My Journey 9/23 - 9/24/2010

God's insight to me:

This first devotional which speaks of hardships brought back an early poem that the Lord blessed me with back in the 1990's. I now understand through my walk with Christ that being needy, is what Christianity is all about. God wants us to be needing Him every minute of the day. That is what a relationship is all about. Charles Spurgeon wrote about it many, many years ago. I love this sentence, "When we reach the Kingdom, we are assured that it will more than make amends for the “many hardships” through which we passed through to enter it." I truly believe that when we reach our Kingdom destination, any hardship will not be remembered, why would we want too when we are in the presence of Jesus. Until that time comes we all really need His help, all the time!

I Need Your Help Today, Lord

I need Your help today, Lord,
for it seems I can't go on.
Everything in my life today
appears to be all wrong.

The beauty that You created for me,
my eyes are failing to see.
There is disease throughout my body, Lord,
that is slowly killing me.

My smile seldom appears now,
overtaken by grief and pain.
My spirit is slowly being broken,
Lord, please touch my heart again.

May my focus always be on You,Lord,
so my problems seem far away.
Thank you for this time Lord
Yes, I need Your help today….

E. P. Shagott

This second devotional is also very well written. I found myself as I was reading it moving my head up and down. Yep, very true I kept thinking. I loved as the author put it this way, "He is always working in us and with us. His plan is that we almost become passive in the process." That sounds like "need" to me again. And this, "If God has given you promises, then He is the One who is responsible to fulfill them. God does not need our help or efforts." Also what a great statement this is, "Choose to rest in His promises instead of worrying and doubting God by looking at yourself." Amen to that!

Jesus Is Waiting On You

What a friend I have in Jesus,
He is always there for me.
If I fall He lifts me up,
when so many would just let me be.

What a friend I have in Jesus,
He forgives me when I am wrong.
It is no wonder I sing His praises,
for He fills my heart with songs.

What a friend I have in Jesus,
He will never leave my side.
In His rest is where you’ll find me,
for it is there I loose my foolish pride.

What a friend I have in Jesus,
He wants to be your friend too.
All you have to do is ask Him,
my friend Jesus, is waiting on you.

E. P. Shagott
9/24/2010


From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott
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9/23

Many Hardships
Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008.

“We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God”
Acts 14:22

God’s people will encounter many hardships. It was never God’s intention when He chose His people that they would be untested. They were never chosen just to experience worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of being mortal was never promised them. But when their Lord wrote the charter of privileges, He included discipline among the things which they would inherit.

Hardships are a part of our allotment. They were predestined for us. As surely as the stars are fashioned by His hands and their orbits fixed by Him, so surely are our hardships allotted to us: He has predestined their season and their place, their intensity, and their effect on us.

So-called “good” people must never expect to escape troubles. If they do, they will be disappointed, because none of their mothers and fathers in faith have been without troubles. Remember the patience of Job! Remember also Abraham, for he had his share of difficulties, but by his faith through them he became the “Father of the faithful.” And you’ll find that as you read the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, not one of those who God made a vessel of mercy didn’t also have to pass through the fire of adversity. God declared that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of mercy, as the King’s distinguishing royal mark.

But although hardship is the path of God’s children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has walked it before them. They have His presence and sympathy to encourage them, His grace to support them, and His example to teach them how to endure. When we reach the Kingdom, we are assured that it will more than make amends for the “many hardships” through which we passed through to enter it.


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9/24

Are You So Foolish?
From a devotional by Daily Disciples

Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Galatians 3:3

There are times that we all get discouraged when we try so hard in our homes and in our work. We want to do the best we can. We want to be giving and loving in our efforts. We want to know that we are pleasing the Lord. We equate blessings with God's favor, thinking that it is our motives and actions that are being rewarded. So when things don't go well, we wonder what we are doing wrong. It is a common misconception, but God doesn't work like that. His grace is not gained by our good behavior. Because we are under the covenant of grace, we are called into rest. That is why it is so important to hold on to His promises. He is always working in us and with us. His plan is that we almost become passive in the process. We get tired of trying as we get caught in the middle between His promises and our efforts. Our hearts long to spend time with the Lord but there are always too many other factors competing for our attention. These factors take away our energy, and at times, make us feel like we can't do it all or we didn't do a good job anyway.

If God has given you promises, then He is the One who is responsible to fulfill them. God does not need our help or efforts. What He has started in the Spirit will not ever get accomplished in our flesh. It is the enemy who tries to discourage you. Satan will put thoughts in your mind of doubt and self defeat. Out loud, tell those evil forces that God has a plan regardless of your abilities. You choose to rest in His promises instead of worrying and doubting God by looking at yourself. Tell the Lord that you are choosing to focus your eyes on Him. And then, get into His Word and claim those promises. His Word puts you on the Rock, and our only responsibility is to stand firm on that Rock.