LORD, I AM HERE

A Personal Journey Through Prayer, Journaling and Mediation

By Laroyce Cottrell

Meditations Of The Heart

A Journey to God

To meditation is to ponder on something: the act of thinking about something

deeply and carefully, or an instance of such thinking.

In Joshua 1:8, God tells us to meditate on His word day and night so we will obey
it. The words, "meditate" or "meditation" are mentioned 20 times.
How do you meditate? By take time out of your day to get comfortable in order to
spend time with God privately. Another word for mediation is being still before
God.

In the Old Testament there are two primary Hebrew words for meditation. Haga,
which means to utter, groan, meditate, or ponder. Sihach, which means to muse,
rehearse in one's mind, or contemplate. These words can also be translated as
dwell, diligently consider, and heed.

Taking a deep breathes allowing your self to inviting God’s presence into your
mind, body and spirit. Read bible verses that apply to your needs from the word
of God. Offering simple prayer up to the Lord as needs for your self and others
come to mind. When negative thoughts try to come into your mind, allow them to
pass change the channel on your thinking, don’t allow them to enter your time with
God. End your meditation time with a time of Thanks giving to the Lord.
I want to encourage you to meditate on the things of God. His Word, His thoughts,
His promises . To allow those things to be the air you breath, your daily
inspiration, your all.

Life can be hard. Challenges from day to day can keep you in the state of
depression, and oppression. But daily we must renew our minds in order to not
allow the temptations of the harsh world we live in to over take us.
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God." (Romans 12:2) One of the greatest accomplishments anyone can achieve in this
life is to find true inner happiness, true inner contentment and true inner
fulfillment in this life.

It was starts with our mind set. “Where the mind goes, the man will follow (Joyce
Meyers)

Our thoughts get us into trouble. It’s been said that our thought create our
reality. What should we focus on in Christian meditation? "Whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of
praise, dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8, NASB).

Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in thee.

When we read in the book of Isaiah we see that God has given us the recipe to stay
in peace. We will examine this verse in it’s entirety so we can be sure that all
we get the results that God intended us to get from his word.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says….

Jesus can create "perfect peace" within thy mind, though storms of trial rage
without.

You have decreed so, and your purpose cannot be changed. We fall out of peace
when we step away from the mind set God has ordained us to walk in. Our mind ,
thoughts, and, imaginations must fall in line with those of peace.
This all comes by know God through His word.

.Memorizing Bible verses

Repeat them to yourself until you can say it without looking.

Put them on a mirror, next to your computer, in the bathroom, on your
refrigerator, or somewhere else you'll see them a lot.
Work on just one a week or until you have it down well. Some of us have memory
problems.
Put Bible verses to music and sing them -- or buy cd's with Bible verses put to
music.
Work on a phrase at a time, learning the beginning part before working on the
latter parts.
Get easy ones that mean something to you, and put them on index cards and put them
in your pocket.
Meditate on a verse as you go to sleep.
Don't feel pressured; many of us have memory problems -- God understands this.
From after the chat: Remove one word at a time and repeat it, filling in the
missing words.
Remember, God will help bring verses to mind when you need them.

Peace
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
(Job 22:21)

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalms
119:165)

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. (Psalms 122:6)

Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. (Psalms 122:7)

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)

Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
(Isaiah 26:4)

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(Matthew 5:9)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ: (Romans 5:1)

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things
wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:19)
I'm leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn't
fragile like the peace the world gives. So, don't be troubled or afraid. (John
14:27)

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When
you pass through the waters ... they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk
through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I
am the Lord your God" (Isaiah 43:1-3).

He (God) comforts us whenever we suffer. That is why whenever other people suffer,
we are able to comfort them by using the same comfort we have received from God.
(2 Corinthians 1:24)

Blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am
with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10)

I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will
soon be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

Dear friends, don't be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to
test you. Don't feel as though something strange is happening to you, but be happy
as you share Christ's sufferings. Then you will also be full of joy when he
appears again in his glory. (I Peter 4:12-13)

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that
is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Let not your heart be troubled. You are entrusting God, now trust in Me. (John 14:
1).

I will never fail you nor forsake you. (Heb. 13:5)

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wing's as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and
not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. (Psalm 23:61).

God, who shows you his kindness and who has called you through Christ Jesus to his
eternal glory, will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you
as you suffer for a little while. (I Peter 5.-10)

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be any more death. There
won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.
(Revelation 21:4)

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath
torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Create in me a clean heart, a God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm
51:10)
Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11:28)

If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing psalms. (James
5:13)

That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out inwardly
we are renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

But he told me: "My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are
weak." So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that Christ's power
will live in me. Therefore, I accept weakness, mistreatment, hardship,
persecution, and difficulties suffered for Christ. It's clear that when I'm weak,
I'm strong. (2 Corinthians 12.-9-10)

To Your Prayers

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him
who knocks it will be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
Matthew 21:22

"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we
ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him."
1 John 5:14-15

"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you."
Jeremiah 29:12

"It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they
are still speaking, I will hear."
Isaiah 65:24

"You will pray to Him, and He will hear you; and you will pay your vows."
Job 22:27

"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you,
if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now
you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy
may be made full."
John 16:23-24

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you
may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."
James 5:16

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified
in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."
John 14:13-14

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be done for you."
John 15:7

"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your
Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will
reward you."
Matthew 6:6

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me."
Psalm 50:15

"Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say,
'Here I am.'"
Isaiah 58:9

"The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous."
Proverbs 15:29

"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I
will rescue him and honor him."
Psalm 91:15

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"
Matthew 7:11

"The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their
troubles.
Psalm 34:17

"Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my
voice."
Psalm 55:17

"The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He
will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and
will save them."
Psalm 145:18-19

"So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."
Matthew 6:8

"Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the
things that are pleasing in His sight."
1 John 3:22

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things,
which you do not know."
Jeremiah 33:3

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you
have received them, and they will be granted you."
Mark 11:24

Personal Journaling Notes

Always list the date and time when the Holy Spirit Speaks to you concerning your
life and the lives of others.
Journaling can be words to a song that you were given in your prayer time,
Bible Verses and definitions of words that were given during prayer time.
Never be afraid to write what you hear or feel during time spent with the lord.

Journaling can be a form of worship. In solitude, we can explore the blessing of

writing our hearts to God. We don't have to be professional writers, or even good
writers - it's all about the passion for God in our hearts. Journals and letters
are powerful tools for recording thoughts, prayers, fears and miracles in our
lives. Writing our hearts to God is a fantastic compliment to our daily
devotionals with Him.

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