PrayerPoints ~ Sunday, March 6th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 19

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” Psalm 19:1-3

I have always been amazed at the night sky with all of the stars and their constellations. It seems to be the most amazing out in the country on a clear night with just the sliver of the moon. Although a night sky with harvest moon is stunning. Nebraska has some incredible sunrises and sunsets. I have visited quite a few places and they each offer some unique element of beauty and, yet, they all share the heavens. God’s creation is amazing: the expanse of it, the beauty of it, the coordination of it, the intricacies of it! It is amazing how no words can be spoken but how full of information the heavens are.

Hopefully, in the next couple of days, you will get a glimpse of something amazing in the heavens. Keep your eyes open! The are times I am busy or distracted and I simply do not notice what is there, right before my eyes. But when I do take the time to see, appreciate, and acknowledge the beauty that God has created, it brings comfort to me–to know that He, who can do magnificent works, cares about me. It helps me keep things in perspective.

PrayerPoints ~ Saturday, March 5th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 8

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:1

After being grateful yesterday, it seems fitting to look at the majesty of God. When I read Psalm 8, I am overwhelmed by who God is and who I am and that He is mindful of me and shows me His grace, love, and forgiveness. It also reminds me how much more mindful of Him I should be!

And if God, the Creator of the Universe, considers me worthy of His investment, it puts such a different perspective on my life than if I was just here by “accident” or with no purpose. And if He feels this way about me then He feels that way about you and every person on this planet! When I ponder this, I am reminded of not only my value but every person’s value:

From those in my zip code to those across the time zones
From the weakest to the healthiest
From the lovable to the unlovable
From the delightful to the frustrating
From the sweetest to the angriest
From the innocent to the guilty
From the very young (pre-born) to the very old
From the cleanest to the dirtiest
From the kindest to the meanest

“What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:4

Since God is our Creator, there must be value in each of us…each and every one of us! Sometimes it might take some digging because we are broken people–our limited perspective doesn’t let us see the value in others and, sometimes, we aren’t able to see the value in ourselves.

Psalm 8 is a great place to get a glimpse of the majesty of God and His love for His people!

PrayerPoints ~ Friday, March 4th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 66

“Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” Psalm 66:16

When I am in the middle of a tough time it helps for me to remember what God has done for me and for others. Sometimes, just reflecting back on the many incidents in Scripture is enough to encourage me but, other times, it is refreshing to hear someone talk about God’s transformative work in their heart and life. The Christian walk isn’t always easy, which is why it is good to share our struggles as well as our victories.

“Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf.” Psalm 66:5

Sometimes it is good to make a list of what God has done for you. Have you ever taken time to write down those things you are thankful for? If you have, take out and review the list. If you haven’t, today is a great day to start! Regularly pondering what we are thankful for leads to a heart of gratitude. The more grateful we are, the more it is evident in our words and deeds and it helps us to be more pleasant to be around and that positivity is infectious!

PrayerPoints ~ Thursday, March 3rd

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 37

“The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

It is always good to look at David’s life. What a great reminder of the incredible highs and devastating lows of the life experience! And to watch David’s love for and devotion to God and then to see him sink to scheming schemes. On one hand I think, “How could he?” and then I recollect the many times I have done equally sinful things. It is amazing the short term memory I have. We are all sinners; each and every one!

Intentionally walking through Scripture on a regular basis certainly gives me perspective and helps me be more mindful of my opportunities to make better choices. It also helps me remember the love and forgiveness that God has for me. I am, after all, “a poor sinful being” but He also is a loving Father. He knows I will stumble but if I am away from God’s Word for a time I seem to stumble a little more. I stray a little further off the path. It may not seem like a big difference at first but the trajectory of “not quite on the right course” usually veers way off as time goes on.

Do you know what I mean?

Ever been kind of lost, refused to ask for directions because you are sure you are close only to find that the next 60 minutes (or 20 years) are spent trying to figure out how to get to where you were going only to find out it will take a lot to actually get back there now, or it is actually impossible?

Yep, this life is like that. And, God can redeem that stuff. He wastes nothing — there isn’t an experience that He cannot use, redeem, or heal. God knows we will stumble and still He loves us so!

“The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

PrayerPoints ~ Wednesday, March 2nd

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear; even though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Psalm 46: 1-3

The imagery in the verses above…wow! it sounds like utter devastation! And, unfortunately, we have some days, weeks, months, and years like that. When you are in trouble, lean into His strength!

There is no telling what you are in the middle of at this very moment in your life but I have a great imagination. You probably do, too. I think it is both a blessing and a curse. If you are anything like me, when you hear some “bad news” you can imagine the worst case scenario in about 3 seconds flat. But, the potential positive to that “quick thinking” is being able to empathize with others and pray for them as they walk through a challenging time even if I haven’t experienced the same situation myself. When I hear about people who are struggling with something, I immediately think about the needs, the emotions, the fears, or the “what is next?” kinds of things and I cover them in prayer. And the times I have absolutely no idea about their situation but I know there is a need? I honestly leave it up to God to fill in the blanks. At one time or another, everyone struggles with:

faith
finances
fears
relationships
jobs
education/training
health

So it is a safe bet that I can pray over each of those categories for anyone and God, who knows it all anyway, hears my pleas.

It’s hard to watch someone struggle through a difficult season. There are times we can only pray and wait. We can’t jump in to fix or solve the problem, but we must hand it over to God, trusting in His work. Sharing God’s Word can bring refreshment to weary bones. God’s Word is always in season, but certainly a source of strength during an anxious and fearful time in life.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

A special thank you to my friend, Kristin, who has taken these great verses and put them in such a nice setting!

