Lord's Day Devotion - Devotional Prayer - Blessings & Prosperity

Heavenly Father blessed are all of us who fear You, who walk in Your ways because there will be blessing and prosperity upon us.  At least that's what we read in Psalm 128.  I find it very interesting to see what the author of that Psalm considered prosperity and blessing.  One was to have a fruitful wife; another to have sons; and still another, that in a person's old age, to be able to see their children's children.

Some children seem to be what you would call blessing and prosperity.  I even know an African gentleman by the name of "Blessing" and then many Chinese men have the name "Prosperity" (in Chinese).  However, how many people want You to pour blessing down from heaven so they can have what they consider a comfortable life without the encumbrances of children, but You LORD, You value children.

The Psalmist remarked that children seemed to know how to praise You better than adults do.  In the New Testament, the petulant religious leaders wanted to silence the people from praising You.  Jesus said that if that happened the rocks would cry out instead (Luke 19:40).  There were other remarks that "out of the mouths of babes and infants You have perfected  praise" and "established a stronghold" (Psalm 8 & Matthew 21:16)!   In still another passage Jesus admonishes His disciples for trying to prohibit mothers from bringing their little blessings to Jesus.  Jesus said,

"Suffer (or let) the little children come unto Me for of such is the kingdom of Heaven." (Mark 10:14 KJV).

There you see Jesus had the object lesson, that children were a blessing not a curse.  

In Proverbs, Father, Your word exhorts us to go to the ants and consider their ways and to be diligent and wise (Proverbs 6:6-11).  Lord in this case, direct us to the children and see how they praise You.  Sometimes they are so sweet to see as they sing their hearts out, with joy beaming from their faces, singing such songs as the all time favorite, "Yes, Jesus loves me!"

How sweet on their lips, this praise.

Very little guile.  Unadulterated, unmotivated  by thoughts of getting something back for all their passion.  This too, an object lesson for us adults.  This is blessing and prosperity for all.

Father, teach us to praise in such a way, in innocence, humbleness and integrity from the sincerity of our innermost beings, from our hearts and minds, that are in one accord.  As we rise from our beds each morning, go about our daily work routines, and then bed down once more at day's end, help us to praise You with all our hearts, souls, minds, will, and emotions, in communion with You.

As one Nancy Leigh DeMoss quotes one Charles Jefferson,

"Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies."

We can see many reasons to praise You.  The greatest mercy of all time was how and when Jesus bought our pardon.

On this Lord's Day, as we go to meet the Savior, together with others of Your children (except during this quarantine time, of course where we meet virtually):  our brothers and sisters - in - Christ, meeting to remember Your Son, Jesus' sacrifice for us and to give Him praise.  Let us give that unmitigated praise in child-like abandon.  May our sacrifices of praise be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord God.  

Partake then, of the bread; drink, of the cup, and so remember Him in His death and resurrection for us who gave us every reason to praise Him.

In Jesus Name may we have peace to praise.  We ask for Your blessings daily and we Your children bless You back; for we are Your inheritance, Your blessing and Your prosperity.

                                                         ~ERC  May 2020~

Prayer based on Psalm 128

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow

Prayer - Inheritance

Heavenly Father, I give thanks to You, my Lord and Maker; the God Who is the righteous Judge of all the earth.  Oh, Lord God, most high.  I give thanks to You because of Your righteousness and love, and that they endure forever; that love that is unconditional and unfailing.  I also thank-You because we do not need to fret; we  do not need to worry about what evil men may do to us or because of those who are envious of us. 

When they do wrong, we know that we can trust in You.  You are our faithful God.  We can trust in You because You do good and help us live in the land and enjoy safe pasture even amidst lifes' troubles.

May we always delight ourselves in You as we commit our way to you, as we trust in You, as we make You our righteousness.  Make Your righteousness shine upon us, like the dawn, as the sun rises, giving light and warmth.  Shine as the sky glows amber and deeper shades of orange, pinks, purples; mist rising up, refreshing dew upon the earth, know that we acknowledge You are still "in charge" of us, as you even arise up for us, like the sun, with your justice and righteousness.

