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The Incredible Therapy Of Prayer

 

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 6
Focus: Psalm 6:9

The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer.”

There are times, to be quite honest, when life stinks. Satan attacks, or people say vicious things, or circumstances threaten to sink your ship, or sin weighs you down, or your body breaks down—or all of the above. It is in times like these that, understandably, you just don’t have a positive outlook on life.

So the question is, what do you do about it? Well, you can just grit it out. Or you can talk to caring people who will encourage you. You can pay a therapist to listen to how bad life is for you. You can hire a personal coach to walk you through it. Those aren’t necessarily bad options.

But the most effective therapy is prayer! And best of all, it’s free. It won’t cost you a thing, except your time and your honesty before God.

David was in quite a pessimistic state of mind. Something was happening that he couldn’t fight his way through. He was down, and despaired of life itself. He spent sleepless nights and soaked his pillow with tears of anguish, with no relief in sight. But David prayed. That’s what David did—a lot!

As you read through Psalms, you will often see how David was downcast because of the challenges of dire circumstance, difficult people, and personal failure. Like you and I, he faced the gritty, raw reality of life, and sometimes it seemed that he just couldn’t catch a break. But in those psalms, you will notice that the more David pours out his heart honestly before God, the more his spirit begins to lift by the end of the psalm, and before you know it, the reality hits David that his life is squarely in the hands of his loving Father—where it has been all along.

Had David’s circumstances suddenly changed? Not necessarily. What had changed was David’s perspective. That’s what honest prayer does. David had suddenly come to the realization yet again that through the therapy of prayer, he had received an answer better than the one he had brought at the beginning of his prayer—the gift of being in the very presence of God. That’s always the best answer to prayer, by the way: Just spending time in God’s presence.

That’s what prayer will do for you, too. It’s the best therapy!

__________________

“Pray, and let God worry.”  (Martin Luther)

 

 

Making Life Work:Had David’s circumstances suddenly changed? Not necessarily. What had changed was David’s perspective. That’s what honest prayer does. David had suddenly come to the realization yet again that through the therapy of prayer, he had received an answer better than the one he had brought at the beginning of his prayer—the gift of being in the very presence of God. That’s always the best answer to prayer, by the way: Just spending time in God’s presence. Why not try that right now! Just be with God—it’s better by far than any other kind of therapy you could try.

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The First And Last Thing You Do

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 5
Focus: Psalm 5:3

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”

What is the first thing you do when the alarm clock rings, awakening you to another day full of exciting possibility and challenging demands? Perhaps you are one of those who rolls over and mumbles, “Good Lord, morning!” Or maybe you are the type who pops up with delight and expectation by greeting the One who gave you the gift of yet another day with, “Good morning, Lord!”

Obviously, David was of the latter variety. Not that he was an overly optimistic person—in fact, much of David’s life was lived by keeping just one step ahead of death. But he had come to appreciate the presence and protection of God so much that most of his waking moments were spent connecting with his Lord.

imagesDavid was a man who had truly learned to practice the presence of God. First thing in the morning, David lifted his voice to God—and before he did anything else, he waited for a reply (that’s what he means when he says, “and will look up”). But that was also the last thing David did when he hit the sheets at night. He prayed in Psalm 119:62, “At midnight I will rise to give you thanks.”

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why David was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” What do you suppose would happen if you and I took on David’s practices? Maybe we would develop that kind of heart after God too!

Let me suggest a 30-day trial—that the last thing you do when you go to bed is to recount as many things as you can think of for which you are grateful, and the first thing you do when you arise in the morning is lift your voice to God with gratitude that he has given you the gift of another day.

To give thanks is one of the highest callings we have and one of the most self-benefiting things we can do. Think about this: Even sitting where you are reading this devotional is a cause for thanksgiving to God. The prophet Jeremiah declared in Lamentations 3:22, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.”

G. K. Chesterton, who would say at the end of the day, “Here ends another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands [to experience this] great world around me. Tomorrow begins another day. Why am I allowed two?”

Chesterton, Jeremiah and David had the perspective that all of life was a gift from God. Let’s you and I practice that perspective, too, every morning and evening for the next month. I have a feeling that the discipline of thankful prayer will turn into the delight of thankful prayer long after those 30 days are up.

________________

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” (Ambrose, Bishop of Milan)

 

Making Life Work: Try the 30-day trial—make the last thing you do when you go to bed recounting as many things as you can think of for which you are grateful, and make the first thing you do when you arise in the morning lifting your voice to God with gratitude that he has given you the gift of another day. You may want to actually set an appointment on your calendar for your morning time with your Heavenly Father.

