How prayer can enrich your Bible reading

One of the most important ways to have a balanced Christian life is to balance your prayer life with your Bible reading.
Psalm 119:147 reminds us of the need to balance prayer with Bible reading, as it says, "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word."
So when you rise at dawn to pray and read God's word, how do you pray? Here are six key verses in Psalm 119 to guide you:

I. Preparation: What to pray before reading scripture

A. For open eyes (v. 18)
"Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law."

B. For light to your path (v. 105).
"Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path."

C. For discernment (v. 125)
"I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes."

II. Application: What to pray after reading scripture

A. A sin to confess (v. 11)
"I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you."

B. A promise to claim (v. 38)
"Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared."

C. A resolution to make (v. 112)
"My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end." (NIV)

Like a boy who rides his bicycle downhill with gusto, trying to get momentum when he goes uphill, the psalmist expressed his prayer as he dove into the scripture, and then after he read the scripture, he had the momentum to climb the challenging hills ahead, whether it was a sin to confess, a promise to claim, or a resolution to make, knowing that by faith in God's word he could trust God to make a way.
So can you and I.

How to pray in distress

Psalm 102 teaches us how to pray when we are in distress.
It was written by someone who suffered through the exile in Babylon, but it applies to anybody in suffering. Like the changing weather, this psalm expresses the psalmist's changing mood.
1) Clouds gather (v. 1-2). He first cries out to God. "Lord, hear my prayer...Do not hide Your face from me in my day of trouble..."
2) Gloom and darkness (v. 3-11). Next, he describes his suffering: heartache (v. 4), he can't eat (v. 4), he loses weight (v. 5), he is lonely (v. 6). he can't sleep (v. 7), he suffers abuse (v. 8), he weeps (v. 9), and he suffers because of his sin (v. 10). Thus he says, "My days are like a lengthening shadow." (v. 11). But the clouds part and the sun shines in.
3) Sunshine (v. 12-22). A ray of future hope from the Lord shines in his heart, and he sees that he will see the ruins of Zion and rebuild Jerusalem, or at least the future generations will see it.
4) Clouds return (v. 23-24). But as he waits for the fulfillment of his future hope, the clouds of doubt return briefly. Can't we all relate to that?
5) Eternal light (v. 25-28). Finally the psalm ends with a statement of faith in the eternal light of God, for even when the earth wears out like clothing, "You are the same, and Your years will never end." (v. 27). This part of the psalm is quoted in Hebrews 1:10-12 as a prophecy of Jesus Christ. This reminds us that our ultimate light and hope for our distress comes when we trust in Jesus.

The dangers of addiction

Whether it is a martini, marijuana, Marlboro or lemon meringue pie, scripture teaches that all addictions have the same basic effect: they destroy your mind, your money and your mood.
Look at the warnings in Proverbs against two addictions: drunkenness and gluttony.
1. Your mind. Your mind will be led astray and deceived.
"Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler, whoever is led astray by them is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1).
"When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive." (Proverbs 23:1-3)
2. Your money. Your addiction will drain your finances and leave your poor. "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor..." (Proverbs 23:20-21)
3. Your mood. You will suffer sorrow and disgrace. You will descend into depression if you persist in feeding your addiction.
"Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? ... Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine..." (Proverbs 23:29-30).
"...a companion of gluttons disgraces his father." (Proverbs 28:7).

You will not be able to overcome your addictions until you first see how much they hurt you. The reason you are addicted is because you like how they make you feel. Do you want to lose control of your mind? Do you want to lose your money? Do you want your mood to descend into depression? If not, then you need to break free from your addiction. The first step is to recognize your problem. The second step is to call on the Higher Power of Jesus Christ to give you victory. For most people with addictions, you will need a third step of counseling.

Don’t wait—do it today!