Come Into The Deep End... with ImHisServant (3)

[cristianna]

When Self-Rescue is Not an Option
By Glynnis Whitwer

“The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.” Psalm 91:14 (NLT)

Devotion:
All climbers preparing to brave the extremes of Mount McKinley/Denali in Alaska must first check in at the Talkeetna Ranger Station. Here, mountaineering rangers give last-minute preparation and safety talks before hikers are flown to Base Camp at 7,200 feet.

Although we would only view the stunning mountain from afar, this summer my family got to hear a portion of what the climbers hear before beginning their ascent. The kids loved the part about packing out your own “waste.” But the most striking part to me was the necessity of being prepared to “self-rescue.”

In other words, if you fall into a crevasse, have a plan to get your self out! Because rescues can cost up to $30,000 and put the rescuers at great personal risk, it was easy to understand this advice. I nodded my head in agreement. I’ve always felt people should be prepared to rescue themselves from trouble.

Less than a month after that Alaskan trip, I went to Ecuador with Proverbs 31 and Compassion International. More than traveling from the northern to the southern hemisphere, God took me on a trip to transform my thinking.

As I stood at the top of a garbage-strewn street in Quito (a far cry from Denali National Park), I looked over structures built with broken bricks and tin and on past to a city of 13 million mostly poor inhabitants, God smashed my “self-rescue” mentality.

Here before me were people who had no way to rescue themselves. Their poverty, and all that goes with it, had eliminated their ability to change their circumstances. Their only hope was brought to them by other people. Into this desperate situation walked humble servants of Jesus … wiping runny noses, feeding hungry children, training moms to care for babies, tutoring students and teaching about the saving love of Jesus.

God used that trip to Ecuador to show me His heart for the poor, and something more. God showed me that I’m not so different from the beautiful Ecuadorians I met. As much as I like to be independent and rescue myself, I can’t. Not only that, but God never meant for me to.

God created me with a deep need for Him. Every step towards greater self-sufficiency takes me further from God’s help. I fight this dependency on God at times, falsely believing I must “self rescue.” And yet when I do ask for God’s help with any worries or concerns, I wonder why I stubbornly waited so long.

There are many things I can’t do on my own. To name just a few, I can’t love those who have hurt me or forgive great offenses without God’s help. And I will never be “good enough” to enter God’s presence in heaven without the ultimate price that was paid by Jesus’ death on the cross.

There’s a freedom in admitting I need rescuing, and in gaining a greater compassion for others. I’m so glad we serve a God who delights in reaching down from heaven to give His beloved children a helping hand.



Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You for being powerful enough to rescue me. Thank You for loving me so much that You sent Jesus to pay the debt for my sin, a debt I couldn’t pay. Help me not be so self-reliant that I neglect to ask for Your help. Fill me with love and compassion for those who need my help as well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Identify one problem in your life right now. Write out a prayer on a 3”x5” card asking God for His help with that problem. Post the card where you’ll see it every day, continue to pray, and watch for God’s answer.

What keeps you from asking for help? (either from other people or from God)

Read Psalm 91. What are some of the ways God rescues us, according to this passage?

What is our part in the rescue?



Power Verses:
Galatians 1:3-5, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (NIV)

Psalm 30: 1-2, “I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” (NIV)

Psalm 18:19, “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (NIV)

 

[cristianna]

No More Shame
By Lysa TerKeurst



“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:4-5 (NIV)



Devotion:
I still remember the outdated furniture and stale coldness of the room. Women from all walks of life were there. Our paths had crossed at this awful place, a place where life was exchanged for death. We would now share an unmentionable secret.

No one let her eyes meet another's. Though medical fluorescents brightly lit the room, the heavy darkness in my soul made true vision nearly impossible. What had brought me to this place? Certainly, I had people to blame. There was the man who sexually abused me in childhood. I could blame my biological father. Maybe if he had given me the love and acceptance I so desperately longed for, I would not have come to this place. I could blame God. Why had a loving God let such terrible things happen to me? Tears filled my eyes and deep sobs poured from my soul in that cold room. I knew I could not blame anyone but myself. I'd walked into this place. I'd signed the papers. I'd allowed my baby to be aborted.

