One Way (John 10:9)
John 10:9, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The famous magician and escape artist, Houdini, could get out of any set of handcuffs, or any straight jacket that was ever placed upon him. In fact, he could release himself from almost any enclosure in less than one minute. Only once did Houdini fail. That incident occurred when he was touring the British Isles. Arriving at a small town, he agreed to demonstrate his ability by escaping from the local jail. The cell door was so ordinary looking that he smiled at the simplicity of the task. When given the signal, he used his terrific speed and agility to try to pick the lock. Unfortunately, he was unable to pick that lock. In frustration, he frantically tried every device he knew to pick the door, but nothing happened. He worked feverishly for two more hours, but to no avail. Finally, being completely exhausted, he fell against the door and lamented in defeat. Immediately, however, the door sprang open. His frustration had been due to the fact that the door had never been locked at all. The key truth is that Jesus is the door to salvation. There is no other way. Because of Jesus, we have access to God. How frequently, by a similar strategy, Satan has deceived poor sinners who are seeking to find a way to open the door of God's salvation. People work, cry, fret, sweat, and pray, trying in every way possible to bring release to their captive souls. Yet, it is only when sinners fall, exhausted from their own efforts, and rest against "The Door," the Lord Jesus Christ, that they find the immediate relief they so desperately seek. There are no alternatives and no options to salvation—it must come through Jesus Christ. John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. A traveler engaged a guide to take him across a desert area. When the two men arrived at the edge of the desert, the traveler, looking ahead, saw before him trackless sands without a single footprint, path, or marker of any kind. Turning to his guide, he asked in a tone of surprise, "Where is the road?" With a reproving glance, the guide replied, "I am the road." So, too, is the Lord our way through unfamiliar territory. He is the way! He is the only way to God. There is no other way. For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Dear friend, if you want to go to the Father’s house, to Heaven, you must come through “the Door”, the Lord Jesus. He is the only way! Jesus Christ is standing and knocking at the door of our lives, waiting. He is standing at the door, not pushing it; speaking to us, not shouting. He is the architect; He designed it. He is the builder; He made it. He is the landlord; He bought it with His life-blood. It is His by right of plan, construction, and purchase. We are only tenants in a house which does not belong to us. He could put His shoulder to the door; He prefers to put His hand to the knocker. He could command us to open to Him, or He could issue orders. He will not force an entry into anybody’s life. Instead, He merely invites us to do so. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, Thank You for Jesus, Who laid down His life for me so that I might live with You forever. 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
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God Above You is Greater than any Enemy Against You (Isaiah 54:17)
Isaiah 54:17, No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. God not only controls but He conquers. No enemy will overpower if God stops them. God's people can comfort and encourage themselves in knowing that God will conquer evil. Evil will not prevail though it looks difficult and invincible to man. The day is coming when no nation will attack Israel. There will not even be the threat of such (every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn). This will be the legacy of God’s people in that day. Their righteousness will be of God.
