Grace Part 6, The generosity of God’s Grace

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus gave the story of the landowner who demonstrated unmerited generosity to people who labored in his vineyard. At the conclusion of the day, when it was time to be paid, the landowner paid the workers from his generous heart. When this occurred the workers became envious. Some had worked all day and some worked only an hour. The landowner commented about their evil heart in Matthew 20:15.
Matthew 20:15 “Are you envious because I am generous?”

In this story, as in life, everyone gets the same grace. Jesus is demonstrating a different principle of equal pay for unequal value of work! The concept is not acceptable to world economic values. It is just not fair. Why should people who worked an hour be paid as much as those who worked all day? This is contrary to our way of thinking. This should be illegal for an employer to do! It seems so wrong!

The mathematics of grace does not make sense. God’s methods do not work in the world. Grace just seems wrong to us, unless we know God!

Paul said: “His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all.” On the surface, it sounds like Paul is saying I earned my way. I did my job. I was worthy of my hire!

1 Timothy 1:14-16 NIV The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Paul knew that he could not depend on his own goodness. He knew that grace that saves. He knew the mercy of Christ that was abundantly given.

Ernest Hemingway was an American writer, who was known for his outrageous lifestyle and gritty, realistic writing. One of his stories, however, is a beautiful story of grace. An estranged father and son in Spain had a vicious argument and the son had run away to Madrid. The father, wanted to reconcile with his boy. So, he took out an ad in the city paper: “Paco meet me at Hotel Montana noon Tuesday. All is forgiven. Papa.” Paco is a common Spanish name. When the father went the square he found 800 young men named Paco waiting for their fathers.
This is exactly where God’s grace finds us. We have been undeserving. We could not get the help we needed on our own. So, God stepped in and gave grace at the expense of His Son.
God’s grace is generous grace.

God’s grace does not make sense to our logical, worldly minds. Luke 15:3-7 records the parable of the one lost sheep. Jesus tells of a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to search for one lost sheep. It does not make sense! The 99 sheep were left exposed to rustlers or wolves while the shepherd searched for the one. What if he returned with the one to find 23 now lost? Grace searches for the lost ONE!

In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus gives us this parable of the landowner who gives grace without relationship to performance. Why did this man pay the part-day workers the same as the full day workers? This parable was a common story circulating in Jesus’ day. Jesus altered it to teach a radical truth about God. In the popular version of the story, the reason the last workers were paid the same was that they worked so hard that they impressed their employer. So, he paid them the full-day wage. But that is not how Jesus told the story! Jesus’ purpose is contained in the question the owner asks: “Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:15

This is not a story about the rewards of hard work. It is a story about the generosity of God. Each employee received what they needed to feed their families for the day.

Why did the owner hire the eleventh-hour workers? The only reason we are given for hiring them was he hired them because of their need! He did what he did out of grace. Each worker was not paid according to their work, but according to their need. Everybody got enough to feed their families for the day.

God is generous with His grace for us because we need it. It is all of grace. None of us merit it. God is generous because that is the kind of God He is!

Grace 5: The generosity of God’s Grace

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus told of a landowner who hired several workers thorough out a day. His started hiring workers early in the morning and continued until the eleventh hour of the day. When evening came he paid all the same amount.
Those who worked all day began to grumble against the generosity of the landowner.

Matthew 20:15 “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

In this story and in God’s mercy, everyone gets the same grace. Most of us are familiar with the principle of equal pay for equal work. Jesus is demonstrating a different principle of equal pay for unequal value of work! This concept is totally contrary to the economy of the world. It just not fair!

Why should people who worked an hour be paid as much as those who worked all day? This is contrary to our way of thinking. This should be illegal for an employer to do! It seems so wrong! The mathematics of grace does not make sense. God’s methods do not work in the world. Grace just seems wrong to us, unless we know God! Paul’s statement and the Lord’s parable appear to be in contradiction. Jesus is saying it is all of grace.

