Tag: God

Endless Possibilities

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

“[F]or with God all things are possible.”

~ Mark 10:27b

This verse is the summum bonum of the Christian’s hope. Hidden deep in the truth of these seven little words is the greatest treasures of the Lord. Here lies the key that unlocks the power, glory and love of the living God – with Him all things are possible! There is no trial too great nor petition too small that God cannot affect. Nothing stays His hand. No need goes unnoticed. With God every concern can be comforted, every affliction assuaged, and every trepidation tamed. The real question is: Do we believe it? Does our faith carry us to the sure arms of a strong God with whom all things are possible? Do you rest in the assurance of this truth as one who belongs to Him? May we experience the hope, grace and love of the God of all things.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Dear Jesus, may I take my every care and concern to You for in You lies all the grace, power and majesty of God to guide and strengthen m all my days. In Jesus’ name, amen.

For Your Good

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…”

~ Genesis 50:20

The story of Joseph’s rise to prominence in Egypt is filled with unlikely twists and turns. It begins when Joseph receives the covenant blessing of Jacob indicating his rise as the leader of God’s people, Israel. But because of the jealously and hatred of his brothers again him, Joseph’s life would take an unexpected turn towards violence, suffering, slavery and attempted murder.

Though his brother’s sought Joseph’s demise, he remained faithful to the Lord, and as a result, God favored and blessed him, even in a foreign land. Joseph rose to great power in Egypt. So that after the death of their father, and during a terrible famine, Joseph’s brothers went up to Egypt to plead for Joseph’s help. And oddly enough, Joseph was in the perfect place to assist.

What Joseph’s brother meant for evil against their brother, God meant for good. Their jealousy drove them to want to kill Joseph, to drive him away, and to prevent him from taking his rightful place as their leader. Yet God preserved Joseph and used him mightily despite them. Joseph remained faithful to God through it all and the Lord blessed him for it.

Sometimes everything can seem to be working against you. It can feel like God has let you go and the world is winning. Still remember, even in our darkest hour, God can bring good out of it. He can bring good out of pain, sorrow, and affliction. Maybe today you are in the pit of life, and like Joseph, with little reason to hope. Yet, be faithful; trust in the Lord. For what others mean for evil against you, your good and faithful God can mean ultimately for your good.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, when I feel the evils of this world pressing in on me and I can’t seem to grasp the meaning of it all, help me to know with a blessed assurance I’m still in Your hand and my goodness is You goal. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prevailing Prayers

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.”

~ J. Sidlow Baxter

Prayer Life Pause: Father, guide my prayers that they may effectually convey the beauty and perfection of Thy will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get Acquainted

~ A Prayer Life ~ 3 Comments

“Now acquaint yourself with God, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.”

~ Job 22:21

Job is encouraged here in our verse to get to know the God that he serves. Job was frustrated, confused, and anxious about his life, in part, because he didn’t understand how the Lord was using his circumstances to 1. better him and 2. bring glory to God. Getting to know God through Scripture, prayer and worship helps us to better understand and appreciate what the Lord is doing in our life and how He is even using the difficult circumstances we face for our good. Therefore, it is vitally important we make acquainting ourselves with God a priority in our life. Because when we do, goodness and peace is sure to follow.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, show Yourself to me anew and afresh that I might better becoming acquainted with You – my true source of all goodness and peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In Pure Abandonment

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“We should fix ourselves firmly in the presence of God by conversing all the time with Him…we should feed our soul with a lofty conception of God and from that derive great joy in being His. We should put life in our faith. We should give ourselves utterly to God in pure abandonment, in temporal and spiritual matters alike, and find contentment in the doing of His will…”

~ Brother Lawrence

Prayer Life Pause: Father, help me to put You first and foremost in my life so that I might live every breath and every moment for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God Will Answer

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“In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me”.

~ Psalm 86:7

A true believer can have the blessed assurance the Lord is there for them in times of trouble. One of the greatest comforts in Scripture is the idea that God provides for His people; that Jehovah Jireh, God Our Provider, furnishes the needs of those who will faithfully call upon Him in times of adversity, trouble or affliction.

Notice, in our verse today, the confidence the Psalmist displays is not because of himself. His assurance does not lie the astuteness of his prayer, or the correctness of his doctrine. The words of our prayers in times of trouble may not carry much eloquence or refinement of speech. But if they are issued with even the faith of a mustard seed, they can be lifted up with the same assurance of David when he declared, “You (God) will answer me”.

When we are faced with our own day of trouble is God the first place we turn for help? Is He a second choice, third choice, or even a last resort? Do you believe if you will but make God your refuge in times of adversity that you will find Him faithful, strong and true? May the troubled humbled heart take away from our passage today that if it will but call upon the Lord, He will be near you. God will answer.

~ apl

Healing The Heart

~ A Prayer Life ~ 6 Comments

“[The Lord] heals the brokenhearted…”

~ Psalm 147:3

My uncle used to have one of those gigantic tool boxes that affixed to the the bed of his pickup truck. That thing was stuffed full of every kind of tool you could ever think of. If you needed it, my uncle had it. In fact, he had an old saying. If you asked him if he had a hammer, saw, screwdriver or some odd tool you could borrow, he would smile and say, “I got a tool to fixed everything, but a broken heart”.

There are some things even the best made tools of man cannot fix. In Psalm 147, we see it is the Lord who is the divine repairer of broken hearts. He can and does heal us when we are sorrowful and in need of His loving grace. God is a source of supreme comfort and peace when all else fails. Though we might find some temporary solace in this world and through other “tools”, it is the Lord who promises, if we will but come to Him, He will heal our broken heart.

~ apl

Be A Nobody

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“God can achieve His purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or abandonment of reliance on them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on Him made possible the unique display of His power and grace. He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources.”

~ Oswald Chambers