Program 249
Ask for Help!

Yahuwah respects personal choice so it is important to ask for His help when you need it. He wants to help and is waiting eagerly to accept all who come to Him.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Do you like to ask for help? Perhaps a better question would be … can you ask for help? No one actually enjoys asking for help, but if you need help, can you ask for it? Or is that something you just can’t bring yourself to do?

I did a quick Google search for quotes about asking for help. There were some good ones there. But the thing that surprised me the most was how many of them focused on encouraging people to ask for help when they needed it. One such quote is from an essay collection by British-American actress, Lily Collins. The book is called Unfiltered and in it, Collins writes, quote: “Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. It's one of the bravest things you can do. And it can save your life.” Unquote.

It's like people need to be given permission to ask for help. It’s not easy, but sometimes whether we like it or not, we just need some help.

Hi, I’m Miles Robey and you’re listening to World’s Last Chance Radio where we cover a variety of topics related to Scripture, prophecy, Biblical beliefs, practical piety and living in constant readiness for Yahushua’s return.

Today, Dave Wright is going to be sharing with us some ways we can ask Yahuwah for help when we need it, as well as how to recognize promises in the Bible.

Dave? Why do you suppose it’s so hard to ask for help?

Dave Wright: For some it could be pride. For others, embarrassment. Asking for help reveals you have a need. I think often people don’t like to ask for help because they don’t want to put the other person in the awkward position of saying no. Also, when you were growing up, if your parent or caregiver ridiculed you for needing help, you’re probably going to be an adult that doesn’t like to ask for help.

So, if this describes you, see if you can figure out where this is coming from. It’s all well and good to be independent and self-sufficient, but the truth is we all occasionally need help. It doesn’t make us “less than” to need it.

Miles: It just makes us human.

Dave: Exactly. And it’s important to be able to ask for help because Yahuwah will never force our will. Sure, in the sermon on the mount, Yahushua said that the Father causes His rain to fall on the just and the unjust, but Yahuwah is very polite. He’ll never force our will. If we need or want specific help, we need to ask for it. He can do more in answer to prayer than He otherwise could.

Miles: Would you say that if I have a hard time asking a friend for help, I likely have a hard time asking Yahuwah for help?

Dave: Well, you tell me. DO you have a hard time asking a friend for help? And does that carry over into asking Yahuwah for help, too?

Miles: . . . Yeah. Yeah, I think so.

What can you do about it if you find yourself not wanting to ask Yahuwah for help?

Dave: Well, for myself, I like to look at it in terms of a child asking for help. Now, you don’t have to be a parent to see a child in need and help them out.

Jodie-Beth Galos writes that her friend Bill was driving in a rural area in New England in the wintertime. Now winter in New England can get very, very cold. As he was driving along, he was shocked to see a little girl, about four or five years old, standing on the side of the road. She was barefoot and wearing a thin dress. No coat, no hat or gloves; obviously something wasn’t right.

Bill stopped and asked the little girl where she lived. There weren’t any houses close by, but she pointed down the road so Bill buckled the little girl into his car and drove her about a quarter of a mile down the road to the nearest house. When he got there, the mother—a single mother—was frantic with worry.

Now. All that sounds normal, right? You see a child who needs help, who is obviously lost, you step in and help. Right?

Miles: Of course.

Dave: But then the mother told Bill a little of her story. She and her daughter had been renting this house for a couple of months and the little girl kept managing to slip outside because the front door wouldn’t latch properly. The mother had complained to the landlord numerous times, but while he always promised to make repairs, nothing ever got done.

This is where Bill went above and beyond. He was appalled at the danger to the child due to the landlord’s laziness. He got back in his car, drove to the nearest town and went to the local hardware store where he purchased a new lock set and any tools necessary to install it. He then drove back to the woman’s home and installed the new lock. She was so grateful, she tried to pay him, but Bill refused her money and simply got in his car to finish running errands.

Now, I chose this story because not everyone had parents that were willing to help. Some people should never be parents and neglect their children terribly. Others may help but they do so grudgingly, or they ridicule the child for needing help in the first place.

But any decent human being, seeing a child in need of help—even if it’s someone else’s child—is going to step in and help. That’s just the right thing to do.

Miles: You don’t have to love a stranger’s child to give help when it’s needed.

