Encouragement from Gods Word, from Sherrilyn Johnson
I’m excited to share with you that my new book was just published last week! It is available on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, you can search for this complete title on Amazon.com. If you click on the image of the book you can “look inside” and see the first 28 pages, including the introduction and table of contents.
Please contact me if you have any questions: sjspokane000@gmail.com
Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you brought harm to this people? Why did you ever send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”
Exodus 5:22-23
Have you ever cried out to God asking, “Why?” “Why are you allowing this?” “Why has this person suffered for so long?” “Why aren’t You answering my prayers?” Reading this week in Exodus about Moses and the people of Israel has been a good reminder to me of the truth about God. We can’t often see His purpose for what is happening in our lives, or in the world. But He is working out His sovereign plan, and I want to fully trust Him.
I’m captivated by the display of the Lord’s sovereign plan for Moses’ life and the lives of His people who have been suffering cruel treatment as slaves in Egypt. The Pharaoh saw that the Hebrews had grown in numbers and feared that in a time of war, they would join the enemies and fight against Egypt. To prevent that, he demanded that all Hebrew male infants be killed at birth.
When Moses was born to Hebrew parents, his mother placed him in a basket and hid him in the reeds of the Nile River. In God’s sovereign plan, Pharaoh’s daughter discovered him and eventually raised him in the palace as her own son. God’s plan could not be thwarted by the edict of the cruel Pharaoh.
Fast-forward many years, and we learn that Moses had to flee Egypt because he had killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew slave. We pick up the story where God calls Moses from a burning bush in the wilderness. God tells Moses that He has a plan for him to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt to the land of Canaan which God had promised hundreds of years earlier to his ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses argues with God, explaining his own inability to lead the people. “I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” The Lord answered, “Who has made man’s mouth…Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” But Moses responded, “Please, Lord, now send someone else.” God’s patience was put to the test with Moses, but He chose his brother Aaron to be the spokesman for Moses.
In chapter 5, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh (as God had instructed them to do!) and requested that Pharaoh let the people of Israel go to the wilderness to celebrate a feast to the Lord. Pharaoh refused, and instead harshly demanded an increased workload. They were given the impossible task of gathering their own straw to make bricks without decreasing their required quota for each day. They were beaten when they couldn’t meet Pharaoh’s demands. Eventually, the people of Israel turned against Moses and Aaron and blamed them for their miserable situation which was now much worse.
Notice Moses’ reaction in Exodus 5:22-23. He returned to the Lord with the impossible situation. “O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”
The Lord doesn’t make any excuses. He simply responds to Moses and reveals His plan to release the people of Israel from captivity in Egypt and to keep His covenant to bring them to the land which He had promised. Moses goes back to the people with God’s promise, but because of their cruel bondage, they wouldn’t listen to him. Moses tells the Lord, “If Your own people won’t listen to me, how will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am unskilled in speech?” As we continue reading Exodus, we see God’s miraculous provision to release His people from captivity as He had promised.
What lessons can we learn for our own lives from God’s plan for Moses? The most important lesson for me is God’s sovereignty over EVERYTHING. Our own weakness does not derail His ultimate purpose for our life. He promises to provide everything we need to accomplish the tasks He calls us to do. He promises to “complete the good work He has begun in our lives” (Philippians 1:6). I want to remember to stop focusing on my own weakness, and the circumstances which seem impossible to me. Instead of asking “Why, Lord,” I want to simply trust His plan for my life. I want to remember that God has a purpose for whatever He allows His people to go through. He hasn’t forgotten us!
PERSONAL REFLECTION
What excuses have you made for not being the person for the job He has called you to do?
Have you ever blamed God as Moses did for not doing something you thought He had promised?
How has God spoken to your heart in this message from Moses’ life?
Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”
Isaiah 30:21
Priscilla Shirer has written a Bible study series called “Discerning the Voice of God.” We just watched the first DVD session this week, and I love the illustration she gave from her own experience as a young gymnast. She described her love for the balance beam, even though she claimed not to be very good at it. But she talked about her coach, how he would stand behind her as she was on the balance beam. His biggest concern was to make sure that her entire body was in alignment with the beam. It wasn’t enough to just have her feet positioned one in front of the other. Her hips, her shoulders, her head all had to be in alignment with her feet. Otherwise, she would not be able to maintain the correct balance. The coach wouldn’t give any further instruction for the more difficult moves until her body was correctly aligned.
