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God’s Got This! (Psalm 34:17-19)
Psalm 34:17–19, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Have you ever felt like nothing in your world was going right? You may have recently experienced the absolute worst day of your life. We all have experienced troubles and know the feeling of having a "crushed spirit." When circumstances are difficult, all too often this affects our attitude towards God and can also inhibit our worship. After all, why should we worship when it seems like life is falling apart at the seams? The Psalmist gives us 3 profound reasons why we can worship the LORD even in the midst of the deepest valleys. 1. We can worship because He hears us. This does not mean He merely hears our cry, but this word implies action. God is so unlike us; when He hears, He acts. And He acts immediately! He does not sit idly by, but intervenes in even the most desperate situation. 2. We can worship in the midst of trials because we know the Lord promises to deliver us. Keep in mind, this word deliver does not mean that He will remove us from our difficulty. Isn’t it true that at times we cry out to the Lord but it seems as though our situation doesn’t change? Do not mistake unchanging circumstances for God’s lack of deliverance. His promise to deliver us is made evident in the way He sustains believers even through the hardest times. 3. Finally, when everything goes wrong, we can worship Him because the Lord is close to us. He is not a distant, uninvolved, uninterested God, but a loving Saviour whose arms reach out to us in the midst of our brokenness. Maybe you are in the midst of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, month, or even year. Maybe you feel that in the midst of a valley, it’s too hard to worship. Take some time today to thank God that He hears our cries, He promises to deliver us, and we can rest assured that He remains close to us even in our darkest moments. “What we do in the crisis always depends on whether we see the difficulties in the light of God, or God in the shadow of the difficulties” G. Campbell Morgan Have you ever experienced a difficulty that inhibits your worship? Which of these three promises do you need to be reminded of; God hears your cry, God promises to deliver you, or God is near to you? PRAYER: Father, thank You for being a personal God who is involved in my life. Thank You for hearing my cries. I want to worship You in the midst of this difficult time. Help me to see that Your promise to deliver me from trouble is Your promise to see me through till the end. Thank You for being near to me, especially when I am hurting the most. 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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Unstoppable Gospel (Acts 12:24)
Acts 12:24, But the word of God grew and multiplied. In the book of Acts, we read that the Word of God continued to grow and be multiplied, and then it mentions the return of Saul, Barnabas, and John Mark to Antioch. This sets the stage for the expansion of the Gospel among the Gentiles that comprises the rest of Acts. Herod and the Jews opposed God’s Saviour and came under His judgment. The apostles and early church suffered much, and many died violent deaths, but the Word of God continued to grow and be multiplied. God rewarded them abundantly and eternally in heaven. According to II Timothy 2:8-9, the Word of God is not bound. Regardless of the opposition, the Gospel is being spread across the world. We can always quit and give up when things get hard, or we can choose to persevere and accomplish what needs to be done. Successful disciples follow the example that Jesus set and carry on even in the face of criticism, opposition, and great difficulty. Jesus endured the hardships He faced, and if we trust Him, He will empower us to do the same. Jesus has overcome everything. Bring to mind all He has done for you. He saved you from sin and its eternal consequences, lived the greatest life worth imitating, and He guides and guards you. Remember Jesus is not limited or bound. He and His Word will accomplish all God intends for them to accomplish in you and through you. The Audaciousness of the Church (Acts 12:24-25) In spite of the killing of Stephen and James, plus a host of other persecutions of the church, the church did not die. The church continued to display its courage and compassion as it kept on glowing, growing, and going much to the dismay of evil. The words "grew and multiplied" mean that the church kept on growing and multiplying. The progress of God's Word could not be stopped. Men and governments might try to stop it, persecute, imprison, and kill those who proclaim God's Word, but their efforts to silence the Word will always be to no avail. God overrules all and always will. God has ordained His Word to be proclaimed, bear fruit, to grow and multiply and it shall be by all those who are truly His. 1. The Additions to the Church (Acts 12:24) In spite of the attacks on the church, it kept growing. 2. The Accomplishments of the Church (Acts 12:25) In spite of the opposition to the church, the church still accomplished this special mission. The church will always accomplish the objective for which God has set out for it regardless of the opposition. 3. The Advancing of the Church (Acts 12:25) In spite of the persecution of the church, it did not stop the providential preparation for the advancing of the church. Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. I want thank you for your faithfulness and continued support on this ministry as we endeavor to take the Gospel of Christ to the uttermost parts of the world. I’m truly grateful for your prayers, sharing our websites articles with others, and the financial support. My wife and I are blessed to be part of such a sweet church family. We sure miss our snowbirds. Can’t wait to have you all back with us. Pastor Torey Blackman. PRAYER: LORD, thank You for Your great love and the Gospel. Help me to do my part in Your Great Commission. I desire to reach others for You, help pave the way for those I will encounter. Continue to open doors at work, school, etc. Help me to never lose sight of the potential and the opportunities that You have given to me. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com 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, but his fleshly nature got the best of him. Peter took his eyes off the Lord and 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, 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 if you take your eyes off of the Lord you will go under. It is a fact, not a probability, that 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. 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, the 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 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 Overcoming Adversity (Proverbs 24:10)
Proverbs 24:10, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." From time to time, all of us face adversity, hardship, disappointment, defeat, setback, and loss. Adversity does not mean that we are doing things wrong—often it is evidence that we are doing things right. Discouragement always pays periodic visits to everyone of us. No one is exempt! Whenever we face trouble God is always faithfully standing by to give us grace to sustain us. Whatever the trial we face, God’s grace is always sufficient and sustaining (II Corinthians 12:9). G. Campbell Morgan grew up in the home of a Baptist preacher and delivered his first sermon at age thirteen. But because he had no formal religious instruction, when he first applied for ordination he was refused. The disappointed young man sent a one word telegram to his father: “Rejected.” His father responded: “Rejected on Earth, accepted in Heaven.” Morgan refused to be discouraged and continued his studies and preaching. He became one of the most noted Bible teachers and conference speakers of his generation and pastored large churches on both sides of the Atlantic. If he had allowed a temporary setback to stop him, the world would have lost a great influence for good. Things often do not go well when we set out to serve God. The devil places obstacles in front of us to attempt to keep us from being effective in the work. He knows that if he can get us to be discouraged because of problems, we are on our way to defeat. Adversity is often a sign that we are on the right track and keep going till we succeed. If you allow adversity to stop you, you will never accomplish anything of lasting value in God’s work. If we allow ourselves to be discouraged from doing anything unless we have complete approval, it is certain that we will never accomplish anything of value. Rather than being discouraged by adversity, we should take comfort in God’s faithfulness and keep on doing what is right. Be strong in the Lord; no great work for God has ever been done without adversity from the enemy. Often, it is through the trials of life that we are able to appropriate God’s grace and develop Christlikeness. Missionary Hudson Taylor once said, “It doesn’t matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies. Be sure that it doesn’t come between you and the Saviour.” Even the painful pressure of trials can push us closer to our Saviour. There are some who feel they never need trials. But God loves us too much to allow us not to grow. John Newton, author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” put it this way, “Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and He proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust in His skill and thank Him for His prescription.”--John Newton Build your life on the Rock that can never be shaken. Trust in the LORD. Always. When facing adversity, don’t quit. Don’t hit the panic button. Hit the prayer button. Take it to the LORD. There are several more, but here are five Scriptures to encourage the disheartened when facing adversity: Deuteronomy 4:30-31; II Samuel 22:7; James 1:2-3; I John 5:4; Galatians 6:9. Prayer, Father You are my strength and my sustainer. Regardless of the troubles I face You faithfully give me the grace to sustain them. Help me never to forget to turn to You. Whatever circumstances I may confront, may I trust Your plan, Your wisdom, and Your will. Praise and glory to You. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Coals of Fire (Proverbs 25:21-22)
Proverbs 25:21-22, If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. Solomon unveils an important principle in controlling your anger in these verses. Displaying compassion and kindness to an enemy is like heaping coals of fire on his head. Heaping coals of fire on the head was an indication of caring for your enemy. The principle involves investing in the life of your enemy or offender. The flesh says, “No way! There is no way I’m going to do anything for my enemy! They are not getting a thing from me!” Yet, Solomon says to give to and do good to your offender and the Lord will reward you. What is the meaning behind the “coals of fire?” In Egypt, a man showed repentance by carrying a pan of burning coals on his head. It was a symbol of shame, conviction, guilt, and the changing of the mind. Fire was precious, especially when you traveled from one place to another. To give someone your coals was to provide them with warmth. The result is our kindness will overcome evil. The natural reaction is to retaliate against our enemies, but godly wisdom tells us to respond in kindness. Give in secret and