Dave: Right! Now I want you to take and apply that same principle to Yahuwah. He’s our Father; we’re His children. This may be hard for those who had abusive or neglectful parents to internalize, so if that’s the case for you, think of it as He’s the adult; we’re the little kids. You may feel afraid or embarrassed to ask, you may feel as though you don’t deserve His help, but the very fact that you have a need is all the criterium necessary to ask for help.

Miles: Say that again.

Dave: Your need … is the greatest argument … in favor of asking for His help. You need help? Ask Him! He’ll give it to you because that’s who He is. That’s the kind of loving, kind, compassionate parent He is. He wants us to ask for help because He wants to help us.

If you were to categorize all the promises in the Bible and divvy them up by theme, I wouldn’t be surprised if the category of passages that promise help outnumber them all. What does Yahuwah tells us in Psalm 50 verse 15?

Miles: Uhhh … hold on a sec …

It says: “Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”

Dave: Again, Yahuwah wants us to go to Him for help. Christ’s death on the cross has, quite literally, opened the treasure stores of Heaven. They’re just waiting for our request for help.

Turn to Hebrews 4 and read verses 14 to 16. And as you read, I want you to notice the connection being drawn between Yahushua’s sacrifice and the blessings available to us. Go ahead.

Miles: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yahushua the Son of [Yahuwah], let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.’

Dave: Okay. That’s the set-up; that’s the context. We do have a high priest, one that can empathize with us in all our struggles. “Therefore” … because of this, what’s the conclusion, what’s the result of having a high priest that can empathize with us? Verse 16.

Miles: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Dave: Yahushua’s death is why we can come boldly to the Father and ask for help, having every confidence that He will hear and help us.

There are so many, many promises in Scripture that make the Father’s willingness to help clear, that it amazes me that asking Him for help is kind of our last resort. It should be the very first thing we think of when we need help! Not our go-to response when everything else has been tried and failed.

Turn to Psalm 118. This song opens with the beautiful words, “Give thanks to Yahuwah, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Read verses 6 and 7. What does that say?

Miles: “Yahuwah is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Yahuwah is with me; He is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.”

Dave: He. Is. My. Helper.

That’s confidence! And that confidence can be ours when we truly embrace the fact that Yahuwah wants to help us. He’s just waiting for us to ask.

Miles: Okay, so how are we to ask? I mean, we hear sermons about not turning Yahuwah into some big Santa Claus in the sky. We’ve even talked about prayers that aren’t just some big wish list. Are there any things we should do when we pray for help?

Dave: Actually, yes. I want to save time for going over some specific things, some prayer points we can use when we pray, but generally speaking, there are four things to bear in mind:

• Pray specifically.
• Pray fervently.
• Pray in the name of Yahushua.
• And claim a promise.

It’s very important to be as specific as possible when we pray. We’re so afraid of asking for something outside of Yah’s will for us, that too often our prayers are vague.

Well, if your prayers are vague, how can you tell when it’s been answered?

Miles: Good question! But you have to admit, it’s a fair concern to not want to ask for anything outside of Yah’s will.

Dave: Why? If your little boy comes to you and asks you for something you know will harm or endanger him, are you going to give it to him just because he asked?

Miles: No!

Dave: So why would it be any different with our heavenly Father?

Turn to Matthew 7. This is part of Christ’s sermon on the mount. And for everyone hesitant to pray specifically because they’re afraid of asking for something that’s not Yah’s will, this passage is for you. Matthew 7, verses 9 to 11.

Miles: “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Dave: Next, when you pray, be fervent in your prayers! You have to really mean it. This is more than half-heartedly mouthing certain phrases while your brain is on auto pilot.

Turn to the first chapter of James. Here, in the context of encouraging people to ask Yahuwah for wisdom, James includes some free advice on how to ask. Let’s read it: James 1 verses 5 to 8.

Miles: ^“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask [Yahuwah], who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from [Yahuwah]. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

Dave: This is where approaching the throne of grace with confidence and boldness comes in.

Next, we’ve been invited to pray in the name of Yahushua, so let’s do it! Turn to John 14. What does Yahushua say in verses 12 to 14?

