Encourage Yourself

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God - 1Samuel 30:6.

            David and his men were greatly distressed when Amalekites burned Ziklog with fire and took away their wives, and their sons, and their daughters as captives. But David encouraged himself in the Lord. David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God - 1Samuel 30:3, 6.

              David encouraged himself in all situations by praising God, by waiting for God alone, by trusting God for help, by meditating God's Word and by calming and quieting his soul.

By praising God

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God - Psalm 43:5.

By waiting for God alone

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved - Psalm 62:1,2.

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God - Psalm 62:5-7.

By trusting God for help

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him - Psalm 28:7.

By meditating God's Word

If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction - Psalm 119:92.

By calming and quieting soul

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me - Psalm 131:2.                                                                          

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us encourage ourselves in all situations by praising You, by waiting for You alone, by trusting You for help, by meditating Your Word and by calming and quieting our soul. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

Life of Prayer

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful - Colossians 4:2. 

Pray in the morning

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up - Psalm 5:3. 

Pray continually

Pray without ceasing - 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Pray in the night

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me – prayer to the God of my life - Psalm 42:8.

Pray faithfully

 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer - Mark 11:24. 

Pray always 

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints - Ephesians 6:18.

Pray together

Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them - Matthew 18:19–20.

Pray for all people

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - 1 Timothy 2:1. 

Pray according to His will

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us - 1 John 5:14.

With faith

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them - Mark 11:24.

With thanksgiving

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus - Philippians 4:6,7.

Hear God's voice in prayer

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me - John 10:27.

God hears our prayer

The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous - Proverbs 15:29. 

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles - Psalm 34:17. 

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them - Psalm 145:19. 

He hears the desire of the humble. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble - Psalm 10:17. He does not forget the cry of the humble - Psalm 9:12.

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know - Jeremiah 33:3. 

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me - Psalm 50:15. 

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you - Jeremiah 29:12. 

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth - Psalm 145:18.

In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears - Psalm 18:6.

                                                                      

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us pray always for everything continually with faith and thanksgiving. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Do Not Trust Riches

He who trusts in his riches will fall - Proverbs 11:28. 

Never set your heart on riches

                 We should never set our heart on riches as it is God who gives us wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them. If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them - Psalm 62:10. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also - Matthew 6:21. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil - this is a gift of God - Ecclesiastes 5:19.

Riches are uncertain       

                      Riches are uncertain and so instead of trusting the riches, let us trust God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy - 1Timothy 6:17.

Riches do not last forever 

                  Riches do not last forever and so let us store our treasures in heaven and not on earth. Riches do not last forever - Proverbs 27:24. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions - Matthew 19:20,21. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal - Matthew 6:19-20.

                  Let us not trust our uncertain riches but instead trust God who gives us everything. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God - Luke 12:19-21. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding - Proverbs 3:5. 

Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God - Matthew 19:23,24.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us not trust our uncertain riches but always trust You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Call Upon The Lord

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised - Psalm 18:3.

God hears

In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. - Psalm 18:6.

I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live - Psalm 116:1,2.  

Salvation

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Acts 2:21.

For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved - Romans 10:13.

And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved - Joel 2:32.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies - Psalm 18:3.

Deliverance

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses - Psalm 107:6.

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me - Psalm 50:15.

The Lord is near 

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth - Psalm 145:18

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near - Isaiah 55:6.

Great & mighty things

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know - Jeremiah 33:3.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! - Psalm 105:1.

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PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for hearing us, saving us, delivering us, being near to us and doing great & mighty things as we call upon You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Great Sustainer

Behold, God is my Helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life - Psalm 54:4.

               God is our great Sustainer who sustains us, helps us and strengthens us as we cast all our cares upon Him. Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken - Psalm 55:22. Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me - Psalm 54:4. My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him - Psalms 89:21. 

           God’s Word gives us strength, comforts us and sustains us in our affliction. Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live - Psalm 119:116. When not afflicted, we tend to go astray, but God uses our afflictions to help us obey His Word - Psalm 119:67. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction - Psalm 119:92. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word - Psalm 119:67.        

                  Let us thank God our great Sustainer who sustains us even to our old age. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.  Isaiah 46:4. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me - Psalm 51:12. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me - Psalm 3:5.                                                                                   

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are our great Sustainer. We thank You for sustaining us in all our situations even to our old age. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Humility

Humility comes before honor - Proverbs 18:12.

Jesus humbled himself

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross - Philippians 2:5-8.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light - Matthew 11:29-30.

Reward for Humility

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life - Proverbs 22:4.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land - 2 Chronicles 7:14.

For You save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down - Psalm 18:27.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble - 1 Peter 5:5.

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way - Psalm 25:9.

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven - Matthew 18:4.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom - Proverbs 11:2.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; He adorns the humble with salvation - Psalm 149:4.

One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor - Proverbs 29:23.

Be humble

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves - Philippians 2:3.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience - Colossians 3:12.

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another - 1 Peter 5:5.

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind - 1 Peter 3:8.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love - Galatians 5:13.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace - Ephesians 4:1-3.

God exalts the humble people

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you - 1 Peter 5:6 . 

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted - Luke 14:11.

The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground - Psalm 147:6.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? -Micah 6:8. 

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted - Matthew 23:12.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up - James 4:10.

                                                                                 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us live with a humble heart that seeks Your glory and not ours. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.  

A Time To Keep Silence

 A time to keep silence, And a time to speak - Ecclesiastes 3:7b.

A time to keep silence - To guard our mouth

              God wants us to be silent by guarding our mouth to avoid unnecessary problems. He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity - Proverbs 21:23. He who guards his lips guards his life - Proverbs 13:3. A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger - Proverbs 15:1. To answer before listening— that is folly and shame - Proverbs 18:13.  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry - James 1:19.

A time to keep silence - To give place for God to work

               God wants us to be silent to give place for God to work in our situations. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth - Psalm 46:10. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still - Exodus 14:14. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways - Psalm 37:7.

               Jesus Himself kept silent in many situations. When accused by the chief priests and elders, He remained silent. And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” But Jesus kept silent - Matthew 26:62-63. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” But He kept silent and answered nothing - Mark 14:60,61.

                Let us keep silent by guarding our mouth and by giving place for God to work in our life. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content - Psalm 131:2. The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing - Proverbs 12:18. A soothing tongue is a tree of life - Proverbs 15:4.                                                                                                            

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us keep silent by guarding our mouth by and be a blessing. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.