I can just imagine Satan hissing as he writes his name across the victim's heart: Shame. I have felt shame's pain - a deep, constant throbbing of regret from the past mixed with dread of the future.

Let's look at when shame made its debut. Genesis 2:25 says, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." Then Satan slithered onto the scene to deceive Eve. When Eve fell into sin and took Adam with her, their reaction was to hide and cover up their mistake. That’s exactly what I did for so many painful years. But keeping my secret in the darkness allowed Satan use it against me. He is the father of darkness and the author of shame. He would constantly whisper that I was worthless and that if anyone ever found out about my secret they would condemn me.

But that is a lie from the pit of hell. When I finally brought my sin out into the light, God met me there with grace, forgiveness, and healing. Then he gave me the courage to let Him take my shame and use it for His good. I can say without hesitation the thing that has brought me the most healing has been to share my story with other women. Now that I have seen God touching and healing others through my testimony, the shame has gone and freedom has come.



Dear Lord, I thank You for seeing me as pure, clean and spotless and without blemish. You alone have the power to heal those parts of me that I have buried and tried to hide for so long. May Your grace be enough for me today as I trust You to work all things for Your good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Write down and meditate on these three truths:

1. By His wounds, I am healed.

2. God never forgets His promises. When He says that nothing I have ever done could make Him stop loving me, it is absolute truth. His love for me cannot be shaken.

3. Jesus died of a broken heart, so that I don't have to. He thought of me on that cross, and because of His sacrifice, I am forgiven and set free.


My Bible dictionary defines shame as the following: “disgrace, humiliation, often at hands of an enemy.”

We have an enemy in this world who leads us into temptation. Ultimately, if temptation overtakes us then we fall into sin which brings on a sense of shame. The feelings of guilt, disgrace, and humiliation that we experience as a result of shame can bind us and paralyze our relationship with God.

Remember that Jesus Christ defeated Satan, with the cross. Because of that, we don’t have to be held captive to shame at the hands of our enemy any longer.



Power Verses:
Psalm 118:5, “In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.” (NIV)

Matthew 10:26, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” (NIV)

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)

Revelation 3:18, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich, and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (NIV)

 

[FireyAngel]

Another awesome passage...I love these...they always speak to me! Thanks Cristianna. Thank you for taking the time and putting these up. They are such a blessing.

 

[woman.at.the.well]

No More Shame
By Lysa TerKeurst



“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:4-5 (NIV)






Dear Lord, I thank You for seeing me as pure, clean and spotless and without blemish. You alone have the power to heal those parts of me that I have buried and tried to hide for so long. May Your grace be enough for me today as I trust You to work all things for Your good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Write down and meditate on these three truths:

1. By His wounds, I am healed.

2. God never forgets His promises. When He says that nothing I have ever done could make Him stop loving me, it is absolute truth. His love for me cannot be shaken.

3. Jesus died of a broken heart, so that I don't have to. He thought of me on that cross, and because of His sacrifice, I am forgiven and set free.



Remember that Jesus Christ defeated Satan, with the cross. Because of that, we don’t have to be held captive to shame at the hands of our enemy any longer.



Power Verses:
Psalm 118:5, “In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.” (NIV)

Matthew 10:26, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” (NIV)

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)

Revelation 3:18, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich, and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (NIV)

Amen cristianna! Excellent topic/devo today! For those of us in Christ we are set free! Hallelujah for that!

 

[Kristen.NewCreation]

No More Shame
By Lysa TerKeurst



“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:4-5 (NIV)



Devotion:
I still remember the outdated furniture and stale coldness of the room. Women from all walks of life were there. Our paths had crossed at this awful place, a place where life was exchanged for death. We would now share an unmentionable secret.

No one let her eyes meet another's. Though medical fluorescents brightly lit the room, the heavy darkness in my soul made true vision nearly impossible. What had brought me to this place? Certainly, I had people to blame. There was the man who sexually abused me in childhood. I could blame my biological father. Maybe if he had given me the love and acceptance I so desperately longed for, I would not have come to this place. I could blame God. Why had a loving God let such terrible things happen to me? Tears filled my eyes and deep sobs poured from my soul in that cold room. I knew I could not blame anyone but myself. I'd walked into this place. I'd signed the papers. I'd allowed my baby to be aborted.

I can just imagine Satan hissing as he writes his name across the victim's heart: Shame. I have felt shame's pain - a deep, constant throbbing of regret from the past mixed with dread of the future.

Let's look at when shame made its debut. Genesis 2:25 says, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." Then Satan slithered onto the scene to deceive Eve. When Eve fell into sin and took Adam with her, their reaction was to hide and cover up their mistake. That’s exactly what I did for so many painful years. But keeping my secret in the darkness allowed Satan use it against me. He is the father of darkness and the author of shame. He would constantly whisper that I was worthless and that if anyone ever found out about my secret they would condemn me.

But that is a lie from the pit of hell. When I finally brought my sin out into the light, God met me there with grace, forgiveness, and healing. Then he gave me the courage to let Him take my shame and use it for His good. I can say without hesitation the thing that has brought me the most healing has been to share my story with other women. Now that I have seen God touching and healing others through my testimony, the shame has gone and freedom has come.



Dear Lord, I thank You for seeing me as pure, clean and spotless and without blemish. You alone have the power to heal those parts of me that I have buried and tried to hide for so long. May Your grace be enough for me today as I trust You to work all things for Your good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Write down and meditate on these three truths:

1. By His wounds, I am healed.

2. God never forgets His promises. When He says that nothing I have ever done could make Him stop loving me, it is absolute truth. His love for me cannot be shaken.

3. Jesus died of a broken heart, so that I don't have to. He thought of me on that cross, and because of His sacrifice, I am forgiven and set free.


My Bible dictionary defines shame as the following: “disgrace, humiliation, often at hands of an enemy.”

We have an enemy in this world who leads us into temptation. Ultimately, if temptation overtakes us then we fall into sin which brings on a sense of shame. The feelings of guilt, disgrace, and humiliation that we experience as a result of shame can bind us and paralyze our relationship with God.

Remember that Jesus Christ defeated Satan, with the cross. Because of that, we don’t have to be held captive to shame at the hands of our enemy any longer.



Power Verses:
Psalm 118:5, “In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.” (NIV)

Matthew 10:26, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” (NIV)

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)

Revelation 3:18, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich, and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (NIV)

This is awesome. I needed to hear this.

 

[cristianna]

What You’re Called
By MaryBeth Whalen



“To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.” Isaiah 56:5 (NIV)



Devotion:
Recently, my fifteen-year-old son posted this quote on our refrigerator message board:

It’s not what you’re called, it’s what you’re called to do.

After I read what he wrote, I thought about the message contained in that short thought. I thought about how that is exactly the way God sees us. There are many examples of this in the Bible, but I thought specifically of two.

When Gideon is hiding out threshing wheat in a winepress, the angel of the Lord comes to him and says, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:12) Later, Gideon reveals that he is far from a mighty warrior. Instead he sees himself as a least of these. He says, “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (Judges 6:15). The angel of the Lord looked past what Gideon was called or how he saw himself. Instead he focused on what Gideon was called to do. He didn’t see a least of these, he saw a mighty warrior. He knew that Gideon had that potential within him if he would only trust God and take a step of faith. Gideon did, and a nation was saved.

Peter was the other example that came to my mind. Peter’s name was Simon, which meant “shifty.” But that is not what Jesus saw. He saw the potential within Peter. He immediately changed Peter’s name from Simon to Cephas (or, Peter), which means “rock” (John 1:42). Jesus looked past what Peter was called, to what He knew Peter would be called to do. Indeed, after Jesus’ ascension, Peter led the early church, preaching at Pentecost and rising to the calling on his life as the rock on which Jesus would build His church.

