Water.

Water is an intriguing thing. It is probably the most basic necessity of life. And in America, we take it for granted far too often. I think of last summer when most of the southeast was in a severe drought and big cities had stringent restrictions on water usage...people thought that the world was coming to an end if they couldn't turn on the sprinklers to water their pristine yards that they spend buckets of time and money on. (Which is another thing...who ever said that our yards have to be the perfect shade of green, free from all weeds, and just the right consistency? I think that we have much bigger and more important things to do than worry about something so trivial.)

You don't realize how much you use water until you don't have access to it. Several times in the past few weeks, we have had to shut our water off for hours or days at a time because of issues with the well and the water heater. It's been inconvenient to have to go elsewhere to take a shower and to have to use bottled water for cooking and brushing your teeth...inconvenient, but eye-opening. How many people in the world don't even know what a shower looks like? How many people would pay a month's wages just to have one of those water bottles that we have lying around? How many people have never had running water in their houses? How many people have to choose to drink contaminated water because that is all they have access to? How many parents send their children with jugs of water to fill up with the water that they know is making them sick, but they can't do anything about it?

So how can I have the audacity to say that it is a hassle for me to have to go to my neighbor's house to take a shower when all these people are dying every day from having to live off of water that causes the most terrible of diseases. Did you know that water is the #1 killer in the world? Above cancer, car accidents, murders, AIDS, everything.

Praise God that He has given us Living Water. Just as water is essential to life, Living Water is crucial to our existence. So just as people die every day because they do not have access to clean water, people are being condemned to Hell because they do not have Living Water. Let us not take for granted this treasure of Living Water any more than we do regular water.

"Living Water will not quench us if it's watered down."

Sunsets.

Something that the Lord allowed me to understand today came in the form of an analogy...surprisingly. This evening, in the lovely little town of Boone, North Carolina, God blessed us with a magnificent sunset. I think that the reason it was so astounding was because there were so many clouds, which were also captivating because of their consistency and placement in the sky...the sun shines the most brilliantly through clouds. When it's higher in the sky and it peeks through the cottony blanket encompassing our sky, its rays come beaming through as a reminder that even though it is cloudy and gray for a bit, the sun is always there right above. And then when it comes time for the sun to move on to the next time zone, it becomes the most vibrant shade of reddish-orangish-pink (yes, that is a color) that permeates those same clouds and lights up the sky like nothing else I have ever seen. This reminds us that when the sun is behind the clouds in our lives, the most beautiful things can take place. It is a promise of the hope we have in our Lord and Creator, who chooses to paint the sky this way just because He can! Can you imagine what it looks like from Heaven? I can't wait to see that!

He. Is. There.

Freedom.

Freedom: "liberation from slavery, restraint, or the power of another."

May I just say that freedom is one of the most prevalent, but least appreciated things in the Christian life. I'm not particularly talking about the free will kind of freedom here, although that is crucial as well. Rather, as the subtitle in my Bible says in Romans 6: "Freedom from sin's grasp." Yes, Romans. Imagine that. But this freedom that we have been given in the Lord is explained very thoroughly in Romans, so I will acquiesce to its use once again. Since this is the living and active Word of God we are talking about, I am going to let it speak for itself...my words are not sufficient.

"For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins." --Romans 5:16b

"For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin." --Romans 6:7

"Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." --Romans 6:14

"For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil." --1 Peter 2:16

When we realize that sin has lost its power, I think that we can better comprehend the omnipotence of the Lord...His grace...His unfailing love for us...His ability and desire to use us for things larger than ourselves, things we can't do. That is when we can truly experience the joy of the Lord...joy: the result of realizing you are following the will of God...when we get that, we can have joy in all situations, whether it is the best or worst day of our lives.

He is all we need.

Hold Your Blessings In An Open Hand.