Father, we come before you to "be still", to wait patiently before You.  When men succeed in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes against Your people, Lord, we wait patiently for You to help us.  We often feel that these kinds of troubles, when the wicked succeed, that it is not good for us.  However, in Romans 8:28 You say,

"...all things work together for our good..."

Thankfully, You don't say those things ARE good, rather, they WORK TOGETHER for our good; like a piece of embroidery.  Underneath are all the tied-off knots of thread.  It doesn't look so nice.  Nevertheless, the finished product on the "right" side, is a work of art and beauty.  You are "stitching" similarly  in our lives.

Help us to refrain from anger and to turn from our wrath because we know they lead to evil.  Let us to learn to forgive and bless those who persecute us.  Not an easy task Lord, especially when it may all have ruined our lives (Your children's) as we knew it.  

Homes, workplaces, businesses pillaged, burnt, destroyed.  Livelihoods gone!  Our reputation's shredded.  How to forgive?  How to bless those wicked, evil deeds?

Yet, You ask it of us!  Like You, oh Father.  "Like Father, like Son,"  and on  to us, your redeemed children.

On the cross,  Your Son, Jesus said, 

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34 NIV)

May Your son's and daughters be able to find the grace to forgive like that.

LORD, we do know what the end of those wicked ones will be.  You, the righteous Judge will do right in Your accounting on Judgment Day.  However, we do fear for even those people, those men and women, because Hell is an awful, awful place as we learn from Your Scripture.  

Perpetual fire.

Hate.

Destruction.

Agony and torment.

Isolation:  enforced "social distancing" at its worst.

It will last forever; an everlasting 'living' death.

Father God, we do not wish that upon anyone.  Indeed, I cannot tell it enough, 

"You are not willing that anyone should perish..." (2 Peter 3:9).

Rescue the perishing.

Help us to be meek, Father, so we can inherit the land and enjoy abundant peace as we set foot upon the land, making good our inheritance, as we store up true treasure for You in heaven.  May we bring more sons and daughters into Your kingdom because of our testimony and Christ-like walk upon this earth.  I do not say this out of pride, rather, Father, may it have been a reflection from our attitudes, and character, emanating from Your Holy Spirit's work within us, revealing to us the right path to living our lives honoring You.  This as we strive to enter and walk that narrow way You have set before us followers of Jesus Christ.

There are indeed many who draw the bow and wield the sword towards us, Your people.  Many around the world are persecuted for their faith in Jesus.  Give them courage and help them endure.

However,  there are times when we must live in the knowledge of, and have confidence in, Your Word which is a double-edged sword, dividing the hearts and marrow (Hebrews 4:12).  That sounds rather painful, having our very own souls and hearts thus "invaded" but this from Your Hand which is merciful, we know it's for our own good and betterment.  May this same Word of God continually be hidden in our hearts so we don't sin against You (Psalm 119:11), and may Your Word be our only weapon against the wicked ones, for their own good and betterment as well.

Lord, it's general knowledge that the wicked often gain great wealth because of their nefarious dealings.  Lord, when we look in comparison to when we follow Your will and ways, and Your righteousness and observe that we may even live in poverty, not having much, just enough (or not) to get by...it may make us tempted to do wicked things to help make ends meet, or to gain great wealth.  Remind us Lord of Your Holy Spirit and Words which tell us the path to LIFE and true treasure is to follow You and Your will and ways to have a righteous life.

Your Scripture also tells us our inheritance will be forever.  We will endure forever with You  and eternal riches in Heaven.  Even in times of disaster, or such things as a corona virus spread world-wide; of famine; of pestilence, etc., our inheritance is still ready and waiting there for us, kept safely with and by You in Heaven; our everlasting life.

