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David (I Samuel 13:14; Acts 1:22)
I Samuel 13:14, But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. Acts 1:22, And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. The Scriptures reveal to us that David followed after God’s own heart (I Samuel 16:7). God testified as to David having a heart after His own (Acts 13:22). In Numbers 15:39, God warned the children of Israel not to seek after their own hearts. The whole book of Judges can be summed up in one verse, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Many today are doing what is right in their own eyes, but God warns us in Proverbs 14:12, “the end thereof are the ways of death.” The Scriptures reveal to us several things that the heart follows after: false gods (I Kings 11:2; Ezekiel 20:16); the Lord (II Kings 23:25); our own eyes (Job 31:7); strange women (Proverbs 6:25); imaginations of an evil heart (Jeremiah 3:17; 9:14; 13:10; 16:12). 1.The Lord wants us to have an Honest Heart (Psalm 51:10). A clean heart is the first step toward having a heart after God (Psalm 32:11; 51:10). When our hands are clean and hearts are pure, we are allowed to draw nigh to God (James 4:8). 2.The Lord wants us to have a Holy Heart (Psalm 89:20). God called David His servant. David wanted to do (fulfill all) the will of the Lord (Acts 13:22). David was God’s possession to do with as He pleased. You cannot hide what you are following because what you are following is manifested by whom you obey. 3.The Lord wants us to have a Healthy Heart (Psalm 119:11). Many verses speak of David keeping God’s Word in his heart (Psalm 37:31; 40:8; 119:34, 36, 69, 80, 112, 161). What you choose to place in your heart is the only thing that is sure to be with you 24/7. Keep God’s Word within you (Proverbs 22:17-21). 4.The Lord wants us to have a Humble Heart (Psalm 131:1). David was a humble servant. When he was confronted with sin, he admitted to it. You cannot have a heart after God and be proud because God resists the proud (James 4:6). 5.The Lord wants us to have a Harmonious Heart (Psalm 91:1). You cannot help but to speak well of the one you love. David’s psalms of praise (Psalm 86:12; 111:1; 138:1). Love and loyalty are traits that have birthed and blossomed from our heart. David was a man of prayer who always sought a deep relationship with God. He had great boldness because he had great faith in God from his youth (I Samuel 17:34-37). He was a man of deep spiritual hunger and passion for God. David was not perfect nor flawless. David caused God grief on several occasions. Yet even during this time in his life, David continued to show the true presence of a humble and teachable spirit. He had an unshakable confidence in God’s faithfulness and purpose for his life. He worshiped God with his whole heart and life and directed all of Israel to do the same (I Chronicles 15-16). He was a man of character, courage (I Samuel 16:18) and loyalty and inspired these traits in others (I Samuel 20:2; II Samuel 9; I Chronicles 11). David’s heart should be an example for all of Christ’s followers today. God is still looking for men who are after His heart, those who seek to please God and not others, who will do God’s will and not his own! Men who want to know the mind of God about serving, giving, doing His will, and raising of family. PRAYER: LORD, help me to cultivate a heart after Yours. One that pursues You daily and that is aligned with You. May I love and desire You passionately. Help me to follow after the example of Your Son. Help me daily to find a quiet place with You. May my inward life be pure that my outward life will glorify You. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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KING JESUS WINS! (Matthew 25:31-33)
Matthew 25:31-33, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. If you are listening to the media, it appears that Satan is winning this war and that we are without hope. However, I have great news…the Bible is the Word of God. The Bible is true, infallible, flawless, never outdated because its prophetic pages are happening even as you read this devotion. The events happening around us today have already been spoken of within the pages of the Scriptures. God is over the affairs of men. It is He who puts rulers on their throne and removes them at His will. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Saviour and those who will repent of their sin and put their trust in Him will have everlasting life with Him in Heaven. The Son of Man is coming to judge (John 5:22). John 5:22, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: When Jesus comes, He is coming in glory, as the Son of Man and as the King of the universe. When Jesus comes, He is coming with ten thousands of his saints (Jude 14). An innumerable number will accompany Him, demonstrating the glory and honor rightly due Him (Daniel 7:10). The holy angels will be the attendants and ministers of His justice. When Jesus comes, He is coming to be enthroned. When He sits upon "the throne of His glory," He sits in judgment. He will become the Judge of the whole