2007 July « No Other Rock

That Burden of Yours

July 27, 2007 at 3:25 pm | In Awake My Heart, Blessings, Christ, God, Prayer, Serving the Lord, faith | Leave a Comment

Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. ~ Psalm 55:22

Note: This devotion is for July 19

What a great line! In thsi sense, burden is referring to the burdens of the heart. And there is only one true resort to true relief from such burdens.

What is even more important to note is the realization that the scribe of this psalm is David. He was a king. Therefore, even the highest in our earthly land cannot escape burden. How then, are the lowly to persevere when even the mighty struggle?

The first thing we must know is that the words “Cast thy burden on the Lord,” do not stand alone. They are coupled with the promise of “And He shall sustain thee.”

While handing the burdens over to God won’t simply make them go away, He will sustain us. He will remove the weight, the drag, the guilt, the bitterness, the saddness . . . the messy stuff.

Remember, He desires to carry not only you, but your burdens of the heart.

Today, I pray that you and I will cast thy burdens on the Lord.

Mysteries Versus Certainties

July 27, 2007 at 9:00 am | In Awake My Heart, Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Ponders, Prayer | Leave a Comment

The secret things belong unto the Lord our Godl but those which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. ~ Deuteronomy 29:29

In this verse, there are two realities mentioned: the Secret and the Revealed.

Some things are not revealed to us – in fact, they are withheld – for the purpose of discipline and development. Enough is made known to make faith intelligent, yet enough is reserved for the aforementioned reason.

This may sound a bit odd, but I sometimes find myself in envy of those who recently pass. No, I don’t have a death wish and I hope I live on this earth a very long time, but I find myself a bit jealous that they are in on the secrets. Things like birth, life, our personalities, the entire human experience, the universe, eternity, heaven, even death itself – - all things I wonder about. And as I look upon those folks who have left this earth either in presonal retrospect or even at a viewing or funeral . . . I can’t help but wonder of their souls.

I wonder if they are saved, if they are hanging out with Christ and if all those things are revealed to them. Then I wonder how their minds could even begin to process that what we cannot even fathom.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will remember (or realize) the fact of Christ is a certified historical and significant fact.

David Anointed as King

July 26, 2007 at 9:17 pm | In Awake My Heart | Leave a Comment

And they anounted David king over Israel. ~ II Samuel 5:3

Note: This devotion is from July 17.

What happened when David was fully a king?

Victory over an indwelling enemy.
Overthrowing of the citadel of the Jebusites at Jebus.
Jebus becomes Jerusalem.
Great feasting and joy (I Chron. 12:38-40)

What happens when Jesus is really crowned king? Victory.

Today, I pray that you and I make Jesus the king of our lives.

It Costs to be a Christian

July 25, 2007 at 10:00 pm | In Awake My Heart, Bible, Blessings, Christ, Christian, Serving the Lord | Leave a Comment

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ~ II Timothy 3:12

Note: This devotion is from July 16th . . . yes, still behind.

“A young man came to D.L. Moody and said ‘Mr. Moody, I want to be a Christian; but must I give up the world?’ Moody characteristically replied, ‘Young man, if you live the out-and-out Christian life, the world will soon give you up.’ If we are popular with the crowd of worldlings, or if we are not penalized in some way for our attachment to Christ, we have good cause to inspect our discipleship.”

Today, I pray that you and I will meditate on this and conform not to the ways of this world.

Descipleship – Secret or Open?

July 25, 2007 at 10:30 am | In Awake My Heart, Blessings, Christ, Christian | Leave a Comment

A disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews. ~ John 19:38

Note: Today’s devotion is for July 15.

“The Only Christian discipleship which really overjoys the heart is that which is open, public, unashamed.”

Today, I pray that you and I will be just that.

New Light on a Dark Subject

July 25, 2007 at 7:00 am | In Awake My Heart, Bible, Blessings, Christian, God, Providence, Savior, Serving the Lord, soul | Leave a Comment

Blind from birth. ~ John 9:1

Note: This devotion is for July 14. Wow. I’m still behind.

The hardest sufferings here may be leading to the highest ministry there.

In far-off lands is a pathetic thing
A child is being trained to be a king.
His teachers, looking far ahead, can see
What things a king will need to know. So he
Must put his cherished toys away,
And study when he longs to run and play.
But one day, looking back, remembering,
He will be glad he learned to be a king.

So I, through all my sorrow, yet can sing,
I too am being training to be a king!
For if with Hi we suffer we shall reign,
Co-heirs with Him our Lord! I need this pain,
Unfit am i, unlearned and knowing nought
Of how to reign, and so I must e taught
Of how to reign, and so I must be taught.
And if, because of this my blindness here,
It sometimes seems that kingly lore comes dear,
Yet well I know, the blessed day will come
When I, form pain and sorrow free, at Home
At last, will be so glad that God would deign,
So patiently, to teach me ho to reign.

~ Martha Snell Nicholson in Wings and Sky

Today, I pray that you and I will take the time for our training.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

July 24, 2007 at 10:15 pm | In Awake My Heart, Bible, God, Prayer, Serving the Lord, purpose | Leave a Comment

Believe also in Me. ~ John 14:1

Note: This devotion is for July 13.

Faith is more than believing in the pardoning of our sins. Faith is more than seeking answers to our prayers. Faith must also be in Jesus Himself . . . even when our problems are unsolved . . . even when it seems our prayers are answered.

Wouldn’t it be nice if everything had an explanation?

As Utopian as that may sound, would there ever be any schooling of faith if that were the case? Would we ever learn to trust our Lord?

Today, I prayer that you and I will seek education through our trials and trust in Him.

What Greater Honor?

July 24, 2007 at 9:05 pm | In Awake My Heart, Bible, Serving the Lord | Leave a Comment

But rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. ~ Luke 10:20

Note: Today’s devotion is for July 12.

“Those first evangelists must have marveled again and again at the ‘mighty works’ which Jesus wrought; but even greater must have been their wonder when they found themselves doing the same exploits – cleansing lepers, curing paralytics, straightening cripples, healing diseases, and expelling demons.”

But not all of us are granted such gifts. That’s where Luke 10:20 comes in. Here are the implications:

First, they are corrective – to those of outstanding powers and gifts. In truth, such gifts are of little comparison to the eternal privileges granted to even the humblest of Christ’s people.

Second, they are consolation to the untalented. The Lord’s love to us individually is never to be measured solely by the natural or spiritual gifts which He here assigns to us.

Third, they are incentive to His people. All names are written merely in the earth for a time – but the names written in heaven are forever.

Today I prayer that you and I will take comfort in His words. May they strengthen us when we are weak. May they guide us when we are weaker.

The Old Song and the New

July 24, 2007 at 8:05 pm | In Awake My Heart, Bible | Leave a Comment

The LORD is my strength and song; and He is become my salvation. ~ Exodus 15:2

Note: This devotion is for July 11 – WOW! I am behind!

This passage is one of those where you have to really look at it and know something about the way it is written. As Baxter teaches in today’s devotion, let’s look at the order. First, “The Lord is my strength and song,” and then “He is become my salvation.” First, we make Him our “strength” which is amid trial. He is then our “song” even before deliverance.

But also not that the word “LORD” is all capital in letters – which indicates that in the Hebrew original, it is Jehovah – distinctively His redemptive and covenant name. The etymology indicates a literal meaning of “the self-existent One who makes Himself known.”

Wow. Never would have known any of that without today’s devotion.

But let’s look further. These words occur in the EXACT order three times in Scripture. First, in Exodus 15:2. Second in Psalm 118:14 and finally in Isaiah 12:2.

In the first instance, it is salvation from Egyptian slavery. In the second, it is restoration from Babylonian exile. In the third, it is in the final regathering from world-wide scattering at the end of this present age.

Read further still: In the first instance, salvation is effected under the leadership of Moses – the prophet. In the second, restoration is effected under Ezra – the priest. In the thirst, final regathering is to be effected by Messiah Jesus – the King.

Today, I pray that you and I will look closely at scripture and ask in His name for clarity of understanding.

Clank, Clank, Clank!

July 15, 2007 at 8:00 pm | In Awake My Heart, God, Providence, Serving the Lord, purpose | Leave a Comment

He had been often bound . . . and the chains had been plucked asunder by him. ~ Mark 5:4

“There is an old proverb which says, ‘You can change many things, but you can never change nature.’ It is time the old proverb itself be changed, for in the light of the Gospel it is wrong. The Lord Jesus changes our very nature. he does even more: He gives us a new nature. Ah, that is the kind of Saviour we need; and that is the kind of Saviour Jesus is (p. 208)!”

Today, I pray that you and I will ask God to change our nature for His purposes.