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He Will Lead You...Will You Follow? (Psalm 32:8)
Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. All of us need direction and guidance for our lives. We are living in a fractured and a frightening world. We struggle to make good choices hindered by our own deceitful hearts and our sin natures. Yet God has not neglected us to wander blindly through life. We have the guidance of the Holy Spirit who abides in our hearts to rely on. It is important to understand that His work of leading us is done through the Word of God. Our feelings can lead us the error, but the Bible is always true. When the Holy Spirit guides our understanding of Scripture and we follow Him, our walk will be straight. When Abraham followed God, he was positive he was heading in the right direction, even though he had no idea where he was going. That’s because he was walking by faith and not by sight. To walk by faith is not to take a blind leap in the dark, but to trust God to lead you down a path you have never taken before. From the time Abraham left his homeland in Ur of the Chaldees until the time he came within inches of slaying his only son as a sacrifice in obedience to God on Mt. Moriah, he had to entrust his well-being, his reputation, and his aspirations to the perfect wisdom of God. In spite of his own weaknesses and shortcomings, He lived by faith. Faith in God strengthened him to press ahead through the difficulties of his journey. And it persuaded him that the path he traveled was the right one. What a blessed promise from God! Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. This promise is from the very eye of God. Keep in mind, you can place your hope in the sovereign hand of God. He has a special interest in you. He truly loves and cares for you. This is a declaration about God. He who knows all and sees all knows far better than we do. God has instructed us and told us how to live, but the trouble with man is that he does not pay much attention to what God says and goes his own way rather than the way God has instructed. Only a foolish person would ignore such wise counsel and yet this is done every day. He has promised to instruct us and guide us in the way we should go (Psalm 73:24; Proverbs 3:5-6). If you are not living daily in the Word of God you are cutting off God’s guidance for your life. Each day we are blessed to be able to encounter new opportunities. For some this can be a struggle due to the fear of what the future holds. When we cannot see what lies ahead, we become worrisome and we feel out of control. Financial setbacks, disappointments, personal problems tend to obscure our vision for hope in the future causing us doubt and despair. The Scriptures encourage us to thrust our concerns to the Lord (I Peter 5:7). If you are neglecting the Scriptures you are hindering God’s guidance for your life. The more we read and study the Scriptures, the more the Lord will leads us. When you need direction on the paths of life, remember, that God is always near. He is there to guide us down the right paths. He will strengthen us when we are weak. He will give comfort when we are distressed. We just need to listen to Him. We serve an awesome God. Remember to thank the Lord for guiding us safely until we reach Heaven’s shores. PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the opportunities given me each day to trust in You. Help me to walk with surety upon the promises of Your Word that You will guide me as I walk through the dark valleys of 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
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A Time to Keep Silence, and a Time to Speak
(Ecclesiastes 3:7b) - PART 3 Power of Words (Proverbs 18:21) Proverbs 18:21, Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Candid communication, specifically between husband and wife, is critical for creating connection and lasting joy. But should you be able to say whatever you want to your spouse? I’ve always tried to be careful what I say to my wife. But many believe you should be able to say whatever you want to your spouse. They call it “just being honest.” On the other hand, some are too careful about what they say because they’re trying to get a particular response from their mate. Actually, that’s manipulation, and I’ve never seen it work to create true connection in any relationship. Proverbs 15:1, 4, A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. People can either push each other away with a sharp tongue, or build bridges and bring others closer together with their words. The way parents speak to their children has a great effect on how those children learn to think. The way husbands and wives speak to each other affects their marriage and impacts their relationship. 4 Reasons to Be Careful What You Say:
Words are powerful, and they can have a great impact either for good or evil (Proverbs 18:21). Being careful about what we say can affect others’ lives as well as our own. Words can take on a life of their own, and we can hurt another person deeply if we speak carelessly. Whether we’re deliberately hurtful or we speak comfort and encouragement, the effect of what we say always comes back to us. We can break others’ spirits when we speak negatively toward them over an extended period of time. The emotional pain, discouragement, and resentment this generates can eventually cause others to shy away from us. We’re all susceptible to making this mistake if we don’t exercise self-control in what we say. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, help me to speak life and encouragement to those around me. Teach me to walk in love always offering words of kindness, love, and grace so that I do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Help me to be wise and use my tongue to speak healing words. Teach me to know when to speak and when to be still or pray. And when I speak, help me to speak the truth in love. I don’t want my service to You to be worthless because I cannot bridle my tongue. 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 Time to Keep Silence, and a Time to Speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7b) - PART 2
Guarding Your Words (Proverbs 12:23) Proverbs 12:23, A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. Someone once said, “The most difficult thing to master is our words. It is not so much what goes in one ear and comes out the other that bothers us, it is what goes in one ear, gets garbled in the process, and then comes out the mouth!” A foolish person doesn't know 'there is a time to be silent and a time to speak' (Ecclesiastes 3:7; Proverbs 11:13). So he blurts out what he thinks is knowledge but it comes over as folly. He just wants to show off and is totally insensitive to the company and the occasion. Prudence helps us avoid danger because it recognizes what is going on around us. Our English word prudence comes from the Latin word for “seeing ahead.” One of the most important ways in which prudence is displayed (and by which it protects us from danger) is in the matter of our speech. Prudent people do not feel the need to tell everything they know to everyone they meet. Someone once said, “If I don’t tell you what I know, how will you know that I know so much?” The temptation to be recognized as one of those “in the know” often leads us to speak when we should be silent. There is a time to speak out and confront evil, but most of us speak too much rather than too little. Instead of proclaiming the latest about everyone, we would avoid a great deal of trouble if we prudently kept our mouths closed. If we continue to open our mouths about everyone and everything, we will certainly create trouble for ourselves and for others. If you have a problem with a person, you should talk to them and God about it—and not others. It is impossible to overestimate how important our speech and words are to our success in life. The hearts of the righteous are revealed through their speech, as are the hearts of the wicked. Jesus spoke of the importance of this in Matthew 12:33-37. Words are the fruit of the heart. Other people judge us according to what we say, and one day we must account to God for every word we have spoken. According to James 3:2, those who are able to completely control their tongues are mature believers. According to Matthew 7:6, silence may not mean ignorance but greater knowledge – of what should be said, to whom and when. Christians can do harm by blurting out precious words to those not in a right condition to receive them. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I thank You for the Bible and for all the wise instructions you have given me in it. I thank You for Your Holy Spirit to guide me for those times I needed to keep my mouth shut. Teach me to be more inclined to open my ears rather than opening my mouth. 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 Time to Keep Silence, and a Time to Speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7b) - PART 1
He Opened Not His Mouth (Isaiah 53:7) Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. When Jesus stood before Pilate in judgment, He said in Matthew 26:53, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” Yet the Bible says “He opened not his mouth”. He would be as silent as a sheep before its shearers. When He was brought before Pilate, Jesus just stood there and said nothing (Matthew 26:62-63; 27:12-14; I Peter 2:23). During much of His affliction and oppression He was completely silent. At other times He spoke only a few words. That’s because He was not on trial, Pilate was on trial. Jesus knew His destiny but most importantly, He knew His Father intimately. When you know the LORD, you can face anything with confidence and be free to be quiet. What peace He brings in the most precarious predicaments. Sometimes it is wise to keep silent. To say, “I don’t have the answer right now but I will pray, ponder over it, and get back with you.” Your need to rescue someone, or impress them can often come back to bite you. Proverbs 12:23, A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. There is virtue and wisdom in being discreet. When a wise man speaks, he conceals that which he cannot discreetly reveal. When a foolish man speaks, he holds back nothing but speaks all that he knows, which