Shoot – We Ain't Got No Reason to be Fearin'

Be not afraid, neither be dismayed,
for the Lord is with us wherever we go.
Joshua 1:9




The presence of God in our lives helps us overcome fear. If we know by faith that God is with us, we can take on any challenge with confidence and courage. The basis for not fearing is simply this: God is with us. We may not always feel God's presence, but we can trust God's Words and remember that He'll never leave us.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

We have a big job to do (spreading the Word) but don't let it intimidate you – fear not.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

God is trustworthy – we don't have to know what He's going to do, simply knowing He's with us is more than enough.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Fear is a spirit that produces feelings like sweaty palms or butterflies – but to 'fear not' means to do what you need to do anyway. Do what God's called you to do – even if you're afraid. When fear attacks, just go ahead and do what God's telling you to do anyway. I think it was Joyce Meyer that said to simply – do it afraid.

Meditate on scriptures from the Word of God on peace and on God's love when you feel afraid or are facing an overwhelming situation. God's Word will strengthen you to keep pressing forward, no matter how you feel.

Fear used to come against me so strong when I had heart trouble that it would literally consume me. I told the Lord, I'm rebuking the fear, telling it to go. I know I have authority, how come it's still here paralyzing me? The Lord gave me such a simple answer, 'You're telling the fear to go, but you're NOT BELIEVING it's gone when you command it to. BELIEVE!'

Don't be afraid. I am with you. Don't tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories. I am the LORD your God. I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:10,13

God just loves us SO much, you know – no matter what.

Prayer: Father God, my Lord, You are just SO amazing. I humble myself before You and worship Your holy name. I pray that You bring peace to us and our situations. Help us to know who we are in You. Help us to receive the perfect love that You have for us, that casts out fear. Give us grace & confidence as you perform Your will through us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Lord

Philippians 2:10,11 - At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

One day, everyone in every corner of the world will recognize His power and authority over everything. Either willingly or unwillingly, everyone will one day admit that Jesus is God and Master over all.

Don't wait - bow your heart and life to Jesus and confess that He is Lord.

Prayer: Father, I pray that You woo us by way of the Holy Spirit. Lead us to repentance. Draw us close to You. Help us to call You Lord and Savior, for You are worthy. Give us grace to follow You and to be obedient. We submit ourselves to You, completely and relinquish control. In Jesus name, Amen.

Just Praise Him - That's It

Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.






I told the Lord yesterday that I was tired of begging for things that I'm believing for. He told me, 'stop begging and start praising for the answer, its on its way'.

I told the Lord I felt like a wall is put up to stop me every time I try to do something. He reminded me the 'wall of Jerico' fell with praise.

No matter how thick your 'wall of Jerico' is, it's gonna fall.

So ... I'm praising and forgetting all that other stuff.

Psalm 27:13,14 - I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Do not give up - your miracle is in the works.

Prayer: Father, give us strength to praise You, especially when we don't feel like it. You are so worthy of our praise, whether You ever do anything past salvation for us or not. Thank You for working and moving in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You Might Fool People, but You Don't Fool God

Romans 2:13-16 - For merely listening to the law doesn't make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in His sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, show that they know His law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim - that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone's secret life.

If you have to hide to do something, it may be wrong, inappropriate or dishonest.

Sometimes people get so caught up in their lies they don't remember who they told what - it can be exhausting trying to keep it all straight. You can end up with self-deception & you wind up not really knowing what the truth is yourself & you loose a piece of yourself.

What's wrong with just being yourself and letting people make their own decision about whether to like you or not? Sometimes we don't even give people a chance, don't give them much credit.

Isn't it time to let the 'image' you've made of yourself go?

People have been thru so much hurt & pain, so why would so-called friends want to put you through more?

God sees all and knows all.

Ephesians 5:12 - For it's shameful to even mention what the disobedient do in secret.

Matthew 10:26 - So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.

Prayer: Father, help us to be the type of person that You would want us to be. Help us to be the type of friend to others that we expect from them. Help us to be open and honest, not telling or spreading lies about ourselves or others. Guard our lips to only speak the truth. GIve us grace, Lord. Forgive us if we've hurt others with the stories we make up, and help us not to do it anymore. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Why Can't We Hear? *

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that he will not hear. Is 59:1,2.
Sometimes there is so much "noise" in our lives that God simply can't hear us. But wait a minute. We're talking about the Almighty God, here. What could possibly plug up His ears so that He can't hear?

