My Valley (Psalm 23:4)
Psalm 23:4, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. In Psalm 23:4, we find some of the most familiar and courageous words ever written. To get to the rich pastures of the mountains the sheep had to go through the valleys. In our spiritual journey from earth to Heaven, we believers go through valleys. Some valleys are very deep and dark. Others may not be as deep and dark, but they are more treacherous. And there are valleys that seem to be unbelievably long and time consuming. Yet, overall, they connect us to the next vantage point; the next mountain top in the journey. The phrase "shadow of death" describes a deep ravine where a shepherd would lead his sheep in order to take them to better pasture. During the walk there would come a time when the cliff walls became so narrow and steep the very sunlight was blocked out. The valley of the shadow of death is different for different people. But it represents the hardest times of life. The darkest nights we experience, bitter experiences, the deepest, loneliest places we pass through. Whatever creates hopelessness in you can be called a shadow in the valley. 1. Believers are not absolved (exempt) from the valley! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Valleys are a part of our lives. We must accept it; we must acknowledge it. All who follow the Lord Jesus will eventually walk through deep valleys. It’s not "if" you walk through the valley; it’s "when" you walk through the valley. There are no exemptions; there are no excuses. The same Shepherd Who leads His sheep into “green pastures,” beside “still waters,” and in “paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” also leads them into ravines and low places. They are the difficult times of our lives which may include sickness, financial loss, betrayal, aging, bereavement, disappointment and death. It is in our valleys that we often spiritually mature and get close to the Lord. 2. Believers are not alone nor abandoned in the valley! “I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; We are not alone in our valleys. The Lord is with us the whole time. While we realize there are valleys in which we will travel, we must also realize that we will not travel there by ourselves. I have learned through the years that God often speaks the most clearly in the valley. (Or maybe, I’m most likely to hear Him speak here.) You may think you couldn’t go through a valley that way—and you would be right. You couldn’t do it, alone. But God will be there with you. He will be a very present help to you. God will guide you through that circumstance. You don’t have to fear, wonder, or worry about your situation because God will be faithful to you. The Lord is with us when we are weak, weeping, and weary. Pray, Father God, You are the Good Shepherd. And You are my shepherd. Thank You that even in the darkest times, You are who You say You are. Thank You that You don’t leave me indefinitely in the valley, but You bring me through it. And thank You most of all for Your presence. You never leave me alone. You are always with me—no matter what, no matter when, no matter for how long. In Jesus name I pray, 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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Our Appointment with the Lord (Romans 14:11)
Romans 14:11, For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. One day, Jesus Christ will return to this earth. His presence and prominence will bring all of us to our knees. Every knee will bow. I’m not sure when it will happen, but I am certain it will happen. We are reminded in Philippians 2:9-11 that Christ is exalted above all others. His name is above every name! Every knee will bow before His Lordship! Every tongue will confess His worthiness! None are left out in the completeness of the process. The blaspheming tongue, the cursing tongue, the lying tongue, the vicious tongue, the boastful tongue. Every tongue will one day confess Christ’s Lordship “to the glory of God.” Christ is exalted! And God will be glorified! Every name! Every knee! Every tongue! Many people have avoided God all their life. But one day every person will bow their knee before Him and say these words: “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Even if you have never believed, or have never taken church seriously. Life is about one thing, it’s about entering into a relationship with God through Christ. Who’s really in charge? It’s not Washington, or Hollywood, or Wall Street, or athletes, or entertainers, and it’s not you and me. It’s Jesus Christ, the Lord. No matter what a person accomplishes in this world, a hundred years from today, if they didn’t get this figured out here, they will spend eternity in the lake of fire. What answers would you fill into these following blanks? If I were in charge, I would do ________________ with my life. But Jesus is Lord, so I choose His plan for my life. If I were in charge, I would do ________________ with my finances. But Jesus is Lord, so I choose to give, save, and spend according to His priorities. If I were in charge, I would do ________________ right now in my marriage, but I’m not in charge. He is Lord, and I will do what His Word says. Everybody serves somebody. Everybody has somebody in charge of his life. Forget the excuses—you