1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi, this is Jamie and I'm so glad 2 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: you decided to join us for our Wednesday prayer through 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: the Psalms. If you're tired of being spiritually weary, you've 4 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: come to the right place. Join us each Wednesday for 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: a time of prayer, reflection on scripture and meditation. Leave 6 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: the baggage of your day behind, and come away refreshed, renewed, 7 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: and reconnected to God as we explore the Psalms. Hi 8 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: there and welcome to another Prayer through the Songs episode 9 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: of the Praying Christian Women podcast. I'm Jamie Hampton and 10 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: I could not be more excited to be with you 11 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: today to talk about and pray through Psalm forty six. 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: I have a sentence for you to fill in the 13 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: blank twas the week before Christmas, when all through the 14 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: house fill in the blank. It doesn't have to rhyme, 15 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: just what's happening in your house, what's going on. I'm 16 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: sure that some of us are having an incredible Christmas season, 17 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: are super excited about getting to spend time with people 18 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: that we love, maybe some of them we haven't seen 19 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,759 Speaker 1: in a long time, and others of us are probably 20 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: having a really hard time I can think of a 21 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: couple of people that we've learned recently are going through 22 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: a really hard time. One of them has received just 23 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: a devastating diagnosis, another is going through an extremely hard 24 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: financial hardship right now. And it happens, and when it 25 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: happens near the holidays, I think of some publicized headline 26 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: tragedies that have happened in the last week or so. 27 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: When these things happen anytime, they're devastating, but when they 28 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: happen near the h holidays, it just compounds it. And 29 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: there are those of you who might be struggling with 30 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: family hurt, church hurt, devastating diagnoses, whatever, the difficult things 31 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: that can make Christmas less than marry and bright time 32 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: that we would love for it to be. Just please 33 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: know we see you, we know that it's hard, and 34 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: we're praying for you. I just want to take a 35 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: moment and I just want to pray for anyone right 36 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: now who is struggling, whether it's something that you perceive 37 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: as small, like just feeling like you're overwhelmed with your schedule, 38 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: or someone who is literally fighting for their life right now, 39 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: or an incredible hurt because of broken relationships or anything 40 00:02:53,000 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: that is just devastating. Let's praying, Father, as we approach 41 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: this week leading up into Christmas, we just lift up 42 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: all of those who are part of our community who 43 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: are struggling, whether it's missing a loved one who's passed 44 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 1: in this last year, whether it's facing a devastating diagnosis 45 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: of yourself or someone you love, or just dreading the 46 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: anxiety that interacting with lots of people in crowded places 47 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: during a holiday can sometimes be. There's nothing that's beyond 48 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: your sight. You are the God who sees you, are 49 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: el Roy. There's no one beyond your gaze. There's no 50 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: one who can hide from you. More importantly, there's no 51 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: one who can hide from your love, your compassion. And 52 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: we just pray that that love, that compassion, that presence 53 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: would just be magnified in the lives of those who 54 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: are struggling right now, that the hope of Jesus would 55 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: be even more real for them than it ever has 56 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: been and for all of us. Lord, help us to 57 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: put Christ at the center of Christmas. Help us to 58 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: just fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector 59 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: of our faith. Amen. All right, well, today we are 60 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: going to read through and pray through Psalm forty six 61 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: from the Nasby nineteen ninety five. This is titled God 62 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: the Refuge of his People, which is so appropriate for 63 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: just what we've been talking about. For the choir director, 64 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: a Psalm of the Sons of Kora set to Alamoth. 65 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: A song and that little that phrase set to Alamoth. 66 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 1: The footnote says possibly for soprano voices, So I don't 67 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: know what that means exactly, but it's possible that it 68 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: means that it's like a high melodic kind of song, 69 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: which I'm like, so wish that I could hear what 70 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: this sounded like to be sung back in the days 71 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: of the psalms. But I guess someday, maybe in heaven 72 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: we'll get to experience that, all right, Psalm forty six. 73 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help 74 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth 75 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart 76 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though 77 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: the mountains quake at its swelling pride selah, And we've 78 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: talked before. Whenever you hear that word selah, it might 79 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: mean pause or crescendo. Or musical interlude. We're not sure which. 80 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: There's a river whose streams make glad. The city of God, 81 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: the holy dwelling places of the Most High God, is 82 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: in the midst of her. She will not be moved. 83 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: God will help her. When morning dawns made an uproar, 84 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: the kingdom's tottered. He raised his voice. The earth melted. 85 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 1: The Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of 86 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 1: Jacob is our stronghold, Selah. Come behold the works of 87 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: the Lord who has wrought desolations in the earth. He 88 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: makes wors to cease to the end of the earth. 89 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. 90 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: He burns the chariots with fire. Cease striving and know 91 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. 92 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of 93 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our 94 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: stronghold Selah. I'm not sure what this psalm is saying 95 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: to you today, but what it stood out to me 96 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: is sort of my mantra. Cease striving and know that 97 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: I am God. That's another translation, Be still and know 98 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: that I am God. I even had a little chalkboard 99 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,239 Speaker 1: on my refrigerator for a while that said, be still. 