praying effectively: Do Not Put Your Trust in People (Ps.146)

(Psalm 146:1-10)

 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free.

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous;
9 The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:
- that we do not put our trust in people or in our political leaders (146:3)
- that we put our trust in the One who can save us (146:3)
- that we praise the Lord (146:1, 10)

Today's prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that we can totally put our trust in You and You alone, because it is You and You alone who can save us.  I praise You and thank You that I can trust You, because You made everything, You are in control of everything, and You are the judge of everything!  I praise Your name and Your eternal faithfulness.  Amen.