Friday, April 15, 2016

Getting in the rut (part 1)

Notice a rather large gap of days between my last journal entry and today's entry? Those gaps continue till today. Nevertheless, I press on. Therefore, let me encourage you to keep going in your quiet times. If you miss a day or two, or even as much as a week, don't let that deter you or discourage you. Just keep pressing on.

                   "But I have tried to get started and keep failing after a few day."

                   "I was doing so well and then I just stopped and it's been a month
                   since I last got into doing any sort of quiet time, devotions, or Bible Study."

Do not let these excuses keep you from getting started again. Press on! There are many false starts, detours, and distractions on the path of righteousness. We are sheep and sheep stray, but our Good Shepherd seeks after us and rescues us. This study is the first part of a study of when being in a rut is a good thing.

October 2, 2015

Worship: God Will Make a Way by Don Moen

God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way

Oh, God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and Earth will fade, but His Word will still remain
And He will do something new today

Oh, God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way

Songwriter
Donald James Moen
Published by
INTEGRITY'S HOSANNA! MUSIC
Read more: Don Moen - God Will Make A Way Lyrics | MetroLyrics 


Witness:

Well, it's been several days since I have been able to just sit down and have a quiet time with the Lord. I’m at a loss for what to talk about. No deep insights from God have come my way. I’m just plain tired. My schedule has been altered by having to pick up my grandkid’s from school. That is 3 of my 12 grandkids. These grandkids live next door to me. So, I have lost sleep in the last few days and I’m still feeling the effects. I am going to have to lay down in fifteen minutes to rest or I will be no good at work tonight. One thing I pray for each day is wisdom for each day. God has impressed on me the need for having margin in my life so I can handle this change in my schedule. As the song says, “God Will Make a Way”.

WORD:


2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,a
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.


Just one brief thought for the day. When we say we are “stuck in a rut” we are not saying something positive about our life situation. However, according to Psalm 23:3, being in a rut can be a good thing. How's that, you ask? Let’s look at the word for “paths” in this verse.

Brown-Driver-Briggs defines this word as:

ma`gal
OT:4570 ma`gal or (feminine) ma`galah —
an entrenchment, a track
a)        a circumvallation, an entrenchment
b)        a track
(from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)

The KJV commentary says:

The word translated paths (Heb ma˓gal) means the ways clearly marked by wheeled traffic.
 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1011). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.


The Bible Exposition Commentary Says:

The word "paths" in verse 3 means "well-worn paths, ruts.”
(from The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)



These are the paths Our Great Shepherd leads us into and we are glad. More on this tomorrow.

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