THE INVITATION / Come Unto Me

This is the 1st of 1 devotions with the theme

"The Feast Of Tabernacles"

The Invitation
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from John 5:40, 7:37; Matthew 11:28; 1 Corinthians 13:5)

“You search and investigate 
and pore over the Scriptures diligently

because you suppose 
and trust that you have eternal life through them.

And these very Scriptures testify about Me!

And still you are not willing, but refuse to come to Me

so that you might have life.”

Within this rebuke was a subtle invitation to come to Jesus. If they would listen to the words of the Master, they would hear again and again this invitation.

“Come unto me,

all you that labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.”

Still another time, on a day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”

Father, forgive me for being religious and not coming to You just as I am with my burdens, my issues and my concerns. I choose to come now and roll all of my care over on You. I will obey Your voice and come unto You.

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COME UNTO ME

(Adapted from Isaiah 42:3, 53:5; John 5:40, 7:37; Matthew 11:28; 1 Corinthians 13:5)

Verse 1:

There’s nothing so strong as gentleness

There’s nothing so gentle as real strength

There’s no one so gentle or strong as the One

Called the lowly Nazarene

Chorus:

Come unto me; Come unto me

When the storm clouds rise

Feel the rain come down

And the strong wind blows

Hear the thunder role

There is an answer, Jesus said, Come unto me

Verse 2:

A bruised reed shall He not break

A smoking flax shall He not quench

The wounded spirit He mends with His love

And rekindles the fire again

Verse 3:

He was wounded for our transgressions

And bruised for our iniquities

He’s a man with sorrows acquainted with grief

He can feel your infirmities

Verse 4:

For I am meek and lowly apart

And you shall find rest for your souls

My yoke is easy; My burden is light

How I long to make you whole

©WordsAndMusic by MikeShreve

www.shreveministries.org

CARE PREVENTION / Walking & Talking w/ You

This is the 6^th of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Peter 5:7

“Casting Care”

CARE PREVENTION

(Adapted from Romans 11:16; 1 Corinthians 13:5; 1Peter 5:7; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 1:9;)

The first fruits of our day belong to the Lord. Scripture says,

"If the first fruit is holy, the whole lump is holy."

Morning prayer is a preemptive strike on the enemy and we begin our day with a huge advantage. It is the best time to cast our care so that we can begin our day care-free. It is the best time to confess our sins so that we can begin our day sin-free. As we emerge out of the darkness of the night, it is in the morning that we choose to walk in the light as He is in the light. It is in the morning that we find ourselves in a mode of fellowship with the Lord that lasts all day. We can truly pray without ceasing all day when we establish fellowship in our first waking moments. Talking to God in the morning is the best investment you can make in your day.

And when you add thanksgiving, you bring much pleasure to Your Creator!

Gratitude reduces the amount of care you will have to cast on the Lord. It is the ounce of prevention that is better than the pound of cure. An ounce of thanksgiving is better than a pound of care.

So go ahead, get your feet wet from the dew on the grass. Take a walk with Jesus this morning.

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WALKING AND TALKING WITH YOU

(Adapted from Romans 11:16; 1 Corinthian s13:5; 1Peter 5:7; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 1:9; )
Verse 1: 
My feet are wet from the dew on the grass in the morning, 
walking and talking with You.
Verse 2: 
I cast all my care on the one who cares for me in the morning, 
walking and talking with You.
Verse 3: 
I confess all my sins to the one who is faithful 
to forgive and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.
Verse 4: 
I walk in the light as You are in the light in the morning, 
walking and talking with You.
Verse 5: 
O what fellowship, O what joy divine in the morning, 
walking and talking with You.
Verse 6: 
I am Yours and You are mine in the morning, 
walking and talking with You.

© LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

Devotion by KentCliffordCooley

This is the impartation devotion:

Father, it has been settled once and for all.  I cast all my care upon You, all of my care, because You care for me.  

MY BEST FRIEND / Casting All My Care

This is the 5th of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Peter 5:7

"Casting Care"

MY BEST FRIEND
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Peter 5:7)

Do you have a best friend? A best friend is someone who accepts you just the way you are. You can tell your secrets to your best friend and trust him/her not to broadcast them on facebook. A best friend forgives and keeps coming back around. A best friend is loyal and believes in you. A best friend cares about how you feel. Your best friend may have a temperament just like you or you may be opposites but you enjoy each other’s company. My husband is my best friend. He is all of these things I have described and even more.

But there is a friendship I have that is closer than the companionship of my husband. It is a friend I can give all of my worries and cares to. If I tried to give my cares to my husband, he would not know what to do with them and if he took them, they would weigh him down and be a burden.

At one point, Jesus told his disciples that he no longer called them his servants but he now called them friends. Their relationship changed to a more personable one. Jesus referred to them as close friends.

Scripture indicates that our relationship with God can be personable as a close friend. Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Jesus said, “If your earthly father would give good things to his children, how much more will your heavenly Father give to his friends?” Scripture bears out that there is no relationship more personable and more loving than the one we have with Jesus.

"Give all your worries and cares to God,

for He cares about you."

Father, I cast my care upon you knowing that you really do care for me. You care for me as your child and as your best friend. My friends could let me down and even my husband doesn’t have all the answers that I need. I am glad that I can say that Jesus is my best friend!

 © LoveWalkPublishing - Devotion authored by Rebecca Ann Cooley

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CASTING ALL MY CARE

Devotion: My Best Friend

(Adapted from 1 Peter 5:7)

Verse:

Jesus is a friend indeed and he sticks closer than a brother to me

I don’t have to bare my burdens alone

As a matter of fact, I don’t have to bear my burdens at all

Chorus

Casting all my care on him for he cares for me

Casting all my care on him he will meet my every need

I won’t take the care of it, I lay it at his feet

Casting all my care on him for he cares for me

Bridge

And he said he no longer just calls me a servant anymore

But now he calls me his friend, He calls me his friend

© LoveWalkMusic WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley 

EXCEPT FOR THE BLOOD / Past, Present & Future

This is the 4^th of 6 devotions 

with the theme from 1 Peter 5:7

“Casting Care”

EXCEPT FOR THE BLOOD
by
Kent Clifford Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 6:11; 13:6; Romans 6:14; 1 John 1:9)

You may have heard the catch phase,

"If the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future."

Another great catch phrase is,

"My PAST is under the blood, my PRESENT is on the altar and my FUTURE is in God's hands."

The psychology of the world teaches that there can be no disconnection from our past faults and failures. Alcoholics Anonymous teaches that the alcoholic will always be a recovering alcoholic. That would be true if it were not for the blood of Jesus. Because of the blood, and only by the blood, is there a disconnection of sin.

According to Romans 6:14, because of the blood, sin shall no longer have dominion over me.

According to 1 John 1:9, because of the blood, I am forgiven and cleansed from all my iniquities.

And according to 1 Corinthians 6:11, because of the blood, I am washed, sanctified and justified.
I confess my sins to the One who is faithful to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. And I cast all of my care upon the One who cares for me. Thank you, Father that I am free and care free!

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PAST, PRESENT And FUTURE

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:6; 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 5:7)
Verse:

My past

(past is under the blood)

My present

(present is on the alter)

My future is in God's hands

(My future is in, my future is in God's hands)

(Repeat)

Chorus:

I'm confessing

(confessing all of my sins)

All of my sins

(confessing all of my sins)

To the one

(to the one who is)

Who is faithful to forgive

(faithful to forgive)

And I'm casting

(casting all of my care)

All of my care

(casting all of my care)

On the one

(one who cares for me)

Who cares for me

(one who cares for me)

© LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

MY SOURCE / Jesus Is A Fountain

This is the 3^rd of 6 devotions 

with the theme from 1 Peter 5:7

“Casting Care”

MY SOURCE
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:5; Genesis 16; 1 Peter 5:7)

The story of Hagar and Ishmael is a classic of God's will and man's will differing. Sarah insisted that Abraham have relations with Hagar to bear him a child. Sarah took control and manipulated Abraham and Hagar to get what she thought she wanted. When Ishmael was born, Sarah had a bigger problem than she previously had and it was not long before Hagar and her son were sent away into the desert. Why did God tell Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away? Perhaps it was because it was not the will of God in the first place. Do you think that God intended to care for the needs of these two fugitives even though they were outcasts? He absolutely did.

What if Hagar's child had died in the desert? Would Abraham and Sarah have been held responsible for the death of the child, Ishmael? God told Abraham to heed to the word of Sarah and to send Hagar away. Therefore God was solely responsible for Hagar's and Ishmael's well being. Abraham and Sarah were released from caring for the woman and her child when Abraham obeyed God.

As Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar had always depended totally on her. She was her source for every need. In the desert, do you think that Hagar looked to God to fulfill her needs? In her eyes, Abraham and Sarah had failed her. She was in the desert and her child was dying of thirst.

God wanted Hagar to understand that Abraham was not her source. He created a miracle in the desert to provide for her. My employer may be the one who writes my check every week but God wants me to know in no uncertain terms that my employer is not my source. God alone is my source of every need that I have.

Just as Hagar cast her care on God and did not turn back to seek out Abraham or Sarah, I should not cast my care on those who could cut me off and send me away tomorrow. I should cast my care on the one who cares for me.

Father, I act on what I have read in the instruction manual of 1 Peter 5:7 concerning my cares. You are the one who cares for me. So in total abandon, I relinquish all my care upon the One who cares for me. I will bear these cares no more. My cares are not my responsibility anymore. They are Your cares and they are now in Your capable hands.

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JESUS IS A FOUNTAIN

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:5; Genesis 16)

Verse 1:

You can't keep living the way that you're living

You've got to find the answer and I know where to go

There ain't no joy and there ain't no peace

Till you find the shepherd of the fold

Chorus:

Jesus is a fountain of living water

If your down hearted and heavy your load

Jesus is a fountain of living water

He's life to a thirsty soul

Verse 2:

Hagar laid her child in the bushes to die

Everything looked like death

Then a fountain of water sprang up in the desert

When Jehovah Jirah gave her her request

© LoveWalkPublishing WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley