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Posted on 04/30/2021 10:23:24 PM PDT by JustAmy
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I’m going to try!
Such a lovely color. Hopefully you’ll find one.
Bible in a Year:
Peace, be still!
In Papua New Guinea, the Kandas tribe awaited with excitement the arrival of New Testament Bibles printed in their language. To reach the village, however, the people bringing the books had to travel on the ocean in small boats.
What gave them courage to travel across great waters? Their seafaring skills, yes. But they also knew who created the seas. He’s the One who guides each of us across our life’s churning waves and deepest waters.
As David wrote, “Where can I go from your Spirit?” (Psalm 139:7). “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; . . . if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (vv. 8–10).
These words would resonate deeply with the Kandas, who live on an island nation whose tropical coasts, dense rainforests, and rugged mountains have been called “The Last Unknown.” Yet as believers there and everywhere know, no place or problem is too remote for God. “Even the darkness will not be dark to you,” says Psalm 139:12, and “the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
On stormy waters, therefore, our God speaks, “Peace, be still!” and the waves and wind obey (Mark 4:39 nkjv). So, don’t fear life’s deep or turbulent waters today. Our God safely leads us ashore.
Reflect & Pray
What tempts you not to trust God? What do you need to trust Him with today?
Dear heavenly Father, You rule life’s winds and waves, and I thank You for guiding me safely to shore.
Read Navigating the Storms of Life at DiscoverySeries.org/HP061.
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Bible in a Year:
Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake, is vast and magnificent. Measuring one-mile-deep and nearly 400 miles (636 km) by 49 miles (79 km) across, it contains one-fifth of all the surface fresh water in the world. But this water is largely inaccessible. Lake Baikal is located in Siberia—one of the most remote areas of Russia. With water so desperately needed for much of our planet, it’s ironic that such a vast supply of water is tucked away in a place where not many people can access it.
Although Lake Baikal may be remote, there is an endless source of life-giving water that is available and accessible to those who need it most. When at a well in Samaria, Jesus engaged a woman in conversation, probing at the edges of her deep spiritual thirst. The solution to her heart-need? Jesus Himself.
In contrast to the water she had come to draw from the well, Jesus offered something better: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14).
Many things promise satisfaction but never fully quench our thirsty hearts. Jesus alone can truly satisfy our spiritual thirst, and His provision is available to everyone, everywhere.
Reflect & Pray
Where are you seeking fulfillment or satisfaction in life? Why is the search for true satisfaction impossible apart from Christ?
Loving God, thank You for the life You provide and the purpose and meaning You give to me. Teach me to find my truest satisfaction in You and Your love.
To learn more, listen to “The Woman at the Well,” DiscoverTheWord.org/series/the-woman-at-the-well/.
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Gotta love it! LOL!
It’s a favorite of mine!
Love the Boop meme!
😀
Lovely kitty! Pretty green eyes. 🙂
Thank you. She is a real sweetheart of a semi-feral who has been here since she was about 2 months old.....with her mom and siblings.
Me Too!
BOOP! :-)
Bible in a Year:
If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.
After Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, he parachuted into the Russian countryside. A farm woman spotted the orange-clad cosmonaut, still wearing his helmet and dragging two parachutes. “Can it be that you have come from outer space?” she asked in surprise. “As a matter of fact, I have,” he said.
Soviet leaders sadly turned the historic flight into antireligious propaganda. “Gagarin went into space, but he didn’t see any god there,” their premier declared. (Gagarin himself never said such a thing.) As C. S. Lewis observed, “Those who do not find [God] on earth are unlikely to find Him in space.”
Jesus warned us about ignoring God in this life. He told a story of two men who died—a rich man who had no time for God, and Lazarus, a destitute man rich in faith (Luke 16:19–31). In torment, the rich man pleaded with Abraham for his brothers still on earth. “Send Lazarus,” he begged Abraham. “If someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent” (vv. 27, 30). Abraham got to the heart of the problem: “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (v. 31).
“Seeing is never believing,” wrote Oswald Chambers. “We interpret what we see in the light of what we believe.”
Reflect & Pray
What do you believe about the existence of God and the reality of Christ’s resurrection? How do your beliefs affect your day-to-day choices?
Father, I pray today for those who don't yet believe in You. Draw them by the gentle power and love of Your Holy Spirit.
Bible in a Year:
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
Caden, a young man of almost eighteen, was anticipating attending his first choice of a college on an academic scholarship. He was involved in a campus ministry in high school and looked forward to participating in a similar ministry in the new environment. He’d saved money from his part-time job and also had an excellent lead on a new job. He’d established some great goals, and everything was coming together exactly on schedule.
And then in the spring of 2020 a global health crisis changed everything.
The school let Caden know that his first semester would probably be online. The campus ministry was on hiatus. The job prospect dried up when the business closed. As he despaired, his buddy glibly quoted words from a well-known professional boxer: “Yeah, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Proverbs 16 tells us that when we commit all we do to God, He’ll establish our plans and work things out according to His will (vv. 3–4). True commitment, however, can be difficult. It involves an open heart to God’s direction, along with a willingness to resist charting our course independently (v. 9; 19:21).
Dreams that don’t come to fruition can bring disappointment, but our limited vision for the future can never compete with God’s all-knowing ways. As we yield ourselves to Him, we can be certain that He’s still lovingly directing our steps even when we don’t see the path ahead (16:9).
Reflect & Pray
What disappointment changed your plans for the future? What can you do to seek God’s guidance today?
Loving and wise Father, help me to trust You even in my disappointments knowing that You’re a good and faithful God and You’ll establish my steps.
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That cat looks like my folk’s cat Fluffy.
Checking in while on lunch break at work.
Only 3 more hours to go.
Hope the rest of the afternoon goes fast and smoothly so you can get home and put your feet up!
Awwww...
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