anger will be smothered, muffled, or appeased. A gift in secret pacifieth anger (Proverbs 21:14). The best way to defeat an enemy is to smother him with kindness. If he has a need, meet his need. Give him food when he is hungry and water when he is thirsty. It can calm anger in your enemy and in you. It’s hard to give to someone and remain angry with them. This is what the Lord did for us when He gave His life for us and continues to bless us, even though we do things that are offensive to Him. Doing good to an enemy is a difficult and unnatural response. God doesn’t want you getting bitter, hard-hearted, or to ever hold a grudge. If you’re not careful in resolving conflicting matters, you may hold a grudge against someone, and take pleasure in their misfortunes, thinking of the individual only in connection with our injuries. The spark may be confined for years until least expected and then bursts out into an out-of-control flame. When you’re kind to your enemies it shames. Don’t offer them a cold shoulder; offer them a kind hand. That will shame them more than any retaliation we might put up. Honor godly wisdom and the Lord will recompense us (Romans 12:20-21). Paul spoke about investing in your enemy also. This will cause the heart and mind of the enemy to burn with conviction and possibly change. Romans 12:19-21, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Most people return good for good and evil for evil. We have a higher standard that the Lord has set for us. We are to return good for evil. This requires love and faith that God will work His will in our lives and in theirs. We are to obey the Lord in this matter. I Peter 3:9, Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For all the railing or criticizing you have received from your enemies you return blessings; knowing you will receive the greater reward. Our generosity and kindness would bring about conviction and a change in attitude toward us. Watchman Nee tells about a Chinese Christian who owned a rice paddy next to one owned by a communist man. The Christian irrigated his paddy by pumping water out of a canal, using one of those leg- operated pumps that make the user appear to be seated on a bicycle. Every day, after the Christian had pumped enough water to fill his field, the communist would come out, remove some boards that kept the water in the Christian’s field and let all the water flow down into his own field. That way, he didn’t have to pump. This continued day after day. Finally, the Christian prayed, “Lord, if this keeps up, I’m going to lose all my rice, maybe even my field. I’ve got a family to care for. What can I do?” In answer to his request, the Lord put a thought in his mind. So, the next morning he arose much earlier, in the predawn hours of darkness, and started pumping water into the field of his communist neighbor. Then he replaced the boards and pumped water into his own rice paddy. In a few weeks both fields of rice were doing well—and the communist was converted. This perhaps is something that everybody admires, but very few are willing to imitate. Matthew 5:44, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; It is difficult to hate and be angry with those who you are praying for. This is one of Jesus’ most difficult commands to obey. Yet, when it is obeyed, it has a powerful effect upon others. Questions to Consider: Who are the first three people who come to mind that you need to love? What are some actions the Holy Spirit has shown you to love and do good to your enemies? Will you decide to do it? Will you do it willingly and joyfully? What actions will you commit to doing today? Points to Ponder: God doesn’t expect you to trust your enemies; He does expect you to forgive them. Never has a man truly conquered his enemies’ heart by revenge; however, many times by love. It is hard for a person to be mean to someone who is being kind and tenderhearted toward them. Don’t worry or concern yourself if your enemy has not regarded all the good you’ve done for him. If you obey this command the enemy has no claim on your life. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I realize this is a matter of obedience to You. Already some names have come to my mind. Help me to pray for my enemies, and count on You to give me guidance on the helpful ways that I can love them. Help me to treat enemies that come across my path as You commanded. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com A Good Name (Proverbs 22:1)
Proverbs 22:1, A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. Solomon places a priority on the loving favor, acceptance, or approval of men. This approval comes from having a good name and being a person of integrity and character. The Bible mentions two gems of wisdom. A good name and loving favour. A good name (reputation) is to be considered more important than riches and far greater than winning the lottery. It is far better to have a good name than riches. Loving favour refers to having acceptance. The loving favor of people is more valuable than gold and silver. The thought parallels the first. It is better to be acceptable to others than to have large sums of money. One’s reputation and being well thought of is better than wealth. There is no other possession one can have that means more or is worth more than one’s integrity. It’s been said, "If you have integrity, nothing else matters." The man of integrity does what he does because he is what he is. He is the same in public or in private, during times of relative ease or of great pressure. In 1844, Henry Heinz was born to German immigrants in Pittsburg, PA. As a teenager, he helped support his family by growing vegetables in the family garden. Following his college graduation, he married and began selling horse