Category: Prayer

Desert Bloom

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Praise and Worship, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Isaiah 35:1-2

1The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.

A few months ago, I had the not-so-pleasant experience of being on the road in the midst of a terrible dust storm in the desert. At times, clouds of dust were so thick that the visibility dropped nearly to zero. Tumbleweeds darted in front of the car. It took hours for the storm to finally let up.

Just a few days prior, however, I had seen the same desert in its full beauty. Sagebrush dotted the landscape. Joshua trees rose up majestically, stretching their branches toward heaven. Pronghorn antelope, wild horses, and other wildlife roamed the flat plains. What a stark contrast!

Isaiah 35 is always an encouragement to me. It speaks of the desert blooming and blossoming as a rose. What beautiful imagery! The Lord takes the horrible dust storm-filled deserts in our lives and transforms them into life-filled oasis. He causes stunning beauty to spring forth from the barren deserts in our hearts. He turns the ugly, dry dust and sand into the most gorgeous roses we could ever imagine.

I am reminded of the many desert-like areas in California that spring forth with the most stunning displays of wildflowers after the winter rains. What lavish beauty lay hidden beneath the dry, dead grasses of summer! However, even those lovely spring wildflowers die quickly, in contrast to the fragrant, lovely roses the Lord cultivates in our hearts.

Are you walking through a lifeless desert right now? If you love the Lord, He will use it for your good and will transform your barren plains into vibrant, life-filled, stunningly glorious rose gardens that testify to His grace!

Psalm 16 (part three: The Right Hand)

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Praise and Worship, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Psalm 16:8-11

I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:8 discusses how we should prioritize the Lord and set Him first in our lives. We ought to set the Lord always before us. He should be in the front of our lives at all times, and we must follow His lead. May it always be so!

The psalmist then mentions how the Lord is at his right hand. The right hand was thought of in ancient times as a place of prominence, blessing, honor, favor, and power. May the Lord forever occupy that position in our lives!

In verse 11, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord shows him the path of life and grants fullness of joy in His presence. However, I was particularly struck by the last line: “at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This indicates that not only is God at the right hand of our lives, but also so are we at His right hand! To think that we occupy a place of prominence, blessing, honor, and favor in God’s heart! And what an intimate relationship develops when we walk with God–He is at our right hand, Christ is at His, and we are at Christ’s! We prioritize Him, honor Him, and bless Him, and He in turn does the same for us.

No wonder the psalmist declares in verse 9, “Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.” May we rejoice in knowing that God loves us with an incomprehensible love and He longs to have an intimate relationship with us! Praise the Lord!!

Psalm 16 (part one: The Lord our Inheritance)

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Psalm 16:1-5

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.

Recently, I was meditating on Psalm 16. It is such a beautiful Psalm! I discovered numerous insights.

The psalmist begins by begging the Lord to preserve him, for the Lord is his refuge. He talks about how we are nothing, and we have no goodness in ourselves, apart from the Lord. Then, he contrasts his delight in the saints with his aversion for idolaters. May we also determine to keep ourselves pure from idolatry!

In verses 5a and 6a, we find several beautiful truths. First, the Lord is our inheritance. We as believers have such a glorious inheritance–Christ Himself! 1 Peter 1:4 tells us that this inheritance is incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, and reserved in heaven for us. What more could we ask for if Christ Himself is our inheritance? One of the most amazing things is that this inheritance begins now, and we don’t have to wait until heaven to enjoy the inheritance of our precious Savior. Of course, it will be so much more glorious when we see Him face-to-face, but until then, He lives in our hearts, and we can revel in His presence and power in our hearts and lives!

The second insight is that the Lord is our cup. Scripturally, the cup is a symbol of our portion. A cup of water symbolizes life, and a cup of wine symbolizes joy. Christ is our portion–He is our cup! And this precious cup overflows (Psalm 23:5) with all the love, goodness, and fullness of God! This is the cup that will never run dry!

May we rejoice today in the fact that Christ is our inheritance and our portion!

The Shadow of His Wings

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Poetry, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Psalm 91:14-16

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

Psalm 91 is such a beautiful psalm. It is filled with promises for protection and security. It is richly rewarding to take this psalm and sit with it, praying God’s promises over our lives.

So many beautiful word pictures are used in Psalm 91, especially in the original Hebrew. For example, the word “wings” can be used to refer to a garment or a bed skirt. I think that this is such lovely imagery. Next time you get into bed and pull up the covers, rest for a moment and picture yourself hidden in the shelter of God’s wings. Let all your cares and fears melt away in His presence.

