Iron Sharpens Iron

Let our hearts be united in The Holy Spirit and bear the image of our Heavenly Father...

Let us support and encourage one another in our supernatural union...strengthening and spurring each other on to good deeds...carrying our brethren's burdens in brotherly love and with mutual edification...as true imitators of Christ and in fulfillment of His Law.

Hebrews 3:13
But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Hebrews 13:1
Continue in brotherly love.

1 Peter 1:22
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth, so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
Galatians 6:2

Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.
Philippians 2:4

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
1 Thessalonians 5:14

And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.

Ecclesiastes 4:10
For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

Ecclesiastes 4:12
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

John 15:12
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I loved you.

Forgetting The Hand of The Lord

Forgetting The Hand of The Lord

(By Katie Armstrong)

In Exodus 16, after the Lord parted the Red Sea and lead the Israelites out of Egypt, the Israelites began to cry out with bitter complaints against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for their lack of food as they turned their focus to the desert around them.

“The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
—Exodus 16:3 (NIV)

Isn’t that much like us?

The lord performs a miracle in our lives to bring us an answer to our prayers; and, it isn’t but a moment later and we’re already starting to complain about the next season of our lives, forgetting where we had just come from and by whose hand we were just delivered.

I couldn’t help but ask myself, hadn’t the Israelites realized the work of the Lord in response to their cries? Hadn’t they seen His great love and His mercy as He brought deliverance from the harsh conditions of Egyptian slavery?

Then, it hit me, and I took a look at my own life — I could ask myself the same questions.

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Somewhat recently I was lead out of a job that the Lord had lead me into. There was a purpose and reason for me being there – that, I knew for sure – but the daily cross I had to carry was almost unbearable, except with the strength of our Lord being the one to carry it for me.

I was there as long as the Lord wanted me there, at least, that was my prayer — Lord, your will, not mine. I gripped for the cross every minute of the day and cried at the feet of Jesus by night. It was a tough, but fruitful, experience. Six months passed, and the Lord brought deliverance in response to my cries. My time there was up and I was no longer needed.

I was so thankful to Him for moving me out of, what felt like, Egyptian slavery, and I was ready to enter this new season of life — the desert of unemployment and waiting.

What the Lord showed me, though, as I read Exodus 16, was how I had shifted into a mindset similar to the Israelites after I, too, found myself in the desert.

I had begun to forget where I had come from, and by whose hand I was delivered. Instead of seeing God’s deliverance, love, and mercy in response to my cries of distress, I only saw the lack of food and the desert ahead.

I was loosing sight of the truth; and, in that, I was questioning God’s ability to take care of me and His faithfulness to see His plan through.

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When the Israelite’s accusations came against Moses and Aaron, Moses and Aaron replied, exposing the truth and the reality of their complaints:

“Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.”
—Exodus 16:8 (NIV)

It was the Lord who brought deliverance, the Lord who parted the Red Sea, and the Lord who lead the Israelites into the desert. Who was Moses or Aaron to take any such credit for what seemed to be good or what seemed to be bad? “Who are we?,” they said.

Knowing it was God’s plan that had lead them into the desert, not Moses’ or Aaron’s, should have come as a huge relief to the people of Israel.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

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In the two years I’ve been saved, I’ve been called in and out of three different jobs, all with the Lord as my guide.

Between each has been various periods of unemployment, and with each period of unemployment, opportunity to grow closer to the Lord as He strips me of self-reliance and prunes me for God-reliance.

You always think you’ll be prepared for what’s to come, but, even after unemployment #3, I’ve realized, there’s no such thing as truly prepared. The Lord does a work, each different, each deeper, every time.

As the Israelites complained about not having food, I saw my own complaint about not having food.

I saw that I had lost the perspective of God’s plan and who it was that had brought me up and out of slavery, in response to my cries, and lead me into the desert. It was God. It was His plan; and, if it was His plan that brought me here, it is His plan to lead me forward from here.

“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
—Genesis 28:15 (NIV)

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Having mercy on His people for their forgetfulness, stubborn hearts, and bitter complaints…

“The LORD said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'”
—Exodus 16:11-12 (NIV)

“That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.”
—Exodus 16:13-15 (NIV)

Just as God was there for the Israelites when they fell into the trap of doubt, He’s also here for me, and for you. If you’ve caught yourself complaining, feeling lost, hopeless, or uncertain, remember whose plan it is that has brought you here, and have relief that you can surrender, knowing it’s Him, and it’s His plan, that is in control.