radish. A major financial collapse in 1875 forced his business into bankruptcy. Notwithstanding the legal freedom bankruptcy gave him, Heinz viewed each of the company’s outstanding debts as a moral obligation and personally paid back every penny. Throughout his life Heinz conducted his business and personal dealings with the same integrity that led him to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars he technically did not have to pay back. Heinz went on to found the H.J. Heinz Company with its 57 varieties and became a leading American businessman. A devout Christian, he was known for the generous treatment of his employees and his generosity to Christian causes. He began his will with these words: “I desire to set forth at the very beginning of this will as the most important item in it a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Saviour.” The importance of maintaining integrity is beyond any financial price. When people are tempted to cut corners, they often do so without realizing the lasting impact that it will have. Each time we do what is required to uphold and protect our testimony we are making a lasting investment in building a good name. There is no more important or permanent inheritance we can leave behind, than the legacy of a good name. Your good name is truly more valuable than great riches. Many have great riches today, but they don't have a good name to go with their wealth. Your good name helps to give you credibility when you speak to others about Jesus Christ and present the Gospel to sinners needing our Saviour. Having a good testimony for Christ should be a major issue with every Christian because our example influences other people for good or bad. We are Christ's ambassadors and are walking Bibles that others are watching or reading. When we are unconcerned about our testimony, we are going to make some sinful choices that we will regret later on in our lives. The damage that we inflict will not only affect us, but also others around us. Some of the damage can have eternal consequences if someone rejects the Lord because of something we did. As the pastor of our church, the reputation of our church is important to me. This is why I try to be careful in what I do. When we behave dishonorably, we lose credibility, especially in areas that involve teaching, preaching, or setting a moral example. It is for this reason, we should strive to have a good name. We are to do our best to have a good name which comes from having integrity, character, love, and Christlikeness. May the Lord help us all to choose a good name and be a good example to others. May they see Jesus Christ in us. Points to Ponder: May we do our best to be the best example we can be for the Lord Jesus Christ. Do your best to have a good name for Christ and for your family. A good name is established by being honest with people. Questions to Consider: How important is your testimony for Christ? Do you guard your testimony? Are you concerned about the example you are setting for others that are watching your life? PRAYER: Lord, help me to have a clean heart and clean hands that my walk in this life will be in absolute integrity. 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 Crisis in Cana (John 2:1-5)
John 2:1-5, And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. The wedding was held in Cana which was a quiet village near Nazareth, the home of Nathaniel, and about 15 miles west of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was invited to the wedding in this town. A problem occurred at the wedding. They had run out of wine! Wine was essential at a Jewish wedding. If there was no wine, there would be no joy. Hospitality was a sacred duty in the Middle East. To run out of provisions was a huge humiliation. John proclaimed the problem that led to the manifestation of the Lord's power. Too many people try to solve their problems in their own strength and in their own time and never turn to the Lord for help. Many of us try to solve problems without having all the facts or not knowing what caused the problem. God allows problems to come into our life to mold our character and to grow our faith. Mary addressed the problem by coming to Jesus. Though He had never performed a miracle before she knew who her Son was and knew what He was capable of. She knew that He was able to fix the problem. Turning to and trusting in the Lord with our problems is the wisest thing to do. You are not going to get out of this life without have to face problems. There are going to be troubles in this life. Problems in life do not mean that God hates you, it means that you are human. There are going to be sweet times in life, but there are also going to be sorrowful times in life. Problems come at us at different times, in different ways, and at different intensities. Problems hit us from the broad side, back side, front side, and every side. Problems play no favorites with anyone. Problems do not just happen to the poor but also to the fortunate. Everyone in life will face problems. Sin is the ultimate reason that we face problems in this life. Problems not only come to us when we are down, but also when everything seems to be going alright. Even in the good times of life, during a celebration, problems can arise and cause headaches and heartaches. The empty pots remind us of men without the Lord, men who are empty, cold, spiritually lifeless and useless. Christ fills men with His spirit and gives life to men. Jesus brings fulness when there is emptiness. He gives joy when there is disappointment. As the wine was abundant, God's grace and provision are abundant too. As children of God we have the opportunity to be vessels for His glory (Jeremiah 18:1-6; II Timothy 2:20-21). We are social