1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(2Sa 22:32) For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
(Psa 18:31) For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Good morning! I love today’s picture! You can see the brook running passed the rocks and the rocks are not affected by the current. Granted, they may change formation after years of water running over/around them, but they are not uprooted from their secure spot. I love the picture this paints in my mind! My spiritual body, my soul, is not affected by the various currents of life because I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and He is my rock and my shelter! This series is such a blessing to me because I am learning how to apply each of the Lord’s “rocks” to my growth in Him!
But another way to look at today’s verses is to actually see that only God is the rock! There is no other. Jesus gave us a great example of how firm of a rock He actually is in the parable of the wise man who built his spiritual house upon a rock.
(Mat 7:24-25) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Many “churches” today preach that Jesus is the Rock and foundation of our faith. However, they do not preach that we can build our spiritual body upon Him! He is truly the Rock and His Word is truth. When we accept Him as Saviour, we begin building our spiritual house, so to speak. We build that house on the doctrines taught in the Scriptures. As we apply these doctrines to our lives and obey them, our spiritual house gets stronger. We will weather the storms of life because our house is founded upon the Rock, Jesus Christ!
Yes, you may know this, but do you believe it and live it? Only a born again believer can successfully build his spiritual life upon the Rock! Please don’t let religion stand in the way of you making a decision. This is not about religion – it is a personal relationship with your Creator. It is a personal relationship with the One who died for you to be the price for your sins. God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
(Psa 94:22) But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
Good morning! We’re having an unusually warm December here in Northern Virginia. It hardly seems as though Christmas is right around the corner for those of us who don’t live in the North. But do we really need a tradition which celebrates Christ’s birth to recognize Him? Not hardly! To a born again Christian, Jesus’ birth is important but the more important thing is His resurrection from the dead, amen? Without that, our faith is nothing, amen? But praise the Lord that Christ was born and did rise from the dead! \o/
This devotional series helps me to better focus on the reasons why certain words were used in the Scriptures to describe an attribute of God. Every word of God is important – they lead to salvation in Jesus Christ and are the foundation of our very lives!
Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Joh 10:35b …unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1 Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
When one realizes that God’s Word is eternal, can’t be broken, and will be fulfilled, the quicker that person will understand why certain words are used. Today’s verse talks about the rock as our defense and refuge. Have you ever been in a situation where you just could solve the problem because it was out of your control? There wasn’t one thing you could do to resolve the problem. But we personally know the God who actually parted the Red Sea, my friend! Do you think He can’t solve your problems? He most certainly can! The solution may not be as you had hoped or expected, but it will be the perfect solution because it is God’s will!
So what does this have to do with defense and refuge? Think about it for a moment. When one is living for the Lord and encounters an insurmountable problem, God is always there for you to turn to for help! The word refuge, according to Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary is defined as:
REF’UGE, n. [L. refugium, refugio; re and fugio, to flee.]She lter or protection from danger or distress.
That which shelters or protects from danger, distress or calamity; a strong hold which protects by its strength, or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness; any place inaccessible to an enemy. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats. Psa 104. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed. Psa 9.
Your life may have many enemies but the seed of that enemy is none other than Satan. His ultimate goal is to distract the believer so he can no longer be an effective Christian. This is where our defense and refuge becomes important. This is where we learn that there is someone we can turn to who loves us and will help us. Re-read the definition of refuge and use Jesus in its stead: Jesus shelters or protects me from danger, distress or calamity; He is a strong hold and protects me by His strength; He is a sanctuary which secures my safety by His sacredness; my enemy cannot access me when I am with Jesus!
Satan knows the Bible better than most Christians. But when we find shelter in it and live by it, we have the security that Christ will come to our defense and will provide us with that shelter! Praise the Lord for these little words in Scripture which open our eyes to God’s goodness and mercy!
If you’ve read through this post today and you have doubts whether or not you are saved, born again, please leave a comment simply asking me to reach out to you. I would rather be certain of where I will spend eternity than to be afraid to admit to my church family that I’m doubting that I’m saved! Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
(Psa 89:26) He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Good morning, dear reader! How blessed we are to wake up to another day; to live, to breathe, and to behold God’s beauty. Today’s photo was taken by a high school classmate who has a great eye for capturing God’s creation! I love waterfalls because they remind me of God’s power! Also, they are usually surrounded by rocks which also remind me of God being the stable and solid foundation of my life. Dear most precious Heavenly Father, how grateful I am to be able to live another day to serve You! Although I’m retired and my “world” is smaller than it use to be, I pray that You would use this blog to attract readers to read about You, Lord. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. Thank You, Father, for giving us salvation. I long for the day when my faith will be made sight that I may be able to worship at Your feet! Lord, may You be honored here and may all who read come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, the Saviour of our souls! I ask all these things in His glorious name!
