I have heard for years to do this for daily time with the Lord: read a psalm and a proverb and then something in the new testament. I would do this haphazardly. I would start strong and then fizzle. I would randomly pick a psalm and a proverb…but some of them are really long and my priority was to get my day going because there was lots to do, just lots. Sometimes, if I woke up before my alarm, I would lay in my bed before my alarm went off and cruise through my youversion app. Daily time with the Lord was always a part of my life but it definitely was not my priority. Well in March of this year, my world slowed considerably when Covid hit. I felt God speaking to me that He wanted my first fruits of the day, not my sloppy leftovers. He wanted me to stop “checking the box.” This was my opportunity to get into rhythm of daily quiet time. This was my opportunity to live my faith.
On March 14, I started Psalm 1 and Proverbs 1 along with Core 52. After I read Psalm 1, I put the date next to it – the same in Proverbs. There are 150 Psalms and 31 Proverbs. It is now Aug 10th and I just finished the book yesterday and have gone through Proverbs 5 1/2 times! It is awesome. I highly recommend you try this.
Reading Psalms is like reading David’s own prayer journal. Most of these Psalms are written by David (73 of them) and some before he was King. There is one Psalm he wrote while hiding in the cave from Saul. God’s character is revealed in a very intimate way in the Psalms. (Psalm 147: His understanding has no limit.) And then paired with Proverbs, it is like eating a balanced meal. Proverbs is the practical side…very helpful and very convicting. Don’t worry in Proverbs 21:1, 30-31 or one of my personal favorites – Proverbs 25:17, “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house – too much of you, and he will hate you.” Or this one from Proverbs 24:26, “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.”
Haba na haba. This is a an old Kenyan proverb that means slowly by slowly or little by little your pot will be filled. It has been my mantra this year. I want things to happen yesterday and it just doesn’t work like that. We want our souls and hearts to be like an episode of Fixer Upper, where in an hour the old is new. We want to be one and done. God works in His time and even though he can do things in a twinkling of an eye, the work of sanctification is slow and steady. This is my encouragement that you can do it!
As a matter of fact, I am going to restart Psalms again…TODAY! Why don’t you join along? I will be putting it on my facebook page. Follow along. We can do it together. I would love to hear what you find and what speaks to you.
#pandpchallenge
Psalm 4: 6-8 “Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord, You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Nehe – who? Nehemiah. The book of Nehemiah is in the Old Testament. Nehemiah was the Jewish cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes l. The cup bearer was an officer of high ranking in the royal courts. This person was trusted to protect the royal family and guests from possibly plots against them. It was his duty of fill the kings cup and present it to him personally. He guarded the cup against poison and was sometimes required to swallow some of the wine before serving it. All of this meant that he was close to the king and this proximity gave him some influence with the king. So what is so important about Nehemiah, a cupbearer from 2500 years ago? He was an amazing prayer warrior!
Corporal Upham from “Saving Private Ryan”
I like to think of myself as a prayer warrior. But compared to Nehemiah, I’m more of a prayer corporal, like the timid Corporal Upham in the 90’s movie “Saving Private Ryan”. I am inexperienced in the field and easily distracted by my emotions and other things. I pray for others but not sure if I really pray like I am in a spiritual battle. A warrior is experienced in battle and highly trained (knows God’s word).
So, what makes Nehemiah this great prayer warrior? He is in constant conversation with God. Nehemiah actually DOES the verse written in Philippians 4:6-7 (before it was written) “6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Notice it says to pray “about everything,” not “about only the big things”, not “only the serious things”, not “the things I am capable of handling and don’t need to bother God about”, but in EVERY thing. Do you believe this today? And if you believe it, do you do it? Really? I didn’t even truly try till I saw Nehemiah’s example.
What do you worry about?
I worry about anything and everything. I even worry about what I am going to cook for dinner. Silly, right? But it really stresses me out. It is a skill that does not come naturally to me and I have no passion for it. I saw preparing dinner like waiting for a shot at the doctor’s office. Before I read about Nehemiah, did I ever pray to God about it? Ummm, NOPE! In my mind, God has bigger things to do than worry about what the Bentson’s are having for dinner. After I read about Nehemiah, I prayed about dinner. Because what we do is truly what we believe. And you know what, God changed my perspective. The worry went away. I gave Him the reins to this little thing in my life. “I surrendered all!” which in my simple life, includes dinner. Is it gone forever? No. But now I pray whenever worry or anxiousness sets in about it, which in the beginning, was everyday except when we ordered pizza for dinner (yay!) and now it is every so often because after giving it to the Lord, I saw preparing dinner as a blessing and privilege. I prepared dinner with thanksgiving. And, as a bonus and probably the point to it all, I saw God’s character and love for me revealed through that. Let’s look at some examples of how Nehemiah prayed and when he prayed from the book of Nehemiah.
