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Fret buster #41
Christ lives in you, and He is not anxious.
Fret buster # 42
Nowhere in God’s plan for your life does He tell you to learn how to make it on your own.
Fret Buster #43
What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
O’er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.
Only be still, and wait His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate’er thy Father’s pleasure
And all-discerning love hath sent;
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.
Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving;
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust His word, though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.
-George C. Newmark, Christian Book of Mystical Verse
What does it mean to fulfill our destiny? Some define destiny as our future place in heaven; others define destiny as discovering our present purpose on earth. It is common to think of fulfilling our destiny as “reaching our full potential” or “being all that we can be.” It is common to hear people say, “We must dare to dream big and accomplish our goals.” This sounds very noble, but it can be misleading and bring a lot of frustration and disappointment into people’s lives as they pursue self-fulfillment.
The word “destiny” can carry some highly challenging, motivating, and inspiring thoughts within people’s minds. It can also carry some allusions of grandeur. Many want to do big things or great things for God, but not too many want to do the little things or the unnoticed things. It is easy to assume that if people fulfill their destiny they will become important, popular, or influential.
Some teach that our destiny is found when we fulfill certain opportunities God gives to us to achieve greatness. Our destiny is not fulfilled through opportunities God gives to us, but through our relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. No one’s true destiny can be realized without Christ. In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul defines our destiny in two distinctive ways—“We exist for Him” and “We exist through Him.” The person who is in Christ is not someone who is looking for opportunities to fulfill his destiny, but someone who has fulfilled his destiny and found His divine purpose (there can’t be a higher one.) Being in Christ means that you are where you need to be, you don’t need to look anywhere else or do anything else to “arrive” at your destined place.
There is a difference between fulfilling our destiny and doing the will of God. While God’s destiny for each of us is the same (to be in Christ), His will for each person can be very different. The will of God may lead some to be in a private place and others to be in a public place; lead some to be rulers and others to be servants in Caesar’s household; lead some into the marketplace and others to be keepers at home; lead some to the mission field and others to a local ministry.
The will of God for each of us is for Him alone to decide. The will of God for one woman may mean traveling around the country speaking at women’s conferences; the will of God for another woman may mean staying at home full time. This does not mean that the woman who travels and speaks has fulfilled her destiny and that the woman who stays at home has missed her destiny. God sent Corrie Ten Boom to speak from pulpits all around the world, and he kept Susanna Wesley at home to raise up boys who would impact the lives of millions.
The Apostle Paul’s destiny in Christ was glorious, but the will of God for Paul’s life did not look very glamorous. Nevertheless, Paul whole-heartedly embraced the will of God regardless of the difficulties or what others thought of him. Here, in his own words, Paul gives us a clear picture of what it cost him to follow the will of God…
“For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake…We are weak…we are dishonored… being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now."
1 Corinthians 4:9-13”
Never forget that today, your destiny is not to find some great thing to do, but to know Him, glorify Him, and enjoy Him forever. When you have finished your earthly journey and fulfilled God’s will for your life, whatever it may be, your glorious destiny in Christ will continue on forever.
Embracing God’s wisdom will help us know the right thing;
Embracing God’s truth will help us believe the right thing;
Embracing God’s holiness will help us choose the right thing;
Embracing God’s righteousness will help us do the right thing;
Embracing God’s majesty will help us focus on the right thing;
Embracing God’s compassion will help us express the right thing;
Embracing God’s character will help us become the right thing;
Embracing God’s heart will help us love the right thing.
You may not be mighty, but you can pray and see situations change by the hand of Him who is almighty; You may not be influential, but you can pray and ask Him who raises up one ruler and puts down another to have His way in the affairs of men; You may not know how to comfort or encourage someone who is hurting, but you can pray and touch the heart of Him who is the Father of all comfort; You may not know how to protect yourself from evil, but you can pray and allow God to be your shield and defender. You may not have a lot of resources, but you can pray and receive what you need from the treasure house of Him whose resources are unlimited.
