Then I prayed!

I have often shared that pray is our most important weapon. Luke 18:1 that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. 1 Thess 5 16Rejoice evermore. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I often refer to What a Friend we have in Jesus, where the hym writer reminds us Oh what peace we often forfeit! Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry . Everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations. Is there trouble anywhere. We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer.

How many can testify that prayer works? Yes it is in those times of prayer we hear from the Lord. We get an understanding of what the Lord can and will do. We can go boldly to the thrown of grace!

Its in this psalm we see the importance of crying out to the Lord. Psalm 107 opens as the previous two psalms 105 and 106.

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good:

For his mercy endureth for ever. which means his steadfast love endures forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! I love this psalm because it once again is a signal for God people to praise the Lord. Y’all know how I feel about praise! Its praise that sets the atmosphere for deliverance, healing, break through and victory!

In the Psalm 105 and 106 the psalmist gives us a history of Gods steadfast love. How he delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt fought for them in the wilderness and still stuck with them even in their disobedience.

Psalm 107 signifies the great deliverance from exile. He has gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. This is what he promised in his word Deut: 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (Dt 30:3).

Aren’t you glad God keeps his promises concerning his people?

In Sunday School the lesson covered 1-9 and 39- 43. The hidden jewel of this psalm can be found in 4 verses 6, 13, 19, and 28. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, And he delivered them out of their distresses.

This word THEN, is translated at that time. What are the moments in time when you are compelled to pray? A one time my best prayer was the prayer when i was in trouble. I move beyond panic praying! I found my best prayers come now when there is no alarm. Just prayers of gratitude!

Yet in my time of trouble I got closer to God! In my time of trouble i learned to trust the Lord! In my time of trouble the Lord showed me what I am made of.

Today i will use this psalm to present 4 things we should prayer for. Of course this is not an exhausted list but pslam 107 gives us guidance in tough situations. How many can testify I been in some tough situations?

One

We need to pray for direction

They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way;

They found no city to dwell in. 5  Hungry and thirsty,

Their soul fainted in them. (Ps 107:4–5).

The ESV says Some Wandered

As sheep we are prone to go astray. The Ephesian writer reminds us 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ ( Eph 2:11–13).

We need the Lord to give us direction Lostness, hunger, thirst and exhaustion are all figures which our Lord was to employ in relation to his self-offer as the Way, the Bread and Water of life and the Giver of rest.

We need to pray for deliverance

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,

prisoners in affliction and in irons,

11  for they had rebelled against the words of God,

and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

12  So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;

they fell down, with none to help.

13  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress. (Ps 107:10–13). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Acts 12 reminds us when the people prayed something happens. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Peter Is Rescued

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 12:5–10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We need to pray to be Obedient

Some were fools through their sinful ways,

and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;

18  they loathed any kind of food,

and they drew near to the gates of death.

19  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress. (Ps 107:17–19). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

For the Christian, obedience means complying with everything God has commanded. It is our duty to do so. Having said that, it is important to remember that our obedience to God is not solely a matter of duty. We obey Him because we love Him (John 14:23).

Obedience to the teachings of Jesus brings blessings , happiness, and peace among the children of God. The children of God who were obedient in the Bible were successful in their lives.

We need to pray for Peace

Some went down to the sea in ships,

doing business on the great waters;

24  they saw the deeds of the LORD,

his wondrous works in the deep.

25  For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,

which lifted up the waves of the sea.

26  They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;

their courage melted away in their evil plight;

27  they reeled and staggered like drunken men

and were at their wits’ end.

28  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress. (Ps 107:23–28). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Mark 4: 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mk 4:39–41). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.