Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these. – Jeremiah 14:22 We’ve all heard versions of the prayer that goes, “Lord, help me to be patient, and please hurry up about it.” In my life the lesson on being patient has been probably the hardest one to learn. In fact, I must confess that …
Category: Devotionals
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. – John 16:22 The Lord Jesus spoke these words to His disciples – although Judas had gone – before the events surrounding His arrest, trial, and death rushed in upon Him. He was instructing the disciples about His leaving them to return to the Father who sent Him, and He was preparing them for their …
Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. – John 7:16-17 Even this early in the narrative of John’s Gospel Jesus was very unpopular with the religious leaders. They were talking about killing Him. So to avoid the many problems that accompany being hated by those in influence, the …
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on… Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? – Matt. 6:25-26 How different our modern sense of security is from people who lived one hundred years ago, never mind two thousand …
Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.’ ” And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. – Jeremiah 28:10-11 What is meekness? We know that it’s important and that God prizes it. We know …
With God all things are possible. -Matt. 19:26 We believe in a God who is so good that He is the very measure of what “Good” is. “Good” is not a standard to which God attains. Indeed, to have that idea of God is to have a false God. The goodness of God reaches down to us. His goodness embraces us, even when we think He is distant. In the context of these words of Christ the goodness of God …
I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.” – Psalm 40: 1-2. It is so hard to wait on the Lord. Especially when one is in trouble or hurting and there just isn’t anyone else who can help. Truthfully, that is not a bad place to be …
When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? – Job 34:29a It has always been easy to neglect personal communion with God. The matters which lie right in front of us call for our time and attention, and if there are any of those two things left at the end of the day, well, we’re tired and we want to “turn off.” God gets the scraps of our time. But our relationship with our Father in heaven cannot be …
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Phil. 4:6-7 It is easy to worry. There is always something that we can think about that will be guaranteed to perturb our souls. The Apostle Paul knew something about that. His imagination could have envisioned the next round of …
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. – Psalm 71:16 Psalm 71 is all about trusting the Lord, and seeing that in Him we have a strong foundation for our lives. Even amid peril and distress there is a reason for hope. Many of the psalms are heartfelt cries to God for help; sometimes for safety from ones enemies, sometimes for encouragement, and at other times for …