is mostly foolishness. The foolish blab about everything they know. Loose lips reveal things which ought to be concealed. The news media had a problem with this during WWII. During World War II, the news media was kept from a lot of information by the government because they could not be trusted to keep their mouths shut on sensitive issues. Loose lips characterize the news/social media of our day. When people are anxious for answers, they’ll pressure you into speaking before you have all the facts or have taken time to pray and consider the situation. If you ask Him, God will tell you what to say and when to say it. His promise is found in Isaiah 51:16, And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand…Ego says, “Don’t just stand there, say something.” Wisdom says, “Don’t just say something, stand there”. Ask God for His insight. One insight from Him can settle things in a hurry and rescue you from a lengthy headache. Someone else’s need to know shouldn’t determine your need to speak. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I know my tongue is very swift and slippery, and often gets ahead of my mind and heart. I’m sorry for those times I have spoken in anger or gossip. Help me to be slow to speak. May my words always be with grace and seasoned with salt, and careful as I answer everyone. In Jesus name, Amen. Thank you for reading this devotion. This is PART ONE of this series. Please visit the website tomorrow for PART TWO. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com In Everything Give Thanks (I Thessalonians 5:18)
Corrie ten Boom in the Hiding Place relates an incident that taught her always to be thankful. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. On entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and flea- infested. That morning, their Scripture reading in I Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted, and Corrie finally succumbed to her pleadings. During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference. It was not until several months later that they learned the reason the guards would not enter the barracks was because of the fleas. It is God’s will for us to give thanks in everything. Thanks is appreciation or gratitude voiced from our lips and hearts. It is not easy to be thankful for what we do not like, but this is the will of God. Thanks in this context means to be grateful and to express gratitude. This is a difficult command but a divine command. Scripture says to give thanks “in” everything; “not for” everything. It includes good things and bad things, joys and sorrows, gains and losses, hurts and health, good news and bad news. In everything give thanks! At all times, in all circumstances, give thanks to God. We don’t have to be thankful for our trials. But we can be thankful in them since we know the Lord is going to use it for our good in the future. Saying “thank you“ should be an everyday occurrence. A grateful heart is shown through grateful lips. A person who is truly thankful cannot help but to express it. Expressing gratitude for all that God has done for us through Christ should be one of the continuous character traits of all Christians (Ephesians 5:20). This kind of gracious attitude will cause the believer to stand out in his or her setting and be a good example for Christ. In our praise to God we are to rejoice always and we are to give thanks in everything. God commands His people to give thanks to Him! We should give God praise, honor, and glory because of what He has given to us. An evergreen is always green despite the changes in weather around it. It is green in the heat of summer as well as the cold of winter. So also our lives are to be characterized by an enduring thankfulness that is unaffected by the changes around us. When the heat of a pressured week or the deadly cold of pain strikes us, we should stand ‘ever green,' always thankful, regardless of that which surrounds us. For Christians there is no situation in which we cannot give thanks. Even in affliction we are more than conquerors as the Spirit of glory and of God rests on us. A life of prayer and devotion leads to a thankful heart. One preacher well said, “We can worship the Lord without words, but we cannot praise Him without words. ” He demands our praise and He deserves our praise. Thirteen years before his conversion, John Wesley had a conversation one night with a porter of his college that impressed Wesley that there was more to Christianity than he had found. The porter had only one coat. He had eaten no food that day and yet his heart was full of gratitude to God. Wesley said to him, “You thank God when you have nothing to wear, nothing to eat, and no bed to lie upon? What else do you thank him for?” “I thank Him,” answered the porter, “that He has given me my life and being, and a heart to love Him, and a desire to serve Him.” Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER: Father, Your Word says to always give thanks and to give thanks for everything. Without Your help, that is impossible. Forgive me for all the times that I worry about my situation. 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 Thank You, LORD!
