Walkimg Through Sinking Sand? Set an Alarm to Remember your Reliable Rock!

I don’t know if it’s the older I get or that there’s more crammed in my day, but setting reminder alarms on my phone has become a necessary part of everyday life. I’ll remember that I have an appointment, but then become distracted by a task or conversation, & suddenly have a few minutes to make it to my meeting on time!

I think the cares & concerns of everyday life have a way of leading us into a foggy land of forgetfulness, where worries rise & the ground suddenly feels like sinking sand.

Psalm 78 tells of a time God’s people forgot about Him in the land of plenty & fell into hard times. It was in the midst of a sinking sand moment, where they finally, “remember that God was their rock.”

This was the first verse I wrote in my journal today as I thought, “Oh that I wouldn’t forget about my reliable Rock Who never fails!”

Jesus, our Rock of Salvation, speaks in Luke 12 about worry. He says, “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs.”

What “things”?

Worrisome things.

He tells us that the antidote for worry is seeking God first & then we’ll have everything we need!

What’s amazing about today’s reading, is that Deuteronomy 32 introduces us to God with a new name.

Moses declares, “I will proclaim the name of the Lord. He is our Rock….”

Y’all, there is nothing this side of heaven that can come against our Rock! No worry, sickness, lack, pain, plan of the enemy nor forgetfulness of our soul, that can change the immovable nature of our mountain-like Rock!

We can call on The Rock when we feel like everything around us is shaking, because He is unshakable!

He is reliable!

He is invincible!

He is powerful!

There is no variableness in His nature, no shadow of turning in His Presence.

He has, is & will ever be The Great, Immovable I AM.

Father, You are immovable in Your Word & Way! Regardless of what storms arise, Your steadfast Presence ALWAYS rises higher! In life, death, grace & providence, all Your ways are just & fair.

Remind us of our Reliable Rock! When our ground begins to feel like sinking sand, Holy Spirit set off alarm bells, reminding us, “on Christ the solid Rock we stand!”

#OneYearBible

April 7th One Year Bible Readings

DEUTERONOMY 31:1-32:27

LUKE 12:8-34

PSALM 78:32-55

PROVERBS 12:21-23

Facing Impossbility? Turn to God to Experience a Return on His Word!

The other day I shared something with my husband & he questioned me, as if what I said wasn’t true. That can be a hot button for me-questioning my integrity. I tried to resist the anger welling up inside, but stepped right into it & sarcastically blurted. “No, I just decided to tell you a bold lie to see how you’d react.” 😳 It took him a second, then he turned around in the kitchen to face me & immediately knew I was upset.

My response was so unnecessary & yet the why behind it is understandable. When someone you love questions whether or not you are trustworthy, it stings…a lot.

This is the case with our good God. Time & again we read how the Israelites didn’t trust Him to care for them & turned instead to worship lifeless little g gods.

Shortly after rescuing them from slavery by leading them through the Red Sea, they began to grumble about the lack of food & water. Psalm 78:22 says that the Lord heard them & was furious! His anger rose against Israel, “for they did not believe God or trust Him to care for them.”😬

We serve a covenant-keeping God Who gives us a choice to follow Him.

Deuteronomy 30:19 gives us a glimpse inside the longing of His heart FOR us! He declares, “Today I give you the choice between life & death…oh, that you would choose life!”

How do we do that? “By loving God, obeying Him & committing ourselves firmly to Him for HE is the key to life!” (v 20)

That was the old covenant but Jesus came to fulfill it! When we accept Him as our Savior & give Him Lordship, we need never question the integrity of our good God!

Are you facing what feels like an impossible situation today? Do not fear! Do not let your faith fade! Do not let the enemy tempt you to question God or His ability & desire to care for you!

Oh that we would choose the Source of life rather than other gods in our lives for comfort!

Father, woo hearts that feel far from You today. Proximity from Your Presence is simply a choice. You are Emmanuel, ever with us. You do not turn away, we do. We believe You & trust You to care for us. When we turn to You, we position ourselves to experience the return on Your Word! Help us to walk in Your Ways, keeping lockstep with our Lord!

#OneYearBible

April 6th One Year Bible Readings DEUTERONOMY 29:1-30:20

LUKE 11:37-12:7

PSALM 78:1-31

PROVERBS 12:19-20

The Enemy May Have the Power to Divide, but We Have The Power to Conquer!

The enemy may have power to divide, but we have The Power to conquer!

That’s the gist of Jesus’s message in Luke 11. He’d just cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak & when the demon was gone, the man suddenly spoke! The crowds were amazed, but some questioned the source of Jesus’s authority, accusing Him of being in cahoots with Satan.😳

Knowing their thoughts, He stated the obvious:

“Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.”

The bottom line is that any entity will fail when it fights against itself, but what do we do when facing the enemy’s divisive attacks? He loves to work through wounded hearts to wound others, & when you’re on the receiving end of woundedness, the easiest thing is to wound back.😬

Rather than succumbing to darkness, the harder & much greater thing is to allow the light of the Lord to shine through you. That’s how Jesus ends the passage. He essentially reminds us that we wouldn’t turn on a flashlight & stick it under a bucket. It’d waste the battery & serve no purpose!

Jesus is that Light that conquered darkness once & for all. If you know Him as Lord, then let Him be Lord over darkness that presents itself to you through the hurtful words & deeds of others!

We don’t have it in us to love unconditionally, but we’ve received a love that cost us nothing, a love that conquers the greatest conquests of the enemy!

When we return pain with pardon, it makes the enemy impotent!

When we forgive with the grace we received, the paltry power of the enemy fizzles into nothing.

When facing darkness, we can let the enemy tempt us to react OR let the the Holy Spirit empower us to conquer with Light!

Father, when people hurt us, remind us that they’re people being led by darkness. It’s not THEM lashing out, it’s the enemy THROUGH them & they need saving! We KNOW The Power that saves & can wield it like a weapon against enemy operation!

Light of the World, guard us from temptation to turn to the darkside. Let the whole of our lives be radiant with Your Light! We won’t hide it under a bushel, wasting its power & serving no purpose. We’re gonna conquer the enemy by letting You shine!

#OneYearBible

April 5th One Year Bible Readings DEUTERONOMY 28:1-68 LUKE 11:14-36 PSALM 77:1-20 PROVERBS 12:18