Tuesday, June 5, 2012

A Ride in a Wheelbarrow

My Utmost For His Highest

‘My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us’ CHAMBERS

Are there things that you worry about?  Sure there are .. if someone says they never worry, they are not being honest with you.  We worry because there are circumstances that we have no control over.  And because we don’t have control over them, we worry about what effect those circumstances will have on us or on people we care about, or both.  Dr. Del Tackett, from the Truth Project a ministry of Focus on the Family, asks the question “Do you believe ….. that what you believe …. is really real?”  The point is that if you don’t believe it, you won’t trust it.  And if you don’t trust it, you won’t act on it.

There is a story about a guy, a tight rope walker, who stretched a rope across a river just above Niagara Falls.  Well, he put a wheel barrow on that rope and pushed it across the river, twice.  A crowd had gathered to watch this guy.  After his second successful trip, he asked on spectator “Do you believe that I can push that wheelbarrow across the river a third time?” To which the spectator replied “Yes, I do.” To which the tight rope walker said “OK, get in!”  The man declined the offer.

So what is my point?  We read about God’s faithfulness in the Bible .. at least I hope you are reading about God’s faithfulness in the Bible … and we see God at work in the lives of other people … but when it comes time to climb into the wheel barrow, we decline the offer.  Instead we choose to live under the oppression of our fears.  I know that fear is an emotion and often it is not logical .. without real basis .. now if it is a loaded gun that is more than an emotion ... but if it what someone might say or do or might happen ... you can’t think your way out of it … you have to trust your way out of it … and the only way you can do that is through a strong relationship with the Father through the Son.

Read these verses today … Matthew 6:25-33; Philippians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 5:7

Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is something you can’t touch, but it is no less real.  Faith without action has no value (James 2:17-18).. you have to apply it to your life … So go ahead climb into that wheel barrow .. God will carry you to the other side … which gives me yet  another opportunity to share one of my favorite verses … Proverbs 3:5,6  Trust (have faith) in the Lord with all your heart.. don’t leave room for your own wisdom or plan  .. and don’t lean on your own understanding … don’t try to figure it out on your own … your way doesn’t work … you have proven that time and again  in all your ways .. your joys .. your fears .. your heartaches … acknowledge Him … as the sovereign God who loves you .. If He would sacrifice his son for you .. why would you think He would not help you in your time of trouble?  and He will make your path straight!

Hallelujah what a Savior … what a friend we have in Jesus all our pain and griefs to bear.  What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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