Father, there are many of your "made righteous" sons and daughters who do have great worldly wealth and who do give generously.  Help us not to let our "wealth", whether mega-bucks or mere dribble,  create greed for more; not to be stingy in giving but to be generous as You guide our stewardship of fiances, time, and/or energy You have blessed us to oversee.  May we mimic Your generosity.

May we give as You have given and continue to give  Thank-You for the monetary blessing You have given us.  May we, in turn, bless others as the needs arise and how You direct.

You are a generous God.  May You delight in our ways like a father looking down upon a child to see what he or she does and how they do it, enjoying the sweetness, goodness, and ingenuity of their child.  As the child does right, may you smile upon us Lord and keep our steps firm so we won't falter or fail.  Uphold us Father with Your mighty hand.

As we get older, as we age and our footsteps get weaker; we'll know that You have not forsaken us.  You will not ever forsake us.  May we ever be faithful to You with all the "inheritance" You give us throughout all our years and remaining time on planet Earth.

May our children not ever have to go begging, ever.  May they be blessed, to bless others.  May they not allow any wealth they may attain be squandered with riotous living; spending not selfishly but selflessly.  May they turn from evil, from any temptation of doing evil, rather turn, and do what is right, just and fair for others, and be blameless in Your sight.

We know You love those who are just and will not forsake Your faithful ones because You are the ever faithful one.

Protect us and our offspring forever from those who are wicked.  Again, Lord, we know the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever and ever with You in Heaven.  Set a guard upon our mouths, so that they will always utter wisdom and righteousness.  May that be wisdom that comes from You.

If we lack wisdom, we know where we can get more...from You.  We need only to ask.  Thank-You for such provision.  When we get it may we use it.

May our tongues only speak what is just (vs 30) and may Your law Father, be in our hearts-written upon that new heart of flesh You put in there-so that our feet will not slip.

Father, let not the righteous be condemned when they are brought to trial.  Even though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous seeking their very lives, wishing to pull them from limb to limb, Lord.  Lift them up.  Give them dignity.  Help Your righteous people to wait for You.  To wait for You to exalt us and give us that vindication and inheritance You've promised.

OH Father, come soon!  Come quickly, the Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"

Consider the blameless.  Observe the upright, so we may have peace in our lives.  We know there will be everlasting peace to come.

Father we also like to have peace in our lives now.  The peace of God that never fails despite the storms of life.  We know that our salvation comes from You, Lord.  You are our stronghold in times of trouble and You deliver and will deliver us from the wicked.

We can assuredly say this because the righteous take refuge in You, their Inheritance.

                                                         ~ERC  April 2020~

Prayer based on Psalm 7 & 37

Sing along, The Lord is the Portion of My Inheritance

Prayer - Stay Fresh & Green

Father God, it is good to make music and to praise You; to praise Your Name Most High.  To praise and proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night to the music of a 10-stringed lyre and the melody of a harp.  Father, not too many people nowadays play a harp, let alone a lyre, at least that I'm aware of; maybe a guitar, piano, flute or violin, nowadays but not the others.

However, I do know harps are very beautiful.  Not sure about the lyre but harps are so, so melodious and soothing and calming.  It's a wonderful instrument!  However, no matter which instrument we have, maybe its just our vocal chords, we can still make a "joyful noise" unto You, morning, noon and night.

Lord, help us to sing Your praises as we read and understand Your Word and obey them in our lives; may they bubble forth in praise, as You make us glad about the deeds You do for us.  We can give You praise for the forgiveness of sins, everlasting life, for making us Your sons and daughters; for knowing we belong to You and to Your Son Jesus, alone.  

Many do not understand this because they are likely not Your children.  They say, "Uh, isn't it better to trust in yourself?"  Some get their joy from imbibing a few beers or get a high from drugs.  Such false, short-lived "joy".

Lord, we know that the joy of the Lord can be our strength and happiness that can spring up from our innermost being; from our spirit and soul which are under Your Holy Spirit's control.

