The 'Rest Round About' Blessing - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 26, 2025

Have you ever heard of the term "rest round about"? It is found in the King James Bible and is a fancy, old English way of saying a person has peace. But as is always the case with God, "rest round about" is deeper than just peace as we imagine it. It's not just the absence of war, but also a victory over a person's opponents that is so conclusive and decisive that their enemy doesn't think to challenge. This is a gift that only God can give. Given the nature of the world today and the way satan has organized its horde to contend with God's children, "rest round about" is a blessing we all need to pray for.

King David was a simple man who tended to his father's sheep when he was young. His existence was flipped upside down the day High Priest Samuel anointed him to be his nation's next king. A young man who'd been treated as the runt of the litter in his household suddenly had a target on his back. The king, Saul, hated him, and even though he became his son-in-law, that didn't stop Saul from trying to kill him for years. In the process, David lost his first wife, was chased into the barren desert, and lived in caves while on the run. He spent over a decade in God's hands, being molded into the king God would later say was pleasing to Him. And one day, the Bible says in 2 Samuel 7:1 - And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies (KJV).

After the turmoil and the tears, God rewarded David with complete victory over everyone who'd challenged him. He no longer had to look over his shoulder. Not only did he have peace, but his people also enjoyed "rest round about' during his reign. The promises of the Lord had come to stay, and he could finally worship the Lord in peace. The privilege of this blessing stretched beyond David's reign into that of his successor, King Solomon. God not only gave his son a peaceful reign overall, but also granted wisdom, wealth, and more. In fact, the only incursions to that peace arose due to sin. David's sin led to war and division in his family. Solomon bowed to the gods of his foreign wives, and that resulted in his son inheriting a fractured and diminished nation, ruling over 2 tribes instead of twelve.

And that is a lesson we must all keep in mind. God is more than able to grant us "rest round about" and it is a generational blessing that will extend to our descendants. As long as we serve the Lord and do not turn away from Him, the blessing will remain. Alas, we often bow under pressure and thereby squander the "rest round about" privilege. We cannot forget that God is transactional and has conditions for His blessings. If we stand firm in our faith and do not turn to idols for comfort and provision, then no enemy - not even satan - will be able to stand in our way. Our 'realm' will be quiet, as it was for Joshua and King Jehoshaphat when the "rest round about" blessing arrived for them (Joshua 21:44; 2 Chronicles 20:30). That's also when we'll experience what Jesus promised in John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

May God's "rest round about" be your portion and that of your descendants, IJMN, Amen. Come join us today when we will pray for God's "rest round about".

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, learn more from these previous P&P messages:

1. God, the Avenger

2. Job, satan and Return on investment

3. His glory rises upon me!

4. The Peace That Surpasses All Understanding

5. satan Has No Hold Over Me

6. Your Miracle Is On The Way

7. Topic: God The Defender

Pray, Don't Rant - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) September 23, 2025

Certain events can trigger our emotions. When those emotions are negative, such as ungodly anger, fear, pettiness, or pride, there is a high likelihood that we will end up ranting. We might call a friend to vent and soon get carried away. Before we know it, we're saying mean things and possibly even exaggerating what happened as we share the story. And the person we're telling is likely on our side, so they join us to 'gang up' on the target of our ire.

To be clear, God doesn't want us ranting about people. The reason is simple. He has told us to guard our hearts in Philippians 4:7. This means we need to let Him help us to keep our emotions stable so that people and things trigger us less. Also, when we rant, we run the risk of speaking recklessly about people God created. People, He likely is working on, just as He is working on us. If God deemed it fit to show that person grace and mercy, should we not do the same? Are we not also recipients of His forgiveness, grace, mercy, and patience?

And when we fail to be careful how we talk about others while ranting, we could gossip or slander, and lie through exaggeration or omission. In addition, when we rant, we tend to complain or grumble, two things God doesn't want us to do. We all must learn to heed the instruction of James 4:17 - If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. God will help us to do what we know we should so that we grow in righteousness.

