"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9
Did you notice the verse said, "times of trouble", not just "time of trouble"? It's because trouble comes to us many times during our life- it is not just a one time event. Wouldn't that be wonderful if we only experienced trouble once in our lifetime and never faced it again! But that's not the way it is. Trouble can come to us daily, and even many times a day. Trouble often comes unexpectedly, and at times it seems to be waiting for us around ever corner.
Times of trouble come to us all- none are exempt- but when it does, we are not at its mercy. We, who know the Lord as our Savior, know that He is also our refuge in those times when trouble comes. As we have said already, trouble doesn't happen to us just once in our lifetime, therefore, neither does the Lord come to our aid only once. He doesn't tell us to pick which trouble we want His help in because He is only going to help us once. No, He is a refuge to us each and every time we face trouble.
Are you going through one of those times of trouble this morning? There is a place of refuge and help for you. It's the Lord Himself. He will make His presence your place of refuge. Go to Him and find help, safety, comfort, strength, guidance, whatever you need to make it through these times.
I guess I should add this too. Trouble comes many times, and God will be a refuge each time so don't get the "mentality" that you should pick and choose which time to go to God. Some people do that. That won't go to Him in times of "certain" trouble because they think this trouble is too small to bother God about. Or they think that they have gone to Him too many times already for His help. That's wrong thinking! That's just what the enemy wants you to think so that you will not go to your place of refuge and help so that he can destroy you. You can't go to God too much! You can't seek His help too many times! There is no trouble too small or too big for Him! You are not bothering Him when you do! It doesn't matter how many times you go to Him because He wants you to come to Him.
So, again, if today you are in one of those times of trouble. Remember you have a refuge- Jesus!
Have a great day. Trouble comes to us many times... and God is our refuge each time.
For further reading:
Psalm 27:5
Psalm 37:39
Psalm 46:1
Psalm 57:1
Proverbs 14:26
Isaiah 33:2
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
"Misplaced Value"
"Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich." Proverbs 28:6
The scripture is making a comparison here- not between the rich and poor, but between the one who does good and the one who does evil. Unlike us, the Lord puts more value on what a person is on the inside rather than what he has in possessions. What we have is temporary, what we are is eternal. Riches and material possessions only last for a short time, you can't take them with you when you depart this earth and you have no guarantee that you will keep them while you are here.
Jesus told the story of two men- one was a rich man and the other was a poor man, a beggar named Lazarus. By our estimation the rich man was the one who was prosperous and well off, and Lazarus was the one who was poor. God's estimation was different. God considered Lazarus the richer of the two. How do we know? The story goes on to tell us that Lazarus went to heaven when he died and the rich man went to hell. Lazarus may not have had material riches while he was here, but he had eternal ones when he died- therefore, he was the richer one.
True wealth is not measured by the size of your bank account, the size of your house, what vehicle you drive, your annual income. True wealth is measured by Jesus Himself. If Jesus isn't in your life, then you are poor, even though you may have millions in the bank. Many people have misplaced value- they value the things of this world instead of putting value on the things that are eternal. When the scripture asks,"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26), it is really pointing us in the direction of what we should value more highly-- our eternal soul and making sure that we have eternal life when we leave this world. That's the real riches. Any one who wants to have true riches can have them, they come by putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and then following Him as your Lord.
Have a great day. You may have lots of possessions but that doesn't mean that you are rich- having eternal life is what makes you truly rich.
For further reading:
Luke 16:20-26
Matthew 6:21
Proverbs 8:18
Proverbs 11:4
Proverbs 13:7
Proverbs 23:5
The scripture is making a comparison here- not between the rich and poor, but between the one who does good and the one who does evil. Unlike us, the Lord puts more value on what a person is on the inside rather than what he has in possessions. What we have is temporary, what we are is eternal. Riches and material possessions only last for a short time, you can't take them with you when you depart this earth and you have no guarantee that you will keep them while you are here.
Jesus told the story of two men- one was a rich man and the other was a poor man, a beggar named Lazarus. By our estimation the rich man was the one who was prosperous and well off, and Lazarus was the one who was poor. God's estimation was different. God considered Lazarus the richer of the two. How do we know? The story goes on to tell us that Lazarus went to heaven when he died and the rich man went to hell. Lazarus may not have had material riches while he was here, but he had eternal ones when he died- therefore, he was the richer one.
True wealth is not measured by the size of your bank account, the size of your house, what vehicle you drive, your annual income. True wealth is measured by Jesus Himself. If Jesus isn't in your life, then you are poor, even though you may have millions in the bank. Many people have misplaced value- they value the things of this world instead of putting value on the things that are eternal. When the scripture asks,"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26), it is really pointing us in the direction of what we should value more highly-- our eternal soul and making sure that we have eternal life when we leave this world. That's the real riches. Any one who wants to have true riches can have them, they come by putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and then following Him as your Lord.