Paul said: “His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all.” On the surface, it sounds like Paul is saying I earned my way. I did my job. I was worthy of my hire! Before we go read what Paul said about his past.

1 Timothy 1:14-16 NIV 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Paul knew that he could not depend on his own goodness. He knew that grace that saves. He knew the mercy of Christ that was abundantly given.

Ernest Hemingway was an American writer, who was known for his outrageous lifestyle and gritty, realistic writing. One of his stories, however, is a beautiful story of grace. An estranged father and son in Spain had a vicious argument and the son had run away to Madrid. The father, wanted to reconcile with his boy. So, he took out an ad in the city paper: “Paco meet me at Hotel Montana noon Tuesday. All is forgiven. Papa.” Paco is a common Spanish name. When the father went the square he found 800 young men named Paco waiting for their father.

Jesus constantly demonstrated God’s grace.
Many of His parables, sermons, and miracles were demonstrations of God’s grace. Luke 15:3-7 records the parable of the one lost sheep. Jesus tells of a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to search for one lost sheep. It does not make sense! The 99 sheep were left exposed to rustlers or wolves while the shepherd searched for the one. What if he returned with the one to find 23 now lost? Grace searches for the lost ONE!

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus gave us this parable of the farmer who dispensed grace without relationship to performance. Why did this man pay the part-day workers the same as the full day workers? This parable was a common story circulating in Jesus’ day. Jesus altered it to teach a radical truth about God. In the popular version of the story, the reason the last workers were paid the same was that they worked so hard that they impressed their employer. So, he paid them the full-day wage. But that is not how Jesus told the story! Jesus’ purpose is contained in the question the owner asks: “Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” Matthew 20:15

This is not a story about the rewards of hard work. It is a story about the generosity of God. Each employee received what they needed to feed their families for the day. Why did the owner hire the eleventh-hour workers? The text does not tell us that it he needed them for a final push to get the job done. The only reason we are given for hiring them was they needed the money to feed their families. He hired them because of their need! He did what he did out of grace. Each worker was not paid according to their work, but according to their need. Everybody got enough to feed their families for the day.

God is generous with His grace for us because we need it. It is all of grace. None of us merit it. God is generous because that is the kind of God He is!

Jeremiah 32:40-41 NIV “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.”

This is a wonderful expression of God’s grace.

Grace, Part 4

God does not want you to misunderstand the abundance of His grace, so He gives us several word pictures to paint His decisive deliverance for us.
If you are truly born again and you still struggle with fear or hopelessness, you need to get this image in your mind. If you struggle with a feeling that God is against you, you need to see the way God thinks. If you feel that you are worthless and bankrupt you need to get these images in your mind and heart. They will change the way you think and feel about yourself.

First, “But God” has taken our sin: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
Think about this. If journey to the North Pole, you will eventually cross the crown of the earth and begin heading south. If you head south, you will eventually begin to head north again. North and south eventually meet at some point. If you head west and keep going, you will never reach “the east.” You will always be traveling west. If you head east, you will never reach “the west.”
What is this word picture mean?
It tells us that God’s forgiveness is infinite! God’s forgiveness is total and complete! He has taken our sin so far away from us that it is no longer attached to us or associated with us. It is completely removed!
Some people live as if the text said, “as far as the north is from the south.”
We live as if God has removed our sin from us quite a distance. We live as if God has not completely removed our sins. We believe that if He wanted to, He could find them again. He could hold them against us. In Christ Jesus our deliverance from sin is complete.

Second, “But God” has hidden our sin behind His back.
Isaiah 38:17 NIV “In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”
How big is God? He has taken our sins and placed them behind his back. They are completely hidden from view. By the grace and mercy of God through Christ, God has chosen to not let our sin stand between Him and us. Through Christ Jesus we have received His forgiveness. He has chosen not to hold them against us or to see us through them. Instead He sees us through the righteousness of Jesus. God no longer sees us in the clothing of our sin. We have been clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Our sinful, dirty clothes are behind His back. He sees us clean and holy in Christ.