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How To Get Angry But Stay Good

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 4
Focus: Psalm 4:4

“In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”

You and I have a lot in common. Really! Not only are we incredibly intelligent, unbelievably likeable and unusually humble, we have a very large capacity for anger.

Have you noticed that lately? Did you find yourself snarling at someone who pushed your hot button this week? Did you experience any road rage, at least in your mind, when you were running late for that appointment and traffic just wasn’t cooperating with your timing needs? Did you wake up grumpy and snap at the kids or come home tired and verbally abuse your dog?

“No”, you say. Well, perhaps you are the one person on Planet Earth that had an anger-free week!

The truth is, we all experience anger. Anger is a God-given capacity that is common to the human race. But anger itself is not the problem. Both King David and the Apostle Paul taught that it was possible to “Be angry and not sin.” (see also Ephesians 4:26)

It’s when we mishandle anger—that’s the problem. That’s where families get unhealthy, relationships get fractured, jobs get lost, and damage gets inflicted. And the Bible is very clear that we had better learn to control and channel that anger appropriately or not only will we cause some irreparable damage in the here and now, but in the “there and then” we will stand before a righteous God to give account for our unrighteous anger.

“But I tell you anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22)

Here in this psalm, King David described what is arguably the most effective way to manage anger. And what he is recommending is—get this—to practice the rare art of “thinking” when emotions begin to give rise to anger. Seriously, the best antidote to inappropriate anger is to simply think it through, to bring that emotional response of anger, which can be quite unintelligent, obviously, into the realm of the intelligent thought, where it can be appropriately channeled.

Think!The biggest enemy to uncontrolled, destructive anger is your ability to be rational, because destructive anger is stupid. I use the word stupid because it leads you to hurt the very things you should be protecting and preserving. That is why David’s answer for anger that doesn’t lead to sin was “when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” In other words, rather than venting, find a quiet moment, calm yourself, hold your tongue, count to ten, and allow your brain the opportunity to do what it does best—think!

So just what is it that you are supposed to think about when you are angry?

First, think about your anger’s potential destructiveness to the people you care about, and to yourself. As Proverbs 29:11 says, only “a fool gives full vent to his anger.”

Second, think about how Satan wants to use your anger to manipulate you for his purposes. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Just remember, every time you give vent to anger, you are opening the vent to Satan’s toxic vapors.

And third, think about the person you are angry with. And whatever else you do, remember that this person is someone who matters very much to your Heavenly Father. They are someone so loved by God that he sacrificed his Son’s life to redeem. They are someone that he has great plans for throughout all eternity. Think about that before you let any angry words fly—and remember that to damage them is to do damage to God.

And don’t forget what David said, “In your anger, do not sin!”

__________________

“Violence in the voice is often only the death rattle of reason in the throat.” (John F. Boyes)

Making Life Work:Since thinking is the greatest antidote to anger, think for a while about what Proverbs 19:11 says: “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is a glory to overlook an offense.”

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Better Hands

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 3
Focus: Psalm 3:5

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.”

Where is the best place to live in the entire world? Periodically, national magazines will rate the various cities around the world for their livability—based on the city’s beauty, environmental practices, economic health, the crime rate, the number of parks, the average lifespan of the inhabitants, and so on.

There are some amazing communities in this world, and I believe I live in one of them, but the very best place to live anywhere, bar none, is squarely in the hands of Almighty God. If you live there, by saving faith and daily obedience, the physical address of your residence doesn’t really matter. The crime rate and economic health are non-factors. The natural beauty and livability quotient are inconsequential. Even the most hostile environment can be a great place to live when the Lord “is a shield about you.” (Psalm 3:3)

David passionately loved the city of Jerusalem. In fact, it became known as the City of David. But there came a time when he had to flee the city, running for his life because of the uprising of his son, Absalom. Absalom wanted to assassinate his father, and he had plenty of support among the religious community, the military, and the common citizens—the very people for whom King David had provided such a good life. But they had turned on David, forcing the king to run for his life, barely just a step ahead of death, and with absolutely no prospects of ever regaining his throne and returning to the city.

Yet as David fled from his beloved Jerusalem, he found an even better place, an oasis from the chaos of the coup—he found refuge in the hands of God. Obviously, that oasis was not a physical place. It wasn’t even just an emotional state of mind. It was something much more important, much more enduring, much more satisfying—it was the spiritual reality of being cared for by the only One who truly has the power of life and death.

