Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”
Hosea 6:3 (NLT)
Hosea was encouraging the people to know the Lord, to make an effort, to strive, and to press on; and know the Lord. In verse 1, he calls for repentance, for there was no faithfulness, and no love, or acknowledgment of the Lord; His people had turned away from Him.
Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us.
Hosea 6:1 a
Verse 2 follows,
“In a short time He will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.
Hosea 6:2
When we press on and strive to know the Lord, He will respond to us as surely as the sun rises. He shall come to us like the rains of spring that water the earth and brings fruit for harvest. God will restore us, heal us, and guide us when we turn to Him. Hosea had full confidence in God, in His love, promises, and His power to restore. God wants us to know Him and love Him. As Jesus said, this is the greatest commandment:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:30 (NIV)
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Are you striving to know the Lord, embracing His love, power to restore, and promises?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your patience and love. Help us to draw closer to You, to press forward and know You and Your ways. Lord, we are grateful for Your forgiveness and Your willingness to restore us, heal us, and guide us. Like the petals on the Gomphrena, Fireworks blossom; radiate around its center; help us to draw nearer to you, and radiate your love to others. In Jesus’ loving name. Amen
16As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me. 17Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
Psalm 55:16-17 (KJV)
Fear, trials, and problems can be discouraging and overwhelming to us; however, the Lord is with us and hears our prayers. When we are afraid or worried, we can call upon the Lord. We can give Him our burdens and rest upon His promises. He saves us, protects us, sustains us, comforts us, and rescues us. We have no prayer limit; we can reach out as often as we want; for the Lord welcomes our prayers.
David had confidence in the Lord; He constantly reached out to Him in prayer and with thanksgiving. He knew the Lord heard His voice and would save Him. ⁂
16-18 I call to God; God will help me. At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs—he hears, he rescues. My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger Even while thousands are lined up against me.
Psalm 55:16-18 (MSG)
When you are afraid, weary, and overwhelmed, do you reach out to the Lord with confidence; in prayer?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for listening to our prayers and helping us. Help us to turn our concerns, fears, and worries over you; in prayer. God, teach us to reach out to you, rest on Your promises, and spread Your love. Thanks for hearing our prayers and rescuing us. Like the hidden daylily seeks sunshine, let us reach out for help and seek Your light. In Jesus’ loving name. Amen
May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you! May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually, “May the LORD be praised!”
Psalm 40:16 (NET)
May all who seek the Lord rejoice and be glad, be happy, and praise You. God’s love, promises, and truth bring joy and are reasons to celebrate. David wanted people to focus on the goodness of the Lord and rejoice. Different versions have different worded rejoices; may the Lord be praised, may the Lord be magnified, and let the Lord be exalted, all praising the Lord for all He has done for us.
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!”
Psalm 40:16 (AMP)
Thanks to our God of all mercies, comfort, and salvation. May the Lord be praised! He has delivered us from slavery to sin and promises to be with us always. May the Lord be magnified! Let us rejoice, for God loves us, has mercy on us, and gives us grace. May the Lord be exalted!
Constant worship clears the debris from our hearts. Praise is the cleansing element that flushes the trash of worry and anxiety.
Max Lucado “Help is Here”
The Lord has given us much to rejoice over and be glad about. Let us remember; to joyfully thank and praise the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do. ⁂
Do you take time to focus on the goodness of God and rejoice?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, God of grace, mercy, and salvation, we praise You! We exalt you, Lord, and thank you for your mercy, care, and protection. Teach us to be happy and rejoice; in your promises. May the Lord be magnified! As the flowers of the orchid are colorful and spread joy, let us rejoice and declare that the Lord be praised! In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Psalm 34:5-7 (ESV)
In Psalm 34, David is praising the Lord, for the Lord answered his prayer for deliverance. This psalm was probably written by David, in praise, of his escape from the Philistine king, Abimelech.
Reaching out to the Lord in faith, with prayer during troubled times, we find hope. Our demeanor changes; we become radiant, cheerful, and calm. If we keep our eyes centered on the Lord, we will not walk in shame.
David describes a poor man (not in wealth), but desperate and afraid, who cried out to the Lord, and the Lord saves him from his troubles. The Lord is our strength, our hope, our light, and our joy. He will send His angels to protect us.
No longer downcast, when we take our troubles to the Lord in prayer, we glow; we are radiant.
5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. 6 When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. 7 God’s angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray.
Psalm 34:5-7 (MSG)
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When you go to the Lord in prayer, do you trust in Him and feel peace and radiant?
Prayer; Our holy loving Heavenly Father, teach us to release our fears to You; reaching out to You in prayer. Help us to grow in faith, trust You and be radiant with hope. Like a sunflower turns to the sun and glows, let us turn our worries over to You and glow with Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
Psalm 48:17 (NIV)
Isaiah is a prophet who is bringing a message from God. The people were praising God with their words but not with their actions; their hearts were far from Him. At this time, they were probably in captivity in Babylon. Isaiah’s words are ones of encouragement; God had not forgotten them. They need to change their ways and action. To listen to God and obey His laws. For God knows best; follow His directions and His path.
“If only you had listened to my commands! Then blessings would have flowed for you like a stream that never goes dry. Victory would have come to you like the waves that roll on the shore.
