Chiseling at Cherith (I Kings 17:3)
I Kings 17:3, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. The setting of this story is after God allowed Elijah to announce a drought upon the land in the presence of the wicked king Ahab. The Lord spoke to His servant and sent him deep into the wilderness at the brook Cherith. The Lord had promised to take care of Elijah as he hid out by the brook. At Cherith, Elijah found protection, provision and preparation from the Lord. God faithfully and continually provided His prophet water and food in land of famine. God not only controls the rain but also the whole natural order. He even controls the ravens, ceremonially unclean creatures now used for God’s purposes of sustaining the prophet’s life. We know God provides for the birds of the air, and here He uses the birds of the air to provide for His prophet. Elijah was looking ultimately to the God Who reigns over nature for daily food and water, not to the raven or the brook. God also provided a raven to feed him bread and meat every morning and evening. Elijah recalled the wilderness meal plan. God provides “daily bread” in Matthew 6:11 and actually provides it more abundantly than in the wilderness, for Elijah ate both bread and meat twice a day in Exodus 16:8, 12-13. God was hiding His servant in the wilderness so that He can mold his faith. The most powerful servants of God are those that allow time to be alone with God. We live in such busy times that it seems as if people are afraid to be alone. The phone is always ringing, the television is blaring loudly, the house is filled with family or friends and we allow no time for God. I wonder if we are afraid to hear the voice of God. It is often difficult for God to get past all of the stuff so that He can speak to His children. We must find our place like Cherith, for in finding this place we can find the voice of God. In this place God will cut away the unusable and unneeded things from our lives and He will mold us into something useful and wonderful. Elijah sat by the brook and allowed God to minister to him by sending the ravens with his daily supply of bread and meat. It must have been an unusual time in the life of Elijah as he watched this take place from day to day. God sent Elijah to Cherith. Cherith means "a cutting place." God puts us through those cutting and chiseling times to mold and prepare us for future service. Cherith comes before the Mt. Carmel’s of our life. The cross comes before the crown. Trials come before blessings. At Cherith Brook, God will cut off the rough edges of Elijah's life. Cherith was the place of loneliness, uncertainty, waiting and hardship. God uses these elements to develop our character and knock off our rough edges. At some point in our lives, God will send us to “our Cherith’s”. PRAYER: Lord, help me to never forget that the places and circumstances You place me in are for my good and for Your Glory. Thank You for always meeting my needs. I trust that You will use these times to draw others closer 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
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Freedom through Forgiveness (I John 1:7)
I John 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. André Cassagnes, the French-born inventor was in his early thirties when he created a plastic device with a glass screen on which children could draw by turning little knobs. Since the inside surface of the screen was coated with aluminum powder, moving the knobs resulted in drawing images on the screen as an unseen movable stylus scraped away the powder. By turning the device upside down and shaking it, the little black images would magically disappear. Cassagnes called his little invention "L'Ecran Magique," or "the magic screen." The Ohio Art Company renamed Cassagnes's toy Etch A Sketch and began distributing it in the United States beginning in 1960. Since that time more than 100 million of the little laptop drawing machines have been sold allowing it to be named one of the top 100 toys of the 20th century. It's unlikely that André Cassagnes had any idea the toy he created in his basement over a half century ago would become so popular. It's also unlikely that he imagined his hand-held creation would provide Christians with such a powerful illustration of grace. Like an Etch A Sketch, sin makes it mark on the screen of our lives. The evidence of our disobedience is indisputable. It's not a pretty picture, but when we trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the blotches of sin on the screen of our lives are erased and we are made like new. The principle of cleansing and a new beginning is seen in David’s life in Psalm 51. David devastated not only his life, but the lives of Bathsheba and Uriah by his wickedness. Uriah was dead and Bathsheba was pregnant from her adulterous affair with King David. David sought God’s forgiveness for what he had done. He wanted a new beginning in his life and realized that cleansing was an important factor in starting over again. Part of the great gift of salvation is not only that our sins have been forgiven, but that God never holds them against us again. Once we have confessed and forsaken our sins, God welcomes us back into full fellowship with Him, and He restores the joy that we forfeit when we sin. Satan always tries to obscure what we lose when he tempts us to sin. But God is faithful to forgive, and while there may be lasting consequences for what we have done, He never holds our sin against us again when we seek forgiveness. PRAYER: Lord, You are so faithful in accepting our heartfelt repentance and giving us a clean heart and a right spirit within us when we acknowledge guilt and the sin that produced it. Thank You that when we come to You brokenhearted for mercy, You are ready to forgive and restore. In particular, thank You for the times You have restored to me the joy of my salvation. I know I can’t be free any other way. In Jesus’ freedom-giving 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 Take Time Today to Rejoice in your Relationship with Jesus (Psalm 68:19)