Psalm 107, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; How often we fail to thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy to us. It should always be upon our lips. It always has been (and always will be) the duty of God’s people to testify of His goodness. We, the redeemed, have an obligation to open our mouths before others of the goodness of God to us. He certainly delivered Israel from the hands of their enemies. To this day, God delivers His people from the attack of the devil. Lord, thank You for saving my soul! When we are grateful for the people in our lives, thing’s God has blessed us with, or the circumstances we find ourselves in, it creates a spirit of thankfulness within us. However, when we pick apart the family and friends who are beside us, find displeasure with the things we have, or find fault with our circumstances, it creates a spirit of discontent. What’s wonderful about being grateful is that things in our life don’t have to change for us to be grateful. We can simply change our perspective by finding gratitude in our present circumstance whatever they may be. As a result, we will live a life with thankfulness. We should be thankful to the Lord for our family. I Thessalonians 5:18, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. And that thankfulness comes from sincere place of gratefulness. In which, that gratefulness precedes gratitude that we find in every area of our life. Sure, we may have challenges with those we love; we may desire to live better and do better. But the truth is, God gives us more when we prove to Him that we are faithful and grateful with where He has us. If we can’t be grateful in our small house, how are we going to be grateful living in a larger house with larger expenses? Often, we complain about fuel prices. Consider those who don’t have a car. Many of us dread doing laundry every week. Well, instead of dreading the laundry, how about while you’re folding the clothes, you thank God for the clothes you have. How about thanking God for your family who is alive and well for you to do laundry for? What about cleaning the house? We don’t think there’s a single person who finds joy in cleaning the toilets, but when we change our perspective and choose to thank God for providing a roof over our heads, and not living on the streets; then we will gladly clean the toilet. What about having to get up every day and go to work. Sure, we would all like to pursue our dreams, or retire. But instead of complaining that you have to get up and go to work, thank God that you have a job, and you are not unemployed. Psalm 100:1-5 teaches us that every night, we have the opportunity to thank God for protecting us during the day. Every morning, we have the privilege of waking up to thank God for another day to fulfill His purpose for our life. 1. Be Heard! – Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalm 100:1) 2. Be Happy! – Serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2) 3. Be Humble – Know the Lord has made us, and not we ourselves (Psalm 100:3) 4. Be Holy! – Enter His gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4) 5. Behold! – The Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generation (Psalm 100:5) PRAYER: When I say “Thank You,” Lord, help me pause long enough to really mean what I’m saying. Help the attitude that should trigger those words be a more constant part of my character. Show me where I’m most lacking in gratitude, and give me strength to give You genuine thanks for those trying places. And I will be forever grateful, 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 Pleases God (John 8:29) PART 2
John 8:29, And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. The second mention of what is well pleasing unto the Lord is found in Colossians 3:20. 1. Obedient Children. (Colossians 3:20). Colossians 3:20, Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Children must be taught while they’re young. The English poet Samuel Coleridge talked with a man who did not believe that children should be given any religious instruction at all. This man claimed that the child’s mind should not be prejudiced in any direction, and when he became older he should be permitted to choose his religious opinions for himself. Coleridge said nothing; but after a while he asked his visitor if he would like to see his garden. The man said he would, and Coleridge took him out into the garden, where only weeds were growing. The man looked at Coleridge in surprise, and said, “Why this is not a garden! There is nothing but weeds here!” “Well, you see,” answered Coleridge, “I did not wish to infringe upon the liberty of the garden in any way, I was just giving the garden a chance to express itself and to choose its own production.” Obedient children not only please the Lord, but they are “well pleasing” unto the Lord. Children should obey their parents in all things, not just those things that they enjoy doing. Obedience is the major requirement of children. Parents are to rule the children. Society wants it the other way around, but the authority for the Christian home is the Bible not culture. It is the commands of Scripture that should guide the believer in governing the family. Children are to be submissive and obey their parents in all things in order to please the Lord. Well pleasing unto the Lord is the blessed result of obedience to one's parents. The word "obey" means to heed, hearken, comply, and follow the directions or instructions of some guide. The Lord has one primary objective for the child: to prepare the child to be the most balanced and productive adult he or she can be. When the child obeys their parent, the Lord