Spiritual Fog (Psalm 119:105)
Psalm 119:105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. There has already been several mornings this year where we have seen a fog in our area. A fog is the result of air being cooled to the point where it can no longer hold all water vapor it contains. It takes a lot of effort to get out of bed on these foggy, gloomy mornings. For some, gloom can have a serious impact on their outlook on life. The fog causes limited visibility & one can only see so far ahead. The fog can cause you to become disoriented. When we are on a busy schedule and with all the disruption, we can easily drown God out. The busyness of life can often cause one to focus primarily on self, causing us not to prioritize on the Lord. Fog creeps in making me lose clarity on my situation. It’s very hard to make wise decisions when the direction is distorted. God is working behind the scenes. It would be easy to think He was actually absent but this is not true. It’s only when the sun begins to rise that the fog gets thinner. We have to wait for God to burn off the spiritual fog, the fog of confusion or disillusionment. Then are we able to see clearly. The Lord often tests us with spiritual fogs in life. Fogs cause us to slow down, or to learn to wait! During these times, we are not too make hasty decisions. When you cannot see clearly it is the time to stop and wait. Wait until the fog lifts. No matter how much pressure is put on you by man or other things. Many are so impatient when in waiting mode. Psalm 5:3, My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. We must be mindful that there are spiritual fogs. Walking in the Spirit is not denying the fact that the fog exists in our lives. Walking in the Spirit helps us to keep our eyes on what God has said in His Word in spite of the presence of the fog. Walking in the Spirit helps us to see through the fog that surrounds us. Walking in the Spirit is having a clear and present awareness of the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives. When nothing is normal, so to speak, stop, look at the consistency of God’s Word. It’s here you can say, “I know I’m on the right path. He’s led me here, but it’s foggy right now”. And God’s silence seems deafening. Go back to what you Know is true and wait for God to show you more. Stand there and trust that the LORD will give you clear direction. Just as the sun burns away the foggy mist in the air that we may see clearly, the Son gives us clarity of mind that we may focus on what He has before us. It doesn’t always “feel” good when we wait. We must learn discipline to wait on the LORD. In His time, He will give us our release. The LORD knows the rest of the story; however, He wants us to know if we believe Him. Why? He wants us to see our own heart. If we cannot wait on God, we will get into trouble. This is a time of testing for many. Stand on what God has already told you in His Word. There are times and seasons when we must trust even though we can’t see a thing. I’m waiting on exciting pieces of God’s giant puzzle to fit together in my life. So wait. Knowing you worship a sovereign God Who is in control. And in His perfect timing, the fog will be lifted and the light will shine clearly and perfectly on the path He has chosen for me. I was allowing God’s light in only a little, therefore, the fog had been thinning but still existent. God’s message was loud and clear. I needed to let His light shine in full radiance on my fog-filled life. Once I do my part, His light will naturally burn away the fog. I need to do my part willingly and not just as an act of obedience. Do as He asks cheerfully and be ready to receive His promises to you! Allow His light to shine in full radiance in your life! As you do, the fog will be lifted and His light will clearly shine through your life! PRAYER: Thank You that You do not give me confusion but You give me clarity. Your Word instructs me, Your people counsel me, and Your Spirit leads me. Help me to fill up on the Word, to seek wise advice, and to rely on Your Spirit, who is always with me. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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His Life For Mine (Romans 5:8)
Romans 5:8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The following are a few of the numerous Scriptures regarding Christ giving His life for us (John 3:16; 11:50; Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:17-19). The deepest, most profound, and most edifying subjects in all the Word of God is found in II Corinthians 5:21, “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!” He died in our place, so that when we die, we will never spend eternity in Hell, separated from the LORD. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). For the believer, there is no possibility of condemnation! The most marvelous thing that ever took place upon the earth was Jesus Christ, God the eternal Son, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him! Jesus Christ not only died in our place. But He also has taken our punishment and our charges (Romans 3:21-26), and there is no sin in Him (II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5). Substitution is the core doctrine of Christianity. This is the rock upon which our hopes are built. This is the only hope of the sinner and the only true joy of all saints. These two things, Christ being made sin and us being made righteousness, could only be accomplished by substitution. There was no possible way for the Lord of glory to be made sin, except by imputation. And there is no way by which any man can be made righteousness, except by imputation. It is a legal matter. At Calvary Christ became sin for us, and we became righteousness in Him. As surely as Christ was made sin, all of those for whom He died are made righteous. Impute means to put on someone's account; To charge something to another’s account. We had a debt we owed that we could never pay (Romans 5:12). Jesus is the payer of our sin debt. It means that Jesus places His righteousness upon our record when we trust upon Him for salvation. Imputation is the act of God whereby our sins are put on Christ’s account and His righteousness is put on our account. It means that Jesus took our sins upon His record and then placed His righteousness upon our record. What a wonderful truth! To think that Jesus would bare our sins upon His own body and suffer the crucifixion for us. Jesus would place all His righteousness upon our record so that we might be viewed upon by God as having the righteousness of Christ. Now that is a loving God! If we take it for what it means it can affect our lives in understanding how much the Lord Jesus Christ loves us. We can never understand the depths of wisdom and grace revealed in the substitutionary death of Christ. But we who have seen Him dying in our stead should never cease to worship, adore, love, and trust our merciful Redeemer. Jesus earnestly wants to impute your sin to His record and impute His righteousness to yours. If you will receive Christ’s righteousness He will impute His righteousness to your account, that when you stand before God, you will stand before Him as though you have never sinned; not because you’re sinless, but because your account has been settled. If you would like to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, it all begins when you say yes to Jesus and let Him become your Saviour. All you must do to be saved is admit your guilty condition before God for violating His holy Law (Romans 3:19), and then trust Jesus to wash away your sins with His shed blood. PRAYER: Father I thank You for Jesus who paid the sin debt that I owed and could never repay. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Forbearing One Another (Colossians 3:13)
Colossians 3:13, Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Every day we encounter opportunities to get upset with people about something they did or said. If we let down our guard and indulge in these urges, we will live in a continual state of frustration and strife, and our spiritual lives will suffer dramatically. Sometimes it can be very difficult to convince our minds to overlook a perceived slight, forgive the offender, and move on with our lives. However, the Bible offers us a powerful strategy that can be used to cultivate peace in our relationships: We must learn to extend grace to others and to realize that humans act human. This verse specifically outlines how we are to respond to people in our lives who disappoint or upset us. And since life is filled with disappointments, it’s important for us to understand exactly what Paul meant when he wrote these words. Forbearing one another in love means putting up with others, putting up with the things we dislike in others, or to have tolerance of one another in a spirit of love. It is the opposite act of being short tempered with others. It carries the idea of accepting the failures and flaws of others because we love them. This often involves taking the higher road by shutting our mouths and letting go of the offense or disappointment. This is the way relationships in the body of Christ work as well. This is certainly not an easy task. Instead of complaining when others are difficult to love, believers are called to endure and be patient with them. It is hard enough to be consistently pleasant to those we generally get along with. What a seemingly task to bear with those who are difficult to like. However, God’s Word says that we are to do just that. Bear with those who are unlovable. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
Prayer: Father, I repent for allowing myself to become angry, frustrated, and unforgiving. That is wrong and I refuse to yield to selfishness any longer. No matter what has been said or done, I have no right to harbor ill will — especially when You have commanded me to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Lord, I deeply apologize. If I had been focused on You instead of myself, I would not have become upset in the first place. Help me to see this person and this situation through Your eyes. I choose to get over this offense right now. I let this drop and I refuse to think on my feelings anymore. Instead, I will seek to honor You in this matter. Holy Spirit, teach me how to love as Jesus loved 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 Today’s devotion is an excerpt taken from the Bible Study page from our website. If you would like to read this article in its entirety, please visit the Bible Study link.
