MONDAY MARCH 2, 2020
SUBJECT: GOD IS EVER-CARING!
Memory verse: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (First Peter 5 vs 7.)
READ: John 10 vs 11 - 16:
10:11: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.10:12: But a hireling, He who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep, and scatters them.
10:13: The hireling flees because he is a hireling, and does not care about the sheep.
10:14: I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known by My own.
10:15: As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.
10:16: And other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
INTIMATION:
God has deep interest in all that concerns you and I. We are fragile but God's care is eternal. God is so committed to us in love that He gave us His only Son to die for our sins. Too often we focus on God as Judge and Lawgiver, ignoring His compassion and concern for us. When God examines our lives He remembers our human condition. His mercy takes everything into account. God will deal with you compassionately. God is so caring that when He forgives us our sin, He separates it from us and doesn't even remember it anymore. We need never wallow in the past, for God forgives and forgets.
Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have not trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, and to admit your needs, and let God take care of you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God's concern. But when we turn to God in repentance, He will bear the weight of those struggles, including your sins. Remember, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5 vs 8.)
Our loving Father will never leave you; that is His promise to us. But the enemy of our souls wants us to doubt God, and to question His ability. Obviously, if you told a big enough lie long enough, people would believe it. And this undoubtedly, is the trick the father of lies—Satan—has used from the beginning of human history. In the Garden of Eden our first parents were set up to live happily ever after, having been placed in a paradise-like setting by a Loving, Caring, and Personal God. They had been given everything they could ever want, but with only one small restriction: "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2 vs 17.)
We easily will say today, 'What a simple innocuous request and easy to obey.'
But when they were enticed by the devil, they fell into his trap of questioning the love and goodness of the One from whom they had only experienced good. Satan told them a monstrous lie, but they bought the lie hook, line and sinker! And mankind has been wretched ever since, but for God's intervention through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life of inestimable value for our completely worthless lives to save us from sin consequences, and cleansed from our sins.
We do the same today. We willingly swallow the lie that we cannot trust our Heavenly Father. We allow our earthly hurts from parents or others to distrust our view and our understanding of God. Our many feelings, emotions, fears, and human experience effectively block a clean perception, consequently stifling all truth about Him. Pray that God will help you not allow negative human relationship and experience interfere with having a close relationship with your Loving, and Caring Father, and hindering your enjoying the never ending and limitless benefits of His care.
Prayer: Abba Father, You are so caring and loving that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. What a supreme sacrifice You made for me! Forever You remain my God. Endue me with the spirit of love, compassion, trust, and complete obedience to You, that I will give my all to You as You have given Your all for me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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