Fear - Doubt - Dread - Panic - REALLY?

What thoughts go through your mind when something horrible happens to you?  When Carol fell and broke he kneecap we had all kinds of thoughts and fears running through our minds.  Will the pain ever stop?  Is this really serious?  Will we be able to go and see our girls graduate in Costa Rica?  Will Mark be able to go and speak at the conference for Missionaries?  Fear - Doubt - Dread - Panic all went through our minds.  At times like that Carol and I have learned and continue to learn to go back to or default position, to one basic TRUTH.  God knows what He is doing - He never makes mistakes.  Once we remind ourselves of that Truth once we confess again Lord we TRUST You no matter what - then and only then can we seek God’s help with the Fear - Doubt - Dread - Panic that we are feeling.  Here are some amazing verses that have been an encouragement to me.

Psalm 27:1-4 (NLT) The LORD is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? [2] When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. [3] Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. [4] The one thing I ask of the LORD - the thing I seek most - is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.

Have you ever been full of fear?  Have you ever allowed the fear you face to control you?  David makes it very clear that God has the power to deal with any and all of his fears and his enemies easily and decisively.  His fears were perhaps more immediate in the sense that he had enemies literally trying to kill him.  Yet as David speaks about His FEARS and also remembers to put ALL his TRUST in God.

Life Application Study Bible Notes: Fear is a dark shadow that envelops us and ultimately imprisons us within ourselves. Each of us has been a prisoner of fear at one time or another - fear of rejection, misunderstanding, uncertainty, sickness, or even death. But we can conquer fear by using the bright liberating light of the Lord who brings salvation.  

In choosing to TRUST God and NOT give into his own fears David was putting ALL his confidence in God’s Power NOT in his own strength or ability.  The logic is simple. If the ALL POWERFUL God of the universe is protecting me I have no reason for fear. Even in the middle of an attack David says he will remain confident in God’s Power and Might.  Perhaps the reason David can trust God, even during the heat of the battle, or the darkest night full of fears, is that he has found the answer in seeking out God’s Presence.  David is pursuing God - seeking to be in His presence - seeking to DELIGHT in God Himself.  David wants to Meditate by focusing his heart and mind on God’s Word - focusing his thoughts and even his emotions on the wonder of Who God is and What He is like.  When we are full of FEAR or Facing uncertainty we must seek out God - Pursue Him through His Word and by spending time alone with Him.  We can learn like David to POUR out our Hearts and Fears to Him.

Prayer: Lord, help me to look to you for strength and courage.  Help me not to give into fear or darkness but to seek out Your Light.   Lord God help me to Delight in Your character and to Meditate on Your Word so that I will know you better and Trust You More.

Chocolate Bunnies and Cadbury Eggs

As much as I love chocolate bunnies and Cadbury eggs - that is NOT what Easter is all about. Easter is a celebration that has its roots in the shadow of cross.  The blood stained cross where the despair and anguish of Jesus’ Mother and His disciples was absolute.  The one they loved, the one they followed, the one they were sure was the Messiah.  WAS DEAD.  Jesus was quickly buried and the disciples all went into hiding for fear that the religious leaders. Friday night all day Saturday and through that night the cloud of hopelessness and desolation hung over them.  Then Sunday morning out of sense of love and duty some women went to finish the gruesome task of embalming Jesus body.  Sunday morning - EVERYTHING changed. 
 

Matthew 28:1-4 (NIV)  After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. [2] There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. [3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. [4] The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

 

Several women went out to finish the burial process of Jesus which had been very rushed on Friday evening.  Mark 16:3 says that they were concerned with moving the stone away from the tomb.  Either just before they got there or as they arrived an earthquake shook everything.  An angel arrived and rolled away the stone from the entrance to the tomb.  WHY?  Jesus was not there He had been raised from the dead.  Jesus did not need the stone to be moved so that He could get out.  The stone was moved for all the world to see that the tomb was EMPTY! 

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;

He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose;
with a mighty triumph over His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

PERSONAL:  Lord, You rose with POWER destroying death and it’s power over me.  You broke Satan’s grip over me.  Thank You for dying and for LIVING for me.  Thank You for making it clear for all the world to see that YOU are a RISEN SAVIOR.