Keeping Our Prayer Lines Open (Isaiah 59:1-2) Isaiah 59:1-2, Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. God pleaded with Judah to repent of their sinful living. With those conditions still in place, the prophet cried out, Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. The problem of unanswered prayer is not on God’s end. There is no weakness, or shortcoming, on His part. Sin dishonors God and makes Him look imperfect when it is not God being inadequate at all, but our sin that is the problem. Our sin sometimes makes God look weak when He is not weak at all. But our sin hinders God from working on our behalf. Rather, your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Sin separates us from God. When sin remains unconfessed and unrepented of in our hearts, God will not hear. Sin is the chief obstacle to answered prayer. They may be sins of commission. But for born-again Christians, often the sin is that of omission—failing to do as we ought. In either event, sin in our lives causes God to turn away His ear from our prayer. Psalm 66:18; Zechariah 7:11-13; Proverbs 28:9. Prayer is a powerful privilege the Lord offers to us. Knowing this should encourage us to draw closer to Him. Prayer is a relationship with Him, not a list, a board meeting, or a method. Prayer causes the devil to tremble and he will do all that he can to convince you that prayer is pointless and powerless. Satan cannot keep God from answering your prayers, so he will attempt to keep you from praying. Doubt will infect your prayer life. Satan loves to blame God for our problems when we are the blame ourselves. Unanswered prayer does not mean God is incapable of hearing or answering our prayers. It may be that our sin has blocked God from helping us. Let us not blame God for our troubles, but ourselves. God is all powerful and all loving and He desires to demonstrate His power and love in and through your life. Unfortunately, many people often live life on their own terms as if they expect God to do what they told Him to, when they told Him to do it. Too often God is treated like a genie in a bottle, or a spare tire, and even an ATM machine. May we grow in our relationship with the Lord and in confidence knowing that God is eager to answer our prayers. In fact, He does some of His greatest miracles in our lives in times when we are doubting or discouraged. PRAYER: Lord, I know there are times when You are not able to hear my prayers due to unconfessed sin. Show me and convict me when there is sin in my life so that my prayers can be heard and answered. 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 Getting Up After a Fall
Psalm 37:23-24, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. My favorite cereal is Honey Nut Cheerios. I like Honey Nut Cheerios, not only because it tastes good, I also like it because you can’t sink the Cheerio - no matter how many times you attempt to sink it. It keeps resurfacing to the top. You’re not defeated by getting knocked down in life. You’re only defeated when you refuse to get back up. The righteous may fall, but they will get back up. The question is not whether we ever fail, but whether we get back up when we do. You cannot be defeated by the enemy; you can only lose by giving up. Don’t let defeats or setbacks discourage you. Instead, commit yourself to standing firm and not giving up no matter how tough things get. God will be faithful and just to guide and direct our steps (Psalm 32:8; Proverbs 3:5-6). God delights in the path of the righteous. Even as a parent delights in the steps of an obedient child, so does our heavenly Father (Psalm 11:7). Though the righteous may stumble along the path of life, He will be kept from falling over the abyss. God will grab you and lift you back up with His hand (Psalm 37:17; 63:8). Every parent has grabbed their toddler as he or she was about to fall. God has promised the same for the righteous. Failure is not final with God. God is willing to give those who fail a second chance to serve Him. Many of God’s best servants experienced some failure in their lives. Those who came back to God were given another great work to do. Witness Jonah in the deep; Elijah (I Kings 19:1-4); Peter (John 18:15-27); Mark (Acts 15:36-41). Though met with trouble, God providentially preserved them. Here are some promises to keep in mind when you fall short of your expectations:
Points to Ponder:
Questions to Consider:
Prayer: Father, it’s so obvious that I am quite an ordinary sinner when I look at my life. It’s comforting and convicting to know that godly people can fall so far and yet, You never give up on us. Help me to see areas of my life where I am prone to fall. Forgive me when I do, and help me get back in line with Your will for my life. Never let me lose my sense of dependence on You. Keep me pressing on as I follow in Your Son’s steps, realizing it is Your plan to use my time here to grow me into someone more and more like Him. Your will be done, Father, 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 Careful Concerning the Company You Keep (I Corinthians 15:33)
