Psalm 28 Times of trouble

 

Psalm 28

V 1-2 To you Lord I call, my rock, do not be deaf to me, for it you are silent to me I will become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help.

V 6 to 9 Blessed be the Lord because He has heard the sound of my pleading The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him and I am helped. Therefore, my heart triumphs and with my song I shall thank Him. The Lord is my strength and my shield. He is a refuge of salvation to His anointed. Save Your people and bless Your inheritance be their shepherd also and carry them forever.

Have you ever started off in prayer as David did. Do you feel sometimes that your prayers are hitting the ceiling or that God isn’t listening to you. He seems far away and you cry out to him with all your strength, but heaven stays silent. This could be for a short while or for many weeks.

I have had this happen. There has been a lot going on in my life and a lot of it hasn’t been good. Health issues, living with pain, financial issues etc. Sometimes we don’t find the energy to pray or read His word, we cry out to Him for help, but He seems so distant, as David said Heaven stays silent.

But after the first part of this Psalm David then goes onto say, The Lord has heard his pleading.

Something has happened, something has shifted. What has changed him. It was the fact that the Lord had heard his pleadings. He says My heart trusts in Him and I am helped. The Lord is their strength and refuge. God heard His prayer and answered Him.

We can trust God. He knows what He is doing and sometimes He will allow pain and suffering but He will use this for our good and help us through.

As I mentioned I have felt, when I needed Him the most that He seemed so distant and quiet, but when I look back, He wasn’t.  Also like David He is beginning to speak to me. To show me things now.

Firstly, I came across a wonderful lady a few weeks ago who does an evening hour long talk on a verse of scripture on YouTube, Zoom and Facebook every weeknight so I have been listening to her every evening. She speaks about Gods healing and so much more and prays for us. She also has messaged me and prayed for me which has been so helpful and I am so grateful to her for this as it’s been all I could manage at that time. She has even asked me to pray in tongues when she is on and if I feel God prompting me or has a message for someone to share it with her. So it has been a great encouragement for me.

God has spoken through friends too and provided my needs as He had promised.

The other day I prayed to the Lord in tears. Lord what do I do? Please help me.

Then I came across an elderly lady on YouTube, never seen her before and she said… Remember what God has done in the past. He answers prayers. He Heals He will speak to you if you’re listening.

Wow that was just for me. Yes, we are to remember that God has come through for us in many ways before and He will again. He has answered prayers He has healed. And the part about He will speak if you are listening was just what I needed. I hadn’t spent much time in His word or prayer as I had been really unwell as I said and it took all my effort sometimes to get out of bed and do things I had to do.

We may feel God is distant when we need Him the most. We may feel our prayers are hitting the ceiling but press on. He sees, He hears, He knows and in His perfect timing He will speak. Maybe you need to rest but still read His word and pray as much as you can. You will find that as the days go on He will strengthen you. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy either. When the lies come replace with Gods word. Keep declaring Gods word. Take it like medicine 3 times a day, declaring His word, it is powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. Also put on the armour of God and one day you will realise things are changing, that God was with you all the time that He loves you and has heard your pleadings like David and He may have been preparing you for something that He will reveal to you at the right time. He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep, stay close to Him, listen to Him and He will lead you to green pastures/ still waters and He will restore you.  God bless.

God is love

 God, our Father is a God of love. He cares for us, He walks with us, talks with us, He is with us in the trials, in the pain, in the suffering. Even when you feel He is a million miles away He isnt, He is with you always. 

Trust Him. Rely on Him because He is our Father and He is with us in the darkness, in good times  and bad. He brings light to every situation, He brings hope. 

He will never let go of you ever. 

If youre going through a time of trial or pain. Feeling alone or overwhelmed, cry out to the one who loves you, who created you because He wanted one of you.  Who died to save you. He is love. He is our peace, comfort and joy. He is ours forever.

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

   I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

   and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

   and the flame shall not consume you"  isaiah 43 v 1-2

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zeph 3v17

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends

John 15 v13

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3 v16

When your heart is heavy

 When your heart is heavy

And the walls are closing in

When you can’t find rest

And you don’t know where to begin

When life can make you wonder

What have I done so wrong?

Why all these challenges 

And you can’t find that greater song.

Way up above the storms

That song used to lift you high

Carrying you through it all

Till you learned to fly.

