Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Getting Back Down The Mountain Safely

Date: Wednesday, July 08, 2015
Chapters: Psalms 141-145
Message Title: Getting Back Down The Mountain Safely

Hello My Friend,

Life is often like climbing mountains, you see something, get up the nerve to take a step and start climbing to get it. Some mountains have nice, smooth paths, while others are rough and jagged, but once you reach the top you feel like you can do anything. It's coming down the mountain that often has the biggest challenges it seems easier to get back down. It's how we handle those challenges coming down, or rather who we have with us, that determines whether or not we truly have the victory. We may be able to climb a mountain on our own, but to truly get the victory we need Christ. “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” - Mark 11:23,24.

I have to say that this has been one of the most blessed years that God has given me in a long time, every year is a blessing, but some just flourish, and this is one of those for me. I have reached the mountain top with God, and let me tell you, it certainly has been a challenge coming back down. It is said that if you serve God you are always in a position to seek day by day His daily bread, and that could not be further from the truth. The devil is continuously throwing all kinds of obstacles in my path to keep me from getting off the mountain and telling the world what God has done. He's not stopping me, he has gotten me take a few steps back sometimes, and that's when God shows up. “LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.” - Psalms 141:1-4.

When you choose Christ, the devil will throw all sorts of obstacles in your way to slow you down, things like people, opportunities, temptations, distractions, and afflictions. We must climb our mountains with God daily so that our heart does not get tangled in the deception of the devil. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” - 1 Peter 5:6-9.

To be honest, we have the same mountains to climb up and down as those who reject Christ do. God is not a respecter of persons, good, bad, life, death, joys, and pains come from all walks of life whether we are saved or not. The difference between us and them, we have Christ, and while our flesh may get caught in the traps of the devil, Jesus has our soul, and he can't touch that. We can't always see God when we get caught in the devil's snares, but He will show up when we do all we can humanly do and just cry to God. “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” - Psalms 143:1-6.

Let's face it, no matter how strong our faith in God, we are going to mess up, and in the blink of an eye, we can plummet down the mountain. I will admit that I have made the wrong judgment on a few things in my life this year, and I started sliding. Thank God, He grabbed a hold of me and reminded me that I better stop before I do something really stupid. You know, God does let us fall sometimes, He allows it so we can be reminded that He never lets go. He may let us dangle on the edge of the mountain, and let us get a little bruised, but He's always there to pick us up and put us back in the right direction, after He cleans us up. “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” - Hebrews 12:9-11.



Sometimes when we come down from the mountain and seem to face one challenge after another, it may well be that it is God putting the challenges before us. When we reach the top of our mountain, I mean actually get to see God answer a prayer that we have been waiting so long for, we can lose sight of God as we come down to enjoy the victory. Perhaps we unintentionally stop giving God the glory as we come down, or we stop asking Him for His help or maybe we stop giving Him first place over our victory. Whatever the reason why, God has decided to place an obstacle, sometimes many, on our way down to show us that He is still around and we need at all times. “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.” - Psalms 145:8-12,17-20.

God loves His people, He never lets them go, and has an ample amount of mercy and grace to sustain them all. Are we always going to acknowledge Him and keep Him first in our lives? No, we are going to get so wrapped up in our mountain that we neglect Him. And when that happens we can expect some challenges, and really the challenges have nothing to do with our faith, I mean we know what God can do for us. It has everything to do with someone else seeing what God has done for us, and seeing that soul surrender to Christ. It's all about the glory of God and adding one more soul before Jesus returns to destroy all the wicked. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.

Today's Prayer: God, It truly is amazing how blessed I am, while I may complain that something is not going my way, You are quick to remind me of all that You have done for me this year and every year. It's so easy to neglect You when I am trying to come down the mountain, and I am sorry that I have been. I know that Your hand is in everything that I am going through, and I thank You for Your mercy and grace in helping me through the wrong judgments I have made. You got me to the mountain top and as I climb back down You know the challenges I am facing, You allowed them all. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me the wisdom to know how to handle each obstacle, the strength to endure the challenges, Your power to resist the devil, Your hedge of protection around me to get me down safely. And give me Your mercy, grace, and patience to get to the bottom and declare Your glory to all the world. In Your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Subscribe: Daily Devotion
Ready To Follow Jesus?: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.