Friday, August 12, 2016

There Is No Room For Fear In The Hearts Of Those Who Love God

My Utmost For His Highest
 
Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26
 
“When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.[…] it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely… [Sanctification] will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.” CHAMBERS
 
(1 John 4:18) “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear….. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  Are you ever fearful about anything?  Think of fear as a lack of confidence that an outcome of some event will be positive.  So you might equate worry to fear.  So what is “perfect love”?  If that is what we need so we will not fear or worry.  (Matthew 22:37) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Perfect love is found in what should be the primary object of our love.  If we are so focused on the Lord.  If we have placed our faith fully in Him, truly.  Where “my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus and His righteousness … on Christ the solid rock I stand .. all other ground is sinking sand.”  If that is where our love is placed, then there is no room for fear.  Every circumstanced will be framed with our knowing that God is in control.  Jesus said “
 
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  That does not mean that you won’t suffer loss, heartache, disappointment, sickness in this life.  It does mean that in Christ, we can stand in the midst of it.  And in doing that, not only do we find peace and joy, but God is glorified and the world sees Jesus in us. So what are you facing today that threatens to take you breath away.  Look to the hills from whence your help cometh! CHARLEY
 
Psalm 121 (My Grandmother’s favorite Psalm)
 
“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever."

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