The Lord Is With You

 

The Lord Is With You

ISAIAH 43:2

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you go through the rivers,

they will not overwhelm you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be scorched;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

Because the believer is called by The Lord's Name there is no cause to be afraid, nor is there any reason to be fearful of anything or anyone.

Exodus 3:12 "I will be with you."

Deuteronomy 31: 6 "Be strong and courageous."

Psalm 23:4 "The Lord is with me."

Psalm 73:23 "I am always with You."

Matthew 28:20 "I am with you always."

    Just because you may not be hearing God's voice when you want to does not mean He is not right there with you while you go through dark or shadowy valleys. He is always with us. He is our Good Shepherd, The One Who leads us beside still waters where we can drink freely in peace. The One Who guides us along rock strewn paths and dry deserts: He is still with us. The One Who feeds us from His own table in the presence of our enemies.

    The One Who fills our cups so full with the richness of His generosity that our cups overflow. The One Who feeds us from His staff of life, His heavenly Bread. The One Who guards us from all evil with His rod of justice and judgment; always watching out for us on the left and on the right. The One Who is always aware of His flock and where they are, even the untrained sheep who wander The Lord brings back to His fold.

    Even when The Lord Jesus Christ was first laid in the manger, the angels who spoke to the shepherds on the hillsides just outside of Bethlehem informed them that there was no need to fear, but to have great joy: for now The Lord Who would rule the City of David had arrived. Fear left their hearts as they journeyed to the place where the prophesied King of Israel now lay peacefully in the manger.

    Still the words go out to each and every one of us: Fear not, for I am with you always.

FEAR NOT - Carman

    We are to look not on our circumstances but focus our eyes on His Word, seeking Him out. We are to set ourselves into His Word, as He is The Foundation of our life and all of our blessings flow from His hand. We will move ahead and not look back because we are following our Shepherd our Friend. We must not let our bodies dictate our commitment levels. Yes, we are in pain. Yes, we ache and hurt and groan when we move, but move we must and follow Him we will. For He has called us to follow Him and serve Him in whatsoever capacity He places us. I serve Him from here.

    I love these little Bible studies and look forward to interactive responses. We are to encourage one another in The Word until Jesus returns to bring us home. Let us begin to do so even now.

I WILL SERvE THE LORD - Carman

    

A Crucified Life - - Is Scattered Abroad

 

2 Corinthians 9:9

As it has been written: "He has scattered abroad, He has given to the poor: His righteousness abides to the age."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4650

Scattered Abroad: dispersed, distributed

From the word 'skorpizó' (pronounced skor-pid'-zo):  One who dispenses blessings liberally (generously, abundantly, extensively, etc.); to put to flight

Psalm 112:9

He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be lifted high in honor.

    Five times this word is used in the New Testament:

-Matthew 12:30

-Luke 11:23

-John 10:12

-John 16:32

-2 Corinthians 9:9

    The born again believer is a gift to be scattered abroad across the nations. We carry the Good News of redemption, repentance and revival within us. We are the light that shines in the darkness of men's lives that the Light of God's Love may shine in their hearts, transforming the old life into the new. 

    While some of us choose to go where and when we are sent, many more are driven to other nations through persecution. It is not a new thing for the born again believer to be under attack from those who do not want to hear about God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

    As it was in the early days of the New Testament church, so it is now in these later days, these last hours, of the New Testament church. We follow a Leader who informs us we would be scattered abroad to the nations. Not only that, but how we would be dispersed.

(1) Matthew 24:9-14 (2) Mark 13:9-13 (3) Luke 21:10-19 and:

    Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

    Acts 8:3,4

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 

    And what are we delivering? The message of reconciliation with the Father through His Son Jesus Christ Who died on the cross, wherein He paid the penalty for our sins; Who rose from the dead and walked out of the grave into newness of life. 

    We preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, as the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth in his first letter to them (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). We preach the Truth and the Love of God (1 John 4); discernment and wisdom. 

    Wherever we go we go with God for He has said to His people that He would never leave us, nor forsake us. So we go in His strength, in His power, in His righteousness, in His victory. Every battle we fight we win, for Christ has gone before us and overcome all our enemies. We're just following His lead, trying to catch up to Him and bring as many folks as we can with us.

IN THE DISPERSAL 

Where You'll Find Me - First15 Worship

Though You Slay Me - Shane & Shane

Every Wave - Summit Sounds

Break - Nikki Mathis

Seek First - Jason Upton

You've Already Won - Shane & Shane

Walk With You - Michael Bethany

Thanks Be To God - - For His Continued Presence

 

HEBREWS 13:5

Let your manner of life be without covetousness, being satisfied with the present; for He Himself has said: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."

LIFE LIVED IN PEACE

Conversation means lifestyle, manner of life. We are to live peaceable lives which glorify God. Lives lived in such a way do not covet, desire, what is not theirs to have. It's okay if we don't keep up with the Joneses of this world. We have God for our God and He is Enough.

Exodus 20:17

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

LIFE LIVED SATISFIED

We are to live a satisfied life, a life that says, I am content with the God who provides for me. As long as I follow His Word, His lead, He will be my God and I will be of His people. 

Philippians 4:11-13

11. I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.

12. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need.

13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

LIFE LIVED FEARLESSLY

We are to live our lives in Him, with Him and for Him: for He is with us always, as long as we are with Him. 

Hebrews 13:6

So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

LIFE LIVED IN HIS PRESENCE

We are to give this life we have been given back to the One who gave us life. Romans 12:1 tells us to 'surrender our bodies a living sacrifice'. God wants us to live in Him and He wants to live in us. 

If we want to live fearlessly in this world, we need to live life according to God's Word and maintain a loving, working relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This is the foundation on which we build satisfied, fearless lives. 

Matthew 28:20

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Isaiah 41:10

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.

LIFE LIVED IN CHRIST

If we want God to remain with us, we need to remain with Him. Once saved, always saved is not a viable option. His Word warns us against leaving Him, for without His continued presence amongst His people, His wrath will fall on us. We will be judged and found lacking. But when we obey His Word and follow His Spirit, we will lack nothing, for He is with us. 

John 15:4

Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 

Romans 12:4, 5

4. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,

5. so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

1 Peter 2:5

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3306

Remain: stay, abide, wait for; I stay, I wait for, I abide; not depart, not leave, continue to be present

Dear God, 

As Sarah said, You Are The God Who Sees. See me, see my heart and prepare me to face those who will come against me as I follow You in Your Word. Strengthen my heart to be better equipped to serve You. 
Lord, I long to see Your face and hear Your voice: help me to do so. With joy I search Your Word and ask You to reveal Yourself more everyday. Be strength for those who have walked this journey before me, whom I have loved and admired. Be their memories and their wisdom; remove not their testimony, nor their witness. 

As our elders leave us, meet us where we are and bring us to where You are. Though our hands are weak and our knees are feeble, You are our Strength: You impart Yourself to us and we are made the stronger for it. You give us vision for the days ahead, wisdom to know when to speak and when to remain silent. 

Help us to glorify Your name wherever we are or may go. As we strive to remain in You, may we be more aware than ever that You are with us. Even now.

In Jesus' Beautiful Name, I pray,

Amen

Nothing Without You by Will Reagan

Whom Shall I Fear? by Chris Tomlin