The Lord Is Close

 “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves

those who are crushed in spirit.”

“We often wish we could escape troubles - the pain of grief, loss, sorrow, and failure; or even the small daily frustrations that constantly wear us down.  God promises to be “close to the broken hearted,” to be the source of power, courage, and wisdom, helping us through our problems.  Sometimes he chooses to deliver us through those problems.  When trouble strikes, don’t get frustrated with God.  Instead, admit that you need God’s help and thank him for being on your side.”

~ Life Application Study Bible

The Secret

 “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

Psalm 5:3

“The secret of a close relationship with God is to pray to him earnestly each morning.  In the morning, our minds are more free from problems, and then we can commit to the whole day to God.  Regular communication helps any friendship and is certainly necessary for a strong relationship with God.  We need to communicate with him daily.  Having a regular time to pray and read God’s word “makes for a great day.”

~ Life Application Study Bible

God’s Children

 “Children are a heritage from the Lord,

offsprings a reward from him.”

Psalm 127:3

Theme of Psalm 127

“Life without God is senseless.  All of  life’s work - building

a home, establishing a career, raising a family -

must have God as a foundation.”

“Too often children are seen as liabilities than assets.  But the Bible calls children “a heritage from the Lord,” a reward.  We can learn valuable lessons from their inquisitive minds and trusting spirits.  Those who view children as a distraction or nuisance should instead see them as an opportunity to shape the future.  We dare not treat children as an inconvenience when God values them so highly.”

~ Life Application Study Bible 

God Is Our Refuge

“The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.”

Psalm 121:7-8

Reasons to Read Psalms

To find comfort

To meet God intimately 

To learn a new prayer

To learn a new song

To learn more about God

To understand yourself more clearly

To know how to come to God each day

To be forgiven for your sins

To feel worthwhile

To understand why you should read the Bible

To give praise to God

To know God is in control

To give thanks to God

“Cast your cares to the Lord and he will take care of you.”

Psalm 55:22

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

~ Life Application Study Bible

Listening to God

“I will instruct you and teach you in a way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8-9

Identifying God’s Voice

Consistent with scripture

May conflict with human desires

Challenges your faith

Calls for courage

He speaks quietly

He speaks clearly

He speaks individually

How God Gets OurAttention

We feel restless

A message from some else

Blessing us 

Unanswered prayer

Disappointments

Failure

Financial problems

Uneasy feeling

Sickness or injury

~ Pastor Charles Stanley 

Faith, Hope and Love

Romans 5:1-15

Faith, hope and love are the heart of the Christian life.  Our relationship with God begins with faith, which  helps us realize that we are delivered from our past by Christ’s death.  Hope grows as we learn all that God has in mind for us; it gives us the promise of the future.  And God’s love fills our lives and gives us the ability to reach out to others.”

~ Life Application Study Bible

God is Our Only Hope

God is Our Only Hope

It’s precisely because the world is so unstable and chaotic that we need God! If the world were perfect, if we never had any problems, then we might be tempted to think we didn’t need God. But the world isn’t this way—and if we ever needed God’s help, it is now.

Let me put it this way: If we don’t find our peace and security in God, where will we find them? Where else can we turn? The answer is simple: We have nowhere else to turn. Money … fame … politics … entertainment … success … career … relationships … pleasure—every one of these can fail us, and even if they don’t, they’re constantly changing. When we build our lives only on them, we become like the man in Jesus’ parable who built his house on sand, and “The rain came down … and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:27).

Don’t turn your back on the only One who can give us lasting peace and hope—hope right now, and hope for eternity. Instead, turn to Jesus Christ and put your faith and trust in Him. Others may fail you … leaders may disillusion you … you may even disappoint yourself. But Christ never will. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Then make it your goal to walk with Christ every day, as you pray and read God’s Word and learn through fellowship with other believers. The Bible says, “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).

~Billy Graham