Today’s verse refers to God using three descriptions: father, God and rock of my salvation! But notice what precedes each of these descriptive nouns! Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite wrote this Psalm and he writes that God spoke of David and how he would cry to “my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation”! This excites me because it shows us that one can have a special, personal relationship with God. I know this because he speaks of God as his father. God is not some impersonal being and it’s quite clear that he felt that he could turn to his Father and talk to Him about anything! Born again believers are privileged to be called God’s children! Friend, are you able to call God
(Luk 6:35) But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
(Joh 1:12-13) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Rom 8:14-15 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 4:6-7 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
1 Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Do you have this special relationship with God, reader? It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
(Psa 62:7) In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Good morning, reader! It’s still dark outside and there’s peace and quiet throughout the house. Isn’t that the best time to get alone with the Lord? There are no distractions and interruptions, except those that we allow into our quiet time. It’s a choice, amen? So let’s sit a while and soak in the beautiful Word of God! This is where we will receive our fuel for the day, amen? Today’s verse is packed with punch! 😀
Today’s verse has a new eye-opener for me. Not only is God my salvation and my Rock, but He is also my glory: the rock of my strength and my refuge is in Him! Let’s park here a while and see how God’s Word will bless us! God provided me with my salvation and, therefore He deserves all the glory! My heart rejoices and gives Him all the glory for the wonderful salvation paid for by His Son! My life should be a reflection of glory to God and my mouth should speak of it, just as David is doing here.
Today’s rock is shown to provide strength! Have you ever been to a rocky beach or mountain top? Sitting and beholding God’s creation is one of my favorite things to do!
I find peace here – I took this picture when my husband and I stopped at a scenic overlook while driving on Skyline Drive in Virginia. Aren’t the Blue Ridge Mountains beautiful? I can be at my lowest but when I behold God’s artistic talent, I regain my spiritual strength and know that He alone is my rock! He is not only my rock but He is my refuge!
(Deu 33:27) The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
My refuge protects me and under God’s everlasting arms, the enemy cannot overcome me! Praise His Holy Name! I love Noah Webster’s definition of refuge:
That which shelters or protects from danger, distress or calamity; a strong hold which protects by its strength, or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness; any place inaccessible to an enemy.
Friend, I realize that God allows certain calamities into our lives. But He promises to be with us and never allow the devil to overcome us. Notice the verse above says God’s arms are everlasting. Once we become His child, by being born again, His provisions are everlasting. There is no end to His protection and love for us! Once we’re His, it’s eternal! What rest that provides! How solid is the Rock of my salvation!!
But what does one do if he is not born again? Your hope lies with the world and the world will always bring disappointment. But Jesus never does. The world’s riches and rewards are only temporary. But Jesus’ rewards are eternal. If you happen to be reading this and are not saved, it is no coincidence. God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.
(2 Sa 22:47) The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
Good morning, Reader! It’s a nippy morning but I feel fairly certain that it’s colder where some of you live! 😀 Today’s picture is absolutely breathtaking! What a serene scenery – how would you like to sit with your morning cup of coffee or tea and behold God’s handiwork? It brings such peace!
Today’s verse is one that speaks to my heart and fills me with joy! It truly is a joy unspeakable! Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we? If you recall, Hannah (Elkanah’s wife) was Samuel’s mother. She prayed for God to send her a son after years of being barren. Hannah committed to God that if He were to bless her with a child, she would offer him back to the Lord. Hannah kept her promise to God. Samuel served in the house of the Lord from the time he was two or three. He became a great prophet and was the thirteenth judge over Israel.
Samuel knew the Lord personally! He refers to Jehovah God (LORD) as the God who lives! Our God is not some figment of someone’s imagination. He was, is and will be forever more!
(Psa 90:2) Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
(Heb 13:8) Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Our God is always here and always with us. One of His names is Emmanuel, which means God with us! How exciting is that? Rejoice, Christian!
The second phrase Samuel gives us is “blessed be my rock”! Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines the word as:
In Scripture, figuratively, defense; means of safety; protection; strength; asylum. The Lord is my rock. 2 Sam 22. Firmness; a firm or immovable foundation.
Samuel blesses God for being his defense, his means of safety, his protection, his strength, and his asylum! Oh friend, what an intimate way to approach your faith in Christ. Christ promises us that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us! This intimate relationship for the born again believer is one that we can rely on because God does not lie! Read the following verses and comfort yourself! These promises are overwhelming and they come from the Creator Himself!
(Deu 31:6) Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
(Deu 31:8) And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
(1 Ch 28:20) And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
(Jos 1:9) Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
(Heb 13:5) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Samuel had this intimate relationship and it is evident in his prayer! Exalted be the God of the “rock of my salvation”! This phrase is found only one other time, in Psalms 89:
(Psa 89:26) He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
This Psalmist (Ethan the Ezrahite, a singer in King David’s court) knew God personally because he calls him: his father, his God and rock of my salvation! Is He yours? Can you sing the hymn below with all confidence that you have that joy of knowing God as your father and rock of your salvation?
Joy Unspeakable by Barnie E. Warren
I have found His grace is all complete, He supplieth every need; While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet, I am free, yes, free indeed.
