Weekly Devotion ~ Week of September 3, 2018 ~ God is always fighting for us!
If you are like us, there are days when you are encouraged and filled with the peace and joy of the Lord. It is important to remember, however on those days, how we were able to come to this point in our lives.
Most of us struggle with pride at some point in our journey. We believe that because of our own efforts we have made to the point where we are at. However, God's word reminds us that it is only because of Him, and His love for us that we have come as far as we have. Whether you have been walking with Christ for decades, or just dedicated your life to Him yesterday, we all have reason to celebrate the Lord and what He has done for us.
2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help
and You put me together.
God, You pulled me out of the grave,
gave me another chance at life
when I was down-and-out.
4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
Thank Him to His face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
give way to days of laughter.
~ Psalm 30 : 2-5 MSG
It isn't always easy walking the path God has for us. Sometimes, we put ourselves in the wrong situations and/or make the wrong choices. Sometimes we ignore His warning and go ahead with our plans and intentions anyway. Yet, just as a Father loves his children, God always redeems us, however that doesn't mean that we won't have the suffer the consequences for our decisions.
We don't know about you, but we have made many mistakes in life. While it is easier to blame it on the enemy, we must take responsibility for our actions and know that God will find a way to make our paths straight once more, if we decide to live for Him. He is the God of second chances and the Bible reminds of this promise in the book of Psalm. His grace and mercy is never ending as He is always willing to leave the 99 for the 1.
You’re my cave to hide in,
my cliff to climb.
Be my safe leader,
be my true mountain guide.
Free me from hidden traps;
I want to hide in you.
I’ve put my life in your hands.
You won’t drop me,
you’ll never let me down.
~ Psalm 31 : 3-5 MSG
Reminded that God will never let us down, we should be empowered in our walk and embolden in our path to shine the light of Christ that dwells within us, with others. We are all called to be disciples and share the gospel of Jesus with others. How we do this is unique to each and every one of us. We were commanded to offer intercessory prayer and exhortation to other believers as we share our love for God's word and the beauty within each word. This is something that was laid on our hearts sometime ago as we began to share our daily thoughts and devotions with others. God, in all His magnificent glory, made a way for us and helped us to open the shop you all see today. If it were not for Him, what you are reading right now would simply never had happened. It is only because of Him that we are able to give to others.
What a stack of blessing you have piled up
for those who worship you,
Ready and waiting for all who run to you
to escape an unkind world.
You hide them safely away
from the opposition.
As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces,
you silence the poisonous gossip.
Blessed God!
His love is the wonder of the world.
Trapped by a siege, I panicked.
“Out of sight, out of mind,” I said.
But you heard me say it,
you heard and listened.
~ Psalm 31 : 19-22 MSG
Did you get that? No, we mean, REALLY get that? Go ahead, read it again...don't just breeze through...let this speak to your heart. He stores blessings for you while waiting for the moment you will run to Him! Doesn't this make you smile? Don't you see the beauty in this? He isALWAYS working for our good. He is always looking for ways to keep us safe. He is always thinking about US! He is ALWAYS listening!
Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up.
Expect God to get here soon.
~ Psalm 31 : 24 MSG
For those who may be struggling or in a place of darkness, do not lose hope. Do not give up! Be brave! Be strong! God is working for you and on your behalf. We know it is not easy to keep these thoughts in your mind when you are in the middle of a battle, but we also know that if we do not stand on the Word of God, we will fall for anything.
We are praying for those who are in the battle this week. Your prayers are being answered! Your path is being created! Your way out is on the horizon and we are believing in great things for you and all others who have chosen to serve the Kingdom of God! Let His light shine, today, and always!