satisfies the soul

Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!  For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.  Psalm 107:8-9

Today my prayer for you is that you would lift your voice and heart in praise to the God who loves you more than you will ever be able to truly understand, this side of heaven.  That you would freely run to Him and confess to Him, all of your days.  That you would make Him the priority in your life and live sold-out for Him.  I pray that as you seek Him (and He WILL be found by you) that you receive the soul-satisfaction that only He can provide.  That He will fill your hungry soul with so much of Him that you overflow goodness and mercy and His loving-kindness to all people you come across.  I pray that you would fully seek Him as He is fully seeking you.  That you would know how very much He longs to have relationship with you.  This is my prayer for you!

Don't worry, God's got it!

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.  And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

My prayer for you today is that you would truly release all that is holding you captive.  That you would leap forward into God's arms, fully trusting Him to catch you and hold you as you do all that He puts on your heart to do.  That you would get a small group of trusted Christians to help hold you up as you walk the path that He is lighting up for you to take, one step at a time.  I pray that in everything that comes your way, EVERY thing, that you would thank Him for walking it with you and entrusting you with that thing.  That your heart would be in tune with His and that your ear would be trained to His voice.  I pray that you would go to Him first with your petitions and that you would hopefully, and expectantly, watch for His answers.  That you would know His peace...and that there is NOTHING that compares to it.  In all things, that you would stay your heart and mind on Him.  This is my prayer for you!

No Good Thing...

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)!  No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.  Psalm 84:11

My prayer for you today is that you would know in your heart that He will not withhold a single good thing from you, that He knows is for your best.  That you would trust Him completely, and fully.  That you would have heart and head-knowledge that God longs to spend time with you, talking with you.  That you would long to spend time with Him in return and that that time would become incredibly precious to you.  I pray that each day, you would look forward most to the time that you spend with Him, the time that He can speak to your heart through His Word and all other means that are at His fingertips.  I pray that you would know how much He loves you and that He delights in you.  You are His beloved.  This is my prayer for you.

Fearfully and wonderfully made

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.  You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.  Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.  You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand on me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.  Psalm 139: 1-6

Today, my prayer for you is that you would know how precious you are in God's eyes.  That you would know that He loves you so much that He knows you better than you know yourself.  He knows what you are thinking without you even having to say a word.  He knows where you are going and how you will reach your greatest potential.  I pray that you would give Him your all and allow Him to lead you at all times.  That you would realize that you will never see things the way that He does, but that you can fully trust Him.  I pray that you would spend time in His Word and communicating with Him so that you can learn more about Him and who He is, every day.  That you would never make excuses or easily give away the time that you could be spending with Him.  That you would hunger and thirst for more of Him.  This is my prayer for you.

Refuge

Be to me a rock of refuge in which to dwell, and a sheltering stronghold to which I may continually resort, which You have appointed to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress.  For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust from my youth and the source of my confidence.  Upon you have I leaned and relied from birth; You are He Who took me from my mother's womb and You have been my benefactor from that day.  My praise is continually of you.  Psalm 71: 3, 5-6

Awe

And all men shall [reverently] fear and be in awe; and they will declare the work of God, for they will wisely consider and acknowledge that it is His doing.  The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust and take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory and offer praise.  Psalm 64:9-10

My prayer for you today is that you would choose to live in reverent fear and awe of the God who has done so much for us.  I pray that you would be quick to sing His praises and to foster a thankful heart no matter what circumstances life throws at you.  That you would cling to Him and to His limitless resources as your Source of life and hope.  That you would join Him, on His path for your life, and embrace the adventure you can have walking with Him.  I pray that you would choose to be uncompromisingly living for Him and that you would trust Him with every single part of your life.  That you would chose to walk in an upright manner that is a pleasing and acceptable sacrifice to Him.  In all that you do, that you would praise and glorify Him.  This is my prayer for you.

Fixed

My heart is fixed, O God; my heart is steadfast and confident!  I will sing and make melody.  Psalm 57:7

Today, my prayer for you is that your eyes and heart would be fixed on God, and that your heart would be steadfast and confident.  I pray that you would have a joyful, singing attitude that is making a song with your Savior.  That you would not be swayed by ups and downs, but consistently, steadily joyful in Him.  This is my prayer for you!

