SHEPHERD TO SHEEP
ANCHOR OF THE SOUL
(Heb 6:19) This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast...
We live in stormy and chaotic times. And what a boat needs in the stormy times is a good anchor so it won't drift into danger. We all feel the tug of the world as it lies under the sway of the wicked one (1 John 5:19). So what will keep you and I in these tempestuous and uncertain times? It's going to be Jesus! He is the anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast!
Paul was in a ship bound for Rome when a strong Mediterranean wind whipped up and threatened the vessel. They let her go until they sighted land and quickly let down the anchors before they hit land. Then they prayed! (Acts 27:29) Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. That's what we need to do in stormy times. We need to cast our hope on the Lord and trust that He will keep us. Like the sailors in Paul's day we need to pray for day to come. The Lord knows when the storm will subside and the clouds will clear and we'll see daylight.
It is so easy to let our ship loose in the storm instead of anchoring into the Lord. There is a lot of temptation out there and when the going gets tough we seem to just give up instead of tethering to the Lord. Disaster awaits us though when we give up and pull up anchor (Acts 27:39-41) When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. {40} And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. {41} But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.
Is it possible to have Jesus as your anchor but still suffer shipwreck? The answer is yes, but you have to remember sometimes the Lord allows the stormy times and things to crash in. Remember, though, that the anchor is still with you inside the boat! It's Jesus! He never jumps ship. Consider these verses: (2 Cor 11:25) ...three times I (Paul) was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep. (Mat 8:24) And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He (Jesus) was asleep. (Isa 43:2) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you... Some don't trust in the Lord and fall away during the tough times to their detriment. (1 Tim 1:19) having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.
The Bible says wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of our times. (Isa 33:6) That means we must keep in the Word every day so we can navigate through the rough seas of life. I'm glad Jesus is the Captain of my salvation (Heb 2:10) and the anchor of my soul!
Louie
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2 comments:
Just now found your Shepherd's Log. great stuff. Keep on Running Brother! (Hebrews 12)
Your Bro in Christ,
Devin
Psalm 33:1-5
“Love Not The World”
”For the WHOLE world(not just a portion) is under the control of the evil one”.......(I John 5:19)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world will pass away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of The Only True GOD will abide for ever.”(IJohn2:15-17)
“If you were of the world, the world would love it’s own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” (John15:19-20)
“Where do wars and fighting among you come from? Do they not come of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is to be at enmity with The Only True GOD? Therefore whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of The Only True GOD.” (James 4:1-4)
“The world cannot hate you; but the world hates Me, because I testify that the works of this world are evil.” (John 7:7)” and “The Messiah gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of The Only True God, Our Father.”(Gal 1:4)
The Messiah testified: “If the world hates you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”(John 5:18) Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life in this world shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall have it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25)
John testified: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) “ James testified, “Whoever would be a friend of this world is the enemy of GOD”(James4:4)
The “earth and it's life forms” are The Creation of The ONE and Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”, he who is “the father of lies”, he who “has blinded the minds of those who believe not The Messiah”! All the nations of this world are under the dominion of, and serve, the “god of this world” for he provides the fuel that feeds mankind’s “imag”ination. And sadly, mankind’s “imag”ination is destroying Creation(air, water, land vegetation, creatures) and perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Faith, Love, Peace,, All that is Truly Good) ;-(
Those who “love this world” all serve “the god of this world”, and have their portion in the processes that are progressively destroying The Creation of The Only True GOD. And The Only True GOD will "destroy them who destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18c)
Global warming, polluted air, land and waters, toxic wastes, sexual perversion, evil inventions of destruction, greed, hate, carnal warfare, dis-ease(no-peace),,etc,, are destructive processes that have their root in “the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” all of which fuel the fires of mankind’s “imag”ination ;-(
"Come Out of her, MY people"!
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world(not just a portion) is under the control of the evil one" indeed and Truth......
Truth IS, a lie is not.......
Abide in The Truth....... francis
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