As I listened to her description, my mind went immediately to Isaiah 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left. The Lord is our “coach” watching to see if we are living in alignment with His truth and His will for our life. I’m reminded to be asking Him daily to show me any area that is out of alignment with His will and His purpose for my life.
The Lord is always with us. And He loves us, He knows us, and He knows the plans He has for our lives. Am I intentionally asking the Lord for His will for each day? Am I spending time in His Word and asking Him to teach me what He wants me to hear? Am I taking time to “Be still” in order to listen to what He has to say? Am I willing to be obedient when I hear Him say, “This is the way, walk in it?”
If I’m not spending time with Him, it is so easy to get “out of alignment and off balance.” I can become anxious about the assignments I have for the day. I can become frustrated when things aren’t going as I had planned. Even “little things” can be reasons for becoming upset and angry.
Priscilla’s illustration is such an encouragement to me to be aligned with God’s plan and to be asking Him to show me any areas where I am out of alignment and losing my balance. I choose to trust my “Coach!” I want to remember to pray each day, “Lord, please align my heart and mind and will with Your mind and heart and will. Keep my eyes focused on You.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION
What evidence in your life shows that you are listening to God’s voice?
What choices do you make to be sure you are in “alignment” with God’s will?
Is there anything you need to change in your priorities to make sure you have the time to listen to His voice?
Sometimes we may need to begin with a prayer asking God for the desire to be obedient to His will instead of focusing on our own plans.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and He reached down to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; and He set my feet on a rock making my footsteps firm.
Psalm 40:1-2
An incident from childhood makes this verse especially meaningful to me and brings it to life. As a young child, my family visited friends in a rural area on the outskirts of town. All the kids went out in the yard to play baseball. One ball was hit hard enough to land in the muddy field next to the yard. I ran out to retrieve the ball. When I reached it, my feet began to sink deep into the mud until it was up over my shoes. I tried to take a step but couldn’t move without losing my balance. Somehow, I stepped out of my shoes, but that only made me sink into the mud with bare feet. It was terrifying! One of the other kids heroically came to rescue me, but she also became completely stuck. I remember my dad coming out when he heard us screaming for help. He wisely laid large wooden planks across the muddy area so he could walk out and pull us out of the mud. How wonderful it was to feel something firm under my feet again!
Sin is like that mud. We just sink deeper and deeper. We get stuck in it, and there seems to be no way out. Have you experienced that? When we are faced with a temptation, we may be aware that the particular attitude or action would not be pleasing to God. But we can easily justify it — It’s what I really need. And no one will be hurt by it. I’ll only do it this one time. No one is perfect anyway. We don’t mind getting our feet just a little dirty. But that one wrong choice can turn us in a direction leading away from God. We get in deeper and deeper. God never leaves us, but we can no longer experience closeness with Him while we are choosing to go our own way. Life gets out of balance. The joy and peace we had in walking with the Lord are gone. Nothing is satisfying.
But our Father is waiting for us to call for help. No matter what you or I have done, no matter how deep we are stuck in the mire of sin, God is eagerly waiting to rescue us. Psalm 18 describes what it is like to be trapped in sin and then the joy of being rescued. I love verse 19: He rescued me because He delighted in me. Notice that He delights in us while we still need rescuing! He doesn’t wait until we have completely cleaned ourselves up to tell us that He delights in us. The experience of God’s grace and mercy in rescuing me from the pit of destruction has changed my life. He “set my feet on a rock,” and that rock is Jesus. My heart is full of joy and thankfulness. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God … (Psalm 40:3).
PERSONAL REFLECTION
How have you experienced being stuck in the miry clay of sin? How did it start?
What steps did you take to become free?
Perhaps you are in a situation right now. Are you holding onto something that God is asking you to let go of…a hurt from childhood? Anger? A relationship? Bitterness? Are you spending your time on something that is not God’s best for you? He delights in you and promises to set you free if you come to Him in faith and obedience. How will you respond?
Not my will, but yours be done
Luke 22:42
(I posted this message last year, but I think it’s worth repeating.)
After my morning quiet time alone with the Lord recently, I asked my husband what he had been doing in his office. He said, “I’m updating my operating system.” At that moment, I realized, “That’s what I’ve been doing too!” He was referring to his computer, but I was referring to God as my “heart system manager.”