universe, the Judge who is exalted above all (Revelation 20:11-12). Revelation 20:11-12, And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. When Jesus comes, He is coming to gather all nations. All men will be gathered by the angels and brought before Him. Everyone will be gathered before Him in judgment. Judgment is coming. It is inevitable; it cannot be avoided, nor evaded. No person can escape the coming judgment. The day is coming when everyone on earth will stand before Christ at the judgment. Like me, you will one day stand before the LORD and give an account of your life. Because God is perfect and just, He is going to judge us according to His Law. We have all broken God’s Moral Law (lying, stealing, hate, lust. selfishness, blasphemy, etc.) and we are going to be found guilty. He will have to punish us for our sins; the consequence being an eternity in Hell. But there is good news! God provided an escape. Jesus Christ, the Messiah and God manifest in the flesh, took the punishment that we, as guilty sinners, deserve when He suffered under God the Father’s wrath and died on the cross. He then defeated death by rising from the dead. God commands us to repent (to turn away from our sins) and trust in Jesus alone to save us, because no amount of good works will ever be enough to get us into Heaven. Jesus said, “ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Judgment is coming. It is inevitable; it cannot be dodged, ducked, denied, derailed, nor dismissed. No person can escape the coming judgment of God. God is going to judge the world by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:22). Christ said five things about His coming from Matthew 25:31-33.
3. When He comes, He is coming to be enthroned (Philippians 2:9-11). 4. When He comes, He is coming to gather all nations (Revelation 19:15). 5. When He comes, He is coming to separate the nations (Matthew 13:49; Ezekiel 34:17). The sheep will be placed on His right hand and the goats on His left hand. The sheep represent true believers. They are:
The goats represent all unbelievers, those who never professed Christ and those who professed Christ but were not genuine believers. They are:
Christ is now sitting on the throne at the right hand of God. There is a difference between the throne of grace and the throne of judgment pictured in this passage. We can now come to the throne of grace for help (Hebrews 4:16). But one day it will be too late to receive help. At this time, His throne will be a throne of judgment to which there will be no approach apart from judgment. Please consider this message. You may not have tomorrow. Revelation 22:20b, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. People get ready…Jesus is coming! WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE THIS DEVOTION WITH AS MAN PEOPLE AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN? WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES YOU HAVE AVAILABLE? www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com The Presence of God Calms Our Fears (Hebrews 13:5-6)
Hebrews 13:5-6, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” We have nothing to fear—and yet we do fear. We need an answer for our fears. When you’re suffering, you reach for comfort and hope. You reach for some reason to get up in the morning and fight again. You reach for something that won’t make your suffering the dominant experience that troubles your heart. What gives us comfort is knowing that when we pray to the Lord, He is always near. I can’t think of anything that is more comforting than these words: I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. This promise of His presence is found in the following verses: Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5. The God of the universe, Who created and controls everything, is with us in our suffering, and He will never leave. Nothing comes into our life but what God allows. Sometimes He says, “I will let her go through that. She will draw down upon My strength. Allow it.” God may also say, “No. Don’t allow that. It will overwhelm him. He is not ready.” Nothing comes into your life that God doesn’t already know about. And since He is with you, you don’t have to fear. Often, we want the benefit of claiming “God is with me,” but we spend too little time talking to God who is always with us. Can fear be avoided entirely? Probably not. Remember, God never gave us the spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7).But Scripture gives us a plan that prepares against and responds to fear. Psalm 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” God's Word gives us hope when we find ourselves overtaken by fear. Instead of wallowing in it, we can put our trust in Him. We can deliberately turn away from fear and toward the Lord. This affirmation is also found in Isaiah 12:2, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid...” One of the dangers of suffering is that we can fall into God-amnesia, where our suffering overwhelms our knowledge or remembrance of His presence. God is never disgusted by our weakness and He will never turn His back us. He will never leave and He will