As we realize how great Your works are and how profound Your thoughts are, Your thoughts being bigger than our thoughts could ever be,  we just have to stay speechless and in awe of You and when we do find our tongues, loosen them to only give You praise and adoration.

May we remember to exalt You for ever.  We know when we get to heaven there will be unending praise and worship with multitudes upon multitudes of Your children.  Those who have gone on before us from ages past, and then from ourselves and generations to come: then there will be perfection of praise.  Yet, Father, accept the feeble praise we can give You now.

We know that our enemies and evildoers will be perishing and scattered abroad, but Lord, we can still rejoice in You even when our enemies want to bring us down, down here on Earth, in this dog-eat-dog world.  You can lift us up and exalt "our horn".  That "horn" being a symbol of strength.

A beast uses its horns to fight with, to show how strong it is.  However, Lord, our strength is in You.  We are Your kings and priests, Your royal priesthood and Your oil of anointing has been poured upon us as King David had had oil anointing him, 'king'.

You make us flourish in Your courts, Oh Lord our God and bear fruit even in our old age.  We will stay "fresh and green" proclaiming that You, LORD, are 

"...upright and our Rock and that there is no wickedness at all in You."  

Lord, we are getting older, we have to admit even though we are not yet very infirm, help us to still bear fruit in our "old age"; to stay fresh and green in You .

                                                        ~ERC  April 2020~
                                            (originally prayed 2 Feb 2020)

Prayer based on Psalm 92

                   

Lord's Day Devotion -Betrayal

Once upon a time there was a mother cat named, "Luna".  Luna had had kittens and was a very good momma cat, caring for her wee ones well.  They were nourished from their suckling and grew to be of an age to be given away.  So they were.  

Oh the agony of loss for Luna.  She prowled up and down the streets and alleyways of the neighborhood, crying and crying, and in search of her babies.  Finally, she had to be put away, confined to a cage and spoken softly to; even apologized to by her human.  

Her human, in turn, felt terrible.  She did not know that an animal could love her babies so much and miss them so unconsolingly when they were gone.  Luna's human could understand it though, as she too had once lost a baby.  So the two commiserated.  

Yet, the human felt like a betrayer.  Here she was the one supposed to look out for her feline friend, yet she unwittingly committed a seeming disservice to her furry beast.  

Betrayal.

How awful is that!

How dark and devastating!

David the King of Israel and Judah knew what that was like a few times over.  One of the worst ones was when his son Absalom won the hearts of the people away from his father.  On top of that, we read in Psalm 55, 

"If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it...But it is you, ...my companion, my close friend, with whom he had once enjoyed sweet fellowship as they walked with the throng at the house of God" (Psalm 55:12 &13 NIV).

David's so called, "friend," Ahithophel, had betrayed him and gone over to Absalom's camp and plotted against him! (2 Samuel 15:12)

David did turn to the One who would never forsake Him.  He knew what to do,

"Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you..." (Psalm 55:22 NIV).

He goes on to say,

"...but as for me, I trust in You."  (Psalm 55:23 NIV)

We expect insults and vindictiveness from an enemy but from a close friend?!

It surely hurts us to the core when someone who is "supposed" to love us and show it in kind, loving and caring gestures, does not.  This is not even, necessarily talking about over the top expectations.  Just a general everyday way of showing care from friends, spouses, family, extended family.  Those harsh, sarcastic words and innuendos or actions of someone who once upon a time, had loved you and even now believes he/she "still does", commits the unpardonable, and what we had least expected.   Physical, emotional, mental distress ensues in the aftermath.

 Likely we've all had that happen to us at one time or another to varying degrees.  Perhaps it goes on continuously?  

People jokingly say, "with friends like that, who needs enemies"?

Yes, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knows exactly how that feels.  

He was betrayed by one who was supposed to be his friend, even one from his close circle; what ultimate betrayal!  Judas betrayed Jesus out of greed for money.  For money!

Yet, because of that, Jesus bought our pardon.  

