Author Archives: lrbartel

When you cry out to Him from the pit of despair, you’ll hear Him say, “Do not fear!”

Out of a deep dark pitThere are some great spiritual morsels of truth in Lamentations, a book of the Bible written during the deepest, darkest hours of Israel’s history! The writer, although unnamed, some believe to have been Jeremiah. In those dark hours of Israel’s history, when the writer looks upon Jerusalem, a devastated city; and the temple, which was sacked, dismantled, and destroyed; and the nation which was carried off into captivity; the inspired writer cries out to God and finds hope!
 
So I jotted this in the margin of my Bible this morning at Lamentations 3:55-57… “Out of the deepest, darkest, pit… “I called on Your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit! You heard my plead, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ You came near when I called upon You and you said, ‘Do not fear!’” (From Lamentations 3:55-57)
 
I don’t know how deep the despair or frightening the pit of your situation and circumstances may seem right now… Take these words to heart! Call on His name! Cry out for His help! Look up out of the pit and hear His voice calling to you! … “Do not fear!”

A personal paraphrase of “the Lord’s Prayer” on Father’s Day

It just seemed like the right post for me personally on this Father’s Day…
 
“Heavenly Father, may You be held in in highest esteem, for you alone are worthy of it! You are holy! May Your kingdom come and Your will be done here on earth just as it is done in heaven! You give me what every day requires and I’m grateful! Please forgive me for my shortcomings and may I always be willing to forgive others! Don’t allow me to be tempted beyond my ability to bear. Instead, rescue me from the evil one! I honor, praise, and exalt You, my Heavenly Father, on this Father’s Day!!”
 
(A personal paraphrase of Matthew 6:9–13 on Father’s Day)

A morning song… “to awaken the dawn!” (but be considerate of your neighbors!)

Awaken the dawn
I read this wonderful “song at dawn” from Psalm 108 this morning during “coffee with the Lord” … I want to do it! I want the spirit expressed here to be the way I start my mornings, don’t you?
 
“My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (From Psalm 108:1–5 ESV)
 
I’ll do it! But no amplifiers… I’ll keep my voice down… I try to be considerate of my neighbors (they’re not all “morning people” you know).