I wrote this poem based on Psalm 91 in 2020, when the pandemic shattered our hopes for the year, and we battled fear in our hearts.

All around the world falls apart; calamity destruction brings.

But I fear not, for I am hidden in the shadow of Your wings.

They panic in fright, they have no rest,

But God is my refuge and my strong fortress.

Pestilence flies, consumes in the night,

But why should I fear? My God is greater in might!

For He promised to defend me, protect me from harm;

And forever I am saved by His outstretched arm.

He is my shield and my dwelling place–

With Him I am able all trials to face!

So keep me, dear Lord, and protect me too.

Under the shadow of Your wings, I am safe with You.

God’s Promises: Isaiah 43

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Praise and Worship, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Isaiah 43 is such a beautiful chapter. It is packed with priceless promises to each of God’s children throughout all time.

Fear not, God says! He has redeemed you, and He calls you by your name. If you are a true believer, your name is in His book of life, and you are His. No one can ever take you away from God, separate you from His love, or snatch you out of His hand. The first promise God wants us to remember is that we are His.

The second promise written in this chapter is written in verse 2. God will always be with you. Whether you pass through overwhelming oceans, floods of blessing, or scorching fire, He will be by your side. He has a purpose behind all pain and suffering, and you will never be alone. He will never leave you nor forsake you!

There are many more precious truths in the following section, but the one that particularly stands out is in verses 15-17. In verse 15, since the Lord is called our Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and our King, we infer that He will never sin or change; He will never forsake His creation, and He reigns sovereign over us all. In verses 16-17, God promises to work miracles and part the sea to make a way for His children. He will also judge those who rise against us, and He will not let them stop Him from accomplishing His purposes.

One of my favorite promises in this chapter is hidden in verses 18-19. God is doing a new thing in our lives! He will make our wilderness of wandering into a road to glory, and He will make rivers of joy spring up from our deserts of pain! He is doing a new work of restoration! Thus we can leave our past, figuratively “burn our ships,” and step into the new day God is providing! It is a continual process of consciously and willingly leaving the past, but God is faithful, and He will help us.

The last promise of this chapter–but perhaps the greatest one–is that of forgiveness. (vv.22-28) Just like God’s people Israel, we have rebelled against God and wearied Him with our sins. But if we confess, He blots out our sins, and He will not remember them! Isn’t that amazing? He will purposefully forget our iniquities through the blood of His Son! Alleluia!!

For what reason does God do all this for us? The answer is found in verse 21. God formed us for Himself, that we may declare His praise and glorify His name!! May we do so today!!

Prayer and Faith

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Literature, Poetry, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

John 14:12-14

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Recently, a friend of mine was talking about prayer. She emphasized how difficult it is when you are waiting on the Lord for an answer to prayer. When it looks like God’s response is a billion miles away, do we still trust Him? Can we still surrender our requests to Him when the answer is “no”?

Some of my favorite examples of prayer are in the Psalms. Numerous Psalms are the honest outpouring of a broken heart before the Lord. Should that not comfort us? We do not need to mince words before the Almighty God. He knows our hearts through and through.

Blooming azaleas

And in the meantime, as we fervently pray and surrender the answers to God, we must have faith. I think that often we do not receive answers to prayer because of our unbelief. Looking back on the numerous requests He has mightily answered in the past and the great things He has done fuels our faith. We must be filled with thankfulness and praise Him for His many blessings in the past and the present, while believing in His mighty power sufficient for the future.

A great resource for Scriptural prayers is John MacArthur’s book At the Throne of Grace. MacArthur gives us many beautiful prayers to help guide us as we pray, praise, and wait. Let us be filled with prayer and faith!

Here is a poem I wrote about faith.

Faith

O my soul, why are you fearful? Why do you doubt?

Why are you anxiously wandering about?

You have nothing to fear–you have Yaweh!

How is it that you have no faith?

Yet when you are faithless, faithful He stays.

He’ll continue to be so for all your days.

Lord, You know, strength it takes.

Lord, I believe; increase my faith!

Mark 11:22-24

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Praying for America

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Current Events, Holidays, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

As we celebrate our nation this week, let us be sure to pray for America. (If you are a citizen of a different country, please pray also!) In a day when only 76% of Americans consider themselves patriotic, I believe that fervent prayer and firm patriotism are greatly needed in this precious nation today.

