He heard my prayer, He will also hear my praise.

 

I will praise Thee: for Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. Psalm 118.21

Here is a good testimony: Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

Here is the right response, the good decision: I will praise Thee.

The psalmist is not ungrateful, he received an answer to his prayer and does not remain silent, he praises God.

Answered prayer should lead to praise. He heard my prayer, He will also hear my praise. He is the Hearer of prayer, I shall be the giver of praise.

Talking with God about every single thing

 

’’…continuing instant in prayer’’ (Romans 12:12)

This is what prayer is: talking with God about every single thing.  When you always have something to tell Jesus, something to ask, something to request, then you have a spirit of prayer. I come across prayer topics everywhere and at all times. I find prayer topics in God's commandments,  in His promises, I find prayer topics in my daily life, in the responsibilities given to me, in all  difficulties,  in problems, in all my struggles and worries. Even when the devil brings temptations, he does not know that he is actually giving me new topics for prayer.

Having a lot of things to pray about,  having a  Father waiting for my prayer, let me always take those  prayer topics,  and go to the throne of grace. I will  take God's promises to His mercy seat and receive their fulfillment. If  my enemy, the devil brings sinful thoughts and temptations, I can go to my heavenly Father and complain about it. I should not argue with the devil,  I should never listen to his suggestions, but I should run at once to my heavenly Father and tell Him everything.

Forgiveness of sins

 

Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Romans 4:7

The worst thing is the burden of sins, the greatest joy is to be delivered from it. There is no greater miracle than the miracle of the forgiveness of sins, no greater happiness than being forgiven, no greater victory than the victory over sin. The assurance of forgiveness of sins is a powerful sin-killer and a
worry-killer, if our sins are forgiven, no trouble will trouble us.

Nothing is too hard for God

 

Ah Lord God! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee. Jeremiah 32:17

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

Jeremiah knew that nothing could be too hard  for God who made the heaven and the earth. And God confirmed this with a rhetorical question: Is there any thing too hard for me? When we hear from the Lord personally, our faith is strengthened; He has repeatedly said and demonstrated by deeds that nothing is difficult for Him. He never answers prayers with these words: "You want something difficult, I will try to do it." He made all things, can't He do everything? Could not the Creator of the sea open the sea for His people? Could not the Creator of the sun command the sun to stand still? Couldn't He who made  lions shut the lions’ mouth? If something is God's will, let it not be difficult for me to believe that it is not difficult for Him to do it, and if it is not His will, let it not be difficult for me to accept His will.

So I will not worry about my difficult situations, my difficult duties, my difficult tasks, my difficult problems, my difficult struggles, because none of these difficult things are difficult for my God.

Conversation with my heart

 

I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Psalm 77:6

Here is Asaph's interlocutor, his heart. He communes with his own heart. I want to do the same. What should I talk about with my heart? My heart needs restoration, I will  talk about God's Word that restores,  my heart needs comfort, I will tell about the love of Jesus, about His great mercy. My heart speaks about its worries. I will  say that Jesus has a solution for every problem, an answer to every question. My heart needs faith, I will tell  about the works and miracles done by the Lord in the past, I will remind that He is the same yesterday, today and forever and can do miracles even today. My heart needs joy, I will  speak of the statutes of  the Lord that rejoice the heart (Psalm 19:8). 

My heart seeks Jesus, I will  say that those who seek Him find Him. The subject of my conversation with my heart is one Person, my Lord. 

When I speak to my heart, it is not a dialogue, but a conference, because my Lord is present and participating in the conversation.

From my diary 

Such a quick reply!

 

Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah  65:24

What a quick answer to prayer --- to receive the answer before calling, to receive a reply before sending the letter. And so what a delight, what a joy to pray to such a quick-answering God. Shouldn't this encourage me to pray more, to trust more in my prayer-hearing God?

From my diary,

December 4, 2022

True prayer --- taking hold of God

 

And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You…  (Isaiah 64:7).

A good reminder for me, the definition of true prayer --- taking hold of God. That’s what Jacob did. Coldness on prayer is dangerous. Let me remember that there is someone who doesn’t want me to call on the Name of the Lord, to take hold of Him. That one is my enemy who is trying to  prevent me from praying.  And there is One who is waiting for my prayer, that One is my Lord who is ready to listen to my prayers.