Third, “But God” has blotted out our record
Isaiah 43:25 NIV “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

© 2004 PreachingToday.com gives the story of Bob Sheffield before he became a Christian.
He played professional hockey in Canada. He was tough, loved to fight, and found himself in jail one night after a barroom brawl. Later, Bob and his wife became Christians. They…accepted a temporary assignment with The Navigators…in the States.
Bob had to apply for landed immigrant status, which would allow him and his wife to continue in ministry in the United States. But because he had a criminal record, his request was denied…. They decided to apply in Canada for what is called the "Queen's Pardon." Following thorough investigation, the pardon was granted. Bob Sheffield received the following notice in the mail:
Whereas we have since been implored on behalf of the said Robert Jones Sheffield to extend a pardon to him in respect to the convictions against him, and whereas the solicitor general here submitted a report to us, now know ye therefore, having taken these things into consideration, that we are willing to extend the royal clemency on him, the said Robert J. Sheffield. We have pardoned, remitted, and released him of every penalty to which he was liable in pursuance thereof.
Now on any document Bob can honestly say that he has no criminal record. The pardon released him from any possible punishment for the crimes. The record of the crimes was completely erased.

That is the kind of pardon we have in Jesus Christ. We are free from any penalty or punishment. The answer is, there is: "no record, I have been pardoned by the blood of Christ."

Fourth, “But God” has hurled all our sin into the sea
Micah 7:19 NIV You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

When you throw something in the sea, it’s gone. When God throws our sin into the sea, there are no maps or directions given. God’s forgiveness is irreversible.They are ALL gone! God’s forgiveness is complete. The sea of God’s mercy is big enough to hold everything He throws into it. It is deep enough to hide it forever.

The blood of Jesus Christ can wash away every stain!
Have you accepted Christ as your Savior? Have you accepted God’s offer of forgiveness in Jesus? Then your sin and failure is out somewhere beyond where the west ends – He no longer attaches it to you -- it’s gone! It’s hidden from view behind the back of God – He no longer sees it when He looks at you. It’s been wiped from His books – there is no record anywhere to be held against you. It’s been buried in the depths of the ocean of His forgiveness – it will never surface again!

Do you believe it? Do you feel it? Is it part of your experience as well as your belief? You are no longer God’s enemy, you are His friend. You no longer need to fear Him, you have His peace. You are no longer hopeless; you have His hope of eternal life. You are no longer bankrupt; you have the riches of Christ. You are no longer despised; you are a beloved child of God.
Have you received the “Wonderful Grace of Jesus?"
Wonderful, the matchless grace of Jesus.
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea.
Higher than the mountains
Sparkling like a fountain,
All sufficient grace for even me.
Broader than the scope
Of my transgressions.
Greater far than all my sin and shame.
O, magnify the precious name of Jesus!
Praise His name!

Grace, Part 3

We found that God delights to pour out his kindness and mercy – His grace – on those who are undeserving.
What do you think is the most frequent command in the Bible?
“Be holy”
“Be loving”
“Be obedient”
N.T. Wright says: “the most frequent command in the Bible is “don’t be afraid,” “fear not.”” The reason is clear. God’s desire is to show His grace rather than His wrath.
Our greatest problem is that our sin has twisted our relationship with God. God wants to show us His grace. He wants to give us His Love. So, God has to keep reassuring us that He really wants to pour His blessing into our lives.
We all need His grace, but Satan and sin has made us afraid to come and receive what God wants to give us. We need it but we fear it.
We all need God’s kindness. Without it we are fearful, bankrupt, and helpless. Every one of us is equally destitute! We are all in need of His transforming power. We are all defiled. Only God can transform us into His child.
In1Timothy 1:15 The Apostle Paul confessed: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.”
This grace of God has purchased peace and heaven for us for all eternity.
Praise God, the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches you and me.

