Controlled By or Set Free From Fear

Yesterday a certified letter arrived in the mail. With it was brought fear. It was vague yet contained enough..."This letter is to advise you that because of pending investigation of licensing complaints...it has been determined...until licensing and safety issues are resolved..." No details or explanation were given. This was in regards to our home as a fosterhome. All kinds of things began to swirl around in my head. This happened once before and it was many tense weeks of us proving that the accusations that had been filed against us were completely false. I was not prepared to face that battle again. This letter came on the heels of other attacks from the evil one and I have felt particularly vulnerable. I felt spiritually and emotionally weak. I wanted to escape somewhere far away.

This morning God mercifully encouraged me through His eternal Word:


Psalm 55:16-19,22,23
I will call to God, and the LORD who saves me.
Evening and morning I cry out in my distress and He hears my voice.
He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
God, who is enthroned forever will hear them and afflict them - men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall
As for me, I trust in You


Psalm 56: 3,4,9-11
When I am afraid, I will trust in You
In God whose word I praise
In God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
My enemies will turn back when I call for help,
By this I know that God is for me.
In God whose word I praise, In God whose word I praise-
In God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?


Nothing can separate me from the love of God.


The rest of the story...
I left a message on the investigator's phone last night asking for a phone call first thing this morning. She called by 8:30am (a long time since I'd been up at 5:15am...too much brain time!!). The problem was a paperwork problem. They were lacking a background clearance form in their files and had been trying to contact our licensor for 4 months with no response. Their "only" option was to put a hold on any more fostercare activity in our home which came in the same letter form as for any other problem worth investigating. I wonder why it isn't in the processes to call the home? Hummmm! Anyway, the problem was quickly resolved.


And, now, to this I still hold on:
In God alone is my strength. He is my rock.

Character

David, in 1Samuel, amazingly models character above reproach. His bold acting in faith and trust as he takes out Goliath...He "so successfully" does what ever Saul asks him to do that he finds favor with Saul, the officers and all the people"... In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him"... Time and again when Saul tries to kill David out of jealously, God grants David success so that Saul begins to realize that the LORD is with David... Finally Saul takes up an all out hunt with his army to kill David, instead, David finds himself in a position to kill Saul and finally be freed from his life as a hunted man, his response is "forbid that I should do such a thing to the LORD's annointed"... David wants to be above reproach so that no one can say that he is guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion... "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you."
Oh to be in such a place of rest and confidence in God's vindication. Yes, the victory is ours when the battle is the Lords.

'Tis So Sweet

We had an amazing time of worship in singing as a body of Christ tonight. I can't go to bed without sharing this timeless gem:

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain:Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

After singing, Daniel shared that this hymn was written by a poverty stricken woman who came to know Jesus hearing Dwight Moody. At a time when she had no food, God blessed her with bags from an unknown source. After that she penned these words.

Yes, trusting is so sweet and brings such life, rest, joy and peace.

Who's the fight against?

Goliath comes out every day for 40 days and declares ,"Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me...this day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." Each time the Israelites saw the man, they ran in great fear.

When David appeared on the battlefield to visit his brothers, he saw the situation with eyes that came from a heart that was in touch with God. The Psalms declare his heart: The Lord is my shepherd; I trust in You; O my Strength, I praise you; My soul finds rest in God alone and so on. His immediate question is "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

Do I see the daily "attacks" in my life as just person against person or do I see it through spiritual eyes and in reality it is the evil one defying the living God in my life?

I must recognize the latter. Then I will respond as David did, "I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over...All those gathered will know that it is not by sword and spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give all of you into our hands."

Oh, Lord, the victory is mine when the battle is Yours.

"With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." Psalm 60:12

The verse in my pocket...

I will bless My people and the places surrounding My hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing...then you will know that I, the Lord your God, am with you...you are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture...I am your God declares the sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 34:26,30,31

Ever Wondering?

As John the Baptist was sitting in jail for proclaiming who he believed Jesus to be, he began wondering... was Jesus really who he, John, thought He was? (Matthew 11:2-4) Who would have thougth that this would have ever entered John's mind.

Ever had doubt along the journey with Jesus?

Jesus' reply was simply this, "Report to John what you hear and see." Powerful! Jesus words and evidence of what He does is testimony enough. The evidence stands strong.

Next, Jesus further promises, "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Standing firm in the midst of the tribulation on acoount of Him will bring blessing.

James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

By Faith...

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

By faith...we understand
By faith...Abel offered to God
By faith...he was commended
By faith...he still speaks
By faith...Enoch was taken
By faith...Noah, when warned, built
By faith...he condemned the world
By faith...Abraham when called, went
By faith...Abraham was enabled to conceive
By faith...when tested, obeyed
By faith...Isaac blessed
By faith...Jacob blessed
By faith...Joseph spoke about the exodus
By faith...Moses' parents hid him
By faith...Moses refused to be known as son of Pharaoh's daughter
By faith...he left Egypt
By faith...he kept the Passover
By faith...the people passed through the Red Sea
By faith...the walls of Jericho fell
By faith...Rahab welcomed the spies
By faith...conquored kingdoms
administered justice and gained what was promised
shut the mouths of lions
quenched the fury of the flames
escaped the edge of the sword
weakness turned to strength
became powerful in battle and routed enemies
dead raised to life again
tortured refused to be released in hope of resurrection
faced jeers and flogging
chained and in prison
stoned
sawed in two
put to death by the sword
destitute, persecuted and mistreated

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11