Today I'm praying for/about:

Today, (in no particular order) I'm praying for...
- Fresh ideas, inspiration and diligence to post regularly again

- My dad fighting mesothelioma too far away for me to hug him

- Children, parents, and teachers everywhere preparing to return to school

- My single friends as they seek God for His guidance in relationships

- Broken relationships; for grace to abound where grace has been withheld

- You; I'm praying for every single person who views this blog.

Thank you for standing in agreement with me for these precious souls!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Don't Fret, Pet


I've felt led to post something the last couple days but was at a loss what to write.  I went digging into some "e-votionals" that I wrote a couple years ago for a group of us who were praying and fasting corporately.  The following has been slightly modified but it's a topic that's been on my heart recently.  I pray it ministers to your heart...

We've all heard it said that "money is the root of all evil" (though it's actually "all kinds" rather than "all").  However, I suggest that fear is the greatest culprit for evil.  Every issue we face that I can think of can be traced back to fear or a variation thereof.  Anger, rage, lust, jealousy, coveting, thievery, murder, extortion, complacency, over-acheiving, neglect, you name it, they all come back to a fear of something.  Fear, on its own is a sin but opens the door to propagate a myriad of others.  However, God says: "I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.  I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.  Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.  Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.  For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:9-13)  Let God know what you struggle with and together He can help you find and address the root fear, repent of it, and forgive anyone whose offense planted it there.  

Last year my husband had the opportunity to fill in on a Sunday morning for our pastor to deliver the message.  His topic was "Fear Not" and during his sermon he shared that in the Word, God reiterates over and over, with varying terminology ("fear not", "be not afraid", "be anxious for nothing", etc).  In fact, it must be vitally important because He tells us that 366 times!  That's enough for every, single day of the year... including leap year!  Another beautiful thing is, that no matter what we fear, God has already made us promises to the contrary.  There is absolutely nothing we face that God has not already dealt with and promised you He would take care of.  Not job loss, not death, not terminal illness, not natural disasters, not family feuds, not crime, not tragedy of any sort, is outside God's reach and thus, you have no reason to feel anything but peace day in and day out.  I know, I know... it's the application that's tricky.  For the average one of us, living in complete peace is something of a biblical fairy tale that only legends lived, long ago and far away.  But that's not what God wants for us.  He wants us to "go in peace" and "sin no more".  In fact, I wonder, if we're at complete and total peace, is it possible to sin?  If we trust Him completely for everything then will we, theoretically, not be susceptible (or at least way less susceptible) to the temptation of sin?  As I was searching on the topic, with plans to use a small, simple scripture reference, I came across this passage and I had to include the whole thing...
"But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.  He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.  He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside.   The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.  He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.  He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.  Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.  He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.  So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.  "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.  For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.  From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you.  In famine he will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.  You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth.  For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.  You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.  You will know that your children will be many, and your descendants like the grass of the earth.  You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season.  "We have examined this, and it is true.  So hear it and apply it to yourself." (Job 5:8-27)  It's a much longer passage than usual, I know, but what a promise!  What blessed assurance!  My mom tells me that my great-grandmother used to tell her "Don't fret, pet."  What an excellent summation of the above passages!  


1 comment:

  1. Thank you Kit.....I am in awe of the way God uses you to touch others (including me)

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