What is your offering?

He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.  Psalm 50:23

Today my prayer for you is that you would see past what you can give God with your money and see what He might be asking you to give of your life.  That you would know the purpose He has for you.  That you would see Him shining through the toughest things that He walks through with you, and that you would cultivate a harvest of praise and thanksgiving to honor and glorify the God who sees us through.  I pray that in the darkest/hardest times, when you feel like giving up would be the easiest, that you would spend extra time in the Psalms and in His Word, letting Him put a soothing balm on your tired soul.  That you would never give up, but always look up.  That when you are in the desert times, that you would look around yourself and see who you can help along the way.  That you would not let yourself drown in your problems, but keep a continual attitude of thankfulness that He is right there guiding the way.  This is my prayer for you!

Pray Scripture

In You, O Lord, do I put my trust and seek refuge; let me never be put to shame or [have my hope in You] be disappointed; deliver me in Your righteousness!  Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily!  Be my Rock of refuge, a strong Fortress to save me!  Yes, You are my Rock and my Fortress; therefore for Your name's sake lead me and guide me.  Draw me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for You are my Strength and my Stronghold.  Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth and faithfulness.  [You and] I abhor those who pay regard to vain idols; but I trust in, rely on, and confidently lean on the Lord.  I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy and steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction, You have taken note of my life's distresses, and You have not given me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place.  Have mercy and be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; with grief my eye is weakened, also my inner self and my body.  For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my iniquity, and even my bones have wasted away.  to all my enemies I have become a reproach, but especially to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances, who flee from me on the street.  I am forgotten like a dead man, and out of mind; like a broken vessel am I.  For I have heard the slander of many; terror is on every side!  While they schemed together against me, they plotted to take my life.  But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God.  My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me.  Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me for Your mercy's sake and in Your loving-kindness.  Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, or disappointed, for I am calling upon You; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.  Let the lying lips be silenced, which speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.  Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!  In the secret place of Your presence You hid them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.  Blessed be the Lord!  For He has shown me His marvelous loving favor when I was beset as in a besieged city.  As for me, I said in my haste and alarm, I am cut off from before Your eyes.  But You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You for aid.  O love the Lord, all you His saints!  The Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully pays back him who deals haughtily.  Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!  Psalm 31

I know that was long, but that Psalm resonated with my heart today, and touched me right where I am.  I challenge you to do as I did this morning, pray this psalm back to your loving, heavenly Father.  He knows your situation and wants to meet you right where you are.  Take some extra time today to sit in His presence and let this Psalm sink down into the depths of your soul.  You won't regret it!

Happy is...

Blessed (Happy, fortunate, to be envied) is everyone who fears, reveres, and worships the Lord, who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.  For you shall eat [the fruit] of the labor of your hands; happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) shall you be, and it shall be well with you.  Psalm 128: 1-2

Today my prayer for you is that you would know the true happiness that comes only from God.  That you would spend time with Him daily and allow Him to show you the plans that He has tailored specifically for you, that would fulfill the life-purpose He created you for, and that you would truly find happiness in being who He wants you to be.  I pray that you would go to Him for all things and let Him build you up and enable you to do every part of the 24 hours you are given each day.  That in Him, you would not let life overwhelm you, but that you would see the joy that comes from Him in an endless supply.  I pray that in Him, you know that you can do all things, and that He makes the way for you.  That nothing would seem impossible, as you look to Him.  This is my prayer for you!

Quality love

See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God!  And so we are!  The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.  I John 3:1

Father God,  We come before you this evening and ask that You help us to feel Your love.  That You would reveal to us the incredible quality of Your love and blow us away, in a good way, with that love.  Please help us to know that we know that we know that we are named and called and counted your children and what a great privilege that is!  Help us to see that Your opinion is the one that truly matters--and that You want to build us up so that the world's opinion of us does not matter to us.  Reveal Yourself to us.  Show us what You want us to accomplish with our lives.  Reveal Your purpose for each of us, to our hearts.  Write Yourself on all of us so that we are living lives that point to You.  We worship You for You are a great and mighty God...the One and Only God of all!  You have made each one of us fearfully and wonderfully and are proud of what You made.  You don't make any junk.  Keep us coming to You and depending on You.  Use us for Your perfect plan.  We are all Yours!  Amen