These stories bring me comfort as I think of the things I have been called in my life—the things I have believed about myself. I think of my shortcomings and my past, and I know that apart from God, I can do no good thing. My only hope is in the transformation God can and will work within me, day by day. In my own strength, I will always be a least of these, shifty and of no account. But in God’s hands, I can be a mighty warrior, a rock.

God doesn’t see me as I am, He sees me as I can be. He doesn’t leave us as we are, but renews us with each new day. It isn’t what I am called, it’s what I am called to do. I must remember that so I can become what God has already determined I can be.



Dear Lord, help me to see myself as You see me, not as what I have believed about myself in the past. Help me to hear Your voice speaking my real name. Help me to fulfill my calling so I can bring glory and honor to Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.



Reflections:
What names do you call yourself? Write them down. What names do you believe God wants you to be called? Cross out the old names and write down the new ones! Under that, write, “It isn’t what I am called, it’s what I am called to do.”

Is there something you have believed about yourself that is not true?

What obstacles stand between the Truth about your calling and your past perceptions? Pray and ask God to remove those obstacles so you can see the potential He sees.



Power Verses:
Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

Ephesians 3:22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (NIV)

 

[jenrenee]

Reflections:
Identify one problem in your life right now. Write out a prayer on a 3”x5” card asking God for His help with that problem. Post the card where you’ll see it every day, continue to pray, and watch for God’s answer.
I have the obvious problem of infertility that I bring up in every one of my replies in this thread. But, I have an even bigger problem that I am just realizing. Number one, I have let my lack of having a baby completely and totally control my life. Number two, I have become bitter and angry towards God for "putting me through this" even though I know in my heart He is not to blame. My husband had been taking classes to become a member of the church and become baptized. All of a sudden, they just stopped. My pastor never talked to us about it - I felt like he was abandoning us and it made me upset and hurt as well. Through all this, I am completely ashamed to admit that I had quit going to church. I was angry at the church for what I thought was them abandoning my husband when he needed them most and angry at God for our infertility problems. I know I was wrong. I need to be in church - and can promise that this Sunday, I will be there... and we told Pastor to set up a date for my husband's baptism. What an awful life it has been without weekly church services. Father in Heaven, I pray that You will be by my side as I struggle with all of these things. I know that I need You in my life and I ask forgiveness that I have strayed off the path in the past few months. I know that you do not give us anything that we cannot handle - but at times I feel that things are impossible. Please help me to remember that with You, nothing is impossible. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

What keeps you from asking for help? (either from other people or from God)

I don't really know. At times, I find myself wondering exactly what I did - why I was being punished - and that maybe I deserved it. But the thing is, Jesus died on the cross for my sins - He was punished in my place, so that my sins would be erased. Lately, I had even been doubting that God was listening to my prayers. I recently found a website though, that made me think. To quote someone on the site "God understands how desperately I need the healthy release of tears. The key is not to allow bitterness to blind me to God's compassion in the midst of these trials." God is compassionate to what I am feeling - He does care. I wish that I could never forget that.

Read Psalm 91. What are some of the ways God rescues us, according to this passage?

He will lift us up and away from harm - he will protect us and deliver us from our troubles.

What is our part in the rescue?

We simply trust in Him and seek His Guidance.

 

[hannahfievel]

Thank you Cristianna...these verses really spoke to me today! Your so sweet to do this, your sis, hannah

 

[jenrenee]

This is awesome. I needed to hear this.

Me too... thanks so much for posting this - it was something I really needed to hear!

 

[wolfman544]

thank you
that is a very good thing to hear, well read

 

[Maharg]

I'm too tired to read properly at the moment - have been working on the computer for a couple of hours trying to get my lessons planned for tomorrow and Friday. But wanted to drop in anyway and say thank you for the blessing of this thread. Hopefully I will be able to contribute a little more next week as schools have a week off and I'll be able to catch up with you all.

