What To Do When You’re Sinking? (Matthew 14:30-31)
Matthew 14:30-31, “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” The mighty disciple had just done the impossible, he challenged the Lord to let him walk upon the sea, the Lord bid him to come, and so the disciple leaped onto the waters and started walking. He had experienced what only one other man had ever experienced, that other man was the Lord. As Peter took one step after another, he realized what was happening, the impossible was happening, his fleshly nature got the best of him. Peter took his eyes off the Lord. He began to look around, instead of seeing Jesus, he saw the raging storm, he saw the waves, he felt the mighty wind, he became afraid and started to sink. Often times, we enter into the place of wonderful experiences, and things seem to be going so wonderful, so great. Then, like Peter, we take our eyes off of the Lord, we look at the circumstances of life, and we began to sink. It is a fact that when you take your eyes off of the Lord, you will go under. It is a fact, not a probability, if you stop looking at the Lord, trouble is heading your way. In his moment of despair, Peter did something that was so right, he cried out to his Lord, “Lord, Save Me”!!! In our moment of distress we must learn to find Jesus and cry out to Him. He is available, He is able, and He wants to help. When the storms of life rage, God wants us to keep our eyes on Jesus, Lord of the wind and waves. No matter what is happening or will come your way, God is in complete control, working for your good and His glory. Wait in faith—let Him guide and sustain you even in the storms of life. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER, God, I confess I’ve allowed myself to be distracted, and I don’t want to be anymore. Please forgive me. I want to trust You. Give me the strength and self-control I need to fix my eyes on You. Help me to keep my attention on my Saviour 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. I want to hear Your voice. 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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God’s Spiritual Scalpel (Hebrews 4:12)
Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Gipsy Smith told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible, although he had “gone through it several times.” “Let it go through you once,” replied Smith, “Then you will tell a different story!” Gaylord Kambarami, the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Zimbabwe, tried to give a New Testament to a very belligerent man. The man insisted he would roll the pages and use them to make cigarettes. Mr. Kambarami said, “I understand that, but at least promise to read the pages of the New Testament before you smoke it.” The man agreed, and the two went their separate ways. Fifteen years later, the two men met at a convention in Zimbabwe. The Scripture-smoking pagan had been saved and was now a full-time evangelist. He told the audience, “I smoked Matthew, and I smoked Mark, and I smoked Luke. But when I got to John 3:16, I couldn’t smoke anymore. My life was changed from that moment.” The Bible is more than just words on paper! God’s Word is likened to a spiritual scalpel. The word sword here is more in the sense of scalpel used for surgery rather than a long sword. The emphasis is not upon the length of the blade, but upon the razor sharpness thereof. It is quick living. It is also is also powerful in that it is effective and effectual. God’s Word has the surgical sharpness to pierce deeper than our mind and into our heart. The Word of God can accomplish so much in our lives if we simply take the time to open it and be receptive to what it has to say. God’s Word surpasses logic and psychology. It pierces directly to the human heart (our spirit), just as the surgeon’s knife goes to the marrow. Let’s consider our body for an example. Within the leg is the bone which is not visible even as our mind is not physically visible. However, even deeper still is the marrow even as our spirit {or spiritual heart} resides at the deepest level of human existence. The difference between a surgeon and a butcher is a surgeon uses the scalpel for restoring and healing whereas that butcher uses the cleaver for slaughtering. Scripture is like a scalpel wielded by God to perform spiritual surgery. In conjunction with the Holy Spirit, the Word of God cuts through the sin and darkness of the human heart to restore spiritual health and vitality for Christ. Without the Word, we are as good as dead. God’s Word, however, eliminates the disease of the human heart and breathes life where there is death. We face much difficulty in our life, and we will face many trials as we walk on this earth. The Lord has the power and desire to comfort us during any trial we face (II Corinthians 1:3-4). R.A. Torrey taught that one way to fullness of power was to be full of the Word of God. What does the Bible have the power to do? The power of God's Word produces courage, helps us live for God, and take a strong stand for what is right. We who love God understand firsthand how great the Scripture is. It has worked in our heart and we have never been the same since. The Bible is our spiritual lifeline and brings us the essential spiritual nourishment we need to live for God. Our relationship grows deeper with Jesus when we get in the Word of God and apply it to our life. Without Scripture we have no direction from God and will wander in the wilderness spiritually. The Bible is our foundation and this is what we build our life on. Prayer: Lord, I know that Your Word has the power to transform my life. Forgive me for the times I have just skimmed over Your Word rather than planting it deep in my heart. As I take it into my heart and get it deep into my soul, I ask You to use Your Word to release its power in my life! 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 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). The Lord desires many qualities from us. A couple of these are a humble and a teachable spirit. May we value His presence and counsel (Psalm 32:7), trust him completely (Psalm 32:10), rejoice in him and continue to do what is right (Psalm 32:11). 