Sunday, March 2, 2014

March 2, 2014

Crusader’s Devotional
Around the Camp Fire
Sunday March 2nd, 2014


Hey everyone! I would like to thank you very kindly for responding to devotionals of the past. I feel honored and blessed with your kind words of enjoyment and encouraging feedback. I’ve got to tell ya that I have been doing a lot of studying lately and I’ll share an event brought that brought one of the Old Testament books right to life for me. A friend and I were bare backing our horses on last Sunday, when all of a sudden I left on an unscheduled flight. Seems something spooked our horses and before for you could say “what spooked them?” my hands were empty of reins and filled with dirt. I know that Virgil could out buck a bobcat whose tail is on fire; I wish it were a buck, at the least I would have something to hang my hat on but it was just a little crow hop and a spin. But, riding bareback I slid off so fast all I can give witness to is the sky the sun and how hard the ground was. I first landed on my rear end then my back, followed by my head in a close photo finish. I had to harrow up the arena the next day just to remove my body imprint in the dirt. I got complacent. I went my own way.

If we look at the Book of Jonah, the reluctant prophet, then take a good look at ourselves a lesson might just be learned on becoming complacent and indifferent. Seems that Jonah was Proud, stubborn, disobedient, unfaithful a grumbler, all in all bad tempered. Now God called on Jonah to go to Assyria and tell the Ninevites of their coming doom. They were living in spiritual darkness, God wanted the people to repent and come to him. Jonah was Jewish and thought of the Ninevites as pagans, human garbage that were “Untouchables.” To flee God’s calling, Jonah jumped on a ship going the other direction. God went after Jonah with a vengeance, causing a wicked storm. Jonah confessed what he was up to and the crew threw him over board into the sea. A “Great Fish” was appointed to swallow up Jonah. As it would be Jonah was in the fish’s belly for three days and three nights. Side note; once Jonah was thrown from the ship the immediate calming of the storm brought the ships crew to faith and salvation as a result of the observation of the power of the Lord.  Not to take the long way around the barn, Jonah went to the Ninevites and preached.

Now, as people don’t we sometimes take it upon yourselves to do as we see fit? Rather then living under the protection of God’s word. Then when things don’t turn out the way we were hoping for we curse the Lord, when all the time we find that we are way out of bounds. Freedom does not mean the freedom to do whatever we want whenever we want; freedom is to do what is right when the timing is right.

We are too occupied with our own whims and fancies, too taken up with passing things.  Rarely do we even conquer one of our vices; are we filled with the passion to enhance our relationship with Jesus day by day?

We would enjoy much peace if we did not concern ourselves with what others say and do. Just believers depend on the grace of God rather than on their own wisdom. Why do we converse and gossip among ourselves when we so seldom part without a troubled Conscience?  These things Jesus warns us about. Jonah’s live tells us about the heart aches of disobedience.

I know I should have warmed Virgil up before just jumping on. Its winter, the horses are fired up, feeling good and have lots of unused energy.  I know this, but I went my own way and took a hard fall. The fall I’m asking you not to take is the road of self satisfaction and going your own way. It will only end in a hard fall. Take the hand of Jesus and there will be no falling.

Thanks to the Lord for the wisdom of his words,
And the lessons well learned.
In the name of Jesus Christ of the Nazarene.
Pastor Ty

PastorTy@CrusadersEquestrain.org