 

[JPPT1974]

I am pretty stubborn as well as
Think that I can handle it on my own
When in fact that I can't!
Need to give it to the Lord!

 

[cristianna]

Who Should Submit?
By Wendy Pope


“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)


Devotion:
I was driving out of the neighborhood the other day and saw something that broke my heart. A sheriff deputy’s car was parked outside the home of one of my neighbors. Beside the deputy's squad car sat a moving truck. Coming out the front door was the woman of house with an armful of stuff. It didn't take long to figure out what was going on. This was the sight of a broken home.

With this image still heavy on my heart, I later learned that two couples who had been friends with my husband and me early in our marriage had divorced. My mind wondered and my heart cried out, "Lord, what happened? Why does this keep happening?" In the case of my neighbors, I am sad to say that I don't know if they were believers. Our friends were believers and at one time had been very active in the church. Through heartache and prayers I again asked the Lord another question, "How can I keep this from happening in my marriage? What can I do?"

He quickened my spirit to the Book of Ephesians, specifically, chapter five. I had a mental conversation with Him. "Lord, submission? It can't be just up to me." Quickly I felt peace in my spirit as I realized He was talking about verse 21. I have to say I felt relieved once I understood what He was saying. The submission must be to Him. Both the husband and the wife must submit. I daydreamed of what my marriage would be like if both my husband and I fervently submitted to the Lord in every area of our lives. Wow, it gives me tingles just thinking of it.

The purpose of today's devotion is not to debate the pros and cons of submission. Nor is it to discuss the context of chapter 5 in Ephesians. The purpose of the devotion is to make us think. Whether you are married or single this verse applies to you. Submitting to God is not an option. It is God’s prescription for a world of peace. In a world where everyone submitted, God would be heard by all His children and they would willingly and delightfully obey. In such a world families would stay together, murders would cease, and kindness would abound. Wouldn't you like to live in a world like that? It would be heaven on earth!


Dear Lord, Let Your kingdom come. Help me to submit to You as the Lord of my life so that I might reflect the beauty and kindness of who You are. I want to pray for others to do the same, and then this world would be like heaven on earth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
What areas of your life do you experience difficulty submitting?

How do you perceive submitting in the difficult areas will personally affect you?

Are there any areas in your life in which God has called you to submit and you have not? If yes, why haven't you?


Power Verses:
Job 22:21, "Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you." (NIV)

Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." (NIV)

Psalm 112:1, "Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands." (NIV)

 

[cristianna]

Making Everything Known
By Rachel Olsen


"He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:22 (NIV)

For Americans, Halloween is just a week away and fake skeletons seem to be everywhere I look. I don’t like skeletons - especially the proverbial kind that hide in my closet. We all have “skeletons in the closet” - stuff we keep hidden away from everyone, except perhaps our closest friends. Deep hidden things about who we are, where we come from, what we’ve done …. things we’re afraid to bring into the light … things we’re afraid to look in the eye ... things we fear may cause others never to look at us the same. But Jesus knows, and loves us still.

Jesus knows. Genesis 16:13: “You are the God who sees” (NIV).

Jesus knows. Ezekiel 11:5: “The LORD says… I know what is going through your mind” (NIV).

In fact, He knows and still He truly desires to be friends with you.

Friendship is a two-way street. It’s both give and take, talk and listen, reveal and accept. Jesus is on that two-way street with us. We can be vulnerable and real with Him. We can relax and safely surrender the key to our closet. We can bring our “skeletons” into His light, where they’re not merely tolerated, but miraculously transformed from dry bones to abundant life. No other friend can do that!

We can share our secrets with Him and He will reveal His mysteries to us. Psalm 24:14 tells us, “The LORD confides in those who fear him” (NIV). The word “confides” means to disclose, to pass on, to speak in confidence, and to open your heart to. Jesus wants to open His heart to you and give you full access! Pause and think about that humbling, exciting, amazing reality for just a minute!

