Tag: Devotion

“Just Live It!”

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“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24

There are lives you read about or discover through other means that just make you wonder a little about how they did what they did.  Heroic tales of one coming through horrible circumstances with a story of deliverance for all ages.  Another’s strength and fortitude to carry on despite physical or challenging circumstances and more.  And still many others, in varied scenarios, whose biographies you read and stories you study, and you wonder what I can glean from that life, if anything, to steer me in my life’s journey.

But then, you have stories such as Enoch where you are not given many details to go by.  You know his story is special.  You know it’s significant.  And you are even given the reason why his story stands out.  But you are not given the how – how, what are the details?

There are just a few verses dedicated to this life without much information beyond the basic information of life and lineage being supplied.  But the most significant thing we do know about him is, “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him,” Genesis 5:24.

Hebrews 11:5 gives us another window to peer through, but with the same ending we found in Genesis: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”  And other than a recorded prophecy in Jude, this is all that we know about him – but may I submit, it’s enough.

Humanity wants to know the details.   The human way of thinking wants to know how exactly he “walked with God” to experience such a miracle.  How exactly did he please God for God to just translate him from this life?

There is no checklist given.  There is no list of do’s and do not’s according to Enoch to follow to replicate his experience.

I, personally, am glad for the silence of the missing particulars.  For what they tell us is to just live it!  Live this life in faith and stop looking for a formula to follow.  Live this life in constant communion with God.  Live that the steps we take and the decisions we make may be pleasing in the eyes of our heavenly Father as well.

We don’t need to know the specifics of what Enoch did to try to gain our own “translation” moment.  All we need to know is what God has called each of us to.  What obedience and heart of devotion laid out in Scripture He asks us to live by.

If we had needed additional information on the hows and whys of Enoch’s moment in history, I believe that God would have made sure it was written in these holy pages.  Rather, I believe we are called to just live it – have a made-up mind to live for God for ourselves.  Watch our walk.  Ask, are my steps pleasing to the Father, and if not, how do I realign them?

The life of the faithful has numerous rewards promised to us in the Bible, such as:

“So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.” – Psalm 58:11

“A faithful man shall abound with blessings…” – Proverbs 28:20

“I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” – Jeremiah 17:10

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much…” – Luke 16:10

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” – Matthew 25:21

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23, 24

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” – Revelation 22:12

But may our love focus our hearts on the God who has redeemed us, and let that flame of devotion burn deeply within.  Let it guide us to desire nothing short of, “I want to put a smile on the face of my heavenly Father.”

We may not experience a translation moment due to it, but a life of faithfulness will bring us into fellowship with God and in His presence forevermore (Psalm 16:11). 

My friend set not your heart on the details.  Set your heart on just living it.  That is what we glean from the life of Enoch, and leave the results and rewards to God.  What we don’t know about his life doesn’t matter as much as what we do know.  And what we do know is all of us, regarding our walk with God, are called to walk it out by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7).

“Order my steps in thy word…” Psalm 119:133

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

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Devotion Comes First | The Position of Faithfulness

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“His lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord,” Matthew 25:21

There is something to be said about a job well done.  That oh-so-satisfying feeling when one has worked hard to see the fruition of a purpose being fulfilled and then steps back and announces, “Ah, it was hard but well worth it.”  One of my pet peeves is asking someone to perform a task for me and the job ends up only halfway done, with half-way effort.  It’s a very frustrating experience because I could have just done the job myself the right way but that defeats the purpose of delegating a duty in the first place. 

With that realization, I wonder how God must feel about the duties He has delegated to us?  In our daily walk have we dealt with our Christianity with that same half-way done effort or have we really gone for the gusto?  Have we really expressed ourselves as being faithful, manifesting all God is or has done in our lives?

Through that short stint of questioning the reality of it all hits me.  No!  The truth is, many of us are like the seed in the parable of the sower.  The cares of this world have encroached upon us, choking the spiritual vitality right out of us, leaving us with only half-hearted energy to do a halfway job for God.  Each of our lives is destined with purpose.  Each has been endowed with something wonderful and unique to contribute to this world.  God has chosen us to stand as ambassadors, to show this lost world how to be found and how to live in this world while having a flourishing relationship with Him.  Unfortunately, that cannot be accomplished if we are not as diligent in the care of the work of the Lord as He is to us. 

