I live within twelve feet of my daughter's front door. Our porch is the same porch. Today when 6 year-old Kinsey woke up, she knocked on her living room wall which is opposite mine, to let me know she was up and I could go fix her breakfast. Her mom is away at Youth Camp as a counselor. She doesn't like to come over to my side of our house right now because of the grasshopper invasion in Oklahoma. She hates the way they jump up when you walk and she hates that they will land on you and your head. It's scary to her. And hey, they are huge bug-eyed monsters with wings. They are annoying to any adult; to a child they are flat-out creepy.
I talked Kinsey into coming back to my house to eat her strawberries and play with Grampa's Ipad until her sister woke up. She was fine as we walked across the porch and the grasshoppers popped like popcorn in an open pan. When it was time to get Haylee, Kinsey said she didn't want to go over to the house. I asked, "Why not, you just came over here?"
"But, you walked in front of me, and the grasshopppers got out of your way."
I understood. She knew if I was in front of her, then the grasshoppers were less likely to get on her and instead would jump on me and I would shield her from their assault. That's how it is with God. We can depend on Him to go before us and shield us from the enemies we face in life. Our fears are dispelled when we learn to remember He is before us in all fearful moments. He is faithful. He walked before Moses, before Joshua and He walked every step of the way with His Son as Jesus traveled the path to crucifixion to destroy the power Satan has upon our lives.
"The
LORD HIMSELF goes before you. He will be with you, and will never leave
or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged." ~Deuteronomy 31: 8
Sometimes we think we are all alone in life. We think because we stand alone, we have to walk alone. It's not true. Sometimes we just need someone to walk before us... to help shield us from the darker times, the scary times, the lonely times. God provides that someone, we only need to trust that He is walking before us and wait for the leadership and companionship He brings our way. ~selahV
THE ABOVE IS HOW TO FOLLOW THE DEVIL WITHOUT EVEN TRYING
Sometimes I wonder how much better off the world would be if everyone purposed in their hearts and minds to compliment ten people a day.
THE LORD'S ON GUARD "The eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and him who has it..." Pr.22:12
Oh that Wisdom be confirmed by the knowledge we discover and grasp. God expects discretion be used in the knowledge we have so that He be glorified. God will guard our hearts and minds "but He overthrows the words of the treacherous."
With believers, knowledge comes with responsibility. All we do with what we know is accountable to God. Likewise the words of our mouth reveal the integrity of our hearts. May we speak and act with integrity with that which we know that the Lord be glorified. selahV
DAILY IMPACT Devotionals
TERRORS OF THE NIGHT
It doesn't have to be a monster at your door keeping you awake. It doesn't have to be a thief with a gun. It doesn't have to be an approaching tornado, or a rising river. It doesn't even have to be an attack on your heart, nor a life-threatening disease.
Terrors in the night are anything that robs you of peace. They may waken you with a dream. Like a thunder crash or lightning flash. They chase your thoughts from place to place and whisper words of accusation. They keep sleep in a chokehold and will not let you rest. They remind you of your failings. They taunt you with doubt and offer futility and hopelessness with situations you are facing. Terrors in the night. They are real. Yet...
"You shall not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor of the arrow ( the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday." Psalm 91:5,6.
"You shall not be afraid." Why?
"Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place." Ps. 91:9
I have a little secret that helps me get back to sleep in the midst of a dark night of demonic attack and oppression. Whenever that happens to me, and I am not a stranger to the realms of darkness enveloping my mind and trying to crush my spirit, I go to the Word. Literally. I take my Bible and I lay it upon my chest and pray. I cling to the Word and all the promises within it that may not even be clear in my mind. I begin to pray for others who have difficulties. I pray for missionaries in foreign lands who face incredible dangers. I pray for pastors under attack. I pray for battered wives, and bereaved mothers. I pray for anyone and everyone the Lord calls to my mind.
For He has given His angels charge over me to accomplish and defend and preserve me in all my ways of obedience and service. (Ps.91:11) I feel the pleasant pressure of my Bible against my heart and know that God is all-sufficient to meet my needs and those of ones I love and have committed unto His care. And then I sleep. selahV
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]
FEARLESS CONFIDENCE
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Discouragement sits on every corner. It lurks in the shadows of joy, waiting for the opportune time to jump out of the darkness and wipe out all the goodness in a moment's achievement, success, or blessing. It's sole purpose is to impede forward progress. It is born of negative thinking and leads to apathy and uselessness.
Many times discouragement is carried into the rooms of our hearts by friends who linger too long at the well of negativity. But we need to take heart and not allow it to attach itself to our lives and destroy our confidence, hope, and faith.
"Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward." Hebrews 10:35
Our confidence can be thwarted and our courage quelled when we allow the stones of discouragement and arrows of despair to penetrate the armor of God. We must hold fast and cling to our fearless confidence in the Redeemer and Protector of our faith. He sits on His throne and His enemies are His footstool. Nothing can harm us, nor override His plan for our lives when we rest in His presence and power. selahV
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]
WHEN OTHERS HURT
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It seems there are many many folks who are either hurting or know someone who is hurting. And for all the wisdom, resources and desire we have, we cannot do a thing about the hurting. We sit in our worlds and ponder our usefulness. We contemplate the call of believers to reach out to brothers and sisters who need us. We long to make the difference in their lives and know we cannot. We feel an emptiness that contradicts the hope in our minds.
Yet, we cling to the faith within us that we will persevere, and those we love will endure. Then we pray without ceasing for the needs in our lives and recall the promises of God. In the difficulty of the day, we wrestle with principalities and realms of darkness and implore the Lord for assistance. We seek our Lord on our knees in brokenness and shame, we raise our voices in wordless prayer. Our Spirit makes intercession for us. Then we commit ourselves and our concerns to Him once again.
"For I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day." Pause and think about it.
I believe God brings us to these desert times to remind us of our only need--HIM. Our rest is in Him. Our hope is in Him. Our love is in Him. Our future is in Him. Our provision is in Him. And He will keep all that I commit to Him any time I bring it to Him. And He will fill up my soul with His refreshment and grant me His peace which the world cannot give. Grace, grace, marvelous grace; a grace that is greater than all my sin. Sufficient is our Lord. selahV
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]
WILL YOU PRAY THIS PRAYER FOR ME?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“For this reason we also from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special request] for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things—
that you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please HIm in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, Giving thanks to the Father….” Colossians 1:9-12a.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know someone was praying like that for you? For your loved ones? For your church members? For your pastor? What a wonderful way to pray! Shall we start today? selahV
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HOW ARE YOU KNOWN?
Today there are folks who know you. They only know you by what you write, how you act and interact with others. They only know you by your words, your behavior–your reputation. What do they know? How are you known? When I read the passage below from Romans, I paused and thought about what Paul is saying:
“First, I thank God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because [the report of] your faith is made known to all the world and is commended everywhere.” Romans 1:8.
Wouldn’t it be the most amazing thing to have someone commend you in this way? To have such a faith that the report of it honors your Lord all over the world? When you write, do you think of this? When you talk to others, do you keep this in mind? When you begin your week, do you even consider how you are known to all the world–or your portion of it? These are questions we might all ponder today. selahV
