by George | May 25, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Did You Forget To Drink Water?
“And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”
Mark 6:31
I was using the flashlight app on my phone this morning. An add popped up for another app. This one sends you reminders to drink water.
Seriously? A reminder to drink water? Are we THAT busy?
Jesus and the disciples were very busy. He had sent them out 2 by 2 to the surrounding areas. He gave them power over the demons and to heal the sick. The disciples were very successful!
“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”
Mark 6:12-13
They came back to Jesus to give Him a report.
Oh, and right around this time, John the Baptist was beheaded.
In addition to the busyness of ministering to others, Jesus was dealing with the loss of John the Baptist.
Jesus is the Son of God, but came in human form.
He got tired. He slept on occasion.
He instructs the disciples to come apart.
We use this verse to instruct folks to take care of themselves.
But, it doesn’t seem it happened right away.
“But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.”
Mark 6:33-34
Then, He feeds the 5,000.
I would like to think at some point they did get to stop and rest.
I think that the lesson in all this is that we do need to take time to rest.
Vance Havner said:
“Come ye yourselves apart…, and rest a while” (Mark 6:31) is a must for every Christian. If you don’t come apart, you will come apart!”
by George | May 20, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
What To Do When You Get Stoned
“But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.”
Acts 14:19-20
Paul and Barnabas were in a city called Lystra. According to Wikipedia, it “was a city in central Anatolia, now part of present-day Turkey.“
They were having success in that lives were being changed through salvation and healing.
In fact, they were so successful that the locals thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods, and began to worship them. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and vehemently tried to tell the people that they were human, just like them.
To make matters worse, the Jews came and influenced the crowd to turn against Paul and Barnabas.
It got so ugly that they stoned Paul and left him for dead.
The other disciples gathered around Paul and wondered if Paul was dead. He wasn’t.
The Bible says that he got up and went into the city.
If this had happened to you or me, I think we would be tempted to quit. What’s the use? We might say: “I tried to preach the gospel and help people, and what do they do, stone me? Forget it!”
But Paul didn’t quit. Scripture says that the next day, he and Barnabas went to Derbe.
So what do you do when you get stoned?
- Get up. Don’t stay down.
- Get some rest. Paul and Barnabas didn’t leave until the next morning.
- Get going. Ask God to direct you. What’s the next city to go to?
- Keep moving.
Life may knock us down, but with God’s help we can get back up.
Meditate on these verses:
“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.”
Proverbs 24:16
“we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
“but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57
by George | May 11, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Don’t Forget to Plug Into the Charger
“However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”
Luke 5:15-16
I forgot to plug my work tablet into a charger last night. Fortunately, it has enough “juice” to get me through this work day.
What if I forget to do it tonight, and for the next 3 or 4 days? You’re right. It will eventually run out of battery and I won’t be able to use it.
Sometimes we get so busy and distracted that we forget to plug ourselves into the charger. I’m talking about our “Spiritual charger,” our time alone with God in prayer.
Have you noticed that there are some quick battery chargers, and some that charge slowly?
Certainly quick prayers help, especially in time of need, but we also need to slow down, take a deep breath, and listen for the still small voice of God.
Jesus made a priority of spending time in prayer with the Father. He did this in spite of being so busy teaching and healing folks.
Jesus said He does what the Father tells Him to do.
“But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do….”
John 14:31
I’m sure that this guidance took place when He spent time alone with the Father.
Jesus once spent the whole night in prayer, and the next morning, chose the 12 apostles.
Important decisions need to be made only after spending time in prayer.
Prayer helps us to abide in Jesus:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
We can do nothing without being “plugged into”/ abiding in Him.
Also, our minds need to be rebooted, refreshed and renewed by God.
Paul tells us:
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2
This renewal can occur as we spend time alone with the Father.
So, don’t forget to plug into your “Spiritual charger.”
