Am I alone, I feel desolate...

Psalm 139 vs. 7-11 "Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."

Have you ever been in a situation "a jam" where you have felt as if no one can hear you....a location of obscurity. Heard Satan or his friends say to you "He doesn't hear you, He can't hear you, no one hears you now, look around you, look at your situation?"

When I say surely the darkness will hide me
Surely God has forsaken me now, He can't be here with me or this would not be happening; All odds are against me, reports, facts, figures, statistics are up against me...I can't get up from under them, who can argue with these facts?

When even the light becomes night around me
Even little things that should not be an obstacle, I can't seem to get through them...the light has become darkness around me!

My Father's voice:
That darkness is not dark to Me, My eyes pierce through darkness as if it were as bright as the day. I will guide you still, My counsel will find you & My right hand will hold you tight! That obstacle you see is actually not an obstacle to Me. 
Vs. 12 'even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You....' Vs 10 'even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast'

Not only will He counsel me, guide me to teach me in the way that I must go, He holds me tightly. He remains with me through obscurity with His word and His presence...His guidance and His hand.

I really am not alone.

Friend: Do you want to know more about the father we keep talking about? Do you need a friend, have you been feeling all alone and really need someone you can rely on, someone in whom's embrace you can rest, someone super awesome and ultimately trustworthy? Embrace Jesus, He is the way, he is truth and he is life; By embracing Jesus Christ you embrace The Father for they are one and they will come and make their home with you so you never have to be alone again.

Lord, teach me how to pray.

As I stood by my kitchen sink, I called out these words; almost immediately the Lord's prayer came to mind. Lets look at the principles the Lord Jesus taught within this simple prayer in context of our daily approach to prayer.

Matthew 6 vs. 5-14

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Prayer should always be sincere, let it come from the heart, involving you and God, not to validate your righteousness before men. Don't use meaningless words and repetitions, understand that you are speaking to a God who is attentive and understands your need. Stand in the confidence that He hears you always. John 11 vs 41/42 ".......Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me......." Don't allow yourself to be robbed of that confidence that God hears you as soon as you speak.

"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven,
You are our father, my dad, my daddy, my papa, I am your responsibility.

hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
I honour Your name, Your will is done in heaven let it be done on earth, in my life, concerning this matter that I bring before You, let Your govt come, rule in this matter O God.

Give us today our daily bread.
Give me all that I need today O Lord

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Father forgive all that is outstanding against me, where I have missed the mark and trespassed, as I have also released those that have trespassed against me. At this point we have to let go of every offence, we do not need to seek restitution. When you forgive a debtor, it means they no longer owe you, their account with you has been balanced:  there is nothing to pay

And lead us not into temptation,
Here we are praying into our future, we asking God to order our steps, to keep us from temptation.
We are admiting to God that we know we are susceptible to being tempted and ask for strength to stand without falling. In Luke 22 vs 31, the Lord exercised this principle by praying ahead for Peter that his faith should not fail him.

But deliver us from the evil one.
Deliver us God from the devil and his cohorts. We are praying against satan's work to subvert,  distract & devour us. We are enlisting God to strengthen and deliver us from all satan's plans against us..

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." The Lord teaches us further the principle of forgiveness, that to receive forgiveness, we have to forgive.

Cheers,
L