"When we survey that wondrous cross on which the Lord of glory died" is a line of a hymn,  written by one Sir Isaac Watts, we often sing on a Lord's Day.  I had one friend once say we should not sing this song.  Why?  He said because the cross was anything but wondrous!  Well, for Jesus, it certainly was not wondrous.  However, for us we cannot go on without that unsurpassed sacrificial act of supreme love.

On this Lord's Day, let us remember that those awful moments when our blessed Redeemer, Jesus, endured through it all.  Even God His Father had to turn away His face as Jesus bore the price for our sins'.

Pass the bread and cup of wine; partake and drink in thankful remembrance.  Praise God that despite the treachery Judas unleashed at Satan's goading, God turned it into something exceedingly and stupendously wonderful for mankind.  

Salvation.  

Betrayal pain birthed the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thank-You, Father God.  Thank-You, Jesus for enduring for us.

In Your most precious Name Lord Jesus, I give you praise and thanks.

                                                      ~ERC  April 2020~

Based on Psalm 55

On That Same Night Lord Jesus as sung by Alan Parks

Prayer - Rest In God

Ah LORD God, thank-You that my soul can find rest in You; in You alone because my salvation comes from You and Your Son, Jesus Christ.  You are my Rock, my Salvation, my Fortress.  I can cling to and trust in You and never be shaken because You are that strong, secure One.

Father, people try to take advantage of Your people.  They try to pull them down because of their integrity and righteousness or just because they trust in You.  They delight in telling lies about Your people because they even have that deceitfulness about them; blessing your people to their faces but cursing them in their hearts or behind their backs. Despite all these people who make accusations against Your children, trying their best to topple them down, may Your children find rest in You alone.

Father, may our hope always be in You because You are the Rock of our salvation; our Fortress.  Again, when we cling on to You we will not be shaken.  Your word says so.  

Help us to keep this in mind always.  You are my salvation and Your children depend on You because You are our mighty Rock and Refuge and we can trust in You at all times.  We can pour out our hearts to You.  We can rest in You.

Often there are things in our lives we don't dare to tell other people, because we are ashamed, or they might become angry or it might embarrass us.  However, we can pour out our hearts to You, O God, because You listen, Your ear is always open to our cry.

We thank-You that we can also take refuge in You whether we are, in the eyes of society, low-born or high-born; whether rich or poor or "just a breath", of little consequence.

Indeed, sometimes we don't even see ourselves as much more than "just a breath"; feeling insignificant.  Even those who think they are something, those who think they are high-born, may they realize through their arrogance, chip it away to realize that, yeah, in many ways we are, "just a breath".  

When we compare ourselves to You, Who comes from, in terms of our human thinking, eternity past, and You are going to be there throughout eternity future, and that this time we are in, how old is the earth?  Not much more than 5000 or 6000 years old, since the Creation, since that beginning of time.  Time being just like a parenthesis in Eternity; like a drip in a bucket to You or a little breath that we can take.  I know we can hold our breath but when we don't, a breath is very short.  It can be very small and seemingly insignificant but when we have many breaths altogether we have a living being.

Nevertheless, Lord, when we focus only on the "one breath" it's not long; it doesn't take long and to us, our 70 or 80 years of Earth-living breathing is also, 'but a breath'.

Help us therefore, Father, to put into perspective, 'us':  human beings and You the almighty God, the Eternal One.  May we ponder on the fact that we can truly trust You.  That we can put our confidence in You, pour out our hearts and souls to You because You already know it all anyway.  You are omniscient and we shouldn't forget that.

Lord help us to be aware when someone is trying to extort us yet may we not put our hope nor set our sights on increased riches. Help us not to set our hearts on these things nor to take pride in stolen goods.  Hah!  Hopefully none of us steal anything anyway, for that matter.

