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“Fear for the Future!”

Fear!

How often do you think about the future?  Do you have fears about what may happen next?  It seems that there are so many that fear more and more each day.  They see the things that are happening about them and they just can’t help but fear.

It is a fearful world in which we live without a doubt.  And we know it is way worse than we even know or can even imagine.  The atrocities that happen each day are beyond our knowledge and comprehension.  But we fear what we do know and what we don’t know.

There are people everyday that commit suicide because they fear and cannot handle the things that are happening around them.  But fear has a big part to play.  Fear that they cannot financially make it, fear for the future because a spouse, child, parent, someone they dearly love died, fear of being hurt again or killed, fear of failure and I could go on and on.  The fear is real and it is an overwhelming cloud that some can’t shake.

Failure…

I think for a lot of people the fear of failure drives them.  Every day they get up just to prove to the world and themselves that they are worth something.  Everywhere they turn they see or hear something that leads them to believe that they are not worth anything.

When you were a child you may have heard it said by your parents, schoolmates, or even friends.  They said things negative about you.  Some may have been joking and not even realizing how much it hurt.  Others did it to just hurt you or maybe make them feel better about themselves.  The idea is that you want to prove to the world that you are worth something and that you are better than they think.

Media…

Then there is the bombardment of media.  And it doesn’t matter whether you are a guy or a gal you need to look like the people seen on TV, Magazines, or billboards to be popular.  A lot of people try to imagine themselves looking like some actor, actress, or some popular singer.  There is this “ideal” look that becomes the “best” look and all you want to do is look like them.

The truth is that a lot of those people that you think you want to look or be like are the most miserable people.  Remember they are acting but inside they are dying.  And then we hear on the news that one of them committed suicide.  We should never look at someone’s life and think they have it better than we do.  We don’t know what is really going on in their mind and life.

The answer

Is the answer to fear simple?  I believe the answer to fear is simple but not easy.  You may be asking how can it be simple but not easy?  The answer is trusting and surrendering, which is simple but a lot easier said than done.  We are people that want to be in control of everything around us.  And to give that control to Someone else is the hardest thing to do.

Having trust in God and surrendering everything to Him is the answer that will bring peace and happiness.  It doesn’t mean all the troubles in our lives and what is happening around us will go away.  But what it does mean is we can have a life of peace and meaning.  God cares so much for us as well as those around us. We can’t even comprehend it.

Besides trusting God and surrendering, cut the negative out of your life.  Don’t listen to the news or read news magazines or newspapers.  Don’t spend time with those who are doomsayers.  Or make you feel you are worthless.  The devil doesn’t care where he traps us all he cares about is diverting us from the real goal in this life.  Instead, spend that time doing things that bring life to the soul.  Spend time in God’s Word and in prayer.  Pray for not only yourself but for those around you.  You can uplift the souls of others to the One who loves them.  Encourage them directing their thoughts to the One that can give them peace.

We can…

We can have peace in the midst of all the stormy blasts around us. Even though we may think we don’t “look” perfect, God dwelling in the heart is the greatest beauty.   It may not change the circumstances but life will be filled with joy even through the storm.  When we make Jesus our Captain we can weather any storm without fear, knowing that He is in full control.  And then He will shine through us making us the most beautiful people.  And then we bring the truth of peace and joy to others.

Dear Father,

We live in such a wicked world.  People are dying for lack of knowledge about the peace and joy that they can have.  Even as Christians, many times, we are lacking the joy and peace that we could have if we would stay focused on what You would have us do.  Continue to draw our hearts and minds back to You.  Help us to stay focused on the good and right so that we can shine for You and draw others to You.  Because it is only You that can give us true joy and peace.  And You are the only One that can bring us through the other side victorious.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender to the only One that you can trust today.  And let Him have full control.  Spend time out in nature.  I believe it to be God’s second book and we can be revived.

Love you all.

Has there been a time in your life that you have feared something, yet, when you put your trust in God, He gave you peace?  I would love to hear your story.  Share below.

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“I’m Afraid!! What’s Next?”

Fear?

There is a lot of fear in our world today?  There is this fear of what is going to happen next?  And there is also the question; do I really need to be afraid?

