A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

So today I read a scripture that just hit me like a rock and went to the core of my being. It is written that His word is a “lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”. It shines into our lives and souls and shows us what we need to see. I am grateful, even when it hurts at first. Kind of like a splinter. You know it must come out before the infection can heal.

The scripture I read is this:

Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

And it echoes at the end…… 30….O you of little faith?

Those incredible words……DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE! As God’s word shined on that, I realized how far off the mark I have been. Have I been worrying about my life? YES, YES, YES! I am guilty, but I don’t want to be and I don’t have to be.

Can we really take God at His word? I did not realize how much I had been weighed down by worry. Yes, it is easy to walk around and think that you trust in God and for most of us we have areas that we are good at. I trust Him for many things, but as I read these words the lights came on and I could see how much fear had gripped my heart in certain areas. And I want out of it! I could see how I have let so much slip. I used to live by faith so much more, but somewhere along the line I began to trust in man, in natural things, it was easier to look for natural easily available solutions than to look to God to meet my needs and to look to God first in prayer before turning to something or someone else. To actually believe that He would take care of the problem for me.

I’ve always liked the fact that the Bible tells us that if we would “judge ourselves” we would not be judged. So even though it smarts for me to admit that I have slipped pretty far in this area of trusting God and actually doing away with worry. I want to read that again….

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life….”

I want to walk in that. God has never said something that we could not do with His help and grace. I feel like I need to go through my life like weeding a garden and hunt down the “worry” weeds and pull them out. I am asking God to help me do this and I hope in some ways this will be a blessing to you.

It is written James 5:16 “ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

There is so much in the word that we actually don’t “do” anymore, but I hope this is a spark. As I have been honest about my shortcomings I hope that you will pray for me, yourself and others. We are a body meant to be a part of each other for good. To reflect Christ. To be “doers of the word and not hearers only”.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. God bless you and I pray you have a great day.

A FEW THOUGHTS ON FEAR – Right and wrong Fear for the Christian

Psalm 33:8,9 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.”

Of all the things in the earth to fear…..and there are many……it is the fear of the Lord that we need to cling to.  He is in control and He will surround us.   Our thoughts need to be on pleasing Him, then the other kinds of fear we can be relieved of.  

Ecclesiastes 12:13   “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.”

Matthew 10:28-29    “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”

Now there will be many other kinds of fear, but when we keep our proper honor and reverence of God and obey His commandments as a child would obey his or her Father….the other fear….the kind that causes torment is not intended for us.

1 John 4:18
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
WE WILL SEE FEAR INCREASING IN THESE DAYS…

Luke 21:25-27     “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;  men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

BUT WE CAN REST IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PROTECTIVE WINGS

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)

John 14:27  “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
We need to reverence and fear the Almighty God……trusting in His goodness for us,  and let all the other fears go, knowing that He has us in the palm of His hand.

It’s not easy to do……I struggle with it too. Memorizing the scriptures on the subject helps to let His truth reign in our thoughts. Hope this has been a blessing to you.

The only person we are supposed to fear is God…..a healthy ‘you’re God and I’m not” kind of fear!