How will that great thing God put in you ever develop as an outgrowth of your faith if you are not faithful to it; if you are not faithful to Him?  For if one is faithful to Him, then are they faithful to all He has instilled in them.  How many wouldn’t like to hear, “Well done,” coming from the mouth of our Lord? Sometimes we work hard in this life, doing all we know how to do to stay above water, then after all the heartache, sweat, and tears, a voice speaks and confirms that it was not in vain.  “Well done.”

In order to receive that proclamation of good work, one has to be faithful.  The word “faithful” was used twice in this one verse alone.  First, it described the servant.  Then it was used again to describe his work ethic.  The servant was one who the master could count on because of his character, and also because of the way he handled the affairs of business.  Does that word describe us in either or both of those ways?  One without the other just won’t do.  James 2:17 tells us, “Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.”  What goes on on the inside of the believer should show up on the outside.  There should be some type of manifestation branching out of our faithfulness.  

Everyone in Christ is called to a life of devotion to God, giving Him priority, as characterized by faithfulness, and having that reach out in our daily affairs.   We are called to be that reliable, trustworthy person whom God doesn’t mind acknowledging as, “Well done,” and handing him or her more talents to care for. 

A life of faithfulness will get you there.  Take God off the back burner of your life and give Him precedence over all.  Rewards will come, but devotion comes first.  The harvest will come but only after the seeds have been planted.  The position of fulfilling purpose and accomplishing good works will always start with a position of faithfulness. 

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The Beauty of Life

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Father God, I thank You for the beauty of life.  Everywhere we look around us in our world we see evidence of the goodness You planned for us from the beginning. 

As the winds blow and the trees sway in their breeze, we see the natural changes of weather You put on display. 

When the birds chirp and cover their babies in the nest, we see the natural order of caring to provide for the life of the young ones.

The squirrels gather to sustain them through winter and their antics put a smile on our faces.

The rain pours to water the greatest cities and the most hidden gardens, gracing us from on high.

The mountains stand at attention showing the extraordinary work of the Almighty.  And the valley below invites us to meander in its meadows and enjoy the life God has blessed us with.

The heavenly lights glisten in the sky, reminding us of the grandeur of this marvelous design.

In this life, You have given us so many wonders to behold.  In this life, Your Spirit is loving on us from above.

While evil and confusion may try to paint an ugly picture, the beauty of this life cannot be marred because its beauty comes from You, and there is no blemish in Your great goodness, in the original creation You meant for all this to be. 

Today, we look past the wrong and see everything God designed to be right.  If you look, you will see the beauty.  You will feel the beautiful life God wanted you to have from the beginning.

Every breath that we breathe is a joy, and it speaks with His love that life is here, and today, I declare, it is beautiful!

Come closer. Enjoy the experience, and “taste and see that the LORD is good . . .” (Psalm 34:8).

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” Psalm 23:6

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Acknowledging Prayer

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“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.  And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” Luke 11:2-4

When one acknowledges something or someone they are ascribing or giving them credit that they deserve.  Here, opening His teaching on prayer, Jesus jumps in without hesitation, stating, “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven.”  Now, notice first that Jesus didn’t say “if” ye pray.  He point-blank expected that His people should have an active and working prayer life so He said, “When ye pray.”

Starting with the statement, “Our Father which art in heaven,” Jesus acknowledges to whom one’s prayers should be directed.  And, in the verses following God gets the credit for everything!  This is acknowledgment.

“Our Father which art in heaven,” points one in the right direction.  There are many voices that try to offer advice and insight to the world we live and to the troubles and woes we face.  Yet, none can have the insight as He who created all things.  None is Sovereign as He to really be our champion for real change.  That can only come from He who is enthroned in heaven for all eternity; by He Whom everything takes its commands: “Our Father.”