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 point to the same promise. We should also be comforted to know that the Lord’s eye is always upon us. We are never out of His sight. God knows everything about us, even our hearts. His diligent, all-seeing eye assures us that He knows our way and will do what He must to guide us along the path of righteousness (Romans 8:28). We are never outside of His loving care (Romans 8:35-39). God who knows all and sees all knows far better than us, and He is pleading with us to follow His instructions. Unfortunately, every day many reject His guidance. Joy and fulfillment are 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 to and fullness of 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 that purpose for your life every day. We are not left to our own resources when it comes to obeying the Lord and walking righteously. God promises to provide sufficient instruction and guidance. How does the Lord teach and direct His children? Through His Holy Word and His Holy Spirit. 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. How do we receive this direction from the Lord? Here are at least three ways the Lord instructs us in the way that He is leading us. 1. His Scriptures: God uses His Word to instruct us. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). In the darkness of our uncertainty, God uses the light of His Word to direct our steps. 2. His Spirit: God has also given us His Holy Spirit, who lives within us from the moment we receive Christ as Saviour. God uses His Spirit to instruct us. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (I Corinthians 2:12). There are some things in life that we will not discover any other way than the Holy Spirit teaching them to us through personal study of and the preaching of God’s Word. 3. His Servants: God also uses godly counsel to instruct us. “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” (Proverbs 19:20–21) God has provided everything we need to live in obedience to Him (II Peter 1:3-4). With His Word to instruct us, His indwelling Spirit to lead us, and His watchful eye over us. Reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word are all essential in order to achieve victory over sin. 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. 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Matthew 4:19-20, “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” On January 22, 1886, Evangelist Dwight L. Moody addressed his church members in Chicago saying: "I tell you what, and what I have on my heart I believe we have got to have gap-men, men to stand between the laity and the ministers; men who are trained to do city mission work. Take men that have the gifts and train them for the work of reaching the people." This formal meeting, held at Farwell Hall, resulted in the group founding the Chicago Evangelization Society, which was later renamed the Moody Bible Institute. During that same year, Moody was in New York City when he met William Evans. Evans was a 16 year old boy working as a typesetter. Moody was impressed with Evans and told him to pack his trunk and head for "my school in Chicago." Evans was on his way within days, becoming Moody's first graduate. William Evans held various Presbyterian pastorates, and, after several years, became Director of the Bible Course at Moody Bible Institute. He then served for three years as dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA). He was also a respected Christian author and leader. And it all started when he had the courage to leave everything and to follow Jesus. Jesus saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew, throwing their net into the water (Matthew 4:18). They had already met Jesus in Judea the day after His baptism (John 1:35-42). Simon and Andrew, who were called by Christ, were brothers who worked together. The fact that they were working together says at least three things: they had good parents who had taught them to love and care for one another; they came from a closely knit family, a family that worked together; and they followed and obeyed the teaching of their parents while maintaining a brotherly spirit throughout life. There is one essential thing for serving Christ that must be stressed among God's people - cooperation, a nature and willingness to serve together (I Corinthians 12:12-31; Acts 11:25-26; Philippians 2:19-20). Jesus invited them to follow Him, and Simon and Andrew left their nets to follow Jesus. Their lives change forever. In Jesus' day, disciples would literally, and physically, follow their masters or teachers to learn from them and imitate them. Today, we follow Jesus through Bible study and church attendance. Discipleship can be summed up in one word: follow. What does it take to follow Jesus? It is called discipleship. Discipleship is the personal pursuit of Jesus that is created in the heart of a believer to believe like Him and to live like Him. Christ is not interested in cheap invitations. Too often the call to discipleship is to receive the great benefits and advantages offered by God. They involve an unbelievable cost, the supreme sacrifice. A person must pay the ultimate price. There is a distinction between being a believer and a disciple. All disciples are believers, but not all believers, by any means, are disciples. To bear one’s cross was a symbol of trouble, trials, affliction, persecution, and shame. It was a symbol of crucifixion. The greater truth Jesus illustrated is that discipleship and serving Him involve not only coming after Him (as the multitude with Him were presently doing), but sacrifice, trouble, persecution, and possibly death. It’s not easy to serve Him as a faithful disciple. As it was then, it is true today. There was no delay in obeying Christ's calling. This verse is an example for us that this is the only way to respond to Divine commands. It is interesting that Jesus’ first and last statement to Peter was “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19; John 21:22). “God’s call is for you to be His loyal friend, for whatever purpose He has for your life.” – Oswald Chambers What does it take to follow Jesus? Everything. To live your life, you have to lose it. What is my