I love the word all because it is inclusive. All means everyone without exception. David used the word several times in Psalm 145. Think about verses 14-16 as related to your own life. They say, “The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

Every is another inclusive word. David didn’t write Psalm 104 but he might have been quoting from it. Talking about how our Creator takes care of animals and sea creatures. Verse 27 says, “They all wait for You, that you may give them their food in due season.”

Matthew 6:26 says, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

Ephesians 2:4 says that because of His great mercy we were set free from that futile path. 1 Samuel 12:21 warns, “And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.”

God gave Joshua a roadmap for success. In Joshua 1:8 He told him to mediate in God’s word, “…day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Here are two verses you can turn into personal prayers. Psalm 21:4-5 says, “May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in our salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.” May the Lord fulfill all His purpose for your life.

Empty indicates a void. Think of the word futile. It means fruitless, empty, hollow, unreal, unproductive, lacking substance, trifling, ineffectual, and worthless.

Anything we do in our lives void of the Lord will be futile. I heard this analogy years ago. You seek  to climb the ladder of success.  You finally make it to the top and discover that your ladder was against the wrong building. How disheartening!

John 15:5 is a verse that should be a banner over our lives. It says, “I am the vine,  you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Nothing means not one thing. Hmm. 

Living dependent on God is the path of fulfillment. Galatians 5:16 says, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Before salvation we lived absolutely independent of God. Ephesians 2:3.

I was praying for a friend when the question came into my mind. What need do they have to be fulfilled in their life? I encourage you to think about this question for yourself. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Part of the answer is in Psalm 107:9. It says, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

I think of Ephesians 3:19 in the Amplified. It is like a kaleidoscope of meaning. “(That you may really come) to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)!”

In Romans 12:3 it says that the gift of mercy is extended with cheerfulness. I love the Strong’s definition. It means graciousness, joyfulness, gladness, benevolence, amiability, cheerfulness, gaiety, affability. Note in my Bible. In primitive lands Bible translators define it as the heart is laughing and the eyes are dancing. 

We are to put on mercy, somewhat like as we put on clothes. We clothe our attitude with His mercy towards us and extend it to others. Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

When we want to lash out in anger, we must remember God’s mercy to us. Proverbs 29:11 in the Amplified says, “A (self-confident) fool utters all his anger, but a wise man  holds it back and stills it.” What a contrast between a fool and one who is wise.

Any thought you have that is against your design, or against another is a fiery dart. Why do I say that? We are created in the image of God for relationship. Not only with Him but with others.

Philippians 2:3 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Pride is destructive. Humility is life-giving. James 4:6 says, “…God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

The Lord has a way of humbling us. It is far better for us to humble ourselves. That means to bow our heart down in obedience to His word. Jesus exuded humility. Since we are to represent Him, we must walk in humility. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

It is easy to get stressed. The key is to quickly de-stress through the truth of God’s word. We can use it as our prayer, declaration, or affirmation of faith. Our strength comes only from the Lord. 

In Psalm 121:1-2 a question was asked and answered. It says, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Everyone who has put their faith and trust in Jesus has God’s resurrection power dwelling in them. The same power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead is in us! Ephesians 1:19 says “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.”

In each seemingly impossible situation, we recognize afresh that we are powerless without the Lord and cry out to Him. Crying out is a humble acknowledgement of our dependence.