beings. Jesus was teaching us to be sociable and not to become too busy to be sociable. However, He expects us to balance our lives. The reality is most people do not spend enough alone time with the Lord. Most people are not making their God called contribution to the world as Jesus has called us to do. When others see how your life has been changed and that your sins are washed away, they will catch a glimpse of God’s power. Questions to Consider: How do you handle your problems? Who do you turn to in your problems? What are you to do with your problems? What kind of problems are you facing? Points to Ponder: God desires that we be vessels unto honor. We should always be seeking to do whatever He tells us to do. God will work in and through His servants to accomplish His will. Turn to the Lord and trust in the Lord to handle the problems in life. PRAYER: Lord, I thank You that You are the God of the impossible. I want to trust in Your ability and not my own. Help me to focus on You and Your power. I choose to have faith in Your ability to break through every obstacle in my life. 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 Heavenly Secret Service (Psalm 91:11-13)
Psalm 91:11-13, For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. God commissions angels to watch carefully over the lives and interests of people who are faithful to Him. These messengers from God can help protect us from anything and everything, as long as we trust God and follow His purposes. We are told in Hebrews 1:14, that angels are ministering spirits for God's people. The ministry of guardian angels comes into view. God sends forth His ministering spirits to be agents of providential protection for those in the center of God’s will. It is in God's ways that protection comes. “In all thy ways” means that they watch over us as we go about our daily lives. They lift us up, protecting us and guiding us away from danger. This is the stipulation that Satan left out (Luke 4:10-11) when he tried to seduce Christ by appealing to Him to jump off the pinnacle of the Temple. Jumping off the Temple was not "thy ways," and it was only in "thy ways" that the angels' protection was promised. Satan can quote Scripture, but he always leaves out important stipulations for blessings. That’s right! The devil loves distorting doctrine and tangling the truth with errors. Watch out for Satan's twisting of Scripture. Satan is crafty and he uses God's powerful Word out of context to deceive us. Remember, God's Word will not contradict itself. Satan quoted Psalm 91:11-12 of this psalm during Christ's temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4, Mark 1, Luke 4). Of course, he quoted these verses out of context in order to tempt the Lord Jesus. Notice he did not quote Psalm 91:13, which predicted his own doom. God commands His angels to watch over and care for us. We are divinely protected until the Lord deems fit to remove our protection. God protected missionary David Brainard who ministered to the Susquehanna Indians. One day, David sat down beside a stream to rest as the evening shadows began to creep across the sky. He watched some beavers build a dam across the stream, but other eyes were watching him. A party of warriors sent out to kill Brainard were spying on him and biding their time. These men drew near as the paleface missionary was on his knees talking to the Lord. As David prayed, the Indians saw a rattlesnake glide along him and lift its ugly head to strike, its fork tongue flickering near his face. Brainard was deep in prayer and totally unaware of the rattlesnake. Without apparent reason, the rattler slithered away in the bushes. The Indian warriors said, "The Great Spirit is with him," and they too departed. The next morning when Brainard entered the Indian settlement, the whole tribe came out to meet him and gave him a prophet's welcome. God took care of His man in this situation. Later on, in his life, Brainard was called home to glory when God was finished with him. David Brainard was a mighty prayer warrior for the Lord. His testimony is very powerful and his influence still lives on today. Unfortunately, Brainard lived only 29 years, but what a life he lived! Scripture warns that we are in a daily war with Satan and his demonic forces. We need to remember at all times the spiritual battles that take place over and around us (Ephesians 6:12). God’s angels are always at war with demonic forces, protecting us and preventing Satan’s destructive forces from accomplishing their purposes in our lives. God has clothed us with His armor and power so that we can be victorious over our fierce enemy (Ephesians 6:10-17). This means that Satan and his demons are defeated foes, having been conquered by Christ through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:15). Though this portion of the Bible is written thousands of years ago, the written words still holds true to us today. People everywhere need a sense of security. True hope and security are found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our ultimate protection comes from God. There is no better place in this world than in the presence of God. As Christians, we shall never be afraid because we have God looking after us. As children of God, His presence is always with us. PRAYER: Lord, Thank You for Your supernatural protection over me. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Morning Meditations (Psalm 5:1-3)
