><//>--------------------Thought for the Day
I have the fellowship of believers to share with, thanks to Almighty God. Where would I be without each and every one of them? Where would I find the sympathy, the understanding, the fellowship, and the companionship? Nowhere else in the world can I find the same understanding. I have come to a place where I belong. I no longer wander alone over the face of the earth. I am at peace and at rest. What a great gift Messiah, the Christ, has given me! I do not deserve it. But it is nevertheless mine. I have a home at last. I am content.
Do I thank God every day for the fellowship of believers throughout the world?
><//>--------------------Meditation for the Day
Deserters
You must believe utterly. My Love can bear nothing less. I am so often ”wounded in the house of My friends.” Do you think the spitting and scorn of My enemies, the mocking and reviling hurt me? No!
”The all forsook Him and fled.” “I know not the man.” These left their scars.
So now, it is not the unbelief of My enemies that hurts, but that My friends, who love and know Me, cannot walk all the way with Me, and doubt My Power to do all that I have said.
><//>--------------------Prayer for the Day
Father, we pray that we may walk in companionship with You along the way. We pray that we may keep our feet upon the path that leads upward. Amen.
A Disciple’s Reflections – Promptly Answered Prayer…
Today, beloved, allow me to share something by revealing what I've discovered in myself that which has hindered God from promptly answering prayer.
No, I’m not an exhibitionist, but rather believe there is no better way to help a brother or sister than to give one’s self away for all to benefit. I live a transparent life that nothing may be hidden in me to oppose the will of God.
The last couple of days we’ve been looking at how belief in God’s Word and promises factor in to having our prayers answered where God will not say "no". Today, we shall look at another factor. LOVE. We will also discover that LOVE and BELIEF go hand in hand should we desire to have prayers answered promptly.
The Lord shares with us in the meditation He offers us above that the scorn and unbelief of his enemies didn’t really hurt him, but that the unbelief of His loved ones broke His heart. How much greater was his suffering, in the courtyard of Ananias, hearing Peter say, “I know not the man!” Not once, but thrice did the Lord hear these words. Words He heard spoken that are deeply rooted in unbelief, beloved.
Oh, there was wonderful boldness in discipleship under the Master, but when the field test came
some ran for cover and another, the boldest of all, denied the Lord in order to save himself. Oh, they LOVED the Lord like crazy under controlled circumstances, but as soon as
the rubber hit the road, their love for the Lord faded, and their love for themselves had risen.
Oh, this is so familiar.
The same, I found, was true in me. When something I wanted or cared for in the world was threatened, I was gone in a flash. The Lord never
stood a chance. It has taken repentance after repentance to bring about a faith that is rooted in the Love of God rather than
typical self-interest.
Belief and Love are directly related to one another. This is why when the Lord restored Peter after the Resurrection; He
did not ask Him three times, “Peter, do you believe me?” NO, He asked Peter, “Do you LOVE Me?” He asked this of Peter three times.
The Lord asked Peter once for each betrayal, and for each area of a believer's experience where our love might be tested.
So it is with us all, I have learned. Worry, fear, self-indulgence, are all signs that we are in unbelief, in a state of not loving God, and loving ourselves
instead. In this state, only prayer to be restored from this spiritual state and offense unto God is the only prayer that can be heard
by God in times such as these.
Any of us who have children know what it is like to have our children not believe us as they enter their teenage years. Both of my daughters entered this phase decades ago.
The problem has not been one of simply unbelief, but rather more deeply a
problem of love.
One daughter has departed and is now with the Lord, the other is as distant from me as if she were gone as well. We have little between us, because unbelief, not
unlike death itself, has made it’s home between us, and only God Himself in His good time can change this condition that burdens my heart beyond all measurement.
If we want to live in the assurance of answered prayer and remain in the
protection, the provision, and the care of God, then we must continually inventory our spiritual
condition. We need make a constant
effort to check our attitudes toward others whom the Lord brings along our
path each day. Are we operating in love? This is the basic
measure by which we must measure our spiritual fitness for which we
are all responsible. Are we operating in love? Are we remaining
calm and peaceful? These are the signs we need seek in ourselves.
We shall often find ourselves wanting in all these categories, but since
we pray to be made more like Yeshua, one day at a time, we can then be assured
our prayers are being heard and answered as we pray, not according
to our will, but according to the will of God.
Our Pray: Most gracious and patient
Lord, help us in our unbelief that we may truly believe and LOVE you as you
deserve, and LOVE others as you have commanded. Let us dwell in the
assurance of answered prayer. Amen
His Peace
[Jesus said,] "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." – John 14:27 (NKJV)
In John 14, Jesus spoke prophetically to His disciples concerning His soon departure from earth. In addition, He spoke of the future coming of the Holy Spirit (helper) and He proclaimed Himself to be the way, the truth, and the life. These things, whether taken together or individually, provide great promise and encouragement to those who call Him Lord. And one cannot know REAL peace, separate from a relationship with
Messiah. There is an old adage that says, "No Jesus, no peace - Know Jesus, know peace."
This is a profound and truthful play on words. The only peace that can comfort completely is the peace that Jesus left us and that He instills in those who believe, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In light of the current events, there are dimming hopes for peace, many a troubled heart and much fear among
people. These things exist for a multitude of folks who think of peace in human terms. Now more than ever, it is important to find a peace that transcends terrorist acts, falling bombs, disease infected mail, and a plethora of evil in the
world yet to come.
The aforementioned things will not go away until the Lord's return! Therefore, true happiness, joy, comfort, strength, hope, love, and peace simply must come from a power that is not driven by human activities, events and circumstances. Today, my hope is that
we will know peace versus having no peace. Let us have faith in God and we
will be blessed with His peace.
So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God."
– Mark 11:22 (NKJV)
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Please have a blessed day, be hopeful, be encouraged, and know that you are not alone.
”God’s Calling” compiled by A. J. Russell.
”Twenty Four Hours A Day” Hazelton (adapted).
Greg Candelaria writes His Peace.
Barry Gray writes A Disciple’s Reflections.
