#c psalmist

[quibbs126]

This is one hell of a screen, I love it

[psalmonesermons]

Unanswered Prayer Part 3/4

How to avoid your prayers being unanswered

In Parts 1 and 2 we discussed four possible reasons that some of our prayers might appear to go unanswered. The possible reasons were 1) being out of fellowship with the Lord 2) God has said no because your prayer was not his will 3) Lack of unity between persons and 4) A delay in the answer to your prayer.

We are now going to consider, based on our four possible reasons, how we can avoid getting into the position where our prayers might be unanswered.

1) Keep in fellowship with the Lord, this includes keeping short accounts with God in terms of sin. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Do not think about or dwell on anything that is inherently sinful, think about things are good, and pure and honest. We should keep his commandments, there are only 4 main ones in the New Testament a) Love the Lord your God with all…, b) love your neighbour as yourself, c) love one another as I have loved you. How did Jesus love us? … unto death. d) Also love your brother who can be seen.

King David, the sweet psalmist cried out to God in Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

2) Get to know the will of God better by studying your bible and by listening to good sermons and remember that when you pray, that it is a dialogue, and we should allow space and time for God to speak to you. Take good Christian counsel from your minister or other Christians that you trust. We must allow God to say no, for He knows better than us.

3) Unity: You husbands must treat your wives with honour, live together in a good and Godly atmosphere, treating her as joint heirs in the grace of life. This approach applies to all Christians as demonstrated by all the (n=46) ‘one another’ commandments such as in

1 Peter 1:22 (b) says ‘see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently’:

4) Delay in the answer, be persistent in prayer in case there is a battle in the heavens.

Ask the Lord if he has a bigger purpose in mind, sometimes God uses delays to strengthen our faith.

It took Elijah’s servant 7 visits to go up and watch for signs of the rain. Be patient, be obedient.

The late Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, whilst single, several times prayed that God would allow her to marry a certain man, but God said ‘no’ because he had someone better for her!

Parting thought: Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Maybe if God does not seem to answer our prayer, we need to do what is right anyway!

Amen

Closing Prayer

Reference materials.

CCF tapes BBS098 Roger Price Prayers of Faith (see additional resources section on this website).

Pete Greig, The Prayer Course Session 4

[mint-moon25]

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges10. The first two lines (cp. Psalm 62:9a, 11 a, b) are a rhythmical division of what is logically one sentence: put not vain trust in oppression and robbery.’ Do not rely, for you will only be deceived, upon wealth and material resources amassed by violence and wrong, instead of trusting in God (Psalm 62:8). It is a warning against the old temptation to follow might rather than right. ‘Oppression and robbery’ are often coupled. See Leviticus 6:2; Leviticus 6:4; Ezekiel 22:29; and cp. Isaiah 30:12.

if riches increase &c.] Lit. if riches grow, pay no regard. The Psalmist addresses those who were in danger of being tempted to covet the power which wealth brings, no matter what might be the means used for obtaining it. There are indications that social discontent was a factor in the momentary success of Absalom’s rebellion (Psalm 4:6).

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[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Mon Jan 13th, 2025 ... Monday of The First Week In Ordinary Time, Year C

Reading I

----------

Hebrews 1:1-6

Brothers and sisters:

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways 

to our ancestors through the prophets; 

in these last days, he spoke to us through the Son,     

whom he made heir of all things

and through whom he created the universe,

    who is the refulgence of his glory, 

        the very imprint of his being,

    and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

    When he had accomplished purification from sins,

    he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

    as far superior to the angels

    as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say:

    You are my Son; this day I have begotten you?

Or again:

    I will be a father to him, and he shall be a Son to me?

And again, when he leads the first born into the world, he says:

    Let all the angels of God worship him.

Responsorial Psalm

--------‐-------

Psalm 97:1 and 2b, 6 and 7c, 9

R.    (see 7c) Let all his angels worship him.

The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;

    let the many isles be glad.

    Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. 

R.    Let all his angels worship him.

The heavens proclaim his justice,

    and all peoples see his glory.

Let all his angels worship him.

R.    Let all his angels worship him.

Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,

    exalted far above all gods.

R.    Let all his angels worship him.

Alleluia

-------

Mark 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Kingdom of God is at hand;

repent and believe in the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

---------

Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested,

Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:

“This is the time of fulfillment.

The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,

he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;

they were fishermen.

Jesus said to them,

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Then they left their nets and followed him.

He walked along a little farther

and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.

They too were in a boat mending their nets.

Then he called them.

So they left their father Zebedee in the boat

along with the hired men and followed him.