Miles: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Dave: This is an incredibly powerful promise. Say someone came to you and asked you to do something in the name of King Charles. In other words, by asking in the name of the king, he is speaking on behalf of the king. The full weight of the government backs his request. Would you hesitate to grant him his request?

Miles: No!

Dave: We’ve been told we can ask for things in Yahushua’s name, so let’s do it! We can also claim the merits of his blood to forgive our sins, to clear the way to receive a blessing.

And finally, when you pray, claim a promise. There are sooo many promises in Scripture, just waiting for us to claim them! Let your attention focus on a specific promise that fits your need. When you’ve got a specific promise to focus on, it becomes easier to let your faith grasp the promise.

Miles: That’s true.

We’re going to take a short break but when we come back, I’d like to hear you explain just how we can find a promise to fit our need. Let’s get specific.

Dave: Sounds good.

Miles: We’ll be right back.

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Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Finding a promise to fit our needs. That can be difficult.

Dave: Yes. Because it’s not always that we’re afraid to ask. Sometimes we don’t know what to ask for. It’s easy to say there is a promise for every situation, but if you don’t know a promise to fit your needs, it can be more challenging.

I’ve got a list of Bible verses here I’ve printed off and I’d like us to read through them and look at how we can use them as promises. Sometimes a promise is obvious, like Matthew 28:20: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Miles: I love that promise. You can use it in so many situations. It’s saying Yahushua is always with us, and that can be a comfort whenever you’re struggling with, well, anything.

Dave: Absolutely. All promises are precious, but there are passages of the Bible that contain promises if we just learn how to recognize them and draw them out of Scripture.

What’s your first verse there?

Miles: Uhhh … Psalm 119 verse 133. It says: “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.”

Dave: This isn’t a verse we would normally point to as a promise, but it is. It’s spelling out, right there, what we can ask for:

“Direct my steps by Your word.” That’s asking that Yahuwah use Scripture to reveal to us what we’re to do.

Now, of course, there are biblical principles contained in Scripture. If we follow those, that’s one way of learning Yah’s will.

Miles: What about if you’ve got a specific question about a specific situation? How can we use the Bible to find answers for that?

Dave: One thing we can do is to—with prayer, asking for guidance—let the Bible open where it will and then read both pages where it opens. Carefully, and with an open mind, read through all the verses. I’m not saying just point at one specific verse and that’s your answer. Read both pages and see if there is anything there that addresses your question.

It sounds random, but it’s not because when you come across a passage that speaks to your situation, you’ll know. Maybe you’ll have to let the Bible open three or four times, each time reading both pages, but when you come across a passage that answers your question, you’ll know. There is a settled realization that this is your answer.”

The next phrase, “let no iniquity have dominion over me” is also a promise because if Scripture is prompting us to ask for something, it’s because Yahuwah is willing to give it.

Miles: Wow! Wow, you’re right. Wow. I see where you’re going with this now.

Dave: You get it?

Miles: Yes! There’s a lot of passages of Scripture I’d never seen as promises, but you’re right: if Yah is prompting us to pray for these things, it’s because He’s willing to give us those things! This just opens up so many more possibilities! So many more promises! I never saw this before!

Dave: Exactly. They’re all through Scripture, but especially the psalms.

What’s next on your list?

Miles: Um, Psalm 40 verse 13. It says: “Be pleased, O Yahuwah to deliver me; O Yahuwah, make haste to help me!”

Dave: I put this verse on the list because I wanted you to see what David is really saying here. He’s saying, “Hurry up! I need help! Quick!”

This is a bold prayer. We don’t like to pray bold prayers.

Miles: Well, no. They seem presumptuous. Even rude. We don’t make demands of the Almighty!

Dave: No, we don’t. But David did. Moses did. You look through Scripture and you’ll see that those who had the closest relationship were also those who weren’t afraid to pray bold prayers. They knew Yahuwah’s character of love, so they didn’t hesitate to pray insistently.

And Christ himself urged his listeners to be persistent in prayer. Turn back to Matthew 7. Earlier you read in verse 9 where he asked, “Who among you will give your children a stone when they ask for bread?” But I want you to back up a couple of verses now. Read verses 7 and 8.

Miles: “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door is opened.”

Dave: This doesn’t show up in our modern translations; we’ve lost something in translation. But in the Greek, the grammatical structure indicates that we are to “ask, and keep on asking, and we’ll receive. Search, and keep on searching, and we will find. Knock, and keep on knocking, and the door will be opened unto us.”

