Fear

"It is neither safe nor prudent to do anything against conscience." -Martin Luther

"My conscience is captive to the Word of God." -Martin Luther

"Beware that you do not lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." Aesop

I thought these were some really good quotes. Especially the last one! How often are we grasping at shadows, trying to hold on to yesterday or heck even trying to hold on to what was 10 years ago. Even if it meant our demise or slavery, we tend to forget and be robbed by trying to grasp the wind and we miss today.

Also, a shadow can be in front of you or behind you. Let me be real honest and tell on myself I can get really hung up on fearing the future. If you are a person that can't relate: GOOD FOR YOU! Glory to God. I would say a lot of us fear the future or the Lord wouldn't have so readily addressed it in His word.

Matthew 6:25-33 25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So earlier today I had to go and get my eyes dilated and I seriously felt the need to tell everyone in target that I am not one of those people who "wears their sunglasses at night" (remember that song?). I can't stand when I see people walking around in a store with sunglasses or when someone wears them at night. I am getting off of the subject here. Anyway, Morgs was over at a friends house playing and Rod was helping someone out. So, he called me and his blue tooth was on and he forgot so he couldn't hear me saying hello. I totally start to panic that he called because he just really doesn't call me unless it falls under a few categories: 1. to discuss the checking account (that is always fun). 2. He needs a favor. 3. SOMETHING IS WRONG! I can usually tell by the sound of his voice what he is calling about. So, all that is to say I sometimes panic a little when he calls. So, I have this whole scene in my head of why he was calling and the main character was Morgan. I started to freak out on the inside when he didn't answer the phone. So, I called my friend and asked about Morgan. I was already starting to become fearful over a blasted phone call. I am not usually this irrational but I used to have a MAJOR stronghold of fear. I MEAN MAJOR! Sometimes it washes over me like a tidal wave. Don't you just hate that? Anyway, there are so many people around me right now that are struggling with some of these things: Will I ever get married? Will I ever get through school? Will we be able to keep our house? Will I live on the street after I get out of this drug rehabilitation program? Will I get custody of my child again? Will my marriage ever get better? Will my husband ever find a job? Will the stock market come back up? How will I die? Will my loved one ever come to accept Christ? What is heaven really going to be like? What will happen if I try to break free of this co-dependency? What if my husband doesn't love me anymore? What if I lose my job?
The list could go on and on. Yet the Lord calls us to take out our sword of the spirit (the Word of God) and use it! The enemy will try to paralyze us with fear. Stand firm and let God speak to your fears whether they are imaginations or realities.

We have got to put our trust in Him. It doesn't mean we won't ever be injured or vulnerable. He is just faithful to see us through until we leave here and head to our heavenly dwelling place.

Deut. 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Take a firm stand against the enemy knowing that Your God will not leave or forsake you.