I Corinthians 15:33, Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. A mother once shocked her daughter when she was able to tell her who she spent the most time with. She said, “I know just who you've been playing with today." She knew because she had become something like the other girl. She became so much like her in that she spoke like her, mimicked her mannerisms, and other telltale changes. Children often imitate other children quite unconsciously. So do adults. We are affected by the people we spend time with, in one way or another. The wrong crowd has a powerful influence upon people. They can be very distracting in our quest to do God's will. Never underestimate the power of peer pressure. Be careful about the friends that you choose and spend your time with. It’s been said that we are, or will soon become, like the people we associate with, the books we read or the movies we watch. Avoid critical, carnal people as your close friends. Communications can refer to either conversation or companions. Most of the time when you’re in the wrong kind of company there will be bad conversations, which in turn, influences bad conduct. Bad company hurts a person’s good character and name. In just 15 minutes a person’s reputation can be ruined by what a parent has worked for 15 years to build within. Proverbs 16:29, “A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.” Violent people mislead, or deceive, others to a life of lawlessness. A violent man’s aim is to lead his neighbor away from the ways of righteousness. Too often, people look up to others who are bad examples and eventually end on the same broken road. They craftily seduce the innocent to get them convinced that the evil way is acceptable. Evil people never warn them of the consequences of sin. Wicked people paint evil as good and shut the eye to any danger. Many have fallen for this tactic of evil and paid a terrible price. Once a spider built a beautiful web in an old house. He kept it clean and shiny so that flies would visit it. The minute he got a "customer" he would wind him up in a web so the other flies would not get suspicious. Then one day this fairly intelligent fly came buzzing by the clean spider web. Old man spider called out, "Come in and sit." But the fairly intelligent fly said, "No, sir. I don't see other flies in your house, and I am not going in alone!" But presently he saw on the floor below a large crowd of flies dancing around on a piece of brown paper. He was delighted! He was not afraid if a lot of other flies were doing it. So he came in for a landing. Just before he landed a bee zoomed by, saying, "Don't land there! That's flypaper!" But the fairly intelligent fly shouted back, "Don't be silly. Those flies are dancing. There's a big crowd there. Everybody's doing it. That many flies can't be wrong!" Well, you know what happened. He died on the spot on the fly paper. Some of us want to be with the crowd so badly that we end up in a mess. What does it profit a fly (or a person) if he escapes the web only to end up in the glue? Ben Carson, MD, Johns Hopkins University neurosurgeon, who grew up on the streets of Detroit said, "Go down to the fish market and look into the crab barrel. They never have to put a lid on it because if one crab starts to crawl out, the others will grab onto him and pull him back down." That's what the wrong crowd does and that's what you must fight against. Don't be distracted nor fall into the trap by degenerate people. Questions to Consider: Is there sin in your life that you are having a hard time letting go of? What kind of example are you setting for others? Points to Ponder: If you are playing with sin, then you are toying with the devil. Choose your friends wisely because they will shape the future of your life. Prayer: Father, Your Son is the example by which we are to live. Help me to live in a way that pleases You and will draw others to Your Son. I pray that they will receive Him and have a desire to 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 What To Do When Your Life Is Sinking (Matthew 14:24-29)
Storms can come suddenly, even at odd times. This one came when the disciples were in the midst of the sea. Trouble seems to come at the worst of times. There was no chance to prepare; the storm just showed up in the middle of nowhere. Storms will rock you. Storms will have you sitting at your table unable to eat. Storms will have you lying in your bed unable to sleep. Storms will have you sitting at a red light that's green. A storm will consume your life. We need Jesus in our storms. Then God shows up. The Bible says that Jesus went unto them. Any time a storm shows up in your life, Jesus will show up. He knows how much you can bear. The disciples saw Jesus in their time of trouble. I have discovered in life that sometimes you can be so drenched in your trouble that you can't see your triumph. You can be so caught up in your situations that you can't see your Saviour. Your can be so bogged down with your doubt that you can't focus on your deliverance. If you put doubt in front of the deliverer, you'll walk around with your head down from now on. Today, are you walking or sinking? If you’re going under, it’s because you’ve been looking at the waves (like an up and down economy). You’ve been listening to the howling wind (like the voices of doom and gloom rampant in our society). You have been taking your prompts from what others are saying or the way they are acting, instead of keeping your mind stayed on the Lord (Isaiah 26:3). Like Peter, the moment we take our eyes off of the Lord we sink. When our attention drifts, we lose our ability to hear His voice. The same wind and waves that jolt us into crying out to God one moment can distract us from Him in the next. Today is an opportunity not to sink into distraction, but to focus on the Lord and what He’s teaching you. And to trust Him to handle life’s trials. This is what life should be for growing followers of Christ: looking to God for wisdom and responding with obedience, even in the face of what may seem impossible. All the while, keeping our eyes on Jesus. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
Prayer, Lord God, You are sovereign, in control of everything. I confess I’ve allowed myself to be distracted and I don’t want to be anymore. Give me the strength and self-control I need to fix my eyes on You, 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. Just as You didn’t let Peter sink, You won’t let me sink. Help me get my eyes off my circumstances and onto You. Please forgive me. I want to trust You. Thank You that You are the sure, steadfast anchor of my soul. Thank You that nothing is too hard for You. Let my life reflect the stability of knowing that You see and know and are at work on my behalf. 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 The Harvest Is Ready (Jeremiah 8:20)
Jeremiah 8:20, The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. The harvest period in Israel began in late March or early April, with the barley harvest. This was the Passover season and was known as the spring harvest. Wheat was harvested in the middle of May to the end of June. This was the season of Pentecost. It takes about 120 days to grow. From the middle of July to the end of September, when the summer was over, various fruits and vegetables were harvested by the people. This was known as the summer harvest. If the spring harvest was a failure then people had hope of having a good summer harvest. If this failed, there was no hope for the winter months ahead. In his vision, Jeremiah heard the people’s cry of hopelessness. He saw all hope were gone. Neither the spring harvest, nor the summer harvest, had produced a crop of repentance. Judah had fumbled all of her opportunities for repentance, so only judgment was ahead. The days of ease and prosperity were about to end. In the history of Judah, they had gone through the years of the summer of prosperity. Now, the winter of desolation was fast approaching. Judah had not repented and they, therefore, would not be delivered. They had missed the last opportunity to be saved. Their lost opportunity was compared to the harvest that had passed and the summer that had ended. It was now too late for the people to reap the harvest. The final chance for them to harvest the crop, to be saved, had passed. Rebellion caused Judah to lose their opportunity of salvation and deliverance. They were told what they needed to do to get their lives straightened out, but they would have no part of it. They refused to listen and return to the Lord. The people were deliberately defiant. They condoned, or excused, their sin and would not acknowledge that they had done anything wrong. Their minds were made up to do what they wanted to do and they would not be swayed from their course. That’s what a rebellious spirit does to any person. It will make one unteachable, unreasonable, unaccountable and unapproachable. They called evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20-21). Danger and possible destruction are shrugged off in apathy, or ignored, and refuted until it is too late to change direction. The spiritual leaders were not godly and did not teach them the truth. These people wandered so far from God. Their ignorance led to decisions and choices that were sinful, destructive and caused them to miss the opportunity to change and be delivered by God. Don’t make the same mistake. If God has been dealing with you about your sin or unbelief, then turn to Him. Obey the Lord! When God blesses you with the harvest of your labors, whatever they may be, don’t worship the harvest. Don’t put your security in it. Instead, with a heart of gratitude and praise, thank the Lord for His blessings and provisions. Give back to the Lord what belongs to Him in tithes and offerings toward His work. Honor the Lord with what He has blessed you and He will bless you even more. That is His promise to you and to me. PRAYER, Lord, help me to realize when You’re convicting me of the sin in my life. I don’t want to miss the opportunity of having Your power on 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 The Great Comeback (Proverbs 24:16)