My time with God each morning is setting my focus on Him in worship, listening to Him through His Word and prayer, and committing to do what He has planned. I ask Him to align my heart and mind with His.
Believe me, it hasn’t always been this way! For so much of my life, I was under the influence of legalistic teaching. “Don’t go to movies, don’t go to dances, don’t wear skirts above the knees or wear two-piece bathing suits…” It was all centered on outward behavior, following all the rules to please God. I would have early morning “quiet times” (the earlier the better for “good Christians”). So often I would fall asleep during those times. But at least I could check it off my list along with reading a chapter or two of the Bible!
Thankfully, God has shown me instead that He is my Shepherd who knows me by name, loves me, and has a plan for my life. He has invited me (and you!) into a loving relationship, not a legalistic list of duties to perform. Jesus came so that we could know God, and was willing to give up His own life to pay the penalty for the sins of the world. We can have the assurance of salvation and eternal life with Him. We can have peace no matter what is going on in the world and in our personal life if we receive His offer of forgiveness and turn our lives over to Him as Lord and Savior. We can trust Him to orchestrate our activities and choices throughout the day if we have surrendered our own will and plans to Him.
Here is a poem I wrote many years ago. It came to me after a time of struggling in my relationship with the Lord. I pray it will encourage you.
Be Still
“Be still and know that I am God,” you say,
But how can I be still?
I have such as busy day;
Bible study, my job, a luncheon at one.
Maybe later, Lord. Right now I must run.
Like Mary, you’d like me to sit at your feet,
Quietly listening to the words you will speak.
But, like Martha, there’s so much to be done.
Maybe later, Lord. Right now I must run.
“Come and lie down in green pastures and rest.”
When my work is caught up, Lord,
I’ll do my best.
So many things need my attention.
Maybe later, Lord. Right now I must run.
Why am I so weary?
Where has the time gone?
Forgive me for running when you’ve asked me to come.
Often the “good things” are not your best.
You invite me to come to you, and I will find rest.
I’m willing to be quiet now;
Teach me your will.
Now, Lord, right now, I’m ready to be still.
Renewed by your Spirit
Like an eagle I’ll fly;
No longer running, but quiet inside.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
I encourage you to spend time with the Lord for an “update of your operating system.” What is He showing you that needs to change? Maybe rearranging priorities? Maybe an attitude adjustment? Trust that He is there to walk through it with you.
Consider writing a prayer of renewed commitment, not just for the New Year, but for your daily life.
…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Looking only at Jesus…
Hebrews 12:1-2
When I read these verses, I think of the Olympics. One of my favorite features in Olympics coverage is the “up close and personal” segments where we get to see into the personal lives of the competitors. The level of commitment to their sport is something most of us have difficulty personally identifying with. But we can learn valuable lessons as Christians by looking at the lives of competitive athletes.
An athlete spends many hours a day preparing the body for the competition. Strict discipline is required to train physically and mentally. Hours are spent every day in the weight room building up the body and strengthening the muscles. Countless hours must be spent perfecting techniques to ensure the quickest starts and the ability to pace oneself. Rigorous compliance with just the right kind of diet is mandatory. Competitive athletes must have a single-minded focus and give up many other things in order to achieve the goal. Years of preparation are required to be among the best.
What is the race that the Lord calls His followers to run? Colossians 1:10 describes it this way: …Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
He calls us to an intimate relationship with Himself — loving Him, walking with Him, listening, obeying His Word, acknowledging our complete dependence on Him for what He has planned for our life. The Bible is our instruction manual that teaches us how to live a life that is pleasing to Him – how we are to live in relationship to Him, to our family, spouse, children, employers or employees, to those who are suffering. Only in a close relationship with the Lord and filled with His Spirit will we experience “bearing fruit in every good work.” We need to actively seek to discover our spiritual gifts and to be using them to serve.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us to rid ourselves of every obstacle and sin which so easily entangles us in order to run the race. It isn’t just sin that weighs us down and causes us to stumble in our race. There are other things, often even good things, that can distract us and take a great deal of our time, energy and focus away from God’s best for us. We need to be sure we are doing what God wants with our life. We need to be in the race He has called us to.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus is the key. “Fixing” is translated from a Greek word meaning “to look away from all else at.” Have you ever noticed the eyes of athletes who are beginning a race? They are not looking around at the spectators to see who is watching them. They are not glancing at the other competitors. Their eyes are fixed on the course directly in front of them, and their intense focus and concentration on the goal is evident.
