PrayerPoints ~Wednesday, March 16th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 49

“Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.” Psalm 49:16-17

People often pursue success relentlessly. There are many different perspectives on what is considered successful and many of them have to do with money, position, and power. It is very easy to get caught up in the world’s definition of success because we are bombarded with so many messages about what the world considers successful.

Think for a bit about what you consider successful. Then take a few minutes to evaluate the path your are on and how it aligns with what you value. Then take some time to be in prayer and God’s Word to see if there are some adjustments you need to make. For me, it is easy to be swayed to believe what the world says about success because there are so many images and messages that are out there, trying to influence me.

Riches are not the problem….but riches at the expense of others definitely can be.

It is easy to look at others and think about how I would live my life differently if I was in their shoes. It is much more difficult to consider where I am and what I have and how to align my path to the things God considers of value.

I will be praying for God’s wisdom and discernment as I think about how I define success.

PrayerPoints ~ Tuesday, March 15th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 103

There is so much in Psalm 103 that I wanted to hang out here another day!

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12

Moving through Lent, a season of repentance, can be a little heavy. Reflecting on my need for a Savior is sobering and that is good, but when I am feeling really weighted down by confessed and forgiven sin, then I know God isn’t behind it. Will I have natural consequences from my sin that I live with? Likely yes, but the promise above reminds me He will not hold it over my head.

Now, that is a relief! Jesus went to the cross in my stead!

I do find it rather amazing that God can redeem our past.

Amazing and liberating!

I love how God transforms lives! Yes, there is a time to reflect, repent, and seek forgiveness and restoration.

Hang on….Easter joy is coming soon!

PrayerPoints~ Monday, March 14th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 103

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise is holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases; he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion.

He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5

When I am struggling — and there always seems to be some sort of thing I dread that is coming up — it is really important for me to focus on praising and thanking God for what He has done and recalling those things. Reminding myself of God’s provision in my life is so important..sometimes I have a crazy short-term memory!

I also think it is helpful to encourage others when they struggle to remember. There are times when life is hard and there seems to be no good choice out there. Remembering that God goes before and behind me and hems me in is sometimes hard when I am caught up in a moment (or days) of discouragement.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Is there someone in your life who can use some encouragement today?

Below is another great Integrity Music Song. Enjoy!

PrayerPoints ~ Sunday, March 13th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 102

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, let my cry for help come to you.

Do no hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.” Psalm 102:1-2

Do you know someone in distress? I am guessing you know a number of people who are in the midst of financial challenges, employment struggles, or health issues.

Will you pray for them this week? When someone shares their difficulties with me, here are some things I pray for:

Wise counsel
A growing faith
Creative and healthy solutions
Attentive and wise medical professionals
Self-discipline
Encouragement
Discernment
God’s peace

Being able to pray with and for others is such a blessing. This life is filled with struggles and knowing that someone is praying for us can make such a significant impact.

If you need prayer, I would encourage you to seek out a trusted friend and ask if they would pray for you. You don’t need to go into every detail, you can just say “Hey, I am going through a rough time right now and can use some prayer.” I think when we are a little transparent it helps others to be willing to share too. Allowing yourself to be a little bit vulnerable is sometimes difficult but it can lead to deeper and richer relationships.

May God bless your time in prayer this week!

PrayerPoints ~ Saturday, March 12th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 121

I love the comfort of Psalm 121. And even though we can all look it up and read it, I am going to add it below because reading and typing it are all ways it gets into my brain. I would prefer writing it out on a piece of paper or putting it to a melody because those are also excellent ways to get it into my mind! I am practicing being more mindful of what enters my brain but also just more mindful of what I am doing. Maybe it is an age thing, but there are moments when I ask myself some questions–be sure to emphasize the bolded words:

“What are you doing here?”

“Why are you here?”

“What are you doing?”

“What are you doing?”

Sometimes I do things on “automatic pilot”– without much thought–and that isn’t always bad, but it isn’t always good, either. Being more intentional/mindful/thoughtful about what I am doing, saying, reading, and writing helps me to make better choices!

Psalm 121

“I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip–he watches over you and will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you–the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day; nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm–he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (New International Version)

Amen!

PrayerPoints ~ March 11th, Friday

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 100

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

May God’s peace and joy infuse your day!

PrayerPoints ~ March 10th, Thursday

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 95

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95:2

It is so important for me to start my day being thankful for what God has done for me. It helps my perspective and my focus and it helps me to be more loving to others, even on those days when I don’t get enough sleep. Whenever I read Psalm 95, I hear the song posted below in my mind, but it is also a part of the liturgy in LCMS (Lutheran Church ~ Missouri Synod) congregations so I am happy to have two reference points for it!

I know I have mentioned the power of music and Scripture memory before. If you are a part of a congregation that uses liturgy, you know that after sitting in church week after week and year after year that there is so much Scripture tucked away in your brain. You can be really young, and a non-reader to learn it and you can be challenged with vision issues and still participate. Music filled with Scripture can bridge ages and abilities and can be such a blessing to a congregation.

So, a little bit about this Psalm 95 posted below: John Michael Talbot is Catholic and I was introduced to him when I was about 13 (now I am 50, so this was quite a while ago). For me, this is an awesome “morning song” — a great way to get my mind headed in the right direction!

During Lent, the use of alleluia is often restricted in some church bodies. In the LCMS there are some other practices Check out the article Keeping a Holy Lent ~ a post from the LCMS with some great explanations.

Trigger Warning: This song does have Alleluia in it. So if that is going to bug you, don’t listen until after Easter.

PrayerPoints ~ Wednesday, March 9th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 90

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world; from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:1-2

One thing I am always reminded of when I read Scripture is that it involves generations–time after time….from the beginning of time until the end of time…so many people and time periods….

You might not have generations of believers in your earthly family line, but you can look to the generations of believers and know you are a part of a spiritual family of believers. And, you can be the one God uses to impact your earthly family line with His message of love, mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation, and grace.

God has the big picture and uses all generations to share His Good Word. Today I am giving thanks for the many previous generations as well as those to come. May we each share the pieces of His-story to the generations!

PrayerPoints ~ Tuesday, March 8th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 86

“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15

I think Psalm 86 is full of comfort and encouragement that it was really hard to pick just one snippet to feature. You may find that a different one that speaks to you as you read through it. If so, don’t hesitate to share it!

I am including another song by John Michael Talbot because I really like it and I particularly this album. Enjoy!

PrayerPoints ~ Monday, March 7th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 84

“O Lord, Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” Psalm 84:12

Sadly, I have several situations in my history that have tainted my trust in people. I do have people I trust but I have learned that there are people who should clearly not be trusted, ever.

I have been trusting God for many years now though I have had occasional and brief interference by humans who were unhealthy. Thankfully, I did not attribute the actions of these people to God’s character, but processing the situations did take a little time. God also used those situations to strengthen my trust in Him as well as fine tune my intuition. For some reason, it never occurred to me that God endorsed or was behind any of that yucky stuff. And for that, I am thankful.

If you struggle with trust issues, it might be due to early experiences with unhealthy people in your life. If those people were in positions of authority or, worse yet, in positions of church authority, I am so very sorry for your experience. This is not how God works. Sadly, this is how sin in the world works.

If you struggle with some historical issues, I encourage you to seek healthy counsel so that your present and future are not defined by your past. May God heal, restore, and refresh you as you seek Him!

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84:3-7