AFTER RECEIVING BAD NEWS Nehemiah heard bad news about his hometown of Jerusalem. They were in great trouble. Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted and prayed. His prayer in Nehemiah 1:4 starts off by giving praise and glory to God. He talks to God. He gave glory to God even in bad news, confessed sin, and asked God for help. He included God in his plans. Check out his prayer in Nehemiah 1 : 4-11.
DURING A STRESSFUL CONVERSATION Nehemiah prayed through the conversation. Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king. It’s a thing and a big deal. The king noticed Nehemiah was sad and asked him what was wrong. He was afraid to tell him but courageously confided with the king that his hometown had been destroyed. Then the king asks him, ” What is it you want?” With little time to think, Nehemiah prayed to God and answered the king. He asked the king for time off work (12 years), he asked for security for safe passage (the king’s army officers and calvary, letters from the king to other rulers), and he asked for supplies (wood from the king’s forest). Nehemiah was faithful and put the expected results in God’s hands. Nehemiah 2:4-10
AFTER REJECTION Nehemiah was trying to rebuild his destroyed city of Jerusalem. Sanballat, governor of Samaria, heard they were rebuilding and he became irritated and angry. He threatened Nehemiah and plotted to go and fight and stir up trouble against Jerusalem. He mocked him and threatened him with physical violence. What did Nehemiah do? First, he prayed. They are mocking you God, you decide what to do. Nehemiah expressed his anger to God, but did not take matters into his own hands. Nehemiah 4:4-5
Remember this also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.
Nehemiah 13:22
AFTER THREATS OF VIOLENCE BY ENEMIES Sanballat and his allies were coming to pounce. What did Nehemiah do? Nehemiah prayed, we are in your hands God. And then he made preparations. He put up a guard to stand watch day and night. He put guards around the vulnerable parts of the city. He was ready. They kept their weapons ready in case God want them to use them. Nehemiah showed that he trusted God while taking steps to be prepared for action. Neh 4:9
RESPONDING TO THREATS Nehemiah was being slandered and intimidated from Sanballat and his allies. They threatened to tell lies to Nehemiah’s boss, King Artaxerxes l, that could have cost him his life and ruin his good relationship with the king. They even paid prophets to prophesy against him, trying to lure him into doing the wrong thing. They thought Nehemiah was weak. What did Nehemiah do? Nehemiah prayed for strength. He relied on God for emotional and mental stability. Neh 6:9
THOUGHTS ON WHAT ENEMIES ARE DOING Nehemiah heard what his enemies were doing that was not upright and just. Instead of taking matters into his own hands and rebuking them or talking to his friends about it what did Nehemiah do? He asked God to deal with them and their evil plans. God took away his compulsion to get revenge and trusted justice to God. Neh 13:29
THOUGHTS ON HIS OWN EFFORTS AS GOD’S SERVANT Many times throughout Nehemiah, he is called to do hard things, lead others, hold people accountable for their actions and make unpopular decisions. He would sometimes begin to question is what I am doing what God wants me to be doing? Am I doing this for my glory or for God’s? What did Nehemiah do? Nehemiah prayed, “Remember me with favor, O my God.” (Neh 13:31) Nehemiah prayed and this kept his own motives clear for action. He was checking himself with God. He was taking captive of his destructive thoughts of doubt and fear. He was giving credit to God for the work. (Neh 5:19, 13:14, 22, 31)
Back to my dinner stresses,
I saw God was in the details. He cares about every little thing that affects me. I was focused on the quality of the food and my inabilities. That’s not the point. It’s about the blessing of family time together and God’s capabilities and His provision. To me, preparing dinner was a reminder of another way I was failing. God doesn’t want our performance, He wants our heart. He wants relationship. Dinner is the only time my family is all together most days. Most times the stress and worry about preparing dinner did not create an atmosphere of relationship-building with God or my family. I can be honest with God about my frustration and it doesn’t change who He is. I can ask Him for His help with dinner and His hand will be in that – the results and glory are His. I can be open about my weaknesses and He gives me strength and power and help. But only if I ask and I give it to Him…all of it. Isaiah 65:1 says, “The Lord says, ‘I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking forme. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name.'”
