Devotional:Remember God's Provision and Promises

Remember God's Provision and Promises

Part 3 on Discouragement

By Marsha Iddings

 

Numbers 21:4-5 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

 

Here we see the Children of Israel becoming discouraged because the way was difficult.  They have forgotten God's promises to provide for them and to bring them into the Promised Land.  They have also forgotten how God provided for them in the past.  He parted the Red Sea for them.  He drowned the pursuing Egyptians in the Red Sea.  He provided water from the rock and manna and quail to eat.

 

When I get discouraged I have usually forgotten how God has provided for me in the past.  I have also forgotten His promises to care for me now and in the future.  Sometimes I am dissatisfied with how He is taking care of me in the present, because it's not how I expected to be taken care of.  Many times God provides what I need but not what I want.  I think this was the problem with the Children of Israel.  They got what they needed but not what they wanted and they became discouraged.

 

When discouragement sets in, look back and see how God has provided for you in the past, then look forward into His Word and rest in God's promises for the future.

 

Dear Father, We are often near-sighted when it comes to Your promises and we are blind when it comes to seeing Your past provisions.  Give us sight that we might see these things.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

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Sufficient Grace Publishing has just been launched.  I have one book published and ready to purchase titled "Finding Fulfillment in God when My Arms wereEmpty".  It's a book about infertility.  My next book will be available soon.  It will be titled "Sufficient Grace for Suffering Saints" and is a forty day devotional with blank journaling pages for you to write your own thoughts and prayers.  My storefront address is: http://www.lulu.com/Marsha-Iddings

 

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This is a weekly devotional. Feel free to forward this to your friends.

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Announcing Sufficient Grace Publishing

I would like to let all of you know that I have just launched Sufficient Grace Publishing.  I have one book published and listed for sale now.  It is titled: "Finding Fulfillment in Him When My Arms Were Empty".  It is the journal of our struggle with eight years of infertility.  My purpose for writing it is three-fold:

1. to validate the emotions that an infertile couple have
2. to help friends and family members to support the couple better by helping them see what is helpful and what is not
3. to encourage the couple to find their fullfillment in God alone

 

You may view a preview of the book at http://www.lulu.com/Marsha-Iddings

 

I have a devotional/journal that will be coming out soon.  It is forty days of devotions with blank lined journal pages after each one for you to write your own prayers and reflections.  Check back often as I plan to be adding other titles as time goes on.

 

Marsha

Devotional: Remember God's Purpose for Things We Can Not Change

 

Remember God's Purpose for Things We Can Not Change

Part 1 on Discouragement

by Marsha Iddings

 

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

 

We all get discouraged at times. This is when we need to step back, and take a hard look at what is causing us to be discouraged.

 

In the verse above we see that Rachel became discouraged because she was resenting a situation that she had no power to change.  She envied her sister's ability to bare children.

 

I think about how often I have found myself in a circumstance where I have no power to change what is happening.  I have even been in this same situation where I was unable to have children for a period of eight years.  I became very discouraged during that time, but as I began to learn to trust God with it, I see where it was for my spiritual good.

 

Perhaps you are in a difficult situation in your life right now.  Something that we need to do in these circumstances is to figure out what is changeable and what is not.  What can you do about the situation? What can you not change?  Do what you can do to make things better, but realize God is allowing the non-changeable things in your life for His good purposes.  Trust Him with those things that can't be changed and rest in His Providence, knowing that He has your spiritual good in mind as well as the good of those around you who are watching.

 

Dear Father, Sometimes we don't understand why You allow things into our lives that we have no control over.  Help us to trust you with the unchangeable things in our lives.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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This is a weekly devotional. Feel free to forward this to your friends.

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If you would like to be removed from the list send an email to truthsetsfree@clarkston.com with "remove" in the subject line.

Please Visit Me on the Web
http://www.geocities.com/pugmoose/Marsha.html

 

Devotional: Wild Turkeys

 

Wild Turkeys

by Marsha Iddings

 

Isaiah 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

 

Every year we see wild turkeys in my parent's yard. In the spring the tom turkeys puff out their chests and fan out their feathers, strutting their stuff to impress the female turkeys. 

 

Dividing my parent's yard from the neighbor's yard is a row of trees and shrubs that are fairly close together.  One day the turkeys all decided to go through there to the other yard.  The tom turkeys, with feathers all fanned out, confidently strutted into the shrubs only to find that they couldn't get through in all their proud finery.  They had to back up out of the shrubs and lay their feathers down in order to get through.  Humiliating indeed!

 

Isaiah tells us the consequences of pride.  Everyone that is proud and lifted up will one day be brought low.  It is our natural tendency to be proud in some form or another.  We think more highly of ourselves than we ought.  James says, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."  I am afraid that many times I am like a wild turkey, strutting my stuff, but then finding that in order to receive grace I must put my feathers down in humility.

 

Dear Father, I have been convicted of pride as I think on these verses.  Forgive me for my pride and help me to be humble before you and others.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

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This is a weekly devotional. Feel free to forward this to your friends.

If you would like to be added to the email list send an email to truthsetsfree@clarkston.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

If you would like to be removed from the list send an email to truthsetsfree@clarkston.com with "remove" in the subject line.

Please Visit Me on the Web
http://www.geocities.com/pugmoose/Marsha.html