God's watchful Care

Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? (Isaiah 40:27)

• The Good Shepherd is watching over us.
   
• Even though we cannot see Him, He can see us.
   
• He knows us by name.
   
• He knows all about us.
   
• We are the sheep of His pasture.
   
• God promises that He will seek out His sheep, feed them in good pasture, and bind up the broken (Isaiah 40: 12,14,16).
   
• We can trust in God’s watchful care.
   
• We can trust in God.
   
• He cares for us.
   
• He keeps our souls.
   
• Our heavenly Father watches over us.
   
• The Lamb who died to save us is the Shepherd who lives to care for us.
  

Make People Feel Welcome

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)

• Let us give a warm and cheery welcome to those who come to us.
   
• Whether we are at church, in the neighborhood, or at social gatherings, let us make others feel welcome in our world.
   
• In Romans 12:13, Paul instructed his readers to be “given to hospitality.”
   
• The book of Hebrews said, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels” (13:2).
   
• By showing gracious kindness to those who come our way, we echo the Savior’s invitation for salvation, which declares, “Let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely”.
   
• To show someone loving hospitality might just be the first step in showing that person the way to heaven.
   
• Let us live so that when people get to know us, they will want to get to know Christ.
  
  

God's Strength In Our Weakness

Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! (Psalm 31:9)

• The songs that mean the most to us give expression to our deepest feelings.
   
• Many of the Psalms were born out of struggle.
   
• They capture our disappointments and fears.
   
• Yet they always point us toward the faithful love of God.
   
• Here in Psalm 31, David wrote of a trap set for him, his own sin, abandonment by friends, and plots against his life.
   
• But David’s hope was not in his own strength, but in God.
   
• This Psalm invites us to pour out our hearts to God.
   
• God has stored up His goodness for those who trust in Him.
   
• We will not have to face life alone.
   
• When we grow weak in our struggle, God’s strength will prevail.
   
• When in our deepest need, always find God’s comfort in the Psalms.
  
  

The Man Believed In Jesus

So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him
- John 4:43-54 -

If a prophet has no honour in his own country, why did the Lord Jesus return to Galilee? He was born in Judea, but Galilee was recognized as His country.

We cannot be certain why the Lord Jesus went to Galilee.

It was probably to avoid the crowds at this stage of His ministry.

The Galileans welcomed the Lord Jesus as a miracle worker. But they did not truly honour Him.

The Lord Jesus returned to Cana.

A nobleman came from Capernaum, some twenty miles distance, desperately seeking help.

He may have heard of the miracles of the Lord Jesus at Jerusalem, and he needed a miracle for his son.

The response of the Lord Jesus to the nobleman may have seemed harsh as he pleaded with Him to return with him to Capernaum. But the Lord wanted this man to trust in Him.

He told him to return home where he would find his son alive and well.

The nobleman believed the word that Jesus spoke to him.

He had no evidence that his son was well, but he took the Lord Jesus at His word, trusting in Him.

Travel was not easy in those days, and it was the next day before he reached home.

His servants met him to announce that his son was indeed well, having recovered the previous evening.

The nobleman found that it had been at the precise time that the Lord Jesus had said that his son was alive.

The nobleman and his entire household came to faith in Christ.

It is not easy to take the Lord at His word in times of deep anxiety.

But we must learn to do this, casting all our care upon Him because He does care for us.

Are we beset by doubts or tormented by fear? Are anxious thoughts robbing us of our joy in Christ? Come now to the Lord Jesus and unburden our heart to Him. Trust in Him. He cannot fail because He is God!

Look At The Fields

Lift up your eyes and look at the fields - John 4:27-42

The disciples had gone to Sychar to buy food.

On returning, they were amazed to find the Lord Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman.

They urged Him to eat, but He told them that He had food of which they did not know.

This food was to do the will of the Father who had sent Him into the world, which at this time was to bring the Samaritan woman to salvation.

This food gave Him nourishment and satisfaction.

The disciples had been in the Samaritan city with their minds set on obtaining food, rather than on evangelism.

The Lord Jesus challenged them, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

The harvest for grain may have been four months away but the harvest of precious souls was ready for gathering in now!

The Samaritans came to hear the Lord Jesus and many believed in Him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

They urged Him to stay with them and He remained at Sychar for two days.

The Lord Jesus had sent His disciples to reap, but they did not see the ripened harvest.

Like them, we often miss opportunities to witness to those we meet as we go about our daily business.

Let us prayerfully look on the ripened harvest fields and speak to needy souls around us.

We will be surprised to find people whose hearts the Spirit of God has prepared to receive out message.

The most unlikely people are often those who respond to our witness. That is reward enough. But there will be eternal rewards not only for those who reap, but also for those who sow and at present see little reward for their labours!

Are our eyes on the fields which are ready to be harvested? Are we praying that God will use us to lead sinners to Christ? Do we know how to load a soul to the Lord Jesus?