- araratchurch
- May 10, 2022
- 3 min read
“For I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away my life. But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.”
Psalms 31:13-15 NKJV
It’s very amusing to watch different creatures in the animal kingdom using fear alone to repel potential harm. There are animals that “blow up” to look bigger; some sport menacing colors; others may employ an ear-bursting screech; but whatever fear-provoking tool is used, it is meant to stop an attack before it starts. All by way of fear.
Fear is powerful. Indeed, fear is a controller.
Think about it: if you were ever really scared by something, did you forget about it right away? Do you still remember it? Maybe the fear has continued to control your behavior, even years later!
Sadly, fear is used all the time to motivate people to do all kinds of things. Fear can make people relinquish their freedoms, buy a particular self-defense product, submit to unneeded and potentially harmful, medical procedures, and so on, and so on.
To clarify, the type of fear being discussed here is the state of heightened anxiety and dread, caused by some threat. Additionally, we must make a distinction between having the kind of fear that keeps you safe versus BEING fearful (literally, full of fear). Suffice it to say, people who have allowed fear to control their lives, directing their steps, and occupying their thoughts, are not happy campers; nor are they likely to fulfill their purposes in God.
Throughout the Scriptures we have our Lord telling us not to fear. If you want to see for yourself, just do a study on how many times “Fear not,” or some form of that command, is said by the Lord throughout His word. The book of Isaiah alone is replete with the Lord instructing His people not to fear, rather choosing to trust Him. Here is one of my favorites:
“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;...”
Isaiah 43:1-3 NKJV
The Lord would not repeatedly instruct His people not to fear if it were not possible to control your fear. Like so many emotions, we tend to think that fear is beyond our control. Whereas, in our own strength, that may seem to be true, when you pair the command to not fear, with the assurances given by the Almighty, you should have the formula for victory over fear.
Jesus instructed His disciples not to fear. At one time, the disciples thought they were in a storm that would be their ruin. As they panicked, waking the Master, they were met with this reaction:
“But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Matthew 8:26 NKJV
In our portion from Psalms today we see that David was confident that—as long as the Lord was on His side—he need not fear. He acknowledges that opportunities for fear are all around; but he chose rather, to trust the Lord. And, this wasn’t a one time observation by the Psalmist. Here is another one I particularly like:
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.”
Psalms 34:4-6 NKJV
No matter what you’re going through today, no matter what invitation to fear has been sent your way, please understand that the fear-provoking storm raging in your life needs only the Master to speak to it. Choose to trust Him and turn down the invitation to fear.
For today, let us know and understand what David knew:
We must turn down every invitation to fear, choosing rather to accept the invitation to trust the Lord.
- araratchurch
- May 8, 2022
- 3 min read
“Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”
Psalms 31:5 NKJV
It’s always amazed me to watch people, working as a team, performing daring feats. They totally trust their safety—even their lives—to their partners. The first thing that comes to my mind along these lines is the trapeze artists who work with no nets. They are swinging on two separate trapezes, when all of a sudden, one let’s go, turns cartwheels in the air, then is caught by the hands or feet by a person on another trapeze.
And then there’s that type of movie scene we all know very well: one person is about to be destroyed—whether falling off a cliff, or into a boiling cauldron, or into some other danger, when someone puts a hand over the side and says, “Grab my hand!” The person in peril is reticent to do so; yet, it’s their only hope. So, they let go of whatever they’re clinging onto, lung toward the offered hand, and are pulled to safety. Now, I imagine that in real life circumstances along these lines, it doesn’t always have a happy ending.
If you’ve ever had a major surgery you know what it’s like to trust someone else with your life. Actually, we trust our lives to other people‘s hands all the time without even thinking about it. We fly in airplanes, ride in cars, having no guarantee that the people in control, won’t somehow bring us great bodily harm, or even death. When you’re walking down the road, what’s to keep someone driving alongside, from mowing you down? We are all the time committing our lives into the hands of others, knowingly or unknowingly. In fact, in order to live a normal life, we must take the risk of what others may or may not do.
The scenarios I have so far described involve life and death situations. But, there is only One Who can protect our spirit in this life and the next. Sadly, many people are reluctant to commit their life into the hand of the Lord.
The birth of my first son was anything but routine. He was very large and had stayed as long as he could in the womb. Finally, I went into labor but it did not progress. In short, he was too large to make it through the birth canal. Twenty- four hours had passed. Having put leads on his head, they could tell that he was beginning to struggle and I had no strength left. What ensued was an emergency cesarean. As I started to go under the anesthesia, I remember closing my eyes and saying the words of Jesus as He was hanging on the cross, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” For me, entrusting my spirit to the Lord is not for just imminent treat situations; it’s the way I strive to live.
Think about it: as Christians, we know that our spirit will be taken from this earthly dwelling into His presence; but, even now, our spirit is held safe in Him!
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”
Ephesians 2:4-6 NKJV
Yes, even now, our eternal lives and purposes are hidden in Christ. Recognizing this fact will revolutionize the way you live. It should re-order your priorities as well as giving you courage to live your daily life, whatever it may hold.
“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Colossians 3:2-4 NKJV
In our portion from Psalms today we see David speaking the words our Lord would later speak on the cross:
“And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.”
Luke 23:46 NKJV
David had been in many life or death situations through which he had entrusted his spirit into the Lord’s hand. He prophetically spoke the words that our Lord would speak as He made a way for our spirits to be safe in this life and the next.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
Our spirit is safe in His hand.
- araratchurch
- May 8, 2022
- 3 min read
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”
Psalms 30:11-12 NKJV
Every woman who has ever nursed a child can identify with the phrase, “biting the hand that feeds you.” Now, in this case it isn’t a hand; but it is nonetheless the source from which the child’s nourishment flows. The mother’s body is producing milk to nourish the child, helping it to thrive. But every once in a while—particularly when they start getting little swollen gums with the first surfacing of tiny white “saws”—the baby will decide to use the mother as a teething ring. Now, this is not conducive to milk production, to say the least. Babies are precious; they don’t really know what they’re doing (except for when they make eye contact with you before bearing down with their little teeth as their mouth forms just the slightest hint of a grin). Even so, they may miss a meal or two from that bitten “hand.”
And then there’s the dogs we take in and love so much. Sometimes, you will find a dog that is a “food protector.” If you act as though you are getting their food, they will threaten you with their grin and growl, sometimes making good on the threat. Case in point: when I was a little girl we had a dog, a precious German Shepherd-Spitz mix. We all loved her very much. But believe me, if you got near her food, she would indeed carry through with “biting the hand that was feeding her.”
And then I have seen married individuals who are very well-cared for by their mates, yet treated their spouse with contempt, always very deprecating of them. Yet, that same individual is very often super complementary of others (of the opposite sex), always “laughing at their jokes” (if you get it, you get it).
So, what do an infant biting a mother’s breast, a dog biting its owner’s fingers, and a sottish spouse have to do with you? With us?
You see, we have a wonderful Father. He has given us more than we can ever begin to fathom. And yet, so many times—even those of us who will acknowledge how good God has been—end up biting His hand. We do so by complaining about the hard breaks we’ve received and complaining about the times the Lord “didn’t come through for us.” We may become unthankful for the very Giver of life! It’s not a good look; and the Lord will have none of it.
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Romans 1:20-21 NKJV
Additionally, we may bite the Lord’s hand by not obeying what He has said. If we believe He is the One from Whom all blessings flow, why would we ever walk in disobedience to Him? Jesus put it this way:
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”
Luke 6:46 NKJV
In our portion from Psalms today we see that David, while lavishing praise on the Lord for delivering him from his enemies, acknowledges that the act of praising Him is the NECESSARY response to His goodness.
Further, David—in light of the Lord‘s goodness, tender mercies, and care—wanted to be obedient to the word of his dear Shepherd:
“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.””
Psalms 40:5-8 NKJV
While David here speaks in the place of the Messiah, he also speaks from the desire of his own heart.
God is awesome, majestic, mighty, powerful…words alone cannot convey all that He is. Who can measure the height of His glory, the depth of His goodness, or the breadth of His power? And—with all that He is—He is also a good, good, Father, blessing us richly from His hand. Can we do anything less than praise, honor, and obey Him?
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
We should never bite the Hand that feeds us.