Jesus also wants to pass on to us everything He learned about how to live here on earth while staying connected to God in heaven. That is knowledge you and I need to know, and Jesus is the friend who can hook us up with it. He made all this known to his disciples while living among them and teaching them. He’s also made it known to us through their gospel accounts in the Bible.

“I no longer call you servants,” Jesus said to His disciples, “because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15, NIV). Jesus considers us a friend, and is keeping nothing hidden from us. Anything we want to know about Him, or about what He knows of His Father, is available to us. It’s not automatically downloaded into our brain without any effort on our part – yet, we need only read His Word, and connect with His heart in prayer to receive it. I’m confident we’ll find it worth the effort.

So Jesus has made the first move. He’s reached out to you in friendship. He has vulnerably opened His heart to yours. He’s willing to tell you everything. Will you do the same? -Will you let yourself be fully known by Him? Are you ready to hand over that key and let those skeletons come out into His transforming light?

Sit down with Him and His Word today, and connect friend-to-friend … heart-to-heart.

Dear Lord, I want to connect with Your heart. I want to know what its like to be Your friend – deeply and joyfully connected to You. Help me move into this relationship. I trust You’ll meet me there. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflections:
Set aside a time and space each day this week to encounter Jesus by reading through one of the accounts of His life called the “gospels.” Try reading the book of John in the New Testament of your Bible.

What “skeletons” are in your closet? Tell them to Jesus and ask Him to cover them with His transforming light.

Are you ready to make the effort to develop a true friendship with Christ?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (NIV)

Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (NIV)

Psalm 51:6 “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” (NIV)

 

[cristianna]

By Faith
By Melissa Milbourn


"By Faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land…” Hebrews 11:29 (NIV)


Devotion:
I love the Word of God…its width and its depth, and how it is truly alive and active when we choose to get into it and allow it to transform our hearts. But in the past this particular scripture has been humorous to me. I always thought, “For crying out loud, how much faith could it take to cross the Red Sea? You’ve already seen God’s might by way of parting it! The Egyptians are CHAISING YOU, the only common sense thing to do is RUN ACROSS the sea through the path that God has created…or be slain by the Egyptians, or taken captive again! What kind of faith does it take to cross in those circumstances?”

I thought it was humorous, that is, until God made it alive to me by relating it to my life.

This past year God called me to “step out” in a variety of ways in my life. His callings took me into unfamiliar territory. I, too, had a choice to make. I either had to stay where I was, or cross the Sea. To stay where I was meant that I wouldn’t fulfill the “hope of my calling,” or enter my “promised land”. This is where God’s blessings would flow fully and abundantly to me and through me as I allowed Him to be Lord of my life. There’s much reward in obedience. I knew that crossing the sea was the way to go. I knew it was best for me, and yet I stood on the shore saying, “Do I cross or not cross?”

Put yourself in the place of the Israelites. Picture yourself standing by the Red Sea. The Egyptians are hot on your trail. Moses raises the staff and the waters part. You’re standing on the shore looking at that. You have to run down a hill to the bottom of the sea. Can you imagine how high the walls of water would be on each side of you? What about the noise of the wind holding the water back? You’d be thinking, “If I run into this, will the waters stay back until I get across? Can I make it before the waters come crashing back in?” “By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land.”

Even when God is offering deliverance or a good path, it still takes faith to accept it!

The good news is our God is so faithful to us. He doesn’t stand on the other side of the sea shouting, “Hurry up and run!” He gently and lovingly stands by our side, takes our hand, and says: “Beloved, don’t be afraid. I will not leave you nor forsake you, I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you walk through the waters I will be with you, they will not sweep over you, for I am the Lord your God and I love you…together, let's cross the sea” (adapted from Isaiah 43).

Is God calling you to “step out”? It could be getting more involved at church, a new ministry, a new job, or moving to a new area.