I am convinced that those who revile this country and stand for evil are a vocal minority. We as Christians ought to stand up for Christ and His Word, and only through His strength and wisdom can we be the citizens He wants us to be in this beautiful land of liberty.

Here are some prayer points for our country:

  1. That the Lord would cleanse our own hearts from our personal sins and evil and set us afire again for Him.
  2. That the Lord would bring powerful revival and a great awakening to our nation–that believers would be revived in the faith and that unbelievers would turn to their Creator.
  3. That Jesus would continue to give people an awareness of respect for the sanctity of human life, from the moment of conception until final breath.
  4. That the public school system would turn to the Lord and His ways.
  5. That each of our leaders would come to know the Lord personally and serve Him with all their beings.
  6. That all believers will be united in the Lord and with each other.

Let us pray fervently for America, stand firm for the truth, and exhibit a patriotic attitude as we praise the Lord for our freedoms!

Same God

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Music, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

Isaiah 50:2 (NKJV)

...Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?…

Isaiah 59:1 (NKJV)
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.

How often do we limit God’s power to our finite comprehension? How prone we are to believe that the great miracles of the Bible were one-time occurrences and that God either cannot or will not do such things today?

The truth is that the God we serve today is the same God Who parted the sea for Moses and raised Jesus from the grave. Our God is ALL powerful! There is absolutely nothing that is impossible with Him! The God of the Bible is our God today!

Sometimes I wonder if the seeming powerlessness of God is really our lack of faith. As Scripture says in Matthew 13:58, “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” God is all-powerful, but does our faithlessness sometimes prevent His mighty responses to our prayers?

Here are two of my favorite prayers. Mark 9:24 says, “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief.” The other prayer comes from a song, “I don’t know how You’ll make a way, but I know You will!”

In whatever situation you find yourself praying for God’s mighty power, know that His hand is not shortened, nor His ear heavy. He is alive and active. He hears and answers us, and He truly fights for His children. Let us have faith in His power and love!

Luke 1:45

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Exodus 14:13-14
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Lower

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

Recently, while observing a small waterfall, I was struck by an astounding thought. Jesus went from the incredible glories of heaven to the great agony of the cross–the ultimate example of self-sacrifice and humility–poured out for me. How can I do the same for Him? Of course, my sacrifice for Him can never come close to His, but, as Christina Rosetti so beautifully said, “What can I give Him? I’ll give Him my heart.”

Waterfall

This is my prayer for all of us today.

Lord, You have sacrificed so much for us. Help us to step off our thrones of pride and descend lower and lower for You. Help us to cast ourselves down at Your feet and pour extravagant love on You, no matter what those around us think, say, or do. Help every inch of our lives’ journeys to point to You, so that the others see You and You only, and not us ourselves, for we truly are nothing without You. Please become greater and greater, and help us to become less and less, for it is the King that matters most, not the servant; the Creator, not the creation; the Potter, not the vessel. Help us to be vessels for You, Lord, and please grant us the great privilege and honor of becoming less and lower and more humble so that Your name is magnified and glorified through us all the more. We come to You as Your humble bondservants, and we extol Your name above all else!

Amen!

Priorities

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Music, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

Colossians 1:17-18 (emphasis added)

And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Recently, while I was speaking with someone, the conversation turned to spiritual matters. The person with whom I was conversing said, “Yeah, I’ve been really busy lately, but I guess I should make some time for the Lord!” I was left speechless.

How very sad to realize that this is the view some nominal Christians have today. Shouldn’t church be essential, Bible reading vital, and prayer and praise non-negotiable? In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Is it even right to call God “the Lord” if He is obviously not Master and Lord over every area of our lives? If we truly belong to Christ, shouldn’t He be our utter everything, and not just an ideal-sounding clause on the back burner of our lives that is thought about briefly every now and then?

I am reminded of Isaac Newton’s hymn “The Wonderful Cross” which says, “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!” Let’s all check our priorities today and make sure we give rightful honor and preeminence to Whom it is due.

Oh gracious Lord and Master,

Here we are your servants. Lord, You are our everything. You have made and sustained us. You breathe Your life into us and hold us together in the palm of Your hand. We are nothing without You. You deserve our entire lives and everything we are and have.

Let us not lose sight of what truly matters, Lord. We are mere vapors, and our earthly lives are quick and fleeting. Be first always in our lives, hearts, minds, and strengths. Help us to prioritize You above all things. May our worship of You, search for You, and obedience to You rise above fleeting earthly pleasures or selfish pursuits. May You always be glorified and exalted first and foremost over everything! We adore You, Lord!

Amen!!!