“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV) When we hear the word “season,” we typically think about yearly seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter. In the South, where I live, seasons are often discussed as hunting, fishing, football, and gardening seasons! A business owner may think of “busy season” or “slow season.” Let’s not forget the Christmas season, the vacation season, and, of course, the flu season. We are familiar with many seasons, but they all have one thing in common. Each describes a time in our lives…
“The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Habakkuk 3:19 “I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, no turning back.” A question on Google gave me this answer: “The deer, or hind, referenced here can also be called a gazelle, a graceful, swift, and sure-footed animal that can climb sheer rocky cliffs and never stumble or fall. In climbing, the deer can place her back feet exactly where her front feet were, thus needing only two sturdy footrests instead of four. She can scamper across what appears to be a vertical cliff, unafraid and undeterred by seemingly impassable terrain.” This means that as a child of God, we can rise above any circumstance because He gives us the grace, inner strength, and courage to keep pressing on. As verse 1 of Habakkuk 3 tells us: “the Sovereign LORD is my strength” Chapter 4 of Proverbs gives us some good advice as we walk this pathway of life: Verse 14 “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and…
“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14 “Oh, the joy of sins forgiv’n, Oh, the bliss the blood-washed know, Oh, the peace akin to Heav’n, Where the healing waters flow. Where the healing waters flow, Where the joys celestial glow, Oh, there’s peace and rest and love, Where the healing waters flow!” When I started writing this month’s devotionals, I did not have a theme. However, it seems that for every scripture that the Lord inspired me to use, He also put an older hymn in my mind to go along with it. I am sure that when these hymns were written, they were inspired by the Lord because of the hymn writer having a scripture verse stand out to them. Doctors and nutritionists advise us that we need to drink lots of water to keep our bodies healthy. We should drink often throughout the day, not waiting until we feel thirsty. Just as we need natural water every day to survive, we also need spiritual water to maintain our…
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:9-10 “Jesus Christ is made to me, All I need, all I need, He alone is all my plea, He is all I need. Wisdom, righteousness and pow’r, Holiness forevermore, My redemption full and sure, He is all I need.” The words of this song have been on my mind as I prepared to write this devotional. I have not heard it in a long time, but it is as relevant to…
“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!” Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided— “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me! The above words written over one hundred and fifty years ago, still contain a message that resonates within our hearts today. We serve a faithful God, one who has never changed. His mercy and compassion will never fail. He will always keep His promise to supply our every need. When God led His people out of Egypt to the land that He had promised they would inherit, their every need was supplied. We are told that even in the forty years that they traveled, their clothing and shoes never wore out. When they were hungry, God sent them manna every day, just enough to feed their family one day at a time. When they were thirsty, He supplied water. Many times, they rebelled against Him,…
“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.” Psalm 89:15-17 As I read this Psalm, I am reminded of a hymn written by Priscilla J. Owens that we used to sing a lot in church. Here is the first verse: “We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Bear the news to every land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves; Onward!—’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!” Our hearts and minds are bombarded with sounds every day, luring us with promises of better health, gaining riches, purchasing the newest merchandise, and becoming popular in this world. Above…