Thursday, December 09, 2010

Psalm 139:23

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

This is the verse I have been memorizing, and on which I have been meditating since the first of this month. And as I think about God knowing my heart, and my anxious thoughts - understanding them and knowing how to handle them - I become even more amazed by our great God.
Friends, I do not understand my heart. In recent days it has been baffling me. But I'm asking God to search me and know me. I've spent quite a bit of time in this psalm thinking about how intimately He does know me, and I am convinced I can trust Him to...Well, I'll get to that in the next verse. For today I am simply asking God to search me and know me. And I'm resting in the promise that He will.

For what are you asking God today?

Karen

15 comments:

Leah Adams said...

I am asking Him for wisdom; for guidance in stepping outside the ministry box; for boldness in witness.

Leah

Karen Hossink said...

Leah - May I pray for you?
Father in heaven, all praise be to Your Name!
You have created Leah. You know everything about her. You know her need for wisdom, for guidance, and boldness. In Your perfect knowledge, You know everything she needs. We give You thanks for that!
And today I am asking You, God, to make Your presence known to Leah. Please give her a spirit which is sensitive to Yours, and help her to follow where You lead.
I'm asking this, God, in the Name of JESUS. Amen and amen!

TheUnSoccerMom said...

I am asking Him for patience and to trust Him in all things. :o)


have a wonderful Thursday!!!

Patricia said...

I am asking him to cleanse my heart so that I can hear Him & follow His will so much more closely...

Praying for you, Karen, Leah & "UnSoccerMom"! :)

HUGS!!!

Karen Hossink said...

Jodi - I'd like to pray for you, too.

Father, You have perfect patience and You are trustworthy at all times, for all things. And, yes! We give You praise!!!
LORD, I am asking You today to extend grace to Jodi. Please give her the capacity to have the patience she needs. You know her circumstance, and I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit within her would enable her to wait patiently for You - and be patient with those around her.
And, yes, God - please strengthen her faith, that she may trust You in all things.
I pray these things in the power of the Name of JESUS. Amen and amen.


Patricia - Thank you for praying. May I lift you up, too?

Ah, LORD, I know it delights Your heart to have Patricia longing for You. Thank You that You love Your creation and that You want to have fellowship with us, You want to lead us - in spite of who we are and what we have done. Thank You for the blood of Jesus which covers us, and by which we can come to You!
So, God, I am asking You today, too, to cleanse Patricia's heart. Draw her near to Yourself and form her with Your love and power. In Your perfect way, please refine Patricia and make her into the woman You want her to be.
Father, I'm asking it in the wonderful Name of JESUS. Amen and amen!

Patricia said...

Thank you, my sweet friend!!! I needed that today! :)

Feel better already! :)

mariel said...

I love knowing the Father knows our anxieties and will bear them daily for us! (Psalm 68:19)

I am asking the Lord for a job for my hubs whose been laid off since January. I am asking Him to be fully glorified through all the details of my bible study that will be released in a few weeks, too. He is so faithful!

Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet said...

I praise Him that He hears us. So many prayers that are said or unsaid that we could talk about. Great verse to reflect on!

Karen Hossink said...

Patricia - You're welcome. :)

Mariel - Let's pray.
Father in heaven, we do thank You for bearing our burdens for us each day. How foolish we are when we try to handle them ourselves. Thank You for Your grace and patience toward us!
God, I know You know all the needs of Mariel's family - her husband's job, and otherwise - and I am asking You to show Yourself powerful in their circumstance. I am confident You will provide employment at just the right time, and I pray You will strengthen their faith in the wait.
Father, I thank You, too, for this Bible study which You've given Mariel to write. I pray You will speak through it to the heart of each person who reads it. Yes, LORD, You are faithful. Be glorified!
I'm asking this in the beautiful Name of JESUS. Amen and amen!


Sherry - I join you in that praise. And I am thankful that HE knows what we need - even when we forget to ask.

LisaShaw said...

Amen my friend. After I read your words I prayed in agreement for you. What a beautiful prayer to ask the LORD.


What I am asking God for today is found in John 13:23 which I've been meditating on since Oct. I have the privilege of resting my head on His bosom, leaning against Him in all situations but I want MORE of HIM...and even greater level of intimacy day by day until He calls my name to come Home.

I wanted to share something with you that GOD used you to say to impact my life.

I may not have EVERY word down but this is how I heard you in the airport that night after the gIRL Gathering. You said, "He'll either take me home or He'll take me Home. Either way I win".

I have shared that GOD used you to say that to me so often since then because while we were talking about the flight in the bad weather GOD has used that to minister to my heart in MANY arenas of my life. It may not make too much sense in the way I'm leaving the comment but I just wanted you to know how HE USED YOU and I'm grateful to HIM and thank you for your obedience to HIM and for your love for HIM that you show in MANY ways!

Love you.

Karen Hossink said...

Lisa - Thank you for joining me in prayer! And thank you for telling me how that statement ministered to you. I love how HE works - even when we are unaware.

May I pray for you, too?

Father, thank You, thank You for Your desire to have an intimate relationship with each one of us. Thank You for the blood of Jesus which covers us and which has made it possible that we could be reconciled to You!
Father today I am asking You to fulfill this desire in Lisa to know You even MORE. Please draw her close to Your heart and speak tenderly to her of Your love. Yes, LORD, hold her in Your warm embrace and please make Your presence and power undeniable!
I'm asking it in the wonderful, powerful, beautiful, matchless Name of JESUS. Amen and amen!

Angie Muresan said...

I am praying for guidance in raising my children.

Karen Hossink said...

Angie - I'll pray with you!

Father in heaven, our PERFECT Father, we love You! And we thank You that You are perfect in all Your ways. You know how to raise us - You know the discipline, the love, the comfort, the chastising - everything we need. And You know how to deliver it to us for our good. Thank You, God!
Oh, but we are not perfect parents to our own children. And You know that, too. Even so, You have entrusted us with these precious ones. And we thank You that You have not given us the task of raising them alone. We thank You that You are willing to help us every step of the way.
So, God, today I am asking You to lead and guide Angie faithfully - as You did yesterday, and as You will again tomorrow. When she doesn't know what to do, please show her. When she feels like she's at the end of her rope, please help her to carry on. Father, please fill Angie with Your love and grace so much so that it overflows onto her children.
And may they know Your love because they see it in their mother.
I'm asking these things in the wonderful Name of JESUS. Amen and amen!

LisaShaw said...

I love and appreciate you and your prayer. I am praying the same for you now...

Karen Hossink said...

Lisa - I love you, too!