Whatever sea of circumstances you might have, may you, by faith, cross the sea as though on dry land.



Dear Lord, earnestly I seek You. Help me not to fear, but to be strong and courageous, standing on the promise that You will not leave me nor forsake me. Together we'll cross the sea. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Practice faith. Be faithful in the small things that God is calling you to do, so that when the big things arrive you'll already be accustomed to obeying God's ways. Establish a level of faith and trust.

Is God calling you into an area that's new to you?

Are you going through a difficult time and don’t see a way out? Pray and seek to recognize His call for you to trust Him.


Power Verses:
Psalm 77:19, "Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen." (NIV)

Luke 17:6, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." (NIV)

Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (NIV)

 

[cristianna]

I cannot tell you just how timely this was for me today. I've been in a real trivial place lately knowing God is prompting me to take the next step in my spiritual maturity. Of course it sounds great, but for me it's scary.

I had planned to come home from work today and write a devo exactly about my current situation. I nearly cried when I read this one sitting in my inbox. There is no way I could have worded it any more perfectly than it already is.

Can anyone offer up a scuba helmet so I feel safer crossing?

 

[bornagain91]

.

SMILE & SMILE AGAIN


In blistering heat torrential rain
Struggling day and night
I’m smiling at the storm again
Fighting the righteous fight


What have I done or said that’s wrong
That darkness wields its sword
Could troubles rise to make me strong
And victory’s my reward


Will God not stretch His mighty arm
Demand the wind be still
Direct the storms of life to calm
And bow to Heaven’s will


On Calvary’s cross I’ve placed my sin
My hope and faith is there
So now I know I’ll always win
Whilst Jesus’ cup I share


Eternal King and Prince of peace
My Saviour Lord and friend
Creator God who’ll never cease
His children to defend


But am I in that state of grace
Where heart and soul are free
Finding myself within the place
My Father’s face to see!


For still life’s storms are raging wild
Battering left and right
I pray my God, for this Your child
Turn darkness into Light


Let all I am be sacrificed
Let faith become my crown
Let love and strength through Jesus Christ
Cause doubt to crumble down


Michael P. Johnson ​

 

[FireyAngel]

Excellant words of wisdom!

 

[Maharg]

I've been following the advice of one of the devotionals above and reading about Jesus every day. I am reading two chapters of Mark's gospel each day since yesterday. God ahs already given me teaching about the Sabbath day and answered a specific question which I'll share below . . .

I read Mark chapter 3 and 4, and then said to God that I was struggling witht anxiety about work and asked what I should do. I went over the verses I had read this morning, and Mark 4 v40 stood out to me:

'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'

And then I remembered that I do have faith and there is no need to be afraid (which is what anxiety really is, if we're honest).

A couple of years ago, God was teaching me about faith. My mom and I were in a little rowing boat on a lake and we had become stuck on something and could not move. I was getting quite panicky because no matter how hard I rowed I could not move us, and we only had a few minutes left before our hire time ran out on the boat. My mom then said, 'Just pray, love.'

The very instant I remembered who was in control (that is, God!) the boat became free just as, in the very instant that Jesus commanded the wind and waves to be still in the midst of the storm, they were. How easy it is to forget that God is in control, and how much simpler life becomes when we remember that he is!

Blessings to everyone ,

maharg

 

[JPPT1974]

I cannot tell you just how timely this was for me today. I've been in a real trivial place lately knowing God is prompting me to take the next step in my spiritual maturity. Of course it sounds great, but for me it's scary.

I had planned to come home from work today and write a devo exactly about my current situation. I nearly cried when I read this one sitting in my inbox. There is no way I could have worded it any more perfectly than it already is.

Can anyone offer up a scuba helmet so I feel safer crossing?

You may want to try either googling
Or seeking advice from a shop like that
May God bless you as He is blessing all of us
He is awesome ain't He. I have really been close to
Him these past three years over.
Really I have never been so close to Him in all of my life until those three years ago.