Tag Archives: help

Complaining – Num. 14:1-5,26-27

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s devotional picks up on complaining!  I am going to lean heavily on the verses it recommends in my journal for today as it is extremely useful in giving clear guidelines on how to eradicate a complaining heart, and be obedient to Him.

Phillipians 2:14 – Do all things without grumbling or disputing

As we see in Numbers, complaining doesn’t get the Israelites anywhere!  Looking back at yesterdays reading we see that being negative, letting bad words leave your mouth does not help to encourage or build up yourself or others.

It is so important, therefore, that we try to grow in Christ leaving the old complaining heart behind us.   The steps from Our Daily Bread are as follows:

Disciplining our thoughts (Romans 12:2): By feeding on the Word and counting our blessings.  Focusing on worldly things and desires have us loose sight of what is important.  Our relationship with God.

Confession (1 John 1:9): Confessing, and committing ourselves to obedience.

Accepting Help (John 14:26):  Humbling ourselves and admitting our need for help!  We cannot break chains with our own strength!  We need the power of the Holy Spirit, and the help

and support of brothers and sisters in Christ for support and encouragement.

Whatever the sin, be it as in this example, or any other that you struggle with, these steps I think will be of such value.  Kudos to the writer Anne Cetas from Our Daily Bread!

Footprints – Isaiah 46:1-11

Posted on by
Reply

4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

This reminds me of the “Footprint’s in the Sand” poem. In brief a man walks with the Lord on the beach. Looking at the footprints he notices that during the hard times in his life, there are only one set of footprints. He asks the Lord, “where where you during those times”. And the Lord answered, “I was with you, they are my footprints as I carried you!”

What an amazing Father God we have.

We often forget in the hard times in life that we can turn to our loving Father in heaven, for comfort and strength. He will litteraly carry us and support us through the tough times as well as enjoy our good times with us!

There have been 2 deaths in our family over the past couple of weeks, so times have been sad. The whole time however, God has surrounded our family with loving Christians offering help, support and comfort.

He has also provided many comforting words from the Bible to help us come to terms with recent events!

He is true to His word, and just as He is with us during these hard times, comforting and strengthening us, and just as he promised the House of Jacob all those hundreds of years ago, He WILL also do the same for you. Reach out to your Father who will carry you when you can go on no more.

When In Need – Psalm 12

Posted on by
Reply

Often when there is a situation I am struggling to cope with, and or have run out of ideas on how to proceed, I often still forget to submit it to prayer.  We have an awesome living God whom is with us every second of every day and night, so me shouldn’t try “going it alone” all the time.

King David in this Psalm saw the evil of the world around him and cried out to the Lord.  What is reasuring is that the Lord answered, and promised protection for the weak.  What a wonderful example of the Lord responding to prayer.  So when in need, don’t forget to “cry out” to our Saviour God for help, and wisdom.

What also amazes me about this Psalm is the clear quotes of what the Lord says.  Its a reminder that in prayer, be is a desperate cry or just a day to day prayer we are making to grow in the Lord, we often forget to stop and listen.  When I pray I tend to babble through a list of requests, I get side tracked with things I forgot

to mention, and by the time I hit the Amen, I am off doing the next task in my to do list!

David very clearly got a verbal answer from God, and so can we.  Take the time when you pray to pause, and listen.  The Lord can and will speak to you, give you answers and help.  On the rare occasions I do remember to shut up and listen, (and I must remember to do it more), I very often am given great pearls of wisdom, or comforting words.

So when in need don’t forget to cry out to the Lord for help.  But also whenever you pray don’t forget to listen!