My Heart Rejoices- Psalm 16:9

8 I know the LORD is always with me.

I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.

My body rests in safety.
Psalm 16:8-9 (NLT)

David is celebrating his relationship with the Lord; he is confident; for he believes in God’s protection and promises. He feels secure, for the Lord is always beside him. The Lord is his instructor, friend, counselor, and his refuge from life’s storms.
David’s heart rejoices even in the face of death; for his eternal destiny is assured.

8 Day and night I’ll stick with God;
I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
that’s not my destination!
Psalm 16:9-10 (MSG)

Are you confident and secure in your faith; does your heart rejoice in the Lord?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank you for being beside us, guiding us, and keeping us secure. Teach us to put our confidence in You. You are our strength and refuge. Let our hearts rejoice; as you guide and protect us. Like the red geranium blossoms bring joy to the garden, let us grow, blossom, and spread Your joy. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Morning: Psalm 143:8

In the morning let me hear of your gracious love, for in you I trust. Cause me to know the way I should take, because I have set my hope on you.
Psalm 143:8 (ISV)

David is praying to God for protection and deliverance in Psalm 143 and; appealing for guidance. He requests: Lord hear my prayer; listen to my cry for mercy.

Lord, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief.
Psalm 143:1

He continues in verse 8; Wake me Lord; every morning; Let me hear of Your gracious unfailing love. For weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Lord, in You I trust.

For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 (NIV)

Lord, my hope is in you; let me know the path I should take; guide me. Teach me thy will, and help me to understand and live accordingly. My hope is in You. In the morning, I will rest in your gracious love; for great is thy faithfulness. ⁂

Do you reach out to the Lord in the morning, embracing His gracious unfailing love?

Prayer; Lord, we trust in You; we pray with hope and thanksgiving. We ask for Your guidance and direction. Hear our prayer for protection and deliverance from evil. Teach us to listen each morning and hear your promise of unfailing love. You are our hope, Lord; direct us on the path we should take. Like the ivy geranium flowers are open and bright, open our hearts to Your direction and let us brighten the world with Your light. In Jesus’ holy loving name. Amen

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Rescue Me: Psalm 55:16

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. ⁂

^16-18I 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

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Guide Me – Teach Me: Psalm 25:5

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:5 (NKJV)

In this verse, David asks the Lord to guide him in His truth, to teach him His ways. Psalm 25 is a prayer; earlier in the psalm, David describes God’s ways, which include praying, waiting on the Lord, being teachable, humble, and obeying the Lord. It means relying on the Lord to guide and teach, looking to the Lord continually for direction, and trusting with a trust not shaken by worldly circumstances or concerns.
For You are my God, My Savior, and I will wait all day long, trusting, hoping, and relying on You. ⁂

Where do you look for guidance? Do you ask the Lord to guide and teach you?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your guidance and love. We ask You to guide us in Your truth and teach us Your ways. Lord, teach us to trust and rely on You. You are our salvation; our hope is in You all day long. Like the balloon flower’s balloon-like buds grow into star-shaped flowers, Lord, guide us to grow in patience and hope. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Always With Me: Psalm 16:8

7 I will bless the LORD who guides me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I know the LORD is always with me.

I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
Psalm 16:7-8 (NLT)

In this verse, David is expressing joy that God is always with him. Since God is with him always, David feels secure and protected. Safe since the Lord is beside him as his guard, protector, and guide.
The Lord is with us always; when we are worried or afraid, he is with us. We can reach out to Him anytime, in prayer; for help and guidance.

8 Because you are close to me and always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every moment. 9 My heart and soul explode with joy-full of glory! Even my body will rest confident and secure.
Psalm 16:8 (TPT)

Like David, during times of uncertainty and fear, we can have confidence knowing the Lord is beside us. Or some versions say the Lord is at our right hand, a place of defense and honor. We shouldn’t be shaken or worried, for the Lord is with us, beside us guiding us, directing us, and instructing us.

God is with us, our hearts can rejoice, and our bodies can rest; with confidence knowing our eternal destiny is secure.

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Are you secure and confident, and acknowledge that God is with you always?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your compassion and care. Help us to grasp that You are with us always. Teach us to feel confident and secure in Your love and protection. Like the roses are leaning into and supporting each other, let us lean into Your strength and be confident in Your care. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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Path: Isaiah 30:21

21 Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.
Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

As Christians, it is important to determine which way to go; which path to follow. We need to discern God’s plan for us to determine the correct direction to go. How do we know which path to follow? By trusting in God’s promises, following His Word, and listening to His voice, the voice behind us, to find our correct path.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Worldly distractions can influence and divert us from His path for us. We need to keep our hearts open to God, seek His will and take time to listen to His direction. He will tell us which path to take. We may be fickle and disobedient, but God stays beside us, telling us which way to go. God promises never to leave us or forsake us. We can rely on His promise to be with us and to tell us the way to go, whether to the right or left. ⁂

When you are faced with changes, uncertain choices, and are confused about the path to take, who do you listen to?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your guidance and direction. Teach us to listen to Your voice and follow Your path for us. Guide us by turning us away from worldly distractions and help us focus on Your voice. Like the Stella D Oro daylily flowers, bloom in all directions around the plant; help us to grow, blossom, and follow Your path. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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If you are in need of prayer, I will be glad to pray for you.
Let me know – contact page. 🌺

Love Life: 1 Peter 3:10

10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.
1 Peter 3:10-11 (NIV)

To love life during hard times and trials requires a deliberate attitude of faith, trusting that the Lord is in control. These verses in 1 Peter are quotes from David’s Psalm 34:12-14.

