Me: Good scripture!

Prodigal: Scripture is very helpful!

The short article had left me with a since of fear.  My mind was racing toward so many different possibilities.  I started to feel my heart race, and my breathing speed up.  I sat there imagining a couple of scenarios, and trying to determine several steps I needed to make. 

Then quickly before thoughts could take over the Holy Spirit reminded me of God’s word.  I didn’t need to plan.  I need God’s word.  I reached for the bible in the second drawer in my desk.  I was desperate for it now.  I felt like the dog who sees the bone down the steps, and smells the meat on the bone.  I needed God’s word.  I longed for God’s word.  It was the only thing that would satisfy in that moment of time. 

I somehow already knew where to turn.  Psalm 91.  I had turned there before during this week.  I needed these words again.  I needed them now, all else did not matter.  I opened the bible with the brown leather covering.  I felt the pages in my hand.  My eyes found the Chapter, and then quickly recognized the sequences of numbers I needed to find.   

There on the left-hand page was the entire Psalm.  As I read my spirit seemed drawn to several of the verses in the middle. 

Psalm 91:2-11 (KJV) 

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:  my God; in him will I trust. 

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:  his truth shall by thy shield and buckler. 

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 

I let out a deep breath.  My spirit was refreshed from the living word of the bible.  The fear was gone.  God’s wisdom, and truth replaced the anxiety of the words of man.   

I was going to be fine. 

I had a mighty God. 

God watches over me. 

No longer do I fear, but bow down in reference to the Lord who is with me. 

Praise Your Holy Name. 

Psalm 91:1

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: We all need to gaze upon the cross at times, and remember.

Me: Yes we do.

Here is a video devotion about Proverbs 4:12

Click here to watch the video

Proverbs 4:12

When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

 

Me:  Why did your friend leave?

Prodigal:  She is toppin’ the timber and kickin’ up stumps.

Me:  Well, I hope she calms down.

 

This is from The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis

 

Whensoever a man desireth anything inordinately, He is forthwith disquieted in himself.  The proud and covetous are never at rest.  The poor and humble in spirit dwell in the multitude of peace.

 

2.  The man that is not yet perfectly dead to himself, is quickly tempted; and he is overcome in small and trifling things.  The weak in spirit, and he that is yet in a manner carnal and prone to things of sense, can hardly withdraw himself altogether from earthly desires:   and therefore he hath often sadness, when he withdraweth himself from them; and easily falleth into indignation, if anyone resisteth him.  And if he hath attained that which he lusteth after, he is forthwith burdened with remorse of conscience;  for that he followed his own passion, which profiteth him nothing to the obtaining of the peace he sought for.

 

3.  True peace of heart therefore is found by resisting our passions, not by obeying them.  There is then no peace in the heart of a carnal man, nor in him that is given up to outward things, but in the fervent and spiritual man.

 

That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus said the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage.

Judges 6:8

 

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Me:  Your turtle friend looks like he does not have a lot of room.

Prodigal:  I think he has just enough.

Me:  That is good to hear!

This is from Nicolas Berdyaev

There is no longer any room in the world for a merely external form of Christianity based upon custom.  The world is entering upon a period of catastrophe and crisis, when we are being forced to take sides and in which a higher and more intense kind of spiritual life will be demanded of Christians.

This is a time that you will have to do something different.  It will be fine.  We are pushed into a different direction but the Lord is with us.

What is my reward then?  Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:18

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: God is good all the time!

Me: Yes, He is!

Below is a video for proverbs devotion. We are on Proverbs 4:11

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 4:11

I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal:  The water is so still.

Me:  I know the Lord has made it still.

This is from the book  Joy in Christ’s Presence by Charles Spurgeon

Our Lord took His disciples with Him into the ship to teach them a practical lesson.  It is one thing to talk to people about our oneness with them, about how they should exercise faith in time of danger, and about their real safety in apparent peril.  But it is another and far better thing to go into the ship with them, to let them feel all the terror of the storm, and then to arise and rebuke the wind and say to the sea,  “Peace, be still.”  Our Lord gave His disciples a kind of school lesson, and acted sermon, in which the truth was set forth visibly before them.  Such teaching produced a wonderful effect on their lives.  May we also be instructed by it!

Today this is about the Lord solving the battle for you.   He wants you to be still, and allow Him to work in your life.  This will be about a testimony to show others how loving, and personal he is during our time of need.

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east:  and his voice was like a noise of many waters:  and the earth shined with his glory.  Ezekiel 43:2

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org