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"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)
Dr. Charles Stanley believed and taught the Word of God for decades. He was like Billy Graham and constantly said, "The Bible says..." The best preachers and teachers are those who stay true to Scripture. I believe Bible preachers are what not only our churches but also our nation needs more than anything right now. We need men of God filled with the Holy Spirit who fear only God and proclaim with authority, "This what God says in His Word."
Stanley asked the question, "How does the anchor of Scripture help us?" He gave the following answers:
- It comforts us. Psalm 57:1-3 (We looked at this in yesterday's devotion.)
- God's anchor is full of promises. Jesus promises peace in John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." In Matthew 11:28, Jesus invites us to come to Him, and He will give us rest. No matter what you are going through, there is a promise in the Bible to match it.
- God's anchor shows us examples of the work of His servants. The Bible provides numerous examples that show us the way. There are many wonderful stories in the Bible, and they are recorded for us to be blessed and to learn from. We read in the Bible how God came through for Abraham, Moses, David, Ruth, Daniel, Paul, Peter, and many more. Romans 15:4 says, "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
- God's anchor helps us get God's viewpoint about what's happening to us. There are no accidents for God's people. We will have struggles, but we are not alone. Stanley's father died when he was only 9 months old. He said his mom could not figure out why. But it was not a mistake. God could have let him live, but for Stanley, it drove him to the Word of God. He said, figure out what God is doing in the storm; He is at work in the storm.
The Lord has been so good to me. I can testify to how faithful God is and how He speaks to His children through His Word. God loves us, and He is for us. The enemy of our souls, Satan, is constantly working against us to bring us harm and confusion. But not God! He brings goodness and clarity to our lives. The primary way God guides us in life is through the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. Do you believe this is true? Will you put your belief into practice and daily read the Bible with an open heart and mind for God to speak to you?
I will close our devotion today with this powerful admonition from Dr. Stanley. He said, here is how the anchor works: we must read it, meditate on it, believe it, apply it, and obey it. If we do this, then the anchor works every time.
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