never get overwhelmed. He will never grow impatient, He will never be unfaithful. What could be more comforting? Why wait for fears to come before you decide to trust God? Practice trusting Him as a daily exercise. When you do, you may not even notice how many fears you’ll simply walk by because your attention will be on the One who is not threatened by any fearful thing. Prayer, Father, I confess that sometimes my fears reveal I’m not trusting You as I know I should but trusting in something or someone else instead. Thank you for reminding me just how fragile everything else is compared to You. Thank You for never leaving or forsaking me. Thank You for never letting me down and always proving Yourself trustworthy. Help me learn to trust You increasingly and banish fears from my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way, Please Share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Trusting God Against All Odds (Judges 7:2)
Judges 7:2 Therefore, the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. God intended to deliver Israel from the hands of Midian at the hands of Gideon. However, He also intended to make it very clear who gave them the victory lest Israel, in pride, take credit for their deliverance; God would make it clear thar He was the one who delivered them. Why does it seem like God likes to use an underdog? Just think, He used a shepherd boy with a stone and sling to kill a giant covered in armor and trained in warfare (I Samuel 17), the Israelites walking around to topple a walled city (Joshua 6), and a man with donkey's jawbone to kill 1,000 men (Judges 15). God shows His might when the odds are against us. However, there are times when God makes the situation seem worse in order to show His power. Take Gideon for example. The Midianites and Amalekites had come upon Israel to destroy it. The Bible says they were like grasshoppers for multitude and as the sand of the sea. When Gideon called for troops, 32,000 men responded. While this was a decent number of people, they were still incredibly outnumbered. However, God told Gideon that there were too many for Him to give Israel the victory. The reason was because He didn't want Israel to think they had done it. They were greatly outnumbered, but if God gave them the victory, they would have thought they did it themselves. God told Gideon to let the fearful return home, and he was left with only 10,000 troops. However, this was still too many so God then reduced the number down to 300. We would think 32,000 against a multitude compared to the sands of the sea would be a miracle, and 10,000 men against that many would surely show God's power, but God wanted to make a point by using only 300 men armed with pitchers, torches, and trumpets. He made it clear to Israel, the Midianites and Amalekites, and everyone else who heard the story that God did it. God can do the same thing in our lives. It always seems that God has a strange way of fighting battles. God wants us to trust in Him even when life is hard and it seems all odds are stacked up against us. Maybe He wants to use you to show that He is still mighty. Maybe you have been asked to teach a Sunday school class and you don't think you are able to do it. Maybe you have been put in a difficult situation financially and you don't know how you can pay your bills. Trust God to provide what you need and see His promises work. When God takes our impossible situations and works them out, He receives the glory He deserves. Trust Him with your impossible situations today. PRAYER: Lord, too often through the eyes of the flesh, I see my battles bigger than You. Help me to trust in You and see them as You see them. There is never a problem I encounter that is greater than You. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Consistent Prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17)
I Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing. “Praying without ceasing” doesn’t mean that one must pray every minute of every day. That would be impractical. It means to be regular, faithful and steadfast in your prayer life. It carries the idea of consistency. We ought to always be in an attitude of prayer and communion with the Lord. We should always be in the mindset of prayer, even if we’re not physically on our knees or mouthing the words. This is what Paul meant when he said, “Pray without ceasing.” God's people are to be a praying people. Martin Luther, when pressed by huge volumes of work, did not use it as an excuse to stop praying, but said, 'I have so much to do that I cannot get on without three hours a day of praying.' Adoniram Judson, perhaps the greatest missionary ever sent out from American shores, was emphatic in his insistence upon prayer. I quote his words: "Be resolute in prayer. Make any sacrifice to maintain it. Consider that time is short and that business and company must not be allowed to rob thee of thy God." That was the man who impressed a mighty empire for God. A group of ministers were discussing I Thessalonians 5:17 one morning, but couldn't agree on its meaning. An elderly cleaning woman, scrubbing on her knees, raised up and