Monday's Blessing
Matthew 14:27

“But instantly He spoke to them saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!."

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Are you trying to maneuver that rough course head of you?

God will do two things if you have a problem: he will either remove the problem (which we desire) or He will give you the strength, the grace, and the ability to go through the problem.  I know it isn't pleasant going through that part, but if that is what God chooses, we need to trust Him.

If God allows us to go through something, then He's got a purpose in mind; there's something we are going to get out of it that we need.  If we don't trust God, we're going to be miserable.  The only choices we have are -trust and be happy, or don't trust and be miserable! 

Trusting God is very peaceful.  It is so wonderful to say, "I don't understand this, but I believe God's going to work it out." When you are in a difficult situation, believe God is with you and that He will give you direction at the right time.  Believe you are growing spiritually even though you might be hurting right now.

I have been going through some trying times recently.  My mother has vascular dementia and the prospect of getting through the daily grind is heart rendering to say the least.  I want answers; I want help to say the least.  Yet, the road for the elderly is paved with hurtles and twists that are often unseen and unperceived. The utmost being insurance pays little into daily respite care even when that individual is near end-stage.  Trying to attain medical attention through trained staff members who work as home health aides offers little allotted time.  Getting on the Medicaid Waiver list is years of waiting.  We had to utilize Assisted Living Care because she is unable to be alone for more that three hours.  It has been an awful couple of months to say the least.  I finally decided, "Oh! I'm supposed to trust God.  and if God doesn't get rid of my problem, then I trust God to take me through it." By believing in God, I entered His rest!

We trust God's timing, we trust His wisdom, we trust His ways, and by doing that, we can enjoy every single day of the journey.  We don't have to just be happy when we have no problems; we can also enjoy life while we are going through them.

This Week's Meditation:

Teach me to "not worry."

Pray:

Help me to meditate each day: "I don't understand this, but I believe God's going to work it out." ​
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Teach me to be patient and know you will mentor me. Remind me that prayer motivates me.

Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind.  And realize God has you in his arms always.

God's Message Today
Romans 8:31

"If God is for us, who can be against us? "

No one welcomes fear.  When it rears its ugly head it can be frightening as we maneuver down life's path.  

But we must learn how to deal with fear before it goes too far because it will never go away.  Feeling fear is part of being alive.  We may feel fear when we are involved in something that is new, when obstacles seem insurmountable, or when we don't have the help we need. None of this points to us being cowards; it means we are human.  We can only be cowardly when we allow our fears to dictate our actions or decisions instead of following our hearts. 

We must accept the fact that fear will never go away completely.  It is ingrained in our very fibers. But we must also realize that we can live boldly and courageously because God has told us that he is always with us.  It is this knowledge that allows us to choose to ignore that fear.  It's OK to feel fear; it's not OK to let it rule our lives.  The word fear means "to take flight" or "to flee from what God wants us to confront".

The only acceptable attitude for a Christian to have toward fear is "I will not fear." Do not turn away from your fears.  You may be going forward with something God wants you to do.  Then it may appear that your feelings direct you into second guessing yourself.  Realize that there are times that God will direct you on a certain path you may lose friends, resources, or even your reputation.  

When you feel that fear pray, "I will not fear."  God knows that you may feel that way.  It is OK to pray for courage.   He specifically tells us "Do not fear." What that means is no matter how afraid you may be, putting one foot inf front of the other and doing what you believe is your destiny is the only way to defeat fear and make progress.  

This Week's Meditation:

Teach me to "not live in fear."

Pray:

Help me to meditate each day: "I will not fear."
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Teach me to be patient and know you will mentor me. Remind me that prayer motivates me.

Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind.  And realize God has you in his arms always.

God's Message Today
1 Peter 5:8-9

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that your brother throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. "

In America where over the counter products are deemed important as preventative medications, we are mentally programmed to be "on alert" for any symptoms that may become worse.  Because if we "catch it early" we can often lessen the symptoms of a sickness.  I have been known to take several supplements as preventative measures ensuring that they may aid as a trap keeping known pathogens out of my path. 

The same holds for fear.  I recommend anytime you begin to feel fearful, you pray and confess:
"I will not live in fear." You will see amazing results if you do.  When we pray, God hears and answers.  When we confess His Word, we renew our own minds and come into agreement with his plans for us.  No matter what God wants to do for us, we must agree with him in order to receive and enjoy it (Amos 3:3). We must learn to think LIKE God thinks and talk LIKE he talks. None of his thoughts or words are fearful.