In great victory, God proved He is Lord to the Egyptians and to His own people who saw the great work of God. He saved His people. He removed His enemies. He improved the defense capabilities of His people with weapons. The Lord moved His people through an overwhelming obstacle. The Hebrews had confidence in God for they did not run in a panic, but walked across in faith. The Egyptians reaped their sown seeds. God avenged the blood of the firstborn Jewish babies who were drowned hundreds of years earlier. Egypt destroyed the helpless ones and then became helpless, losing their defenses. PRAYER: LORD, I come to You asking for power and protection. You know my enemies’ strategies and tactics. I know it’s because I’m a follower of Your Son Jesus that all these things are against me. I trust in 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 Why Worry When You Can Pray – PART 2 (Philippians 4:6-7)
Philippians 4:6-7, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. A businessman ran into a friend of his who always worried. He had always had problems with ulcers and high blood pressure. “How’s your health?” the man asked his friend. “Great. My ulcers are gone and I don’t have a worry in the world!” The man asked “How did that happen?” “It’s easy. I hired a professional worrier. Whenever something comes along that I need to worry about, I tell him about it and he does all of my worrying for me.” The businessman couldn’t believe it. “That’s incredible. I’d be interested in something like that. How much does it cost?” The man said, “He charges $100,000 a year.” The businessman said “How in the world can you afford to pay him $100,000 a year?” The friend said, “1 don’t know. I let him worry about it.” In the same way the friend gave his worries to the “professional worrier,” we should give our worries and cares to God. In other words, give your financial-family, health, work, people problems, etc. all to the Lord. When we fail to do this, we show a lack of faith in Him. Worry is inconsistent with our faith. Worry is basically distrust of God. The word worry comes from a Greek word that means “to divide the mind.” Anxiety splits us right down the middle, creating a double-minded thinker. Delegate your cares to the Lord. If you don’t, you become double minded and unstable in all areas of your life. Rather than taking away tomorrow’s trouble, worry voids today’s strength. Suddenly because of worry our perception and strength are divided, distorting our vision and wasting our energy. Our worries and fears do not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, they only empty today of its strength. God offers the possibility of a worry-free life. Not less worry, no worry. I Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. “Casting” means “upon” “throw down; be cast into the sea or throw overboard, cast out fishing lines or nets.” Casting indicates a deliberate act of our will. God wants us to throw our cares overboard, He wants us to willingly throw them upon Him. In other words, “I will thrust my cares upon the Lord.” (Psalm 55:22; Philippians 4:6) Worry is never beneficial. We may justify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear-but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer, anxiety only makes life shorter. Worry is the sin of distrusting the promise and providence of God and yet it is a sin that we probably commit more often than any other and zaps the life out of believers. 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. As if to say, “He doesn’t know what He is doing and He can’t take care of us”. There is no need to worry because the Lord can supply every need for every situation that we face in life. Worry wastes our energy so that we don’t have the energy we need for constructive and creative things. God is bigger than our problems. He is never taken off guard or surprised at what takes place in our lives. He knows what is going on and will take care of you. The man who feeds his heart on the record of what God has done in the past will never worry about the future. Much of the things we worry about are things from the past. Remember, to always keep the past in the past. 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! 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 Why Worry When We Can Pray – PART 1 (Philippians 4:6-7)
Philippians 4:6-7, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We are to worry about nothing, but pray about everything. Although this is not Scripture, it is Biblical principle. We are to pray about everything. Some people just say, “I'm not going to pray. I don't know how to pray; I don't know what to do about my situation.” The answer that God gives is, pray about it anyway. Even if you don't know how to pray. Even if you don't know whether you should pray about it or not, pray anyway (Romans 8:26). One of the reasons that you should pray, even if you don't know how to word it, is that prayer brings fellowship with the Father. Even if you don’t know what to say or how to say it, God can take care of that, because He knows what your heart is. Spending time in prayer gives us an opportunity to be in fellowship with the Father. It is an opportunity to focus our thinking on Him, and to sense that bond between Himself and us that the Scripture abundantly tells us is there. You can spend time in prayer regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the nature of the request, and know the strength and the joy that comes from simply spending time in the presence of the Father. When we pray about everything, we have freedom from fear or worry. We have peace of mind and stability. That verse doesn't say that as you bring those things to God, God will automatically grant your request. What does it say? It says, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. The word keep there is a word that means “to guard our hearts and minds.” Philippians 4:6 tells us the things that we can and we should pray about. The answer is, anything that we worry about. Some of us are bigger worriers than others, but all of us worry over something. Whatever