Help us not to take pride in riches, not to set our hearts on them because they easily fade away.  They are truly "just a breath".  Riches come.  Riches go, as easy as anything.   So, Lord, help us not to rely on riches.  Yes, money is useful, in fact, a necessity in this world so we can eat, have shelter and clothes.  Help us not to be greedy for those things nor obsessed with them.  Instead, may our greed, so to speak, be to trust in You with our whole heart.  

This, because You are strong, you are the One who is loving.  We know that You will reward each one for what they have done:  whether we belong to You, we will  be rewarded for what we have done with good motive, for your glory and honor and those who do not know You, Lord, it is very, very scary because Your righteous judgement will come upon them.  That judgment for their sins; for the rejection of Your Son Jesus Christ and the salvation of their souls.  Oh Lord, You do not want to see anyone perish, but yet when people harden their hearts, and become as stubborn as a mule and bray insistent, "No, no, no's"! to You  it's so seriously solemn and heart-breaking especially when it's one of our relatives!  

Father, I ask that anyone reading/praying this prayer themselves, will put their names in the different places, saying "Lord, help me, Roxanne or Randy or Ben", whoever, Father.  May each one realize they will have to account for what they have done in this life.  That the good deeds do not outweigh the bad deeds.  

Father, they may be very good-living people which is a very good thing.  However, it is not enough.  Let them know this.  Help them to wake up before it is forever too late.  Give them that "last chance" before eternity future arrests them, when they will then sleep the sleep of the dead.  The perishing.  You do not want them to end up in that eternal living death of "perishing" for ever in Hell which you have NOT made for them.

Hell was made for the Devil and his minions (Matthew 25:41).

Lord, those who do not repent nor accept Jesus Christ will be put there too.  That will be eternal devastation for that person.  Lord we do not want that at all.  Father, let all who read/pray this prayer, come to rest in You, Almighty God.

I implore You in the Name of Jesus and by the power of Jesus blood, Who shed His blood for the remission of those sins which separate your human creatures from You.

                               ~ERC  Prayed Feb 2020 - Blogged April 2020~

Prayer based on Psalm 62.

Song, Rescue the Perishing, written by Fanny Crosby - Acappella Christian Hymns

Prayer - Carry Them Forever

To You, LORD, I lift up my voice this morning knowing You are my strength.  Knowing I can trust in You, let not my heart be dismayed.

Thinking of shepherds today.  Of course, one of my favorite shepherds, not that I know many, is David of the Bible.  Reading so many of his Psalms we get to see how his life as a shepherd pours out of his very pores, so to speak.  So I get it that he got it why You would choose him to be king and shepherd over Your chosen people.

When David was hauled up from the back side of the wilderness, away from tending the family flock only to see a family confab in progress--the line up of older brothers with dashed hopes and a puzzled father, all gawking at him.  

"Uh-oh', what am I being blamed for now?  What is going on?!" he may well have wondered.

The "baby" of the family being anointed?!  Anointed to be King?!  David himself likely couldn't believe it when Samuel poured the anointing oil on his head.  You can just see the gears turning in the  father and brothers' minds, "Huh!?  Samuel, you sure you got this right?"

Father, You sure have a wonderful sense of humor.

Nevertheless, David, perhaps largely unbeknownst to his family, had honed his skills in well-rounded ways such as:  archery and sling shot target practice; killing wild beasts bare-handed (I wonder if his macho brothers could do that), a protector of sheep.  Add in his self-taught lyre and harp lessons; his open-air science lab discoveries, gazing at the moon and stars by night, observing the sun's shadow play by day; then an all-encompassing, superior knowledge of the character of sheep and their needs; how to provide food, water, shelter.

Then there was  the low-down on all the nooks and crannies in the hills and dales which put him in good stead when King Saul, and later his own son Absalom, made him a fugitive but where he had first sheltered his sheep from storms and predators.  

A protector.  A provider.  

What a home-schooled education that was!  Self-taught to a great degree, no doubt.  Hands-on experience.  Obviously, he could read and write to boot.

Astounding summation yet his family hadn't thought much of him, almost as if he was an afterthought or not a member of their family--certainly not a significant one.  

