PrayerPoints ~ Saturday, March 26th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 130

Today we wait and pray but we know Easter is coming. I am always waiting for the good and bad of this life but may my focus be on anticipating what God is doing (and has done) for my eternity!

Here is a collection of Psalm 130:5 in several different translations. Sometimes waiting is the hardest part!

New International Version
I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

New Living Translation
I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.

English Standard Version
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

New American Standard Bible
I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.

King James Bible
I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I wait for Yahweh; I wait and put my hope in His word.

International Standard Version
I wait for the LORD; my soul waits, and I will hope in his word.

NET Bible
I rely on the LORD, I rely on him with my whole being; I wait for his assuring word.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I have hoped in Lord Jehovah and my soul has waited for his word.

GOD’S WORD® Translation
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and with hope I wait for his word.

PrayerPoints ~ Friday, March 25th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 109

“But you, Sovereign Lord,
help me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.” Psalm 109:21

God’s means for our deliverance was put in place since the beginning of time. Here we are to Good Friday where the scriptural accounts and the dramatizations help us understand a little bit more each year as we struggle to comprehend the magnitude of God’s love, His provisions, and Jesus’ sacrifice.

Lord, it is only through Your Name’s sake and only out of Your goodness that I can be delivered from sin and death. A broken and contrite heart you will not despise. Because of my sin, I am beyond broken but I am not too far from Your reach. Thank you, Jesus.

PrayerPoints ~ Thursday, March 24th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 96

“Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” Psalm 96:1-3

How quickly I forget!

I think about Peter denying Christ three times even after Jesus said it would happen. Jesus even said the cock would crow three times (a little auditory reminder) and STILL, Peter denied Jesus.

So when I see this:

proclaim his salvation day after day

I think that is the minimum….because I can quickly forget that though I am dead in sin (even though I am living) and yet I am alive in Christ. I am beyond broken, wounded, and hurting…

I am a dead man walking.

and none of my good deeds or intentions can save me….nothing but the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection.

Lord, thank you for the gift of faith with only comes from you. Strengthen my ability to share Your deeds and Your love with those I come in contact with. Let me proclaim Your salvation day after day and declare Your glory among the nations and Your glorious deeds among all the people!

PrayerPoints ~ Wednesday, March 23rd

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 39

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;
    let me know how fleeting my life is.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
    even those who seem secure.” Psalm 39:4-5

Life is fleeting.

My life is fleeting.

What am I doing with my time? Is what I am doing valuable? Lasting? Important? Are there better choices I can make with…

…my time?

…my conversations?

…my money?

…my focus?

While it is always important to be mindful of what I am doing, Holy Week is a natural time for reflection and contemplation of my sin, Jesus’ suffering and death for my fleeting life, and God’s many provisions for His people.

“Everyone is but a breath.”

PrayerPoints ~ Tuesday, March 22nd

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 107

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1

Give thanks…

Let them give thanks…

Let them give thanks….

Let them give thanks…

There seems to be a bit of a theme here in Psalm 107. Do you see it? There is quite a listing of the things that God had done for His people throughout this Psalm but I think it is most important to remember the very first verse — we give thanks to the Lord because He is good…

…even if our circumstances seem to stink at the moment.

Blessings on your day as you ponder the goodness of God!

PrayerPoints ~ Monday, March 21st

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 131

“My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, both now and forevermore.” Psalm 131

Do you have a stilled and quieted soul?

With everything that is going on in the world at this moment (even though there is nothing new under the sun) this is impossible without God. I find that I am in a better position to have a stilled and quieted soul when my heart and mind is guarded.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

Spending time in God’s Word and in prayer as well as being connected to a healthy Christian congregation are ways to keep God’s peace and path in my presence. This Holy Week, there are multiple opportunities to walk along with Jesus and consider His pain and suffering and God’s provision for us through Jesus’ sacrifice.

May your private time in God’s Word and your connection with a fellow believers this week strengthen your faith!

PrayerPoints ~ Sunday, March 20th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 16

“Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing. ” Psalm 16:1-2

There are always difficulties. Since the Fall of Man, there have been wars and disease and sin.

Theirs…Yours… and Mine.

And God continues to offer His grace and mercy and forgiveness and love. Along with those good things, He reminds us:

“Finally brothers,

whatever is true,

whatever is honorable, whatever is just,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable,

if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.” Philippians 4:8

Now, more than ever, I wonder where things are headed in our world. There is so much corruption, pain, illness, and death that I need to reorient my thinking multiple times a day. As Scripture says,

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9

Life is hard. God is good. And God’s goodness is not dependent on my circumstances.

PrayerPoints ~ Saturday, March 19th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 115

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1

I will admit there are some times when I want the glory. It isn’t really that I want GLORY but just some “little g” glory, particularly when I have worked hard, sacrificed, and set aside my own interests. But seeking that recognition can be a slippery slope.

I do think the world really encourages a sense of entitlement and it doesn’t take much for me to slide right into that mentality myself. While it is always nice to be appreciated, when it becomes my expectation I think I am working myself up to deserve some glory and, before you know it, I will be a bit frustrated that I don’t receive some GLORY!

Does that ever happen to you?

It might sound crazy to you, but sometimes I have to remind myself that the glory is not for me. It isn’t mine to take and it isn’t mine to seek. Any good I do is God’s doing…

To His Name Be the GLORY!

PrayerPoints ~ Friday, March 18th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 118

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Yesterday is done. Tomorrow is yet to come. So today is what I have!

Starting the day with an attitude of praise helps my day get started on the right foot! Even when I am in the middle of challenging circumstances, I can choose joy because of the bigger picture of God’s mercy and grace!

Have you noticed that a crabby person can quickly infect others with their crabbiness? Happy people can do the very same thing.

Joy.

Re-joy. (I know–that isn’t really a word but I like it — It reminds me that joy happens more than just once!)

Re-joice.

Miriam-webster.com says this about rejoice, “Middle English, from Anglo-French rejois-, stem of rejoier, rejoir, from re- + joir to welcome, enjoy, from Latin gaudēre to be glad…”

Joy.

Welcome.

Enjoy.

Rejoice.

My prayer is that you are able to find joy in your day and share that with those who come in contact with today!

PrayerPoints ~ Thursday, March 17th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 88

“O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.” Psalm 88:1-2

Wow. If you read through Psalm 88 you will see it is full of a lot of loss. It is good to read through it and know that I am not the only one who has felt devastation.

Even though the circumstances are not identical, we each travel through seasons of loss and discouragement. If you are in a good place now, I am sure you can recall the emotions and grief of a difficult time. If you know someone going through a time of loss, please pray for them. Let them know you are praying for them. And, if you can, take time to walk alongside them.

I know my faith has grown in times of struggle but those times always seems to come with a “breaking point” where things are so difficult that I am not sure I can handle one more problem. Standing “in the gap” with someone (through prayer and encouragement and reminders of God’s provision) can be hard and yet so beneficial to the person struggling.

May you be a blessing today to someone in need!