Monday, April 14, 2014

GOD IS OUR ONLY HOPE!














WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO KNOW THAT HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS

Psalm 84:8-9
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!

‘O God, hear my prayer’ is the plea that so many of us have made to the Lord. Here the psalmist is evoking the name of God that reminds us that He is the omnipotent One. In a psalm where we have been reminded that we have enemies, it is also so important to know for sure that God has no rivals: we will never face an enemy who can defeat our God. What a privilege, not only to have a God to whom we can pray, but who listens to us and invited us to bring to Him our burdens.

Those who pray with full trust in God will find a peace that cannot be described with words. It is a peace that only those who know Christ can enjoy.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.

We should live our lives in total dependence of God, never thinking that we can do anything apart from Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray without ceasing,

We know that God listens to our prayers and that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

Romans 8:26-30
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Our God has eternal purposes in mind, and as we submit and desire God’s will, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. God’s work of transforming believers into the image of His beloved Son is a continual work He does. There is no event in our lives which God will not use to produce His eternal, loving purposes for us.

1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

When we truly desire God’s will, we can rest assured that God will answer our prayers. Our will must align with His. And although we struggle at times, He will produce the work He desires in us.

The Israelites, knew great hardships; many lost all they had and had to learn to trust God and wait upon Him, just as we do. That is why Paul wrote to the Roman believers some very important imperatives:

Romans 12:12
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

We know that we can rejoice and be patient only when we are constant in prayer and resolve to abide in Him.

Dear friends, I trust that God is your shield. It is in His Word, in His arms where you can find real hope. We are tempted to look to earthly places for protection, which, in the best of cases, is only temporary. We have the privilege to find protection in the arms of the Lord of hosts! Not only is He all-powerful, but He knows all, as well. He always has our best interest in mind, for He loves us like no one else can.


May our lives be lived in light of our King’s loving protection and care!

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