But look up to your Maker

He is there for you

He hasn’t left you darling

He is working a way through

So keep your eyes upon Him

And in due time you’ll see

That He never left you, ever

He’s calling you deeper to be.

Stay right by my side, Child

You are my beloved, one

I’m bringing beauty from ashes

Keep your eyes upon my Son.

Don’t ever think I've left you

I'm right here by your side

Never will I leave you

You are my joy, my bride.

© Val Gurney 2021.

Hope and Trust

 Are you like a rabbit in a hole, hiding?Scared to go anywhere or do anything sometimes. Maybe like a rabbit you peek out now and again see what’s going on but dash back in when things get too much or fear grips you.

He is calling you out, He is calling you to trust Him. Why is her trust and faith so small?
He told her if she had faith as small as a mustard seed she could say to this mountain be removed and it would be. He said when troubles come He would be with her, His promises are true. So why does she doubt? Why does she fear? The only one that can save, heal, help and restore her and so much more, is her Father.
The enemy wears us down, one arrow after another, ill health, money worries, issues of all sorts and sizes and shapes. We’ve believed the lies and become stuck in our ways, after all we have been this way for years now.

Well today is a brand new day. A day to say NO to the enemy, no to his lies, no to his schemes, no to keeping us bound and useless in Gods kingdom and family

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Lord draw near to that frightened rabbit, hold her, love her and release her from all that is not of you, from the traps set before her and behind. Set her free, free to serve, free to love, free to do and be all you’ve called her to be.

Our God is a God of forgiveness, love, hope, joy and an ever-present help in times of trouble and we can trust Him with everything. His arms are open wide, they are outstretched towards you. Run into your Fathers arms, just as the prodigal son did and find that He isn’t angry, He isn’t ashamed of you, or cross with you. He loves you, forgives and welcomes you into His presence with joy and love everlasting.

I look to my Saviour

 I look to you my Saviour

Come and be close to me

I long to behold your presence

Open my eyes that I may see

Come wrap me in your arms

Be with me in this place

I need You Lord so speak to me

Through your love and grace

Don't withhold your spirit from me

I need Him to show me the way

Speak Lord through your word

I will listen to you and obey 

My Jesus you are my everything 

My Lord and Saviour and King

To you I bow the knee always

To you my praises I'll bring

I look to you my Saviour 

To see your wonderful face

Come and spend this time with me

Come and meet me in this place

© Val Gurney

Praise is a weapon

As we know its really hot at the moment so I decided to go outside this morning in the cool of the day and just spend some time with God in His creation to sit and pray. However before I got that far I was listening to the birds singing their praises to God for the brand new day. Then this came to mind.

All is silent apart from the birds singing and praising God. They are singing in the new morning. That's what we need to be doing, praising and singing to our God for each brand new day,  the gift of life, for all that He is and does in our lives. Whatever we are going through, in hard times and good, we rightly need to praise God.  The crow comes and starts to speak but it sounds more like he is trying to drown out the birds praises. It just reminded me of the enemy trying to stop us singing/praising/worshipping God.

He will make a noise, try and distract us, disturb us in our quiet time or put things in the way of our time with God but don't let him win. Don't listen to the enemy, the lies that he shouts from the rooftops. Listen to the gentle whisper of God. Don't listen to the lies, the untruths that he shouts in your ears every day. Like the birds we need to keep on singing and keep on praising and keep on trusting God, declaring His truth over our lives. 'For He who is in you is greater than he of this world' The enemy may shout or whisper in your ears but don't listen to what he is saying. Listen to the voice of truth.

Praise is a weapon so when the enemy keeps on whispering lies to you, praise God, declare Gods truth because the enemy is a liar . Speak it, sing it but declare Gods truth. Don't give the enemy a foothold.

Tell them

Shout it from the rooftops 
Declare my love to all
Keep your eyes upon me
So that you will never fall
 
I promised to be with you
To give you all you need
Come my child my daughter
With my word let them feed
 
You are my people my possession
The ones I chose long ago
Remember my word and love
To a broken world, now go
 
Tell them of my love
Give them hope where there is none
I will speak right through you
Through my one and only Son
 
My spirit is upon you
Proclaim the good news to all
My spirit will be with you
I won’t ever let you fall
 
Take my yoke its easy
And my burden it is light
Come to me my precious one
You will always be in my sight
 
I never said it would be easy
In this world there will be pain
But take heart my children
One day it will be your gain.
 
© Val Gurney 2025