Tag Archives: psalm 63

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Who’s Coming for Supper?

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The congregation at the church in Laodicea was an insipid lot. They were satisfied with themselves just the way they were – wealthy enough, healthy enough, life was good. The trouble is that Jesus didn’t see them that way! He knew they were “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17) But of the seven churches addressed in Revelation, the Laodiceans were the ones chosen for intimacy. You can imagine Christ saying, “I’m knocking at your door. Why don’t you let me in and we can sit down and have supper together and talk about these things?”

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Revelation 3:20

Are you a ho-hum, lukewarm, limp Christian offering tepid prayers and looking at your Bible reading as a bland routine? Wouldn’t you prefer to be refreshed and exhilarated after the time you’ve spent with your Lord? Start by not taking your devotional time for granted. Remember it is the God of the Universe who seeks to be close to you! Keep your focus on Him, motivated by your love for each other. Two-way communication over your spiritual supper table is essential. Don’t rush.

While you are communing in prayer, be sure to intercede for those in authority over you to find their relationship with the One who knocked at your door today.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 63:1-8

 

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Charles Stanley – How Temptation Leads to Sin

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2 Samuel 11:1-17

Hankering, hungering, longing, thirsting, yearning—all of these terms can be used to describe the word “desire.” Eve yearned for the fruit of the forbidden tree; Sarai longed for the promised child; King David hungered after Bathsheba. (Gen. 3:6; 16:2; 2 Sam. 11:2-4). In each case, their desire became so strong that they took matters into their own hands to get what they wanted. Each of them knew the Lord’s instructions, but when tempted, they found a way to justify their actions to obtain the desired goal. And the consequences were serious.

Throughout life, all of us experience longings. We yearn for circumstances or people to be different and crave things we do not have—or more of what we do have. And then we often find ourselves tempted to fulfill these desires through our own actions. Temptation itself is not sin, but acting on our own against God’s Word is. Stop and remember what happened to Eve, Sarai, and King David.

Our Creator, who designed you in His image, knows what it is you long for, and He has promised to give you what profits you most (Isa. 48:17). Compare your desires with the truth of Scripture, and ask God to help you let go of any that do not meet His standard.

Make Psalm 63:1 your heart’s cry: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” And Jesus, who is the Bread of Life and Living Water, will satisfy you as nothing else ever could.

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Intimacy with God – Charles Stanley

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Psalm 63:1-11

For Christians, it’s fairly simple to notice other people filling their God-shaped void with all the wrong things. It’s much harder, though, to see that same error in our own redeemed lives. We all too easily get busy for God—serving, singing, teaching, preaching, and going to the mission field. None of these things are wrong; in fact, they’re all good. But they’re often a misguided attempt to create a false sense of intimacy with God.

Why would any believer choose artificial closeness with the Lord when He wants to give His children the real thing? Two reasons: first, being known by God requires intense vulnerability and the humility to receive His grace. There is nothing we can do for the Lord or give to Him that will atone for our sins. Second, all successful friendships require hard work, and that holds true for our relationship with God as well.

To really know the Lord, you have to read the Bible—all of it. And you cannot maintain a close relationship with your heavenly Father if you ignore His principles. You must, therefore, fill your mind with godly things and forego worldly influences. In addition, a vibrant prayer life is essential to intimacy with God. These things don’t just happen; they require intentional effort.

Simply put, when we satisfy our thirst with living water, we’re no longer thirsty. When we live in intimate communion with God, the temptation to strive for saintliness in our own strength falls away. And our service, offerings, and worship, stripped of any self-serving motives, genuinely glorify God.