Because of My Hope...

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar." - Psalm 42:5-6

"...but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,..." - II Corinthians 6:4

"...as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothin, yet possessing everything." - II Corinthians 6:10

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." - Hebrews 13:15

Dear God, 

I need to put my hope in You. I need to praise You. You are my Savior and God. I'm feeling very down right now. I am discouraged. I am sad. And I am not sure of my hope in You. God, with the healthcare issue, we need Your intervention. They have come after the least of these this time. And that's not good. They are now threatening a shutdown again that would hurt veterans and their families. That's not good. Please, God, intervene.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen

Powerful Praise

"You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." - Psalm 22:3

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each of us, for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'" - Acts 17:26-28

Other translation focal verse: "By his power we live and move and exist." Some of your own poets have said: "For we are his children." - Acts 17:28

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" - Revelation 5:11-12

Dear God, 

Praise is so powerful that it can not only get me through this day, but it will give me victory over this day. By worshipping You with songs and words and prayers, I connect with You in the most powerful way. My praises are Your throne. My praising You brings me into Your presence and gives me a glimpse of Youw power and glory. The devil hates it when I praise You. The devil runs when he hears me praising You. Praising You with all my heart makes the worry and fear vanish as well. The most important reason to praise You is because You are worthy to receive honor and glory and praise. My praises are powerful even on the darkest and most difficult day I may be having. My praises bring the light of Your presence into my life and give me victory over my day. So God, You know my biggest fear and worry right now. You know it involves the matter of healthcare and how the republicans are trying to destroy it. I turn that over to You for Your intervention and protection for me and the least of these. And I focus on praising You today. 

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen