You Have Shelter in the Storm

Last night I listened to the ice falling from limbs and the occasional limb falling too. I am so thankful to be in a nice warm house. I’m also glad that the weather man warned the area of impending weather. We had extra wood ready in case our lights stayed out for a lengthy time. We even have foods that are easy to prepare or heat in the fireplace so a meal can be enjoyed no matter what. Occasionally a huge limb would hit the house and it sounded as though it would come through the roof. The morning light will show whether any of the limbs are actually damaging anything. Generally the sounds of the night are found to be less horrific by the light of day.

Life has its storms. There are times when we see the problem coming and we can prepare for the worst. Other times we are caught by surprise. We didn’t see the situation unfolding until everything begins crashing in around us.  If we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves in the cold and unable to protect ourselves. Darkness will surround us and we’ll be so fearful for our life.  The icy reality of bad reports, terrible news or troubled times find us scurrying to find warmth anywhere we can.

But we don’t have to be afraid. We are not just another character in an ice storm. We are chosen and redeemed to live a life that gives honor and glory to God. We don’t ever have to go hungry, stay cold or live in the dark.  Especially when things are crashing down around us. We may not have been prepared for the situation, we may have had no warning, but God was already preparing for us a place of refuge with warmth and light and sustenance to make it through. We may think great damage is being done, but because of God’s great love for us the Light of the Son will show us when the storm has passed that we are not damaged beyond repair and that we are still able to live as chosen children of the Most High God.

Storms will come, but God will be with us. Darkness will threaten us but the Son of Righteousness is our everlasting light. We may hunger for His presence, but we never go hungry, for He is always with us, to guide us, direct us and keep us safe all through the night.

Oh beloved, don’t despair. Don’t sit and listen to the sounds of the darkness. Light the candle of God’s Truth and shine it throughout your heart.  He is protecting you, you are walking in His safety and He will overcome these present events. Your power will not go out because it is God’s power within you. You will never hunger or thirst, no matter how rough the weather of your life gets. As long as you look to Jesus, as long as you remember God’s Word, as long as you rehearse the blessings of being a child of God, you will overcome this present darkness and live to share the glory of God with others who are going through the storms of life. You are walking in His favor as you live in His light. You are experiencing His peace as you walk through the storm.

You are loved and you are cared for and that’s all that matters as you live in the Light of His glory and grace.

Psalm 140:13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; The upright will dwell in Your presence.

Psalm 112:4 Light arises in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious and compassionate and righteous.

Psalm 57:1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to You for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of Your wings until the danger passes by. NLT

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.

Philippians 4: 13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].  AMP

You Can Be A Fearless Follower

I like to visit with my grandchildren as often as possible. Three of them live right across the street. Sometimes I don’t get done with evening supper or chores or shopping until it’s dark and they’re inside where it’s warm and cozy. Even though they are just across the street, I think about all the stray dogs running around and the coyotes we’ve heard and the foxes we’ve seen, along with deer and other wild animals. There’s even been a bear sighting within a mile of the house. If I dwell on those things I will not walk across the street in the dark, even if I want to see them badly.

But my love for them overcomes my fear of what’s out in the dark. I enjoy their presence. I love to hear what they want to tell me. I enjoy fellowship with them and their parents. It’s worth the trip over.

God speaks to my heart:  Enjoying the presence of My Spirit often requires getting out of your comfort zone. You may feel quite cozy where you are right now, but I am a living and moving God. I want to take you beyond your coziness and further into my Holiness. You enjoy my presence and I enjoy yours. But you cannot expect Me to conform to your comfort. Trust Me when you feel you must go through the dark to get to Me. I AM light and there is no darkness in Me. Look at Me as you come closer into My presence. I will be right where you are, guiding you and blessing you even when things don’t look safe. The reward will be greater intimacy with Me and that’s the goal of your life – to be conformed to My image and walk in My presence.

Oh beloved, you may feel that your comfort is just too good to move out with God. But He’s speaking to your heart daily to trust every move of His Spirit. You may perceive a situation as the darkest of rejections, but man can do nothing to you that will keep you from Me. The fleshly rejection of human beings is nothing. They have only perceived power, just as the darkness seems to hold power over you. You can look at the dark and listen for terror or you can look at the Lord and listen for His truth. The Word of God will keep you safe and get you to the other side of the road where God is leading you. Danger lurks everywhere, but you are concealed in God’s presence. Rejoice that God is with you wherever you may go. And most assuredly you can go where He sends you because that’s where the blessing is. Is He speaking to your heart? Follow His voice. Go where He sends you. Enjoy the benefits of treading where others fear to go. You are blessed, sealed, delivered and destined for God’s call to be fulfilled in your life as you forget about the darkness and live in the Light of His Word!

God loves you and He’s for you - now follow Him fearlessly always!

Psalm 27:1,8 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid?  The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with Me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” NLT

Hebrews 10:35 Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. AMP

Mark 1:19-20 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed Him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

John 10:4 When He has brought His own sheep outside, He walks on before them, and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice.

Go Ahead! You Can Do It! Fear Must Flee!

