September 17, 2013 … Self-help or Savior-help?

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 260

Devotional Song: Go to this link -  Please meditate on the call of this poignant, personal, and powerful new version of the old hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, sung by Nichole Nordeman, singing, … Look Up, reminding us that seeking to see and follow Jesus’ way is really the only way to walk in this life.

Highlight meditation passage – Zechariah 4: 5-6 [NLT]: …  
5 “Don’t you know?” the angel asked. … “No, my lord,” I replied. … 6 Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 
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Highlight reading study of Zechariah, Chapters 4`: Go to this link …

Reference Passage #1: Hosea 1: 7 … [NLT] … [God is always in control.] …  
7 “… But I, the LORD their God, will show love to the people of Judah. I will personally free them from their enemies without any help from weapons or armies.”

Reference Passage #2: Proverbs 3: 5-6 [God moves; we follow = wisdom!] … [NLT] …  
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths. 

Reference Passage #3: Proverbs 19: 21 [When Our plans = God’s plans; HE holds our destiny!] … [NLT] …  
21 You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail. 

Reference Passage #4: Luke 9: 23 [Self help or Savior help; which is the best according to Jesus?] … [NLT] …  
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow Me. ..."

My Journal for Today: If you’re reading along with me today, I hope you’ve felt compelled to do what I suggest above … i.e., to listen and meditate on the song to which I’ve linked you … and then to study and meditate on the scriptures which either Os Hillman or my own Spirit-led memory brought to me today. And if you’ve done that, I really don’t think I need to add very much to the powerful message which, I believe God’s Spirit is trying to get us to recognize and follow.

However, I will add a little bit of where God is leading this humble servant this morning.

Last Sunday our Pastor asked the congregation to hold up our hands if any of us had ever lost our keys. It appeared that 100% held up our hands. Then he asked how many of us had, at any time in our adult lives, lost our cars, at least temporarily, in a parking lot. Certainly at least 90% of the audience held up our hands. And then he said, “Is it any wonder that the self-help section is the largest section of books in any book store?” And then he made his point for his sermon by saying [my paraphrase], “If we’re really Christians, believing that God will show us HIS way, why do we, who lose our keys and our cars, feel that we know the way in life better than God, … i.e., better than the One Who so desires that we follow Him in this world?”  

So, which is the better way … SELF help or SAVIOR help? … DUH!!! …

My Prayer for Today … I get it, Lord! … Amen