Making it Through the Storm – Dependence on God – Purity 1869
Purity 1869 01/23/2026 Purity 1869 Audio Podcast
Purity 1869 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of the sun setting of Schodack Creek from the vantage point of my front porch comes to us from yours truly, as I made a point to capture this magic moment yesterday afternoon when I went to retrieve the daily mail.
Well, it’s Friday, thank God, and I was pleasantly surprised by the sunny weather outside yesterday and I almost regret not going out to enjoy it somehow but my priorities kept me in front my lap top from most of the day yesterday and when I finally did emerge into the light of day, I felt like the groundhog looking for his shadow but who had no intention of going out and staying out. With the local forecast calling for snowmageddon on Sunday, I guess yesterday’s sunset was the pinnacle of the calm before the storm, and the groundhog might not have any good news for us in ten days.
Anyway, yesterday was my last full day “out of work” at home, as I am called to meet with my union representatives to be debriefed and prepared to report to my new position on Monday. With the snow coming, the commute might not be so great on Monday, but I will be very thankful to make my way through what’s left of the storm to finally return to work. Other than 1 and a half days at my former work location and a month of seasonal work for UPS, I haven’t worked since early August, and I will be very grateful to get back to the regularity of a new work routine. With that said, I won’t forget how the Lord cared and provided for me for all these months, first bringing physical healing and then providing a way for me to make it financially when I was suddenly out of a job in November. Even though the last six months can easily be identified as a trial, I can still proclaim that the Lord is good.
The Lord has been with me and answered prayers throughout this whole ordeal of my own making, and wherever I go, I will continue to sing His praises and seek to share His truth and love.
Speaking of answered prayer and being dependent on God’s mercy and grace, the Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah devotion for today talks about or need and call to pray, and I am sharing it on the blog today to remind us that its okay to pray for ourselves, to ask for the prayers others, and to recognize just how dependent on God we are. David Jeremiah writes:
“DEPENDENCE ON GOD
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me. – Romans 15:30
One of Paul’s biggest ministry projects was collecting funds for the persecuted church in Jerusalem. Second Corinthians 8–9 recount Paul’s encouragement to the churches in Achaia and Macedonia to give toward the Jerusalem fund and his coordination of his fellow workers who would be in charge of collecting the funds before meeting up with Paul.
On his way to Jerusalem Paul met with church leaders from Ephesus. He expressed concern about the dangers of visiting Jerusalem, but his only concern was finishing the work God had given him to do (Acts 20:22-24). Prior to stopping to meet with them, Paul wrote to the church at Rome with a promise to visit them as soon as possible. In his letter is evidence of the magnitude of the work he was doing—work that needed prayers to God (Romans 15:23-30). There it is—the blending of work for God and being dependent on God for the work to succeed.
Whatever work you are doing for God, never lose your dependence on God for success. – David Jeremiah
In an effort to get the work of the Lord done, we often lose contact with the Lord of the work. – A. W. Tozer
Amen. Isn’t it funny that Paul, who was clearly called by God to spread the gospel and to do good works, asked for other to join with him in prayer for himself and the work he was doing? You would think that since the works Paul was doing were obviously for the kingdom, that our sovereign God would just make it happen, and he wouldn’t need to “beg” others to pray for himself, but he did.
Paul had an inside track to the purposes of the Lord and a great idea of how God worked, and so when he shows us to persist in prayer and to ask others to pray for us and the work the Lord has called us to do, we would be wise to follow in his footsteps.
While praying may seem to be of secondary importance next to the work, Paul shows us that it isn’t. Paul understood that the miraculous things that were happening as the early church grew weren’t because of his efforts. Paul recognized that the incredible things that were happening in his life and in the success of the church were because of God. Paul knew that transformation and success came from the Lord, and so he had no qualms about enlisting the help of others to pray for him and His success. Paul knew that our God was willing to help us in our growth and work. Paul knew God answered prayer.
So, do we believe that prayer is as important as the work we do?
When we actually pray, we show the Lord that we understand who is responsible for our success and that we have faith in Him, that we truly believe.
So pray for those who are called to work for God’s kingdom, pray for their work, but also don’t forget to pray for the work God wants to do in you and through you – and don’t be afraid to beg others to pray for you too.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling By John G. Kruis on Amazon )
This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Progressive Sanctification – Growing in Faith & Godliness.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB) All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Today’s verses fall under the fourth point of our counseling reference guide resource section on Progressive Sanctification – Growing in Faith & Godliness.
4. The Bible, the inspired, inerrant Word of God, is that by which he trains us in righteousness so that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Today’s Bible verses tell us that God’s word is the means by which we can be taught and corrected in the ways of the Lord.
There is no greater source for truth and wisdom than the Bible. While there are plenty of textbooks and instruction manuals out there that can give us knowledge, skills, and strategies for living, only the Bible can teach us how to have peace with God, live forever, and do what is truly right. The Lord tells us that if we choose His ways, we will have blessings and life, and if we don’t, we will have curses and death. If you believe in the Lord, the choice is simple, but in this world of sin and deceit, it may not always be easy, as the world, our flesh, and the enemy will seek to choose other ways that seem to work but will ultimately lead us to be separated from God.
But if we trust the Lord and follow His word, we can be assured that we will be taught and trained in the righteousness of God and be fully equipped for the good works that He prepares for us to do, and have an eternal place in His kingdom. So, choose life and blessings, choose to read God’s word and to do what it says.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com, where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today, we continue sharing from “Pause for Power” By Warren Wiersbe.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Wiersbe’s books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 3 – The Mark of Maturity – Read Philippians 1:6–10
This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. – Philippians 1:9–10
Paul found joy in his memories of the friends at Philippi and in his growing love for them. He also found joy in remembering them before the throne of grace in prayer.
This is a prayer for maturity, and Paul began it with love. He prayed that they might experience abounding love and discerning love. Christian love is not blind! The heart and mind work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment.
The ability to distinguish is a mark of maturity. When a baby learns to speak, he or she may call every four-legged animal a “bowwow.” But then the child discovers that there are cats, mice, cows, and other four-legged creatures.
One of the sure marks of maturity is discerning love and loving discernment.
Something to Ponder: With daily decisions, do you tend to seek what is good, or do you try to discern what is truly best?[1]
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[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures, 2nd Ed., Year in the Word Series (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010).
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