The Zoo Kids

The Zoo Kids
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Friday, May 22, 2009

Soul Rest

Read Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8 - My soul is secure in Christ alone and cannot be shaken!

Read Luke 6:46-49 - The foundation of my life is laid upon the Rock! He is what keeps me safe when storms beat against me in life. I dig down deep into the Word of God and as I put into practice what He shows me He gives me stability and strength. My hope is in His promises and not in my life circumstances because I know there is a life beyond this short one that is eternal.

But some would say they don't trust there is a God because their lives are messed up! Jesus never promised easy street! He promised us to be our strength and stability WHEN the storms of life beat against us! He promised we would face tough times on earth, but that we could find rest in Him because He has overcome the world and everything it has to throw at us (Jn. 16:33). He promised that all men would hate us because of Him, but as we stand firm in our faith through the persecution we will find Him to be faithful and true (Mk. 13:13). Nowhere in His Word do we find a promise of easy street, but that as we go through tough times on earth He will be with us, protect us, and will see us through troubles not out of them (Jn. 17:15).

My soul finds rest in the Lord! I put my hope in His promises! I believe in Him and I belong to Him! And because I know He is eternally faithful and sees me through His perfect love I can also know I am eternally secure, cannot be shaken, nor can anyone or anything snatch me out of His hands (Jn. 10:26-30). He has a two-fisted grip on me and will not let me go!

So many people in our world are uneasy in life! They live feeling they are missing something, that there has to be more to life than what they are experiencing, and they go through life unsatisfied and uneasy. The only way to find rest in life is to find the soul rest David writes about in Psalm 62:1-8. David was not writing from easy street - he was writing from the midst of a difficult time. Yet his soul was at rest in the promises of his loving and faithful God.

Soul rest comes from knowing you have salvation in Christ and you have an eternal home in heaven regardless what happens to your body on earth. Soul rest comes from knowing - believing and belonging to - the Way, the Truth, and the Life - Jesus Christ - the Only Way to the Father (John 14:6).

Because of my Savior and my Rock, Jesus Christ, upon who I am building my foundation, I am secure and cannot be shaken!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

"Where you from boy?"

"Where you from boy?" How many times did I hear that when I first moved from Alabama to Texas. People there knew my accent gave me away and I often heard, (enter your best western drawl here) "You're not from around these parts, are ya boy!?!"

Over the years I have not forgotten where I have come from. I was born a Georgia boy and spent the majority of my life living and being raised in Alabama. I am proud of being from Alabama and yet something within me has always held on to my Georgia roots. I guess I am a Georgia boy whose roots extend mostly in and through Bama. I can live with that!

I have also tried to remember my spiritual roots as well. I believe that I am totally depraved, which means that there is nothing at all in me that is good apart from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He is my strength, my source, my everything! Without Him I can do nothing! With Him I can do all things! I try to remind myself of this often!

King Saul is a good example of what happens when we forget where we come from (physically and spiritually). Saul was chosen to be the next King from among the least of the least of the tribes of Israel (1 Samuel 9:21). When the time came for him to be anointed before the people he was cowering among the baggage and had to be brought out (10:20-23a). In the beginning Saul knew he was nothing. You could say he was humble concerning his ability and strength. Yet something changed! The Lord began to work through Saul to do great things and to achieve great victories in the land. The more the Lord did through Saul the more Saul became full of himself. Eventually Saul stopped following the Lord's plans and did what he thought was best (1 Sam. 15). Saul became so full of himself that he began going throughout the land building monuments to himself (15:12). From humility to arrogance resulting in a loss of power and most importantly the loss of the ability for God to work through him to accomplish His great plan!

Here is a great thing to remember: The Lord has a plan for your life and He is the One who will work His plan. He has a great work for you to do! He began the work within you! He will work the work in and through you! He will complete the work within and through you!

Check out these verses:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 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.

God has a plan for your life! Always seek guidance from and exercise obedience to the One with the plan! He is the 'man with the plan'! Never get so full of yourself that you believe your plan might just work better!

Philippians 1:6 (NIV) ... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God has had a plan for you all along - before you were ever born He knew you! He who has had a plan for you all along has now begun that plan and will carry it to completion - He will complete it! Follow His plan!

Philippians 2:13 (NIV) ... for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

God is the One working in you to do the right things! We do the work of the One who sent us - seeking the Lord, the lost, and the least! He will work in and through us to achieve His plan for our lives as we seek Him (with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength) and seek opportunities to share with the lost and help the least (those in need). He is working! Let Him work!

Psalm 138:8 (NLT) The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

You can be confident that the Lord will work His plan for your life! He is forever faithful and He will never leave you nor forsake you! Be brave and courageous!

Never forget where you are from! We were sinners to the core before Christ came into our lives and without Him we are just that - sinners to the core! There is only One who is righteous and it is only in Him that we find ourselves righteous before God the Father in heaven. In and of ourselves we can do nothing, but in Him ... watch out! We can do all things in Him who gives us strength (Phil.4:13)

With humility seek the Lord, the lost, and the least! Do work (John 9:4-5) and let Him do His work (Jer.29:11; Phil. 1:6, 2:13; Ps. 138:8; Phil. 4:13).