Category Archives: Learning To Pray Effectively

All Powerful / King of All, Compassionate, Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Learning To Pray Effectively, Miracles

Beyond the Miracle: Insights and Compassion in Yeshua’s Walk on Water

When we read about Yeshua walking on water, we often focus entirely on that miracle alone. We may overlook some other insights that are contained in that same story. Some may leave us with some questions and some may reassure us of our Savior’s compassion for us.

Mark 6:45-52

Jesus Walks on the Water

      45Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. 46After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

      47When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. 49But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” 51Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, 52for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Yes it was miraculous to walk on water. Don’t miss that. Nothing is beyond our LORD.  There are a few other insights as well.

  • After feeding the 5000 and teaching, Yeshua still wanted to take time to go up the mountain to be alone in prayer with the Father. This was a priority for Him and it should be for us also. Ask yourself if you are setting aside enough time to be alone with Father. Most of us are not. This is different than studying scripture.
  • I find it intriguing that Yeshua saw His disciples straining at the oars, with the wind against them, and intended to pass them up. This does not fit what many of us expect from the LORD. We don’t expect Him to leave us in a difficult situation and let us work out of it. We expect Him to swoop in and rescue us and make things easy. Yeshua knew this was a situation they could overcome on their own, though it was difficult. He was going to let them do so. Recognize that just because you may be in a difficult situation, and the LORD is leaving you to work out of it, does not mean He is unaware of your situation or does not care. He may see value in letting you work out of it on your own.
  • When Yeshua saw they were afraid of Him as if He were a ghost, He adjusted His plans and got in the boat. He had compassion on them.  Compassion is not just pity. Compassion drives us to action. It changes our plans.
  • I think the storm calming as Yeshua gets in the boat speaks largely for itself. He is in control of all things. Nothing is beyond Him.  This aspect is typically not overlooked as it is so attention grabbing.
  • They had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, for their hearts were hardened. The comparison here suggests we should look for parallel between this incident and the loaves. I would say that an obvious connection is for us to have faith that the LORD can provide and can rescue us from difficult situations that are beyond our control. We need not panic or look only to ourselves for the path forward. It is so easy to continue to see things through our own eyes and how we can control or fix a situation, or how we can not. It is beautiful to start to rely more on the LORD and have our faith grow stronger in leaning on Him.
  • Do not overlook that scripture says their hearts were hardened and that is why they did not gain insight from the incident with the loaves and the feeding of the 5000. This does not mean they are rebellious toward Yahweh or against Yeshua. We can see here that even loyal followers of Yeshua can harden their hearts. It speaks to seeing things only through our own perspective of what we can see and touch and do instead of seeing things through the eyes of faith and what God can do. If we harden our hearts, we will miss a lot that the LORD is doing in our lives and we will dismiss it, recognizing only the natural and not the supernatural around us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your compassion for me. Thank You that You do step in and calm the storms at times when I call on You and I am overwhelmed. Please strengthen my faith and soften my heart towards You. Help me to see the world more through Your eyes. Help me not to focus only on what I can control but also on Your power to deliver us and provide for us. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms

Your Righteousness Is Like The Mountains

What a stark contrast we can see when we rightly discern the ways of man from the ways of God. Those who reject God have no fear of Him… they act with wickedness and deceit. They have ceased to be wise and to do good. God, however, demonstrates amazing lovingkindness and faithfulness! He cares for those who know Him and seek shelter in Him.

Personally, I am grateful that God has revealed Himself to me and that I may know His lovingkindness personally and that my family experiences it as well. There is nothing better in all the earth than to belong to Him. As we read Psalm 36 today, reflect on the ways of man and the ways of God. Praise God and thank Him for revealing Himself to you so that you are no longer living the ways of man.

Psalm 36

      1Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

      2For it flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.

      3The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

      4He plans wickedness upon his bed;
He sets himself on a path that is not good;
He does not despise evil.

      5Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

      6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like a great deep.
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

      7How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

      8They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.

      9For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.

      10O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

      11Let not the foot of pride come upon me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

      12There the doers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

If you do not yet know God personally, there is time available as long as you still live. If you are still living the ways of men, acknowledging God with your lips but not your life… He has graciously given you more time. Seize the moment. Come before Him humbly, admitting that you are a sinner, one who does wrong. Believe that Jesus Christ died for your sin and ask forgiveness. Commit to change your ways to follow after God and to submit your life to Jesus Christ. Then reach out to someone who is already committed to Christ and let them know you have made this commitment. This is not the end of your journey, but rather just the beginning. It will be hard at times and you will need help from God and often from man as well. But none who complete the journey for Christ ever have reason to regret their choice. Eternity with Christ in heaven rather than eternity of suffering without Him in hell.

Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms

When You Feel Overwhelmed, Turn to God

Have you ever felt overwhelmed because of a difficult situation you face? Has there been a time when you felt that there was no way you can resolve the situation by yourself? I sure have. I believe most of us have felt that way at one time or another. To whom shall we go for help when we feel like the situation is bigger than we can handle on our own? Turn to God. He is at the same time our loving Father and our all-powerful Creator.  He wants to help and He wants us to ask Him for help.

Psalm 35

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

     1Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.

      2Take hold of buckler and shield
And rise up for my help.

      3Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

      4Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life;
Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

      5Let them be like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the LORD driving them on.

      6Let their way be dark and slippery,
With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

      7For without cause they hid their net for me;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.

      8Let destruction come upon him unawares,
And let the net which he hid catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

      9And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;
It shall exult in His salvation.

      10All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You,
Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him,
And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”

      11Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me of things that I do not know.

      12They repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.

      13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled my soul with fasting,
And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

      14I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.

      15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They slandered me without ceasing.

      16Like godless jesters at a feast,
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

      17Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul from their ravages,
My only life from the lions.

      18I will give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will praise You among a mighty throng.

      19Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.

      20For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

      21They opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

      22You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent;
O Lord, do not be far from me.

      23Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.

      24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,
And do not let them rejoice over me.

      25Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

      26Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;
Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

      27Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;
And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified,
Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

      28And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

I am always inspired by David in that he praises God even while he is still in the middle of difficult circumstances… still facing what seems like an overwhelming number of enemies.

What situations are you facing that you feel are too much for you to solve on your own? Have you asked God for His help yet? He wants to hear from His children and He wants to help. Bring your concerns no matter how big before God and ask Him to help you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms

Sustained by Faith: Finding Joy in God’s Presence Amidst Adversity

Wherever you are in your walk with the Lord today, there is no doubt in my mind that you (and everyone else) have personally experienced suffering in this world. You have found yourself at times feeling overwhelmed with how to deal with the problems and people that oppose you and try to do harm to you. Let us cry out to God in faith… seek refuge in Him… and never be ashamed of Him for He will deliver us.

Psalm 31

      1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.

      2Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.

      3For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

      4You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.

      5Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.

      6I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the LORD.

      7I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,

      8And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

      9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.

      10For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away.

      11Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,
Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.

      12I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.

      13For I have heard the slander of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life.

      14But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,
I say, “You are my God.”

      15My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

      16Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness.

      17Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You;
Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

      18Let the lying lips be mute,
Which speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

      19How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!

      20You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

      21Blessed be the LORD,
For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.

      22As for me, I said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried to You.

      23O love the LORD, all you His godly ones!
The LORD preserves the faithful
And fully recompenses the proud doer.

      24Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the LORD.

The older I get, and the more difficulties I face… the more I find joy in reading, studying, and praying the Psalms. David truly strikes an important note in verses 7-8.

      7I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,

      8And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;

David rejoices and praises God for His lovingkindness even when his situation has not been resolved yet. David rejoices in that God has seen his affliction and knows what he is going through… that God sustains him through the difficulty.

This can be really difficult to do in our lives. Even in the midst of hard times, rejoice in God… rejoice in knowing that He is with us and understands what we face and that He can sustain us and deliver us.  What a powerful demonstration of faith to give glory to God while still in a difficult situation! I pray God would lead me to do the same as I encounter difficult situations in this fallen world. May I give Him praise and honor even as I lean on Him to sustain me through suffering and hardship.

What situations are you facing in your life  that you may find encouragement and joy in remembering that God is with you and understands what you are experiencing? He can sustain you and deliver you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms, Suffering / Adversity, Thankfulness

You Have Turned My Mourning Into Dancing

We all face difficult times, and they do not always turn out the way we expect. We can always turn to God for help. He loves us and wants the best for us, even when we do not recognize what is best for us. Come to God for help. Trust in Him. Sing praise to Him as He answers your prayers, even if it is not in the way you wanted. He knows best.

Psalm 30

1I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

2O LORD my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.

3O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.

4Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.

5For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

6Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will never be moved.”

7O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;  You hid Your face, I was dismayed.

