“Faith and a Prayer”

 “Faith and a Prayer”

 

“But You, O Lord, are a God of COMPASSION, and MERCY, slow to get angry and filled with UNFAILING LOVE and FAITHFULNESS.”  Psalm 86:15

This was a part of a prayer of King David, who at this time, was intent on getting HELP from God. You will see in verse fourteen, that a group of VERY PROUD, disrespectful people had risen against David, and a mob of VIOLENT MEN were after him.  David feared for his life.  But he asked God to show His STRENGTH in the FACE of OPPOSITION from the PROUD.

David’s OPPOSITION was a group of RUTHLESS men with NO REGARD for the Lord, however, David had FAITH in the POWERFUL ATTRIBUTES of the ALMIGHTY GOD. And to his BENEFIT David sought HELP from God, whom he KNEW had MIRACULOUS STRENGTH. And David had FAITH in GOD to bring him through this problem.

And so, David went to God in PRAYER and asked for the HELP that he NEEDED.  So, David says: “But You, O Lord, are a God of COMPASSION, and MERCY, SLOW to get ANGRY, and FILLED with UNFAILING LOVE and FAITHFULNESS.” In Verse sixteen, David gives his PLEA to God by saying; “Look down and have MERCY on me.  Give Your STRENGTH to your SERVANT.”  This is a GOOD example of David’s FAITH in GOD’S ABILITY. 

He asked God for a sign, (v17) “Send me a sign of your FAVOR.  Then those who HATE me will be put to SHAME, for YOU, O LORD, HELP and COMFORT me. David wanted this to show GOD’S GOODNESS and KNOW that it was GOD AT WORK. 

When YOU NEED GOD, it is ESSENTIAL to have FAITH that GOD is ABLE to do ALL that you ASK.  Having FAITH is KNOWING GOD, PERSONALLY, NOT just KNOWING ABOUT Him, but having an INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP with Him.  It’s putting your TRUST in His ABILITY, KNOWING ALL about Him and His ATTRIBUTES. It is BELIEVING!! 

If you DON’T BELIEVE in GOD and have not come to Him, FIRST, through His ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST, then God will NOT even ACKNOWLEDGE your PRAYER. “If I had NOT CONFESSED the SIN in my HEART, the Lord would NOT have listened.” (Ps. 66:18) You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, because YOU are a SINNER.  

“For ALL have SINNED and FALL SHORT of the GLORY of God.”  “Yet God, in His GRACE, FREELY makes us RIGHT in His Sight.  He did this through CHRIST JESUS when He FREED us from the PENALTY for our SINS.  For God presented Jesus as THE SACRIFICE for SIN.  People are made RIGHT with God when they BELIEVE that JESUS SACRIFICED His LIFE, SHEDDING His BLOOD.  This SACRIFICE shows that God was being FAIR when He held back and did NOT punish those who sinned in times past, for He was LOOKING AHEAD and including them in what He would do in THIS present time.  God did this to DEMONSTRATE His RIGHTEOUSNESS, for He Himself is FAIR and JUST, and He MAKES SINNERS RIGHT in His SIGHT when they BELIEVE in JESUS.  (ROM. 3:23-26) So, IF you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER in CHRIST JESUS, then YOU MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED and RESURRECTED for the FORGIVENESS of your SINS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus DIED for your SINS and is NOW in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and be made RIGHT with GOD and have FAITH in GOD, and KNOW that God HEARS you when you PRAY.  And have a CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with your LOVING, FAITHFUL HEAVENLY FATHER, and spend your ETERNITY in Heaven with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!