Based on “Spiritual Boot Camp and the Journey of Life” by Pastor Mark Balmer;
10/4-5/08, Message #2460; Daily Devotional #3 - “Only Believe”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): For Christ followers, the thought of struggling through life without God’s Word, His grace and mercy, and the Holy Spirit would be the most desolate life we could imagine, if you could call it life at all. And yet at times we can be just like the Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea and God began to test them. We can grumble, complain, and turn away from trusting the One who has delivered us in the most amazing way, or we can realize that our God has not changed and is firmly in control. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) He will make our paths clear as we trust His leading and obey what He tells us. Like the Israelites, we get euphoric and stand tall on the mountaintops when God has just parted our Red Sea, but we can crash and burn when the trials of life come at us like a category 5 hurricane; that is until we learn to trust and obey.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:8-11) We often disappoint not only God but also ourselves when, like the Israelites, we fail a test the Lord has given us. But as the above Scripture states, we must remember that it is God’s counsel that is instructing and teaching us, and His unfailing love that will literally surround us when we trust Him. This alone should bring us back to the realization that we are to give our trials over to the Lord and trust in His ability to bring us out of them. God tests us (Exodus 15:25), and God allows times of tribulation (John 16:33) to come, but through it all He matures our faith and in so doing, hardens us to difficulties (Isaiah 41:10).
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8, AMP) We do not have to live in despair like those without faith. As Christ followers we will always have another day to sing with joy bursting in our hearts ---- Only believe!
Cultivate (Additional Reading): Lamentations 3:19-26
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Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
New King James Version = NKJV, Amplified Bible = AMP.