“Our Father” describes the intimate, relational context in which God wants to be committed to us.  Did you get that?  God wants to be “Our Father” so much that Jesus, God incarnate, instructed us to address Him as such in prayer.  Man may not always step up to the plate to fill this role, but God does.  He willingly takes on the role of “Father,” meaning more than provider in my view.  He takes on the responsibility to love, care and nurture those who come to Him seeking Him as daddy.  Romans 8:15 describes it as this: “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”  This adoption is an on-purpose act of love that He is seeking to fulfill as the role of “Father.”  God “will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty,” (2 Corinthians 6:18).

“Hallowed be thy name.”  Part of acknowledging prayer is respecting His holiness.  Oh, I cringe when I see people take the name of the Lord in vain.  God’s name is not like any other and should not be treated as it is.  His name is holy (Isaiah 57:15), and He is the one who “dwell in the high and holy place.”  When one invokes God’s name in prayer it is not a plaything.  We are seeking His holiness to come in on our behalf; garnering His stamp of approval.  Heaven knows how to treat His name so much that they speak the word “holy” three times: “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts,” (Isaiah 6:3).

Acknowledging prayer recognizes God’s authority, His power, His Sovereignty, His control, His kingdom, and His will overall. “Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”  No wonder at the end of the parallel of this prayer found in Matthew 6:13 it states, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.”  We should want to see the glory of God’s will take over the atmosphere of this old stale world “as in heaven.”  We should have heavenly visions of God’s power reclaiming this earth.

Acknowledging prayer recognizes that God is the provider of all.  “Give us day by day our daily bread.”  “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God,” (2 Corinthians 3:5).  We, as all other things created, are dependent on Him as our provider.  “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26).  God will provide.

Acknowledging prayer knows that forgiveness comes from God: “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.”  2 Chronicles 7:14 declares, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  God wants to spiritually heal people from their sin-sick ways.  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:9).

In return, we are expected to offer forgiveness to those who ask for it.  Gulp!  Yes, forgiveness in any form can be a hard pill to swallow.  But, let me ask you this.  How many times has God said no to us whenever we sought for healing and restoration for the wrongs we have done?  Exactly, He hasn’t!  Forgiveness, much like love, is nothing to be played with.  It is not lip service to please others rather, it is a heart service to the Lord.  It is, in a sense, showing to others the same grace and mercy that God showed toward us.  And, we acknowledge that this is His will for us.

Acknowledging prayer shows God as a deliverer: “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” God doesn’t tempt people into sin.  “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man,” (James 1:13).  Sin is a choice and so is choosing to let God lead and trusting Him to keep you in those hard times.  “O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee,” (Psalm 25:20).  “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me . . .” (Psalm 19:13).  He is a keeper to them that know Him as a deliverer and He is a protector against the ultimate enemy, the devil.

The Bible gives us this wise advice: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Acknowledging prayer says that there is no part of our lives that is untethered by the touch of God’s love. Therefore, in everything, and in every way, I lean into God, trust Him, and acknowledge Him in every area of my life.

Modified excerpt taken from 4 Keys to Powerful Prayer

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“Be Progressive”

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“And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward,” Exodus 14:15

Have you heard of the phrase “two steps forward, one step back?” What if we could erase that end part? What if we could subtract from the equation the minus one step? What would the total sum of one’s life be if all they ever did was progress? If all they ever did was to add without factoring in any negatives?

“Two steps forward, one step back.” It’s a phrase that I have used and I know you have, too. But in reality, I actually think that we get too comfortable with that kind of mentality. Everything is not always going to go off without a hitch, we know that.  And yes, we will face obstacles at times, but it’s almost as if we expect to move back every time we try to advance forward. We are factoring in a negative from the very beginning and any time doubt is introduced into one’s advancement in this way, that will almost always sabotage one’s progress, taking away from all that they have done and gone through to move forward. It can subtract from and overshadow the positive with that seemingly bigger negative.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that there are many hard trials and circumstances that everyone will face. I will not trivialize the hurt and disappointments that one may come across in their life. But what will happen, if while we are on this journey, we try our best to look beyond the circumstances that we are in and be determined to move forward toward the promise anyway? What if for once we could factor out the negatives of life instead of factoring them in? Despite the chariots and the enemies pursuing us, we could be more determined to pursue the goals that God has for us.

