Trust God, and Persevere in His Service

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Saturday & Monday, February 7 & 9, 2009
Devotions: Ps 23, 27, 75-77, 80; Is 57:3-58:12; Gal 5:25-6:18; Mk 9:14-41

YHWH is my Shepherd; He provides me with rest, food, healing and righteousness. Even when I face death itself, I have nothing to fear: God is with me. Lord, Your rod and staff comfort me. You bless me right in front of my enemies; You pour our Your Spirit on me; my cup overflows! Goodness and love pursue me all my life, and I will live in God’s house for ever.
When the wicked assail me, God defends and protects me. All I want is God, and I want to live in His household forever. In God’s house, I sing songs of praise to Him! Lord, keep teaching me Your ways, and lead me on a level path, I pray. I wait for You.

There is no reason to be haughty—credit is to God for all that is good. He is Judge of all; in God, I will rejoice forever. I will meditate on God and on His word and His ways. Let me grow in the capacity to commune with my heart and search my spirit. God’s way is holy; His deeds are incomparable. He is Master of everything. Lord, let Your face shine upon me and restore me. Rest Your hand on me and steady my way, my Savior!

Let the children of perdition come before the Holy One. Serving other gods is the way of death and hopelessness. Serving YHWH is life and health and peace. God rests with those of humble, contrite heart and spirit. God is my Healer, and I live in His peace! He gives no credit for empty ritual or human religious activity. Here’s what God really wants: free people from sin; share with the hungry; clothe the naked; treat others as you want to be treated. Then your light and healing with come speedily, and God will be your Guide and Guard. Honor God and keep His commands.

Let us live and walk by the Holy Spirit. Seek to restore the sinful; share the big burdens, and shoulder your own personal responsibilities. Learn the Word, and share with your godly teachers. Don’t get tired doing good; you’ll reap a harvest at the proper time if you don’t give up; sow to the Spirit and leave the outcome in God’s mighty hands. Do good to all people, especially those in the family of believers. Our glory is in the cross of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. We are His new creation! Peace and mercy to all who honor Him, and God’s grace be with our spirits.

When Jesus and the three apostles returned from the mount of His transfiguration, they found a crowd gathered with the other disciples. A man approached Jesus; he had a son who had been demon-possessed from childhood, whom the disciples were not able to help. Jesus rebuked the father’s lack of faith and the disciples’ lack of power, but He cast out the demon and restored the son. Later, the disciples questioned Jesus about their incapacity to exorcise the boy; He replied, ‘This kind of demon can only be driven out by prayer.’ [Some texts add: ‘…and fasting.’]
As Jesus and His party continued on their way, He continued to teach them that He would be delivered into the hands of men who would kill Him—but He would rise from death on the third day. They couldn’t understand what He was teaching them. When they arrived at their next stop, Jesus asked His companions what they were discussing on the road; they didn’t answer, because they had been bickering about who among them was the greatest. Jesus had a sit-down session with the Twelve: ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.’ Putting a child before them, He continued, ‘Whoever receives one child in My name also receives Me—and whoever receives Me receives the One Who sent Me.’ John spoke of a man the apostles had rebuked for casting our demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus replied: ‘Don’t forbid him; those who do good in My name can’t turn around and criticize Me; whoever is not against us is with us! Whoever does a good turn because of Me will by no means lose his reward.’