When I was in the grocery store the other day I was talking with the cashier, which we have known for years.  I was telling her that I have a son in Africa right now and he will be coming back soon.  But then in January, he is going to India for 2 months.  She had a question for me and I can’t remember it exactly.  But she wanted to know how I could handle him being gone to those other countries.  She felt that I must be full of fear.  I have to say here that I am human and there are times the fear can start to grip me.   But what I told her is that I have to trust the Lord otherwise I couldn’t make it.

The reality is God loves my son way more than I ever could.  His goal is to bring about the Salvation of each soul and He allows only those things into each life that can bring them to the point of realizing their need of Him.  And once a person’s life is fully surrendered to Him it doesn’t matter what happens.  It doesn’t change the pain of losing a loved one if that were to happen but it can take away the sting.  So my prayer for my family is always the same.  “Bring into their life whatever it takes for their Salvation.”  And then I have to trust Him.

What’s Next?

There are so many things going on in our world today that can bring fear.  And it is not just in the political world it is also within the religious world as well.  Everyone has their own opinion of how things should be and how things should go and they are out trying to force their agenda.  And on top of that, they are angry with anyone that does not agree with their opinion.

So there is all this unrest and people fear what is going to happen next.  And is what happens next going to affect my family and me.  It seems so unsafe!

Now we are in this season of celebrating the best gift that was ever given to man but the focus is on fear for the future and self.  The focus is on what “my” agenda is about and I don’t care what I have to do or say to get what I want.  And amongst all this what is the truth.  Which news or social media post are you going to believe?  Is there a political party that you can trust?  Or how about a “religious” party?  Where do you put your trust?  And do you have have to fear about what is next?

What should we fear?

I don’t think we have anything to fear unless we forget how the Lord has led us in our past history.  There is something for us to fear but not what is going on politically or religiously.  “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” Matthew 10:28.  We need to fear anything or anyone that can destroy our spiritual connection with God.

We don’t need to fear what is happening we need to fear are we ready.  Are we ready for what?  Are we ready for what all this unrest is going to bring?  I believe what is taking place is signs that the time of the end is near and we are soon going to see Jesus coming in the clouds of Glory.  Do I know when? No, but we can know when it is near and I believe it is near.

The devil knows he has such a short time.  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8.  The devil doesn’t care how he devours us as long as he can keep our focus on everything except what our focus should be on.

I believe our biggest fear should be where and what our focus is on.  We can get so caught up in the religious and political problems that we let slide our own personal connection with God. Being right with God so we are ready when He comes is not based on whether someone else is doing the right things and having the right agenda.  We are only saved by our own choices.

What can we do?

So the question may arise, then what can or should we be doing?  We need to make sure that we are in God’s Word and being fully surrendered to His will for our lives.  Prayer needs to be a major part of our lives.  Praying not only for us but also for others.  We need to take our focus off of others and what they are doing right or wrong, in our opinion.  And keep our eyes focused on the One that came to save all men.

The church and the world are being shaken and who is going to be able to stand?  Only those that keep their eyes on Jesus and pray will be able to stand.  We need to “…weep between the porch and the altar, and…say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them:” Joel 2:17.

We need to be as Daniel as we pray.  He prayed for the sins of his people and he included himself (Read Daniel 9).  Often times we look at ourselves more righteous than someone else but the reality is we are all sinners saved by grace.  So when it comes to the church we need to be crying and sighing for the abominations, praying God to forgive us all and ask for His leading.

We need to be lifting up in prayer our spiritual and political leaders and then leave them to God to do His work.  When leaving them with God then we shall speak no evil thing of them or anyone else.

“If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” Ephesians 4:21-32.

Dear Father,

Your ways are beyond our human thinking and ways.  We need You!  Without You, we cannot do Your will.  Please forgive us where we have fallen short.  Give us the strength to do Your will.  Help us to not get caught up in the things of this world whether it be religious or political. And help us to keep our focus on what matters most, our connection with You.  The devil doesn’t care how he trips us up.  He just wants to get our focus off of You and onto something else so that we don’t see our own deficiencies.  Help us, Lord; we cannot do this without You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Keep God #1 in your life.  Surrender all your plans, thoughts, and ideas to Him today.

Love you all.

What keeps you from being afraid of what is coming next?  Please share below.