I don’t know if we have realized the depth of our need for God’s grace. Without His grace we are totally hopeless. Without His grace we are bankrupt. We are completely empty without God’s grace.
The true wonder of grace can only be seen against the dark backdrop of our sinfulness. Our Ruin viewed in contrast to His Remedy.
In Ephesians 2:1-3 we read the record of our darkness. Our ruin was complete. Our sin was black. Our situation was hopeless.

Ephesians 2:1-3 NASB95 1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

We were dead
Before we came to know God, we were dead in our sins.
We were dominated
We were under the dominion of Satan, “the prince of the power of the air.”
We were disobedient
Our lives were marked by disobedience to God’s will.
We were depraved
Our behaviour was depraved as we were driven by our sinful passions and desires.
We were doomed
We were doomed for destruction by the righteous wrath of God against our sin.

“But God…” swept in!
The stars begin to shine in our darkness!

Ephesians 2:4-7 NASB95 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

“But God….”
Those two words tell the story of Grace. God broke into the darkness of our destiny and delivered us from certain destruction!

We were dead – but God raised us with Christ Jesus.
We were dominated – but God seated us with Christ and gave us authority to resist Satan.
We were disobedient – but God brought forgiveness through Jesus’ death for us.
We were depraved – but God gave us new hearts and minds to accomplish good things in Jesus’ name.
We were doomed – but God, through Christ Jesus, will show us His kindness in the coming ages.

We were doomed – but God, through Christ Jesus, will show us His kindness in the coming ages. The hordes of hell were about to celebrate our total defeat. “But God” sent Christ into the world to redeem us. We have been snatched from the jaws of defeat! This is the message of God’s grace.

When all seems lost, God comes sweeping to our rescue.

It is an act of God’s aggressive grace. Sin is defeated and we have been given victory. Not temporary victory. The powers of sin are broken. Jesus Christ has not just won the battle, He has won the war.

Grace, Part 2

We have defined God’s grace as unmerited favor at Christ’s expense. Each of us has received grace, God’s grace.

John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:16-17 (NIV) From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Look at these three points:
1) Grace became evident when Christ came from the Father, (John 1:14)
2) From the fullness of His grace we have all received blessing after blessing, (John 1:16)
3) Then, the difference in law and grace is evidenced by comparing what we received from Moses and Jesus Christ, (John 1:17)

God’s aggressive grace is realized in the mercy God gives rather than the judgment and condemnation deserved. Considering the fact that we have all sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, we live by grace. Every blessing that comes down to us is a result of God’s grace. In consideration of that grace, Paul told the Galatians: “I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:21 (GNT)”

Have you ever felt that you have not been good enough to be blessed?
Maybe, you have been sick or suffering. Your life is full of problems. You have not been as successful as you desire. Have you thought: “God is holding back His blessing until I do better?”

Grace and personal performance often collide. Paul addressed this to the Roman Christians. He found himself in a difficult situation.

Romans 7:15-19 (NIV) I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”

Any thoughtful individual has come to this conclusion. “I don’t know how to do what is good all the time.” This is our dilemma. How can I please God, when I don’t please myself? “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (Romans 7:21)

God’s grace throws us over onto Jesus Christ.

