Fear not, for I am with you

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Fear not - This was Jesus' watchword. When His disciples were in a storm on the lake, He walked to them on the water. When they saw His distant form and were terrified, He said to them, "Don't fear, it is I."

For I am with you - Jesus is the Great "I AM" of scripture. He said, "I am with you, even to the end of the world." His name is Immanuel, God with us. We find this golden thread all through the Bible: In the fiery furnace of Babylon He was with the three men who stood faithful to Him.

Don't be dismayed, for I am your God - The Hebrew word dismayed is translated: to gaze about for help; to be bewildered. When it seems as if there's no one to help you, when earthly support has failed, God has promised to be with you, come what may.

I will strengthen you - If you are in need of strength today, He has promised to strengthen you.

I will help you - If you can't see your way through the storm, He will help you.

I will uphold you - If you are sinking, He will hold you up.

Take courage, God is with you!

My God shall supply all your need

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19

The verse can be written this way also: And my God shall supply all your need (according to His riches in glory) by Christ Jesus. Our need is supplied by Jesus - from God to Jesus to us.

Paul had traveled much and heard about and seen many gods. The church at Philippi had taken Paul "under their wings", so to speak, during his ministry to them. He reminded the church at Philippi that his God, their God, is above all other gods. Sometimes we need to slow down and be reminded from whence our strength comes. Is He your God?

Psalm 50:10 says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."

Think about this: How rich is God? How needy are you? He has enough to supply ALL your need.

Thus far the LORD has helped us

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far the LORD has helped us.' " 1 Samuel 7:12

The stone that the prophet set up was a memorial in remembrance of what God had done for the nation. Especially that day had they seen His hand working on their behalf to save them from their enemies, the Philistine army. Ebenezer literally means "Look what God has done for us up to this point!"

We, too, set up memorials, usually made from some permanent substance like granite, or bronze, so that time and the elements do not erode them. Their messages are etched for us to remember.

At the start of this new day, may you set up a memorial, a reminder, as you look back and say with the prophet of old, "Up to this point God has helped me." And Ebenezer reminds us that we can go forward, because He will continue to help us and be with us.

May this day bring you courage and hope from Him who says "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

Do not let your hearts be troubled

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:1-3, 27.

Jesus' words "do not let your hearts be troubled", in verses 1 and 27, are like two bookends of comfort on either side of the story of redemption. In between the bookends He talks about heaven, a real place, with a room for each redeemed soul who puts their trust in Him. Jesus talks about the Father, to whom He will return, after His sacrifice for sin. He talks about the Holy Spirit, Whom He will send to the Earth, and the work of comfort and teaching that the Spirit will do. And then he adds, to the words in verse one, as a benediction and reminder "and do not be afraid."

We have nothing to fear - Jesus is near.

Sir, You have nothing to draw with

"Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep." John 4:11

Today's verse is part of a discussion between Jesus and a Samaritan woman, whom He met at a well. Read the entire story, verses 4-42.

Sir, You have nothing to draw with - When we think of a well, we usually picture a shaft with a spool of rope and a crank-handle, suspended over the mouth of the well. A bucket is attached to the rope, and you help yourself - it's all there. Apparently, at the wells of those days, you brought your own rope, tied it to the neck of your water jar, and let the jar down into the water to be filled. You then drew it up and went your way, rope and all. Often, a large flat stone was laid upon the mouth of the well, to keep debris etc. from entering. This is why the Samaritan woman looks at Jesus and tells Him He has nothing - He has no rope; He has no water jar; she tells Jesus that He is not able. From all outward appearances, He can do nothing, He is helpless to help her. (Lord, forgive me for taking You at face-value, without looking into Your face!)

And the well is deep - This further amplifies, in her mind, the impossibility of Jesus getting any water. She's reminding Jesus, "the water is far away from You." He isn't able to climb into this well and get the water, as He may have done, had the well been shallow. We view the difficulties around us in much the same way. Sir, the well is deep - Jesus, the obstacle is too great. You can't help me!

If we would sit with Jesus, we would find out what He is able to do.

Today, take time to sit with Jesus at your well. Have a conversation with Him. Tell Him you long for just a sip of the water that He has.

Have a spiritually thirst-quenching day!

But David strengthened himself in the LORD

"Then David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." 1 Samuel 30:6

Then David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him - David was "between a rock and a hard place", so to speak. The reason for his great distress was this: David and his 600 soldiers, fleeing from Israel's king Saul, had defected to the king of Philistia. They had taken with them their wives and children, and were temporarily living in the city of Ziklag in Philistine territory. The Philistines were preparing to go to battle against the Israelites. David and his men were ready to fight alongside the Philistines, but the princes of the Philistine nation urged their king to send David back to his city and families. When David and his warriors arrived at Ziklag, they found the city burned and their wives and children taken captive by another invading army, the Amalekites. The Bible says the men "lifted up their voices and wept until they had no power to weep." No wonder David was in trouble; his own warriors wanted to put him to death, blaming him for the capture of their families and the loss of their possessions.

But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God - there was nowhere else to turn. David had not a friend in the world, and his life was in danger. And so, instead of panicking, He turned to the only Friend he had…the One who had been his support in life. There are several ways to strengthen yourself in the Lord: prayer is one way. Another is to recall the way God has lead you along the path of life in past years. Yet another way is to do something about the situation. I'm sure David did all three. The story has a happy ending…David rallied his soldiers, chased after the enemy and regained all they had lost. Great rejoicing followed.

Do you find yourself in a desperate situation today? Turn to the Lord and He will strengthen you, and show you a way out of the situation. When all earthly support is gone, don't forget the Heavenly support!

God has not given us a spirit of fear

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1:7

The spirit of fear comes from God's enemy.

The power comes from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

Love is the first fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Gal. 5:22.

The sound mind is self-control, which comes from God being in control, which is also the last fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5:22.

May your day be bright. Put the power of this verse to work for you.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You

"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" Psalm 61:2

From the end of the earth - When you feel have reached the end; when you cannot go another step; when you are utterly down; when you feel you possess no more reserves.

I will cry to You - The psalmist likens his experience to that of Jonah, when he prayed from the fish's belly: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me." This cry is not just a call for help. It is like the cry of Jesus to His Father from the cross. There's anguish of soul; you cast yourself at His feet.

When my heart is overwhelmed - The heart is the seat of emotion. The overwhelmed heart is flooded with anxiety, fear, despair, dread. These are the things that threaten to sink the vessel, like the experience of Jesus' disciples in a boat during an incredible storm.

Lead me to the Rock - When I don't have strength to walk, lead me; When I'm tempted to run away from You, lead me gently back; When I'm blinded by the circumstances of life, take me by the hand and lead me; When I try to walk along my own path, lead me to Your way. Lead me to Stability…the Rock, the place that is firm, solid and strong. This is the essence of discipleship - to be led. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

That is higher than I - Someone to look up to. Oh, how we need the upward look when we're downcast.

The good news is God hears every such cry. He meets you in your emergency. He offers you a place of refuge. Our God is a God who hears His earth-born children when they cry for help. Take courage today!

Enoch walked with God

"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Genesis 5:24

We don't know much about the man Enoch - he is mentioned in a few verses in Genesis, from which we learn that his father was Jared. Enoch had a son, Methuselah, in the sixty-fifth year of his life. He lived three hundred more years, after his son's birth, during which time he "walked with God" and had other sons and daughters.

I wonder if he walked with God before Methuselah was born? Or did the birth of his firstborn bring him into a closer relationship with his Maker? Did he perhaps look at his helpless baby boy, and realize that he was the one entrusted to bring this baby to manhood; to instruct this son in the ways of God; to instill in him lessons of integrity that would help him cope in a wicked world? And in so doing, did he see himself in a similar relationship with God; his helplessness and God's sufficiency?

Did the birth of his other sons and daughters strengthen his walk with God? Probably so.

He is not mentioned in the list where God names three righteous men (Ezekiel 14:14), as we might expect. Luke's gospel mentions him in the genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:37).

But we do know that he "walked with God" - Genesis 5 says it twice, in verses 22 and 24.

And we know that he was translated - he went to "walk with God" forever, without seeing death.

Hebrews 11:5 gives us another glimpse of this man: "By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death, 'and was not found because God had translated him', for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."

And Jude adds that Enoch spoke to (warned) the people living in his day about a future day of God's judgment. (Jude 14 & 15).

What does it mean to walk with God? When two walk together, they are in step with one another - they agree, there's unity between them. (See Amos 3:3). So it is when we journey with God.

There's an element of faith needed to walk with God. He is so much higher than mortal man, and we must hold His hand in faith, when we can't see the entire journey plan, knowing He knows best.

To walk with God is to take one step at a time - in His strength to gain victory over the smaller issues of life, and then, as we do so, to be victorious over the larger ones as well.

It was said of Enoch that he pleased God. This is an incredible statement from God, when we think that God, the Father, said this of His Son Jesus. (See Matthew 3:17).

God wants all His earth-born children to please Him - to wake up to each new day, and be able to say, "Today I want to live in such a way as to please my Father in heaven." What an aspiration! What a life worth living! And there's all the power in the universe to help us attain that goal.