I have a gut feeling he must have been somewhat wild, not so 'civilized' for 'polite society' with his outdoor ways.  Maybe they insultingly asked him if he was born on a raft or in a barn.  After all,  when we read of his public kick-off exploit of conquering Goliath and of his many successful raids into the Philistine camps and war victories...well, even You, Father God, commented that he was too "bloody" to build Your house, the Temple (1 Chronicles 28:3).

Yet the quality of a good shepherd was instilled in David and You recognized this and had every confidence in him.  He must have been an amazing shepherd.  He had a lot to be proud of and rightly so.  That's why, when I read Psalm 28:8 and 9 where David, in turn,  beseeches You, His Heavenly Father, to be Israel's shepherd, I see he "got it".  He got why You had called him to be king over His people, yet he knew his own deficiencies and knew he needed You to take over.

"The LORD is the strength of His people...be their shepherd and carry them forever" (vs 8 & 9 NIV).

David was wise to turn to You Father, to seek Your shepherding-of-human beings skills, working in tandem with You.  He knew to Whom to turn.  It was a huge task and responsibility You gave him.

When we are given work for You, here in our day, may we too be encouraged to turn to You.  May it be our first instinct to do so.  May we turn to You to be our strength, our fortress our salvation and look to You and Your Word for sustenance and to be our shepherd; forever.  Carry us, Father.

David must often have carried injured sheep and/or lambs upon his shoulders.  You too, our Good Shepherd, carry us forever.  You gave Your very life for us, Your "sheep".  We can't live without You.

We give You humble, grateful thanks in the precious Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lead on and may we follow, wagging our tails behind us.

Amen.

                        ~ERC  March 2020 (originally) - Blogged April 2020~

Prayer based on Psalm 28

Sing, Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us along with by4Him

Prayer - Struck With Terror

David was so keen for others to experience God that he asked the LORD to,

"...not let mortals triumph..."

"...strike them with terror..."

and to,

"Let the nations know they are only mortal" (Psalm 9:19 & 20 NIV).

Not sure what happened in David's time to shake the fibers of the nations up into terror, but we all know what it is nowadays:  COVID-19!

Heavenly Father, God, may the nations turn to you.  May they seek You.  May they fall down on their knees and plead with You, in sincerity of heart.

Indeed, there seems to be many instances of this happening.  What a wonder You are Father!

No, I do not enjoy the misery of others!  In fact, it is all a travesty.  We implore You Father to stem the tide of all this deadly virus. And when it is all over, may the peoples of the earth still seek You.  May they not be angry at You for letting this happen.  I believe that You are just as deeply saddened over the state of mankind at present as we mortals are.

Therefore, Father, I ask that Your Holy Spirit continue to work mightily among the nations.  May their seeking of you not be short-lived once everything is going good again in the "new normal" flow of life. May all the nations and the individual mortals that make up the nations let this "terror" bring them to You and to Your Son Jesus Christ to be saved from a fate worse than COVID-19; that terror of eternity without You.  A terror of an everlasting suffering in the torments of Hell, separated from You with absolutely no chance of ever coming to You ever again.

This is so very solemn.

To strike someone with terror doesn't seem like a very nice blessing to confer upon anyone, even your worst of enemies.  However, Father, may the current "terror" drive people in droves, to fall at Your feet, to humbly accept Your offer of salvation and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives.  May Your infinite love and goodness be like a magnet and draw these souls to Yourself.

Then they will have forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and the many benefits of being Your child (see Ephesians chapter 1 for some of them).  Someday, if COVID-19 takes their life, or some other equally life-threatening disease or fatality, they will go straight to be with You.

Oh to be with You, forever, in Your presence.

What a consummation of a wondrous blessing that will be!

In Jesus Name I give You praise.

                                                         ~ERC  April 2020~

Prayer based on Psalm 9:19 & 20.

Jesus Paid It All sung by Kristian Stanfil