PrayerPoints ~ Tuesday, March 1st

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 61

“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to a rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1

There are times that life is just so hard.

Being faint of heart can be the result of many things: physical or mental illness, medical treatments, undiagnosable issues, job loss, divorce, death, or watching someone you love struggle with any of the above. And often, with the exception of prayer, we are powerless to take away the pain and the suffering. But we can pray, even when we don’t know what to say or what to ask for.

Do you know someone who is struggling with a situation? Have you prayed for them?

Sometimes it is easy for me to get caught up in the surprise and the details of a challenging circumstance that I don’t stop what I am doing and actually pray.

Lord, let that be my first response!

If you are a list maker or you keep a prayer journal, jot down the name of the person or people you want to pray for so you see it and it reminds you to pray on their behalf. I am a very visual person, so a list helps me get refocused on my priorities as I typically have a lot of distractions in my day.

And then, consider following up with a quick personal note to let them know you are praying for them. It may take a little extra effort, but a note of encouragement can be a physical reminder of your support and prayers. Notes of encouragement are also very portable and can combat that feeling of loneliness and isolation that often accompanies trials and tribulations. If you live nearby, there may be a tangible act of service you can provide. Pray about your opportunities to serve.

If you are struggling and would like me to pray for you, let me know. You can tell me a little about your situation but if you are uncomfortable doing that, you don’t need to. As I pray, I will pray for many facets of your life, even ones you don’t particularly mention.

Even if you need prayer yourself, (and, don’t we all?) consider also praying on behalf of someone else. I find that when I am in a particularly tough situation (and I feel powerless in my circumstance) if I step out of the muck and mire of my situation to care for another through prayer, God seems to lighten the intensity of my situation.

God’s blessings as you dig into His Word this week and consider praying for a struggling friend!

PrayerPoints ~ Monday, February 29th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 34

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

There is so much comfort in Psalm 34. I just highlighted one verse above out of many I draw comfort from. As you read through this Psalm, do you find one particular verse that is encouraging? Write it out and commit it to memory!

What I love about God’s Word is it is always relevant to my life. Sometimes a certain passage in Scripture will remind me of an earlier time in my life because there is a song connected to it or a particular situation that it brings to mind. I can’t imagine traveling through life without God’s Word to sharpen my focus, widen my perspective of His work, provide me with His peace, reminding me of His love, or helping me face my sin.

As you walk through this week, write down a verse that has been important to you in your Christian walk. You might also consider writing down why it is meaningful to you and sharing it with someone. You can post it in the comments section below.

Blessings on your week!

Liz

PrayerPoints ~ Sunday, February 28th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 62

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” Psalm 62:1

Sometimes it is hard to find a moment of rest from either the things we are doing or the things others want us to do. I feel like the world expects me to be busy accomplishing something tangible all the time!

Do you struggle with that as well?

I am learning to intentionally pace myself. It isn’t that I can’t get in there and go “full speed ahead” when something requires time and energy but that is not how I want to live my every day. True “Soul Rest” can transcend our circumstances and is only found with God.

Have you intentionally carved out time for your soul to be rested and encouraged? Working your way through Scripture is one way. Weekly worship in a healthy congregation is another way. If you have fallen out of this habit, let me encourage you to get back into it. It is like having more life-giving oxygen in your day! The world has so many toxic pollutants that we absorb on a daily basis that it is even more important to breathe deeply of God’s life giving Word!

Blessings on your week!

Below is a song I have liked for a long time and the words are printed below. Enjoy!

Chorus

My stronghold my Savior

I shall not be afraid at all

My stronghold my Savior

I shall not be moved

Only in God is my soul at rest

In Him comes my salvation

Verse 1

Only in God is my soul at rest

In Him comes my salvation

He only is my Rock

My strength and my salvation

Verse 2

Only in God is found safety

When my enemy pursues me

Only in God is found glory

When I am found meek and found lowly

PrayerPoints ~ Saturday, February 27th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 32

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ — and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:5

It is so easy to be so shocked and appalled and caught up in everyone else’s sin yet neglect our own important self-reflection and confession. Confession is so important because it is an acknowledgement of sin in our own lives.

Consider those things in your life you would like to confess because they weigh on you. You can certainly just confess those things to God — I find it helpful if I talk out loud since I am a verbal processor. But if you want some feedback in the way of spoken forgiveness, seek out a healthy pastor or priest for absolution.

Confession so often becomes one of those things we look for in others but, maybe, are not so keen on surrendering ourselves. Sometimes our busy and distracted lifestyle interrupts the time we need to contemplate our sin and confess it as such.

And the peace and healing that comes from confession? Unparalleled. That’s why it is said, “Confession is good for the soul!”

PrayerPoints ~ Friday, February 26th

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Today’s PrayerPoint ~ Psalm 31

“Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.” Psalm 31:16

David sure knows how to write with passion! As I read through Psalm 31, sometimes it is a huge stretch for me to think about where he has been and what he is writing about because I haven’t experienced his life. But others times, it seems like I have been where he has been–at least that is how it feels when I read his words. David gives so many examples of the incredible highs and desperate lows that come with life and yet he consistently encourages us to take refuge in and trust the Lord.

Whether you are in that incredible high or desperate low, God is there! May your intentional time in His Word give you His instruction and grant you His peace!