Better HandsIn another psalm he wrote, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16, NLT) David knew and relied upon this truth, that God knew the exact number of days that David would live, and he would not die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what God had foreordained. And nothing could change that—not Absalom, not betrayal, not war, not poverty, not disease…nothing. God alone held that power over David’s life.

That’s why, coup and exile notwithstanding, David found this world a perfectly safe place. That’s why even in the midst of his crisis, David could “lie down and sleep—and wake again.” (Psalm 3:5) It was the Lord who was sustaining him. You just think that way—and live that way—when you understand that your life is in God’s hands.

In 1944, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was soon thereafter martyred by the Nazis, wrote in a letter from prison: “Much that worries us beforehand can, quite unexpectedly, have a happy and simple solution … Things really are in a better hand than ours.”

Praise God, our lives truly are in Better Hands!

_______________________

“A consciousness of our powerlessness should cast us upon Him who has all power. Here then is where a vision and view of God’s sovereignty helps, for it reveals His sufficiency and shows us our insufficiency. (Arthur W. Pink)

 

Making Life Work: Your life is there too, you know! Or maybe you don’t. But even if you don’t, that truth remains firm, and because of the saving faith that you have expressed in Jesus Christ, your address has permanently changed to God’s hands. It’s high time you starting enjoying your new zip code.

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When Fools Rule

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 2:1-12
Focus: Psalm 2:4-6

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

In Psalm 14:1, David wrote, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

Of course, David’s idea of a fool was different than ours—and much more serious. We speak of a fool as one who lacks intelligence, direction and sound judgment. David, on the other hand, understood the fool to be one who lived willfully in complete disregard to the laws of God. He ignored God’s rightful rule over his life, and perhaps even went so far as to express an attitude that aggressively denied God’s reality, defied God’s moral code, and went so far as to dare God to execute judgment.

By David’s definition, we are living in a time where there are a lot of fools running around. In fact, many of them seem to be running our country. They are in high places of government, finance, cultural influence, and even spiritual leadership.

But as powerful, popular and prosperous as they are, they are still fools. And David’s psalm reminds us of this sobering truth: God still rules. And while the fools are seated in places of power, God is seated in the only place of power that really counts. And he is scoffing at the unbelievable hubris and overt rebellion of these he has created and gives even their very moment-by-moment breath. He sits on the real and true throne, patiently waiting for them to repent, but knowing they never will.

Psalm 2 speaks of that time when God’s patience will finally come to its end and he will indeed execute judgment on those who have dared and defied him for so long. And it won’t be a pretty picture then. As you read Psalm 2, you realize that it is not a very happy psalm.

god-in-controlYet there is hope strategically placed within David’s song. This psalm of divine judgment is also a contrasting psalm of eternal optimism. Embedded in David’s diatribe is also an invitation to live wisely (Psalm 14:10—as opposed to how the fool lives) by serving God gladly (Psalm 14:11—contrasted with the defiant rebelliousness of sinful man) and the promise that all who willing do will find “blessed” (happiness, favor and eternal joy) “refuge” (a safe and secure place) in him (Psalm 14:12).

There is not a whole lot you and I can do about all the fools running around these days, but whenever we get frustrated with all the foolishness we have got to put up with, we can be reminded that it is God who rules. And when he finally brings all the foolishness to its deserving end, we will have found blessed refuge in him, because he rules in the most important place—the throne of our hearts.

__________________

“Wherever the fear of God rules in the heart, it will appear both in works of charity and piety, and neither will excuse us from the other.” (Matthew Henry)

 

Making Life Work: This week, when you get frustrated by the foolishness you see coming out of the seats of power that rule our nation at various levels, instead of ranting and raving, pause and praise the One who truly rules. And remember, the day is soon coming when he will dramatically institute his eternal rule.

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How To Be Happy

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 1
Focus: Psalm 1:1-2

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.”

Every human being who has ever walked this planet has this in common: The desire to be happy. In fact, our most revered national document, the Declaration of Independence, proclaims that the pursuit of happiness is our inalienable right, universally endowed by the Creator himself.

Now we can pursue happiness until we are blue in the face, and most of us do, but there is just one way we will ever attain true and lasting happiness: By following God’s “roadmap”. The Psalmist called it “the law of the Lord,” Today, we would call it “the Bible.”

In this opening song from the songbook for the human race, the Psalms, we are told that happiness comes by completely, deliberately and consistently ordering our life according to the full counsel of God’s Word. Not just a favorite verse here and there, mind you, or a Bible reading when it strikes our fancy, but through a “day and night” absorption of the whole “law of God.” Furthermore, true blessedness and lasting joy comes by completely, deliberately and consistently rejecting the humanistic definition of and path to happiness.

