Coffee With The Lord

I love the Psalms! I read one today that emphasizes the power of sincere, fervent, prayer!

Are you enduring God’s discipline… or experiencing disease, even death? Are you struggling with discouragement or despondency?

Then PRAY! Pray fervently! Pour your heart out to God sincerely and openly! That’s what King David, the psalmist did!

Here is his prayer from Psalm 6… “O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage! Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak! Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony! I am sick at heart! How long, O Lord, until you restore me? Return, O Lord, and rescue me! Save me because of your unfailing love! The dead do not remember you? Who can praise you from the grave? I am worn out from sobbing! All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears! My vision is blurred by grief!” (From Psalm 6:1-7 NLT)

Listen, if you pray like that; God – the Living God – can move you from despair and despondency to confidence and faith! You will find it supernaturally, miraculously arising in your heart! God will produce it within you! Hope will arise! Here’s how the psalm ends… “The Lord has heard my weeping! The Lord has heard my plea! The Lord will answer my prayer!” (From Psalm 6:8-9 NLT)

So my advice – no more than that, the Psalmist’s advice – The inspired advice of God’s word… PRAY! PRAY FERVENTLY! PRAY FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF YOUR HEART! POUR YOUR HEART OUT TO GOD! Hey, it works! God answers prayer!

I don’t often do this… but when I read the following words from my Bible during my time of “coffee with the Lord” today, I strongly felt there was a pastor, leaders within a congregation, or a leader of a ministry who needed to hear these words…

Take them as an inspired appeal coming directly from Apostle Paul to your congregation or ministry – better yet, take these words as coming directly from the heart of God!

“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other! Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose!” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT)

I have no idea who I am speaking to today or their situation… You know – and God knows. The Lord will guide you in the action you need to take to bring unity, healing and health back to your congregation or ministry. I have paused today and lifted you to the Lord in prayer – His grace, His wisdom, and the convicting activity of His Holy Spirit is needed – most of all His healing!

I was awakened early this morning, with this old toe-tapping gospel song running through my mind! Several dear Christian friends the last few weeks – faithful servants of the Lord – have slipped away to their heavenly home! I post this in their sweet memory today – and I determine that verse 3 of this song will be true of ME! And furthermore, by the grace of God… “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there!

“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, Ill be there

“On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there

“Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, Ill be there

“When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder,
WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER I’LL BE THERE!”
Songwriters: C. Barny Robertson / James Milton Black

Here’s the Scripture the song is based upon…

“We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words!” (From 1 Thessalonians 4:15–18 NLT)