Psalm 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." David wanted to praise the Lord with all that was within him. That was true in David’s day. How much more is it true today? God is the source of all these blessings. The blessings are not sporadic but daily. Everyday God blesses us. God is not tightfisted with His blessings. He piles blessings on top of blessings. He loads us to overflowing with blessings. Truly, He has daily loaded us with blessings. Daily we need to be reminding ourselves and giving thanks for the Lord’s benefits. Therefore, we have a duty to bless the God of our salvation. If that was true then, how much more so now! “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). To bless the Lord means to show admiration for the Lord as we thank and praise Him. The benefits of the Lord are, indeed, great and marvelous and it would be an act of ingratitude not to remember and appreciate them. When considering His benefits we have the great gift of eternal life through faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption. We have it every day of the year and are daily ready to meet the Lord, whenever He calls. Each day we have the indwelling presence of His Spirit, the illuminating guidance of His Word, the daily provision of all real needs and the assurance of His love. He has surely loaded us with benefits! Thank the Lord for the blessings of salvation you can enjoy right now. What a wonderful privilege to know Jesus Christ personally! Because of salvation we will someday enjoy a home in Heaven, a sinless body and eternity with Christ. We all look forward to our future with Jesus Christ, but it's easy to forget about the benefits of salvation for today. Since God is the source of all our blessings He deserves the full measure of our praise. If we honestly assess all that the Lord has done for us, it will not take long for us to begin rejoicing that He daily loadeth us with benefits. Let's take a moment to remember a few of the many blessings we can enjoy every day as Christians.
Prayer, Father in Heaven, forgive me for complaining of the things I don’t have and create in my heart a spirit of contentment for the things I do have. I never again want to fail to thank You and praise You for Your daily blessings. I understand that many of the blessings You have blessed me with are for the purpose of blessing others. Help me to make these blessings count. 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 Communicate to a Person who has Invested in You and Tell Them You Appreciate Them (Acts 9:27)
Acts 9:27, But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. The Bible gives us examples of the power of personal investment and how it inspired the recipient to the high ground of moral excellence. Making the investment to influence others can be seen in Scripture. Barnabas clearly mentored Paul; Elijah influenced Elisha; and Moses prepared Joshua. Jesus invested much in Peter. In spite of his failings, Jesus was determined to do well on His investment in His disciple. Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep.” Peter went on to lead the early church in evangelistic impact that brought thousands into Heaven. He was faithful to the end, dying a martyr’s death. Paul poured his life into Timothy and urged him to press on fearlessly in the face of opposition. He charged Timothy, II Timothy 2:2, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Paul visualized a faithful finish for Timothy, one that would impact future generations with the truth. To influence someone is the power to motivate and lead a person to make a crucial choice in their life. Your life is the result of many loving investors who have sacrificed considerably for your success. Reflect on those who have invested in you encouraging you. Listen to the wise people the Lord has placed in your life. Those who led you to Christ, taught your Sunday school classes, or discipled you in the faith. Remember the investment of parents, teachers, pastors, authority figures, or work supervisors who have provided for you in so many ways. What about the friends who have helped you, encouraged your faith and strengthened you in tough times? What about the family members who have sacrificed time, money and prayers on your behalf? As you run your race visualize them in the stands. They love you and want the very best for you. Those who have invested their lives in you deserve a good return on their investment. A lot of people have sacrificed for you and have invested in you. Make them proud. Who will you impact? We all have something to contribute: our example, testimony, investment, prayer, patience, instruction, wise counsel, giving, serving, etc. We all can and must invest in others! We can make a difference! Prayer: LORD, help me to always honor those who have invested their lives in me as I journey on the path of life. Help me to siege every opportunity You give me to positively impact those You allow me to cross paths with. Help me to live a life that will influence others to have a desire to want to know You. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Expressing Your Attitude of Gratitude (II Thessalonians 2:13)