Those who are with us are more than those who are with them

"Don't be afraid", the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 2 Kings 6:16

Don't be afraid - The prophet Elisha was speaking to his servant. The king of Syria had sent his army to the city of Dothan during the night because he wanted to capture Elisha. (Read verses 8 - 23.) The prophet's servant rose early the next morning and looked from the city walls to see that an army had surrounded the city. That meant only one thing: this was an enemy, and the people of Dothan were doomed. Terror filled his heart, and he hastened to tell his master. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" The prophet reassured his servant. There was no need to fear. There were more on their side than on the enemy's. From purely a physical aspect the servant wondered how could this be? Looking down from the city walls he could see that the occupants of the city were outnumbered. But then Elisha prayed to God to open his servant's eyes so he may see. God opened the man's eyes, and when he looked, the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire. Guess who came to their rescue? God sent His forces to surround the surrounding enemy. Can you hear the servant exclaiming, "Wow!", as he looks to the hills.

So it is with you and me. God's forces, though unseen, are around us each day. If you are surrounded by an army today, whether an army of fear, or worry, or a pile of bills that need to be paid, or sickness, or rejection, or loneliness, or loss - remember: those who are with us are more than those who are with them. The enemy is outnumbered. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes to see His forces surrounding you. Their presence assures us that victory is certain!

Let us not become weary in doing good

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

Today's verse is written by the apostle Paul as part of his letter to the church at Galatia. He reminds them of their hope in Christ, and encourages them not to turn back to their old lives.

Let us not become weary - Paul includes himself, as he uses the word "us." This advice is for the ministry, as well as for the laity. We're a team. The word "weary" is translated from the Greek as "to fail in heart." Paul's advice is aimed at our spiritual and mental stamina, rather than physical stamina. And yet, to become weary is natural. If you feel weary in any way, there's regenerating power in Isaiah 40:29. Read it.

in doing good - We've been put on this earth to do good. Doing good usually doesn't lie within us. The natural person doesn't go around doing good. We are far too selfish to do that. It takes a daily anointing with God's Spirit to place us in a position to do good. Jesus set the example: "…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him." (Acts 10:38)

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up - The farmer sows the seed, but has to wait for the harvest. He has no control over the growth of the plant. It's all about patient endurance. Reaping is the reward for all the hard work of crop farming. In this fast-paced world patience is a declining commodity. Where does patience come from? Obviously not from within us, or we'd be able to generate it as needed. Paul lists it as one of the fruits of the Spirit, in Galatians 5:22. Patience is a gift from God.

We will be among the reapers if we endure and don't give up. How's your endurance level?

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." Psalm 81:10

I am the LORD your God - The first time we encounter the "I am" of the Bible is in Genesis, where He appears to Abram, and says, Don't be afraid, I am your shield. (Gen. 15:1). Notice that, first of all, He's the LORD. When capitalized this way, God's name is translated from the Hebrew to mean Jehovah, the self-existent or eternal One. Then the verse goes on to say He's "your God". We discover a theme that recurs throughout the Bible: God wants to be personal. He wants to be your God.

Who brought you out - a picture of deliverance. God is pictured many times in scripture as the One who brings us out, who delivers. I once went caving. There are several rules that apply to caving: you need to either know the cave well, or have a guide with you. Each person needs to carry an extra flashlight. If you go as a group of people, the group must not be large, and you must stay together. We had traveled fairly deep into the cave. When it was time to turn around, the group sat down and turned out all the flashlights. The darkness was enveloping! We sat there for several minutes, discussing what it would be like if we had to find our way out of the cave without a light. There were several who expressed fear, as they remembered the vertical tunnels we had encountered in the pathway on the way in. Then we turned our lights on, and our guide brought us out. Two things were apparent as we exited the cave: we were grateful for our guide, and it was a relief to see daylight again. God reminds us that He is our Deliverer, the One who brought us out.

of the land of Egypt - after more than 400 years of slavery, the descendants of Jacob, who would later become the nation of Israel, were delivered from the bondage of Egypt. The word "Egypt" was loathed! It was equated with everything that had stripped them of freedom. We, too, have had our "land of Egypt" experiences. But we don't have to remain enslaved.

Open your mouth wide - the picture is of someone being fed. Have you watched an infant being fed? Until they can handle a spoon well enough to nourish themselves, they are dependent on the one feeding them. All they need to do is open their mouth each time the spoon arrives. It demonstrates trust. This is our part.

And I will fill it - this is God's part. Notice that He fills the open mouth. I will not lack anything; I will have abundance! With what will He fill your mouth? With food. Whatever food you need, He will supply. He says, "I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20)

We've got to recognize who God is, and what He's done for us in delivering us from the slavery of sin. Once we do that, then we can trust Him, and He fills our mouths.

Today, are you content with just the aroma of food? Do you want only a taste of food? Or do you want a mouth full of food? God is waiting, spoon-in-hand.

The people who sat in darkness saw a great Light

"The people who sat in darkness saw a great Light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned." Matthew 4:16

Our verse today is quoted from Isaiah 9:2, as Matthew writes his account of the life of Jesus, who came and brought light to Capernaum by the sea at the start of His ministry on earth.