Romans 7:24-25 (NIV) “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
Romans 8:1 (NIV) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Grace, part 1

Grace is one of the most amazing aspects of God’s character. To overlook grace is to overlook the true character of God.
What exactly is grace? The words "grace" and "gracious" can be found almost 202 times in Scripture. The word comes from the Greek word "charis''. Grace refers to that heartfelt attraction to someone. The Greeks used the word to express generosity, without thought of a reward or favor from the other person.
Christians exalted the word to mean "a gift." It came to mean the "gift of salvation", "the kindness and love of God in forgiving us and saving us."
A person has "charisma," meaning "one with an attractive, appealing personality, magnetism about them."
Probably the best known meaning of this important Biblical term is "unmerited favor" or "divine favor" a favor freely bestowed upon those totally unable to return the favor.
God’s grace takes an aggressive posture in the mercy He shows on those who are without merit. Grace demonstrates the goodness of God toward those who deserve His wrath, judgment, and death. Yet, on the basis of the substitutionary death of Christ, God's grace provides a way for God to offer the free gift of eternal life to a guilty sinner. That is aggressive grace.
God’s grace is totally unmerited favor dispensed at great cost.
Titus 3:4-5 NKJV "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,"
Grace expresses God’s love toward others who are totally unlovely, and unworthy. Grace is receiving God’s great mercy and love when we are filthy and dead in sin.
Ephesians 2:4-5 NKJV "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)”

Timing is everything or God’s knows when!

Many times we think everything is out of control and that the timing is wrong. One of our missionaries is going through a difficult time. She wrote that everything seems out of control. From all apparent observations, things are not working the way they planned. In their turmoil and difficulties she referred to this statement:
"When the time was right, the worlds were made, the flood subsided, the sea parted, the walls fell down, the lion's mouths were shut, the storm was silenced, the blind could see, the lame could walk, the captives went free, the tomb was forever emptied. God's timing is always right. His power is great, His plan for you is good, His hold on you is secure-- and He'll see you through."

That is the way God works. He is never late. He is never inadequate or insufficient. He always comes through. He knows exactly what needs to occur.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When the timing is off it is difficult to retain faith and trust in God. However, that is when our faith is proven. It is also when we come to recognize the control that God retains over every situation.

You can trust God in every situation you are facing. He still is the miracle worker. He has good plans for you. He has your future in mind right now. He will not fail.

I recently read this prayer: Dear God; I want to thank You for what you have already done. I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking you right now.. I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed; I am thanking you right now. I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles. I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better. I'm thanking you because FATHER, You haven't given up on me.

God's Awesome Kids

Recently I have been impressed with the overwhelming kindness and love of God's kids. It is always amazing when people reach out in love and demonstrate kindness. Often I have thought about the story of the Good Samaritan. I have wondered why he would do what he did. I have thought about the risk that he took and the cost to his efforts.
It has been an unexpected privilege to be "on the side of the road" and have many people minister love, care, and compassion. This is the one thing that distinguishes God's Kids from everyone else. Thanks for everyone who reaches out to others with unexpected kindness and unlimited love.

I have set the Lord always before me

Psalm 16:8 (NIV) I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

This is a place of intentional pursuit of God.

“I have set the Lord always before me.”
Psalm 141:8 (NIV) But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge..

Why did the Psalmist fixate his attention on the Lord?
David had developed a total reliance on God.
He came to understand God’s infinite greatness and mighty works.
The Psalmist has focused on the Lord.

Pay attention to the God’s varied mighty acts that David recalls throughout the Psalms.

Psalm 147:3-6 (NIV) He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

With his eyes fixed on the Sovereign Lord, he says:
Psalm 147:1 (NIV) Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
You hear David making undeniable statements of unabated faith and trust in God, and then he tells of situations around him that cause him grief.

This frequently occurs throughout the Psalms.
David is usually on a high note of praise and adoration, then all of a sudden he says something like:
“God frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
"He casts the wicked to the ground.”
“Inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them.”
“Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of liars and the deceitful.”

These people were living in real time.
They faced real battles and difficult situations.
You can hear their real life struggle.

Do you see what is going on?

Peter says it this way: 1 Peter 1:13 (NLT) So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
This is our struggle.
Think clearly and exercise self-control.
Keep your mind from wondering into fear, doubts, and failures.
You can easily be snared in Satan’s attack.
Psalm 19:14 (NIV) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

This takes us back to the words of this commitment.
Psalm 16:8 (NIV) I have set the LORD always before me.
Psalm 141:8 (NIV) But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge..

Throughout the Psalms David has focused on the Great God.
He is my support and strength.
He will answer you when you are in distress.
He will give you the desire of your heart.
He will make all your plans succeed.
He saves His anointed.
He grants your requests.

You can make an exhaustive list of the Mighty Acts of God in the Psalms.
God is highly exalted and lifted up.
This is why many Psalms start and end with the words:
Praise, the Lord!
The Hebrew word is halelû-yāh
The הָלַל (hā∙lǎl) is a cheerful, praise with a focus on the confidence one has in God.
The last part of the praise defines who the praise is going to.
Praise the Lord, Jehovah!
Here is the application.
If I get my eyes on the situations around me I begin to see the wicked and the corrupt.
If I focus on the Lord, my heart begins to soar with praise.
If I start looking around I see at all of the battles, difficulties, sickness, suffering, sorrow, and pain.

When I set the Lord always before me, and when my eyes are fixed on Him, everything takes a different perspective.
I see a table set in the presence of my enemies.
I see God’s mighty acts of power.
I see praises rising with music and dancing.
I see God in His sanctuary.
I see Christ walking in the midst of His church.
When I set the Lord always before me, I see God’s surpassing greatness.
I see reason to “praise the Lord.”
I see the Lord confounding the efforts of the enemy.
I see God rising up for as a defense and strong tower.
I see a shield and buckler.
When I set the Lord always before me, I see supply for His people.
I see His arm extended to save.
I see rivers of blessing and fountains of joy.

HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR CHILD

It is a great comfort to even the very young child to know that his parents love and care for him so much that they pray to their Heavenly Father for their child.
The following suggestions might be helpful as you think of praying for your child ‑‑‑ for his /her needs now and for his /her needs in the future.

Pray that your child will:

1. Know Jesus Christ as savior early in life. (Psalm 63:1 ; Psalms 71 :17; 2 Timothy 3:15)
2. Have a hatred for sin and a fearful respect for his own vulnerability to temptation.
(Psalm 97:10; Matthew 26: 41)
3. Be caught and called to account when guilty. (Psalm 119:71;Psalms38:5‑6 17‑18.)
4. Be protected from the evil one in each area of his life: spiritual, emotional, and physical. (John 17:15; Luke 22:31)
5. Have an attitude of Christian morality and responsibility in all his interpersonal relationships. (Romans 14:21; I Corinthians 13:4‑5; I Timothy 4:12)
6. Respect those in authority over him. (Romans 13:1)
7. Desire the right kind of friends, be protected from the wrong associations, and be hedged in by God so that he/she does not find his/her way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people do not find their way to him/her.
(Proverbs 1:10‑11; Psalm 91:9‑11; Hosea 2:6)
8. Rely on God's direction in choosing a mate, being kept from the wrong choice, and being saved for the right marriage partner. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑1 7; Psalm 37:4‑5)
9. Be kept pure until the time of marriage ( as well as the one he is to marry).
(1 Corinthians 6:18‑20)
10. Learn to submit totally to God and resist Satan actively in all circumstances.
(James 4:7; Psalm 119:1, Psalm 143:10)
11. Be single‑hearted in loving and applying God's Word, using its wisdom rather than the world's standards to make decisions in his life. (Psalm 84: 10; Psalm 119:10; Romans 12:1-2)
12. Allow God to mature within him/her the character of Christ that will be lived out in a lifetime of service and submission to him. (Psalm 90:12 and 17, Luke 2:52; Romans 8:29)

Pick one point a month on which to concentrate. Within a year you will have consistently praved this entire list. Is your child's unknown future‑ ‑his/her choices and decisions‑‑‑a source of anxiety for you? The following scripture is especially comforting) to a parent's heart:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ: (Philippians 4:6‑7 NIV).