That is the example for us to follow. We need to take very seriously the Lord’s call to run the race that He sets before us, constantly fighting against being so caught up in earthly things that we forget our goal. We need to remind ourselves often that the ultimate goal is to stand before the Lord someday, perfect and complete, and hear him say, “Well done.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Read again Colossians 1:10 …that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
How do you prepare yourself to run with endurance the race that is set before you?
What “encumbrances” do you need to lay aside?
What is the sin that so easily entangles you?
Are your eyes fixed on Jesus? Or is your focus of attention divided and scattered? Where are your eyes fixed?
Are you running the race He has set before you? Or has someone or something else designed your race? How do you know?
Commit yourself to come before the Lord each day for training, instruction, wisdom and His power to run the race He has set before you.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the new Bible-reading method our pastor introduced us to. I’m excited as I read through each chapter and look specifically for how God reveals Himself and how I can apply this truth to my own life and deepen my relationship with Him. I just completed the whole book of Genesis, and have a renewed appreciation for how God has recorded for us His intimate relationship and covenant promises made to His people, and how they are being fulfilled.
When I came to chapter 5, I read an entire list of names of all the generations from Adam to Noah. At first, I was thinking, “What does this long list of names and the number of years each one lived have to do with God’s revelation of Himself?” But soon the answer came! God knows every name and everything about every person! And each person is important enough to be named and recorded.
I love Psalm 139:16 which tells how intimately God knows each individual:
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.
Take some time to let this truth sink deeply into your mind and your heart: Can you grasp the fact that even before you were born God knew every day of your life?
Other scriptures tell us of God’s record of names. Luke 10:20b Jesus tells His disciples that “your names are recorded in heaven.”
And one more account of names being recorded is found in Revelation 21:27. We read about the new heaven and the new earth and the names that are written in the Lamb’s book of life – the record of all who belong to the Lord by faith in Him.
Reading the Bible with these specific questions in mind has made God’s Word come alive in a deeper way for me. As I mentioned before, just reading through several chapters a day in order to complete the whole Bible in one year just wasn’t satisfying to me. I’m gaining a stronger relationship with the Lord as I take time to consider how each chapter can be applied to my own life. I encourage you to consider trying this method! Once again, if you’re interested in learning more about this method, I can email you the complete document with more detailed guidelines. My email address is sjspokane000@gmail.com.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Read again the Scripture above from Psalm 139:16. Ask God to speak to your heart. Consider writing your thoughts as you pray and meditate on the truth of God’s knowledge of you.
James 1:21
Many of my friends love to be outdoors preparing the soil in their garden for the seeds they will plant in the spring as soon as the temperature is just right. As summer comes, they begin to see the plants producing the fresh fruits and vegetables they will enjoy and share with others.
I’m thinking now of this Scripture in James 1:21 which tells us to “receive the Word implanted.” God has given us His Word, the Bible, so that we can get to know Him personally and have our lives changed to reflect what He has planted in us. We will grow to be more like Jesus as we listen to Him and obey what He says.
From personal experience growing up in church, I recognize that it is possible to know a lot about God without really knowing Him and living in a personal relationship with Him. I grew up in a family that never missed a week of church attendance. Even when we were at the lake on vacation we had to drive into town and go to church on Sunday. What a waste, I thought! I also attended youth group and even Wednesday night prayer meetings because that was expected. I enjoyed being with my friends, but I don’t remember any emphasis on a personal relationship with God and loving Him with all my heart which is what He wants for us.
There were lots of rules: Don’t go to movies or dances, don’t wear skirts above the knees, don’t color our hair, don’t wear two-piece bathing suits… One good thing we were encouraged to do was memorize lots of Scripture – but it was a game to me. I was really good at the Bible quiz contests. It didn’t truly penetrate my heart.
The condition of my heart was clearly revealed when I spent a summer away from home living with another family. Within a week I had colored my hair (the same color as my natural color, so no one else even knew what I had done). I also purchased a two-piece bathing suit. (It covered as much of my body as a one-piece, but I knew it was two pieces and I found rebellious delight in that!). If there had been an opportunity to go to dances and movies, I’m sure I would have done that too! I definitely was rebelling from all the church rules!
