The Times, They Are A Changin'...

...or are they? God says there is nothing new under the sun--nothing. World turmoil, financial collapse, hatred, apathy, evil and self love, they've been around as long as we have and they aren't going anywhere until God declares, "Enough." The day is coming.

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments!...He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. Psalm 112:1,7 I want a firm heart. I want to fear God and nothing else. I want to trust Him with my very life. Paul tells us that for the believer, Christ is our life. It is not mine. Christ has absolute right and ownership. I don't want to waste my life worrying and being fearful of the world and its evil. I tend to be afraid when I focus on myself and what I think may or may not happen to me. Hence, I become the center of my universe and the steady spiral of idolatry ensues. This is wasting life. I have no life to waste if Scripture is true and I believe that it is. I am to submit myself each day under the Sovereign hand of God and seek His order for that day. This is to be true no matter what the headlines read.

I am not a good god. I control nothing. I know very little and I am unable to add a single second to my life by trying to be god. When sudden fear grips me, this is why it does; I have misplaced my worship. The LORD, He is God. "Stand up Amber. Look at your God. Who are you to be afraid when I, I AM He who comforts you. I am God. I am Sovereign over absolutely everything and everyone everywhere. Stop looking at yourself. Get rid of your mirror and look at Christ." This is the kind of thing that I hear from God when I stop in the middle of my storm tossed thoughts and get still before Him. There is no chaos in God. In Him is complete order and truth and light. When I fear Him and Him alone, I will fear nothing else and I will not waste my life.

Amber

"...your heavenly Father knows that you need them all."

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?--Jesus, Matt. 6:28-30. I've never worried about clothing. I've never worried about food. But I have worried about other needs that I really do believe are needs. Is God going to meet those needs? We do work, we toil, but some things look iffy. God creates beautiful flowers. There are flowers on hillsides that people may never see, but they are there. They are there because He put them there. Lilies do nothing to earn they're beautiful garments. They serve the purpose that God gave them. He takes care of them in their alotted season. We work. We toil, but sometimes we cannot take care of the need. "God, we are in need. Please help us." "Can you hear me God?"
I've asked God these questions this week. I pray and I go right back to this verse. "...your heavenly Father knows...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." Matt. 6:32b-33a I've tried to think of a million ways in my own strength to take care of the need and every time I come to this: He knows. I am to seek His righteousness, not my own. My righteousness won't get me anything. His righteousness will meet my most desperate need and indeed has met that need, my salvation.
I don't know what God may allow us to endure, but He does. If it honors Him, if it brings Him glory, if it serves His purpose then that is enough. Today I am clothed, fed and sheltered. My racing thoughts of tomorrow and the "what ifs" must be brought under submission to my Sovereign LORD. My God. My good God. My Jesus who loves me and cares for His own. It is not a terrible thing to be brought to complete dependence. It is the place that life in Him begins and remains.

Amber