Proverbs 24:16, For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. The story is told that Andrew Jackson's boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn't they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat—he would never stay 'throwed.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner." Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'throwed,' but whether you are willing to stay 'throwed.'" My favorite cereal is Honey Nut Cheerios. I like Honey Nut Cheerios not only because it tastes good. I also like it because you can’t sink the Cheerio. No matter how many times you attempt to sink it. It keeps resurfacing to the top. This reminds me of Proverbs 24:16. The Christian life is a battle. Scripture often speaks of God’s children as soldiers, and we should not expect to have things always be calm and peaceful. You’re not defeated by getting knocked down in life, you only defeated when you refuse to get back up. The righteous may fall, but they will get back up. The question is not whether we ever fail, but whether we get back up when we do. You cannot be defeated by the enemy; you can only lose by giving up. Don’t let defeats or setbacks discourage you. Instead, commit yourself to standing firm and not giving up no matter how tough things get. Failure is not final with God. God is willing to give those who fail a second chance to serve Him. Many of God’s best servants experienced some failure in their lives. Those who came back to God were given another great work to do. Samson (Judges 16:19-30). Elijah (I Kings 19:1-4). Peter (John 18:15-27). Mark (Acts 15:36-41). Proverbs 24:16 give us hope. Seven is a number that signifies completeness. The Word of God tells us the righteous will fall and get back up again. A lot of people fall down and don’t want to get back up. Many of them do not. Many of them grow tired of falling down and they choose to stay down. Don’t give up. Comebacks are challenging, but they are also rewarding and necessary for spiritual maturity that we can grow in Christ. As in sports, one can view it in their service for the Lord. Look at it like you are a runner on the last leg of the race, a boxer in the final round, in football in the fourth quarter, the ninth inning in baseball, don’t give up. It’s not if you get knocked down that makes you a failure; it’s whether you choose to get back up and finish what you‘ve started that will determine that. Prayer: Father, it’s so obvious that I am quite an ordinary sinner when I look at my life. It’s comforting and convicting to know that godly people can fall so far, and yet, You never give up on us. Help me to see areas of my life where I am prone to fall. Forgive me when I do and help me get back in line with Your will for my life. Never let me lose my sense of dependence on You. Keep me pressing on as I follow in Your Son’s steps, realizing it is Your plan to use my time here to grow me into someone more and more like Him. Your will be done, Father, 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 This morning’s devotion is an excerpt from a Bible Study. You can view this current study in its entirety by visiting Bible Study link from this website.
Green Pastures and Still Waters (Psalm 23:2) Psalm 23:2, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. David says, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” The green pasture is the Word of God and the still water is the Spirit of God. When you have the Word and the Holy Spirit, you have everything you need. You are talking about a real good diet when you have the Word. The Word promises rest to those that wait upon the Lord. 1. Green pastures speak of Rest. " He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;" We will not rest if we are spiritually hungry. This speaks of finding rest in the Word of God. The 'green pastures' represent food to the sheep. The lying down represents leisure or time. The shepherd has His eye on you. He knows if you are fatigued and when you need some quiet time alone. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get too busy for God to speak to us. Don't allow too many jobs and too many possessions rob you of your time alone with God. This represents God’s people spend time meditating on the food which He has prepared for them, which is the Word of God. We can go further and say that the Lord provides a green pasture for His sheep every time the Word of God is truly preached. This challenges all who know the Lord to crave sound Biblical preaching. It’s in the green pastures where we find peace and pleasure and feast all the long. There is great ease spiritually in God’s green, grassy meadows, in living fellowship with the Lord. 2. Still waters speak of Refreshment. " he leadeth me beside the still waters." When sheep are led beside the still waters they do not lack refreshment. God's people often find themselves in need of spiritual refreshment. This is because they walk in a wearying and exhausting world. People search and ask all the time where peace and refreshment to be found? Are we not refreshed when we contemplate the greatness of our God? All of these refreshing things and many, many more are found in the Word of God. It is green pasture in which we may feed and refreshing water from which we may drink. A great burden is lifted when a person places complete trust in the Shepherd. The Lord is well in control of every situation, and our peace is simply to be where He is! PRAYER: Father, thank You for being a faithful Shepherd never forsaking me. For leading me to green pastures and to still waters where I find rest and refreshment. 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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