Isaiah 48:18 (GNT)
In verse 18, God reminds them that if they Had listened to Him instead of following sinful ways, His blessing would have flowed like a stream that never runs dry. Victory and peace would be theirs; rich blessings would be abundant, rolling like waves over the land.
What does this mean for us? It is vital to keep God’s laws and act accordingly. To have a teachable spirit and an attentive heart and to listen to the Lord, obey Him, and let Him guide our way. ⁂
Do you take time to listen to God; and have a teachable spirit?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your patience and forgiveness. Lead us on Your path of righteousness and teach us to listen and obey. Like the Gerbera Daisy turns toward the sun, let us turn toward You and follow Your ways. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
2 Corinthians 1:3 (NLT)
In this verse, Paul is giving thanks for God’s comfort. As Christians, we learn to turn to God for relief from pain and suffering and find comfort from worldly woes. Through His Word, we are strengthened and encouraged. Comfort, compassion, and mercy are found through Jesus; when we reach out to him. We can quit worrying and striving on our own; and find rest and comfort in God’s strength.
3 Blessed is[a] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles[b] so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble[c] with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NET)
We can take time and share the peace we receive from God when we reach out and comfort others who are experiencing trouble.
Praise to God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our source of hope and comfort. ⁂
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your mercy and comfort. Teach us to turn to you when we are hurting and overwhelmed. Like the blooms of the lilies are gathered together, supporting each other, let us gather under your wings, feel your comfort, and support one another. In Jesus’ Holy name. Amen
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Psalm 73:26 (NLT)
Psalm 73 is a psalm of lament written by Asaph. He felt bitter and unhappy because he saw the wicked prospering.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. 3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
Psalm 73: 2-3 (NLT)
He tried but couldn’t understand God’s ways; until he went into God’s sanctuary.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! 17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
Psalm 73: 16-17 (NLT)
Asaph then realized that wickedness and evil have consequences. Earthly life ends, and eternal judgment awaits. He realizes that trust in God is paramount. That God is his portion, his source of happiness. That God is the strength of his heart, the rock of his heart. He realizes that God is his and our’s forever. God is all we ever need. He is our salvation. ⁂
When you face difficulties, do you trust in God, understanding He is all you ever need?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, teach us to come to you with our problems and concerns. Help us to grow in faith and realize You are in control. Let us embrace Your strength, realizing You are all we ever need. Like the sunflowers turn toward the sun and shine with light; let us turn to You and shine Your light. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.
Psalm 37:5-6 (BSB)
The Hebrew word for commit means to roll, to turn over, or hand over. In other words, to commit to the Lord; is to roll your burdens over to the Lord; trust Him to handle them. In prayer, turn over your concerns; focus on God, and find peace.
When we commit to God, He helps us grow in righteousness, and the believer’s life is transformed, approved, and validated.
New International Version Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Matt 13:43 (NIV)
Our righteousness will be revealed, and justice will shine bright like the noonday sun.
5-6 Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done: He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.
Psalm 37: 5-6 (MSG)
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Psalm 37 is a psalm about God’s faithfulness. Have you committed to the Lord; are you being transformed and growing in righteousness?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your patience, forgiveness, and grace. Teach us to trust in you, turning our burdens over to You. Like the Rudbeckia flowers, grow and glow in the sun; help us to grow in righteousness and shine brightly like the sun in Your kingdom. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 15:8 (NAB)
The prayer of the upright; those with hearts right with God. A humble, honest, and sincere prayer is the Lord’s delight. These prayers come from the heart and include thanks for His grace, blessings, forgiveness, and compassion. The character of the sacrifice (or gift) giver is more important than the sacrifice itself. A significant gift from an immoral person does not bring God pleasure.
Verse 8 from the Message Bible states:
8 God can’t stand pious poses, but he delights in genuine prayers.
Proverbs 15:8 (MSG)
Righteousness and justice are what the Lord desires.
To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Proverbs 21:3 (NET)
The prayer of the upright is the Lord’s delight. ⁘
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Are your prayers coming from your heart?
Don’t worry about having the right words; worry more about having the right heart. It’s not eloquence he seeks, just honesty.
Max Lucado
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for hearing our prayers. Open our hearts to Your teaching; lead us to a right heart. Guide our actions and attitudes, and teach us to be more Christ-like (upright). Like the humbly bowed flowers of the lily of the valley, let us bow before You in humble prayer with thanksgiving. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
17 Everything God does is right— the trademark on all his works is love.
18 God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it.
Psalm 145:17-18 (MSG)
These verses in the Message bible are beautiful. The trademark of God in all his works is love. A wonderful truth. God’s love shines in all He does! The Lord is righteous in His ways, holy in His work, and forgiving to us. He is merciful and gracious; He listens to our prayers and guides us. He is close to us and knows us by name.
In Psalm 145, David mentions the characteristics of God; He is righteous, praiseworthy, good, compassionate, and trustworthy. We are blessed to have a righteous, loving, listening God. ⁎
God is righteous, loves you, and listens to your prayer. Have you reached out to Him in prayer today?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your compassion and grace. We are in awe of your righteousness, kindness, and love. Teach us to take our worries to You in prayer. Like the visual beauty of the flowering dogwood, guide us in the beauty of Your Word. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
I believe in the power of prayer. If you need prayer, I would be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page. 🌺
Garden Faith 