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

As I prepare this January 13th reflection, I am writing at the time of year when many of us draft our personal resolutions for a new year . . . so I had that in mind as I read the Scriptures for this reflection.  For me, this year, my resolutions relate to the question, “what should my life’s purpose be?”  There is a line in a song I like that states “the purpose of life is to live a life filled with purpose,” and today’s readings bring to mind that, for those of us who are Christians, the purpose that should fill our lives is to worship and follow God.

So in that context, here are some of the resolutions I am making for 2025:

Live so that I reflect God in my life.  Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Christ is the refulgence of His glory, the very imprint of His being.  I confess that the word “refulgence” was unfamiliar to me.  I looked at a couple dictionaries for definitions – bright, shining, radiant – and then I looked at other Bible translations to see how they render this verse.  The Amplified version offers the fullest:  The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s [a]Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence.

Rejoice in the truth that the Lord is King!  The Psalmist decares The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice! (Psalm 97:1)  My pessimistic nature often leads me away from being joyful or delighted, which means I miss the full gift of God’s joy and delight.  In my self-centeredness, I too often fail to recognize God as sovereign in all aspects of my life.  Too often I am a spectator, when I should be joining with the angels and all of creation to worship God.

Turn from sin and toward God.  Our Alleluia verse, taken from today’s Gospel reading, commands us to repent and believe in the Gospel. (Mark 1:15)  I sometimes find the repentance part of that sentence particularly difficult.  Repentance is more than just feeling regret, also more than asking forgiveness.  Those things I don’t find too problematic.  It is the last bit, though, where my heart and mind must change so that I stop repeating certain sins.  For example, I know the commands “Do not worry” and “Do not be afraid;” but my default has been to worry and fear instead of placing my trust in God.  So I will ask for the grace to trust and to change.

Follow better.  Mark 1 tells us that when Jesus called, Andrew, Simon, James and John immediately dropped everything to follow.  They prioritized following Jesus over work and familial responsibilities.  Too often I have been ready to follow on my own terms, willing to do what Jesus calls when it did not conflict with my other plans.  In fact, I may not even have listened for Jesus calling until after finishing work and taking some “me” time in front of the television.   My song for 2025 will be Lead Me, Lord and I will follow.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Hilary of Poitiers’

(c. 315 – c. 368)

Saint Hilary of Poitiers’ Story

This staunch defender of the divinity of Christ was a gentle and courteous man, devoted to writing some of the greatest theology on the Trinity, and was like his Master in being labeled a “disturber of the peace.” In a very troubled period in the Church, his holiness was lived out in both scholarship and controversy. He was bishop of Poitiers in France.

Raised a pagan, he was converted to Christianity when he met his God of nature in the Scriptures. His wife was still living when he was chosen, against his will, to be the bishop of Poitiers in France. He was soon taken up with battling what became the scourge of the fourth century, Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ.

The heresy spread rapidly. Saint Jerome said “The world groaned and marveled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all the bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, the great defender of the faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia. Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.”

While writing in exile, he was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a council the emperor called to counteract the Council of Nicea. But Hilary predictably defended the Church, and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians, dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the emperor to send this troublemaker back home. Hilary was welcomed by his people.

Reflection

Christ said his coming would bring not peace but a sword (see Matthew 10:34). The Gospels offer no support for us if we fantasize about a sunlit holiness that knows no problems. Christ did not escape at the last moment, though he did live happily ever after—after a life of controversy, problems, pain and frustration. Hilary, like all saints, simply had more of the same.

•

***

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[rosaliachristian]

Good day brothers and sisters.  It’s been a hard week for many people.  Many people have lost their homes to fire.  Many people are getting new leaders to their countries, let alone the USA.  There are so many changes on the horizon.  There’s one thing that hasn’t changed; that’s the Lord.  He’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  What’s changed is how many view Him.  Let’s see what the Smart Book has to say today;

Psalm 29 Amplified Bible

The Voice of the Lord in the Storm.

A Psalm of David.

29 [a]Ascribe to the Lord, O [b]sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty and majesty of His holiness [as the creator and source of holiness].

3  The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters. 4  The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; Yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6  He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox. 7  The voice of the Lord rakes flames of fire (lightning). 8  The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9  The voice of the Lord [c]makes the doe labor and give birth And strips the forests bare; And in His temple all are saying, “Glory!”

10  The Lord sat as King at the flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever. 11  The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Footnotes

Psalm 29:1 This psalm has been called “The Song of the Thunderstorm,” a glorious psalm of praise sung during an earthshaking tempest which reminds the psalmist of the time of Noah and the deluge (see v 10).