The most dangerous thing about being comfortable with ranting is that we may come to the Lord ranting instead of praying about people and situations. How many of us have gone before the Lord with the intention to pray only to end up ranting about someone or something? Yes, God has told His children to bring their burdens to Him (Psalm 55:22). He is kind and patient. He understands that humans hurt and that we will sometimes speak out of that pain. Jonah and Elijah did. God was gracious with them and remains so. That loving kindness means that even when we rant, He can and does show compassion (Romans 9:15). He instead pulls us into Him to receive comfort.

We, nevertheless, should not replace praying with ranting. Psalm 100:4 contains the heavenly protocol for entering His presence. We are to approach with thanks and praises. This not only pleases Him, but helps us focus less on the problems and more on the Problem Solver. Philippians 4:6-7 also tells us, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. /And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If we are to set our anxiety aside, it is best to put our anger and rantings aside when coming before the King of kings. In some cases, we would be more effective if we set emotions aside & pray instead. Let's be honest, that is often not easy. Imagine seeing or hearing about the unfair treatment a defenseless child receives, for instance. Most people will get angry. And yes, that righteous indignation might be a justified and valid point to pray from. But if a negative emotion will spur an uncontrolled venting session or some other sin rather than focused petition, then it may be best to calm down and be effective when we approach God.

Another reason why we should be careful how we vent our frustrations is that we may be overlooking the truth that the situation we faced was allowed by the Lord for His greater purpose. Believers often confess that all things are working together for their good per Romans 8:28. However, when something goes wrong and we start ranting, we effectively negate that scripture's promise. In so doing, we are telling God we don't trust His word to ensure that even the bad things will benefit us in the end. Remember, part of Job's suffering was a way for God to prove he was His servant. God confirmed his calling per 2 Peter 1:10. Some of the things we want to rant about are just God's way of proving we are the right fit for His purpose.

So what do we do? How do we overcome this challenge to turn away from the practice of ranting? Prayer is key. We should pray for grace and strength to emulate Jesus, who pointed out issues without ranting even under the worst circumstances. We also have to invite the Holy Spirit to caution us when we are tempted to veer into ungodly ranting. We should ask the Lord for perspective on the issue or the person involved. That way, we'll receive understanding and can better handle the situation if it repeats itself.

And when we find ourselves ranting, take a deep breath, quickly repent, and turn the complaint into a prayer point. Present what upsets us to the Lord and ask Him to handle it while also helping us to manage our emotions as He's fixing the situation. Keeping a journal to track when we rant in our spoken words, written words, or our thoughts can also reveal patterns about contributing triggers. God wants to help us, and it is time to take this issue seriously. Ranting may be a common practice in the world, but we are citizens of God's heavenly kingdom. By His grace, He will either instantly remove this seed He did not plant or wean it out of us over time, IJMN, Amen.

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the following previous P&P messages:

1. Contentment

2. Careful what you say

3. Idle Words Block Blessing

4. Anger

5. You are being built for the Lord

6. Godly Contentment

7. The Lesson in Repeated Patterns

8. Don't Grumble & Don't Complain

9. Empty Words

10. Anger Leads To Judgment

11. How To Approach God

12. Topic: Be Still in the face of Unfair Treatment

Reject Pride - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 19, 2025

Many of us think the original sin occurred when the serpent manipulated Eve in the Garden of Eden. The original sin, however, was pride, and it sparked into a flame in heaven when the devil said, ".. I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). For this, it and all the angels that supported its cause were cast out of heaven.

The same level of pride is at work in people today. How many of us know someone or are that someone who believes they are a god? Many men and women, including self-professing Christians, believe they have the power to determine their fate and that of others. Some believe there is no one above them and thus lack the fear of the Lord. These types lack humility, are arrogant, and do and say what they want, believing there will be no negative consequences. Our society, with its worldly wisdom, encourages and rewards the proud, thus making it normal behavior.

As a collective, mankind can be described as prideful. For instance, the way we carelessly treat natural resources in the quest for wealth speaks volumes. It reflects a disregard for the Creator who made everything we see and gave us possessory, not ownership rights, over the earth. The way we often treat our fellow humans expresses a disregard for the One who made them and specified that we should relate to each other with love. What about nations and groups that see themselves as better than others for all manner of abstract reasons? They forget that God created all people equal and pays no attention to the metrics we humans use to rank ourselves

God detests the proud (Proverbs 16:5). He considers them wicked and promises they will experience a public downfall (Proverbs 29:23). The Pharaoh who defied God died in the Red Sea. His pride also led to the deaths of every firstborn son of Egypt and his army (Exodus 13 & 14). King Nebuchadnezzar was so proud that he couldn't acknowledge that God was the source of his success. He had seen God's power at work more than once and had been warned, yet he honored himself instead of God. He soon lost his mind and lived like a grass-eating spectacle for years (Daniel 4:33).

Sennacherib sent his war commander to proudly blaspheme, boast, lie, and insult the Lord at Jerusalem's walls in the time of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah applied the wisdom in Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. In humility, he trusted God for help, and the Lord declared that he would keep Jerusalem safe and deal with Sennacherib. The people of Jerusalem did nothing as God brought their proud enemy to a scandalous end. His two sons murdered him at his god's altar (Isaiah 37). A false god who neither warned him of the coming treachery nor prevented it.

God continues to deal with the proud of this age just as He did in the Bible. Those who are not stiff-necked, He will arrest and turn their lives around. This is why we hear testimonies from people who were once on a fast track to hell but met Jesus and were restored to the Lord. Some will not submit, opting to fight God and reject the chance to receive mercy and His transformation. While we might not always see what becomes of this group, there will always be someone to witness their downfall (Psalm 91:8). One way or another, God will use their experience to serve as a caution to somebody so that person doesn't go to hell.

How many of us are filled with pride? Don't point a finger at the overtly arrogant and boastful to feel better. God knows us, and we can't hide the truth of who we are from Him. He is calling us to let Him reveal the pride lurking in us. He wants to expose it to His light, so the darkness of satan disappears. And do not be deceived, all pride is of satan. As powerful as God is, He does not exhibit pride. Instead, He calls us His coworkers in (Corinthians 3:9). Rather than strike us down for our sin and disrespect to Him and His Son, He beckons us not to walk away from Him but return to enjoy His loving devotion to us.

How many of us fail to see God's hand in our achievements? Do we see our life as a sum of our wisdom and not the result of God's grace? Many react to His patience by choosing not to repent or obey Him. When we consistently reject His will and word, we tell Him we know best. Our actions dismiss the instructions given to shield us from satan's fangs. We declare that we don't need Him. However, God spoke the truth when He said, "My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). He wants us armed with His knowledge so we are aware of the devil's scheme to use pride to destroy us and others. This way, we will not be seduced by pride into sinning.

It is time to reject pride and submit to God's will for our lives. He gave us the ability to starve satan of another of its desires - to prove that God is a liar and unable to rescue sinners. We need only repent and call on the Lord to reveal strategy to overcome the temptation to be proud and thus discount God and His word. We must invest time in prayerfully studying the Bible with the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And as we apply its wisdom, it will prevent every seed of pride from taking root in us. May pride never keep us from enjoying deep fellowship and relationship with God the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. IJMN, Amen.

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the following previous P&P messages:

1. Plumb Line

2. Listen & Check the Word

3. Do you hate God?

4. Godly or Ungodly, You Choose

5. Let It Go

6. Selfless

7. Are You Any Better

8. The Vashti Line

9. Blindspots

10. Starve satan

11. Topic: Humility

12. What Would God See When He Looks At Your Heart?