expressed an opinion about this verse. She said, "When I go to bed at night, I thank the Lord for the joy of resting in His everlasting arms. When I awaken, I ask Him to open my eyes to behold new things from His Word. When I build the fire, I ask Him to kindle love in my heart. When I bathe, I ask Him to cleanse me from secret faults. When I eat, I thank Him for my food. As I walk to work, I pray to be led in paths of righteousness. As I pass the church, I pray for my pastor. While scrubbing these floors, I ask Him to wash the hearts of those walking above me with His precious blood...” And on she went. She had a pretty good understanding of that verse and knew just as much as those preachers. She knew the importance of consistency in prayer. God gives us insights into getting our prayers answered. May we put these five principles into practice and see the Lord do great things. 1.Be Sanctified – James 5:16, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 2.Be Searching – Jeremiah 29:13, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 3.Be Sincere – Mark 11:24, Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 4.Be Sorrowful – II Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 5.Be Submissive – I John 3:22, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
Prayer: Father, I praise You that I can at anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance come to You in prayer. My desire is to keep walking continually with You, so that my prayer may be the natural expression of my life with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Worry Can’t Fix It; God Can Fix It! (I Peter 5:7)
I Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Yesterday, I had a very productive conversation with a member from our church. Both of us were sharing burdens and concerns with one another when the subject of worry came up. He stated, “Why worry…Worry can’t fix it; God can fix it!” “WOW!” I responded, “I’m going to take that thought and use it.” Love is the most basic word we have concerning what God is like (I John 4:8). Because He loves us greater than any other, we can trust Him with anything that worries us. We matter to God and He is for us and will never forsake us, therefore, He can bear our anxieties with more insight than we. More than we could ever imagine, God is deeply concerned for the troubles of every one of His children (Psalm 27:10; 37:5; 40:17; 55:22; Matthew 6:25-34; 10:29-31; 11:28-30; Philippians 4:6). The Bible is filled with examples of people with precarious predicaments ending with the Lord providing for their needs and strengthening their faith in Him. God took care of their problems and He can take care of your problems, too. Don't let worry weaken your faith. Worry will weaken your faith and rob you of your peace. The beginning of worry is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of worry. I Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. So what do we do with our worry? We cast it on the Lord! God wants us to throw our cares overboard, He wants us to willingly throw them upon Him. Casting indicates a deliberate act of our will. In other words, “I will thrust my cares upon the Lord.” Casting means we throw our cares to the Lord and leaving them there. Too often, we cast our burdens like we are fishing and reel them back. We are to cast them to the Lord and leave them there. Once our worries are deposited with God, we leave them there. We must decide to turn all our worries over to God and trust His way and time in handling them. It’s been stated that the average human has about 50,000 daily thoughts and 70% of them are negative. We can spend all our energy and efforts on what we are worrying over and at the end of the day we will have high blood pressure and stress. We spend more time worrying about the things we’re unsure of and less time worrying about the things we’re sure of. It seems like worry is programmed into our brains. If we don't have something to worry about, we worry about that. Remember, you can't change things when they are outside of your control. It doesn't help you to worry about something you can't change. Worry is taking responsibility for something God never meant for us to handle, without depending on Him and following His guidance. The word “cares” carries the idea of “being pulled apart.” That is what worry and anxiety do to us. They pull us apart! We are worried about so many things every day and we bear the burdens that we should never bear! Keep in mind, God has a solution for every worry that comes into your life. The words "Take no thought " are used by Jesus three times (Matthew 6:25, 31, 34). "Take no thought " carries the idea of stopping what has already been done. The LORD is telling us to stop worrying. In other words, we are to stop worrying and never start worrying again. Nothing justifies our worry and anxiousness when we have the Lord. Worry fails to recognize that God is working in your life. God knows what He is doing. He has not forgotten us. God is at work, but when we worry, we are saying that God is not in control. Worry is irrelevant, it cannot change anything. It says that He doesn’t know what He is doing, and He can’t take care of us. Worry is like a rocking chair, it moves back and forth, but it does not get you anywhere. There is no need to worry because the Lord can supply every need for every situation that we face in life. God will never be guilty of nurturing the sparrows and neglecting His own children. God is bigger than our problems. He is never taken off guard or surprised at what takes place in our lives. He knows what is going on and will take care of you. The man who feeds his heart on the record of what God has done in the past will never worry about the future. Worry wears us down in a number of ways! (1) Worry causes us to focus on the fret and not our faith in God. (2) Worry harms our health. (3) Worry manipulates the way we minister to others. (4) Worry prevents our productivity. (5) Worry trims down our trust in God. Prayer, Father in Heaven, I regret having carried these burdens and worries so long by myself when, in fact, You were always ready to take them from me and to carry them on my behalf. But it’s never too late to do what is right, so right now I make the decision to yield to You every one of these matters that are troubling me. Thank You for coming alongside me to take these weights from my shoulders. Because You are so loving and attentive to me, I can now go free! I pray this in Jesus’ name! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Worry Can’t Fix It; God Can Fix It! (I Peter 5:7)
I Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Yesterday, I had a very productive conversation with a member from our church. Both of us were sharing burdens and concerns with one another when the subject of worry came up. He stated, “Why worry…Worry can’t fix it; God can fix it!” “WOW!” I responded, “I’m going to take that thought and use it.” Love is the most basic word we have concerning what God is like. Because He loves greater than any other, we can trust Him with anything that worries us. We matter to God, and He is for us and will never forsake us, therefore, He can bear our anxieties with more insight than we. More than we could ever imagine, God is deeply concerned for the troubles of every one of His children (Psalm 27:10; 37:5; 40:17; 55:22; Matthew 6:25-34; 10:29-31; 11:28-30; Philippians 4:6). The Bible is filled with examples of people with precarious predicaments ending with the Lord providing for their needs and strengthening their faith in Him. God took care of their problems and He can take care of your problems too. Don't let worry weaken your faith. Worry will weaken your faith and rob you of your peace. The beginning of worry is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of worry. I Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. So what do we do with our worry? We cast it on the Lord! God wants us to throw our cares overboard, He wants us to willingly throw them upon Him. Casting indicates a deliberate act of our will. In other words, “I will thrust my cares upon the Lord.” Casting means we throw our cares to the Lord and leaving them there. Too often we cast our burdens, like we are fishing and reel them back. We are to cast them to the Lord and leave them there. Once our worries are deposited with God, we leave them there. We must decide to turn all our worries over to God and trust His way and time in handling them. It’s been stated that the average human has about 50,000 daily thoughts and 70% of them are negative. We can spend all our energy and efforts on what we are worrying over and at the end of the day we will have high blood pressure and stress. We spend more time worrying about the things we’re unsure of and less time worrying about the things we’re sure of. It seems like worry is programmed into our brains. If we don't have something to worry about, we worry about that. Remember, you can't change things when they are outside of your control. It doesn't help you to worry about something you can't change. Worry is taking responsibility for something God never meant for us to handle, without depending on Him and following His guidance. The word “cares” carries the idea of “being pulled apart.” That is what worry and anxiety do to us. They pull us apart! We are worried about so many things every day and we bear the burdens that we should never bear! Keep in mind, God has a solution for every worry that comes into your life. The words "Take no thought " are used by Jesus three times (Matthew 6:25, 31, 34). "Take no thought " carries the idea of stopping what has already been done. The LORD is telling us to stop worrying. In other words, we are to stop worrying and never start worrying again. Nothing justifies our worry and anxiousness when we have the Lord. Worry fails to recognize that God is working in your life. God knows what He is doing. He has not forgotten us. God is at work, but when we worry, we are saying that God is not in control. Worry is irrelevant, it cannot change anything. It says that He doesn’t know what He is doing, and He can’t take care of us. Worry is like a rocking chair, it moves back and forth, but it does not get you anywhere. There is no need to worry because the Lord