Why do we think that we are entitled to anything? What have we done to deserve anything that the Lord has given us? Shouldn’t it, in fact, be the opposite? After all that we have done to sin and rebel against our God, shouldn’t we have things taken away from us? Do we even comprehend the grace and mercy that He literally pours out to us on a daily basis? He has every right to strike us dead the instant we disobey Him, even a little bit. So I suggest that instead of waking up in the morning expecting God to do wonderful things for us, we praise Him that He actually allowed us to wake up that glorious morning. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t feel adept enough at anything to be of any value to the Creator of the Universe…yet He still chooses to use me…how unfathomable!

All this being said, since everything we have is truly a gift from God…and we have nothing without Him…we must recognize that He has supreme authority over everything. We also know that He knows what is best for us, even if it is painful for a moment. The true sign of faith in regards to acknowledging God’s blessings is coming to the point where we can say that He can take away everything He has given us. Exhibit A: Job. Can anyone say that they would have kept their faith and not cursed God for allowing Satan to take everything they have ever held dear? Job had faith. Plain and simple.

I’ve heard it said that when you should only fall in love with the person who you trust enough to break your heart. Think about it. In this situation, we should trust God enough to realize that He needs to break us of the things we have chosen to depend on before Him…in fact, we should desire this very, very frequently. God loves us so much…more than any person could ever love us. So let us be thankful for our Lord and Savior every moment of every day…that is the least that He deserves, but basically as much as we are capable of giving. Rather, let us give our whole selves…heart, mind, soul, and strength…to Him for every day that He allows us to live on this temporal earth. Let us not complain about the things of this world…they are things that Satan uses to distract us from what really matters…they last but a breath in the scheme of eternity.

Focus. On. Him.

Underestimations.

There are a couple of things in this life that I think we underestimate.

Encouragement. Everyone needs encouragement...no matter who they are or what their status is. And encouragement is not something that can be sought...believe me...I tried to surround myself with people who I thought could and would encourage me for quite a while, only to be disappointed. Our encouragement comes from the Lord...always. Granted, He can and does use people He has placed in our lives as vessels to deliver this encouragement to us. He knows us better than we know ourselves, therefore, He knows what our hearts need...He alone can fill us up so that we can pour out. I have seen the impact that encouragement can have on people in a mighty way lately. God always provides someone to give me a word that uplifts me when I didn't realize that I was downtrodden. And I will venture to say that the more power and authority someone has, the more they need encouragement...but we are often too afraid to listen to the Lord nudging our hearts to uplift them, just because of their position. God uses the weak to lead the strong. You may not ever see the impact that your feeble words have on these people, but that does not mean that you will not be rewarded. Gratification will come in some form or another. So, encourage someone today.

The Power of Prayer. One of my favorite lines in the book/movie The List is: "God's friends and His enemies both make the same mistake: they underestimate the power of prayer." So true. I don't even really know what to say about this, because I don't know where to begin. Prayer is one of the hardest simple (as well as simplest hard) things to do. We can never spend too much time in prayer...in fact, our lives should be a constant prayer...an attitude of prayer, as I have written about before. I think that there is a misconception regarding prayer: even though we typically think of prayer as a time when we sit still with our hands folded and our eyes closed, it is sometimes more fruitful to go about it another way. God has made our minds to work differently than everyone else's...honestly, I cannot think when I am just sitting still, which makes it very hard to focus in prayer. The best conversations with the Lord can occur while you're walking to class, running on the treadmill, listening to music, hiking and then sitting on the top of a mountain, sitting in a rocking chair, wandering around admiring His creation, driving from place to place...you get the point. There is a time for all of these things, in fact...because situations change, as do attitudes of the heart...the important thing is that you find a way to remain close to the Lord and maintain an open line of communication.

Can't You See?

