Pathway in the Sea

Ever see a butterfly flutter by? John 3:7-8


Psalm 77:19

Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.



"The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick along side it."

-D. L. Moody

Saturday, October 06, 2012



Drop Your Hands

 — by Joe Stowell

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
Read: Psalm 46
Be still, and know that I am God. —Psalm 46:10
Bible in a Year:
Zephaniah 1-3
You’d think I would have my mother’s fingerprints embedded in my knee from all the times she squeezed my leg in church and whispered in no uncertain terms, “Be still.” Like any boy, I had a bad case of the wiggles in places like church. So for years, when I read, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10), I thought of it in terms of not being antsy.
But the Hebrew word for still means “to cease striving.” It’s the concept of putting your hands down and letting God intervene in your situation without your interference. This word picture is interesting, since we often use our hands to push things out of our way, to protect ourselves, or to strike back. When we drop our hands, it makes us feel defenseless and vulnerable—unless we can trust that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (v.1), and that “the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (v.7). In other words, stop struggling and wait on God to do His work!
In the face of all of life’s circumstances, we can know the peace of trusting the presence and power of God in the midst of trouble as we wait patiently and prayerfully for His deliverance. So drop your hands, for God’s hands are busy on your behalf!
Be still and know that He is God
For pathways steep and rough;
Not what He brings but who He is
Will always be enough. —Anon.
When we put our problems in God’s hands,
He puts His peace in our hearts.

Waiting or Doing by Mary Wilder Tileston
As his share is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall share alike.
--1 SAMUEL 30:24 (R. V.)
WORSHIP or service,--which? Ah, that is best
To which He calls us, be it toil or rest,--
To labor for Him in life's busy stir,
Or seek His feet, a silent worshipper.
--CAROLINE A. MASON
LET us no more yearn for present employment when God's providence bids us "be still," than we would think it good to yearn after cessation while God bids work. Shall we not miss a blessing if we call rest a weariness and a discontent, no less than if we called God's work a thankless labor? If we would be holy in body and spirit, shall we not keep smooth brow, light heart, whether He bids us serve His table, or wait our summons?
--EDWARD WHITE BENSON
He who acts with a view to please God alone, wishes to have that only which it pleases God that he should have, and at the time and in the way which may be most agreeable to Him: and, whether he have it or not, he is equally tranquil and contented, because in either case he obtains his wish, and fulfils his intention, which was no other than purely to please God.
--LORENZO SCUPOLI


Bearing the Sting by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
"He opened not his mouth" (Isa. 53:7).

How much grace it requires to bear a misunderstanding rightly, and to receive an unkind judgment in holy sweetness! Nothing tests the Christian character more than to have some evil thing said about him. This is the file that soon proves whether we are electro-plate or solid gold. If we could only know the blessings that lie hidden in our trials we would say like David, when Shimei cursed him, "Let him curse; . . . it may be . . . that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day."

Some people get easily turned aside from the grandeur of their life-work by pursuing their own grievances and enemies, until their life gets turned into one little petty whirl of warfare. It is like a nest of hornets. You may disperse the hornets, but you will probably get terribly stung, and get nothing for your pains, for even their honey is not worth a search.

God give us more of His Spirit, "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again"; but "committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." "Consider him that endureth such contradiction of sinners against himself."--A. B. Simpson

"Before you" He trod all the path of woe,
He took the sharp thrusts with His head bent low.
He knew deepest sorrow and pain and grief,
He knew long endurance without relief,
He took all the bitter from death's deep cup,
He kept not a blood-drop but gave all up.
"Before you" and for you, He won the fight
To bring you to glory and realms of light. --L.S.P.

