Pleasant Places
Category: Prayer
Fear and Shame
The last three weeks I have had to fight fear over a “lump” that I found. This felt similar to what I had 2 ½ years ago. I had visions of surgery and potentially other treatment. As I made diagnostic appointments (and waited about 1 ½ weeks to go to the appointments), I chose this verse. There is worry involved in medical issues. I had to pray my way through allowing God whatever He chose.
Praise the Lord, he allowed me to only have 2 cysts and a non-malignant spot. No surgery or medical treatment needed. I am grateful for God’s kindness in allowing this news.
I have prayed many times in recent years that I am willing and able to endure whatever God asks of me. I was wrestling with that prayer before finding out the prognosis. I appreciate these verses. Seeking God helps deliver us from our fears. I know that I can feel shame as I wrestle with my fears – verse 5 reminds us that we can be radiant and unashamed as we look to God.
The simple reminder is to seek God and I can be delivered. The difficult reality is that I need to keep working hard to give my fears and worries to God and leave them there. I am glad God is patient and kind in providing for my weakness.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for closing this chapter in health issues. Please help me to continue to give all of my fears to You. Please help me to encourage others to do the same.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Preservation
Love with Discernment
The apostle Paul wanted the Philippian believers to increase in their love. Sadly, we have seen culture misuse this concept. Society wants to define love their own way. I’m confident that is why the apostle Paul said that the love should abound “with knowledge and all discernment.” Verses 10 and 11 continue the concept, “so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Our love needs to be directed by the truth in the Bible (the only source for truth). The only way we can know the truth is to read and study God’s Word. The pursuit of Biblical knowledge is very rewarding.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us absolute truth in the Bible. Please give us an insatiable desire to read and study Your Word. Help us to have discernment to know the truth.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Who?
Complete
This life is incomplete. We face challenges and often don’t feel like we get to where we want to go (wherever that is). Sometimes in our pursuit for identity, we put God in second place (or later). Family, friends, job, and other pursuits are good. We gain much enjoyment from them. However, those things are not done well if God is not in first place. I believe we will receive more blessing from those things as we submit to God’s plan to bring us to completion.
Dear Heavenly Father, we ache with the desire to be complete. Please help us to be patient as we wait for Your timing in bringing the good work to completion. Please help us to submit to Your plan and put You first.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Trust and Peace
I have talked about different verses on peace. This verse reminds us that we need our mind “stayed” on God. According to Step Bible stayed means “to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon”. I like the sound of that. Life can be hard. We need a lot of help. We gain much of that support through our Heavenly Father – through reading and studying His Word, praying and spending time with other believers.
We need a lot of help to keep our minds fixed on God. There are so many distractions. However, the more we work on keeping our focus on God, the more peace we will have.
Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to keep our minds fixed on You. We need Your strength to fight the distractions. Thank You that we can trust You.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Heavenly Minded
Every now and then, I hear the saying, “Don’t be so heavenly minded you are no earthly good.” I think we need to define what that means. True heavenly mindedness is commanded in the Bible. Colossians 3 begins by telling us to “seek the things that are above”. 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:23 tell us everything needs to be for the honor and glory of God.
I think we know people who seem out of touch with the here and now. That may be true, but it doesn’t change the commands of the Bible. God has told us that He is to be the center of our lives. Everything I do should honor and glorify my Heavenly Father.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the instruction You provide in Your Word. Please help us to obey what You have commanded by living our lives only for You. Give us the strength we need.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Where to Find Truth
We live in a day and age where lies are perpetuated. Romans 1 tells us that the wicked “exchange the truth of God for a lie.” I know we are seeing that today.
As a child of God, I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me to guide me to the truth. I know the concept of the ministry of the Spirit can seem nebulous. However, God has given us various verses in His Word to help us understand. In this verse we learn that the Holy Spirit is under the authority of Jesus (this verse are the words of Christ when He lived on earth).
I can take comfort in the ministry of truth from the Holy Spirit. As I read and study God’s Word as well as spend time in prayer I will know I have the truth.
Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to seek the truth and share that with others. Please guide me through Your Spirit as You have promised. Thank You for providing the means to the truth through Your Word and Spirit.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Where is Peace?
We live in a world where peace seems illusive. I know it can be challenging. There are so many problems in the world (John 16) and then there are the struggles within (Romans 7). Today’s verse talks about the only way to obtain real peace. Through our Savior, Jesus Christ. God is the only way to survive the challenges of life. We do not need to be troubled or fear.
That is easy to say, but challenging to live. I’m thankful God gave us His Word and the Holy Spirit to help us along the way.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the peace You give. Please help us to study Your Word and submit to the ministry of the Holy Spirit as we seek the peace You have promised.
I pray this in Jesus’ name.
God is so good.
Pleading in Prayer 