A speaker came to a Youth for Christ meeting to share his experience of how God changed his life after being in jail for some time. I remember wishing that I had done something really bad like that so I could tell people how God had changed me. I always thought of myself as a “good Christian girl” who would never do anything like that! I didn’t understand that I was as much of a sinner in need of a Savior as that man who had been in jail.
I’m so thankful for God’s patience with me as He began transforming my heart as an adult. My husband and I had moved to a different state, and after several years of not attending church, I started going with a friend who had moved in next door. God used that pastor who taught me how to study the Bible, to understand that God wants a personal relationship with me, not just “following all the man-made church rules.” It was at that time that I invited Jesus to be my Lord and Savior and committed to follow Him. That began a process of getting to know the God of the Bible that will continue as long as I live here on earth. The more I get to know Him through His Word, the more I love Him. There have been times of turning away from God’s ways and choosing my own, but He has graciously forgiven me and drawn me back.
God has given every believer the gift of the Holy Spirit to live in us and to do that transforming work in our lives. Fortunately, all the Scripture memorization of my youth was not wasted. The Holy Spirit now brings those words of Scripture back to my mind and brings life and understanding, and the desire to listen and obey God’s Word through a love relationship with Him. He gives me opportunities to share His Word with others. I’m profoundly grateful for His love, patience, faithfulness, mercy, and grace.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
What is the condition of your heart? Have you made that personal commitment to receive Him as your Lord and Savior? Do you have a personal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus?
As you read God’s Word, ask Him to plant it into your heart by the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Do you see the evidence of that fruit in your life?
It is possible to be doing the right things for the wrong reasons. Even church attendance and daily Bible reading can become something that must be “checked off the list of things to do” for the day. You can ask God to penetrate your heart with His Word and His Spirit to transform your life.
Maybe you don’t even have the desire to know God. You can ask Him to give you that desire and to lead you into a relationship with Him.
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me…”
Genesis 31:13
In my post on August 1st, I wrote about the Bible Read-Thru program. The purpose is to “meet with God and hear from Him in His Word.” Whatever portion of Scripture we are reading, we are encouraged to ask these questions: “What does God reveal about Himself?” and “How can I deepen my relationship with Him?”
I’m really excited about what God reveals in His Word when I am specifically reading with those questions in mind. I started reading in Genesis this month, and even though most of the stories are familiar to me, God reveals something that speaks to my heart in each chapter. (If you would like me to email you a copy of the Bible Read-Thru program, you can email me at sjspokane000@gmail.com.)
I want to share with you an example from chapter 31. What stood out to me, and what I have been thinking about for several days, is the phrase in verse 13 in which God is speaking to Jacob: “I am the God of Bethel.” Why would that verse stand out? Good question! You may know the story of Jacob, the son of Isaac. In previous chapters, we read that Jacob deceived his blind father by pretending to be his older brother Esau. Jacob received his father’s blessing and stole Esau’s birthright. Esau is furious and wants to kill Jacob. Jacob flees from his home and goes to live with his uncle Laban. On the way, God spoke to Jacob in a dream and promised to give the land in which he was sleeping to him and his descendants. God also promised not to leave him until He had done what He promised. Jacob awoke the next morning and set up a stone as a pillar and made a vow that the Lord would be his God. Jacob called that place Bethel.
Since that phrase stood out to me, I’ve been asking the question, “Lord, what do you want to say to me about yourself today? I am the God of ____________.” The answer that He spoke to my heart was clear: “I am the God of Cathedral Oaks Christian Church in Santa Barbara, California.” That is where I met God and was introduced to the truth that He wants to have a personal relationship with me. Even though I had attended church most of my life, I had never heard that. I grew up with a lot of rules to follow and activities to avoid. I thought I was pretty good at following those rules, but after receiving Jesus as my Savior, it was clear that outward obedience is not what God wants. He sees my heart, and my heart was not pleasing to Him. Rule-following caused me to be judgmental toward the people who don’t follow the rules!
I am assured of God’s promises throughout His Word. Just as God promised to be with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He is with me. And all who belong to Him have that same promise, that He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). I love His promise in Philippians 1:6 NLT: “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION
If you belong to God, take some moments to remember where you first met Him and received Him as your Lord and Savior. Ask Him to speak to your heart, “I am the God of ____________.”