A friend’s children and a couple of their cousins took swimming lessons last week. Everyone learned much although some of them became quite adept at swimming. Her 5 year old son can now at least dog paddle in the water without going under.

But he wanted to do more than that. He wanted to dive from the diving board. He wanted to be able to jump in and swim to the edge. That was his goal.

His mom watched him as he stood on the diving board. He tried so hard to make himself jump yet his fear of heights was stronger than his desire to jump! He was encouraged by his grandmother and his mother and his swim coach. But shaking at the edge of the board, he could not bring himself to do it. Afterwards he was so frustrated with himself as he told his mother, “It looks easy from the side of the pool, but when I get up there it’s REALLY HIGH!”  One day I am sure that sweet little boy will overcome his fears and enjoy the jump, but for now fear looks like the winner.

There is built within each one of us a desire to excel. We have high hopes for ourselves and great dreams and visions.  We daydream of flying higher than high. We have the want to; we earnestly think about it, dream about it and plan it. But when it comes to doing it, to really putting feet to our ideals, that’s when trouble comes.  That’s when fear shows up.

Fear is an incredible force – a foe to be reckoned with.  It will take us by the hand and lead us totally away from our dreams, all the while telling us we just cannot do it. It will make us think we can’t breathe, we can’t move, we can’t go forward.  Fear is a liar and a jailor. It will give us propaganda and then put us behind bars for life.

But there is Hope! His name is Jesus and He came to set us free! Free from fear itself and all of its cohorts – fear of failure, fear of the paste and all the regrets, fear of the future, fear of things, fear of people, and all of the other the fears that we can succumb to.

Nowhere in the Bible will you see your name tied to fear. Not once does God give you a spirit of fear. Never will He encourage you to let fear take you by the hand.  Under no circumstances will God say, go back, you are too afraid! In fact, God Himself gives us marvelous witness to His abounding strength overcoming all our fears! Look to Gideon hiding from his enemies, Elijah running for his life, and Peter denying Christ; all of these great men of faith battled fears that plagued their lives and yet they went on to overcome those fears!

Oh beloved, it’s time to step out on the end of the diving board of life and take the plunge! God means for you to have life MORE abundantly! He says to you this morning, I know your fears and I know your weaknesses, but through ME you can go where I send you and thwart the enemy’s tactical forces of fear. Today is your day to say No to Fear and send it back where it came from. It’s your day to reach for the sky with faith and achieve the goals God has put on your heart.

God loves you and He’s for you and that, beloved, always puts fear to flight!

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

Joshua 1:9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

Isaiah 41:13 For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.’

Psalm 31:24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Ephesians 6:10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

When Our Fears Meet King Fearless Everything Changes

 

The Wizard of Oz had some very interesting characters. My favorite was the lion. He was a very unusual lion in that he lacked courage. I’ve had dreams over the years about lions. In every dream they were ferocious and fearless. I’ve watched lots of shows about lions and never once have I seen a lion backing down from about anything. Movies depict them as a intrepid foe and a crafty stalker.

But here we have a cowardly lion. He jumps at his own shadow. He hates to face obstacles. He is reticent and reclusive. He needs lots of help from friends and lots of encouragement as well. When faced with a problem he starts whining instead of roaring! You have to feel so sorry for the creature.  His kind is considered “king of the jungle” and yet this lion felt like anything but a king!

In his desire to be more than he is, to get rid of his cowardice, he follows along with a group to the Land of Oz. He’s not sure, but he’s hoping that what he’s heard about this magnificent place will help him.  All along the way the lion and the other characters meet up with obstacles, terrors, dangers and enemies.   He is so full of his own fears that he doesn’t even realize that he is overcoming obstacles and facing uncertainties all along the way.

I understand the lion.  He’s supposed to be one thing, but he keeps seeing himself as much less than he is. He’s afraid and unsure of himself. Even though the nature books tell all about lions and their courage and fierceness, he has neither.  Maybe you can relate.  Are you lacking courage? Are you having a hard time facing things that come into your life? Maybe it’s rejection, unforgiveness,  unresolved relationships or the uncertainties of life itself. Our world is full of dangers and dread. As the movie line goes, we’re not in Kansas anymore.

Oh beloved, it’s time to run to the reassurance of the King of Kings! Everything we lack – absolutely everything – He is! Everything we fear – He conquers! Everything we’re weak in – He’s Courageous!  Maybe you don’t know it yet, but you are an overcomer, you are victorious, and everything, every single thing you need for life and godliness is found in Him! If you will let yourself trust Him, He will take you beyond your own mortal weaknesses and set you apart for Himself! He will make your way secure, your sight full of faith and your life full of His glory. For He loves you and He’s able to save you not only from the penalty of sin, but from yourself! The God of the Universe is Fearless and Able to make all grace abound to you – so that in all things you will have the courage and fortitude of a child of the Most High God. Look back and see – you have come a long way and He has taken every step with you! Look forward and see – He will go ahead of you to get you where you need to be. Look up, for He is your Redemption and Your Place of Safety. He loves you, oh beloved, and He’s for you, His child, and that is all that really matters!

I Peter 5:7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. (AMP)

Deuteronomy 31:6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

1 John 4:18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.