Tag Archives: scripture

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Book Review for “Journey into the Deep”- Christian Fiction

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Guy Stanton III has begun a new series “Water Wars” with “Journey into the Deep.” I have to say there are still some grammar and editing issues with Guy’s writing, but again I must also say the writing is good. The story line is interesting and from an unapologetic Christian view. Guy’s characters are flawed and his writing never comes across as preachy. Good for men and women as it includes action, fighting, and romance. In this story a treasure hunter with a death wish finds more than he wants to in a strange artifact. I give it 4 stars. Didn’t love this one, but I liked it and it was a good read. I am sure I will read the rest of the series as I have read all of the other two series. Just a warning, if you like your Christian fiction without talk of passion, killing, and or imperfect people, these books aren’t for you. However, if you like it to be real…

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Psalm 107

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We need God. Without Him we are a mess. Even with Him we can go down that slippery slope from time to time. When that happens, all we need to do is call out to Him. He is faithful to save. Sometimes we think we have tried His patience and we listen to the lies of the enemy. Satan tries to tell us that God won’t be there for us. That God is angry with us. One of the most common lies is that we got ourselves into the mess, what makes us think God will get us out?

God’s chosen people were messed up. They cried out to Him and He saved them. Then, surprise, surprise, they mess up again (and again, and again-get the picture?). Every time He patiently comes through for them. He’s a parent. Isn’t that what we do with our little ones? We set boundaries, they go past them, we administer a consequence, tell them we forgive them and love them, and they do it again the next day. We don’t give up, because we love them and have great expectations for their future. One of those expectations is that they will learn from their mistakes. That those times where they lose control, or act in rebellion will come fewer and farther between.

God has those same expectations for us!

Let’s take a look at Psalm 107. These verses clearly show our Father’s patience and love towards us.

Psalm 107:1-42 (AMP), “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary, And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the [Red] Sea in the south. Some wandered in the wilderness in a solitary desert track; they found no city for habitation. Hungry and thirsty, they fainted; their lives were near to being extinguished. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. He led them forth by the straight and right way, that they might go to a city where they could establish their homes. Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good. Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in irons, Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He bowed down their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them. Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron apart. Some are fools [made ill] because of the way of their transgressions and are afflicted because of their iniquities. They loathe every kind of food, and they draw near to the gates of death. Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses. He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing! Some go down to the sea and travel over it in ships to do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises up the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. [Those aboard] mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the deeps; their courage melts away because of their plight. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits’ end [all their wisdom has come to nothing]. Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He hushes the storm to a calm and to a gentle whisper, so that the waves of the sea are still. Then the men are glad because of the calm, and He brings them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people and praise Him in the company of the elders. He turns rivers into a wilderness, water springs into a thirsty ground, A fruitful land into a barren, salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. He turns a wilderness into a pool of water and a dry ground into water springs; And there He makes the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation, And sow fields, and plant vineyards which yield fruits of increase. He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and allows not their cattle to decrease. When they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow, He pours contempt upon princes and causes them to wander in waste places where there is no road. Yet He raises the poor and needy from affliction and makes their families like a flock. The upright shall see it and be glad, but all iniquity shall shut its mouth.”

Does any of that sound familiar? Some wandered around alone and confused, hungry and thirsty. Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, because of their own rebellion. Others are fools and were made sick due to their own stupidity and bad choices. There are those that are on that roller coaster ride from Hell, ups and downs and at their witts end. Then there are the ones who are burdened with heavy oppression, trouble, and sorrow. Does it say that God leaves them there in their mess? No. He saves, delivers, and heals. He makes those desert places like garden. He calms those storms and allows us to be stable and at peace. God brings us out of darkness into the light of His Son. “Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works.”

The last verse in Psalm 107 says, “Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.”

I want to be wise, don’t you?

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Never Forget, Always Trust

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Psalms 106:8-14 (AMP), “Our fathers in Egypt understood not nor appreciated Your miracles; they did not [earnestly] remember the multitude of Your mercies nor imprint Your loving-kindness [on their hearts], but they were rebellious and provoked the Lord at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake [to prove the righteousness of the divine character], that He might make His mighty power known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up; so He led them through the depths as through a pastureland. And He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the [Egyptian] enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. Then [Israel] believed His words [trusting in, relying on them]; they sang His praise. But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert.”

David admits that his forefathers had a problem with forgetfulness. They forgot that God is a merciful God, that he is a loving Father, kind and fiercely protective. Yet God still saved them, so that others could see His power. God performed many wonderful things in the sight of those rebellious children, who tramped years longer than necessary, through the wilderness. But those children “hastily forgot His works.” They quickly lusted for what they didn’t have instead of being grateful for what they did.

