“But you, the Lord God, are kind and merciful. You don’t easily get angry, and your love can always be trusted.” Psalms 86:15 CEV There are many times when those around us, hurt us. Too often we can be faced with brutal moments of betrayal and unkind words that break our hearts, and ultimately cause us to have some trust issues. I’ve been hurt before, as I’m sure you have. The opposite is true as well, that we have more than likely hurt others. A reminder I can carry with me in those moments is the above scripture that God’s…
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14 Recently, I read the following quote: “If God is making you wait, He is preparing you for something you aren’t ready for yet.” Most people do not like waiting, whether it be in traffic, in line at a grocery store, or even waiting for someone to go somewhere with them. Once we make up our minds what we want, we want it now. The Bible includes stories of people who had a dream or a vision from God, showing them something special He wanted them to do, but it did not happen immediately. They had to go through a period of waiting. One particularly good example is Joseph. As a young man, the Lord showed him in dreams that he had an important part to play in the lives of his family. He probably thought that when he told them about it, they would be happy and would immediately do everything they could to help him fulfill his dreams. However, it did not work that way. He only made them angry with him and eventually caused his brothers…
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.” I Kings 17:1-2 As her son lay sleeping, the widow woman checked her pantry and found only enough meal and oil for one small cake. Knowing there was no money to buy more, she took the only step she knew to take and went out to gather a few sticks for a fire. A man approached her asking for a drink of water. Without hesitation, or complaining, she returned to her house to get it for him. To her surprise, he stopped her and asked her to also bring him some bread. Without hesitation, she told him her story. “I only have a handful of meal and a little oil; I am gathering these sticks to make a fire so that my son and I can eat the last little cake and then we will die.” Imagine her surprise when Elijah told her to make the cake for him first and then make one for her son. She had just told him she only had enough for one…
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” II Corinthians 12:9 Has there ever been a time in your life when you were going through a trial or difficulty and a friend said to you, “God will not give you more than you can handle”? But is this true and scriptural? Would it not be better to say, “God will not give you more than He can handle”? In Chapter…
“The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.” Psalm 16:5 Image by Anemone123 from Pixabay The NIV reads “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, you have made my lot secure.” August has been a very busy month, and I have been blessed to spend a lot of time with family. We had not all been together for five years, and what a great time we had, reminiscing on the past. We shared stories of good times and some not-so-good. We played games, ate together, and laughed a lot. This past weekend we were all together at the wedding of my oldest grandson and what a beautiful experience that was. I am so thankful for the family that the Lord has given me and for their respect and care for me. I truly am blessed beyond measure. As I look back over my life, I can see how it has been orchestrated by God. In my devotional time this morning, I read Romans 8:28 in The Passion Translation: “We are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing…
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4 NIV Image by Elsemargriet from Pixabay David spent the greater part of his early years as a shepherd, tending his father’s sheep. Most of us are very familiar with and can probably quote Psalm 23. In verse 3, David wrote: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” I don’t know a lot about sheep but in Phillip Keller’s Book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, he gives us four requirements that a sheep must have before it will lie down: Freedom from fear. Freedom of friction from others of their kind Freedom from pests and parasites Freedom from hunger. When these conditions are met, the sheep feel they are in a safe pasture, and they can lie down and rest. They have perfect confidence that the shepherd is watching over them and will protect them from danger and harm. As children of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Shepherd, we can feel safe and secure as we rest upon His promises. No fear –…