Archive | March 2014

Freewill

Mar6

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. — Psalm 1:1-2

Freewill. God desires the best for us and warns us in His Word of dangers to our souls. He also encourages us in His Word to make wise choices. When it comes right down to it we are responsible for our destiny — that is freewill.

Who are the people you spend the majority of your time with? What kind of influence do they have on you? Ever notice how you start picking up phrases of the ones you hang out with? Back in my youth there were two sayings that I struggled getting out of my vocabulary — “yabut” and ending every sentence with “ya know”.

The saying “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch” is a valid statement. We do well to choose not to walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand or walk in the ways of sinners and hang out with scoffers. Our better choice is to meditate on God’s Word day and night and find the delight that is in it. We have a choice to be influenced by the world or by Jesus. Who do you choose to be influenced by?

The more we are influenced by the Word of God, the more of an influence we are in the world. So seek Jesus and let Him influence you to be a productive, influential, dynamic person of God.

The choice is yours. Exercise your freewill and choose wisely.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Who Can You Trust?

Mar5

For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. — Deuteronomy 10:17

Who can you trust? In life it is sometimes difficult to trust another person. Some people have great difficulty trusting anyone. Are there any attributes that stand out in a trustworthy person?

Well, there is One who can be trusted. He is the Creator of all from the smallest of creation to the outer limits of the universe. That is a person who knows all things — I can trust the God of gods. He is the Master, Boss, Commander, Ruler over all — the Lord of lords who rules with wisdom. That is someone I would trust to counsel me well.

Someone who shows no partiality would be honest with me and can be trusted to tell me the truth. A person who stands on good principles without wavering cannot be bribed. That is someone who can be trusted.

The Lord our God is great, mighty, and awesome. He can be trusted!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

If You Diligently Obey

Mar4

Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. Deuteronomy 28:1

Did you ever notice how closely our obedience is connected to our blessings? We aren’t obedient to receive blessings — we can’t work our way to blessings or heaven — but through our obedience God blesses us. Just like our kids — we desire to bless them but if they are disobedient it would be detrimental to bless them. We require and expect our children to be obedient. God expects the same from His children (us).

This verse says, “God will set you high above all the nations”. I couldn’t help but be reminiscent thinking about great nations of the past who prospered when they were walking in the obedience of God. One such nation was the United States known to be established on Biblical principles. It was a nation that posted the Ten Commandments in it’s court houses, that had prayer in schools to the One and only God. It was a nation that was set above all the nations of the earth. God blessed this nation.

Just as Israel was blessed and prospered throughout history they were also disciplined for disobedience. It saddens my heart that this country draws further and further away from God. Fortunately God loves us enough to discipline us but unfortunately we are not responding. Our nation needs to turn back to obedience to God. As His people we must unite through the Holy Spirit and bathe our country in prayer and be an example as we are obedient to the Lord God Almighty.

Hear the cry, O Lord, of your remnant. Amen.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, — Deuteronomy 28: 13

Teach Them

Mar3

You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. — Deuteronomy 6:7

Yesterday’s devotional was a plea to keep the commandments of God on your heart. Diligently keep watch over your soul so that your heart does not depart from what you have learned from God all the days of your life. Remind yourself by telling of the goodness of God to your children and/or grandchildren.

The closer my walk has become with the Lord Jesus, the more I see analogies in my life. Often life events, everyday ones as well, will have me sharing the Lord’s words or biblical events that spring into my mind. On one such occasion the church start my husband and I attended had a booth at a community event. When it came time to pack up, we had 4 of us folding up a canopy. Each of us grabbed a leg and met in the middle. As we were coming together I just said, “This is like the Holy Spirit drawing us together as one.” My sweet friend came back with, “Sharon, does everything have to be about God?” She of course was teasing me.

When we walk closely with the Lord He opens our eyes to opportunities to share Him. In everyday life we can see things that can be correlated with Scripture. Make every moment a teachable one by staying connected with Jesus and His Word. He makes opportunities for us to speak of His glory. So share those moments with your children and grandchildren and everyone you have a chance to whether you are sitting in your house or walking by the way, when you rise up and when you lay down. Sun up to sun down.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. — Deuteronomy 4:9

The Words of My Heart

Mar2

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. — Deuteronomy 6:5-6

I know I have done a devotional on the first and foremost commandment before but I believe it is worthy of repeating again and again just as it is in the Bible. The focus this time will be more on verse 6.

Moses was serious about His relationship with God and fulfilling His purpose. He wanted the Israelites to be serious about it too. Is your relationship with the Lord and His purpose for you a serious matter in your life? Is it important enough to share with others? Do you impress the Word of God on your heart and soul?

This is really not an option. It is a commandment. So if you love the Lord your God, you will read His Word, pray for understanding, and practice what you read. Be a walking testimony of God’s Word. Maybe that would be like binding them as a sign on your hand or as frontals on your forehead. Be so transparent that Jesus is seen written all over you and when you speak you proclaim the words of God. Be a blessing.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. — Deuteronomy 11:18

Hear, O, Israel!

Mar1

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! — Deuteronomy 6:4

The Lord your God shows Himself in your life that you may know that He is God. He shows us, if our eyes are open to Him, through trials, signs and wonders, by war and by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. He is the same God of the Old Testament who fought, protected, and provided for through trials and terrors. He is still a God of signs and wonders. He is the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

One God and Father who is over all, through all and in all. So know, truly know today, and take it to heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. He is mighty, caring, loving, forgiving, merciful and wants you to know Him so He can bless you. Don’t delay, seek Him today.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation by trials, by signs and wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm and by great terrors, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him. — Deuteronomy 4:34-35

Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. — Deuteronomy 4:39

one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. — Ephesians 4:6