can supply every need for every situation that we face in life. God will never be guilty of nurturing the sparrows and neglecting His own children. God is bigger than our problems. He is never taken off guard or surprised at what takes place in our lives. He knows what is going on and will take care of you. The man who feeds his heart on the record of what God has done in the past will never worry about the future. Worry wears us down in a number of ways! (1) Worry causes us to focus on the fret and not our faith in God. (2) Worry harms our health. (3) Worry manipulates the way we minister to others. (4) Worry prevents our productivity. (5) Worry trims down our trust in God. Prayer, Father in Heaven, I regret having carried these burdens and worries so long by myself when, in fact, You were always ready to take them from me and to carry them on my behalf. But it’s never too late to do what is right, so right now I make the decision to yield to You every one of these matters that are troubling me. Thank You for coming alongside me to take these weights from my shoulders. Because You are so loving and attentive to me, I can now go free! I pray this in Jesus’ name! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com 5 Ways God Encourages Us (I Peter 5:7)
I Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. George Mueller (1805-1898) built many orphanages at Ashley Down, England. He relied only on God to supply the money and food needed to support the hundreds of homeless children he befriended in the name of Christ. A man of radiant faith, he kept a motto on his desk for many years that brought comfort, strength, and uplifting confidence to his heart. It read, “It matters to Him about you.” Mueller believed that those words captured the meaning of I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Mueller rested his claim for God’s help on that truth. He testified at the end of his life that the Lord had never failed to supply all his needs. Just as Mueller faced many trials and afflictions and was cared for by the Lord, God will preserve you and revive you in your hour of need if you will seek His help. How does He revive and encourage us? 5 Ways God Encourage Us. 1. By His Presence Matthew 14:27, But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. When He is near, we need not fear. Jesus would later say, “Lo, I am with you alway.” If we will realize He is always with us, we need never fear. 2. By His Promises Romans 15:4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. The Scriptures give us an innumerable amount of promises to encourage us to live for God. 3. By His Power Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Paul knew the source of his strength. It was Jesus Christ. With His help, anything is possible. 4. By Prayer John 14:26-27 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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. 5. By our Partners in Ministry Philippians 4:18, But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. Their support had enabled his every need to be met. He acknowledged what they both already knew and that was that Epaphroditus had been the messenger who had conveyed their giving to him. Even as such a sacrifice was pleasing to both God and man, their offering to Paul served the same purpose. A true friend is one who rushes in when others rush out. A true friend will strengthen you with prayers, bless you with their love, and encourage you with a word. If you are lugging around worries, cares, and concerns about your family, your business, your church, or any other area of your life, why not stop right now and say, “Jesus, I’m yielding every one of these concerns to You today. I cast my burden on You, and I thank You for setting me free! To “cast” means to hurl, to throw, and it often means to vehemently throw or to fling something with great force with intensity. Points to Ponder: You don’t have to carry the whole weight of the world by yourself. Jesus loves you so much and is so deeply concerned about you and the difficulties you are facing. He calls out to you today, “Roll those burdens over on Me. Let Me carry them for you so you can be free!” Questions to Consider: Do you habitually worry and fret about certain things? What are the issues that weigh on your mind more than anything else? Are you able to cast these cares over onto the Lord, or do you keep stirring yourself up with thoughts of fear, reigniting the fretting and the worry all over again even after you have already released those cares to the Lord? Prayer, Lord, I thank You for what I’ve read today. I regret having carried these burdens and worries so long by myself when, in fact, You were always ready to take them from me and to carry them on my behalf. But it’s never too late to do what is right, so right now I make the decision to yield to You every one of these matters that are bothering me. Thank You for coming alongside me to take these weights from my shoulders. Because You are so loving and attentive to me, I can now go free. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Guided by Grace (Exodus 23:20)