sees the child being disciplined and controlled; He sees the child preparing themself to become a strong adult. As a result, the child's obedience pleases the Lord. By choosing to honor our parents on earth; we honor our Father in Heaven. Children should obey parents for three reasons: (1) Obedience is a partial fulfillment of the Fifth Commandment. (2) Obedience is well-pleasing to God. (3) Obedience is basic to obedience in other areas. Our parents are the first form of authority we recognize in our lives. As we grow older, we see God as the supreme authority. If children are not taught respect for parental authority in their early years, they will in later years have no respect for civil, religious, or divine authority. If you want to please the Lord, then be obedient unto your parents. How we obey our parents is often how we obey the Lord. When we disobey our parents, we are displeasing the Lord. Although Jesus, when He was a child, knew far more than His parents, He still obeyed them. Exodus 20:12, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. This is a universal command for all people. We never outgrow this command. It’s an eternal, Biblical principle. Regardless of your parents’ success rating, God commands all of His people to honor their father and their mother. Honoring your parents is an attitude accompanied by the action of communicating to your parents. You have value. You are worthy of my respect. You are the person God sovereignly placed in my life. You may have failed me or hurt me, but I choose to see you with compassion as a person with needs and scars of your own. When you honor your parents, you sincerely identify what your parents did right and honor your parents for those specific things. A few examples of how you can honor your parents: · Choosing to place high value upon your relationship with them, knowing that it matters to God. · Taking the initiative to improve the relationship in whatever steps you can. In the stubborn combination of love and pride in families, you can’t wait for your parents to go first. As the follower of Jesus Christ, you go first. · Recognizing that they have done some things right. Even if your perspective is clouded by great pain, you can find something your parents did right. · Acknowledging the sacrifices they’ve made for you. · Seeing them as Christ does, through a lens of mercy. Our parents are vulnerable human beings who can also be hurt. · Forgiving them, even as God in Christ has forgiven you. Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help me to see my parents through Your lens of mercy. Show me specific things they did for me. I choose to honor them and communicate that to them. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, I pray, amen. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com What Pleases God (John 8:29) PART 1
John 8:29, And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As believers, our aim in service to the Lord is to please Him in all that we do. May we be faithful to please Him rather than bringing pleasure to ourselves or any other. The most miserable type of person is the one whose life is lived to please self. If we want to please God, we must find out what pleases Him. The Bible has much to say, here are a few:
1.Giving to Missions. (Philippians 4:18). Philippians 4:18, But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. Paul tells the Philippians that their giving was an act of worship to God and He was well pleased with their worship. The Philippians gave out of their poverty. Their gift was an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. It was received and honored by the Lord Jesus Christ. Our giving and supporting the work of the Lord is indeed an act of worship to the Lord. Paul describes their giving as being “well pleasing to God.” It amazes me that we can bless God by our obedience, faithfulness, and sacrifice. The Lord Jesus is pleased with our sacrifice that is motivated by our love for Him, our obedience to Him, and our concern for His people and His work. In Philippians 4:15, the words "giving and receiving" are business terms referring to the credit and debit side of a ledger. It was as if Paul was saying to them, "No other church opened an account with me except you." The fruit of his ministry would bring reward to the church at Philippi in the present and at the Judgment Seat of Christ. In Philippians 4:17, the term "abound to your account" is a money market term. It means "interest which may be accumulated in your account." Paul's motive was not to seek a gift, but fruit on the spiritual account of the Philippian believers. He "desired" this fruit for them which means "he craved" for it. In Philippians 4:16, Paul indicated that they sent support to Paul not just once, but twice. The gift they sent was intended to be a benefit for the receiver but was an even greater benefit to the giver. Spiritual fruit and blessings were credited to the account of the Philippian church. They gave to Paul and received blessings for doing so. Notice the words, "I am full." Paul was saying, "I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied. I have been filled and at present, I'm well supplied." Their offering was a sacrifice that was well-pleasing to God. Gifts to the Lord's work are considered as an offering to God Himself. In God's economy, what we withhold withers; what we scatter, gathers; what's laid aside, spoils; what we release, returns. When we fill another's need, God fills our needs. The Philippians were known for their fruitful sacrifice. They sent a full supply, a faithful servant, and they sent a fruitful sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. God