Apron Strings Devotional for9/1/99

9/1/99

Good Morning....
Jesus loves You!!

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The present circumstance that presses so hard against you is the best shaped tool in the Father's Hand to chisel you for eternity. Do not push away the hammer lest you lose it's work.
-By: Kay Reed-
-Contributed by: Ann Maynard-
Thanks Ann!

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Hi Dear Friends!!

Hope this finds you doing well in our Lord Jesus!! Yesterday I noticed the leaves starting to fall off my maple trees. I love Autumn. It truly signifies "old things passed away, all things becoming new." ( 2Cor 5:17 )

Basking in His presence while new life is springing forth from the inside gives one a motivation that cannot be mimicked by fleshly standards. God is doing a new thing in the lives of His children. May we allow the dead leaves to fall so that He may accomplish the work that He has begun. I pray you are blessed by today's message. See you at the end!

Matt 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Has any good ever come out of any worrying that you've ever done? Worry only compartmentalizes us and makes us unable to do what we set out to do. If you are worried about a problem, what you need to do is simply trust the Lord and do good.

The word worry comes from a word that means "to divide." When you worry, you divide your energy. Do you worry? I worry about you if you don't worry! All of us worry, but we shouldn't. Jesus commands us half a dozen times, "Do not worry." When we worry about a situation, the problem gets us instead of us getting it.

Jesus is not afraid of the things that cause us fear. He never said, "Don't bring your fears to me; I'm too busy." Instead he said, "I'm not afraid of the things that cause you fear. Bring your fears to me."

Prayer:

We don't look like we're afraid, Father---calm on the outside. But Father, we have our hidden fears. You know them. We're afraid of being alone. We're afraid of being jobless. We're afraid of pain. Father, we offer these fears to you and ask you to give us more courage as we look at You, the One who knows no fear.

Taken from: The Inspirational Study Bible
-By: Max Lucado-

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"There is a practice that is most powerful in keeping us united with God.
That practice is the constant recollection of His presence."

-St. Alphonsus Liguori-

Received from: Hissong777@aol.com
Thanks Jan!

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If....THE WILL OF GOD

The will of God will never take you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

-Author Unknown-
Received from: JActon1156@aol.com
Thanks Jo!

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You know what the biggest difference is between spiritual "shallowness" and spiritual "depth" in the lives of believers? We find ourselves in that "shallow" place when we pull up the hem of our pants and wade in the waves near the sand, not daring to go past the "shallow" water. As we begin to yearn for real "depth" in Christ, we will walk toward the waves with a hopefulness that the next one will saturate our whole being, even more so than the last one.

Going deeper with God is an issue every Christian faces. How far will we go? How far is "far enough?" Will we forsake ALL and follow Him? Or only as long as it feels comfortable?

John 6:65-66
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

This scripture really caught my eye, because it showed that, for a season, these disciples hung out with Jesus, and clung to his every word, and then at some point, decided it was too much or too hard. Ever find yourself at a place like that? I know I have. But, go back to the first verse. Why is it so hard? Are we receiving that gift that He is referring to? Or are we trying to make it on our own, and hope that He comes along for the ride? Nothing less than total dependency on Christ will deepen our walk with Him. Total abandonment to self, dependency on others, money, or any material fixes that try to quench that "thirst" that only He can fill.

I think those disciples that walked away might have sensed that things were gonna get a little serious, so they lowered a lifeboat and jumped in. Perhaps they didn't realize that the Captain had no plans to leave them high and dry when things got deep. The water was beginning to touch the hem of their pants, and they could not pull them any higher so they abandoned ship.

How far will WE go? Even when things get tough, or are tough at the moment, I wonder how much we realize the resources that are so readily available to us, if only we ask. If only we "receive." If only we seek Him with a whole heart, and start walking toward the waves, realizing that the deep water is not a threat, but merely an instrument to reveal just how glorious and awesome our God really is. We are talking about the same God who walked on the water and then invited a disciple to join him.

Matt 14:28-29
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Peter's mistake came when he took his eyes off Jesus. Even in that split second, the fear came in.

Matt 14:30
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

Even in the midst of that fear, he cried out to his Lord, and was not forsaken.

Matt 14:31
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Hmm, so faith has something to do with this. If my faith is wavering, I too will look at my surrounding circumstances and experience fear. Let me tie one more scripture in.

James 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Wow, talk about a nutshell. I wonder if James was thinking of Peter's experience when he wrote that. I find that when I am double minded, I am extremely unstable in ALL my ways. Singlemindness is the key. Focus is a key. Abandonment is a key. Faith is a key. Yielding is a key. All of these unlock a door labeled "Jesus."

John 10:9
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

There is NOTHING in our lives that is too difficult for Him. I challenge myself to walk toward the deep water and get wet above the ankles. Somehow I sense that when the water is over my head, my Lord is already there, walking on the water, and waiting with an extended Hand. I can picture Him, at just the right moment, ( like maybe when the "Jaws" theme starts playing ) coming up to me, and saying, "Hey Carol, wanna go for a walk?" Oh, me of little faith!! I thought He'd never ask!!

Wanna join us? ( smile )

God Bless You All!!
And remember..
Jesus loves you and I do too!

In Christ!!
Carol
Justaservn@aol.com

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