The Still Small Voice (and other devotionals)

The Still Small Voice

In the last three devotionals, we have looked at principles on how we should respond when our life is in crisis.  The last principle is found in  1 Kings 19:11-12,

Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD."  And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

If your life is in crisis today, you need to remind yourself how God leads.  Do not look for it in outward, powerful manifestations—the strong wind, an earthquake, or fire.

Rather, listen for that "still small voice."

That is how Jesus speaks to us today.  Read carefully the words of John 16:13,

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."

God has given you and me His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.  And, friend, when God leads you, it is going to be through the still small whisper of the Spirit in your heart.

Yet many people want more than that.  Some people think, "I'm in a desperate situation.  I need something more!"  You and I need nothing more, because through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we have God on the inside.

So if God is going to guide you, He is going to do it from within…through that still small voice.

~Bayless Conley~

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What Is There to Fear?

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1

My dog Buddy is a consistent source of insight and amusement in my life. For you animal lovers, you know what I am talking about. God's creatures are simply unique and amazing in wonderful ways. My dog is all of those things to me and I am amazed at how the Lord teaches me certain messages through Buddy. For example, my husband and I had taken Buddy out to some property where deer and coyote roam freely. Buddy was quick to take off, running through weeds so high that all I could see is the white tip of his tail. He crawled through a barbed-wire fence, jumped over a creek, and dragged himself through thickets and brush that left him covered with briars. He was in heaven, loving every minute of his excursion, and without a care of any danger seemed to enter his mind. Later that evening when we got home, I heard Buddy whimpering outside near the back door. I thought he was hurt or that something was wrong with him. What was wrong? There was a twig lying on the concrete and he was afraid to step over it.

One minute my dog was walking through the jungle with no fear; the next, he was whimpering over a twig. Why? Because his fear was based on something unknown and unfamiliar to him, though we know that a twig is far more harmless than plowing through rattlesnake weeds out in the country. How often do we allow fear of something harmless to stop us in our tracks and keep us from going forward? How often does the Lord look at us and think we look ridiculous (as I did of Buddy)? We so often let the fear of the unknown keep us from having all that God has for us.

Do you have fears in your life that stop you in your tracks? Are you consistently afraid of the unknown? Sometimes we are far more comfortable in dangerous places just because we are familiar with them. Let's be willing to be uncomfortable sometimes and let the Lord truly lead us. The Lord tells us to trust Him and to step out in faith. The Lord promises to protect us, regardless of where we go with Him. Just as I was watching Buddy closely, just in case that twig jumped up at him—the Lord is always watching out for us too.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~

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Looking for Him

"Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation"   (Hebrews 9:28).

This is our hope. He to whom we have already looked as coming once to bear the sins of many will have another manifestation to the sons of men; this is a happy prospect in itself. But that second appearing has certain peculiar marks which glorify it exceedingly.

Our LORD will have ended the business of sin. He has so taken it away from His people and so effectually borne its penalty that He will have nothing to do with it at His second coming. He will present no sin offering, for He will have utterly put sin away.

Our LORD will then complete the salvation of His people. They will be finally and perfectly saved and will in every respect enjoy the fullness of that salvation. He comes not to bear the result of our transgressions but to bring the result of His obedience; not to remove our condemnation but to perfect our salvation.

Our LORD thus appears only to those who look for Him. He will not be seen in this character by men whose eyes are blinded with self and sin. To them He will be a terrible Judge and nothing more. We must first look to Him and then look for Him; and in both cases our look shall be life.

~Charles Spurgeon~

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Paying an Extra Price

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, that I might finish my course” Acts 20:24

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you pay a price—some extra time in the morning—to get into the Word of God? Do you pay the price of being ridiculed because you keep your Bible on your desk in the office or bow your head and thank God for His gracious goodness to you when He gives you a meal? Are you willing to be different? Will you finish your course?

When you’re running this race, you’re going to find out that you’re running right against the grain. Don’t get the idea that there’s the broad road and the narrow road, and the narrow road runs alongside the broad road, and over there a bunch of people are going this way, and over here you’re going in the same direction.

No, there’s the broad way, and here you are, right in the middle of it, going the other way. Against the grain. What we believe starts at a different source follows a different course ends at a different conclusion …and there is a price to pay.

ACTION POINT:

Frankly, today we don’t like that idea of a “price to pay.” We say, “Well, I’m saved by grace, and so I’m just going to float on into heaven on flowery beds of ease.” No. A disciple is one who follows his master, obeys his master, and there is a price to pay.

~Adrian Rogers~

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Protected

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 29:1-11

David's situation isn't a good one as we come to 1 Samuel 29. David, the man God has chosen and anointed to be the next king of Israel is aligned with the Philistines and getting ready to go to war against his own nation. Neither king Achish or David think this is a problem, but Achish's men think differently and demand that David not take part in the battle. As I took in this passage, I was struck by God's goodness and how He protected David through the demands of Achish's men to remove him from this situation.

God has done the same for me a number of times. The most memorable time of protection was quite a number of years ago when I was getting ready to start a new job that was going to require me to put in massive hours away from my husband. I knew in my heart that the situation wasn't the best for me, but was blinded by the prestige and large salary that came with the position. Right before I was supposed to start, a complication arose and I could no longer accept the position. I was devastated, but looking back now I can see that God was protecting me and my marriage. As I write this today, I am grateful. Thank you, God!!!

When has God stepped in and protected you? What does this chapter show us about God being a loving Father who watches over us? 

~Tami~

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Ephesians 1:14

The earnest of our inheritance.

Oh! what enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what delight of heart is experienced by that man who has learned to feed on Jesus, and on Jesus alone. Yet the realization which we have of Christ's preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at the best. As an old writer says, "'Tis but a taste!" We have tasted "that the Lord is gracious," but we do not yet know how good and gracious He is, although what we know of His sweetness makes us long for more. We have enjoyed the firstfruits of the Spirit, and they have set us hungering and thirsting for the fullness of the heavenly vintage. We groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption. Here we are like Israel in the wilderness, who had but one cluster from Eshcol, there we shall be in the vineyard. Here we see the manna falling small, like coriander seed, but there shall we eat the bread of heaven and the old corn of the kingdom. We are but beginners now in spiritual education; for although we have learned the first letters of the alphabet, we cannot read words yet, much less can we put sentences together; but as one says, "He that has been in heaven but five minutes, knows more than the general assembly of divines on earth." We have many ungratified desires at present, but soon every wish shall be satisfied; and all our powers shall find the sweetest employment in that eternal world of joy. O Christian, antedate heaven for a few years. Within a very little time thou shalt be rid of all thy trials and thy troubles. Thine eyes now suffused with tears shall weep no longer. Thou shalt gaze in ineffable rapture upon the splendor of Him who sits upon the throne. Nay, more, upon His throne shalt thou sit. The triumph of His glory shall be shared by thee; His crown, His joy, His paradise, these shall be thine, and thou shalt be co-heir with Him who is the heir of all things.

~Charles Spurgeon~