choose who you serve. You don’t fall into servitude. It’s not an accident. You can’t blame your environment or your past. You choose who you serve. Your parents don’t choose for you. Your pastor can’t choose for you. As much as someone might love you, they can’t choose for you. Even God, who loves you perfectly, will not choose for you. There are simply some crucial decisions you have to make for yourself. Prayer, Father, thank You for going as far as You had to go to find me. For the journey from eternity to the cross that Jesus took for me, and then for meeting me in the road I was taking to Hell. Thank You for breaking through my half-hearted and misguided efforts to find You by effectively finding me when I was completely lost! I rejoice over the fact that I will spend eternity with You and in joyous effort telling You how grateful I am. 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 Finding Purpose (Psalm 32:8)
Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. One of the most common questions people ask me is “How do I know God’s will for my life?” God has a plan and design for your life. You are not a leaf that fell by chance to be scattered by the wind. Scripture says the steps of a good man are “ordered” by the Lord. (Psalm 37:23). What a blessed promise from God. God has promised to instruct us and guide us in the way we should go. Notice: This guidance is by His omniscient eye. Psalm 73:24 and Proverbs 3:5-6 points to the same promise. God who knows all and sees all knows far better than we and He is pleading with us to follow His instructions. Unfortunately, every day many reject His guidance. Joy and fulfillment is ultimately only found in that one goal. Everything good comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord. The starting place for that kind of joy begins with kneeling before Him as Lord of your life. God’s will for you is to be a Christian. I Timothy 2:3–4, For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God’s will for you to be Spirit-filled. Ephesians 5:17–18, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;. Being Spirit-filled is not an emotional experience or high. It is not fasting and praying. Being Spirit-filled means to be completely submitted to the authority of Scripture in your life. Everyone searches for meaning and fullness to life. The Bible teaches that the purpose of life is to know Christ and to make Christ known. Daily seek to fulfill God's purpose for your life. Every day ask God to help you accomplish your life's mission. Pray for opportunities to fulfill that purpose by asking for boldness to tell others of God's love. God has a unique plan and purpose for your life. Seek to fulfill God's purpose for your life every day. People need a plan in their life. God has a plan for your life, and He is pleading with us to find, to follow, and to fulfill this purpose. Prayer, Father, I am deeply grateful today that You are willing and ready to assume Your rightful place in my life. As my Creator, only You understand the detail and destination of my life is such a way that I can trust You completely. Teach me to do that in a big way and then renew it each day as I live for You. Thank You for making all this possible through Your Son Jesus who saved me and in whose footsteps I can follow. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Overcoming Adversity (Proverbs 24:10)
Proverbs 24:10, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." From time to time, all of us face adversity, hardship, disappointment, defeat, setback, and loss. Adversity does not mean that we are doing things wrong—often it is evidence that we are doing things right. Discouragement always pays periodic visits to everyone of us. No one is exempt! Whenever we faced trouble God is always faithfully standing by to give us grace to sustain. Whatever the trial we face, God’s grace is always sufficient and sustaining (II Corinthians 12:9). G. Campbell Morgan grew up in the home of a Baptist preacher and delivered his first sermon at age thirteen. But because he had no formal religious instruction, when he first applied for ordination he was refused. The disappointed young man sent a one word telegram to his father: “Rejected.” His father responded: “Rejected on Earth, accepted in Heaven.” Morgan refused to be discouraged and continued his studies and preaching. He became one of the most noted Bible teachers and conference speakers of his generation and pastored large churches on both sides of the Atlantic. If he had allowed a temporary setback to stop him, the world would have lost a great influence for good. Things often do not go well when we set out to serve God. The devil places obstacles in front of us to attempt to keep us from being effective in the work. He knows that if he can get us to be discouraged because of problems we are on our way to defeat. Adversity is often a sign that we are on the right track and keep going till we succeed. If you allow adversity to stop you, you will never accomplish anything of lasting value in God’s work. If we allow ourselves to be discouraged from doing anything unless we have complete approval, it is certain that we will never accomplish anything of value. Rather than being discouraged by adversity, we should take comfort in God’s faithfulness and keep on doing