A Hurting Word...
Mama was a preacher! Well, Daddy was too--and that's how they met! You see, she was a single lady evangelist; he was a bachelor pastor--he arranged for her to speak in his church, and to make a long story short, they spoke their "I do's" shortly after, and for nearly fifty years, Mom became a very effective "speaker" in the Coletti home!! Her words of wisdom, advice, humor, encouragement--AND scolding--will long be remembered!
As will her sermons! Infrequently, she would be a "pulpit fill-in" and I would hear this "ball-of-fire" mom of mine preach up an old-fashioned Pentecostal storm! When Mom preached, people listened! She had a favorite sermon called "The Five Nots" and I recalled it as I prepared for this devotional! And so Mom and I are going to preach this one together (and she's been in heaven for nine years now!).
What would Mama say if you told her to "tie a knot and hold on?" She'd laugh, and with a twinkle in her eye, she'd say, "Well, you can if you want to--but bless God, I'm going to "TAKE a PROMISE and PRESS ON!" She pressed on to the portals of heaven, a faithful servant of the Lord. And now it's up to us--how will we react to circumstances of life? We have two choices--we can tie a knot and hold on, hoping we'll survive--OR we can go to God's Word and turn the trial around into a positive praise for the Lord!
Does this make sense? It did for a friend of mine this week. Going through "empty nest syndrome" as his son left for college, he felt sadness and grief. He saw the Boy Scout uniform still hanging in the closet--and that's when he lost it! Now what's he to do? Tie a knot on his rope of hurt, and hang on, hoping it will slowly go away? NO! He's going to e-mail his son with words of love, wisdom, encouragement, humor. He's going to pursue a new, deeper relationship with that son, and he's going to make it! Way to go, Dad--proud of you, good friend!
Now you may not have a child that's left your nest empty, but there's other "stuff" that's got you not coping very well. You're "down 'n out," and about ready to let go of the rope, and hang it all! Don't let the devil do it to you! As my pastor so frequently says, "What the devil means for harm, let the Lord turn around for good!" So hang the rope! Come with me to the Well, for the Lord has a word for you today!
A Helping Word...or Two!
FORGET NOT!...It's His Word! God's promises, already proven in your life, are your strength! In times of trial, go to the Word. Ask the Lord to bring alive a special promise from His blessed Word. Then take it, believe it, and press on!
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's (Psalm 103-1-5 KJV)."
FEAR NOT!...It's His Word! God's presence, already proven in your life, is your companion! In times of fear, know that He walks with you. Again, ask the Lord to bring alive a special comfort from His blessed Word. Then take it, believe it, and press on!
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee. Be not dismayed; for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness (Isaiah 41:10 KJV)."
FAINT NOT!...It's His Word! God's power, already proven in your life, is your strong tower! In times of discouragement, know He is the One you can lean on. You CAN depend on Him for strength in your weakness. That strength is found in the power of His Word. Take it, believe it, and press on!
"And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (Galatians 6:9 KJV)."
Tie a knot and hold on? No way! Child of God, you can do better than that--if you will TAKE a PROMISE and PRESS ON, you will see the arm of the Lord mighty in your behalf--for HE'S got a "FAIL-not" promise, especially for you!
""Blessed be the Lord, who hath given rest unto his people, Israel, according to all that he promised; THERE HATH FAILED NOT ONE WORD OF HIS GOOD PROMISE, which he promised by the hand of Moses, his servant (1 Kings 8:56)."
"HOLD ON" one more minute - grin - for a careful reader just wrote to remind me that there are only FOUR "nots" in the supposedly FIVE-not sermon......and now while I "fret" about that, I remember that is the fifth knot - FRET NOT - so if you are fretting about anything today, FRET NO MORE - give it to God; let Him turn your fretting into faith--and look up--for HE is there!
"'Twas the Night before Easter!" - popular parody at Peggie's Place! . . . More Easter resources