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“I Think I’m Going To Be Sick!”

Sick!

Have you ever had this feeling in the pit of your stomach that you can’t explain?  Maybe as a kid, you realized that because you just made a bad choice your parents have decided to cancel something they had planned for you.  You have this sick feeling in the pit of your stomach realizing that you just missed out on the most amazing thing.  Maybe you’re like me when I got out to my car from a store and realized my daughter wasn’t with me.  She was young, maybe 6 or 7, at the time and it was the scariest feeling.  Talk about a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

My daughter

It was around Christmas time.  Our family was in a store in the mall browsing.  We didn’t find what we needed so we headed out to our vehicle.  When we got there we realized our daughter was not with us.  After losing a daughter that we only had with us for 5 weeks, I was in a panic.  I did not want to lose another daughter.  We went into the store and talked to the workers and we all started on a search.  I don’t remember how much time passed but it seemed like forever.  Finally, one of the workers found her hiding in some clothes.

It turns out she had been skipping the squares on the floor and had not turned with us toward the doors.  When she realized she was alone she tried to go out one door and realized it was the wrong one so she came back into the store and hid in the clothes.  It was a very happy reunion.  I remember how frustrated I would get when we would go anywhere after that.  She was so afraid of being left behind she would hang on to my clothing.  It was hard for me to even walk through a store because she stayed so close to me.  I would say she did that for the next couple of years at least.  It was a very frightening experience for her.  I can imagine the sick feeling she must have had in the pit of her stomach.

The worst sick feeling

So what is the worst sick feeling that a person could ever have in the pit of their stomach?  I have given much thought to this more than once.  It makes me cringe to think about it.  We can so often go through life and not really realize the seriousness of it.  But if you really take the time to give it some thought it can be awakening.

When I think about the worst sick feeling that I could possibly think of, I think of not being ready for the greatest event in all history, the event of Jesus soon coming.  For me, the most sickening feeling would be to hear the words, “…I never knew you:…” Matthew 7:23.  That sick feeling of realizing that I am lost.  I imagine my daughter had the most horrible sick feeling in her stomach when she realized she was lost.  Just like I had the sick feeling in my stomach when I realized my daughter was lost, God has even a greater sick feeling.  He loves us so much and when we don’t choose Him and His ways He suffers.  He has so many children that His suffering is indescribable.

Fear

The great news is that we have a forgiving God.  If we have gone astray and gotten lost there is still time to be found.  Now is the time to come to Him asking for forgiveness and He is ever waiting and longing to forgive.

There is only one thing that we need to fear and that is separation and that separation only happens as we choose it.  God doesn’t bring the separation, we do.  Just like my daughter clung to me thereafter, we need to cling to Jesus.  As we cling to Him there is nothing to fear. We need to walk with Him hand in hand.  We cannot let anything come between Him and ourselves otherwise we will get lost.  He will be constantly searching for us but if we don’t want to be found He doesn’t push His way in.  And if we continue not to listen to the pleadings of the Holy Spirit, His voice will get softer and softer until we can’t hear it anymore.

Cling to Jesus

The answer is to cling to Jesus.  We need to stay in full connection to Him.  Here are some ways to stay connected.

  1. I look at prayer as a key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured boundless resources.  We need to be coming to God everyday and speaking to Him as well as listening to His voice.
  2. Be in the word.  We must be in the Word each day.  God’s Word is full of instructions and promises.  As we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us we can know which course to pursue.
  3. Memorize verses from God’s Word.  If we have promises memorized from God’s Word, we can bring them to mind when we are having struggles throughout the day or when we are tempted.
  4. Guard the avenues of the soul.  We need to guard our 5 senses.  Making choice that will keep us out of harms way.  We can protect ourselves from temptations by guarding ourselves.  We don’t want put ourselves in a position that will make it harder for us to stay connected.  My daughter was tempted to skip the squares on the floor and she took her eyes off of me and did not see me go in a different direction.  That is exactly what can happen to us if we don’t keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Dear Father,

Thank You for always being there through every circumstance in life.  Continue to prompt our hearts to keep our eyes on You.  And help us to be ready when You come.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Keep your eyes fixed on the One that can lead and guide you through every circumstance.

Love you all.

What illustration can you share today?  I would love to hear it.