I will yet praise Him.
Why am I discouraged by the turmoil around me? Why have I lost sight of my peace? Where is my joy? Why do I feel this way?
Yet, I will praise Him.
“Why are you so downcast, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:4-6)
Life is full of adventure for those who recognise it. I like to say, “Half the adventure is in the going; the other half is not knowing where you are going.” In Matt. 14:28, Peter had not the slightest foreknowlege of the great sport of Water-Walking, but he left status quo when he “abandoned ship.” He could plainly see the storm surrounding their boat. His desire was to venture into the unknown for the sake of being with the Lord. Peter had no idea where he was going, but he heard the voice of Jesus; and he determined to come closer.
Zealots for the Lord often have a common flaw: Their spiritual adrenaline tends to have great swells as well as sudden plunges. The important point is to get out there. Peter displayed the ultimate faith in Jesus when he chose to step out on the water. His faithless descent into the water is not excusable, but certainly understandable. He would not have started to sink if he had kept his eyes on the One he came to be near. Somebody once said of those who scoff Peter’s mistake, “Little faith!? Have YOU ever tried walking on water?”
My challenge for you today is simple: Walk on the water! Step out of the boat of mere Salvation and venture into the waves by faith in the Son of Man. Keep your eyes on Him always. But venture onto the water! As Christians we can easily become freeloaders on Christ’s salvation. The majority of the saved ones are content to slip into a routine of mere Christianity. These are the ones who are greatful to be saved from an eternal infernal separation from God, but their interest is not to know Jesus. Knowing Jesus–that is the true adventure!
Martha was a busy lady. Wanting to please her Master, she worked hard and made sure others did the same. She was a “good Christian.” Maybe even a typical Christian.
Mary chose to spend time with her Lord, rather than do things for Him. This insatiable desire for intimacy with Him cost Mary her sister’s good opinion. Her priority was to know Him.
Jesus said that Mary chose the better one.
In Ps. 27.4, King David prayed, “…one thing I ask, this one thing I seek, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord…”
Sheep
God has blessed me beyond measure with the chance to be with my family in Spain for a time. I especially praise God for the great truths He is teaching me through my family. I would like to share an exerpt from a letter my father wrote for me when I first came to Christ.
What is God like? Who does God say I am? What is God’s voice like?
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and I am his sheep. I can
trust Him. He is leading me, and He will make me know
His voice. I can be absolutely certain that He will
make me be able to know what He wants me to do. I
never have to worry about that.What the Bible says . . .
Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you
should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.John 10:1-16
The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep
by name and leads them out. When he has brought out
all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep
follow him because they know his voice. But they
will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run
away from him because they do not recognise a
stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,
but they did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I
am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before
me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not
listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through
me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find
pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have
it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep
know me–just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and
I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep
that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them
also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.Sheep. This is an example my Dad has used many times over the years; he likes to make sure people know that they are like sheep (NOT a very intelligent animal to be compared to!), so it is God’s grace that we have a good shepherd to lead us. Thanks, Daddy Towner! Thanks, Daddy God!
To Be Holy
This spiritual era is marked by a call to holiness. The quest for glorious encounter with God comes hand in hand with a life of surrender. Oh, how I have longed, with bitter tears, to experience the greater depths of Christ. My pitfall has been the enemy’s “You’re just not good enough.” This mentality led to striving for holiness by my own strength, rather than walking in the blood.
Grace
Grace? Oh yes…that’s the word I was looking for. I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart, but just for the record, I’ve tried to be holy, and I didn’t pass the test of time. Only recently have I begun to understand the depths of the word. Grace.
Grace is when one cannot be perfect, yet is accepted, forgiven, and used by God. Grace is our human nature being tweaked and turned to reflect His glory. Grace is knowing that even in failure, God is still there; and anyway—it is His job to transform His little ones.
I love you, you love me; it’s as simple as can be.
He spoke to me through Pastor Annette when she taught me this rhyme. The Lord asked me to quit my striving and rest in the knowledge of the love we sharea. Rest? Yeah…that’s another good word. Grace and Rest. Rest in Grace. They go together.