What Fears?

by rebekahbeene

Early yesterday morning before daylight I heard something akin to a chicken cluck in one of our bedrooms. Deciding it must be a toy, Danny and I went into the bedroom to investigate. Finding nothing, we had our coffee and Danny headed out for the day. As I was enjoying my last cup of coffee and having my quiet time I heard it again, a little louder. After hearing it the third time I knew there was something inside the house making a noise. The third noise was louder and longer. I could not locate that noise no matter how much I looked. We had already looked in the toy room, so it couldn’t be a toy. How can I protect myself from something that is yet unidentified?

Imaginations run wild at times. Imagined or real threats tend to startle us and give us great concern. When I got home that afternoon it turns out it was in fact a toy, but a toy that had been left in the bathroom after the grandkids tried to play with it in the bathtub. Once it got wet the barn animal noises it makes just went off randomly (and weirdly because of low batteries). What seemed to be something real was actually nothing.

I read a quote from Dr. David Jeremiah that reminded me of a truth that I must embrace no matter what I am dealing with: “Protection in one hand, blessing in the other. No sheep in God’s flock could ask for more.”

The sheep of God’s pasture are much like the sheep of the field. Without God’s care things can easily spook the sheep. They will run helter skelter and not watch where they are going. A noise in the bushes or from the hill and they are startled and ready to bolt. But we are not mere sheep of the pasture; we are HIS sheep, in HIS care, with blessings in one hand and protection in the other! We have mortal enemies – the satanic realm – but they have no hold on us. We don’t have to be startled and run scared for our Lord is our Shepherd. At night He gives us sweet protection in our sleep. During the day He guides us, leads us, feeds us and nourishes us with everlasting water that will never run dry.

God wants you and I to know all this so that when we are faced with adversity – whether it’s a sound from the other room or the sounds of rejection from a person, depression from the enemy, or conflict from within or without – we will stand still and see God do what only He can do.

Oh beloved, He will do it for you! He will do it because He loves you. He has called you to walk in blessings, journey protected and delight in His will for your life. No other human being or spirit being can remove those blessings and protections from you. You are HIS.He wants you to know that the more you speak the Truth over your life the more you will walk in it. The more you walk in it the more powerful you will be and fear will have to leave. Troubling things may come your way but you will never face them alone. You are always watched over by the Shepherd of your heart.

God loves you, He is for you, His hand is on you and His will is being formed within you. Rejoice and be glad! You are HIS!

Psalm 27:1-3 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident!

Isaiah 25:9 And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us! This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation!”

Hebrews 13:6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.

Full Protection Comes With Knowing God

Yesterday morning I had a friend request. I didn’t know the fellow but the name sounded familiar. I was on my phone so I just accepted his request.  Within moments I got a private message thanking me for friending him. I replied with a “God bless you”.  Within a few moments I had another private message, asking me to email him so we could get to know one another better.

Immediately I felt a chill.  I looked on his profile and found that he was friends with all women. He was friends with no one I knew. We had no mutual interests. I quickly unfriended him and blocked him from seeing me. I knew protection was needed, not just for me but for my friends, who he might try to friend as well.

A crisis was averted. And I can rest again. The only problem is this type of scenario will come again. Unfriendly people with hidden motives will try to friend us. They may appear to be great friends, with mutual interests, but given time their true heart and motives will surface. 

We must always be willing to friend everyone, for everyone needs the Lord. But not everyone is looking for Him. The Word tells us that satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Not only that, but he’s referred to as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  There’s no way to look at the word devour without realizing just what that means: overwhelm, demolish, dispose of. It’s a no win situation if we don’t know the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and we aren’t acquainted with what God’s Word says. We have to have our credentials secure – we must know who our God is, who we are in Christ and who our true enemy is in order to quickly respond to attacks wherever they come from.

Oh beloved,   there is One who will watch over you wherever you go. There is One who knows your needs and answers each call before your voice rings out. There is One who is your protector, your deliverer and your strong tower. No foe can defeat Him, no enemy can wound Him, no pretender can deceive Him. Even if you’ve let yourself get into a situation full of mistakes and harm, our God will come in and deliver you! Call on Him this morning and let Him stand between you and the enemies of your soul. He is the Great I AM and He is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we ever ask or think. He loves you and because of His great love, He will watch over you all your life.

I Samuel 2:9 He will protect His faithful ones,  but the wicked will disappear in darkness.  No one will succeed by strength alone.