Miles: “Importunate prayers.”

Dave: That’s a good word for it. Yahushua is telling us to pray persistent, insistent, tenacious, persevering, obstinate, unrelenting prayers. And the promise is: we will get an answer.

We have his assurance that Yahuwah won’t give us anything bad when we’re expecting something good. Don’t be afraid of praying persistently for something. We can—and should—always add, “Not my will but Thine be done.” So, we’re safe. We’re safe to pray insistent, tenacious, unrelenting prayers. Yah wants us to!

Okay. What’s next?

Miles: Let’s see … It looks like Psalm 20 verses 1 to 4. It says:

May Yahuwah answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice.

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.

Dave: Again, this isn’t a passage we would normally point to as a promise. It’s actually pronouncing a blessing. But when you realize that Yahuwah’s spirit inspired David to write this song, and then preserved it in His word, you’ll realize that these are promises because this is what He’s willing to do if you ask.

Miles: There’re a lot of promises here!

Dave: There are. Let’s count them up and as we go through this again, be thinking about how this can be applied when you’re in a situation where you need divine help. Verse 1. What’s the first promise you see there?

Miles: “May Yahuwah answer you in the day of trouble.”

Dave: Now that you know this is something Yahuwah is willing to do if you ask, rephrase it as an imperial statement.

Miles: Um, “Yahuwah will answer you in the day of trouble.”

Dave: Right. What’s next?

Miles: “The name of the God of Jacob defend you.”

Dave: That’s two promises alone in just the first verse. What promises do you find in verse 2? Again, phrase them as imperial statements because this is what Yahuwah is showing us He’s willing to do.

Miles: “Yahuwah will send you help from the sanctuary.”

“Yahuwah will strengthen you out of Zion.”

Dave: These are all incredibly powerful promises. Can you imagine any scenario in which you couldn’t find a use for these?

Miles: No! And I didn’t even know these were here. I mean, I’ve read through the psalms before when I was reading through the entire Bible, but I didn’t recognize these for the promises they are.

Verse three has two more.

• Yahuwah will remember all your offerings.
• Yahuwah will accept your burnt sacrifice.

Dave: This is saying that Yahuwah sees and accepts our acts of worship. What’s more, He sees and acknowledges our acts of obedience.

What promises do you find in verse four?

Miles: “Yahuwah will grant you according to your heart’s desire.” “Yahuwah will fulfill all your purpose.”

Dave: Do you have verse 5 there? Did I print it off?

Miles: No, just verses 1 to 4.

Dave: All right. Verse 5 is actually the culmination of this opening passage. It says: “We will rejoice in Your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May Yahuwah fulfill all your petitions.”

There are three promises here. The first is “We will rejoice in Your salvation.” Now, it goes without saying, that if you’re rejoicing in being saved, you’ve been saved! Yes, of course this applies to salvation from sin, but in David’s life, we can see where he was repeatedly saved on a very practical, very in-real-life level. He was repeatedly saved from dangerous situations …

Miles: Enemies.

Dave: Sure. Foreign and domestic. And so many more situations. This is a promise we can claim!

The next promise: “In the name of our God we will set up our banners.” How would you use that as a promise, Miles?

Miles: Well … in order to “set up your banners” you have to have already won against your enemies, right? When you’re in the midst of battle, you don’t have the chance. You set up your banners when you’ve already won.

Dave: Right! You have to be safe. It’s a statement of having been rescued. I can think of many circumstances in which this promise could be useful. The last phrase is, again, a blessing: “May Yahuwah fulfill all your petitions.”

Miles: “Yahuwah will fulfill all your petitions.”

Dave: Yes! What a powerful promise. It’s echoed in Matthew 21 verse 22. Would you read that for us?

Miles: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Dave: We know that whatever we ask that’s in accordance with Yah’s will, we will receive. That’s an all-encompassing promise that can be applied to many, many different situations and struggles.

Miles: I like all-encompassing promises! They’re so useful.

Dave: They really are.

Miles: This next one is really odd. It’s Matthew 13 verse 15. I’m not seeing where you get a promise out of this. It says:

For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

Did you intend to include this verse?