level of commitment to Jesus Christ? As I look at the description of a true disciple above, what do I need to grow in? How will I do that? Whatever the price is to follow Christ, it is more than compensated for by the rewards of following Him. I must testify that every time the LORD has called me to follow His leading in His work, I have followed. He has never failed in giving peace and provision. I must say that I have seen already in my lifetime, much fruit from the laboring in Tennessee, Arkansas, New York, Mississippi, Georgia, Belize, and now Florida and abroad. Question to Consider: Is God leading you to do something for Him in your life? Is He directing you to serve Him through your church? Points to Ponder: Don’t silence Him through doubt, delay, or disobedience, but follow His direction. Remember to always be sensitive to the Lord’s direction. PRAYER: Father, I want to be a true, totally committed Christ follower. Enable me by Your Spirit to passionately, deeply, and completely follow You. Make me into the disciple You want me to be. 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 His Life For Mine (Romans 5:8)
Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The following are a few of the numerous Scriptures regarding Christ giving His life for us (John 3:16; 11:50; Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:17-19). The deepest, most profound, and most edifying subjects in all the Word of God is found in II Corinthians 5:21, “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!” He died in our place so that when we die we will never spend eternity in Hell separated from the LORD. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). For the believer, there is no possibility of condemnation! The most marvelous thing that ever took place upon the earth was Jesus Christ, God the eternal Son, was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him! Jesus Christ not only died in our place, but He has also taken our punishment and our charges (Romans 3:21-26) and there is no sin in Him (II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5). Substitution is the core doctrine of Christianity. This is the rock upon which our hopes are built. This is the only hope of the sinner and the only true joy of all saints. These two things (Christ being made sin, and us being made righteousness) could only be accomplished by substitution. There was no possible way for the Lord of glory to be made sin except by imputation. And there is no way by which any man can be made righteousness, except by imputation. It is a legal matter. At Calvary, Christ became sin for us and we became righteousness in Him. As surely as Christ was made sin, all of those for whom He died are made righteous. Impute means to put on someone's account; to charge something to another’s account. We had a debt we owed that we could never pay (Romans 5:12). Jesus is the payer of our sin debt. It means that Jesus places His righteousness upon our record when we trust upon Him for salvation. Imputation is the act of God whereby our sins are put on Christ’s account and His righteousness is put on our account. It means that Jesus took our sins upon His record and then placed His righteousness upon our record. What a wonderful truth! To think that Jesus would bare our sins upon His own body and suffer the crucifixion for us. Jesus would place all His righteousness upon our record so that we might be viewed upon by God as having the righteousness of Christ. Now that is a loving God! If we take it for what it means, it can affect our lives in understanding how much the Lord Jesus Christ loves us. We can never understand the depths of wisdom and grace revealed in the substitutionary death of Christ. But we who have seen Him dying in our stead should never cease to worship, adore, love, and trust our merciful Redeemer. Jesus earnestly wants to impute your sin to His record and impute His righteousness to your record. If you will receive Christ’s righteousness, He will impute His righteousness to your account so that when you stand before God, you will stand before Him as though you have never sinned; not because your sinless, but because your account has been settled. If you would like to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, it all begins when you say yes to Jesus and let Him become your Saviour. All you must do to be saved is admit your guilty condition before God for violating His holy Law (Romans 3:19), and then trust Jesus to wash away your sins with His shed blood. PRAYER: Father I thank You for Jesus who paid the sin debt that I owed and could never repay. 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 Spiritual Fog (Psalm 119:105)
Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” There have already been several mornings this year where we have seen a fog in our area. A fog is the result of air being cooled to the point where it can no longer hold all of the water vapor it contains. It takes a lot of effort to get out of bed on these foggy, gloomy mornings. For some, gloom can have a serious impact on their outlook on life. The fog causes limited visibility and one can only see so far ahead. The fog can cause you to become disoriented. When we are on a busy schedule, and with all the disruptions, we can easily drown God out. The busyness of life can often cause one to focus primarily on self, causing us not to prioritize on the Lord. Fog creeps in making me lose clarity on my situation. It’s very hard to make wise decisions when the direction is distorted. God is working behind the scenes. It would be easy to think He was actually absent, but this is not true. It’s only when the sun begins to rise that the fog gets thinner. We have to wait for God to burn off the spiritual fog, the fog of confusion or disillusionment. Then are we able to see clearly. The Lord often tests us with spiritual fogs in life. Fogs cause us to slow down in life or to learn to wait! During these times, we are not to be hasty about decisions. When you cannot see clearly, it is the time to stop and wait. Wait until the fog lifts no matter how much pressure is put on you by man or other things. Many are so impatient when in waiting mode. Psalm 