CRY OUT TO THE LORD IN DISTRESS

TEXT:

PSALM 120

1 In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

2 Deliver me, O Lord,from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you,

  you deceitful tongue?

4 A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.

7 I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

THE FINAL PRAYERS OF JESUS: PART 2 HIS FOLLOWERS - YOU AND I

THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER

20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may [a]believe that You sent Me.

Their Future Glory

22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected [b]in unity, so that the world may [c]know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

25 “O righteous Father, [d]although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

(Scripture - New American Standard Bible NASB from Bible Gateway)

THIRTY DAY PRAYER CHALLENGE - DAY 22

PRAY THE NAMES OF GOD

DAY 22


GOD IS FAITHFUL


There was once a king, who grew up in the presence of a family who bowed down to both pagan gods and Jehovah God Himself. This king remained faithful. In the midst of the enemies of God, he drew a line and never crossed it.


When the enemy surrounded him, he and his spiritual advisor cried out to God and reassured their people that they should "be strong and courageous, because the Lord our God will go before us and fight their battles"! This occurred during Year 14 of his reign.


This leader, King Hezekiah,  prayed a childlike prayer which both you and I should remember. He prayed the following: 2 Kings 19:14-19 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. 
“It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men’s hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God.”


This leader, King Hezekiah, remained faithful to the Lord. God sent His Angel, who killed 185,000 of the enemy in their tents over that same night. When the enemy's leader, Sennacharib, woke up that morning and saw all his men dead, he retreated to Assyria.


Now here is where it got interesting. Right at that time, Faithful King Hezekiah became deathly ill with what many of us believe to be an extreme form of skin cancer (or the Bible calls is a boil on the skin). God sent His prophet Isaiah to tell King Hezekiah to put his house in order, because he was going to die!


Hezekiah again prayed another child-like prayer in tears and supplication! He prayed this simple prayer: "Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.(Isaiah 38:2-3 ESV)


God proved Himself FAITHFUL to those who are faithful to Him! In the very next two verses of Isaiah 38, Jehovah Rapha - God Who Heals, sent a message to King Hezekiah via Isaiah "Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life". (Isaiah 38:5 ESV)


Scripture and secular history books from both Egypt and Assyrian, confirmed that Hezekiah lived another 15 years after it was well known, the king had a deadly disease, from Judah to Babylon!

God's Name is Faithful!


So Father, in the Name of Jesus, Numbers 23:19 says God is not man, that he should lie,  or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it?  Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? God You proved that when You fought the battles for King Hezekiah. 


You not only fought the battle against Sennacharib and Rabshakah and destroyed evil, but You fought the battle against cancer and delivered Your Faithful servant Hezekiah from it. Because You gave him 15 more years to live, many in the ancient world came to Jerusalem to visit him and saw Your Glory and witness Your Sovereign will and power.

Father, today, that Faithfulness to Your promises to never leave and/or forsake us, no matter what battles in life we face, stands. You are Eternal Father, All Creation worships You. I do. I will. I always will. Even if you never add 15 or 20 or 30 years to my mortal life, I will. Even if you never destroy those who persecute me, I will. Even if You heal the enemy and cause me to fail, I will.


I will adore You. I will glorify You. I will magnify Your Name through all the Earth.


Psalm 145:13 says "The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made". Father God, I believe that. I know You love me, because You sent Your own son to die for me and then called me to His Salvation.


2 Corinthians 1:20 says "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "YES" in Christ. And through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the Glory of God"!


Wow, Father! Thank you for that Precious Precious Word.  


You, oh God are Faithful! Your mercy endureth forever, oh God! Because Your promises are Yes and Amen, I can rest secure in my Faith in Christ and my faithfulness to You, just as Your servant Abraham! Father, I count on Your promises because when You say it, I believe it.


Lord, I believe that, right now, in the Name of Jesus, there is someone reading this who is going through a major health or relationship issue. Father, I pray right now...right now, that they will turn to You in tears and supplication and pray this same prayer King Hezekiah prayed “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” 


Father, may they pray that prayer, with all submission of a heart committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and may they believe, in His Name, that You will never leave or forsake them in their marriage, their health, their parenting (if a parent) or their relationship with peers (in school, business or community).