"'You don't have enough faith,' Jesus told them. 'I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.'" --Matthew 17:20

This could be one of the least understood verses that we use on a regular basis. It is definitely one of those verses that I have always known, but only lately comprehended. If we have even that tiny bit of faith, we can trust in the Lord completely. I think that all too many people commit portions of their hearts to the Lord, thinking that that is sufficient...it is not. He is our portion...He doesn't deserve only a portion. Mmm. How different could our world look if we embraced the promises of the Lord, sought His face before all else, committed our lives to His purposes, and stopped looking out for ourselves?! Don't we know that when we truly make Christ our Lord, everything else will fall in place? Haven't we realized that He is looking out for our best interests at all times, even when we can't see what He is doing? Why can't we see that nothing in this world can fulfill us like Him?! Nothing! Why do we try to place so much emphasis on status and self-esteem, when He is ALL that matters? Honestly, it doesn't matter what people think of you or how you feel about yourself...we have the joy of the Lord! Sure, life is a challenge...but it is not nearly as hard with Him on our side as it is when we try to go it alone. Do we really believe that He is more than enough for us?

If we have true and complete faith in Him, we can accomplish anything and everything He leads us to. Do we really believe this? Why do we put limitations on ourselves, when He is dwelling within us and empowering us for His plans? How much more could we do for Him if we denied ourselves completely and just let him have total control to work through us? We can even defeat the devil himself...because God is the leader of our army! Satan has nothing on us and he can't even touch us if we surrender to the Lord's authority and let His power permeate us.

How many times have we heard the story of the parting of the Red Sea? I'm pretty sure there was a flannel-graph for that in Sunday School when I was little. But do we really understand the faith of Moses and the Israelites that brought them to and through this integral part of history? I will venture to say that we do not. Exodus 14:13-14 says "But Moses told the people, 'Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm." Wow. Stand still and watch the Lord rescue you. Do we have this much confidence in the Lord as we live from day to day? Do we trust Him with the little things as much as Moses trusted Him for this miracle? He is the only one worthy and capable of this kind of trust. This hope will not lead to disappointment.

Be Still. Rest. Find His Peace. Trust. Live In Faith. Fall In Love With Him.

Contrast and Irony.

One of my favorite topics is the contrast between light and darkness...so I'm sorry that you're having to read about it again, but I just can't help it. I've actually become so intrigued by this contrast that I notice it in the most obscure places...like sitting at DeMoss and watching the sky get darker and darker in relation to the stark white of the columns. As I was reading through Exodus 10 a bit ago, I came across this familiar passage about the plagues sent upon Egypt because Pharaoh would not let the Israelites worship God...a story that we are all very familiar with and can probably picture as a VeggieTales story. But when I read it this time, I comprehended something new...well God revealed something new to me.

"So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days. During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived." --Exodus 10:22-23

Did you get that? The Egyptians were in the darkness, so they didn't move. Just as the non-believers in our society, they were blinded by the darkness. But where the Israelites lived, there was light. Because they were following the Lord, they were honored...but with that comes great responsibility. As Christians, we are children of the Light...our lives are lived out in the open, where those in darkness can so clearly see us...isn't that how we would want it to be? We are Christ's ambassadors. It has been said that there are 5 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and You. You could be the only way that someone gets to see what God is like.

"God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants." --John 3:19b-21

Now on to the ironies. One thing that God has been teaching me lately is the vast difference between what we expect and what God has planned. Even though it is hard to surrender what we think would be best for our lives, it is inexplicably rewarding for God to take control. Probably the most painful and moving example of the irony between what we think and what is true is the sacrifice of Christ.

"He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins! But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." --Isaiah 53:3-5

Wow. I simply cannot understand how and why we would think that His troubles were a punishment for His own sins. But when we turned our backs on Him and basically forgot about the consequences of our actions, He died for us. No greater love than this. When I read 2 Corinthians 6 the other day, this section caught my attention...to say the least. It shows the ironic contrast between what is valued by the world and what has eternal significance. We are working for the Kingdom...and it seems like foolishness to those who don't believe.

"We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything." --2 Corinthians 6:8-10

Focus.