what is right. Be strong in the Lord; no great work for God has ever been done without adversity from the enemy. Often, it is through the trials of life that we are able to appropriate God’s grace and develop Christlikeness. Missionary Hudson Taylor once said, “It doesn’t matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies. Be sure that it doesn’t come between you and the Saviour.” Even the painful pressure of trials can push us closer to our Saviour. There are some who feel they never need trials. But God loves us too much to allow us not to grow. John Newton, author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” put it this way: Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and He proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust in His skill and thank Him for His prescription.--John Newton Build your life on the Rock that can never be shaken. Trust in the LORD. Always. When facing adversity, don’t quit. Don’t hit the panic button. Hit the prayer button. Take it to the LORD. There are several more, but here are five Scriptures to encourage the disheartened when facing adversity: Deuteronomy 4:30-31; II Samuel 22:7; James 1:2-3; I John 5:4; Galatians 6:9. Prayer, Father You are my strength and my sustainer. Regardless of the troubles I face You faithfully give me the grace to sustain them. Help me never to forget to turn to You. Whatever circumstances I may confront may I trust Your plan, Your wisdom, and Your will. Praise and glory to 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 The Greatest Statement Ever Made (John 3:16)
John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God – the Greatest Lover So loved – the Greatest Degree The world – the Greatest Company That He gave – the Greatest Act His only begotten Son – the Greatest Gift That whosoever – the Greatest Opportunity Believeth – the Greatest Simplicity In Him – the Greatest Attraction Should not perish – the Greatest Promise But – the Greatest Difference Hath – the Greatest Certainty Everlasting life – the Greatest Possession Our text is completely permeated with love. “For God” gives the source of love; “so loved” the fact of love; “the world” the object of love; “that He Gave” the act of love; “His only begotten son” the gift of love; “that whosoever believeth” the scope and message of love; “should not perish but have everlasting life” the fruit of love. John 3:16 is the most-quoted verse in the Bible, but what does John 3:16 mean to someone who has never heard it before? A tired and cold newspaper boy approached a policeman one night and asked, “Mister, where can a poor boy find a warm place to sleep tonight?” The policeman pointed down the street, “At that big, white house. Knock on the door and say, ‘John 3:16,’ and they will let you in.” When the little boy knocked on the door of the house, an elderly lady greeted him. He looked up and said, “John 3:16.” The woman invited the child inside and had him sit down in a wooden rocking chair in front of a large fireplace. As he sat there, he thought to himself, John 3:16— I don’t understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm. Later, the woman returned to offer the child food. The little boy ate . . . and ate . . . and ate until he could eat no more. Then he thought to himself, John 3:16 — Boy, it sure makes a hungry boy full. Then the woman allowed the boy to take a warm bath — the first he had ever taken. He thought to himself, John 3:16— it can make a dirty boy clean. Finally, the kindhearted woman brought the child to a large guest room where he could spend the night. As the boy slid beneath the covers, he thought, John 3:16 — it sure makes a tired boy rested. After breakfast the next morning, the woman found a Bible and sat down with the little boy by the fireplace. She asked if he understood John 3:16. “No, Ma’am, I don’t.” The woman found the verse and told the child about Jesus. He accepted Christ as his Saviour and thought to himself, John 3:16 — it sure makes a lost boy feel safe. The best truths are those which are tangible. We can clearly see them as they are applied to ordinary life circumstances. John 3:16 is such a truth. It reminds us of God’s gift to mankind and challenges us to express His love through giving. Love gives. Unleash His transforming power in your life this week. Prayer, Father in Heaven, thank You for loving all the world, not just some of the world. Help me to continue to grow in my love for You and for everyone else. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com When God Sends A Text (Mark 1:35)