Thank Him for the work He has begun in you that He promises to complete. Thank Him for His promise to be with you, and never leave you!
If you have not received Him as Your Lord and Savior, you can make that decision. He loves you and He gave His life to have a forever relationship with you. Ask Him to forgive your sins of following your own way instead of following Him. Surrender your life to Him and begin the personal relationship that He desires to share with you.
…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…
Hebrews 12:1-2
Many years have passed since I learned this lesson personally, but I’ll never forget it! My husband had been diagnosed with a blood disorder and had been hospitalized for a total of six weeks for surgery and other treatment. Our two children were young at the time, and there was no assurance of a favorable outcome from the medical staff.
I was attending a weekly Bible study at the time. In the midst of all the concern about my husband’s health, our car broke down three times while he was in the hospital. Each time, God provided someone to fix what was wrong. The third time it broke down, I was on my way to Bible study. I contacted the leader to let her know I wouldn’t be there. Instead, she sent someone to come and pick me up. My plan was to leave the car on the side of the road indefinitely. I’d had enough!! The Bible study leader told me that God was stretching my faith. I told her that if I showed up the following week in two pieces, she would realize I had been stretched too far! She assured me that God wouldn’t let that happen.
I identified with Peter at that time. As long as I was keeping my eyes on Jesus and the promises of His faithfulness, His provision, and His constant presence, I could “walk on water” above the circumstances. But as soon as my focus shifted to all the uncertainties and difficulties, I “started to sink.”
I love reading the story of Peter in Matthew 14:22-33. It was Jesus who told the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. This happened right after His miracle of feeding the 5,000. Jesus had sent the crowds away and had gone up to the mountain by Himself to pray. In the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 a.m.) Jesus came walking on the water toward the boat. The disciples were terrified and cried out in fear, thinking they were seeing a ghost! Jesus said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But seeing the wind and the waves, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him. And when they were in the boat, the wind stopped. All those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly “God’s Son!”
Don’t you admire Peter’s faith which was strong enough to step out of the boat onto the waves? As long as His eyes were on Jesus, he was walking on water! Hebrews 12:1-2 says the Lord is the author and perfecter of our faith. He does allow difficult circumstances in our lives, but He will use them to strengthen our faith and draw us closer to Himself.
What an encouragement to be assured that Jesus knows exactly where we are and what we are going through. At all times! And no matter what the circumstances. He is there with us. Nothing is impossible with Him.
We have an enemy, Satan, who wants us to focus on the difficult circumstances around us and just give in to fear and despair. It’s important to remember that we have a choice. We can remain terrified and in despair, or we can listen to the voice of the One who calls us to keep our eyes on Him and trust His deliverance.
I encourage you to find the lyrics to the song online by Casting Crowns called The Voice of Truth. It speaks of the desire for the kind of courage it takes to step out of our comfort zone into the crashing waves where Jesus is. The last line of the song says “I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Are you in a storm of crashing waves in your life right now? Can you hear Jesus calling out to you to come to Him in trust that He can calm that storm?
Or maybe you know someone who is experiencing extreme difficulties. Please pray for them and encourage them to hear Jesus’ voice of truth, that He is with them and will faithfully provide what they need.
What are some of the ways you can choose to keep your eyes on Jesus?
… let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5
I lost sleep last night. Again. I laid awake thinking about a friend who is in crisis on so many levels! The situation seems impossible! Before I was even out of bed, the Lord brought to mind some Scriptures I need to remember if He wants to use me to help her. God knows, and I know, that I don’t have the wisdom it takes to “fix” her. But the above Scripture from James 1:5 is one of the verses He reminded me of this morning. He is the source of all wisdom and He tells me to ask and promises to provide!
Another Scripture that came to mind is from Luke 5:18-19. It tells of men who brought their friend on a stretcher to be healed by Jesus. Because so many people were crowded around Jesus, the men took their friend on the stretcher up on the roof and lowered him down in front of Jesus in the middle of the crowd. I love this picture, and it reminds me that there may be many obstacles, but I need to “bring my friend to Jesus.” He is the healer. Not me. So, the lesson for me as I experience how inadequate I am to know what to do for my friend: First, bring her to Jesus. I can do that through prayer, and through reminding her of God’s love, His presence with her at all times, and the promises in His Word. He can do what is impossible without Him.
