Tag: no fear

Established & Eternal

~ Barbara ~ 4 Comments

In five days half of America will be relieved and the other half will be devastated.

Has there ever been an election more emotionally charged? I dare say, not many are overjoyed with our options. I hear phrases like, “the lesser of two evils” and “vote policy, not personality” spoken with both panic and resignation.

We may forget that our single vote is not the determining factor. Nor is the electoral college. Nor is the last minute campaigning. As much as news outlets alarm us, the psalmist calms us. He refocuses us in Psalm 75:1-2 with God’s words.

“I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity.
When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.”

God’s vote is the determining factor. “He brings one down, He exalts another” (v7).

Is that too simplistic? Faith is simplistic. It’s affirming that God is God and I am not. The sum of my intelligence, influence, and intuition amounts to an anemic, limited understanding. I will gladly defer to the God who holds the pillars of earth firm, measures time in His hands, and judges with justice. I don’t know what tomorrow (or next Tuesday) will hold, but God knows the end from the beginning.

I invite you to simply rest. Trust the Creator of the world—He is dependable and steadfast—for time and eternity.

Thanking when Quaking

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

One of my favorite genres is historical fiction. The characters, real and imagined, propel the stories and seem to meet the challenges of their day with better grace than I would. I think the most stabilizing lesson I learn is the repetition of tragedy throughout history. When it comes to sin and aggression, there is nothing new under the sun. This calms me when current events cause me to quake with outrage and stimulate fear. Psalm 75 addresses these emotions, but look how it starts out,

“We give thanks to you, O, God.”

The thanks is not due to peace and prosperity. Thanks is given because in the lack of peace and prosperity God is constant. The psalmist’s assurances speak to us today:

  • When the earth and all its people quake, God holds its pillars firm (v 3)—we are upset, God is not. He’s got it and us covered.
  • God chooses the appointed time and judges uprightly (v 2)—in His time evil will be justly judged.
  • God brings one down and exalts another (v 7)—leaders, generals, presidents, and prime ministers serve at His command.

I’m guessing you need these reassurances as much as I do so, once again, let’s proclaim, “No fear here!” Let’s choose to focus on the God who holds the world in His hands, rather than on the chaos swarming around us. God upholds the world. God appoints the time of judgement. God raises up and brings down rulers.

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart

Laugh and Sing

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Our world seems full of mockers and liars, those who deceive for personal gain and seek to hurt those who disagree with them. No, I’m not writing about politics, though I hear echoes of empathy from both sides of our fractured nation.

Whether the lies and exaggerations we hear are personal or political and, regardless of any awareness they are being used as pawns, there is a liar of epic proportions who stands against truth—the Bible calls him the Father of Lies. He is diabolically opposed to the One who is True and speaks truth. Think about the trigger words we hear daily.

  • From current headlines: antitrust lawsuit, pro-abortion ballot, Hezbollah targets, rocket attacks, extreme liberals and crazy conservatives, threats of recession, Putin meets with Iran, advocates to enable children to change sexual preference without parental knowledge, WW3…
  • Add natural disasters to the list: earthquakes, flooding, cyclones, wildfires, hurricanes…
  • Consider your tension when these locations are mentioned: Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Israel, Iran, Russia, China, Haiti, the U.S. southern border…

Each of these lists is only partial and raises questions concerning what our part is in any of this and a bigger question—what is God’s part?

Our blood pressure may rise but God’s doesn’t. From the onset, He sees the conclusion of each event and the final stage of history.

Psalm 59 showed me two things about crises this week.

  1. The first I’ve written about before but it bears repeating. God sees the conflict of nations, the fighting and aggression. He sees the wars waged against truth and the undercurrent of doubt in His goodness or sovereignty. But He knows all and is confident in the end result. Truth will be honored, and He will be glorified, and every knee will bow before Him. When He sees the raging nations, He laughs (verse 8). He scoffs at the nations exhibiting their self-importance and greed.
  2. God’s response is to laugh. Verse 16 advises our response—sing. Sing not because we are naïve but because we are informed. We know God is reliable. We know He will be a refuge for us and is our fortress and strength, whatever battles come our way, nationally or personally.

I am convinced the only way we will survive and thrive in the times we are living through is to see the threats around us through the lens of faith. Our vision will only be clear when we embrace the truth found in the Bible. When it is our daily intake we will be nourished and strong.

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart

No Fear Here, 2

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Any parent or grandparent can fall prey to fear when we look at the dangers our children face in today’s society. We must take a stand and declare, “No fear here!”

This article lifted my heart—I hope it does the same for you.

Don’t Feel Sorry or Fear for your Kids
Raise Them up to Walk in Faith

Don’t feel sorry or fear for your kids because the world they’re growing up in is not what it used to be.

God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.

  • Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God.
  • Train them up in the authority of His Word.
  • Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control.
  • Empower them to know they can change the world.

Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it.

Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.

  • He knew Daniel could handle the lions’ den.
  • He knew David could handle Goliath.
  • He knew Esther could handle Haman.
  • He knew Peter could handle persecution.

He knows that your children can handle whatever challenges they face in their life. He created them specifically for it!

Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose you to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime. Rise to the challenge.

Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers, and Peters!

God isn’t scratching His head wondering what He’s going to do with this mess of a world.

He has an army He’s raising up to drive back the darkness and make Him known all over the earth.

Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them … they were born for such a time as this.

—Alex Cravens, Russellville, Arkansas,
featured on Randy Alcorn’s website: eternal perspectives ministry