Dave: Absolutely.

Miles: I’m not seeing the promise.

Dave: Yahushua’s actually quoting Isaiah here. This situation exists because the people haven’t turned to Yahuwah so that He could heal them. This is the promise. Yahuwah is willing to heal all who turn to Him for help.

What does Jeremiah chapter 3 verse 22 say?

Miles: “Return, you backsliding children,
And I will heal your backslidings.”

Dave: This is the promise: If we turn to Yahuwah, He will heal us of all our backslidings. It doesn’t matter how many times we may have stumbled and fallen. We do have fallen natures, after all. Yahuwah understands. Psalm 103:14: He knows our frame; He knows we are but dust. We’re not going to perfectly keep the divine law so long as we have fallen natures.

Romans 8 verse 7: “The carnal mind is enmity against [Yahuwah]; for it is not subject to the law of [Yah], nor indeed can be.” Did you catch that? It’s not that the person doesn’t want to be subject to Yah’s law, but he … she … can’t be. Not with a fallen nature.

But that doesn’t mean we’re to just stay away when we stumble and fall. It doesn’t mean that we can’t and shouldn’t return to Yah after we’ve failed. This is probably the biggest reason why people refuse to ask for help. They’ve asked for help in the past and they’ve still failed, so now they’re too embarrassed, too ashamed to ask for help again.

Miles: Been there. Done that. It’s almost like I have to prove my repentance by somehow, some way resisting temptation a dozen times or so before I can return to Yah.

Dave: But can any of us do better—act better, live better, be better—away from Yah?

Miles: Hardly!

Dave: Our only recourse is to run to Him. He will accept us and He’ll heal all our backslidings.

Are there any more?

Miles: Yeah. Psalm 79 verses 9 and 10. It says: “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?”

Dave: This is an interesting passage because it’s teaching us a very effective argument to use when seeking help. And that is, for His name’s sake. In other words, one reason you can urge as to why Yahuwah should answer your prayer and help you is for the sake of His own reputation.

I remember reading once that Yahuwah stands back of every promise He has ever made. All right. You’re a Christian; you’ve taken on the “family name,” as it were, of Yahuwah. Hebrews says that Yahushua’s “not ashamed to call us brethren.” Isn’t that beautiful? All right. Yah’s word promises help for all who seek Him. So for Him not to answer, for Him not to honor His promises would be to damage His own name and His own reputation. And He’s never going to do that.

Miles: That’s an interesting perspective I haven’t considered before. But you’re right: when anyone promises anything, if they break that promise, it damages their reputation. They become known as untrustworthy. So I can see how it would be in Yah’s best interests for that reason alone to always keep His promises.

Wow. You know, the Bible writers really got away with saying things and expressing thoughts I’m not sure I’d have the nerve to say.

Dave: And yet the fact that they did, teaches us so much: About Yahuwah, His faithfulness in keeping His promises, and the confidence, the boldness we can have—that He wants us to have—when approaching Him for help.

Miles: Hebrews 1:14: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Dave: This is speaking of the angels and this promise is phrased as a question: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” He’s not really asking. This is a rhetorical question because the answer is obvious. Yes, angels are sent to minister to those who shall inherit salvation. And knowing this, you can ask specifically for this blessing! You can ask for angels to cooperate with you in raising your children for Yah, in memorizing Scripture, in witnessing, in working efficiently at your job.

Angels help us in more ways than we realize, and it’s help we can ask for.

Miles: Coming up: Our daily mailbag, so stay tuned.

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Daily Mailbag

Miles: Today’s daily mailbag question is coming from … The Hexagon.

Dave: … Uh, don’t you mean “the Pentagon”?

Miles: Do you seriously think a senior member of the United States’ military is going to send in a question to our daily mailbag?

Dave: Pentagon. Hexagon. I’ve heard of the Pentagon; never heard of “the Hexagon.”

Miles: Well, here’s another hint. It’s also the country that crosses the most time zones.

Dave: That’s a terrible “hint”! Uhhh … honestly, no idea. Where is it? Russia? The US?

Miles: Would you believe … France?

Dave: Oh, come on! France doesn’t cover the most time zones!

Miles: When you factor in all its possessions, such as French Martinique and French Polynesia, it does.

Dave: Oh. Well. Fair enough. So, what’s today’s question?

Miles: Mathéo says: “After experiencing some personal losses over the last year, I’m really struggling with a constant barrage of negative thoughts. The negative thoughts increase my anxiety, and the anxiety increases the negative thoughts. It has become a vicious cycle I can’t seem to break. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do about this?”

Dave: Hmm. That’s a good question. When painful things happen, it can be very easy to slip into a negative spiral and really hard to break out of it.

But it’s important we do so. As Proverbs 23:7 teaches us, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Recognizing the impact our thoughts have on ourselves is the first step toward change, and Mathéo is there. He knows he needs to change, he’s just not sure how.

Miles: So, what do you do? I know I’ve battled this myself in the past. What can you do if you find yourself in that sort of situation?

Dave: You need to identify the negative thought patterns. We all have thoughts that could be described as “negative,” but look for patterns. Identify what triggers them. Is it anxiety, as with Mathéo’s case? Is it doubt? Is it self-recrimination?

Is it grief? That can be a huge trigger for negative thought patterns.

Miles: That’s true. And guilt. Guilt and grief can often get confused in our emotions.

So, on a practical level, once we’ve analyzed and identified the negative thought patterns and what triggers them, what’s next? What do we do?

Dave: There are a number of things you can do. Once you recognize this as a pattern, one of the most useful things I’ve found is to use these negative thoughts as a reminder to pray. Every time this comes up, pray. As for Yah’s blessing; pray for your family; your friends. It honestly doesn’t matter exactly what you pray for. The important thing is to pray.

See, the devil doesn’t want to remind us to pray. When he sees that his torments are reminders for us to pray, he’s not going to want to continue doing what immediately sends us to the Father.

Miles: Good point. I’ve got to remember that.

Dave: The next practical thing you can do is a two-step solution. First, memorize Scripture. You can start with passages that specifically relate to whatever it is that’s causing the negative thought patterns.

For example, if you’re struggling financially, Psalm 37:25 is really comforting.

Miles: What’s that one?

Dave: It says: “I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.”

When my wife was pregnant with our second child, I was made redundant. It was really stressful. I claimed that promise so much, I ended up memorizing it and it’s always stayed with me.

Miles: What about anxiety? It seems the older you get, the more you struggle with anxiety.

Dave: Philippians 4 verses 6 to 7. This is another one I memorized at that time. It says: “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to [Yahuwah] in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of [Yah] that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ [Yahushua].”

Miles: Beautiful. So comforting.

Dave: It really is. So, see, as we focus our thoughts on memorizing Scripture, it brings us to the next step which is to meditate on Yah’s word. This is actively engaging the mind on something besides the spiral of negative thoughts that we find ourselves in. You can’t just have an empty brain. It doesn’t work that way. So when you memorize Scripture, you’re giving yourself something else to think about. When you meditate, you’re actively filling your thoughts, you’re actively focusing your thoughts on something else, something that’s encouraging, uplifting and faith inspiring. This really helps a lot.

Miles: This is true. I just want to share that, for myself, when I’m going through difficult times, two psalms that have some incredible promises in them—and by that, I mean incredibly encouraging—are psalm 37 and psalm 34. Listen to this . . .

This is from psalm 34. It says:

When the righteous cry out, Yahuwah listens;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
Yahuwah is close to the brokenhearted;
he saves those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous have many problems,
but Yahuwah delivers them from every one.

That’s verses 17 to 19, but the entire psalm is very good.

Dave: Like you said, incredibly encouraging.

Modern psychology has discovered that our thinking does have a powerful impact on our emotions. You can even turn Scripture into personal affirmations that you repeat to yourself.

Miles: What do you mean? Can you give us an example?

Dave: Well, take Philippians 4:13. It says: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That’s a powerful affirmation that’s appropriate for any and every situation!

Miles: Romans 8:37: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Dave: And Romans 8:38 and 8:39: “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of [Yah] which is in Christ Yahushua our Lord.”

We need to let these choices, these chosen responses, become our reactions. And they will be. At the first hint of spiraling into a negativity trap, if we use that as a reminder to pray, and as a reminder to meditate on Yah’s word turning Scripture passages into personal affirmations, these will become our reactions.

Miles: What about journaling? You know, writing down your thoughts and emotions, your experiences with doing this. Keeping a record of specific Scripture passages that were especially helpful.

Dave: Journaling can be very helpful to some people. I know my wife does that a lot. I don’t do it so much, but it certainly helps her. And when I see how she uses it to keep track of especially powerful promises, I think I should give it a try.

Another thing that’s incredibly helpful is to literally surround yourself with uplifting, faith-inspiring promises. I think I told you about a family friend who was going through a really dark time in her life. She got a large pad of newsprint and wrote Bible promises that fit her situation on it. Then she hung them all around her flat. Literally every flat surface where her eyes rested had a large piece of paper on which was a powerful promise. On the wall across from her bed where she could see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night; on her refrigerator; on a little sticky note stuck to her bathroom mirror. She literally surrounded herself with promises.

And, unsurprisingly, she came through an extremely difficult time as more than a conqueror.

Miles: That’s beautiful. Surrounding yourself with the promises. That would almost feel like a divine hug, you know what I mean?

Dave: I’m sure!

When you start using Scripture to overcome a pattern, a cycle of negative thinking, it transforms you. Anything you want to change, anything you struggle with, use it as a reminder to pray. Then, always use that reminder to choose to focus on Yah’s word. Your faith will grow and, even though the struggles may continue for a while, you will come through stronger than ever. It’s a powerful process.

Miles: That’s fantastic. Okay. Next question. Jilly from Red Deer, Canada writes: “Since accepting the lunar Sabbath, work has been more challenging. I’d like to transition to setting my own hours by working from home. Do you have any suggestions or ideas on work Christians can do from home?”

Dave: I do, actually.

Ever since the pandemic lockdowns, remote work has become more common. Now, obviously, not all types of work lend themselves to remote work, but if the work you do does, that’s where I’d start. Check with your employer to see if that’s an option.

Miles: Even doctors! Appointments via telemed have become more and more common in many places.

Dave: Another thing that’s seen a rise in recent years is blogging and podcasts. Developing a blog or a podcast that is from a Christian perspective is a possibility although this would likely be something that was more a secondary job as it takes time to build.

There’s on-line consulting work. There are also a lot of freelance jobs available for everything from content creation, to writing ads, to developing websites and more.

Miles: Freelance photography. I’ve got a cousin that’s built a really successful career selling her photos online.

Dave: Sure. There are also websites that sell handmade arts and crafts. Etsy is just one example. People from around the world sell to others around the world by posting online.

Miles: What’s the name of it?

Dave: Etsy. E-T-S-Y.com.

Miles: Oh, yeah! My wife ordered something from there from someone in India. It was really neat.

Dave: There are also online opportunities to both teach and tutor. Some businesses hire people to work from home as customer service representatives. So, yes. There are a lot of work-from-home possibilities, most of which are online.

Miles: The internet makes the world a remarkably small place, doesn’t it?

Dave: Absolutely. Who would have ever thought?

Miles: One last question: Carl from Bend, Oregon, in the United States says: “I’m fortunate to have a boss that’s willing to work with me to give me time off for the true Sabbath. The problem is, I need to let him know what dates I need off six months in advance for scheduling. What’s the easiest way to do that? Are there any apps? Anything I can use for knowing how to calculate the lunar Sabbath that far in advance? Keep up the good work. My family and I really appreciate your YouTube videos.”

Dave: Thanks, Carl. Yes, we do have some very user-friendly apps. On our website, we have a lunar-solar calendar that takes your location and calculates when the Sabbath comes for you. There are also apps you can download for Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you want to download it to your phone, you can do that for your Android devices, both on our website and at the Play Store. If you’ve got an Apple device, you can download it on our website or from the App Store. These are all free downloads.

Miles: Yes, those are the easiest way. I just want to add, too, that for those who want to know how to calculate it for themselves, just go to our website, WorldsLastChance.com, and type in the search bar “future conjunction dates.” This will bring up a number of different sources that are really helpful.

Dave: Yes, thanks, Miles.

Miles: If you’ve got a question or comment, send us a message. Just go to our website and click on Contact Us. We always enjoy hearing from you.

Up next: Jane Lamb with today’s daily promise.

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Daily Promise

Hello! This is Jane Lamb with your daily promise from Yah’s word.