is troubling us; we should be praying about. If you can worry about it, you can pray about it. If He chooses not to grant your desire, He will give you the peace that passeth understanding. Having the ability to pray to the LORD gives us freedom from anxiety and fear. We don’t have to have big or fancy words to pray. We just need to take it straight to Him. When we take our worries to the Lord, we are telling Him who can do something about it. We don't know that He will do things the way we want them done, but we can have the assurance that He will do what's best for us and for the overall situation and that He will work all of that together for good in His own perfect time and way. PRAYER: Lord, I humbly ask You to graciously grant me a fearless heart that boldly desires to pray. Forgive me, I’ve just been struggling with fear and doubt that has troubled the peace I have from You. I commit myself to prayer and I am casting these things Your way right now. I’m choosing not to worry about them anymore because You will deal with them under the authority of Jesus’ name, Amen If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Charge it to My Account (II Corinthians 5:21)
II Corinthians 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The stealing had to stop. Deep in the heart of Russia, local police were on the lookout for a thief who got away with hundreds of dollars’ worth of merchandise. Neither the local businesses nor the residents could afford the losses or the increased prices any longer. The stealing became a federal crime. The Russian czar made the offense punishable by 40 lashes. Police finally caught up with the crook and brought her to the Town Square, where she would be tied to a post to get 40 lashes. The czar came, along with hundreds of villagers from the city. But the czar recognized the woman’s face as that of his mother. Everyone looked at him to see what he would do. Would he pardon her, or would he make her pay the price for her crime? The czar knew the crime had to be punished, but he also knew his mother could not survive 40 lashes. So he walked over to the post where his mother was tied and took off his shirt. He chose to take the lashes in her place and the people were touched. Over 2,000 years ago, the world was guilty and condemned before God because of sin. We deserved to spend eternity in Hell, but God took our place through His Son on the cross. He didn’t just sweep our sins under a rug and pretend nothing ever happened. He didn’t say, “I’ll let it go this time—just don’t do it again.” Blood had to be shed. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He paid the purchased price for our redemption. Three days later, He arose from the dead as proof that His payment had been accepted by the Father. You and I can be completely forgiven for every sin we’ve ever committed, or will commit, if we just accept Christ’s free gift. The very core of the principle of justification is here presented. The great substitutionary work of Christ is in view. God made Jesus to be sin for us. He, the sinless One, who never knew sin and never will, had the iniquity of us all laid on Him. Nevertheless, God imputed to Him our sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. It is the very heart of the great doctrine of justification. Jesus placed your sins on His account. If you will go to the LORD, He will take Christ’s righteousness, which is perfect, and He will accredit it to your account so that when you stand before God you will stand before Him as though you have never sinned. Not because you’re sinless, but because of your account. If you will receive Jesus Christ (Gospel), He will credit your account with perfection because He has already accredited your sin onto Jesus Christ. Jesus earnestly wants to impute your sin to His record and impute His righteousness to your record. Friend, the price has already been paid for your sins. Accept Christ’s free gift today, and you will find complete forgiveness. Prayer: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Jesus to pay for our sins that we would be made righteous in Your sight. Every day I want to live to bring honor and glory to You and to share my testimony and the Gospel with others. 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 Coffee and the Word of God (Psalm 63:1)
Psalm 63:1, O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” Nothing else is quite like the aroma of a fresh pot of coffee early in the morning. In fact, many are dependent on it every day, particularly the first thing in the morning. I’m amused at the bumper sticker I read once, “No Coffee…No Workee”. Or this comment a wife gave her husband before they had their morning conversation, “Woah, I have not had my coffee yet.” Understand, that just as important as it is for people to have that cup of coffee first thing, it more important to have time with the Lord first thing. There’s no questioning it, many people are addicted to coffee. They must have their fresh brewed cup of coffee in the morning to get a little caffeine into the system. The pleasure even begins when preparing the coffee. From spooning the coffee from the canister to brewing it the pot. Coffee is one of the simple pleasures in life that many will never tire of and will always be dependent on. Coffee always goes great with morning conversations and brings pleasure when shared. For most, you cannot get enough coffee. Some want coffee filled to the brim, to the point that it is running over. Coffee! How do you like it? Smooth? French Roast? Bold? Intense Bold? Some prefer their coffee different from than how others would prefer it. Just as people depend on, seek and drink coffee for numbers of reasons, so people seek the Scriptures for various reasons. God’s will is for people to be awake and alert, not groggy and tired. As many seek coffee to bring about alertness, let me encourage you to seek the Scriptures as a means to pursue and bring about His Will for your life. Some prefer Psalm, Proverbs, Gospels etc. Whatever the desire, or direction, the Lord is leading you to that day, get in it.