Psalm 29:1 The ancient rabbis interpreted this as referring to the patriarchs. Today many scholars regard this as a reference to God’s angels.

Psalm 29:9 Or makes the oaks shake.

The Song of the Thunderstorm could be the Song of the Firestorm too.  The Lord is on His throne.   Many people have forgotten that fact.  They think He’s off somewhere in the distance, complacent and non-caring.  No He was there in the midst of the storm.  God used water to destroy the earth in the time of Noah.  In the future he’s going to use fire.  Everything is going to burn up in His cleansing fire.

We need to remember that He is King forever.  We think of God when there is some great need that we have, but leave Him on the back burner the rest of the time, because we’ve got it, we’re good.  No, we aren’t good.  We need Him every day, every minute of the day.  We especially need to think of Him as our King on His throne.  He is majestic and mighty.  We need to fall on our faces when we are in His presence.  Because He is King, He will bless His people with peace.

The Lord bless and keep you, His Face shine upon you,

Chaplain Loehne

[yhwhrulz]

Today's Daily Encounter Friday, January 10, 2025

We Won’t Be Shaken

… Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands… Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.1

At times it feels as though the earth is shaking around us. Everything seems unstable and the uncertainty can lead to feelings of anxiety and insecurity. There is no novelty in the uncertain state of the world. Since Bible times, the people of God have often found themselves in difficult situations and many experienced the same fears and anxieties we feel.

The psalmist in today’s scripture discovered how to respond to these situations and not be shaken. It all begins with a change in our attitude and focus. When we obsess on the worries, problems, and uncertainties around us, fear and anxiety are almost inevitable responses. However, when we change our focus to God, spend time in His Word, and draw closer to Him through prayer and worship, He calms our fear and replaces it with hope and peace.

When we live free from fear, trusting the Lord and being steadfast in Him, we can give freely to those around us and be ready to serve God where needed.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, fear and anxiety are common responses that often times sneak in when times get tough. Help me trust you always, knowing that the heart of the righteous is secure in you. I can stand strong and not be shaken because you are my Lord. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.Psalm 112:1, 6-8 (NIV).

Today's Encounter was written by: Crystal B.

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ, please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

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When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2005-2023 ACTS International

[trustfallwithgod]

The last ramblings

the majority of people do not identify with God as their Father. They relate to Him as something other than sons. 

yet, Jesus taught us to refer to God as "Our FATHER" and more accurately and intimately so, as: Abba. Servants suffer from performance-anxiety. Even friends may worry thinking they have to pound on doors in the middle of the night merely to borrow something (Lk 11:5). But sons need not worry, for our “heavenly Father knows we need all these things” (Mt 6:32). Our Father – not our master nor our friend – delights to give good gifts to those who ask Him (Mt 7:11). 

Sons have an expectation of intimacy that servants and friends do not enjoy. 

If you’re still having trouble wrapping your head around this, look to Jesus. Did Jesus describe God as His (a) Master, (b) Friend, or (c) Father? Under the obsolete law covenant, God was Master. Under the Abrahamic covenant, God is our Friend. But under the new covenant in Jesus’ blood, God relates to us as our Father!

When you have a revelation of your sonship, it will change the way you pray. You will pray for the smallest things, because if it matters to you it matters to Him. But you will also ask Him for big things, because God has promised you the nations. 

but what happens when experiences proves otherwise?

As Christians, most of us rightly trust God to prosper us and not harm us, and to provide and protect us. That’s what scripture says and that’s what preachers preach. So when something bad happens to us – usually someone doing something bad or even evil where we become the victim – we naturally ask why God didn’t protect us as He said He would. Pastorally, this is a tricky space to live in and one in which it is easy to lose trust or even blame God for our circumstances.

intellectually, in a fallen world, we know that "God didn't protect us" isn’t true. But emotionally we say to ourselves, “Yes, but God allowed it, so He is someone I can’t trust, because He allows me to get hurt.” 

how do you regain trust with God when you feel as if He’s complicit in your pain? Psalm 77 gives a hint that we aren't alone in this sentiment because at some point, David's mere thought of the Lord, made him groan. It's an understandable reaction since the darkness of present circumstances cause you to have cognitive dissonance about a God you know to be good but doesn't feel like He is being very good at the moment.

Father, all powerful and ever living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks and praise.

ideally, when our hearts are broken we need to go to the person who created our hearts. When our souls are in distress, we need to go the person who gave us our souls. but...

Broken heart; tired body. all you are left with is the rawness of “God, You lied to me!” I know this because there are three/four churches in singapore where you will find tear stains on the pews. (for some reason my tears bleach the wood). Psalm 6:6 “I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.”

In Romans it says:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  (Romans 8:31 ESV)

And the Psalmist wrote:

Then my enemies will turn back     in the day when I call.     This I know, that God is for me (Psalm 56:9 ESV).

He wants the best for me, even if it feels uncomfortable at the time because it’s not what I wanted or what seemed easy or appealing.

He knows what’s truly good and what I truly need, and that’s what He’s going to be doing in my life, directing, guiding, pausing, saying “no,” and saying “yes.” but the reality is, you cannot brute force sentiment like  “no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly”  (Psalm 84:11 ESV). In fact, "taste and see, that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8) and "I will see goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13) are pretty bold exhortations of literal expectations of God's goodness. So we can infer that these writings inspired by the Holy Spirit, point to the Lord's own admittance that we aren't expected to blindly believe in His goodness without evidence.

But ultimately, when left alone in God's waiting room... and with nothing to prove otherwise... what are we meant to believe?

Anyone who has read the Scriptures knows that although Job had great faith in Jehovah God before his trials, he said that he had heard of Him by the hearing of the ear. Later, after seeing Jehovah God’s appearance, he said his eyes saw Him. This is the effect God’s work has achieved through allowing him to undergo trials, which is to say, through God’s consignment of him to Satan, and then through God’s salvation.

[deaconwords]

Finding God

In our reading from Job this morning we hear Job experiencing God’s absence. Hear his words, first in verse 3:

3

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

that I might come even to his dwelling!

Then in verses 8 and 9:

8

“If I go forward, he is not there;

or backward, I cannot perceive him;

9

on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;

I turn[c] to the right, but I cannot see him.

And in today’s psalm we hear in verse 1:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress?

And again in verse 11:

Be not far from me for trouble is near, and there is none to help.

Both Job and the psalmist are lamenting God’s absence. Where O where is God?

Have you ever experienced this? God’s absence? A powerful sense of being all alone, abandoned, forsaken?

In today’s Gospel lesson, a rich young man comes to Jesus. He has followed all the commandments throughout his life but knows, somehow, that he lacks something. Like Job and the psalmist he senses that something is missing. God (or the Eternal) is absent from his life. What must he do to find God? Where must he look?

Thirty years ago, I was in a dark place. Dark places often bring to light God’s absence. Both my parents and my brother had recently died. I had uprooted myself from my home state of California. My wife was divorcing me and I was without stable employment. As a broken man I found myself on my knees one night praying for help. And after pouring out my failures and lost dreams I felt God’s presence. I experienced God as a powerful force of unconditional love. It was amazing.

Shortly after the experience, I began attending Christ Church Cathedral. And to my great joy the same sense of unconditional love I had experienced on my knees that late night I sensed in this House of God. At least, until one particular Sunday.

On that day I arrived expectant. God would be there, I thought. After all, I had returned to church, a place I had abandoned some years before to live a completely secular life. But on this day I felt God’s absence, not God’s presence. What gives? I questioned.

I sat in the pew and became angry. I had turned my life around because of God. Where was God? Like Job I hadn’t done anything wrong. I was holding up my end of the deal. Where was God? God’s not being present, I thought, was unjust. I sat and stewed. I wanted to give God a piece of my mind but couldn’t find God anywhere.

I listened to the readings and then the sermon. No God to be found. Then, Dean Wolf began the Liturgy of the Table. I stood and got into line to move forward to receive communion. I was graced with a softening heart. I began to realize how foolish I was acting. Who was I to be making demands of the God of the Universe? Who was I to say where God was to spend God’s mornings? How could I know if God wasn’t giving me just what I needed by being absent? Who was I to limit God in being God?

Indeed, by the time I arrived at the front of the line I had become completely humbled. I had let go of my demands and expectations. I had let go of my need to validate myself through argument. I had become empty. And right then, I held out my hands and received the host. Consuming it I felt the powerful presence of God. Suddenly, God was present. As I drank from the cup I became aware of Christ’s intimate presence.

Now, make no mistake, God had been present throughout my whole ordeal. I had simply been unable to find God due to my demanding God be other than who God is, the independent, all powerful sustainer of all things. When I returned to myself, a wholly dependent being of God's creation, clear vision and awareness was reestablished.

It would seem that there are three states in which we can find ourselves. We can feel God’s presence. We can feel God’s absence. And, we can go through life oblivious to either God’s presence or God’s absence.

Jesus tells the young man who desires eternal life to give up his possessions and knowing that he cannot free himself of them he walks away dejected. Jesus tells his disciples, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The disciples ask, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus responds, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God.”

We cannot save ourselves. God alone can do that. We have only to get out of our own way and allow God to be God. Amen.

—Offered at St. George’s Episcopal Church on 10-13-2024

[focr]

The dew of his youth...

Press on to know the blessed mysteries of the gospel as the food of your soul; press on to know the Son of God, not only as a crucified man, not only as sweating blood in Gethsemane's garden, and agonizing on Calvary's tree; but press on to know him as the exalted God-man Mediator at the right hand of the Father, ever living to make intercession, able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him; and press on to enjoy him as your living Head, distilling into you as a living member of his mystical body, what the Psalmist calls, "the dew of his youth;" that is, the fruits of his resurrection, ascension and glorification, as manifested by the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. Press onward to know the power of the precious gospel you profess, to enjoy it more in your soul, and to manifest its reality more in your conduct, your conversation, and your life. ~ J. C. Philpot

[tomthomasblog]

Finding Strength in the Hills: A Guide to Psalm 121:1-2

Imagine you're on a long, challenging journey, facing countless obstacles and uncertainties. Where do you turn for help? For many Christians, the answer lies in a powerful and timeless passage from the Bible: Psalm 121:1-2. These verses remind us to look beyond our immediate troubles and focus on the ultimate source of strength and guidance—our Creator.

Lifting Our Eyes to the Hills

When the Psalmist says, "I will lift my eyes to the hills," he's not just talking about ordinary hills. He's referring to the mountains that symbolize the divine realm, where God's power and presence are palpable. Lifting our eyes is more than just a physical gesture; it's a metaphor for shifting our focus from the earthly troubles that often overwhelm us to the heavenly aid that can rescue us.

Acknowledging God's Omnipotence

The question "From whence cometh my help?" is quickly followed by a bold declaration: "My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." Here lies the core of this passage's power. It reminds us that our help comes from the Creator who made the heavens and the earth. This is no ordinary helper; this is the all-powerful God with unlimited resources and power.

Building Confidence and Humility

Understanding that our help comes from such a mighty God builds incredible confidence in His ability to assist us in any situation. It's almost humorous to think that if God can create the entire universe, He can handle our everyday problems. This realization fosters humility, reminding us that our strength and wisdom are not enough to navigate life's challenges independently. Instead, we must depend on God, trusting His guidance and provision.

A Deeper Relationship with God

We foster a deeper relationship with Him by lifting our eyes to the hills and acknowledging God's omnipotence. This truth can transform how we navigate daily life. It encourages us to seek God's help in all our lives, whether facing minor annoyances or significant crises. When we trust in God's provision and guidance, we experience His presence more profoundly, feeling His hand at every step of our journey.

Practical Application

So, how can we apply this to our daily lives? Here are a few tips:

Shift Your Focus

When you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to "lift your eyes to the hills" and reflect on God's power and presence.

Depend on God

Recognize that your strength and wisdom are limited and that genuine help comes from God.

Trust in His Guidance

Have faith that God is always watching over you, guiding you through the ups and downs of life.

In a world filled with uncertainties and challenges, Psalm 121:1-2 serves as a powerful reminder of where our true strength lies. We build confidence, humility, and a deeper relationship with Him by lifting our eyes to the hills and acknowledging God's omnipotence. This truth can transform how we face life's challenges, helping us to trust more fully in God's guidance and provision.

=======================

The Scripture Collection A compilation of 20 uplifting music videos inspired by a different Bible scripture. First Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv1XEZzrCvE Second Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucV8yJIEsvc

=======================

Website: https://bwpub.net/

The lyrics to today's song are based on three different genres of Psalm 121:1-2.

70's rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZi6zj13Bkk 80's Rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-Lp2Y18YCA Techno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-EvqSM2_6I

[christophe76460]

LA PRÉSENCE DE DIEU DANS LA VIE

D'après un partage de M Haldemann

La présence de Dieu ne se limite pas (et ne s'imite pas) à un instant d'émotion extraordinaire, bien qu'elle bouleverse notre être intérieur et nous transforme dans nos pensées, nos sentiments et nos actions à l'image de Christ.

Être chrétien c'est être dans la présence de Dieu tous les jours de notre vie en attendant la bienheureuse espérance d'être avec Lui pour toujours. (Cf. 1 Thessaloniciens 4:17)

La présence de Dieu, ça se voit !

"En ce temps-là, Abimélec, accompagné de Picol, chef de son armée, parla ainsi à Abraham: Dieu est avec toi dans tout ce que tu fais." Genèse 21:22

La présence de Dieu marque une différence dans la vie des croyants, ceux qui ne connaissent pas Dieu reconnaissent cette différence.

La présence de Dieu nous fait faire des exploits !

"Nul ne tiendra devant toi, tant que tu vivras. Je serai avec toi, comme j'ai été avec Moïse; je ne te délaisserai point, je ne t'abandonnerai point." Josué 1:5

Quand l'esprit de Dieu est présent dans nos vies, nous pouvons être plus fort et plus courageux pour faire face à l'adversité.

"L'ange de l'Eternel lui apparut, et lui dit : L'Eternel est avec toi, vaillant héros!"Juges 6:12

Cette force dont il est question, c'est la présence de Dieu ! Lorsque Dieu est avec nous, nous pouvons faire des choses extraordinaires. Selon les mots du psalmiste : "Avec Dieu, nous ferons des exploits!" Psaume 60:14

Ce qui transforme, ce qui change, ce qui fait la différence, ce n'est pas notre expérience, notre formation, notre assurance mais la présence de Dieu. Tant et si bien que Dieu a choisi les choses folles du monde, pour confondre les sages; et les choses faibles du monde, pour confondre les fortes. Nos différences dans notre position, nos capacités ou notre histoire ne font pas grand chose, ce qui fait la différence c'est la présence de Dieu.

Quand Dieu est avec toi...

"Je te rendrai pour ce peuple comme une forte muraille d'airain; Ils te feront la guerre, mais ils ne te vaincront pas; Car je serai avec toi pour te sauver et te délivrer, dit l'Eternel." Jérémie 15:20

Peu importe si tous sont contre toi, ce qui compte, c'est que Dieu est avec toi.

N'aies pas peur si tu dois passer par les eaux, traverser les fleuves ou marcher dans le feu car Lui-même sera avec toi, l'Eternel ton Dieu, ton sauveur.

Aussi, veillons sur nos cœurs en étant toujours conscient de la valeur inestimable de sa présence dans nos vies, à l'instar de David qui priait dans une démarche de repentance après s'être éloigné de Dieu : "Ne me renvoie pas loin de ta présence, ne me reprends pas ton Esprit saint." Psaumes 51:13

Car la seule chose qui compte vraiment dans ma vie, c'est la présence de Dieu. Amen

Ton amour, ta puissance, ta présence dans ma vie : https://youtu.be/yGewbVshU-c?si=1b1Q7FbHkX_PQmgX

[theprayerfulword]

July 22

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Psalm 51:1 The psalmist wrote, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 56:3 The psalmist wrote, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Isaiah 44:22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

May you continue wholeheartedly as a servant in the ways of God, for He will keep His covenant of love with you, since there is no God like the God of Israel in heaven or on earth; with His mouth He has promised it and with His hand He will fulfill it. 2 Chronicles 6

May your prayers and supplications to the Lord be heard day and night and, for His Name's sake, answered with mercy and forgiveness. 2 Chronicles 6

When neighbors take offense and bring accusation against you, may the Lord hear you from heaven, repaying the guilty and establishing the innocent. 2 Chronicles 6

When the enemy attacks and gains the upper hand, may you make supplication with repentance before the Lord Who will hear from heaven, cleanse all sin, and re-establish you in His victory and authority. 2 Chronicles 6

When the Spirit is silent and there is no blessing, may you confess His Name, and turn back to the Lord in contrition, for He will hear and forgive, teaching you the right way to live and send the rain of the Spirit once again, for you are His inheritance. 2 Chronicles 6

When trials, troubles, and tribulations arrive, whatever disaster or disease may come, may you make your prayer and plea to God, spreading your hands toward Him and confessing your afflictions and pains, for He is righteous and just, full of mercy and grace, hearing with forgiveness, dealing with each person according to all he does, for He alone knows the hearts of men, and teaching you to fear God and walk in all His ways. 2 Chronicles 6

When you are in a battle against principalities and powers, fighting wickedness in high places, waging war against the powers of the air, may your prayer to God and in His Name be heard and answered from heaven, upholding His cause. 2 Chronicles 6

When you stumble, and all of us do, may you pray to the Father in repentance with confession, turning back to God with all your heart and soul, for then He will hear from His dwelling place and uphold your cause, forgiving your trespass. 2 Chronicles 6

May you be clothed with salvation and rejoice in God's goodness as the Lord arises and comes to His resting place with the ark of His might, for He will not reject His anointed one, remembering the great love He promised to His servant. 2 Chronicles 6

