Prayer

Title: Prayer

Today’s Bible Verse: [Psalm 4:4 ESV] 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

I do not know why the ESV says be angry. The KJV says stand in awe.

Stand in awe: רָגַז râgaz, raw-gaz'; a primitive root; to quiver (with any violent emotion, especially anger or fear):—be afraid, stand in awe, disquiet, fall out, fret, move, provoke, quake, rage, shake, tremble, trouble, be wroth.

Maybe the ESV was equating râgaz with rage and in modern terms we equate rage with anger but in earlier years it was passionate emotion or awe.

When we look at Psalm 4:4, this is bedtime prayer. Any time we pray we are presenting ourselves before God so we should be in awe of Him. This psalm is speaking of prayer before going to sleep. Honestly, how many do this? Honestly, I try but do not always do it.

In Israel the custom was to present yourself before the Lord three time daily; in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. With lockdowns continuing or starting back up many are finding themselves at home or working from home again and this should allow us the ability to come back to this practice; pray when we first awaken, pray before lunch, and pray before we go to sleep.

In the morning we can put on the armor of God for the day:

Dear Jesus, today I put on the full armor to guard my life against attack.

I put on the belt of truth to protect against lies and deception.

I put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect my heart from the temptations I battle.

I put the gospel of peace on my feet, so I am ready to take your light wherever you send me this day. I choose to walk in the peace and freedom of your Spirit and not be overcome with fear and anxious thoughts.

I take up your shield of faith that will extinguish all the darts and threats hurled my way by the enemy. I believe in your power to protect me and choose to trust in you.

I put on the helmet of salvation, which covers my mind and thoughts, reminding me that I am a child of God, forgiven, set free, saved by the grace of Jesus.

I take up the sword of the Spirit, your very Word, the one offensive weapon given to me for battle, which has the power to demolish strongholds, alive, active, and sharper than any double-edged sword.

I ask for your help in remembering to put on your full armor every day, for you give me all that I need to stand firm in this world. Forgive me Jesus for the times I have been unprepared, too busy to care, or trying to fight and wrestle in my own strength.

Thank you that I never fight alone, for you are constantly at work on my behalf, shielding, protecting, strengthening, exposing deeds of darkness, bringing to light what needs to be known, covering me from the cruel attacks I face even when I am unaware. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

We can ask Jesus to restore His law: Dear Jesus, I ask you to please reinstate your law in this world. Bring an end to the careers of those governing authorities living and governing by their own selfishness and bring into office those that will live and govern by your ways. I ask this in Your Name. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21, Psalm 138:1-3, Psalm 19:14, Psalm 32:5-7, Psalm 6:2, Psalm 51:1-19, or Matthew 6:9-13 are always good for prayer at any time.

The point is that we must return to prayer. Let Him hear your voice and ask Him to restore His law throughout the world.

Faith is given to His elect by God. Faith is the overwhelming belief in God; it is not head knowledge, it is a deep down in your soul belief that God is your creator and your means of salvation from His wrath due to the fall. This faith was given to His elect from before creation. We have it for His glory.

Through our faith we know that Jesus died for us, and we have justification through Him. This justification means that our sin is covered with the blood of Jesus and, though we may die physically, we are not dead spiritually and will be resurrected into everlasting life when Jesus returns.

It is the elect that have salvation and it is my prayer that you are among the elect and that this serves as your catalyst for awakening.

This is the gospel:

[1 Corinthians 15:1-6 NLT] 1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you--unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

[Acts 2:22-24 NLT] 22 "People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

[1 John 2:2 NLT] 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins--and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

This is penal substitution; that is, our sins were transferred to Jesus and His righteous transferred to us.

We all have a job.

[Matthew 28:18-20 NLT] 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

All of the disciples of Jesus are to spread His word and the gospel.

Go forth and spread this good news.

I pray that God has revealed Himself to you and that you have salvation.

Remember, God is sovereign. That means that he controls everything.

I hope this has been a blessing to you. May the rest of your day be blessed. Peace.