"O LORD, Hear Me"

“O LORD, hear me” 

Psalm 86:1 

King David was pouring his heart out to God. He cried, “save thy servant” (v. 2), “Rejoice the soul of thy servant” (v. 4), and “give thy strength unto thy servant” (v. 16). David knew who was serving Who. He realized that he was subject to God and that God was not subject to him.

This is the heart of our cries unto God – we need Him! He is greater than us and can do what we cannot. We must humble ourselves before this God who is “full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and plenteous in mercy and truth” (v. 15).

Faith in God brings the favour of God and man. In verse 17, David cried, “Shew me a token for good...”. May we seek God and His favour this week. Let’s ask Him to give us favour with those we are working with. Know that when our heart touches God’s, He touches others' for us.


–Tim Cruse

God Is Waiting For You

“And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.” 

–Isaiah 30:18 

We often speak of waiting on God to do certain things in our lives. Yet, there are times when God is waiting on us to do certain things. He wants us to:

1. Start Doing Things His Way 

“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me” (vs. 1)

• We must seek the counsel of His Word and do what He wants instead of what we want – come to the end of doing things our way. 
• “As for God, his way is perfect (entire; complete)” (Psalm 18:30) God already knows the end from the beginning and the best route for us to take to become more like Christ, learn life lessons and accomplish His will.

2. Start Listening to What He is Saying 

“That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:” (vs. 9) 

• We can develop a habit of not listening –“...hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13) 
• We cannot talk and listen at the same time – “Be swift to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19) Be silent before the Lord – “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7), “Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.” (I Samuel 3:9)

3. Start Following His Lead

“Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things...” (vs. 10-14)

• God leads us through His Word, His Spirit and His servants. If we are not following God-ordained authority in our lives, we are not following God.
• To not follow God’s lead is to eventually fall and to be broken (vs. 12-14).

May the Lord help us today to take verse 15 to heart,“In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength”. Let’s return to the Lord by doing things His way, listening to what He is saying and following His lead.

–Tim Cruse

God Is A Refuge For Us

“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” –Psalm 62:8

The One Who has never failed will not fail us now. We can count on the eternal God to be the same yesterday, today and forever.

What is your burden today? Trust God with it! Pour out your heart to Him. He hears your cry of faith and will not refuse to carry the care you cast upon Him.

Have you sought refuge from people and places who have proved to be of no comfort and reassurance? Find your acceptance in the Rock of Ages! All who flee to Him within shall be safe from the storm. He is our lighthouse of salvation and security.

Thou art my Conqueror, Comfort and Guide, 

In the castle of thy Word I humbly abide. 

Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and stand by my side, 

Refuge of the ages in Thee I hide. 

There are times when only the Overcomer can help the overcome overcome – and He will!

–Tim Cruse

A Fresh Start for the New Year

Should I Do As I Have Done?


“Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?” - Zechariah 7:3

The people of God had observed fasts for certain special days in their history each year that God had not commanded them to.  Though commendable, they were to be willing to adjust their disciplines to make sure they were doing what God had commanded with the right heart attitude.

Sometimes our spiritual disciplines can become habits without heart. In light of the new year, we need to ask ourselves: Is my walk with the Lord in need of some fine tuning and freshness? Am I in a rut spiritually? Going through the motions? Settling for a form of godliness? In strengthening the fundamentals of my Christian life, do I need to adjust certain particulars? May the Holy Spirit enlighten me as I consider:

My Bible Reading

• Should I read the Bible all the way through in one year’s time by reading three chapters per day?
• Should I read a chapter in Proverbs per day?
• What about a Proverb, five Psalms and a chapter in Acts each day for a month?
• What about two OT chapters and one NT chapter per day?
• What about mastering one book of the Bible by reading it through each day for one month?  Then, a new book the next month throughout the year.
• What about reading the NT through – one, two or three chapters per day?
• What about one chapter per day in a book with close to thirty chapters?

My Prayer Life

• Should I spend more time giving thanks?
• Do I need to update my prayer list?
• Do I have a definite time planned for prayer?
• Do I need to get involved in a prayer meeting?
• Have I taken the time to write down some past known answers to my prayers?
• What about studying the subject of prayer?  Listening to some sermons on prayer?  Asking others about how God has answered their prayers?
• What about attending a Prayer Retreat?  Or taking a day or two to get alone with God to pray and think through some things?
• What about a prayer and fasting time when I skip a meal(s) to pray?
• What about seeking out a prayer partner to pray with and to help hold me accountable?
• Should I write some people and let them know that I am praying for them by name?
• Am I willing to memorize some verses on prayer?
• What can I do to start or strengthen my family altar?  New time?  Involvement of other family members?  Read the great stories of the Bible?  Change tone or spirit of?

My Church Attendance

• Do I see the wisdom of faithful church attendance for myself and my family?  Am I obeying God in this matter?
• Do I put forth my best effort to attend as much as I possibly can?  Do I let unimportant things stand in my way or make excuses?
• Should I attend more services?  Attend more regularly the ones I presently attend?
• Are my children developing the rewarding lifelong habit of faithful church attendance?  What am I giving to them to take from my home to give to their children?Should I attend special meetings in my church more often?
• Should I change my attitude toward church and do a better job of planning ahead to attend?
• Do I need a notebook to write sermon notes in?  What about my children?  Are they paying attention?  Are they needlessly going in and out of the services?  Do I need to rearrange our seating order?
• Should I participate more in the services?  Singing from my heart?  Giving out of my heart?  Listening with my heart?  
• Should I invite others to attend more often?
• Is there someone at church I need to reconcile with?  A past grievance I need to give to God and move on with?  Someone I need to forgive and trust to the Lord?

My Witnessing

• How long has it been since I told someone how he or she can know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour?  
• Could I be more soul-conscious?  Carry gospel tracts with me?  Participate in church visitation efforts?  Keep a prayer list of unsaved people I am working with?
• Should I start a Bible Study at work?  In my neighborhood?  
• What about writing a gospel tract?
• Should I start putting tracts in my correspondence and on tables with my tips?  What other venue comes to mind?
• Am I willing to talk to a visitor about the Lord?  Work the altar during invitation time?  Take a class on Soul-winning?
• Should I seek a renewed burden from the Lord for my unsaved loved ones?
• Do I know that my immediate family members have professed faith in the Lord?  Followed Him in baptism?
• Should I keep a better record of my family’s spiritual life?  (dates of professions of faith, baptisms, church membership, Baby Dedications, surrender of life, etc.)

My Giving

• Do I understand that all things come from and belong to God in my life?
• Should I become a tither by conviction?
• Should I give regular offerings above God’s tithe?
• Should I give to Faith Promise Missions?
• Should I put forth more direct effort to teach my children Biblical stewardship principles?
• Is God in His kindness to me forcing my hand to deal with a financial situation that must be addressed with faith and boldness?
• Should I take a class on money management?  Am I living on a budget?  Do I need to talk to a counselor?
• Should I offer to teach others how to honor the Lord and have victory in this area?

     
“Dear God, help me to outline and, from my heart, act upon what you have shown me.  In Jesus name, Amen.”


-Tim Cruse