Savoring the Scripture

Call Upon the Lord Psalm 14 How horrible the insanity which leads a man who owes his all to God to cry out, "No God"! C.H.Spurgeon  Do you have a loved one who is an unbeliever? Today we will be praying for those we know who do not yet know Jesus Christ. Let’s pray that the Lord would shine into their hearts to give them the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Foolishly Denying God  14:1-3 “The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.  Let’s pray: ▫️Those we know  that confess openly or in their hearts that “there is no God” would be confronted today with the reality that God is alive and true. ▫️Those who are blinded b...

While We Wait, We Lament… and Trust  Psalm 13 "Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord!" C.H. Spurgeon  Waiting. It’s not usually an enjoyable process. Sometimes we wait with anticipation because we know the end result will be worth the wait. Other times, waiting is very difficult as we are left in ambiguity and uncertainty. Childlessness. Depression. Difficult marriage. Broken friendship. Financial straits. Chronic illness. Work related stress. These and many other circumstances can lead to discouragement as we look and wait for a better outcome.  This discouragement can usher in depression or a “dark night of the soul.” This is described as “a crisis that comes when one senses the absence of God or gives rise to a feeling of abandonment by Him” (R.C.Sproul). How do we approach the Lord during these times? David wrote Psalm 13 to help guide us to trust in the Lord even while we wait and cry out to Him during our “dark night of the soul.” How Long, O Lord? 13:1-2 “H...

All Who are in Authority Psalm 12 The darkest hours of the Church's night are those which precede the break of day. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. C.H. Spurgeon We are living in turbulent times, and many question the intentions of our governing authorities and the increase of wickedness in our country. One thing is sure. We are commanded to pray for those in authority “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2).  Today we will pray through Psalm 12, praying for those in authority and for those who live under that authority. Also, let’s intercede for the persecuted church around the world. Many believers worldwide are facing increasing censorship, surveillance, arrest, and death while claiming the name of Christ. Let’s remember our brothers and sisters in Christ and seek the Lord’s protection on their behalf. Longing for Safety 12:1-5 “Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among th...

Psalm 11 Confidence in the Lord is a mark of Christian maturity. W.VanGemeren Psalm 11 is believed to be written by David at a time when he was being pursued by King Saul. David’s advisors were telling him to run and hide, and yet David decided not to flee but to confidently rest in the Lord as his refuge. There is no difficulty, challenge, or adversity that we cannot entrust to the Lord. We can have confidence in His wise providence and care for us, His children. Psalm 11 gives us an example to follow. As David took refuge in the Lord and was confident that the Lord had His eyes upon him, so we too can know for certain that our Lord keeps watch over us and He will bring us safely into His heavenly kingdom.  Refuge in the Lord 11:1-3 In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, "Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, ...

Psalm 10 Today we are praying for our children. As a parent, one of my deepest desires is for my children to know the Lord and walk in His ways. May they walk with humility and integrity before the Lord.  However, our children are not the only ones who need our prayers. These guides can be easily adjusted to pray for ourselves, our spouses, or anyone on our prayer list. Hudson Taylor said, “Learn to move men through God by prayer alone.” Prayer may not be the only means we use to influence our loved ones, but it is one of the most powerful. We have the ear of God Almighty, let’s use it to intercede for others.   Why, O Lord? 10:1-2 “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.   Let’s pray: ▫️During their times of trouble, the Lord would not feel afar off, but our children would know the Lord is right there with them. ▫️Our children...

Afflicted in Every Way Psalm 9 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.  2 Corinthians 4:8-9 This psalm is a psalm of hope for the oppressed and afflicted. David does not fear because his stronghold, his safe refuge, is the Lord. And the Lord’s sure promise stands, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Whatever difficulty we face today, large or small, we have confidence that our Father is for us, and He will rise up and be gracious to us.  Glad in God 9:1-2 “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.  Let’s pray: ▫️And give thanks to the Lord for a way He has recently worked on our behalf.  ▫️We would rejoice in the Lord in our affliction. When our circumstance causes sorrow, may we be glad in the Lord. ▫️The Lord woul...

The Majestic One, Our Lord Psalm 8 “No heart can measure, no tongue can utter, the half of the greatness of Jehovah.” C. H. Spurgeon My husband rightly explained to our youth the other night  that praise is often a forgotten part of prayer, or we have a  tendency to rush through our praise of the Lord. Let’s use Psalm 8 to help guide us in praise to Our Majestic Lord.  The Fruit of Our Lips 8:1-2 “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.  Let’s praise the Lord, because: ▫️His name is majestic, lofty, and great. In His name we can have strong  confidence because all He does aligns with His character revealed to us in His Word. ▫️His glory is above the heavens-far exceeding it in measure. ▫️He is exalted above the heavens.  ▫️His glory, His eternal power, and His divine ...

