Rescue the Captives
A Ministry of the Well
Heartburn or a Heartburning
“I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12
When we get up in the morning, what is the first thing we think about? Do we thank God for His beautiful creation or open the Bible longing for a word from our Lord? Maybe some people do, and if you’re one of them, I tip my hat to you. When I get up in the morning, what is the first thing I think about? To be honest, I think about food which I think is just human nature.
So let’s go a little deeper here, and talk about spiritual food for a moment. If we are willing to neglect an occasional meal because our schedule is so backed up we can’t find time to eat, that’s cool. But, wouldn’t it be great if we also were willing to neglect a physical meal to make time for the Word of God? I like what Job said about God’s Word, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” Job 23:12.
Remember those two discouraged and downhearted disciples on the Emmaus road I wrote about last week? They thought Jesus was going to establish a physical kingdom and overthrow the tyranny of Rome. But instead, in their minds at least, He went and got himself killed. So they were walking along discouraged, when a stranger joined them. Although they didn’t know it, it was Jesus himself. He spoke to them about all the things in Scripture concerning himself, and by the end of the journey, their hearts were burning again.
When He disappeared, they said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32.
We all need a good case of spiritual heartburn, and we will get it when Jesus Christ speaks to us through His Word. Then my friends is when we have what I call the “I can’t help it’s”, which will be coming to your e-mail soon!
Guide us, oh Lord, as we take time throughout this whole year to meditate on You as we wake each day and make our utmost desire be to hear from You. I'll get on my knees this morning, Lord, in quiet expectation. Amen.
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
03/29/09
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Perfect Timing
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Have you ever struggled with God’s promises to you? Has it ever seemed like there was no end in sight to the storm you were facing?
Sometimes when we are going through hardship, trials and suffering we wonder, when am I going to get through this? When is this storm cloud going to go away? When are things going to get better? We cry out how long Lord? I want it now!
It reminds me of the story of Jesus and His disciples at the Sea of Galilee, when He sent them ahead by boat to the other side. But as they were making their way across, a huge storm came along. It got worse and worse. The disciples began to see the hopelessness of their very lives.
When we read in Matthew it tells us that during the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them. Matthew 14:25. The fourth watch is that time of night just before dawn, meaning that the disciples had been at sea fighting this storm and trying to get out of it for eight long hours. Then when the storm was raging, when it seemed like it would go on forever, Jesus came to them, walking on the water.
Many times He will come to us in the fourth watch. At the moment we think we cannot go on! We pray, Oh, Lord, come through now. Do it now.
But the Lord says, Hang on, don’t worry, I will be there when the time is right.
One of the things I am learning in my walk with Jesus is that along with His will, God has His timing. Sometimes we grow anxious, sometimes we want things to happen a little more quickly than they ought to and we catch ourselves trying to force His hand.
But God has His timing. And He is never late; He has perfect timing set to His eternal watch! Ya Think?
Lord, we thank You that Your timing is perfect, even in the times we try to rush things along. Please forgive us Lord when this happens and guide us back into Your perfect timing. This we pray in the sweet name of Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
Have you ever struggled with God’s promises to you? Has it ever seemed like there was no end in sight to the storm you were facing?
Sometimes when we are going through hardship, trials and suffering we wonder, when am I going to get through this? When is this storm cloud going to go away? When are things going to get better? We cry out how long Lord? I want it now!
It reminds me of the story of Jesus and His disciples at the Sea of Galilee, when He sent them ahead by boat to the other side. But as they were making their way across, a huge storm came along. It got worse and worse. The disciples began to see the hopelessness of their very lives.
When we read in Matthew it tells us that during the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them. Matthew 14:25. The fourth watch is that time of night just before dawn, meaning that the disciples had been at sea fighting this storm and trying to get out of it for eight long hours. Then when the storm was raging, when it seemed like it would go on forever, Jesus came to them, walking on the water.
Many times He will come to us in the fourth watch. At the moment we think we cannot go on! We pray, Oh, Lord, come through now. Do it now.
But the Lord says, Hang on, don’t worry, I will be there when the time is right.
One of the things I am learning in my walk with Jesus is that along with His will, God has His timing. Sometimes we grow anxious, sometimes we want things to happen a little more quickly than they ought to and we catch ourselves trying to force His hand.
But God has His timing. And He is never late; He has perfect timing set to His eternal watch! Ya Think?
Lord, we thank You that Your timing is perfect, even in the times we try to rush things along. Please forgive us Lord when this happens and guide us back into Your perfect timing. This we pray in the sweet name of Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
Monday, April 20, 2009
Peace & Confidence in Him
I remember seeing a beautiful picture some time ago. The picture showed a stormy sea pounding against a cliff. The artist had captured the flurry of the wind as it whipped black rain clouds which were laced with streaks of lightning; the sea was roaring in turmoil, waves churning, the dark sky filled with the power of the furious thunderstorm.
In the middle of the picture, under a cliff, the artist had painted a small bird, safe and dry in her nest snuggled safely in the rocks. The bird was at peace midst the storm that raged about her. Peace is not the absence of trouble or turmoil, as depicted in the picture, for the bird had found peace, safety, in the raging storm just as we can find peace and confidence in the midst of trouble or turmoil, fear and discouragement if our focus is on Jesus.
Fear and discouragement both come from an absence of peace in our lives and an absence of peace comes from our focus, and what our focus is on. If we have our focus on the turmoil going down in our lives, at that moment our focus is not on Jesus.
The devil is a liar, a deceiver, and a attacker; he tries to distract us from the word of God, from the voice of God, from the leading of God and from following God. If he can steal our peace then he has successfully distracted us, and if we are distracted by what we are going through and we aren't looking for the solution it will go right by us. For example the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-16, were talking about the events that had just happened. They were focused on the problem and the answer was walking with them (Jesus).
Remember what God said to Moses, I am who I am. Remember what that meant? "Whatever you need me to be whenever you need me to be it." And if Jesus is who he says he is and God's work is what it says it is, why would we lean on or hold on to anything else?
John 1:5 says, "and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." If our focus is on the wrong place then we are in darkness. Let's keep our minds turned on, let's lean on, and let’s hold on to, the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.
We need to tell our problem how big our God is. When Peter stepped out on the water, his God was bigger than the storm, when Elijah called on God; his God was bigger than the trenches full of water.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. --Hebrews 4:16
We can have this total confidence in God, and we certainly can have this respect for His will. Do not expect God to perform miracles for you so you can write books about them or go bragging saying look at the new stuff I got. Do not ever be caught asking God to send you toys like that to play around with.
But if we are in trouble and concerned about our situation and willing to be honest with God, we can have total confidence in Him to supply what we need. We can go to Him in the righteousness of His Son, claiming His promises, and He will not let us down. God will help us, and we will find the way of deliverance.
God will move heaven and earth for us, his children if we will trust Him, for all we need is the faith of a mustard seed.
Thank You, Father, for the awesome splendor of this truth. It certainly is only in the merit of Your Son, that we find this peaceful confidence, but in that merit You have given us a powerful promise. Thank You that You never let us down. Amen.
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
03/21/09
In the middle of the picture, under a cliff, the artist had painted a small bird, safe and dry in her nest snuggled safely in the rocks. The bird was at peace midst the storm that raged about her. Peace is not the absence of trouble or turmoil, as depicted in the picture, for the bird had found peace, safety, in the raging storm just as we can find peace and confidence in the midst of trouble or turmoil, fear and discouragement if our focus is on Jesus.
Fear and discouragement both come from an absence of peace in our lives and an absence of peace comes from our focus, and what our focus is on. If we have our focus on the turmoil going down in our lives, at that moment our focus is not on Jesus.
The devil is a liar, a deceiver, and a attacker; he tries to distract us from the word of God, from the voice of God, from the leading of God and from following God. If he can steal our peace then he has successfully distracted us, and if we are distracted by what we are going through and we aren't looking for the solution it will go right by us. For example the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-16, were talking about the events that had just happened. They were focused on the problem and the answer was walking with them (Jesus).
Remember what God said to Moses, I am who I am. Remember what that meant? "Whatever you need me to be whenever you need me to be it." And if Jesus is who he says he is and God's work is what it says it is, why would we lean on or hold on to anything else?
John 1:5 says, "and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." If our focus is on the wrong place then we are in darkness. Let's keep our minds turned on, let's lean on, and let’s hold on to, the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.
We need to tell our problem how big our God is. When Peter stepped out on the water, his God was bigger than the storm, when Elijah called on God; his God was bigger than the trenches full of water.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. --Hebrews 4:16
We can have this total confidence in God, and we certainly can have this respect for His will. Do not expect God to perform miracles for you so you can write books about them or go bragging saying look at the new stuff I got. Do not ever be caught asking God to send you toys like that to play around with.
But if we are in trouble and concerned about our situation and willing to be honest with God, we can have total confidence in Him to supply what we need. We can go to Him in the righteousness of His Son, claiming His promises, and He will not let us down. God will help us, and we will find the way of deliverance.
God will move heaven and earth for us, his children if we will trust Him, for all we need is the faith of a mustard seed.
Thank You, Father, for the awesome splendor of this truth. It certainly is only in the merit of Your Son, that we find this peaceful confidence, but in that merit You have given us a powerful promise. Thank You that You never let us down. Amen.
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
03/21/09
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Why do we attend the church we do?
I hope it is for the right reasons where the word of God is being preached and taught and His love is shown and felt and not a church that just makes you feel good and tickles your ears.
I am writing this because God has been doing a stirring in my spirit that I just can't get away from. I have been in a dry place or you might say I have been having a desert experience as my pastor and friend would say, not for years or months, but for several weeks now. The Holy Spirit has been prompting me to reach out to others that might be going through the same thing. As an ex- biker and a lifelong trucker, I like to travel the road less traveled most of the time; you get a chance to see things you can't see from the interstate. There are many kinds of roads, old two or four lane highways, some with long sweeping turns, some with twists and curves as well as those that are flat and straight. The thing is you have the choice to take the road that fits your style of living, driving or riding.
As a Christian, God allows us to choose the road we want to take in our lives. We think we know the right road but the road we choose may not be the one God wants for us. That is why it is important to stay in God's word and always be in prayer. God has a road he wants us to travel, my road may not be yours, and yours may not be mine. But one thing is for sure the road God wants you and me to take leads to the same place. God may put us on the interstate so we can get to a certain place quickly but I don't think he wants us to stay on the interstate all the time. You know how it is on the interstate, everything is moving so fast, every car, truck and motorcycle are going by so fast you don't have time to fix your eyes or have a thought on any of them. They are all souls just flying by. Are they saved? Lost or hurting? We may never get the chance to know passing them by so quickly, but I do know on the back roads we can stop and take every opportunity to be a witness or point some other weary traveler to the Way, Christ Jesus.
When you on the road in your car, truck, motorcycle or just walking through the desert make sure you always have your light on, not just the headlights on but the light Jesus has placed in your soul. That way if you are out on the road alone you aren't really alone because Jesus is always with you. We must always let our light shine in this darkened world. So shine on my brothers as Jesus say’s in Mat 5:16 in the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Amen?
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
I am writing this because God has been doing a stirring in my spirit that I just can't get away from. I have been in a dry place or you might say I have been having a desert experience as my pastor and friend would say, not for years or months, but for several weeks now. The Holy Spirit has been prompting me to reach out to others that might be going through the same thing. As an ex- biker and a lifelong trucker, I like to travel the road less traveled most of the time; you get a chance to see things you can't see from the interstate. There are many kinds of roads, old two or four lane highways, some with long sweeping turns, some with twists and curves as well as those that are flat and straight. The thing is you have the choice to take the road that fits your style of living, driving or riding.
As a Christian, God allows us to choose the road we want to take in our lives. We think we know the right road but the road we choose may not be the one God wants for us. That is why it is important to stay in God's word and always be in prayer. God has a road he wants us to travel, my road may not be yours, and yours may not be mine. But one thing is for sure the road God wants you and me to take leads to the same place. God may put us on the interstate so we can get to a certain place quickly but I don't think he wants us to stay on the interstate all the time. You know how it is on the interstate, everything is moving so fast, every car, truck and motorcycle are going by so fast you don't have time to fix your eyes or have a thought on any of them. They are all souls just flying by. Are they saved? Lost or hurting? We may never get the chance to know passing them by so quickly, but I do know on the back roads we can stop and take every opportunity to be a witness or point some other weary traveler to the Way, Christ Jesus.
When you on the road in your car, truck, motorcycle or just walking through the desert make sure you always have your light on, not just the headlights on but the light Jesus has placed in your soul. That way if you are out on the road alone you aren't really alone because Jesus is always with you. We must always let our light shine in this darkened world. So shine on my brothers as Jesus say’s in Mat 5:16 in the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Amen?
In Christ,
Sandy Perry
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