Month: September 2024

Why Worry?

On September 4, 2024

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. (Psa 127:2)

As we see the day of Christ’s return fast approaching, there is much in the news that would cause a person to worry. But it is worthless, fruitless, empty and unsatisfying when one stays up late and gets up early to worry. I never gained a moment’s pleasure or peace from worrying. The Lord emphasizes in today’s verse how futile it is to worry. In fact, the Lord promises His beloved children rest! (Matthew 11:28-30)

God does not promise this wonderful rest to the unsaved. How do I know that? The verse says that His beloved receive sleep. Remember, the moment we are born again, we become the children of God.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Rom 8:16)

We are His beloved! A search to the word “beloved” in the New Testament will show that the Scriptures were always referring to the brethren in Christ. The child of God does not have to worry because we have a loving Father who desires that we find rest in Him! That is why today’s verse says it is vain to worry!

Noah Webster defines the word vain as:

Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance.Fruitless; ineffectual. All attempts, all efforts were vain.

Empty; unsatisfying. The pleasures of life are vain.

False; deceitful; not genuine; spurious. James 1.

Since I became a mother, so many Scriptures seemed clearer to me. What would I think if my children stayed up nights worrying? I would be devastated if I discovered they were worrying! But most importantly, I would wonder why my child feels he cannot turn those worries over to his parents. I can just imagine how our Heavenly Father feels when we take upon our own shoulders the cares of this world which have not even happened yet. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much and wants so much to provide for us and comfort us. Why do we insist on taking this worry upon ourselves? I have heard that 85% of what we worry about doesn’t even come to past; the other 15% weren’t worth worrying over. The time and effort spent in worrying could easily have been spent in the word and finding comfort there. The Lord has so many golden nuggets in His word that will calm our spirit and fretful heart. We just have to search them out.

Matt. 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (28 ) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (29) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (30)

What better verses can there be that prove God’s character and desire to give us peace? After reading these verses, I decided to do a phrase search for “give rest” and have listed some below. I need not say anything more; let God’s word speak to your hearts!

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. (Exo 33:14) God’s presence goes with us (His Holy Spirit) and provides rest.

Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. (1 Chr 22:9) We find much rest from the book of Proverbs if we heed its warnings.

That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. (Psa 94:13) The chastened man receives rest from the days of affliction.

Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. (Pro 29:17) We receive rest when we have corrected our children – they will delight us.

And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,(Isa 14:3) Again, the Lord provides more rest from sorrow and fear.

Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. (Jer 50:34) Our Redeemer provides rest.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Mat 11:28 ) Jesus, our Redeemer, provides the rest we need.

Dear God…
May I always be looking to You
Until I find comfort in Your care
And rest from my burdens of worry
At Your feet will I lay them there

Where Can We Get Help?

By Kate Plourde

On September 2, 2024

In Devotionals

Psalm 121:1-8, “[A Song of degrees.] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.(1) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.(2) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.(3) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (4) The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.(5) The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.(6) The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.(7) The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (8 )

Where Can We Get Help?

Not a single human being a live has had a life without trials. Think about that for a moment. A runner prepares for a marathon by training every day; no matter what kind of weather. Everyone is running the marathon of life. Some of us are slower than others but we have to remember that every single one of us will finish the race at some point or another. That race ends when we close our eyes at that final moment of life.

How we deal with trials as we run our marathon of life all depends on how we prepare for them and how we handle ourselves during the trial. When you prepare for a long trip, what do you do? You make sure you have a full tank of gas; you check your tires and all the fluids in your car. Shouldn’t we be preparing for our daily spiritual walk in the same manner? Shouldn’t we be fueling ourselves with the God’s word, and putting on the full armor of God so we can be sheltered by the Lord during our trials? Why do we make it difficult on ourselves by not doing so? Who in the world would run a marathon with no training whatsoever?

I am particularly fond of Psalm 121. I have run to this Psalm many a times. During the major trials of my life, I especially ran to this scripture to find peace. It is there that I experienced the Lord’s love and compassion. At the time I am experiencing a trial, however, the Psalm means more to me than it has ever meant. Here’s what I noticed – the Psalmist makes different points:

1. I have to make a conscious effort to seek my help. God won’t force Himself upon me. But when I seek Him, He is there!

2. I have to recognize where my help comes from. I don’t rest in the counsel of my spouse or my friends, as good as their counsel may be. I know that God is the only One who can take care of my trial and see me through to the end.

3. I realize that my Shepherd won’t allow me to falter. The more I am in the scriptures, the more my faith is built… brick by brick. As I need encouragement, verses come to mind that I can recite to myself and encourage myself. Each step is guided by my Shepherd.

4. I realize that my Shepherd never sleeps! This one gives me goosebumps! It brings me to tears because I know that since He never sleeps, nothing can happen to me that God’s not aware of. Nothing! My Shepherd is ever watching over me!

5. I have come to know that my Shepherd will keep me safe. The Lord keeps me – watches over me – provides me with shade from the heat of those fiery trials. That shade is found when I sit quietly reading my Bible and soaking in what He has for me. This picture is exactly what comes to mind as He keeps me safe through life’s storms.

6. I trust that my Saviour will keep me from the enemy, Satan, and preserve my salvation. I know that everything that happens to me has been allowed in my life for my benefit so I can grow in my faith. There is great comfort knowing that my eternal security can never be removed because God is the One that preserves my soul, not me. It is not by my own efforts that I gained salvation and, therefore, is not by my efforts to keep it.

7. I know that my Shepherd will guide my path forever more. When I am in God’s word and feeding my soul, my Shepherd can keep me from taking the wrong path in life. I cannot claim this if I am not soaking in God’s word daily. NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105) and Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psa 119:11)

I must seek for my help and know where that help comes from; I must recognize that this help will keep me safe when I abide in Him; and lastly, my help preserves my soul – which cannot be said of any other self-help this world has to offer. Why not go to the expert? Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness in my life. Teach me what I must learn from each trial.

Dear God…
I cherish my time in Your Word
That peace and comfort there lies
I keep my eyes fixed on those hills
Where my Helper comes to my side