And I’m reminded of Mark 6:30-44. Jesus brought His disciples to a secluded place to rest. They were soon surrounded by multitudes of people who had followed them, and Jesus began to teach them. When it was late, the disciples came to Jesus telling Him to send the people away so they could buy themselves something to eat. Jesus answered them, “You give them something to eat.” I’m sure you know the story – The only food they could come up with was five loaves and two fish. Not even enough for a few people, let alone thousands! So, Jesus took what little they had, blessed it, broke the loaves, and kept giving them to the disciples. (Notice especially “kept giving it to the disciples.” They had to keep coming back to Him to supply the need that was impossible for them to meet.
The lesson here is to “keep coming back” to Jesus for wisdom and clear direction for the next step in helping my friend. He is the healer; I’m not! Jesus’ invitation is to “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV).
I’m encouraged by Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” He doesn’t expect me to have the answers on my own. He knows all the details of the problem, and He knows what needs to be done to bring healing. I’m encouraged to walk through this journey with my friend trusting the Lord for each next step.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Has God brought someone into your life who needs His healing? Do you feel inadequate to help?
Which of these verses encourage you as you walk through this journey with someone?
Write a prayer expressing your heart to God.
Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:9
I’m sure you know the story! God had placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden which He had created. He clearly told them they could eat from every tree in the Garden — except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He told them that they would die if they ate of that tree. In spite of that clear warning, Eve listened to the temptation of the serpent, and ate the fruit of that tree. She offered it to Adam and he also ate.
As I read this passage, several thoughts stood out to me. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they attempted to cover their nakedness with leaves they sewed together for themselves. They heard God walking in the garden and they tried to hide because they were afraid. Then God called Adam and asked, “Where are you?” Adam answered, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” When God questioned Adam about eating from the tree He had commanded him not to eat, Adam essentially blamed God: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” When the Lord questioned Eve, she blamed the serpent who deceived her.
Adam and Eve attempted to cover themselves after they had disobeyed God. How do I attempt to “cover” myself when I have disobeyed God? What excuses do I offer? Do I think that my “good works” can cover my sin? Do I blame others for needs that haven’t been met? Or maybe my parents for the way they raised me? Do I hear God asking me, “Where are you?”
Of course, there is nothing God doesn’t already know about us. Psalm 139:1-4 tells us:
You have searched me and known me, You know when I sit down and when I rise up. You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
So why would God ask, “Where are you?” I believe He wants us to evaluate where we are in our relationship with Him and acknowledge where we are spiritually. Is there unconfessed sin? We can invite Him as the psalmist did in the closing verses of Psalm 139:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
And it is important that we know there is absolutely nothing we can do to cover our own sins. The covering that Adam and Eve sewed for themselves was not sufficient. The Lord “made garments of
skin and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). God’s provision required the death of an animal to provide that covering. God’s covering for our sin required the death of Jesus, and His blood is the only cleansing for us. I love Isaiah 61:10 which assures us that “God wraps us in His robe of righteousness.” That is the only covering for our sin that assures us of eternal life with Him. Thank you, Lord, for providing for me what I could never do for myself!
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Take some time to consider God’s question “Where are you?”
Is there any way you are trying to hide from Him?
Is there any way that you are trying to make coverings for yourself when you have disobeyed God?
God invites us to confess our sins and be cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Thank Him for that promise of cleansing and forgiveness through Jesus’ blood shed for our sins.
Think about what it means to be wrapped in His robe of righteousness. Write a prayer to God responding to what He is saying to you.
Genesis 1
My message last week was about the “Read-Thru the Bible” program that I’m so excited about. I decided to share some of the personal thoughts that God spoke to my heart as I read the first few chapters of Genesis this week. I wish I could talk to each of you about how God speaks to you through His Word!
As I read each chapter, I ponder the questions suggested by the “Read-Thru the Bible” program, “What does God reveal about Himself?” and “How does this apply to my relationship with God?” In chapter 1, He reveals Himself as the creator of all things. He spoke all of creation into being: “Let there be…. And it was so.” I’m reminded that God is sovereign over all He has created. I can trust His sovereignty over my life.
