“Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me.” I Kings 12:24
After Solomon’s death, Israel had made king Jeroboam their king, and thus divided the kingdom into two parts. Rehoboam who ruled over Judah was going to send an army against them and endeavour to bring the kingdom back together again.
God sent a message to Rehoboam that he should not fight against Israel because what had happened was all part of His plan.
When we see the way things are going in our world today, we sometimes wonder just why certain rulers, etc., are in the positions they are. But we need to remember that God rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whosoever He will. Everything that happens is in His hands and part of His plan for our world. Through it all, He is working all things together to fulfill His perfect plan. We just need to trust Him and trust in His Divine leading.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we know that you are in complete control. Help us to trust you in all things.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11
My daily Bible reading lately has been in I Kings and it is interesting to see the comments about each king that reigned: “he did right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father” or “and he did evil in the sight of the Lord,
They each had a decision to make when they became king, would they do good and follow God’s law, or would they do evil and worship the idols of others. Depending on which they decided, God either blessed them or caused judgment to come upon them. How different the history of Israel would read if each king that succeeded David had followed in His footsteps and honoured God. The nation would have been blessed and they would have lived in peace.
God gives each person on earth a choice today, we can serve God or turn our backs on Him. When we serve Him with all our heart, we can trust Him to shower us with grace and glory. He doesn’t give us everything we think we need, but He chooses what is best for our lives. He promised us wisdom, peace, victory, healing, joy and so many other blessings. May it be said of each one of us, that we walk uprightly, and are blessed by God.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to walk uprightly before you and trust you to give us what is needed in our lives.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
Jesus made this statement in response to some people who said they wanted to follow Him but had other things they wished to do first, like spend more time with their friends, or wait until their parents were dead. They claimed they wanted to follow Jesus and be His disciples, but they wanted to do it on their terms.
How often people today are moved in a service, convicted of their sins, and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness. But when faced with trials and discouragements, or when realizing they must give up some things to follow Jesus, they are not willing to pay the full price.
To fully follow Jesus, we must be willing to lay aside everything else, and give ourselves wholly to Him. It’s all or nothing with Him. But when we learn to love Him with all our hearts, it is no sacrifice to give all to Him.
There is no turning back, once we have decided to follow Him. There will be obstacles and discouragements, but we can rest assured, that He will always be there for us, giving us the strength that we need.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to never look back, but follow you fully.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8
My husband loved to travel, and I am sure that planning the trip was just as enjoyable to him as the trip itself. After he had chosen a destination, he would spend hours, checking maps, figuring out mileage and checking for interesting things to see and do along the way. He would go over the route several times, setting deadlines to be at a certain point. In most cases, he would meet the schedule within a few minutes.
When God called Abraham to leave his country, he had no idea where he was going or how long it was going to take. In faith, he obeyed the voice of God, and set out just taking one day at a time.
Scott Howard, of Legacy Five sings a beautiful song: “Destination Known.” Our destination is heaven, eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. None of us know how long our journey will be but we submit ourselves to the Lord, trusting Him to guide us and direct us. As we listen to His voice, read His word, and communicate with Him one day at a time, He will keep us in the right path until the day He calls us home.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus that we know our destination, and that you will be there with us every step of the journey.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.” Psalm 61:2-3
Last night in church we were singing that old song, “Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a shelter in the time of storm.”
My mind wandered a bit and I could picture a weary traveler plodding across a dusty plain. The sky grew dark, and a storm was fast approaching. He quickened his pace, searching all around for a place of shelter. Suddenly he saw a group of rocks, and hurried off the pathway towards them, and there he found a cleft in which to hide and wait out the storm, rejoicing for the shelter.
So many times, in our lives, we face dark clouds, and storms that threaten us. But when we lift our eyes toward heaven and cry out to the Lord, He leads us to a place of safety. He doesn’t always calm the storm but He gives us the strength to bear whatever it is, and soon the dark clouds lift, and the sun shines again. Even amid the storm we can praise the Lord and trust Him to bring us safely through. Truly, He is our rock in a weary land, a shelter in the time of storm.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you for the storms you allow us to face in our lives to strengthen us, and we thank you for the shelter you provide to keep us safe from harm.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
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