Shoreline
The Shoreline is a safe place for us to stand when the tide rolls in and out, however, at times we may be hit with a huge wave or even a small one as we are mesmerized by the power of the water, the ocean roaring. The crashing of the waves, the voice of the Lord calling deep within us as we sit and watch or walk along the shore. Nestled safely under the sand are shells, homes that lost their inhabitants that were violently thrust upon the silky sand. Homes that were safely under the ocean at the bottom of the abyss. In Psalms 42:7 the Word tells us Deep calls to deep at the [thundering] sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
Have you ever stood there and watched your feet sink into the sand and you wondered how long it would take you to be submerged and how it would feel. Sometimes our day to day lives can feel like that. Take heart, the Word of God knows that feeling as well. In one version, the Geneva version it says:
I stick fast in the deep mire, where no stay is: I am come into deep waters, and the streams run over me.
Deliver me out of the mire, that I sink not: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
And the Amplified version it says
I have sunk in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, where a flood overwhelms me.
Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink; Let me be rescued from those who hate me and from the deep waters.
Do not let the floodwater overwhelm me, Nor the deep waters swallow me up, Nor the pit [of Sheol] shut its mouth over me.
We have the mind to run and get out of the way, but sometimes being "trapped" and not moving is where we feel like we are suppose to be. We are to move out of that place of complacency and into inner peace with Him. He is so strong and we are not always that strong. He can move us out of it when we have faith and trust that He wants what is best for us. Do you believe? I certainly do, but I still walk out on that shore at times and expect different results.
How great are Your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep [beyond man’s understanding].
In the last few posts I have stated that I am in the land in between and I am at times. But then when we do our nightly devotion, we are gently reminded that this mission field that He has place us on is like no other. We have to rely on Him for our provisions and for our hope and we have to have faith in the decisions we have made. Our hope is nothing less than His Best for us. I can want church ministry until the moon is full and bright and Jesus comes again, but I have to remember that the mission field He has placed us in is right where we need to be. We are fulfilling the Great Commission in love and deed. We are taking out tent stakes and enlarging our territory.
“Enlarge the site of your tent [to make room for more children]; Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not spare them; Lengthen your tent ropes And make your pegs (stakes) firm [in the ground].
You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.
Years go we read the Prayer of Jabez together and that is what we based our prayers on. He has enlarged our territory. We have worked in different parts of the country, praying with others, loving others and at times opening up the Gospel conversation when God opened up the doors. We wait on Him to open them, not ourselves. We allow God to work and we watch and see what He does well.
We have been to the mountains, to the desert, to the coast, and in between. It's hard to imagine giving up a life and mission that the Lord placed us on and yet sometimes, the devil comes in with the whisper of "look what you are missing" and we begin to wonder. Than the LORD YANKS us back to what He has done and done for us.
We serve a mighty God! We serve a God that gives us our needs, our provisions, our daily bread, our hope and our strength to continually remind us of our future with Him.
And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:
This morning I received this devotion from Oswald Chambers. I believe it is quite fitting for today.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. —Isaiah 26:3
Is your mind stayed on God or is it starved? Starvation of the mind, caused by neglect, is one of the chief sources of exhaustion and weakness in a servant’s life. If you have never used your mind to place yourself before God, begin to do it now. There is no reason to wait for God to come to you. You must turn your thoughts and your eyes away from the face of idols and look to Him and be saved (see Isaiah 45:22). {“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."}
Your mind is the greatest gift God has given you and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him. You should seek to be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5). {casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ}
This will be one of the greatest assets of your faith when a time of trial comes, because then your faith and the Spirit of God will work together. When you have thoughts and ideas that are worthy of credit to God, learn to compare and associate them with all that happens in nature— the rising and the setting of the sun, the shining of the moon and the stars, and the changing of the seasons. You will begin to see that your thoughts are from God as well, and your mind will no longer be at the mercy of your impulsive thinking, but will always be used in service to God.
“We have sinned with our fathers…[and]…did not remember…” (Psalm 106:6-7). {We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly.7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.}
Then prod your memory and wake up immediately. Don’t say to yourself, “But God is not talking to me right now.” He ought to be. Remember whose you are and whom you serve. Encourage yourself to remember, and your affection for God will increase tenfold. Your mind will no longer be starved, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.
This will be one of the greatest assets of your faith when a time of trial comes, because then your faith and the Spirit of God will work together. When you have thoughts and ideas that are worthy of credit to God, learn to compare and associate them with all that happens in nature— the rising and the setting of the sun, the shining of the moon and the stars, and the changing of the seasons. You will begin to see that your thoughts are from God as well, and your mind will no longer be at the mercy of your impulsive thinking, but will always be used in service to God.
“We have sinned with our fathers…[and]…did not remember…” (Psalm 106:6-7). {We have sinned with our fathers, We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly.7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.}
Then prod your memory and wake up immediately. Don’t say to yourself, “But God is not talking to me right now.” He ought to be. Remember whose you are and whom you serve. Encourage yourself to remember, and your affection for God will increase tenfold. Your mind will no longer be starved, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.
Wisdom From Oswald Chambers
Is He going to help Himself to your life, or are you taken up with your conception of what you are going to do? God is responsible for our lives, and the one great keynote is reckless reliance upon Him. Approved Unto God, 10 R
Come Lord Jesus, Come, to all who are thirsty and washed away, come to the Fountain as deep calls out to deep.
Come Lord, Come to those who have calls on their lives and don't see it, for those that see it but are not in it and for those that are suffering because of it. Lord, be with those that are in it and the enemy has attacked them in the deepest darkest places that it doesn't seem even remotely possible that they can climb out of it. Lord, heal them! Restore them LORD JESUS! For those that are being attacked but don't believe in your healing, your redemption or your power to restore to them what once was. Lord Restore them immediately. Lord, help them to believe in your power, the power that only comes from you. Lord, Jesus, create in them a pure heart and renew a right spirit within them. Let them see all your benefits and all your strength. Let them have hope and a sound mind, renew them with faith again Lord to see you face to face. Come to the Fountain where deep calls out to deep, come to me all who are weary, come to Jesus, see His love, see Him. Lord, we ask all this in your precious name, Amen!
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