Call out to God for correction and guidance!

8/1/2019

“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore, do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds but His hands make whole.” Job 5:17-18 NKJV

Do not put too much emphasis on one biblical doctrine at the expense of another. For instance, God is sovereign over all of creation. He also gives us the freedom of choice. These two doctrines may seem to contradict each other. They do not.

The bible describes Satan as the prince of the air and king of the earth. The bible also tells us God is the ultimate authority over heaven and earth.

Satan cannot inflict pain or suffering on God’s people without permission. He is a pit bull on a leash. God can let his leash out a little bit. The Lord can also pull back on the leash.

God’s greatest judgment is to leave us to ourselves. Left to ourselves we would live in hopelessness and despair in this life and eternal separation from God in the next!

The theme of my prayer life has been to plead with God not to leave me to myself. I tried living that way for thirty-two years. It did not work. God answered my prayer.

Jesus kept me from shame and disgrace when I set my heart on evil. The Lord also allowed me to suffer the consequences of my poor choices. Jesus let the leash out at times. He pulled back on the leash at other times.

At a prayer gathering for men I asked the Lord to correct me. Afterwards a brother expressed astonishment that I would ask God for correction. He said it was a very scary thing to ask. I disagreed. It is scarier to think God would leave me to myself!

The psalmist wrote; My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

The psalmist cried out for God’s presence. It is a desire that cannot be fulfilled without His intervention. It includes correction and chastisement. God must bruise us and wound us to have His way with us. Jesus will not leave us that way. He will bind us up and make us whole if we trust Him with our lives!

Ask the Lord not to leave you to yourself. Do not despise the correction and chastisement of Almighty God. Jesus may bruise you and wound you. He will bind you up. If you trust Jesus with your life the Lord will make you whole!

There is a way that seems right to a man. It is wide, well-traveled, full of potholes and wild dogs. It leads to death and destruction. God’s way is far better. The road is straight and narrow but not free of strife and sorrow. People who travel the road Jesus walked are led safely into the arms a loving God.

Which road will you travel? Almighty God is sovereign. You have the freedom to choose!

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Louie Garcia

Joyfor2day daily devotional goes out over the internet to thousands of people all over the world five days a week

Jesus can use you to shake the foundations of the prison and set people free!

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out that very hour. Acts 16:16-18 NKJV

The slave girl was speaking the truth. She was possessed by an evil spirit. The evil spirit was drawing people away from Christ!

This attack came as God’s servants went to prayer. The enemy of our souls attacks when we step out in faith. Satan seeks to distract us. He wants us to focus our attention on things other than Jesus.

The devil perverts the truth. He uses it against us. No one can serve two masters. This girl was speaking the truth about Paul and his companions while practicing witchcraft. When people claim to speak for God we must consider how they live.

The girl followed the disciples for several days before they cast the demon out of her. It is important for us to wait on the Lord before stepping out in faith. The bible tells us Paul was greatly annoyed by this girl. Paul was not fearful. The Lord was with Him!

Paul and Silas were put in jail. The owners of the slave girl were angry at the loss of income when the demon was cast out of her. While Paul and Silas were in jail they shared the gospel with the jailer. His entire household was saved.

God uses Satan’s attacks for His glory and our salvation!

Satan is a real being. He takes people captive to do his will. There really are demons who seek to destroy God’s people and bring destruction to our world.

We have nothing to fear from the devil or his demons when we live according to God’s will. We have nothing to fear from anyone or anything when we step out in faith to serve Jesus!

Jesus wants us to fear Him and Him alone. He wants us to know His power and authority are unequaled in all of creation.

God wants you share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in your life. Jesus wants you to walk in great boldness because He is with you everywhere you go!

Jesus can use you to shake the foundations of the prison and set people free!

Call out to God for correction and guidance!

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Louie Garcia

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