Greetings, Dear Friends!
And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.
Each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to someone who posts on my blog. This month's card is from Starbucks. So share an insight or a story, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!
Now on to my topic...
How are you handling the times? Are you struggling with fear and uncertainty? Are you anxious and unsteady?
Well, I have good news for you!
With the Lord at your side, you have nothing to fear!
Picture the protection of the Lord as a big umbrella. Underneath it we are safe from the enemy's plan to destroy us. The umbrella represents the stronghold of God - the place where we abide in His presence, obey His word, and live the way He calls us to.
The Lord establishes boundaries for our safety and our good. He loves us so very much and knows what the enemy wants to do to us should we venture out from under His established protection. Not that God can't get to us anywhere; He'll come for us if we call on His name; but He'll also allow us to walk away from Him and endure the consequences of our actions. That's how we learn. Any good parent would do the same thing.
The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and knowing the Holy One helps us understand Him (Proverbs 9:10).
Fearing the Lord simply means, "I respect and honor the Lord enough to do what He says, because I know He will do what He says."
At the very edges of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. If we don't have a healthy reverence for the God who created the heavens and the earth; the One who put the stars in their place and who told the oceans where to stop; if we don't tremble at the thought of dishonoring Him, well then, we are fools.
He is loving and gracious and kind and good, but He's still God. And He means what He says.
The amazing thing though is that He takes this mandate so seriously that when He finds a soul humble enough to honor Him and revere His name, He honors them. He blesses them before a watching world. He entrusts them with the great honor of serving Him in magnificent ways.
When a man or woman fears the Lord, his or her enemies respond differently; evil doesn't stand a chance, and the world receives a proper picture of what a relationship with the Lord Almighty is supposed to look like.
The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him; on those who hope in His unfailing love (Psalm 33:18).
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid (Psalm 27:1)?
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear the Lord; and He delivers them (Psalm 34:7).
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.
When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him (Proverbs 16:6-7).
The fear of the Lord leads to LIFE; then one rests content, untouched by trouble (Proverbs 19:23).
Do not fear anything except the Holy One. If you fear Him, you need fear nothing else; He will keep you safe (Isaiah 8:13-14)
Instead of fearing others' opinions, may we honor and fear the Lord, He will take cares of those who stand against us.
Instead of fearing the economy and clinging to what few resources we have, let us honor God, sow generously, give to those who less than us, and trust Him to supply our needs.
Instead of fearing the instability of the times, let us daily read Psalm 91 and Psalm 112, and reacquaint ourselves with the promises of God, and live in a manner worthy of His name.
The Creator of the Heavens and earth knows your name, and mine. He loves us and wants to hide us in the shadow of His wing. He calls us to live close beside Him and to trust Him fully when the storms rage. He is faithful and He is serious about our obedience.
These are not days for lukewarm faith and casual commitments. May we walk in the fear of the Lord.
God bless your week!
PS ~ And if you haven't signed up for my free quarterly E-zine you might want to! The next issue comes out in mid-July. A number of my author friends give away free books; I write a devotional and offer some great book recommendations and favorite quotes, and then I leave you with a prayer to send you on your way We have lots of fun together! Here's the link to sign up:
Susie's Ezine...
Dear Doreen,
If you are subscribed to my quarterly E-zine you may win a free copy of one of my books. Just go to my website (www.susielarson.com) and click on the contact us link and you can sign up with your email. Bless you!
Posted by: Susie Larson | July 02, 2009 at 06:09 PM
Dear Anna,
I'm thankful to read that right in the midst of your angst, God guided you to a place of peace. He is faithful and true. Bless your day today!
Posted by: Susie Larson | July 02, 2009 at 06:08 PM
Dear Maggi,
What an example you are! May the Lord bring your breakthrough soon and may you sense His loving hand guiding you every step of the way. Blessings to you!
Posted by: Susie Larson | July 02, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Great word for us, Susie!! Oh, I don't have your book and would love to have a copy of it. Are you going to be giving away any of your books?
Posted by: Doreen | June 29, 2009 at 01:51 PM
SO true! My mother and I were reminded of that this afternoon: after fretting over a seemingly hopeless rental property situation, we stumbled upon an easy solution . . . or I should say God guided us towards it :-) How easy it is to fear when we let ourselves believe it is all up to us!
Posted by: anna J | June 27, 2009 at 07:59 PM
Thanks for the morning thoughts on God's power to provide. We have been through a jobless 18 months (husband) but it hasn't felt heavy, because God does provide. Thanks for not only reminding us not to fear the economy but for including portions of God's Word for us to meditate upon.
---Traveling Mamma
Posted by: Maggi | June 25, 2009 at 08:01 PM