tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post4710948796252534287..comments2024-03-21T21:08:08.923-07:00Comments on Celebrate the Psalms: Psalm for Sunday, October 27, 2013Editor @ Parishworld.nethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11351018547370080019noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-39559791575438124162013-10-24T17:24:18.981-07:002013-10-24T17:24:18.981-07:00God lifts up those who are crushed in spirit.--&qu...God lifts up those who are crushed in spirit.--" Those who are crushed in spirit He saves."<br /><br />Quite often, my sins caused me to feel guilty, ashamed, and disqualified whenever I tried to open my heart to God's healing and forgiveness. Sometimes I want to hide from God. I was not humble in spirit. All I know is that God is eager to heal me, to soothe my pain and to free me from evil out of His love and compassion. He is neither judging me nor condemning me. He is waiting for me to have a right relationship with Him and faith in Him completely. And also He knows what is the best for each of us, for our salvation, even if our prayers don't reach the ears of the Lord at this moment. I believe like the Psalmist told us that God hears the cry of the poor and those who are crushed in spirit He delivers them in the end. Look to God that you may be radiant with joy and to fill you with God's grace.<br />Bethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-10147104584923172012013-10-24T17:17:38.802-07:002013-10-24T17:17:38.802-07:00"How gratifying it is for us to depend on the..."How gratifying it is for us to depend on the Lord for our salvation." I, and I think most of us, depend on the Lord as the final problem solver, after we have tried to deal with the problem ourselves. But maybe, we ought to be going to the Good Lord much sooner! It's much easier to deal with a problem on the front end than on the tail end...and I would think this applies to even the Good Lord Himself.Timnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-72995257361006077002013-10-24T17:14:28.043-07:002013-10-24T17:14:28.043-07:00Over and over this week, I am hearing of the power...Over and over this week, I am hearing of the power of prayer. And the power of prayer from whom? A righteous man... or a man with a "right relationship," a just relationship with the Lord. The message of this Psalm, written hundreds of years B.C., is echoed throughout the Old and New Testaments. I personally love the connection to James 5:16. I especially appreciate the Amplified Bible translation: Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. It bears repeating that tremendous power is available from the earnest power of a "righteous" man. How do we become righteous? It says in the first part of this verse that we must confess our sins and "act in a morally correct manner; correct by divine declaration" as stated in my Biblical Dictionary. The element of confession of sin first... is surely a tool to keep our hearts humble as we pray. Secondly, we must pray for others. We must have the heart that allows the needs of someone else to be lifted up before ours. Then, we are assured that our own petitions are not only heard, but reach the "ears of the Lord." His tremendous and powerful answer isn't always what we think is best, but we can have faith that He responds with what He knows is best. <br /><br /> Jaiunnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-62845095806449494542013-10-23T18:39:36.906-07:002013-10-23T18:39:36.906-07:00Beautiful reflection. He surely does hear the cry...Beautiful reflection. He surely does hear the cry of the poor. God is so good to us. He hears every prayer and answers only what is the very best for us. <br />Marienoreply@blogger.com