Exodus 23:20, Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Jim Elliot was unsure what to do after graduating from Wheaton College in 1949. He spent the summer praying for guidance, and on October 29 received a letter about the need for workers in Ecuador. Jim felt a “simple urge” in that direction. On November 25, his diary records interest in Peru and India. On December 1, British Guiana entered the picture. Four days later he wrote, Stirred for work among the Ecuadorian Quichuas again. On December 17, his missionary plans narrowed to either India or Ecuador. On December 31, he wrote : O Lord, if you see anything in me holding back the revelation of Your will about Ecuador, uncover it. Had a letter from India today which ended, “I would rejoice to think the New Year would find you here.” Still I am waiting. Early in 1950, he received acceptance from Wycliffe Bible Translator’s study camp in Oklahoma. Feel as though the Lord would have me there, whether I go to India or South America. Elliot arrived at the camp, still torn between two nations. The tutor assigned him was a missionary from Ecuador, and from him Jim first learned of the savage Aucas. But India still burned within him. On July 4, Jim set aside ten days for prayer. On July 14 he wrote, I asked for some word from God ten days ago, which would encourage my going to Ecuador. It came this morning in an unexpected place. I was reading in Exodus 23 when verse 20 came out vividly. “Behold I send an angel before thee to keep thee by the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.” * Coming as it did, with such preceding feelings and simple believing for some promise, I take this as leading … to Ecuador. This is the verse that sent Jim Elliot to his death, to his martyrdom, and to his glory—and that brought the Aucas, in God’s timing, to faith in Jesus Christ. In January of 1956, Jim Elliot and four other missionaries gave their lives in Ecuador in their effort to reach the Waodani (Auca) Indians. This fierce group was known to attack any outsiders, but the vision for reaching them with the gospel compelled these young men to take the risk. Not long after they set up camp near the Waodani village they were attacked by warriors. Refusing to defend their lives with force, the missionaries were killed. The news flashed around the world, and the story of courage and sacrifice challenged many to take up the missionary cause. Even today Elliot’s words live on: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Nothing of lasting significance and importance for God is ever accomplished without great sacrifice. Whether it is our time, our talent, our treasure, or even our lives, we must be willing to give up what is temporary for the sake of what is eternal. When we do, we are following the example and pattern of Christ and walking in His steps. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, You have been so good to me. You have placed godly people in my life. You have led me to many wonderful people. To my precious godly wife, the sweetest church I know, and to the hearts of those who are in need of You. There is no need to turn back now. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spiritually Cold (Matthew 24:9-12) – PART 2
Matthew 24:9-12, Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a cold evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he watched the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host was captivated as he watched all this in silence. As the one lone ember's flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday." Love must be protected and cultivated if it is to be kept alive. Just because we love God today does not mean that we will do so tomorrow. Jesus told us that in strenuous situations many hearts will grow cold. Keep your heart warm toward the Lord today, or tomorrow you may find it has grown cold. True involvement consists of fellowship. Fellowship is never something done alone. One reason church is so important is because of the fellowship with other Christians. You miss out when you miss a service and neglect the assembling at church. The Lord often sends His messengers to nudge others awake. Sometimes the methods used to awaken them are drastic, but always for their good. Let us not imagine that because He shakes us, He therefore hates us. He awakens us from lethargy because He loves us, and wants to save our lives from apathy, waste, and ineffectiveness. Many offer excuses hindering their involvement with others. Here are ten: 1.I can't help anyone, I don't know what to do. 2.I'm too busy or too tired. 3.It's not worth the trouble. 4.I don't need anyone. 5.No one needs me. 6.I'm afraid I'll get burned or taken advantage of. 7.It's none of my business. 8.I might look foolish. 9.I'm too shy. 10.I don’t have time. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER: Father, my desire is to draw nigh unto You. May my nearness to You fill my heart with Your love and increase the fervor of my love for You. Help my love for You to abound more and more and I pray that it never grows cold. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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