They also had some trust issues. God in his patience would deliver them, and they would sing His praise and seemingly put their trust in Him, only to “restrain Him with their insistent desires”. They hindered the work He wanted to do for them. They hindered and fought against the plan He had laid. They wanted what they wanted instead of accepting what they needed from the One who knew the beginning from the end. These stiff-necked children tried to live according to the world’s system instead of listening and obeying God.

Psalms 106:34-39 (AMP), “They did not destroy the [heathen] nations as the Lord commanded them, But mingled themselves with the [idolatrous] nations and learned their ways and works and served their idols, which were a snare to them. Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with their blood. Thus were they defiled by their own works, and they played the harlot and practiced idolatry with their own deeds [of idolatrous rites].”

Now, before we get to judgmental, let’s take a look at our own lives. Do we really trust Him, let’s be honest, or do we try to “figure things out” on our own? Do we remember all He has already brought us through, or do we listen to the news, the doctor’s report, or look at that balance in our checking account? Are we thankful for where He is leading us and expecting to come out into a blessing, or are we looking back at the past thinking how much more fun things were, or what we think we are missing out on? Do we desire to live Godly, or do we look at the seeming ease of the world and whish that we could have things so “easy?” God hasn’t changed. The same desires that He had for those who were slaves in Egypt, are the exact ones He has for us. He wants us blessed, and He wants us to be a blessing!

We can only do that if we “lean not on our own understanding.” We know Him, know His plans for us, listen and obey. I know it sounds too simple, but really it is. We are the ones who make it hard. How can we ever lead anyone to Christ, build the Kingdom, if we are full of doubt and unbelief? If we can’t remember all the wonderful things He has done for us, how are we going to share our testimony? Do we share more problems than God’s providence? Are we steeped in worry and anxiety? That’s not how it should be! If we live the way those escaped slaves lived, with a slave mentality, we will never be who God has ordained us to be. He has set us free! We are no longer slaves, we are sons.

Trust Him. He is trustworthy. Period.

And NEVER forget His love for you. Ever.

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In The Shadow of Your Wings Prayer

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Father,

You have called me in Your unfailing love. Keep me under the shadow of Your wings. Watch over me as I sleep. Let Your word illuminate my path, by day, do that I can clearly see every obstacle in the revealing light of Your truth. Open doors that no man can open and close doors that no man can shut. Anoint me to do Your will. Empower me to walk according to the plans and purposes You have for my life. Go before me as my shield. Follow behind as my rearguard. Wherever my feet tread today, give it to me as a portion of my inheritance. My desire is to bring Glory to You, Lord, in all I do this day.

Amen

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By Many Or By Few

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I Samuel 14:6 (NIV), “Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

I Samuel 14:20-23 (NIV), “Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also pursued them closely in the battle. So the LORD delivered Israel that day, and the battle spread beyond Beth-aven.”

It doesn’t take a great army to destroy the enemy. It does take a great God and a willing heart.
Jonathan, King Saul’s son, took it into his heart to allow God to use him, and when he told his armor bearer, the young man was willing to follow. When they did, God came through in a miraculous way. There was so much confusion in the enemy camp, that even to this day, the word “Michmash” still means utter confusion and chaos. By the time Saul showed up God had already thrown the enemy into disarray.

What happens when a few willing souls step out in faith? Others follow. They come out of the enemy’s camp and fight on the side of good. They come out of hiding, out of the dark woods. They lift their heads up out of despair and have hope. They join the battle.

Never despise small beginnings. God uses the small things and the foolish things. He uses us! That’s how He gets the glory. Nobody in their right mind would ever think that we could do it. It has to be God. It doesn’t matter what those around us are doing. Saul was a mess. He was in direct disobedience with God. He spoke curses over his troops, forbidding them even to eat. Yet, Jonathan stood up for what was right and just. No wonder he later backed David, and the two young men became fast friends. Jonathan knew in his heart that God would save by many or by few.

Never feel alone! So maybe you don’t have an armor bearer, then be one for someone else. Say to that man or woman of God, “do what seems right to you, I am with you.” Follow those who follow Christ. Be a Jonathan, or be an armor bearer. We may not know that armor bearers name, but he has been remembered all of these years. God made sure he would be written into the scriptures for our example.

We have work to do, and a battle to fight. The victory is ours, the outcome is sure. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Psalm 3:3 (NAS), But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Our battle cry is “LOVE.”
Will you join us?

Jesus, You are my Mighty Warrior King. You go before me and make a way where there is no way. You set the enemy in confusion on my behalf, yet You give Your soldiers perfect peace!

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Closer Yet- Christian Devotional (Written by Me)

All Christians are on a journey with the Lord. Sometimes we walk away from Him, sometimes we stumble and bumble our way, and sometimes we stay on the path that He has set before us. The important thing about our walk is not that we have made mistakes or have seemingly failed at times, but that we can always get back on the right path. The pages of this devotional come from just such a journey.