September 24, 2013 … The Messengers In Our Lives

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 267

Devotional Song: Go to this link -  Please take the time to meditate on this poignant song, sung by Laura Story, entitled Grace, where the song-writer/singer opens our eyes to God’s ever sufficient grace, which our God provides for us in such abundance; … or … going to this link  in her powerful song, Blessings, where Laura’s very personal experience revealed to herself and to us, through her song, the nature of tough things coming into our lives revealing the very love of God.

Highlight meditation passage – Amos 3: 6-7 [NLT]: …
6 When the ram’s horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed? Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has planned it? 7 Indeed, the Sovereign LORD never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.
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 Highlight reading study of Amos, Chapter 3: Go to this link …

Reference Passage #1: Isaiah 55: 11 [Certainly God speaks into our lives through His purposeful and powerful word.] … [NLT] …  
11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Reference Passage #2: Luke 24: 13-34 [God sent Jesus into the lives of His disciples to be living truth and show them the reality of God’s love.] … [NLT] … Use this link ...

My Journal for Today: Ever had someone come into your life and at exactly the right moment give you message or speak truth into your life to redirect the course of your walk, and change the essence of how you look at life? … I have; and I’m a changed man because of several messengers whom God has used to give me course corrections along my journey in this life.

Think of the events or people in Scripture which became God’s messengers for truth and radical change. Perhaps you’re thinking of the burning bush changing the life and direction of Moses. Or think of how God sent an angel to intervene in the life of Gideon, radically changing the course of his walk. Or one of my favorites was how Jesus came to the two men walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem shortly after Christ’s crucifixion; and He, the Lord Himself, became a messenger of God’s post-resurrection love to these men (see the link to this story in Luke 24 above).

 But perhaps you’re thinking of some messengers who came into your own life, either pointing you to God’s truth from His word (as Isaiah wrote about in Isaiah 55: 11, copied above) or maybe bringing a message from God’s Spirit just for you Certainly God’s word is His messenger of truth for all of us; but God also uses key people or living circumstances at fulcrum moments in our lives, revealing His love for us or showing us the direction He desires we walk.

Certainly that happened for Laura Story, the singer to whom I link you above, whose husband and his brain cancer became a message for Laura about God’s love; and then her songs, as the two to which I’ve linked you to above, become messengers to/for us, giving us the powerful reality that God many times reveals His blessings and His love through the challenges we face in life.

But now, very personally, I’m thinking about a messenger God used a number of years ago to inspire and redirect my devotional life, giving me a charge which changed my life. It was a younger man whom I was mentoring who clearly had been given a big dose of God’s gift of spiritual discernment, the Spirit-given gift of prophesy; and DAVID (not his real name) spoke God’s redirection into my devotional life, which is now being reflected in how I’m writing this devotional journal entry today. This mentee of mine told me that I really ought to consider journaling my daily devotions; and he suggested a way to write my blogs which was entirely different than the way I was journaling at the time.

 “David” told me that I ought to think of writing down my daily journal entries, imagining that someone else might be reading what I write. He was saying that I would be writing not only for the application of God’s truth in my own life; but I would be using my Spirit-imparted gifts of teaching and encouragement to journal for others in my daily quiet-time with God. And years later, every day, I’m here blogging away what God has given me to reshape, not only my own life, but for passing along His transformational truths to others – maybe even you (whomever you are!), reading here today.

I hope you’ve had some powerful messengers in your life. Certainly some of the songs I post here daily are messengers for me; and I would pray that something I might write – maybe even here today – might allow my thoughts to be one of those messengers for you. But be alert!! … God may send you His message of truth to you through His word today, or maybe in a song, or even maybe from a friend who cares enough to speak truth into your life, sharing God’s love for you.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, I so personally thank You for sending me Your messages every day here in this place as I spend time with You. And perhaps You’ll let me be one of your messengers to others. … Amen

Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK  on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.