Thou Shalt Not Panic

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Don't be alarmed."
-- Words of Jesus in Matthew 24:6 (GWT)

The basis of panic is always cowardice. It is the most natural thing in the world to be scared and the clearest evidence that God's grace is at work in our hearts is when we do not get into panics.

-- Oswald Chambers

Thou shalt not panic. Trust God. Fear Not. You are amazingly graced.

Grateful

Obvious Masks that Scared People Wear

A while back, my wife and I visited New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, for the very first time. One of the shops we browsed in near the riverfront had walls and walls covered with masks for the annual Mardi Gras "celebrations". It got me thinking about the many masks we are tempted to put on in our everyday lives.

Perhaps there are no more obvious masks that scared people wear, yes, no more positive proofs of full-bloom fear than when we are found in these two destructive disguises:
#1: arrogance and #2: isolation.

I am so blessed to be an island boy by birth, but I have no desire to live now and/or die later as an island. No, I am not independent! I pray that I will never again be found posing in arrogance and/or lost in isolation.

We really do need each other.
-- Rueben Welch

Grateful... indeed!

Spread It All Out Before The Lord!

In 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah received a threatening letter from his enemy that scared him to death. In verse 14 of 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah placed his faith in His God over his fear of the enemy. Here's how he did it:

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.

As the New Year rises before us, surely fear of the unknown threatens our trust in The Living God. But, we can do just as King Hezekiah did. Yes, we can just spread it all out before the Lord. How do we practically do that? We spread it all out before the Lord in prayer! So, LET US PRAY!

ALL... JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful