The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Memory of the Month: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Today's reading: DEUTERONOMY 30-31 MARK 15:1-25
Look up/Look Down/Look Around
A man once told his hard-luck story everywhere he went. No other person could talk to him about their life because he always had his latest trial to unload. A man who worked with him confronted him one day. He had heard all he wanted to of how bad the man's life was.
He stopped the man in the middle of one of his stories and said, " Hey man, have you buried a child this week? Have you been diagnosed with a terminal illness? Your life ain't hard-I'm tired of hearing how hard you've got it."(The man who said this had a terminal heart illness and never said a word about it.)
How far is down? How far is down for you where you can only look up? There is always someone lower than you-always. That is not the point, though. The point is that at your lowest point, you may be the only one close enough to impact the person who is lower. You are never too low as to not be used by God.
Charles Stanley made a statement that has stuck with me. "Knowledge comes from learning biblical principles; wisdom has to do with applying them."
I can read and learn the recipe for biscuits for 40 hours over and over but not know how they are going to turn out until I actually attempt to make them. Trying over and over gives the opportunity to learn the little things of applying the recipe. The right ingredients or temperature-buttermilk or whole milk or water-all the variants can be explored. In the end, it is what works best for you personally. I may love my biscuits but you may want to throw them through a window.
God made us all so very unique in His own way. What works for you may not work for me but I need to learn what makes it best for other people around me.
If you have a personal matter, health, finances, etc., and you want prayer, then let it be known-absolutely. People love you and want to pray for you. But look for others in need who need your prayers and encouragement. There is always loving to do-always.
We cannot look down, when we are down, without looking up. This all sounds redundant, and it is, but such is real life. The Lord always wants us looking to Him in love for His strength and leading. The Holy Spirit is always-always-in the middle of everything that is you and your life ready to give direction and counsel. But, we must look up to find His hand...
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Look around. Your friends-your family-your brothers and sisters in Christ-all need your connection, your gifts, your attention, and your prayers in God's love. The folks you do not know-those at a distance-they need what God has given you-you are the only one He has gifted the way He has gifted you. You may not think so, but God has made it so. You are the only you God made and He has a specific reason for the way He made you.
The lost world needs what God has given you and the only way the world will find it out is if you put yourself out there-step out of the boat in faith and let God lift you trial after trial-sink after sink-into realizing that every small wave and cheerful greeting is a victory for God's kingdom. Everytime you give an encouraging word to that kid at the station or checker behind the plexiglass is a victory-no matter how small it seems at the time.
As long as we can smile with our eyes and they can see the light and love of Christ in us, we are living God's purpose for us.
...because He loves us-all of us-completely...
Father in Heaven,
Forgive me my self pity. Teach me to look in every direction for you and Your purpose for me. Thank you for loving me in every place and mood I am in, sweet Lord of all.
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