Coffee With The Lord

Read Psalm 92 this morning and thought of a dear friend and former member of a church I pastored… Dorothy Perrine! Dorothy volunteered to clean the church. I’d go over to the church to study or care for church business, enter a side door to go to the office and I’d hear a beautiful contralto voice wafting through the church singing praise and worship to God. She didn’t know I was there, but I’d pause and enjoy the private praise concert for a moment or two. That was a regular occurrence for Dorothy… She was a worshipping Christian!

Now I’ve heard others as well … not as talented, with voices that were a bit off key, but just as in love with the Lord, with hearts filled with thanksgiving and praise! They didn’t know anyone was listening (would have been mortified if they thought anyone was) but suddenly were captured by a heart of gratitude and worship and lifted a song to the Lord! I paused, listened to them, grinned a bit and enjoyed the “concert.” I know God was pleased… His word says, “make a joyful noise to the Lord!” (Psalm 95:1 and 100:1)

Here’s some tidbits from the passage that prompted this reflection today…
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your Name, O Most High! To declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night… For you, O Lord, have made be glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy! How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!” (from Psalm 92)

So I’ll be singing somewhere today… be listening for me (I’m not going to tell you which group of singers I’m most like… you’re not my audience anyway, He is!). And I’ll be listening for you… perhaps grinning. Dorothy, you’re out there somewhere this morning… Sing girl! Sing!

Observing a man or woman of faith move through life is an inspiring and uplifting thing to see! So positive! Infectiously optimistic! Hearing them talk about what life may bring their way just exudes confidence in God. That is what leads me to believe that the very essence of faith is confidence in God!

I read a well-known passage this morning that illustrates my point perfectly… Psalm 91. The psalmist is a person of deep faith and confidence in God! Its affirmations do not mean that he has never had a problem or difficulty – they simply assert rock-solid confidence in God… (I’ll quote some excerpts from it…)

“I will say to the Lord, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!’ He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence! He will cover you with His pinions and under His wings you will find refuge! His faithfulness will be your shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night or the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand but it will not come near you. (i.e. you’ll experience and know the Lord’s protection)” … and there is more… read it!

And then here is the even more powerful part… After the psalmist has spoken out of his confidence and faith in God, GOD SPEAKS – GOD RESPONDS!!! “Because he (or she) holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him (or her)! I will protect them, because they know my Name. When they call upon me, I will answer them! I will be with them in trouble! I will rescue and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them and show them my salvation!”

Wonderful! So uplifting! Hey, it pays to go through life trusting the Lord!

Several of you from Truth Seekers Class at Trinity Church have requested that I post the following from our Bible study Sunday in “Coffee with the Lord.” It is an adaption of Paul’s prayers in 1 and 2 Thessalonians for personal prayer for fellow Christians we may be concerned about. Enjoy… and use it as a pattern for your prayers for “one another”

Praying with the Apostles

The Apostolic Prayers of 1 & 2 Thessalonians

Paul, the apostle was faced to leave those who had recently come to Christ through his ministry in Thessalonica before he was able to disciple them. (Acts 17:1-10a)  After leaving under duress he received an encouraging report about the believers there from Timothy.  There were, however, some concerns.  They were facing persecution, some doctrinal issues unsettled them, immoral behavior was also concern and just practical Christian living in a pagan culture posed a problem.

Paul’s prayers in these two closely related epistles thus provide a pattern of prayer for us as we pray for fellow Christians that we may be concerned about…

1 Thessalonians 1:1–3 (ESV)

O, Father God, I thank you for my brothers and sisters!  These things about them especially come to mind…

• Their work of faith (i.e. every work they’re engaged in because of their faith in You)
• Their labor of love (i.e. everything they do for others and You because of Your love at work in their lives)
• And the steadfastness of their hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the face of all kinds of challenges.

1 Thessalonians 3:9–13 (ESV)

Oh, Father… Dear Jesus… make it possible for me to see them again!  They fill my heart with thanksgiving!  What joy I feel to You for them!  I pray earnestly night and day for the opportunity to see them again face to face and supply what is lacking in their faith!

But in the meantime Lord…

• Make the love they have for fellow Christians increase and abound (as well as for everyone else)! 
• Lord please establish their heart so that they are blameless in holiness before you and that they’re ready for the Second Coming.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (ESV)

Oh, may the God of peace…

• Sanctify them (set you apart to Himself) completely (through and through – in every way)!
• May their whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless so that they’re ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is the one who called you to Himself… He is faithful and He will surely do it!

2 Thessalonians 1:1–3 (ESV)

Oh God, I thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ!  I thank you today because…

• Their faith is growing abundantly!
• And the love they have for one another is increasing!

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (ESV)

Lord, this is my continual prayer – my “always prayer”…

• That You would make them worthy of what You have called them be/become
• That You would fulfill… by Your power…

–     Every good thing they resolve or  desire to do

–     And every work they’re engaged in because of their faith in You

And the reason I pray this?  So that Your Name may be glorified!

2 Thessalonians 2:13–17 (ESV)

Oh Lord, Its right for me to give thanks to You on these brothers and sisters You love so much!  And I do, because…

You chose to save them through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and belief in the truth.

And I pray that You – the One who loved us and has given us eternal comfort and hood hope through Your grace – will do the following on their behalf…

• Comfort their hearts
• And establish them in every good work and word.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 (ESV)

Oh Father, please direct the hearts of my friends…  

• Your love
• And the steadfastness of Christ, Himself.

2    Thessalonians 3:16 (ESV)

Lord of peace please give my friends Your peace…

• At all times
• And in every way.

And be with them in all the things they are facing!