A woman named Celest posted online about an experience she had taking her little boy to kindergarten. It was a cold morning and the children, with their parents, huddled close to the building, trying to get out of the wind while waiting for the bell to ring. Celest noticed another mother nearby looking at her and her son.

Celest hung her head in embarrassment. She hoped the woman didn’t know her son’s name or that he was “that kid” – the one who was struggling to adjust. The one who would sometimes push or hit other children. The child that could be defiant and noisy and refuse to sit in his chair.

Celest knew what the other children said about her son because he would come home from school and tell her. He would say, “Mark said I’m bad today,” or “Zeke’s dad said I can’t play with him anymore.” When Celest’s son would tell her these things, her heart would break for her little boy. They were doing everything they could, working with an in-school specialist, at home, reading books, taking classes . . . but her child was struggling to transition.

The woman spoke to Celest’s son: “You must be Kayden,” she said, smiling.

Celest gave the other mom an apologetic, I’m-sorry-you-know-his-name-because-that-means-you’ve-heard-the-stories sort of smile. “Yes, this is him,” she admitted. As Kayden stepped away, she whispered to the other mom, “I know he’s causing trouble and we’re working on it. We take his behavior very seriously.”

Celest felt herself cringing while she waited for the other woman to say that she’d heard what Kayden had done to her son, or some other tale of his misbehavior. But she didn’t. Instead, the woman gave her a warm, encouraging smile. She said, “My older son struggled with similar problems at that age. He’s in high school now and a straight-A student. I know it’s hard right now, but you’re doing everything you can. He’ll adjust and it will get easier.”

Celest’s eyes filled with tears. It would have been so easy for the other mom to criticize or blame her. It would have been so easy for the other woman to repeat all the bad things she’d heard about her son. But she didn’t. Instead of tearing Celest down, she uplifted her. She gave her hope. She showed her grace and kindness and let Celest know that she had an ally in another parent. The compassion and understanding shown her strengthened Celest and meant more to her than she could ever put into words.

It's so easy to find fault with others, but when we do that, we’re joining Satan in being an accuser of the brethren. When we encourage and uplift people, we’re cooperating with Yahushua in drawing souls to Yahuwah.

Psalm 73 verse 26 says, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but [Yahuwah] remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

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Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Dave: To close, I’d like to look at a story that reveals how Yahushua—and thus Yahuwah—reacts whenever anyone prays and begs for mercy. Would you please turn to Matthew 20? I’ve always loved this story because it shows Yahushua’s—and thus the Father’s—instantaneous reaction is always … compassion.

Matthew 20 and start with verse 29.

Miles:

As Yahushua and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Yahushua was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Yahushua stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” [Matthew 20:29-33]

Dave: Notice that the people around them tried to discourage them. They scolded them; told them to be quiet. But the men didn’t let that dissuade them. In fact, verse 31 says they “shouted all the louder.”

When you need help from on high, don’t let others’ doubts and lack of faith discourage you from praying and asking for help. In fact, let their words inspire you to pray all the more!

So, then, what happened next? Verse 34.

Miles: “Yahushua had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”

Dave: “Yahushua had compassion on them.” Even if there were nothing more to the story, that right there is enough to inspire hope and faith and strengthen our courage. When you cry to the Father, and ask Him to help you, He has compassion on you.

That’s what good parents do! When your child is struggling and asks for help, are you really going to step back, fold your arms, and refuse to help?

Miles: Of course not!

Dave: Absolutely not. Instead, you want to help them. That’s what Yahuwah does, too. As our Father, He is ready, willing and just waiting for us to turn to Him for help.

I’ve got a quote here I’d like you to read. I came across it a number of years ago and I’ve always found it very encouraging. Go ahead where it’s marked.

Miles:

Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before [Yahuwah]. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. [As James 5:11 says:] “[Yahuwah] is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds. He rules over all the affairs of the universe.

Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel…. The relations between [Yahuwah] and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.

Wow. That’s powerful.

I want to thank you for tuning in today. If you enjoyed today’s program and would like to share it with friends or family, you can find it on our website at WorldsLastChance.com. We also post previously aired programs on YouTube, so just look for the program called “Ask for Help,” Program number 249. Once again, that’s “Ask for Help,” Program number 249.

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We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.