by George | Sep 17, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Don’t Run!
“Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.”
Jeremiah 26:20
Have you ever heard of the prophet Urijah? No?
How about Jeremiah the prophet? “That rings a bell!”
Jeremiah, “the weeping prophet” prophesied for about 40 years. He was sent to warn Israel that they were about to be taken captive to Babylon because of their sins.
When you read the book bearing his name, your heart goes out to Jeremiah because he endured so much mistreatment.
In chapter 26, it says that the priests and prophets complained about Jeremiah to the princes about the words of his prophecy. They were seeking the death penalty.
So, they came and confronted him. Jeremiah didn’t run. He calmly explained to all assembled that God had given him the words to speak. They decided not to put him to death.
Then, we are introduced to the prophet Urijah. All we know about him is the name of his dad, and where he was from.
He prophesied in the name of the Lord similar words to that of Jeremiah.
This stirred the folks up including the king, and he came after him.
Instead of facing his accusers, he fled to Egypt.
The king sent to Egypt, brought him back and killed him. They threw his body into the common people’s cemetery.
My point is not that if you run from trouble, you will die. Jeremiah wasn’t killed then, but it’s believed he was stoned to death later on. Opposition happens.
I just want to show you an alternative. When troubles come your way, you can stand firm in God.
Paul says: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:13
(I’ve heard it said that the armor Paul describes only protects the front, not the back!)
Remember what God told Joshua? “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
Stand. Don’t run. Keep strong in the faith. Repeat.
by George | Sep 14, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Your Work Shall Be Rewarded
“But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”
2 Chronicles 15: 7
King Asa ofJudah had just come back from battle. God had just given them a great victory. A miraculous victory! Odds makers would have said it was 1,000 to one odds that Judah could win, but God stepped in and saved the day. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
Asa could have sat back and relaxed. He could have had an “after party” at the palace. Celebrating with the soldiers.
But no, Asa set to work on returning the hearts of the people to the Lord. He removed idols and rebuilt the altar. Asa gathered Judah together and held a great sacrifice.
“Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;”
II Chronicles 15:12
Who encouraged Asa to do all this? Azariah the prophet. (Also called Oded.)
“And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the LORD that was before the vestibule of the LORD.”
II Chronicles 15:8
Sometimes all it takes is a word of encouragement to inspire someone to greatness.
Could it be that God has placed a word of encouragement in your heart, to share with someone today?
by George | Sep 7, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
“You Are Trying Too Hard”
“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”
Psalm 131:1
How many times have you spent recently trying to figure things out. Why is all this stuff happening? What is the solution? Am I doing enough?
The human mind is an amazing creation of God. The average person fails to fully unlock it’s potential.
Yes, we are human. Our minds don’t know everything.
That can be frustrating sometimes, when we try and try to figure something out.
The psalmist realizes he doesn’t know everything.
He has the right attitude.
His heart is not “lifted up.”
The psalmist has the right perspective about himself.
“My eyes are not raised too high.”
A blogger who calls himself “Pastor Peter” explains it this way:
“My eyes are not raised too high. In other words, I do not live with grand illusions about me or grand expectations of me, what I can do, or my life. It is not that we have low expectations but that we know ourselves, we know the world, and, most of all, we know Christ.”
The proper perspective the psalmist has leads him to “not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”
He realizes that he won’t understand everything.
So, we become comfortable in our own skin, knowing our limitations, and realizing that we can’t figure everything out, we rest in Him. God is all knowing!
“But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
Psalm 131:2
If you are troubled today, and you can’t figure things out. Bring God your burdens, rest in Him, and listen for His still small voice.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and DO NOT LEAN TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