Come back to Me and surrender, He says. My mercy is with you and I’ll be faithful to show Myself to you, again, so that you, too, will know that I Am God.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
—Romans 8:28 (NASB)

Heavenely Father

Thank You for encouragement and truth in Your Word and Your Promise of Sufficient Grace. I thank You for creating me the way I am and for showing me how to accept even my weaknesses...for this is where You fill in the gap with Your Grace and Your Power is Magnified.

I pray for less of me and more of You....reveal to me new areas where I need refinement of character...sanctify me with Your Holy Spirit and maturate me spiritually, as You bring me from faith to faith...from glory to glory.

Show me Your Ways, Lord. Take all of me and shape me according to Your Perfect Will...partner with me today and every day, so that others will see You in me...all for Your Glory and Your Kingdom.

I praise You for Your redemptive gift of Christ so that I may freely receive Grace and walk in freedom...in my true, authentic identity. Thank You for Your ongoing transformation and for bringing me to where I am today...for all the ways You have chosen to bless me.

I pray this all in Jesus Christ's Holy and Righteous Name...

Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:5
..."so that your faith would not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

2 Corinthians 12:5
"I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses."

Ephesians 3:16
"I pray that out of the riches of His glory, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,"

2 Corinthians 13:9
"In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection."

Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

Present Suffering...Future Glory

Present Suffering...Future Glory

May The Lord grant us peace of mind and strength of endurance in our present sufferings as we await our incomprehensible future glory with Him...

Romans 8:19
"The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God."

2 Corinthians 4:17
"For our light and temporary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs our troubles."

Colossians 3:4
"When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

Titus 2:13
"as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

1 Peter 1:5
"who through faith are protected by God's power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."

1 Peter 4:13
"But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory."

Jude 1:21
"keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life."

Encountering God

To this point in Job’s story, he has defended himself to his friends. When they hinted that perhaps there was something shady in his background, Job denied it. “I have been honest and fair. I have contributed to my community and maintained my integrity. “   When he looked he looked at himself in the light of others, Job came out looking pretty good.

We like comparing ourselves with others. When we make others the standard for righteousness, we often come out looking good. “ I am not perfect, but I am a lot better that he is.” But in the end, we won’t be judged by the standards of others. The standard by which we will be judged is Jesus Christ.

When Job turned his eyes toward God, his view of himself changed. He said, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” He who had maintained his integrity suddenly saw himself in the light of God’s holiness and purity. Seeing his own filth, he repented. 

You may pride yourself in your accomplishments or successes. But mark this, when you see a proud man, You see a man who has not yet encountered God.

Because once you truly see God, there is no place for pride – even if you are a minister, a president, or the Pope. Once a person truly sees God, the result is deep contrition and humility. The result is a repentant heart – a heart that cries out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

by Pastor Chuck Smith 

Wisdom for Today 

His Enduring Counsel.....

Praise The Lord that He is faithful to His Promises...that His Purpose will be established...that He will intervene and direct our path for righteousness sake...that He is in control yesterday, today and tomorrow...and that His Word is settled and stands forever.

Psalm 119:89
"Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven."

Hebrews 6:17
"So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath."

Proverbs 16:9
"The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

Isaiah 46:10
"Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, saying , 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.'"

Psalm 33:11
"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation."

Isaiah 40:8
"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."

1 Peter 1:25

Seeing The Struggle Through....

“Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light…..”
-V. Raymond Edman

God is always the same, and is always available to His children...at the tip top of the mountain, or the darkest of valleys, His love for us never changes.

It is in the season when we don't feel as close to Him that we have to step out in faith...trust Him to sustain us to see the struggle through...cling to His Truth and Promises...praise Him for His blessings of grace and salvation...and recall the lighted path He has placed our feet upon.

We must see these drought seasons as an opportunity to be still, give Him the battle and trust in what He is doing...as He enables us to reclaim our joy and moves us from faith to faith...in the glory of our salvation in Him.

Psalm 9:14
"That I may tell of all Your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation."

Psalm 13:5
"But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation."

Psalm 54:4
"Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul."