Reaching Forward

By Bobby A. Troutt

Reaching Forward is an inspiring devotional that will bring peace and serenity to you from God’s holy words. Within this spiritual devotional, you will find God’s love and hope that will encourage your heart and spiritual life. It will also strengthen your daily walk of faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bobby A. Troutt
• Release date: Jul 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310297304

Bobby A. Troutt

I am southern writer who enjoys writing about the southern living I grew up in. I am divorced and work at a nearby college. I live about fifty miles north of Nashville, Tennessee in the town of Gallatin. I enjoy sharing my stories with the readers, which I hope find the stories appealing. I write mysteries, crime thrillers, and suspense. My books touch on various subjects dealing with today’s society of the yester years. I write short story collections with the hope of sharing a variety of my stories for the reader’s enjoyment. I want to be an effective writer with positive stories that bring the reader down to a good old country story with a lot to say.

Book preview

Reaching Forward

Bobby A. Troutt

Copyright 2015 by Bobby A. Troutt

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Five Smooth Stones

God Will Guide You, but You Must Choose the Direction

Turning Impossibilities into Victories through Jesus Christ our Lord

Have You the Faith to Charge Hell with a Bucket of Water?

The Yoke of Bondage

For by Grace Are Ye Saved Through Faith

The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions

*****

Reaching Forward

Five Smooth Stones

Thought to Keep in Mind:

There are giants in our land and across our country. We need to be like David and stand up against the giants of drugs, alcohol, sex and suicide.

Scripture Reading – I Samuel 17:38-42 and I Samuel 17:48-51 (Read Scripture First)

Comment: David was a youth, a young shepherd boy, when he came against Goliath. God needs some young men and women, today, to stand against the giants in our land. We have giants in our land today: drugs, alcohol, sex and suicide. Young people, today, are faced with sin on every hand. They are faced with the sins of a dying world from past generations. The youth of today shall suffer tomorrow with the old. Sin is sin. I would like to use the five smooth stones as an illustration. You know David picked up five stones but only used one. I would like to talk about the first stone as the word of God.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:2

The same was in the beginning with God.

If we are going to fight the devil it will be by the word of God. God spoke this world into existence. By his word we shall live and we shall be judged.

I Samuel 17:45

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

I Samuel 17:46

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

I Samuel 17:47

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

David said and David did. The Lord delivered the enemy into his hand. If we will stand on the word of God, God can move in our lives. It makes all the difference. We need to study and read our Bible daily for direction, power and strength. The second stone is prayer. We need a strong fellowship with God through his son Jesus each and every day of our lives. Prayer is the key to a strong foundation with Christ. We need to keep a prayerful mind and prayerful attitude at all times. We need to pray for and listen to each other. So many times we do all the talking and we fail to listen to God. The third stone is the blood of the Lamb of God. We need it applied to our lives when we fall; we need to put it under the blood of Jesus and pick up the cross and go on. So many times, when we fail, we want to quit and give up but that is when we need to keep pressing forward and not backwards. Let the blood of Jesus Christ be applied to your life. The fourth stone is faith.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We must walk by faith, not sight. By grace we are saved. We must believe in our hearts and in our lives that God can do anything. One day, Jesus is coming back. When he does, will you still have giants in your life?

Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee: yea, I will hold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:13

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Be not afraid. The fifth stone is patience.

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.

Always be ready. Be prepared when God calls; wait on him and let him lead you. He will make a way.

James 1:3

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

James 1:4

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 1:5

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

James 1:12

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

James 1:13

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

James 1:14

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

James 1:15

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Rejoice in your trials and troubles. Be patient and let Jesus move in your life. But, rejoice in trials for they are a shortcut out of the valley. For, through Jesus Christ, all things are possible. When you are tempted, pray and draw nigh to the word of God. Draw nigh to