got fear?

I hate being alone at night … and Satan knows it.  As soon as I let a little apprehension slip in, he pounces, feeding my imagination with images from crime shows I’ve watched.  Maybe you suffer with other fears.  Well, I searched the Bible for verses to soothe my anxiety-filled mind.  Here are a few.  (After you read them, I’ll tell you what I realized!)

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; (Psalm 23:4)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

If you make the Most High your dwelling — even the Lord, who is my refuge — then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. (Psalm 91:9,10)

O Lord, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. (Psalm 12: 7)

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7)

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. (Psalm 56:3)

The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear … (Psalm 46: 1,2)

You will not fear the terror of night … (Psalm 91:5)

Here is what I realized:  David knew what he was talking about!  He knew from whence his help would come! (Psalm 121:2)

I knew that I had to face this fear head-on.  I didn’t have to live like this any longer.  What I lacked was faith.  I needed to trust in God in ALL things, including fear. 

In “Traveling Light” by Max Lucado, he tells us to read Luke 22: 39-44 (Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane).  We turn to it when we look the same.  We read it when we feel the same.  We read it when we feel afraid.  For isn’t it likely that fear is one of the emotions Jesus felt?

And what did Jesus do?  He prayed.  The first one to hear his fear was his Father. 

Like Jesus, David turned to God as well.

Fix your eyes on God when you’re afraid.  Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  He of all people understands your fear.

Use Your Gift For God

I really like books that encourage us to use our gifts for God.  Here are some of the best:

“The Pound for Pound Principle” by Mike Kai

“Knit Together” by Debbie Macomber

“Become a Better You” by Joel Osteen

“Extraordinary” by Jack Bevere

“The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren

“A Life God Rewards” by Bruce Wilkinson

“It’s Not About Me” by Max Lucado

And the best one of all:  The Bible!

Here are some of my favorite Bible verses about living for God:

To this end I work hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. (Colossians 1:29)

We are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10)

“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” — Jesus  (John 17:4)

“… I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts” — the Lord  (Exodus 31:3)

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  (Romans 12:6)

I wish that all men were as I am.  But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.  (1 Corinthians 7:7)

Do not neglect your gift … (1 Timothy 4:14)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  (James 1:17)

Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:15)

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  (1 Peter 4:10)

Question of the Day:  Can you reach the lost by sitting on your talent??

How To Pray

Unfortunately, many Christians have not learned how to pray.

Prayer is simply speaking to God.

Let’s look at the five steps of prayer:

1. Praise

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:4

Praise is recognizing God for all that He is. We declare His virtues and accomplishments.  We share with God those qualities about Him that we both recognize and appreciate.

Praise is to verbalize our adoration of God.

2. Confession

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Confession means a willingness to declare our guilt.  When we confess our sins, we are verbalizing our spiritual shortcomings.  Confession is not for God’s benefit, but for ours.  He wants us to be cleansed from that sin, and also to become aware of what we have been cleansed of so that we might avoid those sins in the future.

3. Intercession

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:1

Intercession is the act of mediation.  It is to stand between a lost soul and Almighty God, praying that this person will be delivered from the snare of Satan.

4. Petition

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Petition is to verbalize our personal needs to the Lord.  It is to express our helplessness in some specific matter.  Our petitions give God access to our needs.

5. Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Thanksgiving begins with a conscious awareness and acknowledgement of the blessings God has given us.  It is the act of expressing gratitude to God for what He has done for us.

A few suggestions for Prayer:
First, find the best time for prayer.
Second, fight all interruptions.
Third, recognize the importance of your daily communing with God.
Let today be the start of a new adventure into the presence of God.

This lesson was prepared using The Practical Prayer Life by Dick Eastman.

Welcome!

I’m delighted you came!  Not only am I a

writer, I’m also an avid reader.  On my blog, I

would like to review both fiction and nonfiction

books.  I’m almost finished with my current

novel, and I will post my review as soon as I am

done.  In the meantime, here are some of my

favorite Christian authors:

Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Linda Chaikin

Francine Rivers

Dee Henderson

Ted Dekker

Frank Peretti

Judith Pella

Karen Kingsbury

Serita Jakes

Brandilyn Collins

Grace Johnson

Linda Windsor

Brenda Wilbee

I hope you found some favorites in this list, and

also some names you don’t recognize.  Check them

out!  You won’t be disappointed.

In parting…

To this end I work hard, depending on Christ’s

mighty power that works within me.

Colossians 1:29