8To You, O LORD, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:

9“What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

10“Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me;
O LORD, be my helper.”

11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,

12That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

God has truly been gracious to me. He has turned mourning in my life into dancing and joy more than once to be sure. Reflect for a few moments… how has God turned mourning and sadness into dancing in your life? Take time to thank Him right now. Are you in a season of suffering and mourning right now? Come to God humbly and ask for His help and trust Him in how we helps you… even if it is not exactly how you wanted.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Hope, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

Trusting in the Unseen: David’s Unwavering Confidence in God’s Response

How often do we turn to God for help, not really confident that He will answer us? Many of the Psalms that David wrote demonstrate something much more… hope and faith that God will answer even before the answer is delivered! David prays to ask God for help and then follows up by thanking and praising God for the answer that he knows will come.

Psalm 28

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

 1To You, O LORD, I call;
My rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You are silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the pit.

2Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

3Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who work iniquity,
Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.

4Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Requite them according to the deeds of their hands;
Repay them their recompense.

5Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

6Blessed be the LORD,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.

8The LORD is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.

9Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.

Praise to You, God, for we know that you hear the prayers of Your people even before you answer them. I pray You would strengthen me in my faith as You did David. I pray I would come to You in prayer filled with hope and faith that You hear and will answer. Glory to God, creator of all things, who loves His people enough to listen whenever we seek Him!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Psalms, Seeking God

Examine Me, O Lord, And Try Me

For those of us who are striving to live according to God’s word, truly applying it to our lives in how we live, Psalm 26 is a wonderful prayer with which to come before our wonderful Creator.

Psalm 26

Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.

A Psalm of David.

     1Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

      2Examine me, O LORD, and try me;
Test my mind and my heart.

      3For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.

      4I do not sit with deceitful men,
Nor will I go with pretenders.

      5I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.

      6I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,

      7That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving
And declare all Your wonders.

      8O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house
And the place where Your glory dwells.

      9Do not take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with men of bloodshed,

      10In whose hands is a wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.

      11But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
Redeem me, and be gracious to me.

      12My foot stands on a level place;
In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.

As you pray, ask God to show you in what areas of your life and relationships you need to change to more fully submit to Him.

Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms, Thankfulness

Be Glad in God’s Strength and Rejoice in His Salvation!

King David praises God for deliverance in Psalm 21. David opens up by proclaiming how even a king is dependent on God for salvation and finds joy in this! So many powerful people try to find salvation in money or earthly power… only a righteous man recognizes submission to God and reliance on His power, even when he has the power of a king. How much greater is God’s power for those of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear!

Psalm 21

     1O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad,
And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!

      2You have given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah.

      3For You meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a crown of fine gold on his head.

      4He asked life of You,
You gave it to him,
Length of days forever and ever.

      5His glory is great through Your salvation,
Splendor and majesty You place upon him.

      6For You make him most blessed forever;
You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

      7For the king trusts in the LORD,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.

      8Your hand will find out all your enemies;
Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

      9You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger;
The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath,
And fire will devour them.

      10Their offspring You will destroy from the earth,
And their descendants from among the sons of men.

      11Though they intended evil against You
And devised a plot,
They will not succeed.

      12For You will make them turn their back;
You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.

      13Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength;
We will sing and praise Your power.

David recognizes that even a king needs God. He is not deceived by worldly power to thinking that a king does not need God.

If this is true for a king in this world, than how much more so for the rest of us who have no such power or influence!

No matter what troubles or danger we face, God is sufficient to help us overcome it. We find true life and purpose in serving God. With God, we overcome death itself.

All we have in this world will be taken away from us… guaranteed. If not during our lives, then it is taken or lost when we die. We take nothing with us. Few things matter when we die…

  • Will we spend eternity in Heaven with God or in Hell, separated from God?
  • Have we lived for God and helped others to find genuine relationship with Him?
  • Will He tell us “Well done, good and faithful servant” or “Be gone, I knew you not”?

These are the questions that demand answers. God is gracious in that you have your entire life to prepare, but that opportunity ends when you die and few of us know when that will happen, so the matter is urgent.  Once you die it is too late to change the answers. All that is left is to accept the consequences… you will either have absolute joy or sorrow and suffering.

The good news is that each of us gets to choose! No one else chooses for us. The invitation is open to all.