A Prayer For America
Lord, make our country strong in Your hands. May our goals be shaped by Your will; may our resolve be based in Your truth; may our resources be used for Your glory and the good of others. Cover us with grace, shield us with mercy, and motivate us with love. Lord, we know that as a land, a nation, and a people, there is nothing greater than Your presence with us and Your favor upon us. May we move ahead with faith and reliance upon You in all things and at all times. May we live in such a way that pleases You and blesses America.
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
Psalm 102:17 [KJV]
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. Proverbs 15:8 [KJV]
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1 [KJV]
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Psalm 145:18 [KJV]
In God We Trust
We can trust in God because—
His kingdom is unshakable.
His throne is incorruptible.
His glory is indescribable.
His Word is infallible.
His greatness is unsearchable.
His power is invincible.
His favor is invaluable.
His grace is inexpressible.
His love is undeniable.
“It is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust in the Lord God…” Psalm 73:28 KJV
God Bless America
God bless America with—
Comfort for all who mourn;
Peace for all who are troubled;
Grace for all who are needy;
Courage for all who fear;
Strength for all who are weary;
Faith for all who are seeking ;
Hope for all who are uncertain;
Protection for all who serve;
Wisdom for all who lead.
“God shall bless us; and all the ends
of the earth shall fear Him” Psalm 67:7 KJV
As we ask God to bless America may we also remember the importance of America being a blessing to God. -Howie Moss
Righteousness exalts a nation: Proverbs 14:34
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Did you know that God has put good things within you that He wants you to give away to others? Imagine that within your spirit God has placed two baskets. As you begin your day, the Holy Spirit deposits in one basket what God wants you to give away that day. Each day the number and type of things deposited in your basket may vary, depending upon the needs that God wants you to touch and the people He wants you to bless.
Often, what the Holy Spirit deposits in your basket is a mystery. You do not know exactly what God has in mind for you during a day. The good news is that He doesn’t ask you to try and figure it out or run around in circles trying to make everyone happy or meet everyone’s needs. What He does want you to do is to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and to respond to Him in simple faith and obedience.
As you go through your day, you may discover that the Holy Spirit has deposited within your basket a prayer He wants you to pray, a word of encouragement He wants you to speak, a blessing He wants you to give, or an act of kindness He wants you to extend.
Whatever it is that the Holy Spirit has deposited in your basket is what He desires for you to give away during your day. When you go to bed at night, it is good to have an empty basket. Nothing needs to be carried over, because the Holy Spirit will make new and fresh deposits each morning.
Earlier, I said there were two baskets that God has placed in your spirit. The second basket does not contain the things you give away during the day but the things that you receive from God that enrich your life and refresh your spirit. When you bless others, you are blessed; when you give out, you receive; when you empty yourself, you are filled. Consider the following Scriptures as ways God fills your other basket:
He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25 NIV
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38 NIV
(Jesus said) “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” John 4:32 NIV
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. 1 John 4:16
We are His beloved. Let us but feel that He has set His love upon us, that He is watching us from those heavens with tender interest, that He is working out the mystery of our lives with solicitude and fondness, that He is following us day by day as a mother follows her babe in his first attempt to walk alone, that He has set His love upon us, and, in spite of ourselves, is working out for us His highest will and blessing, as far as we will let Him, and then nothing can discourage us.
-A.B. Simpson
Jesus is king for us, priest for us, and prophet for us. Whenever we read a new title for our Redeemer, let us appropriate Him as ours in that name also. He is the Shepherd, the Captain, the Prince, and the Prophet. Jesus has no dignity which He will not employ for our exaltation and no prerogative which He will not exercise for our defense. His fullness in the Godhead is our unfailing, inexhaustible treasure house. All His thoughts, emotions, actions, utterances, miracles, and intercessions were for us. He trod the road of sorrow on our behalf and has given us as His heavenly legacy the full results of all the labors of His life. –C.H. Spurgeon
His command is the sure guarantee that He will give what He desires us to possess.