Psalm 5:1-3, Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists who ever lived, gave this witness to his faith in God, "I can take my telescope and look millions and millions of miles into space; but I can lay my telescope aside, go into my room and shut the door, get down on my knees in earnest prayer, and I see more of heaven and get closer to God than I can when assisted by all the telescopes and material agencies on earth." For most, unless we have a scheduled prayer time with God, we will fail in our plans to meet with Him each morning. This is not because we don’t have a desire, but due mostly to the busyness of our day. Don’t desert your daily prayer time, but work to cultivate a constant running conversation with God throughout your day. To ensure our prayers are answered, we must seek to get beyond the five or ten minutes in the morning, and make our conversation with God unceasingly. 1. Pleading Prayer This psalm was in a dark hour in the life of David. This psalm was probably written in the days prior to Absalom’s rebellion. David began by pleading God to hear his prayer. David’s prayer was passionate, an earnest cry to God. His prayer was not in the manner of a manicured Sunday morning prayer, but He was crying out to God passionately in his pain. God knows everything about us, so it’s absurd to try to hide our feelings from Him. 2. Personal Prayer David was Israel’s king; however, he knew the King of kings. David was in a close personal relationship with God. He was not a stranger in God’s presence. It was God Himself. David would pray to no other god. Only “unto thee will I pray.” As long as he lived, he would direct his prayer to the God of heaven. Prayer should be a personal, intimate relationship between you and God. You must come before Him as your Lord and King. You cannot pray rightly unless you are submissive to do His will. You must know Him as your Lord and Saviour, who invites you to come into His presence through the blood of Jesus. 3. Persistent Prayer David mentions twice, “in the morning”, concerning prayer. The idea is that David knew the importance of prayer. It is crucial that we begin our day in prayer. John Wesley accredited his long life and health to his consistent practice of beginning each morning with prayer, that began at 4 AM. Spurgeon said, “Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.” As each day began, David persistently prayed to God. That lesson remains to this day. We ought to begin the day with the Lord and that involves spending time with Him in prayer in the morning. Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of God's infinite grace and power. All that God is, and all that God has, is at the disposal of prayer. - R. A. Torrey PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank You for the precious times I have with You each morning. Thank You for letting me come as a child and place my needs before You in absolute trust that You listen even though You already know, and You answer according to Your perfect will. Continue to guide me into boldly trusting You in new ways in my life. 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 What the Lord Does with Our Sins (Hebrews 8:12)
Hebrews 8:12, For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). He cannot break His covenant (Psalm 55:20; 89:29-35; Jeremiah 33:20). He cannot forsake His people (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Psalm 23; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). He cannot be unjust (Hebrews 6:10). He cannot deny Himself (II Timothy 2:13). And God cannot remember the sins of His people. It is not to say that God is not aware of the fact that we have sinned, are sinning and will sin. He is. But in so far as the law and justice of God is concerned, our sins do not exist. The blood of Christ has blotted them out, washed them away and removed them from us (Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:20; I Peter 1:18-19; Hebrews 9:15-22). Psalm 103:12; As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Micah 7:18-19, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Because God Himself has removed our sins, He cannot remember our sins. This is His promise to every believer. Isaiah 43:25, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Jeremiah 31:34, And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Hebrews 8:12, For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 10:17, And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. God will not remember our sins when we stand before Him in the Day of Judgment. Jeremiah 50:20, In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve. God will not remember our sins in the distribution of His heavenly gifts, crowns and rewards. All the limitless abundance of heaven’s eternal glory will be given to all of God’s servants, because all will be perfect, blameless, sinless and holy through the righteousness and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God will remember our sins no more. Through faith in Jesus there is complete forgiveness of sins. 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. The law could never forgive sin or make us whole. Romans 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. That verse is one of the most blessed promises contained in all the Bible. God knows everything and He will never forget anything because He has a poor memory or has a mental lapse. When He buries our sin, He chooses not to dig it up and throw it in our face. When you forgive someone, you bury the sin and you relinquish your right to dig it up and remind the person about it. Many lives, homes and churches have been destroyed by a lack of forgiveness. It is important that we learn to forgive like Jesus and love others like He did. It can be done. Remember Stephen (Acts 7:60) followed the example of our Lord and offered forgiveness before it was asked for. Prayer: Father, thank You for forgiving me of my sins. Help me to love and live like Your Son Jesus. 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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