That is what I really believe God wanted the children of Israel to do here. To stop looking for reasons for not progressing.  To stop looking for obstacles. To stop making excuses for why they can’t get to where God wants them to go. He had a glorious destiny for them. God had already shown them many, many miracles that led up to their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Yet, as soon as a moment of adversity poked its head around the corner to spy on their progress, they stopped moving. Instead, they stayed in that unproductive state wallowing in self-pity: “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?” (Exodus 14:11), they cried.

God has a better plan for you than to keep you still, wallowing in the wilderness, in a state of self-pity. That’s why He said, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” Stop crying about it and just go! Move! Make some progress! No more backward! It’s time to go on in Jesus’ name! To move it or lose it!

Looking at the stuff one has been through and the possibility of hardship ahead can be very discouraging, but press on anyhow! There is a promised land for you and me to reach. That alone is enough to urge you onward and upward. So, go ahead – be progressive today. Say within yourself, “I’m going to make it this time!”  No turning back!

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For His Excellent Greatness

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“Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.” Psalm 150:2

See God for who He truly is.  That may be difficult at times but with the eyes of faith looking around and with a heart that is filled with knowing Him, we can see the wonder, the beauty, and the majesty of His glory, and that heart cannot help but celebrate His excellent greatness.

Appreciate God for His glory.  There is none like Him in all the heavens or the earth (1 Kings 8:23).  His words set this world in motion (Hebrews 11:3).  His love has redeemed man from his worst sin (Isaiah 44:22; Ephesians 1:7).  His power upholds us daily (Isaiah 41:10; 46:4).  And His grace gives us what we didn’t deserve (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:4-5).

The world itself testifies to the goodness of our Father (Psalm 19:1).  Even for the Son, if the people were to cease to praise and recognize His Kingship, the very rocks will cry out as a holy witness, singing, “Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9; Luke 19:40). 

Awake, oh hearts, today, and see the King of creation for who He is.  It is not a trivial thing to praise our God for we know that He was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:8).  Our praise belongs to God and our hearts are not fully satisfied until it experiences and expresses its love before the Father. 

Daily, His excellent greatness is on display.  Daily, as we experience the days and live this life, everything around us tells us of the glory of our God.

Look past the deeds of man.  Look past the reports of evil.  Look past the trash sin has littered this land with and see the beauty of God.  He is there.  He is here.  And, He is infinitely better than anything our eyes may see today.

There are many ways God’s greatness is made known to us daily.  If we breathe, we experience it.  If we awaken in the morning, we experience it.  If we are alive, we experience it, and that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.

There are not enough words in the human language, nor enough tongues to articulate Him, so we just ascribe glory to His name (Psalm 29:1-2), as our praise joins with the rest of creation to celebrate God’s excellent greatness:

“I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.”

(Psalm 145:1-10)

We may not be able to articulate fully all that God is in our lives, but with hearts overwhelmed in praise, we celebrate Him for His excellent greatness:

“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Revelation 5:13

“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

And we agree, in praise and prayer, AMEN!

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The Grace of Now

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Now is a powerful word, my friend. It speaks of the present moment. It tells the story of your today.

What is today saying? It is saying because you are here; because you are experiencing me, His grace is working in your now moment.

Oh, for feet that could travel to the past and remedy every wrong. But you and I have been given this gift of today. Along with this ability to go forth and enjoy this day, there is grace.

Grace. That beautiful five-lettered word that reminds me, I didn’t earn it anyway. I didn’t deserve it any more than I deserved this time to experience my now moment. But God gifted them both to me. And He gave them both to you, too.

Anything we think that we can add to the pot to suppose that we are counted worthy to receive this on our own, remember what His holy Word says: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). Remember that God’s grace is poured out upon us and our day from the pure motive of love.

The grace of now says come and enjoy me, partake of me, walk in me, live in me, work in me, and be renewed in me.

As the Lord spoke to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9) is He speaking those words to you today?  Whatever your “now” looks like, the grace of the Lord is still alive and active in this moment of today.

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I AM THE LORD!

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I AM THE LORD - pagemodo pic

Reading in Leviticus chapter 22, in the middle of what seems to be a bunch of rules, regulations, and requirements for offerings, these four words stand out in the midst of them all: I AM THE LORD. Looking further, you will see these words appear in this exact order seven times in this one chapter alone.

Many shy away from reading through books such as Leviticus because they can be lengthy and somewhat boring to read for some. In a book that is filled with details and sacrifice, commandments and consecrations, what to eat and what not to eat, cleanness and uncleanness, relationships and feasts, laws and penalties – all was laid out with this purpose in mind: worshipping God in the holiness He deserves, because, as He said, “I AM THE LORD!”

If you do a deeper study, you will see that these four words appear throughout this entire book, not just chapter 22, many, many more times.

The gist of it all is what I think most, even in our modern churches and lives, forget that everything we do, we do for the Lord. Our lives, our worship, are not our own. We are to be dedicated to Him and give Him what is due to His holy name.

When we come before God, we are to have a devoted mindset and heart. Our worship is to be as pure as any sacrifices offered unblemished before the Lord in the Old Testament. Our lives are to be pure and open vessels ready to receive what His Spirit pours into us, and in turn, we are to pour out His blessings into the lives of others.

What are we giving to God daily? What are we offering to Him in our times of worship?

God wants the best of us!

He wants holy lives that recognize and live for Him because of who He is: the LORD! He is God, the Author and Creator of the universe and beyond. He is as supreme as supreme can get, and He deserves to be reverenced as such. The Bible states, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Other parts of Leviticus tell us, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God” (20:7).

God wants holiness in our lives and our worship. I love a message that pronounces blessings just as much as the next person, but without holiness, it means absolutely nothing in His sight. As a whole, we need to come back to the central theme of true holiness because the LORD requires nothing less.

I am not talking about rules and regulations, but rather hearts fully dedicated to Him because they recognize that He is the LORD, and they want to give Him the best of themselves. And, that is a holy life.
We must never lose sight of, diminish, or bring down to our level the glory and honor God deserves. He is the LORD! He is Sovereign overall! He is Master! He is Savior! He is King! “I AM THE LORD!” He exclaimed, and holiness before Him is what He desires.

Amen!

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“Remain Strong in God!”

One morning as I was making a cup of coffee I ran out of creamer and had to open a new container.  I unscrewed the top and picked and picked at the protective seal underneath to no avail.  I couldn’t get it to rip off for anything.  Finally, out of frustration, I reached into the dishwasher and grabbed a knife and punctured a small hole in the top of the seal.  After that, it was easy for me to put my finger in the hole and manipulate the seal for its ultimate removal.  Coffee time!

This had me thinking about how the enemy works in our lives.  As long as we stay sealed up in Christ the enemy can pick and pick but our packaging in Him remains strong.  No wonder Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1-3) felt such a compelling urge to get the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt to their full strength once again.  Wherever there is a hole or a breach in any structure it allows an opportunity for an enemy to poke his nose into and gaining access to manipulate the circumstances of life.  It makes his job easier.

Paul encourages us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord,” (1 Corinthians 15:58).  Our diligence will pay off after a while.  We must be like a wall without a breach.  We must take our cue from Nehemiah to patch up any deficiencies in our spiritual walls.  We are the ones who have to be “steadfast and unmovable” to have our work count in the end.  If we stop building and maintaining our walls then they will fall to utter ruin and we will have nothing to show for our work.

We must work at the upkeep of all that God has given us.  “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not,” (Galatians 6:9).  Our press matters.  Our work matters.  Our walls matter.  We must continue forth with the mentality of Nehemiah when he stated, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down…” (Nehemiah 6:3).  The enemy wants to thwart your work so that holes and weaknesses can be left for him to poke and manipulate.  But, if we want to “reap” then we must not “faint.”  We must push forth in doing good and leave the benefits to God.

Obtaining coffee creamer that morning was a struggle until I broke the seal.  Don’t let the enemy break your seal.  Stay covered in Christ and push forth until the end for your reward is coming.  Now is not the time to give in or give up.  If necessary, ask God to help you repair what is broken that you may be whole once again.  Remain strong in God!  You can do this!

