When In Sorrow

Those who are broken-hearted are dear to God's heart:
"The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart..." (Psalm 34:18)

"He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3)

God can make sense out of the senseless:
"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

A broken heart can draw us closer to God:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart - These, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:1-6)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:12-18)

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

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When People Fail You

Psalm 27, A Psalm of King David

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked came against me, To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.
Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

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When The World Seems Bigger Than God

"Don't tell God how big the storm is, Tell the storm how big God is." Author unknown

Psalm 90, A Psalm of King David

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep.
In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.

For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh.
The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

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When You Want Courage For A Task

Joshua 1: 5-9

"No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

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If You Feel Depressed

Psalm 27, A Psalm of King David

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked came against me, To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.

Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

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If People Seem Unkind

John 15:9-25

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

Anyway…
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered,
- Love them anyway -
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives,
- Do good anyway -
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies,
- Succeed anyway -
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,
- Do good anyway -
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,
- Be honest and frank anyway -
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight
- Build anyway -
People may need help but may attack you if you help them,
- Help people anyway -
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth,
- Give the world the best you've got anyway -
Author Unknown

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When God Seems Far Away

Psalm 139, A Psalm of King David

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret, And skilfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You. Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

God Knows...

When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless efforts, God knows how hard you have tried.
When you've cried so long and your heart is in anguish, God has counted your tears.
If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by, God is waiting with you.
When you're lonely and your friends are too busy even for a phonecall, God is by your side.
When you think you've tried everything and don't know where to turn, God has a solution.
When nothing makes sense and you are confused or frustrated, God has the answer.
If suddently your outlook is brighter and you find traces of hope, God has whispered to you.
When things are going well and you have much to be thankful for, God has blessed you.
When something joyful happens and you are filled with awe, God has smiled upon you.
When you have a purpose to fulfill and a dream to follow, God has opened your eyes and called you by name.
Remember that wherever you are or whatever you are facing, GOD KNOWS AND LOVES YOU!

Author Unknown

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When You Leave Home For Labour Or Travel

Psalm 121, A Psalm of King David"

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore."

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When Your Faith Needs Stirring

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Faith at the Dawn of History (Hebrews 11:4-7)

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Faithful Abraham (Hebrews 11:8-12)

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. The Heavenly Hope (Hebrews 11:13-16)

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. The Faith of the Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:17-22)

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. The Faith of Moses (Hebrews 11:23-29)

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By Faith They Overcame (Hebrews 11:30-40)
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us."

From the Sayings of the Holy Fathers:
"Faith is the wing of prayer, and without it my prayer will return to my bosom. Faith is the unshaken stance of the soul and is unmoved by any adversity." - St. John Climacus

"Reach out and place your hand in His, dare to call His Name,
Dare to trust your Father's Word,
Dare in faith to claim the promise of God's presence to all who to Him cleave,
All that He will ask of you is simply to believe." – Sylvia Fraser

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When You Are Lonely And Fearful

Psalm 23, A Psalm of King David

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever."

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For St Paul's Secret to Happiness

Colossians 3:12-17

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

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When You Want Peace And Rest

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

"I am with you always, even to the end of the age," Matthew 28:20

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When Searching For God

Lord, help me lead the life of reflection. Lord, I need to sit down each day to spend some quiet time with You and to examine myself. Help me to withdraw from the distractions of the world so that I may hear You.

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

"Lord, please help me to leave people and be concerned more about myself to attach myself to You. Then help me to forget myself and make You my only concern." – H.H. Pope Shenouda III – The Release of the Spirit

"It is not the mere touching of the flower by the bee that gathers the honey, but her abiding for a time on the flower that draws the sweet." – Thomas Brooks

"Jesus is always waiting for us in silence. In that silence, He will listen to us, there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His voice." – Mother Teresa

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When You Have Sinned

"In Heaven, God will not ask us why we sinned; He will ask us why we didn't repent." - H.H Pope Shenouda III

"Happy is he that always has the hour of death before his eyes, and daily prepares himself to die." - Thomas Kempis

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that prisoner was you." - Author Unknown

Many who plan to seek God at the eleventh hour die at 10:30." - Author Unknown

"Remember your eternity and work for it at all times." - H.H Pope Shenouda III

"He came to pay a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay." - Author Unknown

Psalm 51, A Psalm of King David

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving kindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

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When You Want Christian Assurance

Romans 8:13-17

"For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together."

From Suffering to Glory (Romans 8:18-30)

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

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When Your Prayers Grow Narrow Or Selfish

Psalm 67, A Psalm of King David

"God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.
Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth. Selah

Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.
Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him."

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If Your Pocket Is Empty

Psalm 37, A Psalm of Kind David

Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.
But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct.
Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.

A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the LORD,
Like the splendour of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.

The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore.
For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the LORD, And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree.
Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them, Because they trust in Him.

When Making a Decision

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:4-5

“O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” Jeremiah 10:23

Prayer before making a decision (Source: Agpia - Coptic Orthodox Prayer Book)

Lord,
You are aware that I do not know what is good for me, and now that I'm about to ...,
how can I know if it is right unless you guide me with your grace.
Oh Lord, I beseech Your guidance in this matter, do not let me follow my tendencies, lest I will be confused and fall;
keep me from slipping, help me, let it be according to Your will.
If You see it fit, grant me Your blessing to complete it, if not, remove this desire from my heart.
You know all things, nothing is concealed from you. Lord, I am Your servant,
deal with me as You see fit as I realise that I will have neither success nor peace unless I submit myself to the grace of Your will.
Teach me to say in every occasion, "Let it be according to Your will, Lord, not according to mine."
For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the Glory, now and Forever, Amen.

2. Knowing God’s will requires a submissive heart:

“I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:8

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

When we proceed with a yielded heart, God will provide direction, even when we must choose between two equally good choices

“Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.” Psalm 25:12-14

“For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.” Psalm 48:14

3. God is sovereign, and has a plan in which we can have complete confidence:

“O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”
Isaiah 25:1

“The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” Psalm 138:8

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