Sometimes we plug God's ears with our sins. Often we come to Him, expecting Him to hear us and answer our prayers but we aren't willing to let go of the things that are keeping us apart, that are keeping Him from being able to hear us!

And just what are those 'things'? Pretty much any sin will do, but the book of Ezekiel offers further insight: 'Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?' Eze 14:3
Is there something that you put in a higher place than God? Do your priorities always reflect a "God first" attitude? Is there something you just aren't willing to let go of? If so, then it is causing interference, and God simply can't hear you. If it seems God isn't answering your prayers, search your hearts for pet sins and for "other gods".

But what if that sincere heart search comes up empty? What if there aren't any pet sins or "other gods" in your life, and you know God hears you? Why, then, can't you hear His voice?

The reason we often can't hear Him is that there is so much interference in our lives. The interference is sometimes caused by worry and sometimes by stress.

Sometimes it is caused by our personal desires or the fact that we are focusing on our problems instead of on Jesus. But whatever the cause, He hears us and He answers us, but something keeps us from understanding His voice.

So what's the solution? Move closer to the person you're speaking to. Turn your ears towards His mouth, cupp your hand around your ear, and put your full concentration into listening.

What happens? You'll eventually understand what He's trying to tell you!

When you can't hear God's voice, you need to move closer to Him. You need to focus your attention on Him and Him alone. You need to focus your faith on Him, forgetting the problems all around you, ever believing that He will come through with an answer. You need to push aside your personal desires and be willing to let Him lead in your life. Only then will His voice begin to resound, crystal clear.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 12:2

Prayer: Father, help us to slow down & listen for Your voice. We choose to lay down things we've put before You. Forgive us for our sins. Speak to our hearts, Lord & help us to understand what You're saying. Help us to be willing & obedient. In Jesus' name, Amen.
* via Lyn Chaffart (except 4 prayer)

God's Training Camp

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

God's preparing you for the ministry He has for you. He works at both ends of the process - in your life to prepare you for a unique role of service, and He's preparing ahead of time the work He'll give you. In His timing, of course. So wherever you are right now is God's training camp for future service.

Joseph's prison term prepared him to be God's man on Egypt's throne. Moses' years in Pharaoh's court equipped him for his tasks as leader of Israel. For years Joshua served as Moses' aide, and Elisha did the same for Elijah; God was preparing them both as successors. Paul's years in Arabia were readying him for years of missionary service. Even Jesus experienced an extended period of preparation in the carpenter's shop of Nazareth.

Wherever you are right now, God is giving you experiences that are training you for future service. It may be over a long period of time or only a few minutes, but He equips us with what we need to serve Him.

Think of your circumstances today as God's training camp.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, things get so overwhelming sometimes. So often nothing seems to go right and we just get frustrated. Help us not to grow weary or despise small beginnings. Renew our hope today, Lord and remind us that You're in charge of our lives if we've submitted ourselves to You - so there's no reason to worry anymore. Help us not to sweat the small stuff. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Prescription for Depression

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying 'Where is this God of yours?' My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshippers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again - my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You - even from Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as Your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life. 'O God my Rock,' I cry, 'Why have You forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?' Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, 'Where is this God of yours?' Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again - my Savior and my God! Psalm 42

Life can be hard on us and when things don't happen the way we want them to or expect them to, we can get very disappointed. As a result of the disappointment, we get discouraged. Left unchecked, that discouragement turns into depression, which is anger turned inward.

The cure for depression is a prescription plan that the Lord gave me based on the Psalm above:

Pill 1 - hope in God, not man

Pill 2 - remember what God's done previously for you

Pill 3 - praise Him

Pill 4 - encourage yourself

Following this prescription, we can put depression in it's place, often before it even begins. If you are battling with life's experiences and find yourself in a state of depression, odds are you are an encourager. For the enemy throws the opposite of what we are at us.

It's time we start encouraging ourselves like we do others. We all need to be uplifted sometimes.

Prayer: You are the lifter of our heads, Lord (Ps 3:3), so I pray that You help us, Father, to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of mourning and heaviness (Is 61:3), to arise from the depression and prostration that circumstances have kept us - help us to rise to a new life (Is 60:1) and I pray that You rejoice over us with Your joy, oh Lord (Zeph 3:17). Thank You that weeping only remains for a night - joy does come in the morning (Ps 30:5). Help us to praise You, Lord, whether we feel like it or not - for You are always worthy of our praise. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Need someone to talk to?  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)