5:3, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” We must be mindful that there are spiritual fogs. Walking in the Spirit is not denying the fact that the fog exists in our lives. Walking in the Spirit helps us to keep our eyes on what God has said in His Word in spite of the presence of the fog. Walking in the Spirit helps us to see through the fog that surrounds us. Walking in the Spirit is having a clear and present awareness of the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives. When nothing is normal, so to speak, stop and look at the consistency of God’s Word. It’s here you can say, “I know I’m on the right path. He’s led me here, but it’s foggy right now”. When God’s silence seems deafening, go back to what you know is true and wait for God to show you more. Stand there and trust that the LORD will give you clear direction. Just as the sun burns away the foggy mist in the air that we may see clearly, the Son gives us clarity of mind that we may focus on what He has before us. It doesn’t always “feel” good when we wait. We must learn discipline to wait on the LORD. In His time, He will give us our release. The LORD knows the rest of the story; however, He wants us to know that we can believe Him. Why? He wants us to see our own heart. If we cannot wait on God, we will get into trouble. This is a time of testing for many. Stand on what God has already told you in His Word. There are times and seasons when we must trust even though we can’t see a thing. I’m waiting on exciting pieces of God’s giant puzzle to fit together in my life. So wait. Knowing you worship a sovereign God Who is in control. And in His perfect timing, the fog will be lifted and the light will shine clearly and perfectly on the path He has chosen for me. I was allowing God’s light in only a little, therefore, the fog had been thinning but still existent. God’s message was loud and clear. I needed to let His light shine in full radiance on my fog-filled life. Once I do my part, His light will naturally burn away the fog. I need to do my part willingly and not just as an act of obedience. Do as He asks cheerfully and be ready to receive His promises to you! Allow His light to shine in full radiance in your life! As you do, the fog will be lifted and His light will clearly shine through your life! PRAYER: Thank You that You do not give me confusion, but You give me clarity. Your Word instructs me, Your people counsel me, and Your Spirit leads me. Help me to fill up on the Word, to seek wise advice, and to rely on Your Spirit who is always with me. 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 Be Affectionate One to Another (Romans 12:10)
Romans 12:10, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another…” Two outlooks of love are addressed here. • Regard for the saints. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." The words "kindly affectioned" indicate a family love for one another. Christians are members of one family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to love one another because we are brethren (I Thessalonians 4:9; I Peter 1:22). Believers are to love each other in a family way. Paul is saying that we should love one another as if we are related. Loving the saved is proof of salvation. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (I John 3:14). Loving the brethren also tells the world that we are Jesus' follower. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35). Having just explained what real Biblical love is Paul calls on us to make application by honoring and preferring others. Jesus stressed the importance of brotherly love. Brotherly love is one of the traits by which the world will know that we are Christians. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him” (I John 5:1). Paul is telling us that our relationships in the Body of Christ should carry the authenticity of family. It represents two or more friends who love each other just as deeply as if they were members of the same family. We should indeed love each other as if we are genuinely blood brothers and sisters. In fact, our love for one another should be so profound that we hold one another in honor. • Respect for the saints. "In honor preferring one another" (Romans 12::10). "In honor" means "in reverence, deference, or respect." It means to treat someone or something as valuable and precious. To show genuine appreciation and admiration for others. We are to have a love for all brethren, regardless of their status of being either rich or poor, young or old, black or white. In honor, we are to be preferring one another. The word "preferring" means "to go before and lead." This involves deferring or yielding to the other person. We are to yield the right-of-way. This is true humility. The idea is that we are to allow others to be first. It is letting the other guy be out front. Paul admonished the Philippians, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3). Preferring the spouse, friend, or family member you are with above yourself will not only please the Lord but will also improve your time together. Real love is putting others first. We understand that every human being is created in the image of God. Honoring another above ourselves means to listen to the other person, to be most aware of his or her hopes, joys, needs, and fears, and to be considerate. We are created in the image and in the likeness of the Creator, but also Christ is in us. Paul is calling on Christians to outdo one another in bestowing honor to one another. Our proper treatment of other believers in love is linked to having a proper love for and worship of God. A love between friends that is authentic, sincere, tender, and warm. It gives the idea of an appreciation so great that you would prefer to see the person you love succeed even more than you want to see your own success. This means there is no room for jealousy or competition. You truly desire the very best for this person because you love him so deeply. It represents the attitude of a person who values a friend so highly that he deeply desires the very best to come to pass for his friend. Praise God that has given you godly relationships. You are blessed with genuine friends who love you like family; who treat you like a brother (or sister); who will walk with you for many years to come. Look for ways to grow closer and closer to the Lord and your family. As God has blessed you with dear friends, He is teaching you how to be a better friend to those who are near you. Points to Ponder: God did not create any relationship to benefit one person and not the other. Choose today to put others above yourself. Look for ways to bless them, and God will in turn bless you. Questions to Consider: 1. Are some of your relationships so precious that you hold them to be as dear to you as family? 