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
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
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
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
9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you
Psalm 9:9-10 (NIV)
God, our Heavenly Father, is our stronghold in times of trouble. A stronghold is defined as a well-fortified place of protection against attack. God is a refuge for the oppressed, the poor, the needy, those without power, and for protection from evil. He is our refuge and stronghold.
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1(NLT)
Our God is faithful; He keeps His promises. Seek Him, for He is good; He will not forsake you. He is worthy of your confidence and trust. He is your help in times of trouble, your refuge; you can rely on Him.
9-10 God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.
Psalm 9:9-10 (MSG) ⁂
God is our refuge and our strength. In times of trouble, is your first response to turn to God?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for being our stronghold and refuge during difficult times. Help us to grow in faith, seek You, and trust You. Teach us to reach out to You in trust knowing you will never forsake us. Like the allium flowers spiral out in all directions, your love spirals out, surrounding us; You are our stronghold, our hope. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
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. 🌺
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. 🌺
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
It is not because we are good or deserving that we are saved. God doesn’t only accept good people. By, His grace, His freely given blessing, His gift, we all can be saved.
Grace can be described as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Christ died for our sins. We don’t need to be “good enough” for salvation, we just need to believe and have faith, in God and Christ’s goodness. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, faith: is belief and trust in and loyalty to God.
10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
Good works are not the cause of salvation; good works are the purpose of salvation. God saves us to do good works in His name, which brings Him glory.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for Your love and grace. Let our faith and trust in You direct our lives. Guide us to follow Your path, and do good works, to glorify Your name. Like the mallow flowers are open and illuminated by sunlight, let us be open to Your Word and illuminated with Your love. In Jesus’ holy 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. 🌺
Garden Faith 