God shows His love for us in this life and in the offer for eternal life through accepting Jesus as Lord. He became man, suffered, died, was buried and rose again so that we could be forgiven of the bad behaviors, thoughts, and actions in our lives and be reconciled to God. Have you turned away from your sin and asked God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ? Have you accepted Jesus as your savior?

Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness

May the Lord Answer You In the Day of Trouble

Psalm 20 provides an example of a righteous prayer for victory over enemies. I always appreciate the focus in Psalms on praising and honoring God and not just a focus on what we want.

Psalm 20

1May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!

2May He send you help from the sanctuary
And support you from Zion!

3May He remember all your meal offerings
And find your burnt offering acceptable!

4May He grant you your heart’s desires
And fulfill all your counsel!

5We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

6Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

7Some boast in chariots and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.

8They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.

9Save, O Lord;
May the King answer us in the day we call.

Surely all of us have times in our lives when we are facing enemies. They may sometimes be other people who want to come against us personally, or perhaps people who dislike or persecute all Christians, and we must always remain prepared as we face our greatest enemy, Satan.

David consistently calls for joy while he prays for God’s help. He highlights victory as if it has already been achieved. It is not that God has already answered… it is because David trusts God completely. Even while he still experiences the difficult situations and still faces the enemy, David knows that God will answer.

When we come before God is prayer, asking humbly His help, let us remember to rejoice in knowing our loving Creator is in control and He hears our voice. As with David, as we petition God, let us also realize that He will answer. It may not always be how we expect, or when we expect,  but God will hear and answer righteous prayer.

To learn more about righteous prayer, study our teaching Learning to Pray Effectively.

All Powerful / King of All, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness

The Lord Is My Rock, My Fortress, and My Savior

Psalm 18 is a psalm of David, a man after God’s own heart. He sang this song to God on the day God rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. This psalm encourages us that we can count on God’s help to overcome those who persecute us. The victory will not always be with a sword, but sometimes it will be and we will need to wield it properly to defend ourselves and God will help us. We can find refuge in the Lord.

Psalm 18

1 I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies.

4 The ropes of death entangled me;
    floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
    death laid a trap in my path.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth quaked and trembled.
    The foundations of the mountains shook;
    they quaked because of his anger.
8 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
    fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
    Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
9 He opened the heavens and came down;
    dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew,
    soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
    veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.
12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him
    and rained down hail and burning coals.[c]
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded
    amid the hail and burning coals.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
    great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused.
15 Then at your command, O Lord,
    at the blast of your breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
    and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
    but the Lord supported me.
19 He led me to a place of safety;
    he rescued me because he delights in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
    he restored me because of my innocence.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
22 I have followed all his regulations;
    I have never abandoned his decrees.
23 I am blameless before God;
    I have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
    He has seen my innocence.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
    to those with integrity you show integrity.
26 To the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
27 You rescue the humble,
    but you humiliate the proud.
28 You light a lamp for me.
    The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall.

30 God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
31 For who is God except the Lord?
    Who but our God is a solid rock?
32 God arms me with strength,
    and he makes my way perfect.
33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
    he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
35 You have given me your shield of victory.
    Your right hand supports me;
    your help[d] has made me great.
36 You have made a wide path for my feet
    to keep them from slipping.

37 I chased my enemies and caught them;
    I did not stop until they were conquered.
38 I struck them down so they could not get up;
    they fell beneath my feet.
39 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
    you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40 You placed my foot on their necks.
    I have destroyed all who hated me.
41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.
    They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind.
    I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
43 You gave me victory over my accusers.
    You appointed me ruler over nations;
    people I don’t even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
    foreign nations cringe before me.
45 They all lose their courage
    and come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
    May the God of my salvation be exalted!
47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
    he subdues the nations under me
48     and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
    you save me from violent opponents.
49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
    I will sing praises to your name.
50 You give great victories to your king;
    you show unfailing love to your anointed,
    to David and all his descendants forever.

It is obvious that David experienced real persecution and fear for his life. Yet still he tried to live according to God’s instruction. He refused to reject God. I am greatly encouraged by David in that he consistently turned to God at his lowest and most difficult times in his life. His faith was greatest when his situation was most urgent.

Many of us face true persecution or other trials and difficulties. We must never turn away from God because of our circumstances lest we perish, but when we trust in Him and serve Him we will not perish even should we lose the earthly battle. God made a way for us to be reconciled with Him through the death of Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as Lord and savior, believe He died for us, was buried, and rose again, and repent from our sins asking God to come into our hearts as Lord we find salvation through Christ.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.