2. If so, have you taken the time to really express to them how much you love them? 3. What can you do to improve your skills to become a better friend? Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the incredible friendships You have placed in my life. I am blessed to have such loving, faithful, and true relationships. When I think of all the people who live such lonely lives, it makes me want to stop and express my gratefulness to You for placing such precious people in my life. Lord, I also ask You to please help me see those who need to be loved so I can include them as a part of my life. I want to give to others the love and support that I have received. Holy Spirit, help me to start doing this today. 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 leave 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 are 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’s 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 The Kings Renovation & Recognition (Ezra 7:27-28)
Ezra 7:27-28, “Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” Ezra concluded by thanking and praising God for having put such things into the heart of the king for the further beautification of the Temple. Moreover, he thanked God for granting such mercy before the rulers of Persia. He again noted God’s hand upon him. Therefore, he began to gather together out of Israel chief men to go up with him to Jerusalem. Ezra knew who had done the work, and he blessed the Lord because of all that God accomplished. God would accomplish His work, He would choose a king, and He would put it into the heart of the king to beautify the temple in Jerusalem. God tells us in His Word how He leads people in Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” God was the One who controlled the king's heart and made him act so favorably toward the work of the Temple in Jerusalem. God put this into the king’s heart, and Ezra knew that God’s mercy had prospered all he had done. Ezra blessed God and explained how He had extended His steadfast love to him. Ezra studied the Bible and prayed, and God showed him mercy. This reminds me of the psalmists prayer. Psalm 119:10, “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” Psalm 119:135, “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.” Dallas Willard (1935-2013) taught philosophy for 48 years at the University of Southern California. Dallas emphasized the importance of intentionally choosing to live your daily life in ways you believe Jesus would live it if He were you. He considered spiritual exercises like prayer, service, study, worship, solitude, and fasting as an important means of an intentional decision to grow in Christ likeness through God’s grace. After battling stage four cancer, he finished his life on May 8, 2013, with these last two words, "Thank you." He died like he lived, with gratitude overflowing from his relationship with Jesus Christ. We have so much for which to be thankful. Jeremiah put it this way in Lamentations 3:22-23, “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” The hand of the Lord was upon Ezra and the Jewish people. Because of God’s hand, the king had a desire to beautify God’s house in Jerusalem. That was a big deal to him, and it should be a big deal to God’s people, too. The mercy that Ezra received from the leader in Persia was not taken for granted. Ezra was very grateful for them and what God had done in their hearts. Thank God for the mercy the Lord has given to us and for His mercy on our families and our ministries. God’s hand strengthened Ezra and enabled him to carry out the task that God called him to do. God equips those whom He calls, and He equipped Ezra and provided for him. He can do that for you, too. Thank God for His hand of care, concern, compassion, consideration, comfort, and control. God’s power is at work through this man Ezra, who set his heart to study, do, and teach the Word. Ezra left us with a strong example of a faithful servant. We, too, must be faithful with all that God has given us, whether talents, abilities, or opportunities. We are to carefully and wisely use what God has given. We are to use our skills and abilities as a strong witness to further the kingdom of God, to bring Him more glory. So it is with the responsibilities and duties assigned us. We are not to neglect, nor fail to carry out, any task entrusted to us, whether at work, home, school, or anywhere else. When a responsibility is set before us, we are to tackle and complete the work, giving a strong witness of diligence in serving the Lord. God can use you to make to an impact for Him. We have such a sweet spirit within our church family, made up of people whose hearts truly desire to bring glory to God. The Lord has blessed our church with talents, and they are using their talents and sacrificing so much of their time for the entire church family. Please pray with us and for us as we continue to labor for the Lord. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com 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: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And 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, “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, “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. And 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:
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 MANY PEOPLE AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN? WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES YOU HAVE AVAILABLE? 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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