So, are you going to pray like Nehemiah? Are you going to take everything to the Lord? Share with me what you stressing over and worrying about. Will you commit to take these things to the Lord in prayer? He will go to battle for you, in the big things and the small things, He will transform your heart and purify your motives, for He is faithful and He is mighty and He has already won the victory. He is ready to respond. Will you call on Him?
Praying for you all. Until next time…God be with you.
The Lord says, ‘I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a natino that did not call on my name.
I have read or been taught about Genesis probably 100 times. Today I was reading Genesis 21. Wow! Just Wow! There are so many goodies in there.
In Chapter 21, God has blessed Sarah and Abraham with a child, Isaac. She is in her nineties. Back then, 90 must have been the new 40. I can’t even imagine what having a baby at ninety looks like. But like with all things, God makes everything beautiful. So they were having a party because Isaac had been weaned. He was about 3 years old. Definitely time for a celebration! At the party, there was drama. Abraham’s baby mama, Hagar, was there with their son, Ishmael. Well Sarah didn’t like that “Hagar’s son ” was teasing and mocking Isaac. She told Abraham that she’s got to go and that kid too.
This is in Genesis! It sounds like a reality TV show from today.
Abraham was conflicted. I mean Ishmael was his son. He didn’t want him to go. So, he went to the Lord. “But God said to him, ” Don’t be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” (Genesis 21:11)
Abraham, a faithful and obedient servant of the Lord, listened to God and did what he said and sent Hagar and Ishmael on their way. How hard that would have been for Abraham? How hard it is for any of us to heed the Lord and do what he asks us to do. In Proverbs, it says “A God-loyal life keeps you on track and sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.” (Proverbs 13:6) So even though it is incredibly hard to listen and obey God sometimes, much blessing comes from it. Not just earthly blessing but more importantly, eternal treasure.
Now it wasn’t like Abraham set up Hagar and Ishmael with a house on the other side of town. They were in the desert. He gave them some food and a skin of water and sent her off with the boy. Ishmael is sixteen when this happens.
Negev Desert near Beersheba
There was no map. There was no one to ask if this was the right way to go. They wandered the desert of Beersheba. They had no where to go. The skin of water gave them about 1 day of water. It went quickly and they were in trouble. Hagar put the boy under a tree and left him because she could not bear to watch him die. She began to sob.
Ishmael was crying too. We know this because in the next verse it says, “God heard the boy crying and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven.” The angel tells her that God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. (Genesis 21:17)
God heard the boy crying as he lies there. God heard.
I was really struck by this. Can you even begin to fathom it? We sometimes think that God is far away. He isn’t. He hears us. How awesome is that? In Psalm 56:8 it says, “You (God) keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” As an organizing nerd, it makes my head hurt to even try to understand how He does it. I picture rooms and rooms of cute glass bottles with corks on shelves that go to the ceiling. And then these super cool labels on the bottle, organized by date. There is this vintage leather book with pages that record it all. So I stop thinking about it and am just grateful that He does. Why does God do that? Because He loves us like no other.
I think we get glimpses of this when those close to us have sorrow. We carry their sorrows with us like a backpack. It is a beautiful thing.
So then what happened. The angel of God told Hagar to lift the boy up and take him by the hand for I will make him into a great nation. So she did. God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. How often are we blinded by our troubles and don’t see the solution right in front of us? For me, too often. Time after time, God teaches me this lesson. “Seek first his kingdom.” (Matthew 6:33)
God was with the boy as he grew up.
These verses that you and I have read and heard over and over again, reveals so much about the character of God, His sovereignty, and His love for us. God heard the boy crying. God makes everything beautiful. God hears us. Obedience to God will be blessing in your life, even if its hard and it usually is. He keeps track of our sorrows. Seek Him first. He has all the answers. He loves us like no other.
I would love to hear from you about what you heard God speaking to you in those verses (goodies). Read Genesis 21: 1-20 and shoot me an email or put in the comments below.
Well, here we go. I say “we” because this is a team effort. This is me – Kim. A woman, wife, mother, sister and friend from Grapevine, Texas, (hence the “Howdy!”). I have been reluctant to do this for years. Finally after years of prodding from God, I am jumping in. What exactly am I jumping in to…well, I want to create a place to tell the stories of transformation that happens when someone encounters Jesus Christ. The before and after. The ultimate of “Fixer Uppers.” I find those stories absolutely fascinating. Not just the story but all the juicy details. Ultimately, my goal is to create a series of bible studies around this theme. To help others be able to tell their story. The other side goal is to be a resource for goodies. Things that I have found helpful to me in my Christian walk.
Looking forward to hanging out with y’all and trying to navigate this amazing journey together!
kim bentson 