May your prayers be heard by God and open the doors of heaven for fire to come down, consuming the offerings and sacrifices you have laid out before Him as His glory fills the temple, and the Lord receives the worship. 2 Chronicles 7

May God's people, who are called by His Name, humble themselves and pray, seeking His face and turning from their wicked ways, so that God will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7

Do you seek to hear My voice, My child? Does your heart yearn to dwell in My sanctuary? Does your soul hunger to know My presence? I have said that he who has clean hands, and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false nor sworn deceitfully, that is the one who may ascend into the hill of the Lord and stand in My holy place, receiving a blessing and vindication from Me. Does your heart condemn you, My dear one? Is hope ebbing from your soul as you look at only the transgressions of the last week, or merely the last day? I, the One who created your heart, have more authority than your heart, and I know the intentions of your spirit as you attempt to be obedient to what I have shown you. I see your struggles, and I know your strength is not up to the task. Only One among all who have walked the earth in flesh has hands clean to qualify and a heart pure to stand before Me, though all mankind, since they are created in My image, desires to know their Creator. Do you rejoice to behold My Son? Does your spirit leap when My Spirit reveals the redemption bought by the sacrifice of the Lamb? Does your heart bow in humility to acknowledge your need and receive the free gift of reconciliation? Look upon the Captain of your salvation, so filled with love for you that it demands action of Him, even His death on the cross; so filled with sorrow at your sin that bloody sweat falls to the ground from every pore. Consider what He experienced on the cross if you would be freed of the burden of your troubles. Gaze at the wounds of His body and, through them, let the wounds of your heart and mind, and then body, be healed. Realize the depth of the humiliation and shame that He endured and, once you understand it was because of the value He places on you, then rise with the dignity of a child of God, showing respect for your Lord's evaluation of your true worth, and walk in the assurance of His love and compassion for you, facing life today without fear.

May you know that as you allow the Spirit of Christ to dwell in you and Christ to reign over you, the power of sin to control you is broken. Romans 7

May you walk in the understanding that the influence of sin which dwells in your flesh is not ruling over you any more than dwelling in a city gives you rule over it, but by yielding to the saving and redeeming power of Christ you bring each thought and argument into subjection to the authority of Christ. Romans 7

May you continue to strive in the effectual power of the Spirit of God and the strengthening truth of the Word of God to resist, and to stand against the promptings of the flesh and influences of the carnal mind. Romans 7

May your earnest desire to obey the Lord draw you closer to Him while He purifies your heart and mind, allowing you to see more clearly the true repugnance of the evil and, for the love of the Savior, more willingly turn from it. Romans 7

May you realize that though you no longer serve your old master, the law of sin, which continually wars against the law of your mind, now cleansed and renewed by the Spirit of Christ, yet still you are unable, even at your best, to free yourself from it. Therefore regularly and frequently give humble and fervent thanks to God for Christ, your Deliverer, Who is your atonement and righteousness. For then, He will lift you into His freedom and give you His victory moment by moment while you depend on Him. Romans 7

May you always rejoice and be glad that through the Spirit of God, the law of love is written on your heart, and though the righteousness of the law is not fulfilled by you, yet it is, by God's grace, fulfilled in you that God may receive the glory. Romans 8

May you love the Lord with all your strength, for He is your rock, your fortress and your deliverer, in Whom you take refuge, your shield and the strength of your salvation, your stronghold. When you call to God, Who is worthy of all praise, He saves you from your enemies. Psalm 18

May you call to the Lord and cry to your God for help when you are in distress, for from His temple, He will hear your voice and your cry will come before Him. Since you know that He hears you, you also know that He will give you what you ask for. Psalm 18, 1 John 5

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Tue July 23rd, 2024 ... Tuesday of The Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1 

-------------

MI 7:14-15, 18-20

Shepherd your people with your staff,

the flock of your inheritance,

That dwells apart in a woodland,

in the midst of Carmel.

Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,

as in the days of old;

As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,

show us wonderful signs.Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt

and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;

Who does not persist in anger forever,

but delights rather in clemency,

And will again have compassion on us,

treading underfoot our guilt?

You will cast into the depths of the sea

all our sins;

You will show faithfulness to Jacob,

and grace to Abraham,

As you have sworn to our fathers

from days of old.

Responsorial Psalm

---------------

PS 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (8a) Lord, show us your mercy and love.

You have favored, O LORD, your land;

you have brought back the captives of Jacob.

You have forgiven the guilt of your people;

you have covered all their sins.