Now that another year of school has come and gone, I can't help but reflect upon it. I simply cannot believe all of the ways that God has matured and stretched me these past few months...it is nothing short of remarkable. Once I gave up control, He began to push me so far out of my comfort zone that the only way I could make it through was by relying fully upon the strength He promises to us. (As a side note, that strength is so far above comprehension...depend on it.)

This may not make any sense, but I'm going to give it a shot. I am so very grateful that God cares enough about me to grow me. The first and most important thing that He changed was my mind. And in the Christian life, "mind" is associated more with "heart" than with "brain." Here is the part that is hard to explain: when I look back to where God has brought me from, I primarily remember my mind being clouded...confused...not clear. I almost don't know how I lived like that. Especially in high school, I allowed the things of my human nature to fill my mind, rather than the Lord. As I've written about before, I did not have my own identity. I don't feel like the same person even right now as I was a year ago, two years ago, five years ago. Praise the Lord!

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control you mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." --Romans 8:5-6

"Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." --2 Corinthians 4:4

I am not saying that I didn't believe. But I am saying that I did not understand the message about the glory of Christ...in fact, I think that is a constant realization achieved as we grow in the Lord. Satan is the deceiver...don't give in...don't let him have a foothold. Because if you give him the opportunity, then he will seize it...undoubtedly.

"A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." --Luke 6:45

"No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people." --Romans 2:29

A person with a changed heart seeks praise from God; not from people. Amen. So be it. If you get your highs from the praise of men, you will go down to the depths at their criticism. That is a rough road to go down. God is the Source of all...all love...all care...all encouragement...all truth. No person can compare. So why do we try to receive from people things that only God can give?

"I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called--His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance." --Ephesians 1:16b-18

I think that as we seek the Lord more and more, He gives us a deeper understanding of Him...which means that our minds begin to clear. When He teaches us things about Himself, everything else begins to click into place. When we are focused on Him, we can focus on everything else that much easier. Our ministry will become more fruitful...our decisions will be more aligned with His path for us...we will be more receptive to what He is teaching us...we will become less concerned with ourselves and our own desires...we will live for His glory alone...we will lose ourselves. He must increase, I must decrease.

"A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." --Luke 6:45

What Really Matters.

Let's get down to the basics here. This is one of those questions like "If your house was on fire and you could only grab one thing, what would it be?" or "What is the one thing you would want if you were stranded on a deserted island?" When you think about life this way, it's very humbling and it puts you in the right perspective: the Kingdom perspective. We have so many distractions in our world today...it's ridiculous. Satan uses our society to create the misconceptions about what we need to make us happy...but are we striving for happiness? Or are we striving for the joy that comes with bringing glory to our Almighty Father?

The question that started all of this was "What if everything I have were to be taken away?" What would my attitude be? What would my response be? How would it affect my faith and trust in our Sovereign Lord? When people saw the way my outlook on life changed after this, would it be a good example to them?

We are called to lose it all. Nothing in this temporal world matters nearly as much as the things of the Kingdom, so we should live this way.

"If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it." --Matthew 10:37-39

As much as we may talk and think about this concept, I don't think we fully understand what that means. Let us not make light of the fact that God has given us everything that we have been blessed with...meaning that He is entitled to take any of it away at any time. And He does so...to test our faith, to strengthen our trust in Him, to give us a wake up call. So, when that happens, how will we respond?

Obviously, the first example that comes to mind is Job. Just the fact that Job was so faithful that God knew he would not turn from God even if everything was taken away from him speaks volumes, but that is for another post. I'm not sure that we fully comprehend the ramifications of this story...Job lost everything. Everything. His wealth, his security, his livelihood, his children, his health. Everything. And he remained true to the God who is always true. After this time of anguish and total loss, when Job had proved to Satan that God was more valuable than all these things, God blessed Job.