Psalm 10:16-18 The Lord is king forever and ever!  The godless nations will vanish from the land. Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.  Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.  You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Psalm 91:14-15 Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.  He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Not Sure if You're an Overcomer? God is Your Source

There is a lot of talk these days about survivalism. However you feel about it, merit can always be found in preparing ahead for hard times.  Having gone through an ice storm several years ago, we were thankful we had extra food in the cabinet so that we didn’t go hungry, for we literally could not get out of our driveway for days! Our electricity was off for a week and we had to resort to techniques for healthy living and cleaning that were beyond the norm.  I heated water in the fireplace and washed dishes at the sink.  We heated our food at the fireplace as well.  We lived downstairs and slept on pallets while closing off the upstairs. Literally going to the bathroom was about like going to the old fashioned outhouse – it was cold and we had to carry a flashlight! We also had to learn how to entertain ourselves! We still had two kids at home who were not having fun. We learned that you don’t have to have the TV on 24/7.  We played card games and board games. I put together a lot of puzzles.  We talked to one another and reminisced and laughed a lot! We had time for one another and the things that meant so much to us.

Now, we didn’t have to suffer at all really, but it reminds us that when God allows us to go through hard times we can be resourceful and seek His face. That if we should need to stand for our faith or go through truly hard things, we can do it with God’s help.

I admit I am no expert on the subject of survivalism, but I know one thing – God’s promises are for His people. In good times, they are a reminder to walk with Him. In bad times, they are a source of comfort to seek His face. In times of plenty, He warns us through His Word not to forget Him. In times of hardship and want, He reminds us in His Word to trust Him.  Should we prepare ahead? Absolutely, for God’s Word tells us so.

Oh beloved, do you know how to survive? Are you struggling with what if’s and if only’s? Are you concerned that when things get hard you won’t have enough or that you won’t know how to make it? Maybe you think you might have to suffer and you don’t know what you’ll do.  Run to the Lord this morning and let Him set up your survival skills! His Word has marvelous biographies of heroes of the faith who were victorious in battle, courageous in the face of incredible obstacles and fearless in the days of famine, peril and war.  Although they went through hard times, they were triumphant for their destinies were set by the Lord.

You are a survivor! You will overcome by the blood of the lamb. You will be victorious because it is through God you will do valiantly. He will tread over your enemies. He will make a way where there is no way. He will care for you just as He cared for Sarah and Joshua and Joseph and Daniel. Everywhere you read in the Bible there are wonderful accounts of champions of the faith.  Look to the ultimate heroes of the Word of God and see – no one who trusts in the Lord will be disappointed for His everlasting covenant of grace surrounds those who put their trust in Him!

Always remember that God loves you and has a marvelous plan for your life. When you seek His face first and become a proponent of His ways, He will guide you, He will instruct you, and He will watch over you and keep you in His arms all the way to Heaven! Now that’s worth preparing for! That’s worth praising His name!

Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him— my father’s God, and I will exalt Him!

Jude 1:24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault.

Isaiah 51:12 I, yes I AM the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear?

Jeremia 17:7 But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Under His Wings is Your Refuge

I have always loved chickens. From the time as a little girl watching my uncle feed them to being an adult and having a few of my own.  A friend of my parents gave my kids a bantam hen and rooster back in the day.  The hen had a passel of chicks. She and the rooster were black as coal and the baby chicks were too. They were fun to watch and fun to listen to. She had different voices for different events. Often you could hear her cooing quietly. At that sound they would run up to her and gather under her wings. She took incredible care of those babes of hers.

One day we had a dangerous visitor.   I was in the house and I heard a hawk calling nearby.  I looked out the window as the mother hen began cackling loudly and running everywhere!  I raced outside to run the hawk off and found only the mother hen.  It appeared that every one of her babies was lost to the hawk’s wily abilities.  I was just sad as I returned inside the house to finish up whatever chore I was involved in.

Sometime later I was sitting at the window resting and watching the beautiful woods in our back yard. I could hear the mother hen still talking softly from underneath the back porch.  I guessed she was missing her babies as much as I was. Suddenly baby chicks appeared from nowhere!  They popped out from under the thick bed of leaves at the back of the yard.  They ran over to their mother, who once again gathered them up under her wings and spoke soft mother hen talk to them.

I was amazed. That mother hen had instructed her babies to hide! And when time had passed and the danger was gone, she called them out from the safety of the leaves. What looked like a disaster was simply the love of a mother protecting her babies.

Oh beloved, are you having a hard time? Are you wondering how you got in trouble, got left out alone, got in danger or worse? Are you wondering if you will ever feel protected, safe and secure again? Maybe you’re sure that no one will ever rescue you or keep you safe. God sees your life and He knows every detail, from the mistakes you make to the transgressions that come against you. He is the One Who has kept you all these years and He is the One Who will see you safely home! Trust Him this morning, for under His wings is your refuge. Look to His Word as your guidance for under His Banner is your safety. Because of His incredible love for you He will never fail you or forsake you and on that alone you can rely!

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings.

1 Samuel 2:9 He will protect His faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.

Psalm 138:7 Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.