Refrain: It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, Full of glory, full of glory; It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, Oh, the half has never yet been told.
I have found the pleasure I once craved, It is joy and peace within; What a wondrous blessing, I am saved From the awful gulf of sin.
I have found that hope so bright and clear, Living in the realm of grace; Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near, I can see His smiling face.
I have found the joy no tongue can tell, How its waves of glory roll; It is like a great o’erflowing well, Springing up within my soul.
If you’ve read through this post today and you have doubts whether or not you are saved, born again, please leave a comment simply asking me to reach out to you. I would rather be certain of where I will spend eternity than to be afraid to admit to my church family that I’m doubting that I’m saved! Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
(1 Co 10:1-4) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (3) And did all eat the same spiritual meat; (4) And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
The Lord manifested in various ways in the Old Testament. This is known as a Christophany. In today’s reading, we see that Jesus appeared as the cloud guiding Moses and the Israelites. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that it was Christ who was helping them. We can clearly see that there is no other that can claim this title as “the Rock”!
Another time that He appeared was to Hagar and is called the angel of the LORD. I love that Jesus isn’t concerned with genders or race! Hagar was Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid. She was also the mother of Ishmael. I didn’t know this, but the Jewish word for Hagar is agur and it means “reward”! I find that interesting. I wonder if salvation to the Gentiles (the Hagars of the world) was God’s reward? He appeared to her and He spoke to her and comforted her. Now Hagar might have thought she was seeing a ghost but she named Him, “Thou God seest me.”
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, spoke to an Egyptian woman and saw what she was going through. He also showed Himself as a cloud and met the needs of the Israelites. It doesn’t get any more personal than that!
We are so blessed as Christians! Our Great Shepherd takes care of us in the same way that He did with Hagar and the Israelites!
If you happen to have stumbled across my blog, and do not know Jesus Christ as your Personal Saviour, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
(Deu 32:4) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Good morning, Reader! This picture totally blesses me! It amazes me that no two clouds are the same. They may appear the same but there’s always a slight difference. As sunrises and sunsets are one of my favorite sceneries, I thought it would be appropriate to start off this new devotional series.
There are many titles for Jesus Christ. In fact, I did a series on this in 2008. If you’ve never studied this topic, it’s totally a blessing! However, today I am looking at the verses which contain the word “Rock” (capitalized) and how it applies to Christ. The Holy Spirit put these words in the Scriptures for a reason. It’s when we dig for gold that we find the nuggets, amen?
When we look at this verse in context, we find that this was part of a song of Moses. Each of the different names for God meets a specific need in man. What need does today’s verse provide for us? What do you think of when you envision a rock? I think of the coastline at Heceta Head Lighthouse in Florence, Oregon.
Photography by Linda Dunlap
The rocks and mountainsides are so beautiful! They remind me of strength, stability and longevity. These rocks take the crashing of the waves without falling apart! When visiting there, they had pictures from when it was first built. The same three rocks are there today and they have not diminished throughout the years.
There is no better way to honor God than to recognize His strength in our lives. The believer needs to wholly lean on the Lord in times of desperation. It is these times that He draw us to Him. He is our strength. So how can Jesus Christ be the Rock in today’s verse? Let’s take a look at:
(Psa 27:1) A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
David says that the LORD (when capitalized like this, it refers to Jehovah, the Lord) is his light and salvation. We will not only find Jesus here but we will also see that Jesus is God. All Scripture fits together and there are no contradictions found in its pages.
(Joh 8:12) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
David said that the LORD is his light. Jesus said in the verse above, that He is the light of the world.
David also said that the LORD was his salvation.
(Act 4:10-12) Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (11) This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. There is no other but the LORD, Jehovah the Lord, Jesus Christ the Saviour of man! He is our Rock!
(Deu 32:4) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Jesus Christ’s work is perfect – He came to earth in human form and lived a sinless life. He lived the perfect life so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for mankind’s sins. Only His sacrifice can forgive sins.
(2Co 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
(1Pe 2:22) Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
(Heb 4:15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
So, dear reader, we know that our LORD, the Rock, has the strength to save us – to guide us – to help us in our every need! Because He is our Rock, we don’t have to rely on our own strength but wholly lean on His strength! Praise be to God in the highest! Thank you, LORD Jesus, our Rock and our Deliverer!
Solid Rock by Edward Mote
1 My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.
2 When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
3 His oath, his covenant, his blood, support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
4 When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found: dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]
Most precious Heavenly Father, I cannot imagine my life without Christ in it! I would not be here if it weren’t for His sacrifice on the cross for my sins. I praise You for being there in the whelming floods of my life. All honor and glory belong to You, Lord! There is none like You, God! Thank You for Your precious Gift, my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
If you happen to be reading this and are not saved, it is no coincidence. God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
We are currently studying what the Bible says just who is the Rock. Some religions claim that their church is the rock. Some believe that there is no salvation other than through their church. Please leave a comment with your thoughts. To start from the beginning with Day 1, please go to our Table of Contents. It will be populated as each day is completed.
