(Psalm 6:1-9)
LORD, don’t be angry and rebuke me!
Don’t punish me in your anger!
I am worn out, O LORD; have pity on me!
Give me a strength; I am completely exhausted
and my whole being is deeply troubled.
How long, O LORD, will you wait to help me?
Come and save me, LORD;
in your mercy rescue me from death.
In the world of the dead you are not remembered;
no one can praise you there.
I am worn out with grief;
every night my bed is damp from my weeping;
my pillow is soaked with tears
I can hardly see;
my eyes are so swollen from the weeping
caused by my enemies.
Keep away from me, you evil men!
The LORD hears my weeping;
he listens to my cry for help
and will answer my prayer.
Showing posts with label Affliction and Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Affliction and Prayer. Show all posts
Sunday, August 10, 2008
3.3 Jesus Calms The Storm
(Matthew 8:23-27)
Jesus got into a boat, and his disciples went with him. Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake, and the boat was in danger of sinking. But Jesus was asleep. The disciples went to him and woke him up. “Save us, Lord” they said. “We are about to die!”
“Why are you so frightened?”” Jesus answered. “What little faith you have!” Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm.
Everyone was amazed. “What kind of man is this?” they said. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
Jesus got into a boat, and his disciples went with him. Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake, and the boat was in danger of sinking. But Jesus was asleep. The disciples went to him and woke him up. “Save us, Lord” they said. “We are about to die!”
“Why are you so frightened?”” Jesus answered. “What little faith you have!” Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm.
Everyone was amazed. “What kind of man is this?” they said. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
Sunday, July 20, 2008
3.2 In Their Difficulties, They Relied On God
(2 Chronicles 14:7-13a)
He told the people of Judah, “Let us fortify the cities by building wall and towers, and gates that can be shut and barred. We have control of the land because we have done the will of the Lord our God.. He has protected us and given us security on every side.” And so they built and prospered. King Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, armed with shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin, armed with shields and bows. All of them were brave, well-trained men.
A Sudanese named Zerah invaded Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots and advanced as far as Mareshah. Asa went out to fight him, and both sides took up their positions at Zephathah Valley near Mareshah. Asa prayed to the Lord his God, “O Lord, you can help a weak army as easily as a powerful one. Help us now, O Lord our God, because we are relying on you, and in your name we have come out to fight against this huge army. Lord, you are our God; no one can hope to defeat you.”
The Lord defeated the Sudanese army when Asa and the Judean army attacked them. They fled, and Asa and his troops pursued them as far as Gerar.
He told the people of Judah, “Let us fortify the cities by building wall and towers, and gates that can be shut and barred. We have control of the land because we have done the will of the Lord our God.. He has protected us and given us security on every side.” And so they built and prospered. King Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, armed with shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin, armed with shields and bows. All of them were brave, well-trained men.
A Sudanese named Zerah invaded Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots and advanced as far as Mareshah. Asa went out to fight him, and both sides took up their positions at Zephathah Valley near Mareshah. Asa prayed to the Lord his God, “O Lord, you can help a weak army as easily as a powerful one. Help us now, O Lord our God, because we are relying on you, and in your name we have come out to fight against this huge army. Lord, you are our God; no one can hope to defeat you.”
The Lord defeated the Sudanese army when Asa and the Judean army attacked them. They fled, and Asa and his troops pursued them as far as Gerar.
3.1 Although Punished For Our Sins, We Can Turn To God
(Lamentations 5:1-21)
Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us. Look at us, and see our disgrace.
Our property is in the hands of strangers; foreigners are living in our homes.
Our fathers have been killed by the enemy, and now our mothers are widows.
We must pay for the water we drink; we must buy the wood we need to fuel.
Driven hard like donkeys or camels, we are tired, but are allowed to rest.
To get food enough to stay alive, we went to Egypt and Assyria.
Our ancestors sinned, but now they are gone, and we are suffering for their sins.
We are ruled by men who are no better than slaves, and no one can save us from their power.
Murderers roam through the countryside; we risk our lies when we look for food.
Hunger has made us burn with fever until our skin is as hot as an oven.
Our wives have been raped on Mount Zion itself; in every Judean village our daughters have been forced to submit.
Our leaders have been taken and hanged; our old men are shown no respect.
Our young men are forced to grind grain like slaves; boys go staggering under heavy loads of wood.
The old people no longer sit at the city gate, and the young people no longer make music.
Happiness has gone out of our lives; grief has taken the place of our dances.
Nothing is left of all we were proud of. We sinned, and now we are doomed.
We are sick at our very hearts and can hardly see through our tears, because Mount Zion lies lonely and deserted, and wild jackals prowl through its ruins.
But you, O Lord, are king forever and will rule to the end of time.
Why have you abandoned us so long? Will you ever remember us again?
Bring us back to you, Lord! Brings us back! Restore our ancient glory.
Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us. Look at us, and see our disgrace.
Our property is in the hands of strangers; foreigners are living in our homes.
Our fathers have been killed by the enemy, and now our mothers are widows.
We must pay for the water we drink; we must buy the wood we need to fuel.
Driven hard like donkeys or camels, we are tired, but are allowed to rest.
To get food enough to stay alive, we went to Egypt and Assyria.
Our ancestors sinned, but now they are gone, and we are suffering for their sins.
We are ruled by men who are no better than slaves, and no one can save us from their power.
Murderers roam through the countryside; we risk our lies when we look for food.
Hunger has made us burn with fever until our skin is as hot as an oven.
Our wives have been raped on Mount Zion itself; in every Judean village our daughters have been forced to submit.
Our leaders have been taken and hanged; our old men are shown no respect.
Our young men are forced to grind grain like slaves; boys go staggering under heavy loads of wood.
The old people no longer sit at the city gate, and the young people no longer make music.
Happiness has gone out of our lives; grief has taken the place of our dances.
Nothing is left of all we were proud of. We sinned, and now we are doomed.
We are sick at our very hearts and can hardly see through our tears, because Mount Zion lies lonely and deserted, and wild jackals prowl through its ruins.
But you, O Lord, are king forever and will rule to the end of time.
Why have you abandoned us so long? Will you ever remember us again?
Bring us back to you, Lord! Brings us back! Restore our ancient glory.
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