DEVOTIONAL

Prayer: Father God, I come to you in all humility acknowledging there is no one like you, for you are the one true living God. Help me to love you more than anything else in the world and teach me your ways and as I come before your throne of grace and mercy, I confess and acknowledge I have sinned against you in thought and deed, today I ask to forgive me and, in your grace, purify my heart, cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

And in your great love lead me and help me to walk in the paths of righteousness, so that I may bring glory to you the one triune God. Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. I now receive your forgiveness and mercy in the name of my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Scripture Reading for Prayer and Praise: Psalm 27:1 

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

Worship Song Sung or Said: Build My Life (Pat Garred)

https://youtu.be/xh86R7_w1_8

Worthy of every song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe

We live for you Oh, we live for you

Jesus, the Name above every other name

Jesus, the only One who could ever save

Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe

We live for you.

Holy, there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder

Show me who You are and fill me

With Your heart and lead me in your love to those around me.

Jesus, the Name above every other name

Jesus, the only One who could ever save

Worthy of every breathe we could ever breathe

We live for You, Oh! We live for, for You

Holy, there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder

Show me who You are and fill me

With Your heart and lead me

In your love to those around me 

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone.

And I will not be shaken

I will build my life upon Your love.

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

Holy, there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder

Show me who You are and fill me

With Your heart and lead me

In your love to those around me 

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

I will build my life upon

Your love It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken.

God’s Word for Today: Psalm 56:1-13

"1 Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.” 2 My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.” 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” 4 In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid.” What can mere mortals do to me? 5 All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin.” 6 They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.” 7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down.” 8 Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll— are they not in your record? 9 Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help.” By this I will know that God is for me.” 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise— 11 in God I trust and am not afraid.” What can man do to me? 12 I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you.” 

3 For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”                                                                                                

Devotional/Study:

I love the Psalms because they touch the deepest parts of our soul. Although the Psalms were written in a different time and culture, they still speak to each one of us today. In the Psalms we discover how David, and the other writers speak to God from the depth of their hearts with honesty and openness.  In the Psalms we read of all kinds of emotions the writers went through and wrote about. Emotions of praise and worship and trust in God.

Once David said in Psalm 145:1 "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.” At other times He expressed emotions of despair. In Psalm 6:3-4 David said "My soul is in deep anguish.” How long, LORD, how long?  Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.” 

I find it encouraging that David shares his true feelings with God. We know David wasn’t perfect and made mistakes and sinned against God. But when he was troubled, he opened his heart to God with honesty and truth. What really encourages us is that even when the Psalmists expressed fear, sorrow, doubt, or anger in their words and songs, they often ended with words praising God. 

For example, in Psalm 13 David says "How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Then in v5 he says But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” 

Brothers and sisters, God wants us, to express and share our emotions with Him so that He can help us. I have a son who lives in a care home, over the years he has shared with me his issues and troubles and sometimes with tears. He does this because he trusts me. I am so glad he shares his heart because it gives me an opportunity to love him and help him.

Our father in heaven wants us to share our hearts with Him. David encourages us in Psalm 62:8 and says "Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Trusting means believing He loves us, believing in His word, believing He has a plan and purpose for our lives even when things are difficult, and things look bleak. 

Trust will grow, if we spend more time with God, recognising His sovereignty and constant goodness, even when life can seem confusing and difficult. 

I believe my trust in God has grown as I have become more open and honest in repentance and confession and the more, I have opened my heart the more I discover how forgiven and gracious and merciful God is. Having been in ministry for many years I have discovered because of various things that have happened in our lives many of us have supressed, concealed, buried our true feelings deep down in the private place of our hearts. 

For many of us it can be painful to share our emotions especially if we have been hurt by someone. In these days of suffering and pain, I want to encourage to spend more time with God seeking His face and sharing and pouring out whatever is in your heart. Be willing to tell God exactly what you are feeling and experiencing. Some of it may be painful and even shameful, but we need to remember our God who knows the secrets of our hearts loves us and longs to heal and make us whole and release peace into our hearts. 

However, I do believe if we want to be free and whole, we need to be prepared to be open and honest with God and as David said, "pour out your hearts to him.” The other amazing thing is God always hears, always understands, and always listens to us with compassion. We read in Psalm 142:3 "When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way.” 

I want to spend more time sharing with God what’s in my heart. And be willing to tell God exactly what I am feeling and experiencing daily. I know Some of it may be painful and even shameful, but I need to remember that God who knows the secrets of our hearts loves me and longs to heal and make me whole and release peace into my hearts. 

For all of us He wants to uplift our hearts during whatever difficulty we may be going through and longs to refresh and release joy and freedom in our most inner being. 

I know when we lay them at His feet where they belong, unexplainable peace will follow. 

Peace even when we are still in the situation because He is with us. In the 1980’s there was a beautiful song written called I’m accepted. 

“I’m accepted, I'm forgiven, I am fathered by the true and living God, I'm accepted, no condemnation, I am loved by the true and living God, there’s no guilt or fear as I draw near, To the Saviour and Creator of the world. There is joy and peace, as I release my worship to You, O Lord.” 

Brothers and sisters, our God the father the son and holy spirit loves us very deeply and not only does He watch over us, He says to you and me in Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Brothers and sisters let us seek to be much more open and honest and grow to trust in our God and maintain communion with Him, loving and trusting Him, even whatever troubles we may be going through. 

I do believe if we trust in the LORD with all of our hearts and not depend on our own under-standing and submit to Him, he will guide and show the right path to take. Living according to these principles will help us to be strong and say with confidence these words from that beautiful song faithful one. You are my rock in times of trouble, you lift me up when I fall down All through the storm Your love is, the anchor My hope is in You alone.

Let us pray and take a few moments in quietness and give our hearts to our father in heaven and allow the Holy Spirit to come and minister into our hearts. Jude 1: 24 "Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and great joy – to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen" 

Personal Prayers: