DAILY DEVOTIONALS
Each day, the Brook Cherith adds devotionals and scripture verses
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
In the darkest and most trying hours of our life, we need not fear because our God is with us. The rod and the staff are symbols of God’s care as a shepherd. Our comfort is drawn from His watchful care and protection, even in the most dire of situations.
Psa 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
When we bring our burdens, our cares, our worries to God, He will sustain us. He will keep us and support us. The promise God makes to us is this: If we will bring our burdens to Him, give them to Him, then He will keep us safe. We will not be moved, not shaken.
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
The real reward of this Christian life is life without end. That is the promise held out to us again and again. This eternal life is found by believing in Jesus Christ and then living in Him. Let’s keep our eye on the goal.
Pro 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
Hatred, ill will and bitterness spoil everything. Where love is, life is good. Even the finest things of life are spoiled by ill will, hostility and hatred. Many people chase many things they think will make their life good, while neglecting the most important ingredient. Let’s make sure we pursue that which will make life good. Live in love.
Deu 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.
We all want a good life. We all want good things for our families. The path to a good life both for us and our children is the path of obedience. We need to take careful heed to God’s commandments so that it may go well for us and for our children. Continue faithful in this unsettled time.
Psa 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
The better we know God, the more we will trust Him because He is altogether trustworthy. God has not, does not and will not forsake those who seek and trust Him. Determine to know Him better and trust Him more.
Exo 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Another precious promise of rest! It is the presence of God that brings us peace and rest. It is the assurance of His care, His love and His mercy that brings us rest. He has promised that His presence would go with us. We are entering some uncharted territory, but we can go forward confidently knowing God is with us.
Psa 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
What safety! The Lord doesn’t just check on us from time to time; His angels are camping out around us, surrounding us, all the time. Not only are they present, they are active in giving us the help and deliverance we need. Trust Him.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
The idea of seeing God means to be in His presence in eternity. It is only those who are pure in heart that will have that privilege and that destiny. To be pure in heart means to have the right attitudes and the right motives for what we do. It is more than just doing right…it is doing right for the right reasons.
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Oh how much our Lord is worthy of praise!! Everything that was created in this world was created by Him and for Him. We need to keep a proper perspective on this life. We also were created by Him and for Him. Let’s allow our hearts to well up in awe to the Creator God.
Isa 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Though we may go through the fire and the floods, we are promised that God will keep us safe. There are many things in life that we have to go through. We don’t always get to avoid the difficult places in life. God doesn’t always spare us difficulties, yet He has promised that no real harm will come to us. Trust Him. Live confidently no matter how the future looks.
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
We are sometimes tempted to hide our identification with Christ in this hostile world. Sometimes we fear rejection from those around us. This passage brings us a sobering thought. If we won’t be identified with Jesus here, neither will He claim us in that great Judgment Day. In that hour, only one thing will matter: Will Jesus claim us as one of His? Identify fully in this life as one of His, so there can be no doubt in that hour.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
The enduring of trials and temptations is rarely pleasant. The self denial necessary to stay faithful through these trials and temptations can be painful at times. Yet we have the promise of the crown of life that the Lord has reserved for those who love Him. Truly, when we endure these difficulties and temptations, we have a great blessing in store.
Jer 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
We are just pilgrims passing through this land on the way to our home. Yet, we are encouraged to seek the peace and well being of the country we live in, for in doing so, we also be able to experience that peace. Pray for our nation.
Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
It is a painful thing to fail. We are tempted to deny or ignore our failings. Such an approach never leads to good things. We are encouraged to be open before God, acknowledging our failings, our sins. It is this approach that brings the mercy of God on our life.
Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
We are encouraged to experience the goodness of God. It’s one thing to hear of God’s goodness, it’s another to experience it. God’s goodness is experienced by our trust in Him. One who trusts in God is blessed, and the experience of that blessing is to taste and see that God is good.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
In this unusual time, my prayer is that we continue to hunger for righteousness, hunger and thirst to have our life conformed to the image of Christ in every way. There are a lot of desires in this life that go unfulfilled, but this is one we can have satisfied. Make this the pursuit of your life and you will have a satisfying life.
Psa 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
I am thankful that God does not hold a grudge. When we repent, He forgives, and His favor, His blessing returns to us. We are reminded that though the night may be long, and our sorrow intense, morning light does break again. With the dawning of the new day, hope springs again and joy returns. Hold steady, the light of the morning is near.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
How often we simply don’t know what we need to know! Let us humble ourselves and seek God of all wisdom for that we stand in need of. Notice that God doesn’t berate us for our lack of knowledge, but instead gives abundantly when we humbly seek Him.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
We always get in trouble when we think we know better than God. Too often when confronted with what God’s word says, one will respond, “Yes, but…”. This is not only dangerous, it is also evil. We need to acknowledge in everything that God knows best and humble follow Him.