Thinking about God as the Creator, I’m reminded of the Scripture that says “You created my innermost parts, You wove me in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Meditating on that truth, God convicted me that I needed to ask forgiveness for my attitude toward the parents I was born to. As a child, and even as an adult, I’ve sometimes wished that I had different parents. But through this Scripture and others, I realize that I was born to the parents He chose for me. And His Word tells me to honor my father and mother. I’ve had to confess and ask forgiveness for my dishonoring attitude.
Another Scripture about God as Creator came to mind: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:20). I believe that I know for now the works He has called me to do. But I’m reminded to trust Him completely for His will, and trust the Holy Spirit to accomplish those works. I want Him to be able to say to me the words He spoke about His creation: “He saw all He had created, and it was very good.”
In chapter 2, verse 7 stood out to me: Then God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” I thought about the truth that not only did He create our physical life, but He creates new spiritual birth when we receive His gift of salvation by faith in Jesus. I want to remember that His Spirit gives me life and breathes life into the works He has called me to do. And, as God rested at the completion of creation, I need to rest as I trust Him to complete those good works.
The words of this hymn have been going through my mind all week:
Breathe on me, breath of God, fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love, and do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God, until my heart is pure
Until my will is one with Thine, to do and to endure.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
How has God spoken to your heart this week as you have read His Word?
What did He reveal about Himself?
How did that truth about God apply to your life?
I’m so excited about a new way to read through the Bible on my own! I’ve tried several times to “read through the Bible in a year,” and it just hasn’t worked for me. I follow the chart for which chapters to read each day, and before long I miss a day or two and get several chapters behind and then have to read fast to catch up. I end up just reading to get the days checked off. I’m sure others have found that kind of plan useful, and it is a worthy goal. Just not for me.
But a couple of weeks ago, our pastor introduced us to a different plan for Bible reading that I am enjoying so much! It can be used for your personal Bible reading, or you can use it with a group and meet regularly for discussion. You can also use the suggested ideas for any portion of the Scriptures that you are reading, even if you don’t choose to read through the entire Bible at this time.
I’ll summarize the plan, but if you would like a copy of it for yourself, I’ll give you my email address at the end of this message and I’d be happy to email you the 4-page document.
The plan has a list of readings to complete the Old Testament in 27 weeks and the New Testament in 13 weeks. But obviously, you can go through it more slowly and take as much time as you want. The Old Testament plan is a “chronological list that is an excellent way to grasp the order of events, their context, and how God revealed Himself to mankind in a progressive manner.” It reveals how the characters and events of the OT all fit together.
Here are some key points from the plan to consider as you read:
What are You revealing to me here about Yourself?
How does this passage apply to my relationships with You and others?
Lord, what do You want to change in me?
Personally, it is helpful for me to keep a journal and write my answers to these questions and what God is showing me for my own life. I’m amazed at what He reveals when I am specifically asking Him to speak to me through His Word each time I read! I now look forward each day to reading His Word and expecting to hear from Him!
If you would like to receive an email with this “How to Conduct a Bible Read-Thru” document, here is my email address: sjspokane000@gmail.com
PERSONAL REFLECTION
How would you describe your experience of reading God’s Word?
What are some things you already do to make time in God’s Word personally meaningful?
How would you like God to change your attitude toward spending time reading His Word?
Someone gave me a copy of this prayer a long time ago, and I recently rediscovered it. I don’t know who wrote it, but the words express my heart and remind me of how God wants me to live. I hope it will encourage you too!
“A Prayer for First Thing in the Morning”
Good morning, Lord!
Thank You for a new day. Thank You that Your compassion is renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness and Your steadfast love, O Lord!
I don’t know what all is going to happen today, and how much I’ll get done, but You do. So I give this day to You.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Father. Energize me for Your work… Awaken me to the wonder of Your salvation, and quicken my spirit to the reality of Your work in my life.
Lord, my mind is filled with creative ideas, but they’re all jumbled. Holy Spirit, come and hover over my mind like You hovered over the waters at creation and speak order out of the chaos! Help me to cease striving and to trust that you will give me all I need today to do the work You’ve given me to do.
You will be faithful to complete the good work You’ve started, and as I step out into my day, I declare Your sovereignty over every area of my life. I entrust myself to You and ask that You use me however You see fit.
This day is Yours. My body is Yours. My mind is Yours. Everything I am is Yours.
May You be pleased with me today.
Amen
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Does this prayer express your heart for God? Ask Him to search your heart and show you if He needs to change you in any way.
Consider writing your own response to God.