-Andrew Murray
Fret Buster #39
“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you.” Psalm 55:22
“Worry, if carried to excess, has the nature of sin in it. The precept to avoid worry is repeated frequently by our Savior. It is reiterated by the apostles. It is a principle which cannot be neglected without involving transgression. We labor to take on ourselves our weary burden, as if He were unable or unwilling to take it for us. He who cannot calmly leave his affairs in God’s hand is very likely to be tempted to use wrong means to help himself. Anxiety makes us doubt God’s lovingkindness, and our love for Him grows cold. We feel mistrust and grieve the Spirit of God. If we cast each burden as it comes on Him and we are “careful for nothing” because He undertakes to care for us, it will keep us close to Him.” - C.H. Spurgeon
Fret Buster #40
“The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.” Exodus 1
“Enough for that day.” That word completely takes away all care for tomorrow. Only today is yours; tomorrow is the Father’s. Manna, as your food and strength, is given only by the day; to faithfully fill the present is your only security for the future. His presence and grace enjoyed today will remove all doubt as to whether you can entrust tomorrow to Him, too. Each new morning, He meets you with the promise of sufficient manna for the day.” –Andrew Murray
God is with us, in good times and bad times; easy times and hard times; gentle times and turbulent times. When we face difficulties, God will sometimes remove them, sometimes He will show us the way to avoid them, and other times He will show us the way through them. Having God’s presence is more important than the circumstances we face or the people that are around us. When God tells you He will walk through something with you it means you have all you need—peace is there, strength is there, grace is there, love is there, because He is there.
In the downtown area of the city where I live there is a small creek that works its way by the park, winds around the back of the fire department and the public library, and lazily flows near the campus of John Brown University before heading out of town. At a couple of places along the creek, visitors would often pause to watch the activities of a small number of ducks who decided to make the creek their home. Near the library, the city put in a vending machine that usually contains food for feeding the ducks. It is a favorite place for parents to take their young children and give them a handful of food from the vending machine and then watch them excitedly feed the ducks.
I don’t know what goes through the mind of a duck, but I am pretty certain that a duck would be totally unresponsive to any child holding out a hand that was filled with marbles. When a duck waddles up to a child who has his hand extended, the duck is probably expecting to get a mouth full of real food. People, like ducks and other animals, need to eat real food in order to survive. We have a bowl full of fake fruit in our living room. It looks decorative and fits in great with our color scheme, but I won’t want to eat one.
After His resurrection, Jesus told Peter, “Feed my sheep.” It was a clear and simple command that focused on Peter’s responsibility to feed God’s people. The term “sheep” is commonly used in Scripture to identify those who belong to the Lord. David speaks of it in the twenty-third Psalm, Isaiah speaks of it in chapter fifty-three, Jeremiah speaks of it in chapter fifty, and Jesus speaks of it in the tenth chapter of John. The term “feed” can include the idea of tending and caring for the sheep, but it also carries the responsibility of actually providing the food that sheep need to live.
In order to feed God’s sheep, we must know what His sheep need to eat. What does food for God’s people look and taste like? There are two main things that cannot be left out of any spiritual diet. One is the person (the life) of Jesus and the other is the words of Jesus. The Scriptures never separate what Jesus did from what Jesus said. In Acts 1:1 we read, “…All that Jesus began both to do and teach.”
Regarding His person, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life...I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” John 6:50-51. Regarding His words, Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63.
Jesus also said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Luke 4:4 As new believers we need to feed on the milk of the word (1 Peter 2:3). As we mature we need to feed on the meat of the Word (1 Corinthians 3:2). The prophet Jeremiah said this about God’s words, “Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”
We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still:
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
God’s sheep cannot be fed on people’s opinions, on empty words, on meaningless rhetoric, on secular points of view, or on humanistic thinking. Our food is Truth, the living Truth and the spoken Truth of Jesus Christ. We need to feed upon the Truth, not have discussions about the Truth. No one ever survived by talking about food or writing books about food. We can only survive by partaking of food.
How do we, as the sheep of His pasture, eat His spiritual food? First, we eat by coming to His table and asking. God has promised that if we ask for Bread He will not give us a stone. Second, we eat by surrendering to the Word and yielding to its authority. Third, we eat by receiving the Word by faith with gratitude and thanksgiving. As long as we have a hungry heart we will always find God’s banqueting table filled with everything that is needed to sustain us and delight us. He has freely given us all things to enjoy.
“…He who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing]. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].” Isaiah 55:1-2 AMP
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