From my diary

God’s kindness to His people

 

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, said the LORD that has mercy on you. Isaiah 54:10

What a comforting promise, what a sweet mercy for God's people, His kindness will not depart, His covenant of peace will not be removed.  People may leave us, friendships may falter, trust may falter, but God's children have a precious promise. Since His kindness does not depart from us, then worries, anxieties, fears, sins are far away, and  His love, the wonders of His Word, the power of His Holy Spirit are near, if His covenant of peace will not be removed,  then our peace, hope, trust and joy  will not be removed.

From  my diary,

30.11, 2022

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord

 

It is a  good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. Psalm 92:1

It is a good thing, because the Lord is worthy of thanksgiving. It's a good thing, because it's good to have a reason, an occasion to be thankful. Everyone has such a reason. It is a  good thing,  because it is  good to have a contented heart. It is a gift from God. It is good to give thanks to  Him with words because it will inspire and encourage others to do the same. It is  a good thing because the grateful person does not doubt God's power, wisdom, goodness, knows that God never makes mistakes. And on the contrary, complaining is an evil thing, because it is unbelief, ingratitude, lack of respect for God.

From my diary

Chorus in my heart

 

The song of praise within me should not be a solo or a duet, but a chorus. There must be a choir in me, in which my voice, my heart, my will, my mind, my life, my works, my energy, my desires are involved. And in order for the song to sound in perfect harmony, there must be a conductor, and all the singers must listen to him. That conductor that directs the song of praise to God is the Word of God.

From my diary

Trust in the Lord

 

Gifts from heaven

 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

 It is easy to always be content, happy, if you always remember that every good thing that you have, every blessing that you enjoy, is a gift sent from heaven, sent by the heavenly Father, and the gifts that He gives are always good, high quality and useful.

Gifts from strangers are not always the best. When you get a gift from someone who knows you well and loves you, that gift is always good because they know what you like, what you don't like, what you need, what will make you happy, what you will definitely use. Someone who doesn't know me can give me a lipstick because they don’t know I don't use it, but my closest friend will give me a notebook because she knows I will be happy and I will surely use it. My mother, my sister  will give me what I want and don't have, and they will never be mistaken.

And He, who knows me best and loves me more than anyone else, always gives the best gifts, which are necessary, useful,  beautiful, pleasant and make me happy. He knows better than me what I really need, He knows what is my dream gift, and if He doesn't give it, then He knows it's not a good gift for me.

Earthly parents will want to buy their child's dream gift, but they  will not always have the means to buy it. But  our heavenly Father has everything, can do everything.

So I will rejoice, I will  be grateful for all the gifts I have received and I will not worry about those I don't have.

Not only spiritual gifts, salvation, forgiveness of sins, victory over sin, holiness, joy, peace, etc., but also earthly, material gifts and blessings are also gifts from my Father. Not only is God's Word a precious gift to me, but so is my jounaling Bible. How should I accept the material, earthly gifts, blessings sent by God?

1. With thankfulness  and meditation of the goodness and generosity of the Giver; that’s God!  It will teach me gratitude.

2. Humbly thinking about unworthiness of the receiver of the gift, that’s me!  It will teach me humility.

3. Realizing the temporality of earthly goods. It will teach me moderation and having the right priorities.

Let me accept the gifts sent by my heavenly Father with gratitude, humility, and use them in moderation.

From my diary

In everything give thanks

The Lord has given us innumerable blessings, both spiritual and material, and He gives them every day. If we do not see them, then we do not have a thankful heart. An ungrateful heart affects spiritual vision, and a person cannot see the mercies bestowed by God.

Let us ask for a grateful heart to see and rejoice in so many blessings. When there is a grateful heart, there will be peace, joy, praise; there will be no murmuring, unbelief, discontent.

To have a grateful heart requires humility. A proud person cannot be thankful. He will think that he earned the blessings he has, and he deserves them. When you know that all you have is by God’s grace alone, and without Him you would have neither spiritual nor material blessings, you will be thankful.

From my diary

 

Speak Lord

 

Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening!