A Righteous Judge Psalm 7 “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Amos‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬ Slander. Accusations. Gossip. These things hurt and cause pain, sorrow, contention, broken relationships, guilt, and grief. It can be hard to know how we ought to respond to this kind of adversity in our lives. In Psalm 7 David faces the slander of His enemies, and yet he entrusts himself to the Lord, the righteous Judge. Let’s pray today for that situation where unjust things have been spoken about you, or unjust things have been done to you, and let’s entrust ourselves to Him who judges righteously. A Cry for Rescue 7:1-2 O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.  Let’s pray: ▫️That when we are wrongly slandered, we would take refuge in the Lord. Who has slandered you or made false accusations against you? Let’s ask the L...

The Sound of Weeping  Psalm 6 “Lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God’s goodness.” Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds Deep Mercy Today, I am praying for those who are grieving. These last couple of years have been difficult for many people for various reasons. Grief can be caused by different kinds of loss. But recently I have seen several people endure the heartbreaking loss of their loved one: a beloved husband, father, mother, or friend. Consider praying through Psalm 6 for your own grief or for someone who is grieving. God is the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). Let’s pray that He will comfort the grieving in all their affliction and give them abundant comfort in Christ. The Languishing 6:1-3 “O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lor...

Mercy for the Prodigal Psalm 5 “There are two sorts of prayers—those expressed in words, and the unuttered longings which abide as silent meditations.”  C.H. Spurgeon I have a list of prodigals in my Bible at the end of Lamentations 5. There are twenty-two names on that list. Twenty-two! Twenty-two children, many adults now, who have grown up in godly homes and are currently rejecting the Lord.  This morning, we will seek the Lord for our prodigal. If you do not have someone dear to you who has wandered far from the Lord, perhaps you have a friend or someone in your church whose child is rejecting the ways of the Lord. Consider praying for that prodigal on behalf of your friend.  Let’s cry out to the Lord together for these ones who are far from the Lord. May our hearts be moved to weep with those who are weeping for the salvation of their prodigal.  “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and...

From Turmoil to Tranquility God is a never-failing comforter. C.H. Spurgeon In today’s Psalm, we see the Psalmist crying out to the Lord, and in the midst of his hardships, he has gladness and joy because he trusts in the Lord. Let’s seek the Lord on behalf of a loved one.  Calling to God 4:1 “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!  Pray : ▪️ for the Lord to respond to our cries for help in the lives of those we love. ▪️ that your loved one would rejoice and give thanks that God is the God of our righteousness. Through Christ, we have been justified, or made right, with God. Does your loved one know Christ through faith? Or are they trusting in their own good deeds? Pray that they would understand that our righteousness is not our own, but we have the righteousness of Christ counted on our behalf, through faith.  ▪️And thank God for His past deliverance. When has He given rel...

A Shield of Refuge in the Midst of Conflict Psalm 3 was written by David when he was fleeing from his son, Absalom. The tragic story of Absalom’s rebellion against his own father and king, which culminates in Absalom’s death, takes place in 2 Samuel 15-18. It is a story fraught with conflict, betrayal, grievous sin, and sorrow.  To some degree we can all identify as we all have conflict in our lives. It can be especially painful when it is conflict within the family. Today we will pray through Psalm 3 bringing to the Lord the relationships in our lives where conflict exists and also giving Him our internal conflicts. James 4:1 tells us that our quarrels and conflicts arise because of our own selfish desires at war within us. Take a few minutes to ask the Lord to search your own heart and reveal to you if there is sin that you need to confess to Him that has contributed to the conflict.  Cry to God 3:1-2 “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying...

The Sovereign King Rules Take a moment to praise the Lord this morning that He is the sovereign King and His purposes are always accomplished.  Read through Psalm 2 and pray for yourself or a loved one. 2:1-3 “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us."  Pray : ▪️ that they would not set themselves in opposition against the Lord.  ▪️ they would submit themselves to the Lord’s rule and reign. ▪️ their eyes would be open to the vanity of fighting against God. ▪️ they would not seek to cast off the Lord’s rule of their lives, but would cast themselves and their burdens on Him knowing He will sustain and care for them. Do you see an area they are fighting against the Lord and not submitting to His ways? What burden do they need to cast on Him? “To a graceless neck the yoke ...

Psalm 1 My purpose in these posts is not to exegete the given text, but to supply myself and others with requests that can be prayed for ourselves and for our loved ones, whether that be a spouse, child, parent, or friend. Sometimes it can be a challenge to know what to pray, but when we read the Scripture we see the truth and an ample amount of beneficial things to pray. I hope these posts will help you to unite the Scripture and prayer, ignite your prayer life, and guide you when you’re feeling weary or in need of a prompt.  Lord, teach us to pray.  1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.   Pray: ▪️ they would know the blessedness of walking in the way of the Lord. ▪️ they would not walk in the way of the wicked. Is there some concern you have for your loved one? A sinful tendency you ...