Be blessed.

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Encouragement in God Alone!

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“But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God,” 1 Samuel 30:6b, NKJV

Distressed –  yeah!  Discouragement – you betcha!  Disappointment – inevitable!  Depressed – my middle name!

These were all things that David, the once-proud warrior, was facing.  Upon returning to Ziklag, David found out everything he cared about was gone.  Not only had the city been raided and burned to the ground, but their families, along with their wives, and children were now the captives of the enemy.

How devastating this must have all been!  Things can be replaced but to lose your family at the mercy (or not the mercy) of an enemy – it’s too much to bear.  “David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep,” 1 Samuel 30:4, NKJV.

Have you been there before?  Have you ever cried until you can’t cry anymore?  That’s a brokenness that can’t be easily healed.  It’s a state of desperation where there is no quick answer.  There is nothing but the tears on the pillows.  No solace.  No comfort.  No peace.  “No more power to weep.”

David’s situation grew dimmer when the people who were closest to him turned their backs on him.  “The people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved,” 1 Samuel 30:6a, NKJV.  These were the men that rode with him.  Those who fought in battle with him.  Those whom David gathered together as a band and turned a bunch of nobodies into somebodies.  Yet, here they are on the brink of committing a great evil against an innocent man.

Everybody needs somebody to blame.  At least, that’s what you hear many people say, and we see this kind of primitive blame placing here.  To them, David is to blame, and David will be the one to pay the price.

Have you ever felt that you were in this alone?  As if the whole world has turned their backs on you as David’s men did with him?  Do you may feel like you are battling alone and everyone else is just ready to cast stones at you?

David’s desperation led him to where all of ours should – the LORD!

“David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”  The only place where true solace and comfort of the heart can be found – in God!

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” Hebrews 4:16, KJV.  Thank God we don’t have to go this alone despite how our circumstances may look.  God has privileged us with an opportunity to invite Him in the process of dealing with our hurts and disappointments.  How many times have you turned to a friend in desperate times, and they were nowhere to be found?  Or, worse yet, they couldn’t do anything to add to your comfort or didn’t care?

God does not do that!  He openly shows His love and concern by allowing us to dump it all on Him.  Come to the throne that we might get!  Get what?  “Mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

In a time of need?  Yes, David was.  He had nowhere else to turn.  He found out the hard way how quickly people will forsake you.  Regardless, it didn’t dim his hope.  David knew from past experiences where to find his help.  He could sing like the other psalmist, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth,” Psalms 121:1-2, NKJV.  Over and over again, God has proven himself in the life of David, and this time would be no different.

I wonder how many of us have that faithful, past relationship with God, knowing that when we are in a time of need, we can turn to Him over and over again?  Has our life been so, in following after Him, as David’s was, that the connection of encouragement we receive from the LORD is ever-present?  If not, you can always start today.

David initiated the search for God’s help.  He did not ask the people for their opinion of what he should do.  David did not continue to wallow in self-pity because everybody was against him.  He didn’t give up or throw in the towel because recovery seemed impossible.  “David said to Abiathar the priest . . . Please bring the ephod here to me . . . So David inquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I pursue this troop?  Shall I overtake them?’  And He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all,'” 1 Samuel 30:7-8, NKJV.

“Without fail recover all.”  God is the only one who could ever make such a promise.

The point of this all is simple.  God is our source for everything, even encouragement.  It’s nice to get a “Good job!” from people once in a while or a pat on the back – but it is God whom we look.  Sometimes situations will be so bad that we may feel isolated from all.  Yet, we are also in a position to be so full.  To be able to recover all “without fail.”

Only what we find in strengthening ourselves in God can be labeled “without fail.”  Only the encouragement we have in Him will endure and never falter or fade.  He is our staying power.  He is our strength when we are weak.  Our shelter in the midst of the storm.  Our Hightower.  Our fortress.  And so much more!

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  Sometimes those measures mean turning a deaf ear to everyone else and their negativity about the situation and looking to God for counsel and help.  And He will, “without fail,” be your help through it all.  Find encouragement in God alone!

Minister encouragement to yourself through God’s grace today!

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.