"When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!" --Job 42:10

Or we could choose to be ignorant and selfish, like the two people in Luke 9:51-62. When Jesus called them to follow Him, they came up with excuses and said that they would come later. This response is all too prevalent in our culture. How many people do we know who think that they can live the way that they want to (the way that feels good) while they are young and then begin following the Lord shortly before they die. But we are never promised tomorrow. The Kingdom is close at hand. And I know that I would feel ashamed if the Lord came back for us today, because I have not done nearly enough for Him. We must value Him above all else. He is so precious that we don't even have words lofty enough to describe Him...though I will try as hard as I can to do so by living my life to glorify Him.

Christ In Me.

He is the Hope of Glory. Hope is one of those things that encourages me the most...when everything seems to be going wrong, we have hope...when all is well, we have hope...when we don't know where God is leading us, we have hope...when we think that we have failed so miserably that it can never be mended, we have hope.

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment, for we know how much God loves us and we have put our trust in His love." --Romans 5:3-5

(Yes T, I did have to work Romans 5 in there.) When all else fails, when all else fades, when all hope seems lost...God is there. He is constant. He is sovereign.

"Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping--believing that he would become the father of many nations." --Romans 4:18

I didn't mean to put another Romans quote in there, but I couldn't help it. Abraham had no reason to doubt God, because He had proven Himself faithful time and time again...but I'm sure the people around him were ridiculing Abraham's stubborn and immovable faith in the midst of it all. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.

2 Corinthians 2:16-17 talks about the way that we are not adequate in ourselves to fulfill the jobs and purposes that God has called us to. Sometimes our human nature and pride want us to think that we are righteous enough to do great things for the Kingdom...false. I know that this has become a common theme in my posts lately, but we are not enough...we are second. Our adequacy is always from God. And this fact never ceases to amaze me...how could He care enough about his imperfect and rebellious creation to orchestrate everything so perfectly for us, according to His plan? My commentary about these two verses says "As we realize that God has equipped us, we can overcome our feelings of inadequacy. Serving Christ, therefore, requires that we focus on what he can do through us, not on what we can't do by ourselves." Mmm mmm mmm. I can't even add to that.

Depend on Him.

Live a Life Worthy of Your Calling.

"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to live you a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." --Ephesians 4:1

There are oh so many things I could say about this verse and the concept within, but I just have one thing for now. You never know who is watching you, so do everything to the glory of God.

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all that you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon." --Philippians 4:4-5

Have you ever noticed how little kids (and sometimes even my peers) just copy what other people do and say? It's a sign of immaturity...they aren't confident enough in who God has created them to be, so they latch on to the personality of someone they look up to. With kids, it's usually older siblings or their parents...and it can honestly get to be annoying after a bit. But a sign of maturity on the part of that older sibling or parent is when they look at it as an opportunity to teach the kids good things to say and do...discipleship in the most basic form.

The thing that made me think of this today was when I went into Barnes and Noble this morning. I was on the quest for a clipboard...but not a boring one that I could get at WalMart or something...it needed to be exciting. Yes, exciting clipboards do exist. I had already been to several stores in search of the perfect one, so I guess I walked into B&N with a purpose...no messing around. I walked up to the front corner of the store where I hoped to find the treasured clipboard, but had no luck. There were plenty of other things in the designs I wanted, but no clipboards...and as a side note, it took a lot of self-control to get out of there without buying anything. As I was walking out the door, planning the course to my next destination, the lady at the cash register stepped out and asked me if I was looking for anything in particular. I told her and then she tried to help me out by telling me that I should go to WalMart or Office Max...she just doesn't understand the whole anti-boring-clipboard thing. She must have been watching me the whole time that I was perusing through that section (as I was completely oblivious to the outside world), but I had not realized it at all.

If this sweet lady had watched me search for a clipboard, it makes me think that there are probably other people who are "watching" other aspects of the way I am living my life. That is quite a responsibility...because honestly, there are times when I want people to do what I say and not what I do. How convicting. We have been called by God...He created us and set us apart...we owe all that we are to Him.

But how much time do we spend thinking only of ourselves rather than the things of the Kingdom? How many times a week do we see someone who needs our help and we just walk on by because it's an inconvenient time? What would happen if we all committed all that we are to the Lord, so that He can work through us? What do people see when they look at your life?