Once again Paul writes the believers at Thessalonica, expressing his thanks for them, but he also wrote that they were beloved of God. That in itself should bear encouragement. Being thankful is not optional or something for extra credit, but it is mandatory. We owe it to God. When we thank God, we give credit to Him. That honors and praises God. Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly displaces our sinful tendency to complain and, in so doing, releases joy and blessing into our lives. Thankfulness is the ideal replacement for complaining. Sometimes we think that we are thankful people, but too often we neglect to express our gratitude. II Thessalonians 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” Often this is the result of failure to appreciate what we have. Gratitude is a Vital Virtue Here are two reasons gratitude is a vital virtue for spiritual development: 1. God requires our thanksgiving. The most important reason we express gratitude is because God requires we offer Him our thanks. God takes our gratitude, or lack thereof, extremely seriously. We are always required to give God what He is due, including our thankfulness. Everyone can make the decision to give thanks and acknowledge the goodness of God 2. Gratitude keeps our focus on God (and off ourselves). When we develop a habit of gratitude we are constantly asking two questions: “For what should I be grateful?” and “To whom do I owe thanks?” The more we express our gratitude the more our eyes are opened to the benevolence of God and His generosity in bestowing us with goodness and blessings. When we see how much we owe to God it helps to reduce our own self-centeredness. When we ponder on all the good things we have because of God’s grace and rejoice in the Lord our hearts will erupt with gratitude. Gratitude heals our hearts. It displaces lethal complaining. It opens our eyes to the innumerable graces of God in our everyday lives. In our hurry through life, we neglect gratitude. Rather than rushing off to the next thing, spend some time thanking Jesus for specific gifts in your life. Make a gratitude list.
Prayer, Heavenly Father, please forgive my shallow, immature, faith-choking ingratitude. You shower me with Your blessings, yet how rarely I stop to truly thank You. Thank You for all that You have done for me. Please replace my complaints with thanks. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. 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 Restore a Wounded Friend (Galatians 6:1)
All Christians now and then will make a mistake and fall into sin. The Bible commands us in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” As Christians, we have some duties. The spiritual Christians are to restore the fallen. We are to do it prayerfully and carefully. Christian duty is not to condemn or criticize the wayward brother, but is to restore him to a proper position. As brethren had fallen into such sin, it was the duty of those who were spiritual to restore them. In the restoration process, there must be discipline and repentance, but those who are spiritual should aim to restore that person with gentleness. We see here, that someone has fallen into sin and we see how we are to restore them. The first reaction we should have when another Christian falls into sin is restoration; and repair back to completeness. Notice: The word “restore” means to repair, or mend, what has been broken. This fallen brother needs someone to tenderly help him. He needs to be restored and reinstated with all gentleness. In the ministry, we are taking broken lives and letting God put them together. Patiently, we are to deal with him, helping him to confess and forsake his sin and be restored to spiritual health. The spiritual brother is to restore the one who is overtaken. Not just anyone in the church should do this, but a spiritual brother, one that is spiritual with an attitude of restoration. He is to restore the fallen one in the spirit of meekness; not meanness. When someone falls we are to help them get back on their feet without harsh criticism. As God’s children we need each other to help us through those times. Yes, there are real impacts from sin that cannot be ignored or overlooked. But rather than writing people off because they have done wrong, we need to humbly reach out to them in love and do what we can to help them put the pieces back together. We need to consider ourselves; although we are saved, we too can be tempted. We are to take a good look at ourselves and realize that we have weaknesses and may be tempted to fall (Romans 7:18). Notice: If it were not for the grace of God we would be doing the same thing. Application: We can all be tempted with the same sin that this person has been overtaken in. One day we too may fall and we will need help from a spiritual brother in Christ to restore us. We are all capable of sin.