Mark 1:35, And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. There are at least three times when God wrote. 1. 10 Commandments (Exodus 31:18) 2. Writing on the wall (Daniel 5:5) 3. Jesus wrote on the ground (John 8:2-8) We are living in times when we do a lot of communicating by text messaging: ·There are over 5,035,000,000 (5.035 billion) texters in the world. (GSMA Intelligence) ·There are approximately 277,000,000 (277 million) “texters” in the United States (not including children 12 years old and younger). (Text Request) ·At least 97% of smartphone owners text regularly. (Pew Research Center) ·Americans send roughly 26,033,333,333 (26 billion) text messages every day. (Statistic Brain) ·On average, each American sends and receives 94 text messages per day. (Text Request) ·The first text message was sent on December 3rd, 1992 from Neil Papworth, a former developer at Sema Group Telecoms. *Source from GSMA Intelligence, Text Request, Pew Research Center, Statistic Brain Today it is undeniable that most people must have their cell phones with them at all times. We all have become so dependent on modern technology. In short, we have become so devoted to our technology. Technology has its place in our society. In fact, if it were not for technology, you would not be reading this devotion. When I was a teenager (mid 80’s - early 90’s) we could go places and actually enjoy ourselves and others company, having a great time while never having to know what was going on someplace else. We have come so far in such a short time. How did we ever make it back in those days? LOL. Often in the Bible we come across the phrase “And the word of the LORD came unto…” We read this concerning Ezekiel, Jonah, Jehu, Jeremiah and others. These verses speak of the LORD wanting to speak to His people to communicate to them. Imagine that! Think about the times when you read the Bible. What does God speak to you about? Today rather than pursuing your cell phone or email, etc. Make sure to devote some time and seek the Lord and find out what message He has for you. Jesus was very popular. The crowds sought Him out! Everyone wanted to be with Him! Masses of people followed Him for various reasons…meals, miracles, or monarchy. They either wanted to hear Him, ask Him a question, or get Him to heal a loved one. From daylight to dusk Jesus was sought. When the crowd knew He was in town, they found Him. Jesus never had a moment alone unless He made it happen. It is very important that you have time alone with GOD. Jesus loved God and He loved people. He spent time with both. He knew how much time to be with people and how much time to be with God. Question to Consider: What about your "appointment" with God? Do you have a specific time and place you meet God each day? Points to Ponder: When we make appointments in life, we always designate a time and a place to meet. Have a special time daily in God's Word. Prayer, Father in Heaven, I know You desire to spend time with me and I desire spending time with You. May our time spent together be quality time, free from distractions that I may hear you speak to me. 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 We May Never Have A Ring,
But We Will Receive A Crown Matthew 25:21, His LORD said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy LORD. This was the title of the sermon I preached on 2/3/2019 (Superbowl Sunday). Consider NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL etc. All teams play for rings. These rings are given to them for their achievements on the field. As attractive as they are, they are only temporal and can never compare to the crown’s we believers will receive from the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 6:19-20, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: We ought to invest our lives in Heaven where time and effort laid up is secure forever. The work and service done for Jesus Christ today is invested in heaven. Incorruptible Crown (I Corinthians 9:24-27) STRIVING: Endurance & patience in Christian life. Those who strive lawfully or walk according to the Scriptures in this life will receive this Crown. Crown of Rejoicing (I Thessalonians 2:19) SOULS: For winning souls. The individuals won to Christ will be this Crown that is offered before Christ at the judgment seat of Christ by the soul winner. Crown of Righteousness (II Timothy 4:5-8; I John 3:2-3) SEEKING: Looking for HIS return. Love His appearing. Those who live in such a manner as to love for Christ to come will receive this Crown. Crown of Life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) SACRIFICE: Persecution & martyrdom. This Crown will be won by those who dare to go against the world, flesh and the Devil and do not yield to the power of temptations. Crown of Glory (I Peter 5:2-3) SHEPHERDS: Faithful pastors. This Crown will be won by those who study the word of God as a Pastor and feed the Church the Holy Ghost has made them overseers. Don’t be discouraged if it seems that no one notices your labors. One day God will give crowns of glory to those who love and serve Him. There will be a day in the future when all of our efforts, labors, & sacrifices made in service for God will be remembered, recognized & rewarded. Whether anyone on this earth ever knows your name, you can be sure that God sees all that you have done and will greet you with the words, "Well done" (Matthew 25:21). I Corinthians 15:58, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the LORD. Don’t quit, don’t give up, keep serving and shining for Jesus until He comes for You. Prayer, Father in Heaven, Thank You for opportunities given to serve You. Help me to remember that labor done for You in never in vain. Help me to serve You faithfully all the days of my life. I love You and Your Son Jesus and I’m looking forward to laying my crowns at His feet. 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 Today’s devotion is an excerpt taken from the Bible Study page from our website. If you would like to read this article in its entirety, please open the Bible Study link.