You have withdrawn all your wrath;

you have revoked your burning anger. 

R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.

Restore us, O God our savior,

and abandon your displeasure against us.

Will you be ever angry with us,

prolonging your anger to all generations?

R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.

Will you not instead give us life;

and shall not your people rejoice in you?

Show us, O LORD, your kindness,

and grant us your salvation. 

R. Lord, show us your mercy and love.

Alleluia 

--------

JN 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever loves me will keep my word,

and my Father will love him

and we will come to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

----------

MT 12:46-50

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,

his mother and his brothers appeared outside,

wishing to speak with him.

Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,

asking to speak with you.”

But he said in reply to the one who told him,

“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,

“Here are my mother and my brothers.

For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father

is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

Saint Peter once said that he had written a letter to remind us of important things. The readings for today do this. No great theological insights are required; the readings simply tell us what kind of God we have.

First, the prophet Micah:

God is our Shepherd.

He shows wonderful signs.

Removes guilt.

Pardons sin.

Does not persist in anger.

Delights in clemency.

Has compassion.

Treads underfoot our guilt.

Casts our sins into the depths of the sea.

Shows faithfulness.

Shows grace.

The psalmist:

Favored us.

Brought back the captives.

Forgiven the guilt of his people.

Covered all our sins.

Withdrawn all of his wrath.

Revoked his burning anger.

Jesus:

Accepted us into his family: “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Bridget of Sweden

(c. 1303 – July 23, 1373)

Saint Bridget of Sweden’s Story

From age 7 on, Bridget had visions of Christ crucified. Her visions formed the basis for her activity—always with the emphasis on charity rather than spiritual favors.

She lived her married life in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II. Mother of eight children—the second eldest was Saint Catherine of Sweden—Bridget lived the strict life of a penitent after her husband’s death.

Bridget constantly strove to exert her good influence over Magnus; while never fully reforming, he did give her land and buildings to found a monastery for men and women. This group eventually expanded into an Order known as the Bridgetines.

In 1350, a year of jubilee, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Although she never returned to Sweden, her years in Rome were far from happy, being hounded by debts and by opposition to her work against Church abuses.

A final pilgrimage to the Holy Land, marred by shipwreck and the death of her son, Charles, eventually led to her death in 1373. In 1999, Bridget, Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, were named co-patronesses of Europe.

Reflection

-----------

Bridget’s visions, rather than isolating her from the affairs of the world, involved her in many contemporary issues, whether they be royal policy or the years that the legitimate Bishop of Rome lived in Avignon, France. She saw no contradiction between mystical experience and secular activity, and her life is a testimony to the possibility of a holy life in the marketplace.

Saint Bridget of Sweden is a Patron Saint of:

Europe

***

【Build your Faith in Christ Jesus on #dailyscripturereadingsgroup 📚: +256 751 540 524 .. Whatsapp】

[lennart11412]

New King James Version Par ▾ 

David’s Last Words

1Now these are the last words of David.

Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. 3The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. 4And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’

5“Although my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase? 6But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands. 7But the man who touches them Must be [a]armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

David’s Mighty Men

8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: [b]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among [c]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9And after him was Eleazar the son of [d]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. 11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

13Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

18Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of [e]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

20Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, [f]who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21And he killed an Egyptian, [g]a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.

24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33Shammah the [h]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35[i]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

[yhwhrulz]

Today'S Daily Encounter Tuesday, August 27, 2024

We Are Never Alone

"I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me."1

The Lord Jesus used to go away alone occasionally, leaving even His disciples behind. We could interpret this as his period of recharge, when he renewed himself after the intensity of his ministry. But the purpose of the Lord Jesus was not really to be alone, but to find a space to meet his Father. For Him (and for us), that is the true offering of solitude: a silence that allows us to hear God's voice.

We live in a world saturated with noise, so finding solitude is essential. However, we should not take it for granted, not if we pursue the kind of solitude that the Lord Jesus sought. The psalmist writes, "Where shall I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7-8). The answer is nowhere. And this is good. Wherever you try to escape from God, high, low, and anywhere in between, God is there. And he is not only present, but also involved: "Even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me" (Psalm 139:10).

Many people want time to focus on themselves, in other words, "me time." But, as Christians, we should look for the kind of solitude that eliminates distractions and creates a space to encounter the Lord.

Suggested Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that solitude gives us the space to hear your loving voice. In a world saturated with noise, I ask you to help me intentionally seek time and create a space to find myself alone and renew myself in your presence. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Psalms 139:7-10 (NLT).

Today's Encounter was written by: Rosina N.

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