Prayer, Heavenly Father, too often I see others who are stranded on the highway of life. Help me to be more passionate concerning the care and restoration for others who have fallen. As Your Word and Spirit does surgery on their heart, may they understand that only You can satisfy their longing soul and fill their hungry heart. 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 Uplifting a Friend Who is Lonely or Hurting (Proverbs 18:24)
Proverbs 18:24, A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Loneliness is a big obstacle to perseverance. Sometimes you can even feel isolated in a crowd. Whatever is going on in your heart and life today understand everybody goes through loneliness at some point in life—even the apostle Paul. Paul was experiencing loneliness. “Who really understands me? How many people do I know that have really walked the road that I'm walking?” In II Timothy 4, Paul is nearing the end of his life. Paul is wrapping up his second letter to Timothy, he writes, II Timothy 4:9, “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me.” Now that is a pretty vulnerable request. In a manner of words Paul said, “Son, I don’t mind telling you that I need you ASAP!” (I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2) Sufferers often struggle with feeling isolated and alone. One of their biggest needs is to have people reach out and pursue a relationship with them. If you are a Christian who has faced suffering in your life then you have probably encountered a fellow Christian who wanted to provide comfort and help to you. Communicating with people going through a difficult time can mean a lot. It really makes difference to a hurting friend, or fellow Christian, knowing that we are thinking of and praying for them. Even if it’s just a few brief words of encouragement expressing your love and prayer support. And, of course, you could stop by their home, or hospital room, to visit and pray with them. Human friendships are part of God’s gift to us. As we live in the reality of these truths, and thus, grow in faith and trust each day that we suffer we begin to recognize some of the ways God shows His compassion for us. We begin to appreciate His compassion in giving us family and friends as well as the beauty and comfort of His nature; the blessings we so often take for granted. We begin to notice and recognize His compassions, unexpected help from a stranger, an encouraging note, a faithful pet curled up at our feet or in our lap, or a biography of a Christian who has gone through suffering. We begin to thank our Heavenly Father for an amplified awareness and a greater appreciation of His loving kindness. We begin to realize that "all things" really does mean all things. And even when we feel that our various needs for comfort and encouragement are not being met as we would like, in any and all disappointing and hurting situations we can take hope in the midst of our hurts because we know that God is faithful in His commitment to our welfare--today and forever. Finally, we have all the Biblical promises of an eternal future with our Lord in Heaven. This life is only a brief moment compared to eternity. The hurts of today will soon be gone forever. For the Christian, there is surely hope in the midst of hurt! Prayer: Father, we thank You that You came to us in the person of your Son, Jesus Christ. You did not forget us and You did not leave us alone. We bless You for remembering us in our misery and coming to save us through Christ the Lord. You clothed Your Son with human flesh so that He might be our Saviour. 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 Use What’s God Given (I Peter 4:11)
I Peter 4:11, If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Winston Churchill said, “To each there comes in his or her lifetime a special moment when they are tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very a special thing, unique to them and fitted for their talent. What a tragedy if that moments finds them unprepared or un qualified for that which could have been their finest hour”. You can’t always be what you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be. That’s because He assigns and directs us. Whenever God calls you for an assignment, He will equip you for the service. He supplies every believer with the ability to serve. Do the best you can and use the talents God has given you. The forests would be very silent if only the birds that sang their best chose to sing. Every car dealer, new or used, sells vehicles that has an engine in it. There are different sizes of the cylinders in the motors. Some cars have four, some six, some eight, and some that’s even bigger than that. The motors have different horsepower and come with different warranties. No car dealer would ever dare to sell a car or truck without a motor. The vehicle is no good without the engine. It can take you nowhere without the engine. With the use of the vehicle comes wear and tear and the necessity to service the vehicle. If the vehicle is going to be of service to you then you’ll periodically need to service it. It is good to get the oil changed, the