100 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: It's so hard for us to be still. Probably more 101 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: than any other time in the history of man, it 102 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: is hard for us to be still. I actually just 103 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: heard about in Japan. Apparently there is a game that 104 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: is played and I don't even know where I heard this, 105 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: like one of my kids found it on YouTube or something, 106 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: and it's that you have to sit still for ninety 107 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: minutes without scrolling, without moving, without sleeping. You can't fall asleep, 108 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: and most people can't do it. You just have to 109 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: sit still for ninety minutes. It doesn't seem like it's 110 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: that difficult, but just try sitting still for three minutes, 111 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: set a timer for three minutes and see what happens. 112 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: And I mean one of Alana's and my favorite kind 113 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: of prayer tricks or hacks is to use a timer 114 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: to cultivate an attention span for prayer. Start with a 115 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: minute and just be still and either sit quietly in 116 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: that minute or if you want to pray for that minute, 117 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: and then just increase your timer over the course of 118 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: time however long it takes for you to incrementally move 119 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: the needle up a little. And it's a really great 120 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: way to cultivate attention span in a world and in 121 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: a society where it's so hard to not just have 122 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: the attention span of a nat. So I love this 123 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: cease striving and know that I am God. Be still, 124 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: don't be afraid of the stillness, don't be afraid of 125 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: the silence. Just know that He is God. And it's 126 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: preceded with all of this like big language. Behold the 127 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: works of the Lord. He's wrought desolations in the earth. 128 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth. 129 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: He breaks the bow, he cuts the spear in two. 130 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: There is nothing, no force on earth or in heaven, 131 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,839 Speaker 1: in the universe that can hold a candle to him. 132 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: And so it says, just be still, cease striving. Quit 133 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: you're running through Quicksand that's how I feel a lot 134 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: of time, through quicksand moving and working and never getting 135 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: an inch of progress. Cease striving, Know that he is God. 136 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: I think about the lifeguard training that basically tells you 137 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: that when you go to rescue someone, their natural inclination 138 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: is to want to kind of help you by swimming 139 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: sort of and flailing around thinking they're going to help you, 140 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: help them get to the shore or get to a safety, 141 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: and you're supposed to tell them stop swimming, just go limp, 142 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: allow me to carry you to safety, because you're striving 143 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: actually works against me and it makes it harder for 144 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: me to rescue you. And I always picture that when 145 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: I see this verse. Cease striving and know that I 146 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: am God. Don't try to work your way out of 147 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: the muck and the mire and the quicksand ste goes 148 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: for quicksand or mudflats in Alaska. The more you struggle, 149 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: the deeper you sink. Cease striving. That's the word of 150 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,679 Speaker 1: the Lord for me today, and know that he is God. 151 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: I will be exalted among the nations. I will be 152 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: exalted in the earth. And then the Lord of hosts 153 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: is with us, the Lord of literally angel armies, hosts 154 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: of angel armies. He is the commander, he's the lord, 155 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: He's the ruler over angel armies. He is not only 156 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: the lord of this earth, he's the lord of the heavenlyes, 157 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: the spiritual battle that's more real than anything that we 158 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: can see or touch in this plane of existence. And 159 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: he is the commander of those armies, and he is 160 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: with us, and he is for us, and therefore none 161 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: nothing on earth, in heaven, any other place you can imagine, 162 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: in the universe, or any other alternate universe that you 163 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: could even imagine, nothing can stand against Him, and therefore 164 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: nothing can stand against us. So wherever you find your 165 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: place today, know that our prayers are with you, and 166 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:20,319 Speaker 1: know he is God. Cease striving, rest, cry, lament whatever 167 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: it is that you need to do in his presence, 168 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 1: And know that He is God, and he sees you, 169 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: and he loves you, and he is at work in 170 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: your life, whether you can see it or not. He is. 171 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: And he has legions of angel armies under his command, 172 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: and they are for you. Let's pray, Almighty God, Lord 173 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: of Hosts, Commander of angel Armies. We surrender. We surrender 174 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 1: our plans, our fears, our hopes, our frustrations, our brokenness. 175 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: We surrender. We cease striving. We will be still before you, 176 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: and know that you are God. Thank God. I'm not God. 177 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: Thank you. Because you are omniscient. You are all knowing. 178 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 1: Your ways are higher than ours, your love is greater 179 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: than ours, your truth is truer than ours. Your vision 180 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: goes far beyond our own. We surrender, We cease striving, 181 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: and we pray for the God of angel armies to 182 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,439 Speaker 1: command them to help to slay the enemy, to break 183 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: down barriers, to give us breakthrough in the areas that 184 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: we need it, To bring comfort and peace to our 185 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: hurting broken hearts, to give us courage and strength where 186 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: we have none. And most of all, just bring your 187 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: Kingdom Come. Your will be done in our lives, in 188 00:12:55,600 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: our hearts, in our families, as it is in heaven. Amen. 189 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 1: Do you love true crime but feel like it's a 190 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: guilty pleasure because of the swearing and explicit content. If so, 191 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: I can't wait to tell you the good news. Alana 192 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: and I just launched our brand new podcast, Christian True 193 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:25,319 Speaker 1: Crime Junkies, a squeaky clean crime show for believers. Each 194 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: week we bring you unforgettable testimonies of survival, stories of justice, 195 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: and tales of redemption. And yes, sometimes plain old murder, 196 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: always clean, always from a Christian perspective. Listen to Christian 197 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: True Crime Junkies today wherever you listen to podcasts, and 198 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: don't forget to follow us. New episodes come out every 199 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: week and you don't want to miss out. We'd like 200 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: to take just a quick second to thank the team 201 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: at life Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. 202 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: Go to lifeaudio dot com. You will find dozens of 203 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows 204 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and so much more. That's 205 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: life audio dot com.