disciples “When you pray”. He did not say, “If you pray”. Without God we cannot do the work of God.

The disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray”. I don’t know about you, but I need the practice in knowing how to pray. However, there is so much more that we get when we pray.

When we pray, we are brought into the presence of  the Almighty and All Knowing God. We get to spend time alone with Him in prayer. We get to communicate (listen and talk); we also get to connect our heart with His heart.

Additionally, we get to exchange gifts. What we have to offer Him is our highest praise, and our most sincere gratitude for who He is, and for what He does.

What we receive from Him are the blessings from His storehouse. Our Father is rich; His resources are unlimited.

Our gifts of praise and thanksgiving offered to Him creates an atmosphere that positions our hearts to be stirred with love, joy, and peace that comes from being in the presence of the LORD.

Our hearts are prepared, and are conditioned by His desires; they become our desires. Then we are strategically positioned and ready to Ask and receive everything we need.

1 John 5:14-15 (ESV)

14  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

15  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

4  Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Are you ready to spend some time with the Father in prayer so that His desires will become your desires? It pays richly to pray regularly.

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful for the privilege on being able to enter into Your throne room, and to have the privilege of having a private audience with You.

Father, smile on Your people as they meet with You face to face. Father, we offer up to You our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. 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.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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