Do They See It?

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." - Psalm 40:1-3


Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior?  Has Christ put a new song in your heart and mouth?  Does your life show forth praise unto Christ?  Finally, the most important question is: do other people see it?  The Psalmist says that God will bring us up out of our pits, He will bring us up from the miry clay of this wicked world, He will plant our feet on a rock (Jesus Christ), He will establish our path, and He will put a new song of praise in our mouths.

Have you recently experienced a setback in your life?  Have you been in one of those horrible pits or bogged down in the miry clay?  If you are going through a valley in your physical or spiritual life, look for what the Lord is trying to teach you.  Don't murmur or complain against the Lord concerning the state that you are presently in.  You must view your valley, your trial, your pit, as an opportunity to be drawn closer to Christ and an opportunity to show others the new song that has been put in us.  The Psalmist tells us in this passage that when we do these things that many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.  Do you realize that the world is watching you when you go through the fire to see how you will respond.  The world is watching to see if Jesus Christ is as real to us as we say He is.  The world is watching to see if you really believe what you tell them you believe.  If you will allow the pits, valleys, and trials in your life to show forth the praise of Christ it will cause people to not only see it but it will cause them to trust in Him.

I want to challenge you to view your failures and disappointments in life as an opportunity to be drawn closer to Christ and then an opportunity to let others see the praise of Christ in our lives.  Life is difficult and the journey can cause us to grow weary, even jaded.

Will you view your failures, disappointments, and setbacks as an opportunity to let others see Jesus Christ in your life?  Is Christ as real to you as you say He is?

Prayer For Today:

Heavenly Father, help me this day to let others see your praise in my life.  When I suffer setbacks, when I have failures and disappointments, may I see it as an opportunity to be drawn closer to You and to let others see You in my life.  I pray that you will help me to see what You are trying to teach me through the tough times in my life.  I desire You to be so real to me that others will see it, and fear, and trust in Christ.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Casting Our Care Upon Him

"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." - 1 Peter 5:6-7


Do you ever feel weighed down by the burdens and cares of this world?  Do you ever feel like you do not have the strength to go on?  If we are honest, we all have days where we feel this way.  However, the Lord never intended for us to carry our burdens by ourselves and face our battles alone.  Yet, that is exactly what we do, we try to carry our burdens on our own shoulders and not turn them over to the Lord.

God is a tremendous source of strength and support if you will call upon Him.  When we grow weary in our walk, God will give us strength.  When we feel there is no hope, the Lord reminds us of His promises to us.  When we are grieving, the Lord will comfort us and make His presence so real to us.

If the demands and burdens of this world begin to get you down, you must not rely upon your own strength or abilities.  You must totally rely and depend on the Lord to get you through your trial and lift your burden from you.  The Lord Jesus Christ will go every step of the way with you through whatever you are facing.  He will not only hold your hand through it all, but when it seems you can no longer go on, He will carry you through.

"Faith is not merely you holding on to God, it is God holding on to you." - E. Stanley Jones


I am so glad that I am not holding on to Christ, but that Christ is holding on to me!

Prayer For Today:

Heavenly Father, I know that You will never leave me nor forsake me.  You have promised to go through every trial with me.  You have promised to take every burden from me.  No matter what the day may bring and no matter what I may face, thank you for Your strength, comfort, and love.  Help me today to cast all my cares upon You.  In Jesus name, Amen!