Something Greater

Oh my soul, why are you sad today? Have you forgotten the joy of forgiveness? What troubles are you keeping to yourself today, hiding from your Lord, refusing to pour out your heart to the One Who hears and cares? Is your pain caused by distrust of your Maker and Master? Do not act like a stubborn mule without understanding! Trust in the Lord and come near to his faithful love. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice in his forgiveness and favor! Find rest in God alone. Do not try to find satisfaction in circumstances of business or fame or distraction. Put no trust in defeating others, in gaining wealth, or ruling with importance. Strength belongs to God. Faithful love belongs to the Lord. He alone will have the final word on all things. He alone is just, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Rejoice, oh soul! Place into his hands all that you need and desire, and rest secure in his goodness and power over all circumstances and conditions. Trust in the Lord and come...

Lord, give me strength today...strength to trust you when circumstances are difficult and my emotions are troubled. Give me peace today...peace to obey your Word, to love you more than anything this world can offer, and to love my friends and neighbors the way you love me. Break down my pride, Lord. By your power, teach me to recognize my need for you. Bring me into situations today that reveal my selfishness, my lack of humility, my false sense of superiority over others. Open my mouth to clearly speak of your faithful love, your wonderful providence, your awe-inspiring strength and wisdom in creation, redemption and restoration. All of heaven and earth belong to you...you created them in righteousness and justice, in faithful love and truth. You have made Jesus to be the Rock of my salvation, the greatest of all kings. For the sake of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, forgive my sin and form my heart to love and obey you above all others. Halleluja...

Lord, my heart feels frustrated and resentful towards people and circumstances. Open my mind to consider what you have done, and are doing, and will do in, and around, and through me...even in this difficult time. Make my heart to trust in your strength and wisdom in all things, pleasing or painful. Lead me into trust-filled patience and compassion and genuine love for you and for those you have brought into my life. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, for your faithful love, even in my distress and fear. You are for me; I will not be afraid. You are my helper; I will not give in to despair or anger. Bring to my mind today a song of praise, a prayer of trust, and a shout of victory. I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what you have done! Do what is best, Lord, as you teach my unruly, ungrateful, disobedient heart and mind to trust and obey your holy Word. Satisfy my heart with the promise and presence and preciousness of Jesus, my Redeemer, Savior and Ki...

When my thoughts trouble me, I turn my troubled heart to you in prayer. Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you. You are my Lord; I have no true, lasting good except in you. I trust in your rule over everything that concerns me. You hold my future. You are my refuge and strength, my Helper who is always found in times of trouble. Train my heart to not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though nations roar and disasters threaten. Thank you, LORD, for you are good. Your faithful love will bring me through. A Prayer from Today's Psalms // June 16, 2025 // A Prayer from Psalms 16, 46, 76, 106, and 136 // Milt Reynolds // Photo by Dave Goudreau on Unsplash // https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-blue-jacket-standing-on-rock-formation-during-daytime-jviblDl60IE

Isaiah 17: A Ruinous Heap What's gone before... The previous chapter was divided in tone and intent. The first half was an emotional plea for shelter and protection for the Moabite refugees fleeing the ravages of foreign invaders. The second half was a dismissive condemnation of Moab's history of arrogance and superiority. Now, in Chapter 17... The world's search for happiness and strength within themselves will fail completely. War will decimate the nations. But the survivors will find hope in a renewed love and dependence upon God Almighty, their Creator. Isaiah warns of coming destruction for all nations involved in the civil war between Israel and Judah. Chief among the allies of Israel was Damascus, capital city of Syria. Isaiah 17:1-3 (ESV) An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid...

Isaiah 15, Part Two: The Prime Of Life Isaiah continues his lament, describing Moab as a valuable, vigorous animal, soon to be slaughtered. Isaiah 15:5 (ESV) My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. EGLATH-SHELISHIYAH: egla shelishi "eg-LAW shel-ee-SHEE" (a female calf, especially one nearly grown; a heifer) and (third); from egel (a male calf, especially one nearly grown; a steer); from agol (to revolve, circular, as frisking round) Eglath-shelishiyah is a compound word, combinining "heifer" (a young female cow that has not borne a calf) with "third", referring to a three-year-old cow. "Heifer" was used to refer to young women (Judges 14:18), as well as the nations of Egypt (Jeremiah 46:20), Chaldea (Jeremiah 50:11), and Ephraim (Hosea 10:11). Jeremiah echoes the declaration of Isaiah: Jeremiah 48:34-35 (ESV) “From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voi...

You Shall Love The Lord Your God I recently learned a new worship song: Love the Lord your God, With all your heart, With all your soul, With all your mind, And with all your strength With all your heart, With all your soul, With all your mind, with all your strength! What is the difference between heart, soul, mind and strength? Mark 12:28-30 (ESV) And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ Jesus cited this Old Testament reference: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (ESV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might....

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Colossians 1:11-12) From the day that Paul and Timothy heard of the new believers in Colossae, they began to pray regularly for them. Paul wrote this letter to them to encourage them to join with him in prayer, to cooperate in God's work in their lives. In his prayer, Paul describes two of God's purposes for the Colossian believers: Reflecting God's worth Strengthened with all power Let's focus on the idea of strength , especially as described here in Paul's prayer. The Greek word translated here as strengthened came from a word meaning force, especially miraculous power , from a word meaning to be able or possible. Immediately we see that Paul was praying that God would ...