Do they see Jesus in me?

Do they recognize Your face?

Do I communicate Your love and Your grace?

Do I reflect who you are

In the way I choose to be?

Do they see Jesus in me?

Psalm 73

The things that the world values are not the things that God values...this we know. But sometimes I think we forget that the things of this temporary world do not measure up in any sense when they are compared to what awaits us in Heaven. I will venture to say that what "matters" on earth, according to those around us, is counterproductive to the Kingdom. Those elements are taken advantage of by Satan to do what he can to try to take our eyes off of what God wants us to focus on...I have seen this described as a process several times (one that I think Dwayne would be proud of...and he may even use, I don't know.): doubt, discouragement, diversion, defeat, delay. We cannot listen to the devil and the Lord at the same time, so we must choose our side and be fully devoted to it...I'm pretty sure you can guess which side we need to be on. Don't ride the fence.

When I was reading Psalm 73 a few minutes ago, I was very intrigued by the note that the commentary in my Bible has at the beginning: Asaph explains that until he entered God's sanctuary, he could not understand the justice in allowing the wicked to thrive while the righteous endured hardship. But when he saw that one day justice would be done, he acknowledged God's wisdom. There is a lot in this world that we will not understand...a lot of temptations, a lot of injustice, a lot of hurt...BUT we are not meant to. We were created to trust God and Him alone...in all circumstances. End of story. This is how we grow stronger in our faith in the Lord...by trusting Him even when we don't understand...which will be quite frequently.

"For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for Him!" --Isaiah 64:4

As often as we say it, and as hard as it is to do it...we...must...wait...upon...the...Lord. When everything seems to be spinning out of control...when the evil seem to prosper...when terrible things are going on all across the world. God is God.

"Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert Him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." --Psalm 73:23-28

Do we desire Him more than anything on earth? More than the things of the flesh, which will only burn away? More than the things that Satan plants in our heads as important? Is He more than enough? Because I for one, am not enough.

Fear of the Lord Leads to a Fearless Life.

In this world of uncertainty and chaos, it is very easy to be afraid. The situations and people around us constantly change, making it nearly impossible to grow accustomed to anything. People whom we have come to trust will fail us...they can never even attempt to measure up to our Lord and Savior...and when we put upon them the responsibility of fulfilling our needs, we will only be disappointed. But when our faith in God's sovereignty fails in this way, He is there with open arms to receive us and restore our broken relationship with Him through the forgiveness and mercy that only He can provide...true repentance leads to change.

"They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly." --Psalm 112:7-8

Many things in this journey called "life" can cause us to worry about what is to come. I would say that the fear of uncertainty is one of the most prevalent and far-reaching fears that occurs in our lives today...it lies behind so many other issues that we have to deal with. But the beauty of it is that we don't have to deal with this fear on our own. We have a Hope. We have a Savior. We have a Redeemer. We have a Friend. We have an Advocate. We have Yahweh. And when Satan tries to discourage us and tell us that we have everything to fear, our Father is right there to defend us and lift us up above the flaming arrows that the devil is shooting at us. Satan is the Deceiver. Don't believe the lies.

"Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment." --Proverbs 9:10

Fear in this context means "reverential awe." I think sometimes, especially when you live in a culture that is saturated with conversations about our Creator, we can lose our sense of reverence for God because it becomes so natural to talk about Him in most situations. I am in no way saying that we shouldn't talk about Him in this way (because I know that you talk the most about the things you love the most), but I am saying that we need to check ourselves to make sure that when we talk about the Lord, it is with a spirit of humility, gratefulness, and worship. In the end, shouldn't we all strive for wisdom? I think that the recognition of the need for wisdom is the beginning of the search for wisdom...therefore, it takes wisdom to know that you need to seek the Lord for His wisdom. That only comes from Him.

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand." --Psalm 37:23-24

He. Is. God.