God Your Name is Faithful. When the Lord Jesus returns on His Great white horse of Heaven, Revelation 19:11 says "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True"...Faithful and True! And it is in this Only One True Faithful and Wonderful Son of God I believe, pray and obey, Jesus Christ NOW AND FOREVER.....Jesus Christ - YES AND AMEN, amen and amen!!!!

TOMORROW: GOD IS WRATHFUL

(image by google images)

THINK ON THESE THINGS - THURSDAY

TODAY (THURSDAY ): THE PLEA!

TOMORROW (FRIDAY): THE PRAISE!

Psalm 85: 1-9 (THE PLEA)

 ¹LORD, you were^(B) favorable to your land;

   you^(C) restored the fortunes of Jacob.

²You^(D) forgave the iniquity of your people;

   you covered all their sin.          Selah

³You withdrew all your wrath;

   you^(E) turned from your hot anger.

 ^4(F) Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

   and put away your indignation toward us!

^5(G) Will you be angry with us forever?

   Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

⁶Will you not^(H) revive us again,

   that your people may^(I) rejoice in you?

⁷Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,

   and grant us your salvation.

 ^8(J) Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,

   for he will^(K) speak peace to his people, to his^(L) saints;

   but let them not^(M) turn back to^(N) folly.

⁹Surely his^(O) salvation is near to those who fear him,

   that^(P) glory may dwell in our land.....Psalm 85:1-9 ESV*

You can never go wrong by letting the Lord tell you what to read before bedtime! A priceless gem can be found, as I think on this privilege we have daily, at the end of Psalm 85.


If you read the first 9 verses of the entire Psalm 85 (HERE), you will notice a plea from the worship leaders - The Sons of Korah.  It is the most beautiful prayer and petition to our Father in Heaven!!

This devotional today is not an exposition of each verse of this psalm but stunning overview from a portion of the Bible's Prayer Book - the Psalms!  These amazing sons of Korah are not unlike us! They were descendants of rebels led by Moses' cousin and fellow Levite - Korah with his two henchmen Dathan and Abiram. These rebels were killed by God as He let the earth swallow them and their immediate families up. Hundreds were destroyed for their rebellion against God (see Numbers 16:1-50)


Yet here we have the SONS of Korah, or his descendants from that portion of the Levite Tribe, writing some of the most beautiful psalms of the Bible!


This alone tells of the Grace and Forgiveness of the Great God of Heaven - my Father and yours! In modern terms. the famous atheist Madelyn Murray o'Hair succeeded in getting the Bible and prayer out of schools. Yet her son William, is a solid christian and baptist pastor in Texas! This goes to show that legacy, schmeglacy - God will save whomever He wishes and it also shows that we don't have to follow the ungodly things which we grew up around!


Verses 1-9 recalls all the good things God has done for His people and now, as the worship leaders remember, they cry out "LORD, MAKE US LIVE AGAIN! LORD, REVIVE US AGAIN!!!"


Oh that God's people will literally cry out like this! Many in the church today call on Him, in their rote prayers for "revival", not having a clue what that word really means! Many who pray along with this, are themselves not even rejuvenated by the Washing of the Blood of the Lamb into a New Life with Christ/


Do you have the authority to make this plea? Can you say with assurance that Christ has given you His Spirit and that He lives within you?

And, if you truly are converted and not just a modern evangelical altar call "convert", do you have the Boldness and yes, the Bold relationship with Abba Daddy, to Whom you can now say:" God, I need you, help me now! 
I need Your Hand in my life NOW.
I need to be rescued from this NOW. 
I need deliverance NOW. 
I need peace of mind NOW. Help me Father! You promised to never leave or forsake me. 


I believe YOU and YOU ALONE. Father, I am claiming that promise right now, in the Name of Jesus and beg you to REVIVE me again. 
Give me a NEW purpose in life. 
Give me new positioning to proceed. 
Give me a new posture, wherein I can walk upright and right up to the Throne of Grace to seek You daily. 
Give me a new perception of my problem so I can put it aside and keep my eyes on He Who has done away with my main problem of rebellion against You, Lord!


Bless Your Holy Name, Father God, in the Name of Jesus, revive me to Thy Rest, amen and amen.

TOMORROW, WE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WITH A PRAYER LIKE THIS IS PRAYED AND HEAVEN LISTENS!

*English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Image by Google Images