Below is an earnest prayer for God to strengthened the faith of His servant and cause him to ever trust Him more while hoping in His word. Little did he know, the following days and weeks would bring about trials to test him in this area, that God might be faithful to hear the cry of the righteous and conform him to the image of His Son. Journal entry- October 7, 1990 Pro30:5- "He is a shield unto all those who put their trust in Him. How do we put our trust in Him? "EVERY word of God is pure." So...we put our trust in God by putting our trust in His word, what He has said. Pro33:20- "Our soul waiteth for the LORD; He is our....shield." How do we wait upon the LORD? Ps130:5- "I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and IN HIS WORD DO I HOPE. My soul waiteth for the LORD..." So...we wait upon the LORD by HOPING IN HIS WORD, or focusing on what He has said and then wait for Him to honor His word. So...IF we TRUST IN HIM (HIS WORD) and we HOPE IN HIS WORD What does God do? Lam 3:25-26- "The LORD IS GOOD unto those who WAIT FOR HIM (waiting; hoping in His word) IT IS GOOD that a man should both HOPE ("in His word do I hope") and quietly wait ("in His word do I hope") for the salvation of the LORD." Dear LORD Jesus- You have been my help and my shield. Cause me to take you more at Your word, to believe you more, to trust in you more, to hope in you more, and to wait quietly for you to keep your word. A few days later.... NOTE: It is 7:42pm on October 10, the day our rent is due. I do not understand why the LORD has withheld the money for, but I know it is for my good! Journal Entry- Thursday, October 11 Dear LORD Jesus, today is the day ofter our rent is due and we have less then $5.00 to our name. Please remember, Oh God, that we need $200 for our rent immediately, and $16.40 for the water bill, then in six more days we need $82.09 for our electric bill and the phone bill will be due around the 27th of about $40.00. Remember, Father, that we have no savings- no regular income of any kind and NO ONE knows our financial conditions but YOU- for You alone have we told- and that in secret. Remember also, Father, that You have given me a wife (Pro19:14) and 5 children (Ps127:3) [4months, 2, 4, 6, & 8] and have caused me to hope in Your word. LORD- Remember now Thy word, unto Thy servant upon Whom Thou has caused me to hope; Lam.3:25-26- "The LORD IS GOOD unto those who wait for Him..." "it is GOOD that a man should...HOPE...and WAIT" Pro30:5- "...He is A SHIELD unto those who PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEE." Ps 53:22- "...He SHALL SUSTAIN THEE; ...HE SHALL NEVER suffer the righteous to be moved." 145:18- "The Lord is NIGH..." I know that You are near! "the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope in His mercy..." Nah 1:7- "...HE KNOWETH THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM." Ps 34:9- "THERE IS NO LACK TO THEM THAT FEAR HIM" 34:10- "...they who seek the LORD shall not lack ANY good thing..." Luk 12:29-30- "SEEK NOT what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind...your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things..." Matt 6:24- "Behold the fowl of the air; are ye not worth more then they?" LORD, from all You have said to me and from all this scripture- I see nothing but You being FAITHFUL to man as He hopes in what You have said. Thank you that having made YOU my hope, my shield, and my refuge- that I am in a safe place- even now with no money and no hope of any except that you have promised it to me in Your word. Thank you, Father, that.... ...what You have promised - You WILL do (Num23:19) ...what You have spoken - You will make it good ...what You promised - You are able to perform (Rom4:21) "...I BELIEVE THAT IT SHALL BE EVEN AS IT WAS TOLD ME." (Acts17:25) "...in Thee do I PUT MY TRUST..." "...on Thee do I WAIT ALL THE DAY..." "...neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee..."