by George | Jan 13, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Rest and Wait
The calendar has turned to January. A new year has begun. There is a sense of relief that the old year is gone. We have hopes and dreams for this new year.
We have a feeling of restlessness. Shouldn’t we be up and moving towards our new goals? This morning, some are already starting.
We drove by a local gym. There were many cars in the parking lot.
I wasn’t THAT ambitious this morning, but I felt like I should be doing something…
But I would suggest that we need not rush into anything.
Instead, we need a time of rest, renewal and refreshment.
Not just a physical rest, but also a Spiritual one. It’s a good time to pray, and listen for the still small voice of God. It’s a time of waiting.
Here’s some verses for your quiet time with God today. Read over them prayerfully and slowly.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalms 46:10
(Other translations for “Be still” are “quit striving” and “quit fighting.”)
“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
Psalms 37:5
“Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Lastly, remember to ALWAYS put God first in your life.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
Happy New Year and
Happy Rest in God!
by George | Jan 9, 2021 | Community News
Resolutions? Goals? None of the Above?
How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions? Do you make goals instead? Or, do you have elaborate plans mapped out for the new year? Maybe, it’s none of the above. You want to continue on the same path, but doing so with a new zeal.
Regardless of your preference for starting a new year, here’s some advice from the Word.
First:
Put God first, before anything or anyone. Give Him the throne of your life. He will guide your path.
Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33)
Psalm 32: 8 — “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
Forget the past:
It’s hard to walk forward when you are looking behind you!
Philippians 3:12-14 — “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Forgive:
Unforgiveness is a weight on your soul. Forgive, and let God help you with your feelings.
Ephesians 4:32 — “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Forge ahead:
Keep moving forward!
Hebrews 12:1-2 — “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Fear not:
It’s a scary time, but remember that God is greater than our fears!
1 Timothy 1:7 — “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
May God bless you in 2021 and make your way prosperous!
by George | Jan 7, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Whose Rope Are You Holding?
“But his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.”
Acts 9:25
Saul had just gotten saved. He trusted in Jesus, the one whom he used to persecute. Now, he is preaching about this same Jesus.
This didn’t set well with the religious leaders he used to hang out with.
So, according to Acts 9:23, the Jews plotted to kill him. It says they watched the gates day and night, in order to catch and kill him.
Thankfully, Saul hears about their plot.
What to do now? If he sticks around, they will most likely catch him.
That’s when Saul gets some help from some unnamed folks known only as “disciples.”
A plan was hatched to put Saul in a basket.
“Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.”
Acts 9:25
Can you imagine how hard it was physically for the disciples to do this? Saul was a full grown man. I wonder if they got rope burn on their hands as they lowered him down. This was also risky, because if they were caught, the Jews would arrest them too for being accomplices to Saul.
But the main thing is that no matter how hard this was, they held onto the ropes, until the basket was lowered to the ground.
These disciples had no idea that this man named Saul would one day be renamed Paul. He would go on to establish many churches, lead many people to Christ, and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, write most of the new testament.
So the question is: whose rope are you holding?
Is there a young person or colleague who needs your help to move them along towards greatness? Helping them reach their potential?
Whoever it is, don’t let go of the rope!