was well pleased with the giving of the Philippians. Paul compares it to an Old Testament sacrifice which a person offered up to God. The person's sacrificial commitment to God was just like the pleasant smell of the animal sacrifice: it was acceptable. The sacrificial commitment was a sweet or pleasant smell to God. So it was and is with sacrificial giving. The commitment of the gift is acceptable to God just like the pleasant smell of an animal sacrifice. There is nothing you can do to make God more pleased with you than to be generous. Whenever we help others, especially those who minister to others, we are presenting a sweet-smelling offering to God. God is pleased with a giving church and God’s power is on a giving church. Giving churches are made up of giving Christians. We need to have faith in the Lord to take care of us as we seek to take care of others. When David Livingstone went to Africa, a Scotch woman who saved thirty pounds came and presented to him this gift. She said, "I want you to save yourself needless toil and exposure by hiring a servant who will go with you wherever you go and share your sacrifices and dangers." With this offering, David Livingstone hired, Sebantino, a faithful servant and friend. Later in Livingstone's journeys, when he was in the heart of Africa, a lion attacked Livingstone, threw him down, and crushed the bones in his left arm, but Sebantino, at the risk of his own life, saved the missionary. Just think, what would have happened if the Scottish woman had never given the love offering to Livingstone? Many would not have heard the Gospel. How many will not hear the Gospel today because of the neglect of giving to missionaries? We are to give faithfully to the Lord’s work of furthering the Gospel, out of a heart of worship to our Lord who gave Himself for our sins. PRAYER: Lord, I want to live a life that brings pleasure to You. May it be well pleasing in Your sight. 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 Seeking the Lord with All Your Heart (Deuteronomy 4:29)
Deuteronomy 4:29, But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. If a person is to seek the Lord with all their heart one must prepare themself. Lets look at the examples of King Rehoboam (II Chronicles 12:14) and King Hezekiah (II Chronicles 30:18-19). II Chronicles 12:14, And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. If you desire to seek the Lord and establish a close walk with Him, then you need to prepare yourself to do that. If you fail to do this, then sin tends to take root in your heart. This is what happened to King Reheboam. Those who sought God prepared their hearts to seek Him. King Hezekiah stressed the importance of doing this. II Chronicles 30:18-19, For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. Ezra was another man of God that prepared his heart to seek the Lord and obey Him. Ezra 7:10, For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. In order for a believer to prepare their heart to serve the Lord faithfully, he or she must decide to follow the Lord and refrain from wandering away. It was Caleb and Joshua who had wholly followed the Lord and David knew that. They only of the generation which came out of Egypt were allowed to enter the promised land. The psalmist made up his mind in Psalm 119:10. Psalm 119:10, With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. A lack of commitment to Christ will lead to spiritual apathy and to wandering away from God. The word wander means to go astray or to be led astray; to swerve out of control, to be tossed to and fro, and roll back and forth. The words whole heart clearly indicates a wholehearted dedication. David freely and openly cried out with his whole heart seeking after God. David further knew that God had required that he seek Him with the whole heart (Deuteronomy 10:12). He knew that God had promised specific blessing for serving Him with a whole heart (Deuteronomy 11:13). David knew that Joshua had commanded Israel to serve God with all their hearts (Joshua 22:5). The thought here is being led astray from God’s Word. David therefore pled with God to keep him from being so led astray. He was well aware of the distractions and diversions of life which lead to detours from God’s way. The devil knows that if he can replace God as the greatest desire of our hearts—even with something that is not sinful—he has destroyed our effectiveness. This word unfortunately describes many unstable believers today. They have no stability in their lives and spiritually they are weak. They make one mistake after another, and also destructive choices that scar their lives with long term consequences. Spiritual apathy is like cold water on a burning heart on fire for God. Apathy and indifference cool us spiritually and many have adapted a “whatever” attitude in their dedication and service to Christ. This is why we need to seek Him with our whole heart, with a 100% effort. We are to jump in with both feet when it comes to serving and loving Him. Make up your mind and put the Lord first in your life. The same fact holds true with God. God is disgusted with our half-heartedness toward Him. He is not comfortable at all with this kind of attitude. It makes Him sick as He expressed to the apathetic church in Laodicea. Revelation 3:15-16, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. The psalmist’s commitment was to seek God wholeheartedly. He realized that his passion for God’s Word could diminish over time, that he could grow indifferent to spiritual truth. And, because he was fully aware of human nature’s sinful tendencies, he feared straying from the Lord’s commandments. For him, a casual, half-hearted commitment was not enough. If he was going to remain faithful to the Lord and His Word—if he was going to stay pure—he knew that he had to keep the fires of passion burning for God and His Word. Questions to Consider: · Have you given your whole heart to the Lord? · Do you hunger for the Lord? · Do you have an appetite for spiritual matters or are you full of the delicacies that the world offers you? · Have you lost your appetite for the world? Points to Ponder: · The urge to wander from God will be strong if you are in love with this world.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may I seek you with all my heart and not to wander away. Help me never to grow cold or calloused towards You, Your Word, or others. 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 I Surrender All (Galatians 2:20)
Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. While in seminary school, one of the courses I took was Homiletics. The class was taught by our college’s dean. He reminded us continually, “What you do with the Bible will determine what God does with you.” Until then, I had never heard of that statement. On that day back in 1997, I decided to make the Word of God a daily priority in my life. It’s been close 25 years and I have never been sorry I made that commitment (Matthew 16:24-27). Making the Bible the foundation of your life, your choices, and the basis of your decisions will give you joy, delight, direction, clarity, stability, and warnings against that which can harm you. If you are going to be totally sold out to the Lord, then God's Word is vital for establishing a spiritual foundation in your life. How can you please and obey the Lord if you don't know what to obey or what pleases Him? How are you going to know anything about Him without His Word? It will be difficult for sure. Throughout history, the great awakenings and revivals took place where God's Word was made available to the people of a nation. Many are not dedicated to the Lord today because they have decided to base their lives on the philosophies of the world which run contrary to what the Scriptures teach. God instructs us to reject such false and foolish teachings and ideas. Abraham is numbered among a rare breed of submissive hearts in the Bible who were available to God. In addition to Abraham, these men were also available to God; Jacob, in his old age (Genesis 46:2); Moses, on the backside of the desert (Exodus 3:4); Samuel, as a little child (I Samuel 3:4); Isaiah, a future prophet and writer (Isaiah 6:8); and Ananias, an unusual servant (Acts 9:10). All responded, “Here am I,” to God. May this same spirit of availability prevail in each of us. Often, we fear that giving God full control will result in our not receiving what we desire. Be assured that when you surrender your will to God, you will receive the best God has to offer. It may not be what you desire or what you would have planned, but God's will is always better than what you could provide yourself. Founder of the Salvation Army William Booth said, “The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender”. When D.L. Moody began in the ministry he heard a preacher say, "The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully surrendered to Him." Moody that night said, "By God’s grace I’ll be that man!" It is said that Moody shook two continents for God and over a million souls came to Christ under his preaching and ministry. Moody had little education, and he was not a skillful speaker. But God greatly used his life. At a memorial service some years after Moody’s death, Evangelist R.A. Torrey who had been one of his closest friends said, "The first thing that accounts for God’s using D.L. Moody so mightily was that he was a fully surrendered man. Every ounce of that 280 pound body of his belonged to God; everything he was and everything he had, belonged wholly to God." When we surrender our purpose and will to God and allow Him to use us as He sees fit, wonderful things happen. The world is shaken not by the wise, the mighty, the intelligent, or the skilled, but by those who have yielded to God. Instead of surrendering, they cling tightly to their own desires and interests. How much better it is both for us and for a world in need if we surrender and let God choose our path! Points to Ponder: A surrendered life can shake the world. God’s will is always what's best for you, whether you see it or not. Take time right now to place your desires in God's hands. Trust Him to do what's best and faithfully live your life knowing God guides your steps. God is still at work today. He has something great He desires to do right where you live. But the only life you have to offer to God is the life God has given to you. So, offer yourself to God in your present circumstances. God still works through yielded servants. Questions to Consider: What role does the Bible play in your life? What do you use as your basis or standard of determining what is right or wrong? Are you willing to be that fully surrendered person for God? Have you surrendered your will to God today? Are you offering yourself to God now? If not, why not? Will you be the man or woman that is willing to be used of God? Will you turn your abilities over to God and let Him use them however He sees fit? PRAYER: LORD, my desire is to do Your will and to do it willingly and without question. I pray that by the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, I may be willing to present my entire life to You as a sweet-smelling savour. In Jesus name, AMEN! 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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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