The stock market may BE down, the rain may FALL down, the kids may RUN down (that would be NICE!)--but so help us all, when the Net GOES down, we're in trouble! Phones ring to the support desks, CNN reports a worldwide calamity, Silicon Valley comes to a dead-end stop, and we're all left in limbo--because the NET is down! Well, slight exaggeration, but if you have Internet access and it's EVER broken down, you readily identify. And you can guess what's happened--Peggie's NET access was down one day and instead of shaking and quaking, she made a devotional out of it! Right on!
Now by the time you all read this, the NET is back up--or I would be shaking and quaking in a very non-spiritual, non-saint-like manner....grin....but in the meantime, let's all go to the Well (we don't need Internet access for that!) and let's see how the Lord tells us to handle the "down" days of our lives! We all have them, they have nothing to do with the Internet, and everything to do with the inter-connection we have with our Lord! So forget the modem--just bring yourself to the Well. You won't be down for long once you meet HIM!
A Helping Word...or
Two!
STOP the panic!!
A screaming baby will get the attention of a protective parent--but screaming adults will get little pity--they certainly are no fun to live with! But scream we do when things go wrong. Now you may not be a vocal screamer but inside that frustrated spirit, the screams cry out to God--"Help, Lord, I've HAD it...where ARE you?" Well, He's there and I believe if you stop screaming, you'll be able to hear His whisper, "Be still, my child. It's all right. I am still in control of your world." And He is--whatever is going wrong today, STOP THE PANIC! It doesn't help the situation; it aggravates it, and even God can't really help us until we calm down! There's peace instead of panic--when we truly believe HE is watching and in control. Lord, help us when we're down to look up, see YOU, and know everything is going to be all right!
LOOK for His purpose!
Eyes blinded with tears can't SEE the purposes of God...and we have all been there. Well, wipe away those tears and look up! Your Lord has a purpose in the trial you are now going through. He takes pain and transforms it into His good. "All things DO work together for good" when you truly love the Lord--you can count on it. To NOT count on it is to become depressed, defeated, disturbed and DOWN to the lowest point possible. But the God who saved you has a purpose in every trial He allows to come your way. He is GROWING you into the saint you are becoming by His grace and through the "grunges" of life! Not fun--for sure, but afterward, we recognize new strength and new closeness to God, and we KNOW God has worked deeply within our lives. There's purpose in the testing--when we truly believe HE is working and in control. Lord, help us when we're down to look up, see YOU, and know everything is going to be all right!
LISTEN to His Promise!
A mouth that's talking can't listen at the same time, so when we stop the screaming and begin looking for His purpose, we are ready to then listen to His promise. We open God's Word and listen with spiritual ears--and He talks to us. He communicates His love in such a personal way that His word comes alive to our very souls. We KNOW He is speaking, and in HIS words there is peace, comfort, help and power. He IS the Word of God, and when we will truly listen to what He is speaking to our hearts, we won't be down very long. He, the Word of God, raises our hearts to heavenly places as we drink in the Living Water of His Word to our thirsty, hurting souls. Having a down day? Reach for His Word and KNOW there's a nugget of truth there for you personally this day...appropriate it and KNOW everything is going to be all right!
GO in His Power!
Spirits that are down don't move very fast--as a matter of fact, they drag pretty badly! God wants to lift up your spirit into His presence, provide you with HIS Power--and watch with delight as you RUN the race, in HIS grace and power. For our Lord has Almighty Power to pick us up from the depths of our depressed and defeated lives. He wants to pour His strength into our weakened spirits, to impart His life into our shaking souls, and to equip us to run the race with His power and might. Check your Bible and see Elijah DOWN under the juniper tree or David DOWN under the weight of his sin or Jonah DOWN in the belly of the whale. Know that their God is still God and YOUR God too. He will uplift, restore, relieve and remove you from the depths of despair--if you will let Him. No reason to stay down when the power of God is at your disposal--so get up, get on your feet and GO in the power of the Lord. He is WITH you, He will empower you, and everything will be all right!
Stop, look, listen, go--the traffic signals of a saint's journey with the Lord! There are "down days" for us all, but we don't have to STAY down. We are saints by the grace of God and God's saints may GO down but they don't STAY down very long--not when they know the Lord, the "lifter-upper" of their heads!! He is in control, so get up, dust yourself off, and GO into your week in the name of the Lord! He is in the driver's seat--and everything is going to be ALL RIGHT--and that includes, by faith, our Internet access!!
...and that's just a CONNECTING thought or two--from my heart to yours!
His Healing Words
"O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways (Psalm 139:1-3 KJV)."
"Lord, You've caught me on one of my down days, and I need Your help. First of all, help me stop the panic, then help me to look for Your purpose, listen to Your Word, and then get up and GO in Your Name. Thank You for Your divine help which I appropriate today. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
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A place to enjoy other devotionals!
I'm blessed with a wonderful "virtual web family," many close friends who not only help to keep me sane and smiling, but write wonderful devotionals. Enjoy their spiritual insights--and their sites as well!
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Additional (previously named) original source for some midis: Gilberto Barreto.
Visit this great Web site to hear beautiful tunes by many talented artists. CDs are available.
All Scriptures on this website, including all applications, etc., are from the King James Version of The Holy Bible, public domain, unless otherwise noted.
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A Hurting
Word...