Whom Do You Trust? by Charles Haddon Spurgeon
"Now on whom dost thou trust?"
--Isaiah 36:5Reader, this is an important question. Listen to the Christian's answer, and see if it is yours. "On whom dost thou trust?" "I trust," says the Christian, "in a triune God. I trust the Father, believing that He has chosen me from before the foundations of the world; I trust Him to provide for me in providence, to teach me, to guide me, to correct me if need be, and to bring me home to His own house where the many mansions are. I trust the Son. Very God of very God is He--the man Christ Jesus. I trust in Him to take away all my sins by His own sacrifice, and to adorn me with His perfect righteousness. I trust Him to be my Intercessor, to present my prayers and desires before His Father's throne, and I trust Him to be my Advocate at the last great day, to plead my cause, and to justify me. I trust Him for what He is, for what He has done, and for what He has promised yet to do. And I trust the Holy Spirit--He has begun to save me from my inbred sins; I trust Him to drive them all out; I trust Him to curb my temper, to subdue my will, to enlighten my understanding, to check my passions, to comfort my despondency, to help my weakness, to illuminate my darkness; I trust Him to dwell in me as my life, to reign in me as my King, to sanctify me wholly, spirit, soul, and body, and then to take me up to dwell with the saints in light for ever."
Oh, blessed trust! To trust Him whose power will never be exhausted, whose love will never wane, whose kindness will never change, whose faithfulness will never fail, whose wisdom will never be nonplussed, and whose perfect goodness can never know a diminution! Happy art thou, reader, if this trust is thine! So trusting, thou shalt enjoy sweet peace now, and glory hereafter, and the foundation of thy trust shall never be removed.

Today's Devotions

Morning
October 6

Psalms 32:1-2, 5 (NIV) 1Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.2Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"– and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

In the Old Testament, there were laws that governed the ritual of dealing with sin. The sacrifices and offerings that were prescribed were a picture of Christ who would become the sacrifice in our place. Though the people of Israel followed the instructions given, some of them knew that it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to wash away sin. They knew the sacrifice was important, but they also knew it was not changing them.
In the psalm today, David tells of the blessing on the man whose sin is covered. Guilt is a heavy load. As he kept silent, trying to hide his sin, he said he felt the heavy hand of God upon him, causing his bones to feel old. Quite a description of guilt! How did David find relief?
He ended his silence. In the New Testament, we find that we are to confess our faults one to another so that we can pray for each other. Our old nature tells us to keep silent, but that just makes it worse. Once it is out in the light, we can deal with it and truly forsake it. As long as we hide it, we entertain thoughts of continuing in that evil pattern. But when we decide it is destroying us and needs to be forsaken, we bring it out by confession. Then we can ask for forgiveness and find that wonderful blessing David was speaking of. Is there a secret sin you are hiding in the darkness? Hold it up and examine it in the light of the cross where God's love is displayed for you. Ask yourself if that sin compares in value to His love. Bring it into the light, confess it to God, and if necessary, if it still haunts you, confess it to a mature saint you can confide in.
Remember: Bringing sin into the light has a way of destroying its power over you.

Evening
October 6

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV) 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Paul's final suggestion to the churches of Asia Minor was to be completely prepared for spiritual battle. Soldiers had a set of tools and clothing that helped them to be fully prepared. Paul related each article to something we need spiritually to be prepared for the spiritual battles we face.
Our passage today is not about the armor, but about our attitude and understanding, so that we can use the armor properly. First, it must be the Lord's strength that we rely on and not our own. If you are thinking that you can't make it through the battle, you are right. Only the Lord's strength can see you through. Do not rely on your ability but His.
Put on the full armor (I encourage you to read and relate to that). Don't get cocky and think you don't need part of it. Our adversary is cunning and looks for weak spots. Don't present any to him.
Realize that it is not a flesh and blood battle. That seems obvious, but part of the enemy's tactic is to get you to think it is personally between you and an individual or group. Then you become bitter, and the enemy has the upper hand. Always look past the individuals to the spiritual realm where the battle is really raging. There are spiritual forces manipulating weak individuals to get at you. They work through lust, jealousy, greed and every fleshly desire to cause people to try to get you off track and out of the Spirit.
Take your stand against Satan's schemes. Realize where the battle is really coming from. Fight with the word of God and prayer. Keep your shield of faith up, trusting in the Lord to bring about good, because you are His.
Prayer: Lord, help me see where the battle is coming from and not to fight it on my own.


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