The people who sat in darkness - Isaiah renders it "the people who walked in darkness." There's quite a difference between sitting in darkness and walking in darkness. You and I can find ourselves in either condition, and both are quite hopeless, if one stops to think about it. To be sitting in darkness brings to mind a picture of one who has given up entirely. Darkness has swallowed this person up and they have stopped moving - all they can do is sit. To be walking in darkness presents a picture of one who is groping around, feeling their way in the dark, bumping into objects and trying to go somewhere, without success.

Saw a great light - The time before Jesus came was a time of gloom and darkness. It was similar to the state of things at the creation of our world, when all was dark. Then God said, 'Let there be light' and there was light. When Jesus arrives, there's always light. Thank God for the One who brought Light to a sin-darkened world. It is again a time on earth before Jesus returns. There's lots of darkness. People don't have hope, because they don't have Jesus.

If you've been sitting or dwelling in the region of darkness - the shadow of death - lately, look at the eastern horizon: Light has dawned - what a blessing!

May the Light of heaven shine on you and on your path today.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23:6

Remember what we noticed in verse 1 of this Psalm: it is a personal account of what Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has done for His flock - you and me. It's all about Him, and His incredible love for us, demonstrated by what He does for us. With that before us, we conclude the Psalm.

Surely - Not maybe, or perhaps; this is an exclamation of the definite!

Goodness and mercy - these are God's attributes. When Moses asked to see God's glory, the LORD said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you…" Exodus 33:19. And when God passed in front of Moses, He said, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, patient and full of goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands … " Exodus 34:6,7. What a God! (Write the words "goodness" and "mercy" on a piece of paper, then put as many meanings to these two attributes of God as you can come up with. You'll be amazed at what you find out about God!)

Shall follow me - The Shepherd walks ahead of His sheep. God's goodness and mercy, like a rear guard, follow the flock. The writer of the Psalm has learned, by experience, to trust God. And so he makes the statement that God's goodness and mercy shall (future) follow him. We have nothing to fear for what lies ahead, because we can look back on everything Jesus has already done for us along life's road.

All the days of my life - my allotted time; for as long as I have breath in my nostrils. It is a sure thing that the goodness and mercy of Jesus will accompany us throughout our earthly journey.

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever - This is both a hope for the future (by use of the word "forever"), and a conscious decision on our part (will dwell). "Dwell" is an interesting word; it means to live with, remain with - as a continuous presence.

Finally the sheep have a home. No more do they need to experience the shepherd locking them up safely for the night when he goes home. They are with Him forever! And there is no more night!

As a sheep, I anticipate looking out across the flock, to see you there one day - by His grace!

"You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over."

"You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over." Psalm 23:5b

The Psalmist David knew about shepherding sheep. At the end of the day it was customary for the shepherd to station himself at the door of the sheepfold, where he would examine each sheep as it passed. He would especially examine the head for injuries. When he noticed a sheep with an injury on the head, he would pour a little oil on the wound, thus anointing it. The oil had healing properties, and the sheep would soon be well again.

You anoint my head with oil - After the banquet table, mentioned in verse 5a, there's something the Good Shepherd does for the Psalmist - he anoints his head with oil.

Anointing the head was done for prophets, priests and kings, this act symbolizing the setting apart of the individual for special service. So, in a sense, the Psalmist moves from dining at the Lord's table to serving Him in some capacity. David was anointed king several times during his life.

Further, it can be said that the Psalmist receives the oil from the Shepherd to help heal the wounds inflicted by his enemies (the enemies mentioned in verse 5a) - and David had many enemies!

My cup runs over - David receives so many blessings from the hand of the Shepherd that his cup overflows with blessings. It's good to count one's blessings every now and then. Are you counting yours today?

You prepare a table before me

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies …" Psalm 23:5a

This is the time of rejoicing, after the valley experience. This is when the psalmist walks out of the valley, and into the Light and Sunshine! He starts climbing out of the valley, to the heights of the mountain. It is then that he notices the table!

But it's not just a bare table. This is the banquet scene - the Good Shepherd has prepared a loaded table, to which He invites David. Can you picture it? The tablecloth, the silverware, the plates and dishes, the glasses, the bowls full of delicious food.

The banquet is prepared, and God is the Host - He's the One who does the serving!

This reminds us of another table, later in time, in an upper room in Jerusalem, where Jesus did the serving. First he washed the disciple's feet, even those of Judas, thus teaching His disciples lessons of humility, service, and heaven's gracious love. Then He served the meal.

It's one thing to sit at a table full of good food - but it's quite another to dine in the midst of one's enemies! It's as if God shows the enemy what He's doing for His sheep!

And one day, when our journey on earth is over, we will be ushered in to a banquet hall in heaven, where Jesus again will serve His redeemed people. He said, in the upper room, "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:29)

Are you making plans today to be at that table?