What To Do When Your Life Is Sinking (Matthew 14:24-29) Storms can come suddenly, even at odd times. This one came when the disciples were in the midst of the sea. Trouble seems to come at the worst of times? There was no chance to prepare; the storm just showed up in the middle of nowhere. Storms will rock you. Storms will have you sitting at your table unable to eat. Storms will have you lying in your bed unable to sleep. Storms will have you sitting at a red light that's green. A storm will consume your life. We need Jesus in our storms. Then God shows up. The Bible says that Jesus went unto them. Any time a storm shows up in your life Jesus will show up. He knows how much you can bear. The disciples saw Jesus in their time of trouble. I have discovered in life that sometimes you can be so drenched in your trouble that you can't see your triumph. You can be so caught up in your situations that you can't see your Saviour. You can be so bogged down with your doubt that you can't focus on your deliverance. If you put doubt in front of the deliverer, you'll walk around with your head down from now on. Today, are you walking or sinking? If you’re going under, it’s because you’ve been looking at the waves (like an up and down economy). You’ve been listening to the howling wind (like the voices of doom and gloom rampant in our society). You have been taking your prompts from what others are saying, or the way they are acting, instead of keeping your mind stayed on the Lord (Isaiah 26:3). Like Peter, the moment we take our eyes off of the Lord we sink. When our attention drifts, we lose our ability to hear His voice. The same wind and waves that jolt us into crying out to God one moment can distract us from Him in the next. Today is an opportunity not to sink into distraction but to focus on the Lord and what He’s teaching you. To trust Him to handle life’s trials. This is what life should be for growing followers of Christ: looking to God for wisdom and responding with obedience, even in the face of what may seem impossible. All the while, keeping our eyes on Jesus Questions to Consider: ·What is distracting you from being focused on the Lord? ·Peter’s story, literal waves distracted him from Jesus. What figurative waves are crashing against you? Points to Ponder: ·Too often, people quit, or give up, just before the trial is about to end. ·When it comes to getting out of situations, don't give up too soon. ·You've got to keep on persevering, keep on going forward. Prayer, Lord God, You are sovereign, in control of everything. I confess I’ve allowed myself to be distracted and I don’t want to be anymore. Give me the strength and self-control I need to fix my eyes on You so I can learn what You want me to learn and be who You want me to be. You are worthy of my full attention. Just as You didn’t let Peter sink, You won’t let me sink. Help me get my eyes off of my circumstances and onto You. Please forgive me. I want to trust You. Thank You that You are the sure, steadfast anchor of my soul. Thank You that nothing is too hard for You. Let my life reflect the stability of knowing that You see and know and are at work on my behalf. 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 A Fruit Basket in Your Soul (Galatians 5:22)
Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If you are a child of God, the Bible says you really ought to produce fruit. If it is a fruit tree, it will produce fruit. So if you are a child of God, when the world sees you, there should be no questions about your salvation. If you are a child of the King, the world ought to see you and know who you are. The world should know whom you belong to. The first thing they will detect about you is your love. The thing about love is that you cannot hide it. If love is there, love will lift its head every time. In Matthew 26, there was woman called Mary who couldn't contain her love. She showed it by taking a box of expensive ointment and pouring it on the feet of Jesus. Then she took her hair and wiped His feet. That was love. When love is present, you'll know it because when you love somebody you will be talking about the person all the time. How can we say we love Jesus and never bring up His name? But when a person is really in love, they don't care where they are. They talk about you in the department store; they talk about you in the bank; they'll