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. God desires that believers read His Word every day. But where does one read? Keep in mind, all Scriptures are inspired of the Lord. Therefore, pray and ask Him where He would lead you to. Whatever the need is, the Bible has the answer. But some need a particular portion of Scripture rather than another due to what the need is or how the Lord is leading them. PRAYER: Lord, I know that You have something to reveal to me in Your Word. My soul craves to be drawn to Your Words. 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 He Will Cover You (Psalm 91:4)
Psalm 91:4, He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler During a blizzard in South Wales, England, a young mother and her baby were making their way across the foothills when she was overtaken by the frigid storm. Failing to reach her destination, a group of searchers found her frozen body with her baby tightly wrapped underneath her; the child was warm and still alive. The mother had taken off her outer garments and covered her child from the cold. The child grew up to be David Lloyd George, Britain's Prime Minister and one of the greatest statesmen in England. His political and social greatness was made possible because his mother covered him in love. Much like David Lloyd George, our achievements in life can only be attributed to the covering of God's love. God is omnipotent, all-powerful. He will cover and protect us under His wings of care when we stay close to Him. The psalmist compared God’s care for His people to a bird gathering her young under her wings in order to protect them. The Lord will be our refuge, covering and protection in the dangers of life. The truth and faithfulness of God will be our shield and buckler. God has given us His faithful promises to use as our armor for life’s battles (Ephesians 6:10-20). We are protected by His faithfulness to His Word. Knowing that, we can have complete confidence that He will fulfill His promises to us. Through it all, however, God is our helper and He is always with us (Hebrews 13:5-6). In perilous times, we need to trust God to help us. When we abide in Him and live in the fullness of His Spirit, we can face every situation of life without fear. Whatever difficulties or dangers we may face, our Lord will be with us. The shadow of the Almighty will cover us through them all. Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your presence with me and that my future is secure in the place You're preparing for me. Your words bring me hope and comfort. Daily I catch glimpses of Your glory and blessing along the way as I walk with You. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Will You Magnify the Lord? (Luke 1:46-47) – PART 2
Luke 1:46-47, And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. This is Part 2 and the conclusion of the devotion. If you need to refer to Part 1, look to yesterday’s devotion. 4. Path of the Magnifier: Most magnifying glasses usually have a handle on them. The handle gives the owner the ability to use the lens to magnify what he desires. It enables him to take it wherever he needs it. In the same manner, our lives are to be this way. God can use you to magnify Jesus Christ if you will yield to the control, to the hand of God. By submitting to His control, direction, and will, He will put you where you need to be. You will be willing go wherever He directs and leads you. The Lord is willing and able to send you to places and to people that perhaps only you can reach for Him. Are you available for Him? That’s what a magnifier of God does. Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. By humbling and submitting yourself to the Lord, you will have greater ability to magnify God. In turn, God will magnify you as you magnify Him. 5. Purity of the Magnifier: Notice, if the lens is smeared with dirt it is not going to be of much help to you. It is very difficult to use any dirty magnifying glass because the view will be blurry and distorted. When the magnifying glass is clean, it is consistent with its purpose and use for you. This is why it is so important to keep the lens clean so that the magnification is clear and the glass is effective. In the same manner, if you are going to effectively magnify Jesus Christ with your life, it is critical that your life is clean. I Corinthians 6:20, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Sin issues need to be dealt with and conquered in your life so that people will be focused on the Lord and not your sins and imperfections. Bearing spiritual fruit in your personal character and in your witness for Christ will help you immensely to magnify Him. 6. Praise of the Magnifier: Those who magnify the Lord also have a desire to point others to Him so that they will magnify Him, too. Magnifiers enjoy worshiping and honoring God with others. They do not compete in their worship, they complement one another in worship and praise. Magnifiers develop close relationships with other believers who love to magnify God. Their love for Christ generates a love for Christians. In fact, a great verse for Christian friends, a church family, or a husband and wife and their family is Psalm 34:3. Psalm 34:3, O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. May God’s praise be upon our lips continually and consistently. May we spend each day magnifying HIM! Perhaps the next time you use a magnifying glass this devotion will remind you of how we should magnify the Lord. Prayer: Heavenly Father, as Mary’s desire was to magnify and praise You so is my desire. Guide my steps that I may encounter others who need to know You. Help me to humble myself that they may see You in me. I will magnify You and praise You before all others when given the opportunity. 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 Will You Magnify the Lord? (Luke 1:46-47) – PART 1