The Psalmist calls for a complete ordering of our life around the Word of God—“meditating on it day and night.” So here is the most important question you will be asked this year: Are you? Are you reading it regularly, and not just reading it, but absorbing it? Are you not just absorbing it, but are you figuring out ways to apply it to your daily life—your situations, your responses, your decisions, your planning?

May I suggest that before you do anything else—listen to the news, read the paper, look over your email, have coffee with your posse, which is perhaps the modern equivalent of “walking,” “standing” and “sitting” with anyone else before you get counsel from God—that you carve out time and then ruthlessly guard that time to read, absorb and apply God’s Word. And then discipline yourself to bring what you have read back to mind at various parts of the day, to make sure your thoughts, actions, interactions, responses and accomplishments have been true to the plumbline of God’s Word.

happiness-isBy the way, when “meditating day and night” on Scripture becomes the “organic” practice of your life, the discipline of daily Bible reading will have turned into the delight of practicing the presence of God. And when you practice the presence of God, you will experience the presence of God.

Being in God’s presence—that is truly what the joyful, blessed and happy life is all about.

________________________

“The Bible redirects my will, cleanses my emotions, enlightens my mind, and quickens my total being.” (E. Stanley Jones)

 

 Doing Life Well: Set an appointment with God on your calendar—literally—to read and reflect on his Word. Add it to whatever type of calendar you use, then ruthlessly keep it. Set if for the first thing in the morning (before you read the news, use social media, make your to-do list, etc.) or for the last thing you do before you go to sleep. Or do both. I would recommend the first, since it centers you on the Word and will of God at the very first part of your day. I would also recommend you join me this year in reading through the Wisdom books of the Bible—Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. Then, again, commit to keeping this regular time with God throughout this year. And for extra credit (not with God, mind you, but just for helping to remember what you have read), jot down in one paragraph the best thing you read in your session with God’s Word.

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Good News For The Year Ahead

Doing Life Well:
Romans 8:31-32

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

One of my favorite hymns—yeah, I still love them—was written by the German composer, Joachim Neander in the 1600’s. It still resonates with worshipers of all ages some 400 years later. I particularly relish this line in the fourth verse,

 Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, if with His love He befriends thee.

Think about that for a moment—it will change your day, not to mention the New Year ahead. As a matter of fact, it will change the trajectory of the rest of your life. The only thing I would change in this otherwise magnificent hymn is the one little word in the second line, “if”. For me, and anyone else who has been redeemed God’s marvelous grace, that word rather should be, “since”! “If” speaks of possibility, “since” reflects reality!

God has indeed befriended us, amazing as that sounds.  If you are having trouble grasping that, go back and read the entirety of Romans 8. What you will find there are some jaw-dropping realities of what God has already done for you through Christ Jesus. Not the least of which is simply yet powerfully this: God has clearly and deliberately stated that he is for you! And, as Paul logically concludes, since that is true, nothing and no one can be against you.

God Is For MeDoes that sound like someone has over promised you something? If it were simply another human being making that claim, I would be suspicious of their ability to deliver on that pledge. But keep in mind the One declaring this vow to you is God himself! And here is the Almighty’s certification: He offered Jesus, literally, through his virgin birth, sinless life and sacrificial death, as the guarantee that his promise is 100% good.

Now since it is firmly established that you and I are friends of the Almighty, the realities of blessing, protection, provision, success and satisfaction in the days, months and year to come, along with eternity for that matter, are unlimited—limited only by our unbelief.

So, indeed, take a moment to ponder anew what it means to walk in moment-by-moment friendship with your Almighty Father. I guarantee this: it will make all your moments to come a whole lot brighter. 

Praise to the Lord,
The Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
For He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord,
Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings,
Yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen
How all your longings have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord,
Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness
And mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord,
O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath,
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Yes, for gladly we adore Him. How could we not!

____________________________

“How great peace and quietness would he possess who should cut off all vain anxiety and place all his confidence in God.” (Thomas à Kempis)

Doing Life Well: As you celebrate New Year’s Day—and the new opportunities lie ahead—take a moment to envision what it means to have God as your friend. Since he has graciously befriended you, what difference does that—should that—make in how you approach your work, how you make your plans, how you handle your fears, how you manage your emotions and in an all-inclusive sense, how you do life? Obviously, it should make all the difference! As a reminder, write on a 3×5 card: God is my friend! Now for the next week, tape that card to your mirror so that you see every morning before you leave for the day and every evening before you go to sleep that God is for you.