Table of Contents

Are you trusting in God's Word - or - in the circumstances?

...Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. ...
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psa 62:1-2 & 5-8

Table of Contents

Old Enemies

Is there an 'old enemy' lurking around? Does it threaten us in some way? When we look it in the eye what happens inside? Does fear grab hold (even just a little)? Do we avoid it? Have we placed it on a 'shelf' in a dark corner of our mind - covered it with a 'blanket' of rebuke - and hope and pray that it will never be seen again? As long as it remains on the shelf the fear of it will affect us in some way. We must take the power away from it by standing against it in faith. Faith sees what the Word says about the situation. Faith looks at it for what it is - an old, defeated enemy! Jesus took upon Himself every enemy that could ever come against us. He has already defeated every attacker and won every battle. That does not mean that we will not face adversity - it means that we are the victors! Some things seem so 'scary' to face - a situation, a person, a sickness, - in our own strength. But we are not alone! And the battle is not ours alone. If we are fighting - we are fighting a war that has already been won. We have only to hold fast to the Word and the promises of God to 'see' the fulfillment of the victory.

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.Isa 54:17

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1 John 5:4

Table of Contents

 Lump of Clay -- or Blade of Grass

Are you like a lump of clay -- or a blade of grass?
Think about the two. One is sturdy, unmoving, not easily changed yet soft enough to be shaped. The other - though rooted in the ground twists and turns, bends and waves with every breeze, every movement around it. If the wind blows east the blade of grass turns with it, if west then that is the way it turns. Do you know people who are like the blade of grass. They listen to every 'wind of doctrine' and are affected by what they are told. Turning and twisting - changing their minds - being influenced by everything they hear or see. Synonyms for doctrine are faith and belief - but also are -attitude, position and propaganda. The truth of God's Word is challenged every day. We have our eyes wide open to some of the attacks. The 'new age' movement, the cults that take a portion of truth and distort it, the attacks on family and on moral integrity. But so often we allow ourselves to be convinced to put His truth aside while we 'bend' with the 'popular opinion' or 'flow' with what seems to be the 'obvious reality'. We watch CNN and are told (while being shown a map of the country) that the flu has become widespread in the 'red' areas - is just beginning in the 'blue' areas - etc.... We are told that there is an X% of risk of cancer if you eat (insert your favorite food here!) The stories are endless. They are on the TV, in the papers and in magazines. They are about sickness and disease, about the threat of lost jobs and wages, about the breakdown of the family and the hopelessness of our youth. What happens when we hear these things? Do we accept everything that is said and in doing so bend and twist in the direction of the 'wind'? Or are we like the clay? - Solid in what we know to be true. Firm in the belief that God does not lie! - Confident in our place as a child of God through the saving grace of Jesus! We are given 'opportunities' every day to turn away from a part of God's Word and to believe what man has said. We will not lose our salvation over it. But we will lose a promised blessing.

I want to be like the clay, solid yet moldable, weighted down with the Word so that I can not be 'twisted or turned' by something that sounds like it 'might' be true. I want to be firm in my faith and yet have a heart that is submitted to the will of God.

... choose you this day whom ye will serve; ...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Josh 24:15