Luke 1:46-47, And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. What is evident is the utter humility of Mary. Mary was thrilled with what the Lord had done for her. All she could do was magnify the Lord over what had happened. Her very soul and inner being, magnified and praised the Lord. She sought zero acclaim. She found great rejoicing in the Lord her Saviour. Mary's firsthand experience with God prompted her to magnify Him. If you already have possession of a magnifying glass, or the next time you use one, may this devotion remind you of how we should magnify the Lord. There are great lessons we can learn from studying a magnifying glass. Below are at least six ways we can magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Purpose of the Magnifier: The purpose of a magnifying lens is to enable objects that are small, or very far away, to the eye to be seen up close. Ironically, this is our purpose as Christians. I Corinthians 10:31, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. As children of the Lord, we have a purpose of magnifying Jesus Christ so that He who is far away in Heaven, and basically unknown or invisible to the lost, can be revealed in our lives by having a close walk with Him. Those who are without Jesus in their hearts are spiritually blind. By magnifying Christ and sharing the Gospel, we provide an opportunity for people to be saved and get to know Him. Our lives as Christians are to be like the magnifying glass. We all are to be magnifiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Power of the Magnifier: The greater the bend in the lens, the stronger or more powerful magnification. John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease. A flatter, or less curvature, lens yields less magnification. What a great truth for us! The more we bend to His will and kneel to the LORD, the greater we will magnify Jesus Christ. 3. Plan of the Magnifier: Matthew 5:14-16, Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. A magnifying glass is doing no good as long as it is in the secretary’s desk or on the shelf. Only when it is in a hand is it fulfilling the purpose for which it was made. If we are to be a useful magnifier of the Lord, then we must be willing to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. Prayer, Lord, I desire to magnify You. You have proven time and time again that Your presence puts everything else in a different light. Even through the admittedly imperfect lens of my life, may others watching catch a glimpse of Your greatness. In Jesus’ name, amen. Please revisit the webpage tomorrow for the conclusion of this devotion. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com God Has A Plan For You (Jeremiah 29:11)
Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. When we are going through trials it is of great comfort to know that God allows nothing to come into our lives without first passing through the hands of our Heavenly Father. If we are to rise above our circumstances, then we need to look at our circumstances from God's point of view. Fervent prayer and continual studying the Scriptures will help you learn how to do this. What does this mean to you? Below are five things: 1. God made plans for you before the world began. He has plans for you now. You are not a mistake. You are purposed for greatness (John 10:10; Ephesians 2:10). Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Not only does our Lord offer eternal life, He offers a fullness of life in the meantime. The Christian life surpasses anything the world can offer. 2. God's plans for you are bigger and better than your plans for yourself (Ephesians 3:20). Think of your greatest aspiration and then acknowledge the fact that God's desire for you is much bigger than anything you've ever imagined for yourself. 3. Remain faithful over what you have been given charge. Even if it seems like no one is noticing, God is. He is paying attention to what you do and how you do it. He will remember, recognize, and reward you. 4. Never give up. Your life may seem dull, ordinary, and common, but we serve a God who can turn your life around in an instant. Keep your hopes up in the midst of dark days, when we don’t understand what is going on. Remain in faith daily. Trust God every step of the way. Just keep having hope in the Lord no matter how dark it looks. 5. God can turn your life around. One swing from God can take you from fearful to a mighty man of valor (Gideon), from a barren man to a father of nations (Abraham), from a fisherman to a fisher of men (Peter), from an extremist to an evangelist (Paul), and from a shepherd boy to a king (David). Serve God faithfully and become the man/woman God has called you to be! Prayer: Father in Heaven I know You love me and it amazes me that You made plans for me before the foundations of the world. Thank You Father for caring for me. I know the thoughts and plans You have for me are for Your glory and for my good. Whatever I may face today, I can expect that You are working for good in all of it. So I’m going to step forward in faith, trusting You in all things and seeking to cooperate fully with Your plans for me. I know I can’t imagine all the good You have planned for my life, but I also know it’s all coming in Jesus’ name, so I can say, 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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