Have a great day. You may have lots of possessions but that doesn't mean that you are rich- having eternal life is what makes you truly rich.
For further reading:
Luke 16:20-26
Matthew 6:21
Proverbs 8:18
Proverbs 11:4
Proverbs 13:7
Proverbs 23:5
Monday, January 11, 2010
"Weak Knees"
"My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness." Psalm 109:24
The Psalmist said that his knees were weak because of his fasting (abstaining from food). I want to talk about another fasting that brings weakness, not to our bodies, but to our spirits.
The Bible calls its words bread, milk and honey. When we aren't reading it, studying it and meditating upon it, we are doing what I call "spiritual fasting". God's word feeds us spiritually. When we neglect it and go without it, we aren't "eating". The result? "Weak knees".
What does that mean? People who have weak knees have a hard time moving around. People who have weak knees also have a hard time standing. People with weak knees are prone to falls. Likewise, having weak knees, spiritually speaking, makes it hard for us to move around- it makes it hard for us to "walk in the Spirit". It makes it hard for us to "stand" when the enemy comes against us and easy to fall.
"Weak knees" is also an idiom that expresses a strong emotion about something or someone- this emotion is often fear. If you are fasting God's word, you will have "weak knees", which means you will be operating in fear instead of faith, you'll be led by your emotions instead of by the Spirit, you'll be intimidated instead of having boldness, you will always feel defeated because you won't have a "spiritual leg" to stand on because your knees will "buckle" under you, and the result will be a fall.
There is a way to have "strong knees" instead of weak ones so that you can stand, move freely in the spirit, keep from falling and be full of faith. The remedy: EAT! You are going to have to "eat" God's word everyday.
Have a great day. Spiritual fasting causes spiritual weakness.
For further reading:
1 Peter 2:2
John 5:39
Psalm 119:11
John 6:63
The Psalmist said that his knees were weak because of his fasting (abstaining from food). I want to talk about another fasting that brings weakness, not to our bodies, but to our spirits.
The Bible calls its words bread, milk and honey. When we aren't reading it, studying it and meditating upon it, we are doing what I call "spiritual fasting". God's word feeds us spiritually. When we neglect it and go without it, we aren't "eating". The result? "Weak knees".
What does that mean? People who have weak knees have a hard time moving around. People who have weak knees also have a hard time standing. People with weak knees are prone to falls. Likewise, having weak knees, spiritually speaking, makes it hard for us to move around- it makes it hard for us to "walk in the Spirit". It makes it hard for us to "stand" when the enemy comes against us and easy to fall.
"Weak knees" is also an idiom that expresses a strong emotion about something or someone- this emotion is often fear. If you are fasting God's word, you will have "weak knees", which means you will be operating in fear instead of faith, you'll be led by your emotions instead of by the Spirit, you'll be intimidated instead of having boldness, you will always feel defeated because you won't have a "spiritual leg" to stand on because your knees will "buckle" under you, and the result will be a fall.
There is a way to have "strong knees" instead of weak ones so that you can stand, move freely in the spirit, keep from falling and be full of faith. The remedy: EAT! You are going to have to "eat" God's word everyday.
Have a great day. Spiritual fasting causes spiritual weakness.
For further reading:
1 Peter 2:2
John 5:39
Psalm 119:11
John 6:63
Friday, January 8, 2010
"He Makes The Way"
"But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea." Exodus 14:16
Have you ever come to a place where you can't seem to go forward and are at a stand still? I reach that place many mornings when I sit down to write these devotionals. I pray and seek the Lord for a word to share with you and it doesn't come as easily at times as it does at other times. But it's in those times that I am reminded that if God calls us to do something He won't leave us "hanging".
God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. Moses obeyed the call of God and then found himself facing a Red Sea. All he could do was stand there- he couldn't go forward, there was no going back, he couldn't make the next step happen on his own, all he could do was place his entire dependency on the One who had called him to this task. Moses knew that if God had called him to do this, then He would make a way for him to be able to accomplish it.
Beloved, it is not up to us to "make it happen". There are some things that we can NEVER make happen. All Moses could do was trust and obey. He was not the Deliverer- he was the instrument that was used by THE Deliverer. The bottom line is that if God calls you to do it, He will be responsible to make a way for you to do what He has called you to do. Continue to seek Him, continue to listen to His instructions, continue to obey Him, continue to trust Him. Always remember that it is He who is accomplishing it through you, therefore, He will provide all that is needed to enable you to do it.
Have a great day. When God calls you to do something, He will give you everything you need to accomplish the task, so just trust Him.
For further reading:
Exodus 14
Philippians 4:19
Matthew 10:19
Have you ever come to a place where you can't seem to go forward and are at a stand still? I reach that place many mornings when I sit down to write these devotionals. I pray and seek the Lord for a word to share with you and it doesn't come as easily at times as it does at other times. But it's in those times that I am reminded that if God calls us to do something He won't leave us "hanging".
God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. Moses obeyed the call of God and then found himself facing a Red Sea. All he could do was stand there- he couldn't go forward, there was no going back, he couldn't make the next step happen on his own, all he could do was place his entire dependency on the One who had called him to this task. Moses knew that if God had called him to do this, then He would make a way for him to be able to accomplish it.
Beloved, it is not up to us to "make it happen". There are some things that we can NEVER make happen. All Moses could do was trust and obey. He was not the Deliverer- he was the instrument that was used by THE Deliverer. The bottom line is that if God calls you to do it, He will be responsible to make a way for you to do what He has called you to do. Continue to seek Him, continue to listen to His instructions, continue to obey Him, continue to trust Him. Always remember that it is He who is accomplishing it through you, therefore, He will provide all that is needed to enable you to do it.
Have a great day. When God calls you to do something, He will give you everything you need to accomplish the task, so just trust Him.
For further reading:
Exodus 14
Philippians 4:19
Matthew 10:19
Thursday, January 7, 2010
"The Final Word"
"The Lord gave the word..." Psalm 68:11a
Who gave the word? Who gave the command, the promise or the words of counsel? Words come from many places, many people and many sources. There is no lack of "words"- no lack of advice or instruction. People are always ready to "tell you what to do" and "how to do it".
Heeding the word of others above what God says can bring problems and even be detrimental. The young prophet heeded the words of the older prophet above the instructions that God had already given him and lost his life as a result. Saul heeded the words of the people above God's word and lost his kingdom. Abraham listened to the words of Sarah his wife instead of waiting on the Lord to fulfill His word and wound up with an Ishmael.
Don't misunderstand, I am not saying that we should not listen to anyone. The Bible tells us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors. God has sent prophets to proclaim His will to us. Concerning the sending of Ishmael and Hagar out of his house, Abraham was told by God to listen to his wife Sarah this time. Samuel was told by God to listen to the people and give them a king. Moses heeded the advice of his father in law and appointed judges over the people to help with the task of settling problems that arose among the people. Thank God for those that He places in our lives to help instruct us, to teach us, to counsel us and to advise us. But when it comes down to it, when you get to the "bottom line", it's what God says to you that matters. It is His instructions and commands that we are to obey and place above what everyone else says.
To each of the churches in the Book of Revelation He told them to hear what the Spirit was saying. When John baptised Jesus, the heavens opened and the Lord spoke, not only to John, but to all of us-- "And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him." (Mark 9:7) "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:1,2)
Have a great day. There is nothing wrong with listening to good counsel from people, as long as God has the final word!
For further reading:
1 Kings 13:11-25
1 Samuel 15
Proverbs 11:14; 24:6
Genesis 21:9-12
Who gave the word? Who gave the command, the promise or the words of counsel? Words come from many places, many people and many sources. There is no lack of "words"- no lack of advice or instruction. People are always ready to "tell you what to do" and "how to do it".
Heeding the word of others above what God says can bring problems and even be detrimental. The young prophet heeded the words of the older prophet above the instructions that God had already given him and lost his life as a result. Saul heeded the words of the people above God's word and lost his kingdom. Abraham listened to the words of Sarah his wife instead of waiting on the Lord to fulfill His word and wound up with an Ishmael.
Don't misunderstand, I am not saying that we should not listen to anyone. The Bible tells us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors. God has sent prophets to proclaim His will to us. Concerning the sending of Ishmael and Hagar out of his house, Abraham was told by God to listen to his wife Sarah this time. Samuel was told by God to listen to the people and give them a king. Moses heeded the advice of his father in law and appointed judges over the people to help with the task of settling problems that arose among the people. Thank God for those that He places in our lives to help instruct us, to teach us, to counsel us and to advise us. But when it comes down to it, when you get to the "bottom line", it's what God says to you that matters. It is His instructions and commands that we are to obey and place above what everyone else says.
To each of the churches in the Book of Revelation He told them to hear what the Spirit was saying. When John baptised Jesus, the heavens opened and the Lord spoke, not only to John, but to all of us-- "And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him." (Mark 9:7) "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:1,2)
Have a great day. There is nothing wrong with listening to good counsel from people, as long as God has the final word!
For further reading:
1 Kings 13:11-25
1 Samuel 15
Proverbs 11:14; 24:6
Genesis 21:9-12
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)