radiator flushed, the spark plugs changed, the air filter changed, the oil filter changed to maintain the optimum performance from your engine. God has given every believer the power to serve Him. He has supplied every believer the ability to do what He calls for us to do. In the service of the Lord we must daily come to the Lord for service so that we can be of service to Him. When a car is of no use, or the engine is blown, the car usually ends up in a junk yard and is sold piece by piece for spare parts. There is no spiritual junkyard for God’s saints. We can and should serve Jesus until He takes us home. Because Jesus is coming again, we are to faithfully serve Him with the power that He supplies! Within every local body of believers God has given the ability to His people to do His work in His way. We should never brag or boast about what we can do for Jesus because without the Lord’s supply we could do nothing for Him. PRAYER: Lord, help me not to neglect the gifts You have given me. Help me to take advantage of the opportunities You give me. Give me the courage to use these gifts and the humility to not use them for my glory, but for You and Your glory. 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 Terminate a False Accusation with a Trust (Romans 12:18-19)
Romans 12:18-19, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD. No one likes to be falsely accused. False accusations are an attack on our character caused by a misunderstanding of our words or actions, which may bring disgrace and suspicion upon us. What are we to do when we are falsely accused? The only thing we can do is stick it out and trust God to make it right. Remember how Jesus responded when He was falsely accused: He said nothing to His accusers, but committed Himself to God (Matthew 26:59-63; I Peter 2:21-23). In the end, who was right? Jesus was, of course. His Resurrection proved His innocence and God’s acceptance of His sacrifice. I have been falsely accused of many things over the course of my ministry. Believe me when I tell you, it hurts. You either have been, or will be, the subject of false accusations. You might have to wait a lifetime before your name is cleared from the false charges. Even if your reputation is in shambles, your friends have believed the lies against you and no one wants to stand with you, the Bible says the evidence will someday prove you right. When you didn’t do it, just commit your way to God and trust Him. He will bring your trial to pass. Psalm 37:5-8 “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Bury a Deep-Rooted Grudge (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Ephesians 4:31-32, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. You are going to have painful things coming at you from someone at some point in your life. Anyone who has ever tried to do anything for God has faced opposition. If you’ve been severely criticized without grounds, if you’ve been falsely accused of lies or wrong doing and you’re now paying for something you never did, never retaliate! If you see no further than your critic and his, or her, criticism then you only compound the hurt! Never give up! No matter what you’ve been through-GOD still has a future for you. If you have been unjustly criticized or dealing right now with a struggle, then you MUST find closure and put it to rest. By doing so you can begin to claim victory in the LORD and all that HE has for you. Harboring an old grudge is never healthy emotionally or spiritually. What are we to do with old grudges? Learn to blow it off, let it go and forgive them. You can choose to reject an offense. If someone attacks, you can choose to respond in a way that reverses the hurt rather than retain and nurse the hurt. You can refuse to carry an offense in your heart, or you can turn it into a grievance story. Here are a few verses that can help deal with this issue (Matthew 6:14-15; Romans 12:17-21; I Corinthians 13:4-8; Ephesians 4:31-32). Consider: The delivery man arrived at your front door with a letter and asked you to sign for it. When you asked what is in the letter he looks at his clipboard as says, “The form says this is laced with anthrax”. At that point, you hand the letter back to the delivery man and say, “There‘s no way I‘m signing for this. Return it to the sender!” God will take care of those who willfully offend you. Trust HIM to do it. Your part is to refuse to sign up for the offense. Refuse to think about it or to talk about it. When we receive an offense we may as well be signing for a letter with anthrax. The more we allow offenses to occupy our minds, the more we begin to develop a criticism story. And the more we rehearse and retell that grievance story we truly do ourselves harm in the long run. Prayer: Heavenly Father, for too long I have been nursing this grudge and refusing to let go of it and allow You to take it from me. I’m now ready to give it to You. Soften my heart so that it does not become calloused. Keep my spirit right so that it does not become sour. 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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