(1 Samuel 3:9)

Let these prayer of Samuel be my first prayer in my quiet time with the Lord. When I say "Speak Lord!", let me not forget to add: "Because Your servant is listening!" It would be hypocritical if I say, "Speak, Lord’’, when I am not ready to listen" May I pray this prayer with a willingness to listen to His Word, eagerness  to obey His commandments, with delight in His Word.

Speak, Lord, that I may learn your statutes, speak that I may know You, speak that I may walk the narrow path in the light of Your Word. Speak that my mind be renewed,may my life be sanctified, speak so that Your Word fills my heart and leaves no room for anything else.

Speak, Father, for Your daughter is listening.

                                                                                                                                   From my diary,

August 25, 2022

When God sends His servants somewhere, He Himself goes with them

 

" Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh…?" (Exodus 3:11).

" Certainly I will be with thee…" (Exodus 3:12).

When Moses asked, "Who am I?" God did not answer his question, but encouraged him by the promise of His presence, "I will be with you."  It did not matter who Moses was; it only mattered who was the One going with him.  Not only is this promised to Moses, but to all who do the work of God and do His commission. When God sends them somewhere, He Himself  goes with them.

He comes with us, therefore  we will not be afraid of road dangers. The Lord protects us.

He comes with us, therefore we will not get lost on the way, He knows the way well, He guides us.

He comes with us, therefore we will not stumble in the dark, for His Word is our lamp.

He comes with us, therefore if we have questions about the assignment, we can ask Him.

He comes with us, therefore the road will be safe, the assignmemt  will be successful.

He comes with us, therefore we will not attribute the success to us. He provided the safety of the road, He bestowed wisdom, knowledge, skills to do the task.

So when the Lord gives me an assignment, let me not say, "Who am I?" Because I know who He is: He is my Leader, my Protector, my Teacher.

From my diary,

June 25, 2022

Երբ Աստված Իր ծառաներին տեղ է ուղարկում, Ինքն էլ նրանց հետ է գնում

 

«Ես ո՞վ եմ, որ Փարավոնի մոտ գնամ…»  (Ելից 3:11):

«Հիրավի Ես քեզ հետ կլինեմ…» (Ելից 3:12):

Երբ Մովսեսը հարց տվեց՝ «Ես ո՞վ եմ…», Աստված նրա հարցին չպատասխանեց, այլ Իր ներկայության խոստումով քաջալերեց՝  Ես քեզ հետ կլինեմ: Կարևոր չէր, թե ով էր Մովսեսը, կարևոր էր, թե ով է նրա հետ գնացողը:

Ոչ միայն Մովսեսին է սա խոստացված, այլև բոլոր նրանց ովքեր Աստծո գործն են անում, Նրա հանձնարարությունն են կատարում: Երբ Աստված նրանց ինչ-որ տեղ է ուղարկում,  Ինքն էլ նրանց հետ է գնում:

Նա գալիս է մեզ հետ, ուրեմն ճանապարհի վտանգներից չենք վախենա. Տերը պաշտպանում է մեզ:

Նա գալիս է մեզ հետ, ուրեմն ճանապարհին չենք մոլորվի,  Նա ճանապարհը լավ գիտի և առաջնորդում է մեզ:

Նա գալիս է մեզ հետ, ուրեմն մութ ժամանակ չենք սայթաքի, որովհետև Նրա Խոսքը մեր ճրագն է:

Նա գալիս է մեզ հետ, ուրեմն եթե առաջադրանքի վերաբերյալ հարցեր ունենանք, կարող ենք Նրան հարցնել:

Նա գալիս է մեզ հետ, ուրեմն ճանապարհը լինելու է ապահով, գործը՝ հաջողված:

Նա գալիս է մեզ հետ, ուրեմն գործի հաջողությունը մեզ չենք վերագրելու. Նա է ապահովել ճանապարհի անվտանգությունը,  Նա է շնորհել իմաստություն, գիտելիքներ, հմտություններ այդ գործը կատարելու:

Ուրեմն,  երբ Տերը գործ է տալիս, չասեմ՝ «Ես ով եմ», որովհետև գիտեմ, թե ով է Նա՝ իմ Առաջնորդը, Պաշտպանը, Ուսուցիչը:

Իմ օրագրից,

Հունիսի 25, 2022