bring up your name on the job. And that's the way it ought to be if you are in love with Jesus. Bring up His name wherever you are. You don't have to gossip in garbage. No, no, there's enough about Jesus to keep you busy all day long. God wants us to become more and more like Jesus Christ. To become the Christian God wants us to be we must allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Your fruit will also be joy and peace. You can be on hard times and still have joy. When you've got joy, it will fall off on somebody else. People around you can't stay sad. You have the peace of knowing God will make a way. Question to Consider: Can you think of one person who manifests the character of Jesus Christ so much that when you are with him or her, you feel as if you have been with Jesus? Point to Ponder: Write down some ways the Lord is using you to display His fruit in your life. Prayer: Lord, thank You for sowing Your Spirit and Word into my life. Help me yield to the divine seed You have planted inside me. I know that Your life resides in me, longing to be released, so today I make the choice to let Your Spirit start working mightily inside me. Thank You for the life of God that is flowing up from my spirit right now, producing the life and the nature of Jesus Christ in me! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Mountain Moving Faith (Matthew 17:19-20)
Matthew 17:19-20, “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Because we live in a demanding word, all of us have mountains to climb and mountains to move. Moving those mountains requires faith. Are you a mountain mover whose faith is evident for all to see? God needs more men and women who are willing to move mountains for His glory and for His kingdom. The disciples were very wise in seeking the Lord concerning their confusion. The root cause was deficiency of faith. Without it we will not go very far spiritually. Though faith is the simplest exercise of the spiritual life, it is also the highest. The spirit must yield itself in perfect accessibility to God’s Spirit and become strengthened for this activity. Such faith depends entirely on the state of the spiritual life. Only when this is strong and in good health—when the Spirit of God has total influence in our lives—does faith have the power to do its mighty deeds. What does Christ mean by "faith as a grain of mustard seed"? The mustard seed was known for its small size, the smallest of all plants, yet according to Matthew 13:32, it grew to be one of the largest bushes. Picture a mustard seed lying in a person's hand. It is real and it is small. Just imagine the potential for growth and use. So it is with faith: faith is "as a grain of mustard seed." It is real and small, yet it has enormous power for growth and use and for ministry. A mountain can represent any problem, or difficulty, in the life of the believer. Our Lord used this occasion to teach an even greater truth. The reason for the impotency of the disciples was their lack of faith. He went on to describe that if they had faith as small as a mustard seed they could do anything. It is not faith which moves mountains. Rather, it is God who moves mountains. However, God is motivated to act as we trust Him. When God gets into the picture nothing is impossible. Questions to Consider: · Am I fully aware of all the power I am offered through faith in Jesus Christ? · What does this tell me about my faith? What do I need to change? · Are you facing any mountains right now in your life of faith as a believer? Points to Ponder: · Pray in faith and the Lord will show you how to deal with the mountain problem. · He will not necessarily remove the problem, but He will show you how to handle it. · His grace and guidance will sustain you and your faith can even be strengthened. Prayer, Father in Heaven, I am so grateful for how You grow me in my faith. Though there are circumstances I would not have the courage to choose, they do their work in me and that grows my faith in You. Thank you for everything that teaches me to know You in a fuller, richer relationship. I ask You to mature me in faith so that, through You, nothing will be impossible. Help me to trust You regardless of my circumstance, simply trusting You for who You are. 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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