This thought - I will not live in fear - will help you become courageous rather than fearful.  Call it to mind the instant you begin to feel fear, and meditate on it during the times you are not afraid, too.  By doing this you will be more prepared to stand against fear when it does come.

Remember it will take time! You must commit to stick to it until you see change.  Say it when you begin to feel fear. "I will not live in fear." It will keep fear from overtaking you.  You may still feel some fear, but you can move past it by realizing that it is merely the devil's attempt to prevent you from enjoying life or making any kind of progress.  Do what you need to do even if you are slightly afraid. 

This Week's Meditation:

Teach me to "not live in fear."

Pray:

Help me to meditate each day: "I will not live in fear."
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Teach me to be patient and know you will mentor me. Remind me that prayer motivates me.

Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind.  And realize God has you in his arms always.

Monday's Blessing
Isaiah 41:10

"Fear not (there is nothing to fear), for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties."

Fear is a foe usually embracing us with its long talons that promise to clutch and scratch until our soul is released with great restriction.

But fear is the one we should embrace instead, allowing us insight to a new frightening beginning that will unfold with confidence as it unravels. 

What does Scripture actually mean when it says, "Fear not....  am with you... I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties"?  It is stating that God will make us stronger and stronger as we grow through all these nuances in life that produce fear.  Best of all, it also means that over time, we will become less affected by these difficulties and challenges we face.  Think of it like exercise.  When you first begin, you get extremely sore.  But, as you press onward you build muscle and strength.  That said, we must go through the pain to get the gain. 

Think about this in your own life.  Are there situations you now handle well that would have previously made you feel overly fearful and anxious? Of course there are.  But, as you have been walking with God, He has been strengthening you and hardening you to these difficulties.  In the same way, I can assure you and encourage you that some of the things bothering you right now will not affect you the same way in five years.    

And we wouldn't want God to remove all these challenges.  If he did, we'd never grow and over come the obstacles.  He allows diversity in our lives because he is trying to reveal something that needs to be strengthened or changed in us.  

Sometimes He shows us what we are afraid because He wants to deliver us from that fear and strengthen us for things that will come in the future.  In those times, we need to say, "Thank You, God, for allowing me to see that fear in my life.  It reveals an area that needs to be dealt with in me." Once that area of fear is dealt with, then the enemy will have a hard time bothering you - and succeeding - in that area again.  This is one way God hardens us to difficulties and teaches us not to be afraid.  

This Week's Meditation:

Teach me to face fear with zest

Pray:

Help me to realize that fear is a stepping stone.
Teach me to trust that you are challenging me for a reason. 
Remind me that you are with me every step of the way.  

Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind.  And realize God has you in his arms always

Monday's Blessing
Job 3:25

"For the thing which I greatly fear  comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me."

Fear is everywhere in almost every little thing.

We fear monumental tasks; we fear for our children, friends, and family.  In fact it rears its ugly head several times a day sometimes as apprehension, sometimes as uncertainty, and once in awhile debilitating.  

But if you take a close look at the word of Job, fear is recognized in the Bible as a part of life.  But that doesn't mean every time you have a fearful thought it needs to turn into reality.  But sometimes due to our inability to switch we remain locked in hyper-focus.  When this happens we begin mulling it around over and over in our minds and talking about it often.  When this happens you are putting yourself in danger of opening a door and inviting that very fear into your life.  We need to be careful about these thoughts and actions by keeping our lives in the right direction. The only acceptable thought we can have about fear is: I will not fear because God is with me.  

If you have a problem with excessive fear or the nuance of fleeting thoughts of fear, you will have to work on combating these.  Many of you may suffer from insecurity and shyness.  Some may be boisterous human beings but still question the very foundation we stand on each day.  Your going to have to work on faith and handing this over to God.  He is always trying to get you to listen to him.  You need to meditate on, "No, this is not the real me.  This is not the way God wants me to be.  That is not what he created me for."

Throughout the Bible are stories integrated how God wants us to be bold and courageous.  he wants us to be confrontational when we need to be.  He wants us to take new ground.  He doesn't want us questioning through insecurity.  He doesn't want us afraid of the enemy.  He wants us to exercise our authority.  He wants us to do great things in our lives.  He wants us to conquer the path of fear and lay it at his feet.  

This Week's Meditation:

Teach me to banish fear.

Pray:

Help me to realize that trust in you banishes fear.
Teach me how to place my fears at your feet and walk away.
Remind me that through meditation I can be more Christ-like.

Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind.  And realize God has you in his arms always