12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:12-14 (NIV)

In these verses, David and Peter are encouraging us to have a positive attitude; to realize that God is with us always. Our job is to keep our tongues away from evil and our lips away from deceitful speech. Turning away from evil and doing good while pursuing peace causes the Lord to look on us with approval and be attentive to our prayers.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12 (NIV)

It is up to us to make the most of our time on earth, take time to love life, have a thankful heart, embrace good and turn away from evil. ⁘

During difficult times, struggles, and weariness, do you remember to thank God for His blessings, embrace His peace, to love life?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for watching over us and listening to our prayers. Help us grow in faith, hope, and righteousness, taking time to love life. Teach us to turn away from evil and do good. Like the pansies’ “faces” and bright colors bring smiles, let our smiling faces spread joy, happiness, and peace. 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.🌺

My Hope: Psalm 62:5-6

5Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
6Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-6 (NIV)

Psalm 62 is a psalm of David. It is a psalm of confidence, of trust in God. David has bitter enemies, but he has confidence God could and would deliver him. When our souls find rest in God, we give up our worldly concerns and trust God.
Where does our hope come from; our hope comes from God. He is our rock, our salvation. Meditation and prayer strengthen faith and build a strong foundation in the Lord. Like David, we can learn not to be overcome by worries but to stand strong in faith unshaken.

When worldly issues are overwhelming, is God your rock and your hope?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, You are our rock, salvation, and our hope. Thanks for being our strong foundation and our shelter during life storms. Teach us to let go of our worldly concerns and put our trust in You. Like the full rose blossoms make a lovely garden, let us be full of hope and reflect Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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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. 🌺

I pray for the Ukrainian people, I pray for peace, and I pray for the end of war.

Who is a rock, except our God? 2 Samuel 22:31-32

31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 32 “For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?”
2 Samuel 22:31-32 (NKJV)

31 What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it. 32 Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock?
2 Samuel 22:31-32 (MSG)

After the Lord delivered David from his enemies and Saul, he wrote this song/psalm. David depended on the Lord, believed in His promises, turned to Him in prayer, and followed His way. The Lord protected and shielded David, keeping him safe. In this song, David acknowledges that his achievements all came from God. What a God! His way is perfect; there is none like Him.
This chapter in 2 Samuel is known as; David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving, Davids’s Psalm of Deliverance, and David’s Psalm of Deliverance and Manifold Blessings. The verses are repeated with little variation again in Psalm 18.
Verse 32 sums up the power and greatness of the Lord; For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? Yes, the Lord is our rock, strong, steadfast, and our safe refuge.

Is the Lord your rock? Do you lean on Him during times of trouble like David did?

Prayer; Our Lord, our guide and protector, you are our strength and our shield. We thank Your direction and Your perfect way. Teach us to rely on You and turn to You during times of trouble. Lord, You are our God, our hope, our rock. Like the beautiful iris is nestled by rock and reaching toward the sky, let us lean on You, our rock, and reach upward toward You. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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If you need prayer, I will be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page. 🌺

All Things Are Possible With God: Mark 10:26-27

²⁶They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?
²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Mark 10:26-27 (NIV)

In Mark 10:17, a man runs up to Jesus. “Good teacher,” he asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus tells him to keep the commandments, and the man replies I have kept them since youth. Then:

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Mark 10:21-23

The disciples were astonished, saying. Who then can be saved?

²⁷ Jesus looked at them (the disciples) and said, “With man, this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

The inner weakness of the rich man was his wealth; his desire for comfort and prosperity kept him from following Jesus. The man put his trust and priority in his status quo rather than in God.

We cannot save ourselves, but God can. God can change a rich person’s heart. He can change anyone’s heart. He reached out to Zacchaeus, the tax collector, and changed his life focus and his heart. Wealth, pride, and self-importance make it difficult for people to rely on God, but when we trust in God and sincerely love, Him; all things are possible with God through His saving grace.

²⁶ Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”
Matthew 19:26 (MSG)

All things are possible with God. His saving grace is available to all who seek it. Is your heart delight riches, or self-satisfaction, or God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, help us to find our treasure in You. Teach us to seek You always instead of worldly goods. Lord, help us to trust and rely on you rather than ourselves. Open our hearts and eyes to see that all things are possible with God. Like the calibrachoa flowers are gathered together facing upward, help us gather together and lift our face upward reflecting Your; amazing, love. In Jesus holy name. Amen

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Need prayer? I believe in the power of prayer and would be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page. 🌺