A Strong Tower

 

I have been somewhat discouraged lately with attempting to keep up with my school and all, and even though I am busy, I need to write devotions as well as rely on the Lord. 

 
 

Lk.14:25-30  And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.   For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?  Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,  Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

 
 

We can see here in these verses that God was instructing his disciples, then and now, that we cannot truly be His unless we take up our cross, our burden,

that he has given to us, and bear it, begging him to give us the strength to bear it.     

 
 

Some such as the rich man was not willing to take up their cross, which Jesus said was neccesary if they were to follow him.  So the rich man with sorrow, went

back to his riches;  he wasn't willing to part with them. 

 
 

And as we take up our burden, we have a fortress we can run, that we can turn to. 

 
 

 In the center of difficulty He is the center of protection. 

 
 

 
 

For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
Psalms 61:3-4 (KJV)

 
 

 

This Same Jesus

This Same Jesus

And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there; 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Matt 27:31-44 (KJV)

This is amazing to me. What could the spotless Lamb of God see in us that He could possibly desire? Nothing. But He did it out of love. He, Lord of the Universe, Author of it all, decided to come, and swept across the vast expanse of time and eternity, so that He could bear our sins. So that He could carry them

upon Himself.

This same Jesus lives and reigns today and will help us to be patient and to love other peoplen when we seriously don't feel like doing so.

This same Jesus as the angels announced to the disciples after they watched Him ascend into heaven, will return for those that have accepted him

and fled from this world and its pleasures and vices.

Will we make our nail-driven, spear-riven Redeemer proud of us? Will He be able to say well done?

It is impossible for us to wrap our minds around eternity. But it is good for us to attempt to do so. Because this present life can not even compare.

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Acts 1:11 (KJV)

Elijah's Parting 2 Kings 2

This is not following along with my regular devotions, but I just had to bring out what I had learned

from 2 Kings 2:7-17 today.

In 2 Kings 2:7-17, Elijah and his servant (apprentice), Elisha were travelling to the Jordan River in order that Elijah might meet his Master.

When Elijah and Elisha got to the Jordan, Elijah took up his mantle (cloak), and smote the water, and they parted as they had at the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea. And just as the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea to journey into the Promised Land, Elijah crossed the Jordan to journey there as well.

When they had crossed the river, Elijah asked Elisha whether there was something he could do for him. 2 Kings 2:9-10 Elisha replied to 'let a double portion of thy spirit fall upon me.' Elijah replied that it would be a hard thing, but not with God, for with Him are all things possible.

As they were speaking, a fiery chariot came and parted them. 2 Kings 2:11-12 Elijah watched the chariot ascend into heaven, and rent his clothes in two pieces at his distress.

He then picked up the mantle of his earthly master, and walking back to the Jordan, smote the water, saying, 'Where is the Lord God of Elijah?'

The waters parted, sybolizing the transfer of God's hand upon Elijah to that of His servant, Elisha.

When Elisha returned to a group of prophets, they said unto him, 2 Kings 2:16-18 Let 50 strong men go and search for your master. Perhaps the spirit of the Lord has taken him upon some mountain, or taken him to some valley. Elisha refused to give them permission, until he could bear it no longer, and gave in. When the strong men returned from their search after 3 days, they gave their report: Elijah was nowhere to be found.

In verse 18 Elisha asked them saying, 'Did I not say, go not?

Elisha knew what had happened. He had seen Elijah taken from him. With him there were no discrepancies. He had seen the hand of the Lord, and he had seen his earthly master taken away. For this reason, he had said there was no point in searching. God had and will do what is best. We have no need to worry or fear. Or to doubt His word.

When He says that He will do something, He will do it. And we can rest in this.

The Rising Fallen

When those persecuted for their faithfulness
Stand before their Redeemer,

And He asks them what they have accomplished
For Him

Will they be able to say with full confidence
For Thou O Lord, we did these things, and not
For we ourselves.

Lord, the things we did were
Done with all of our heart and all of our soul.

And we did these things not for our own
Selfish gain, that others would look upon us
As being something when we were nothing.

He looks at us with his nail-scarred hands
His eyes full of love and compassion,

And says, “Well done, thou faithful servant.
Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

And so doing guides us down the streets of gold
Leading us to the mansion he has prepared for each of us.

The Lord has need of all Christians to
Serve Him.

And if we don't when we are besieged by the
Temptation and turmoil of the world
Fight valiantly for the kingdom,

And if we don't witness, leading others to Him,
When we know we should.

Not praying, not loving, not caring,
Not relying upon His strength.

Then the invaders may break into the city
Of our hearts and lives, and utterly tear
Down all that was left standing there before.


But once, we are humbled, lying on the ground
Of humility then we can see where we went wrong.

We can see what is important in this life and what is not.

We can cry to our God,
Who hears, and will help us to
Rise.

Then, we, who love Him,
Can fight valiantly for His cause,

With His assistance we can overcome
All odds, all difficulties, all tribulations.

The Lord loves us, and looking at us
From where we lay bleeding on the ground,
Encourages us to get up and fight
This time with His armor.