“And
men's
hearts will
fail
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on
the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Luke
21:26 GNV)
What
happens when men’s hearts fail them? How does fear become such a
stronghold in our lives? It happens when we take our eyes off the
Lord and look at everything going on around us. Today it is the war
between Russia and the Ukraine.
I
was
watching the news today and the network I was watching did a segment
on the women and children inside the subways of Kyiv,
Ukraine.
Women
are even delivering their babies
in
make-shift shelters in the subways.
Many women were interviewed and they
asked
for other nations of the world to help them, they
asked for prayer the safety
of
their loved ones, and a safe place to stay for the night. I felt the
hopelessness and fear gripping these women and
their children. Then back in the U.S.
headquarters
the correspondents
discussed a subject that I
had not even considered, “What we should do or say when our own
children ask about the war and what they see on the news?” They
then went
through a list of
suggestions on
what to say or do.
“And
men’s hearts will fail them for fear…”
Why are these things making us fearful? The pastor of my church
preached along the same
lines this
week;
putting God as the first priority and staying focused on Him and
keeping Him as first priority on a daily basis.
I
try with all my heart to serve you.. Help me obey your commands. I
will study your instructions. will give thought to your way of life.
I study your teachings very carefully so that I will not sin
against you.
(Psalm
119:10, 15, 11 ERV)
Fear
is the opposite of
faith.
When
we are
obedient to the Lord in all circumstances
"He drives out fear so that we can act in faith..."
Consider
King David (1
Samuel 17)
and
how David could have been fearful when he faced Goliath but instead
he had faith in God and acted on it.
I
do not know about you but I struggle trying to act and stand by
faith. When I asked the Lord to help he responded to me, “If
ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples.” It
is not a once-and-for-all thing/ it is an ever-chasing after Him
thing. We need to disciple ourselves on a regular, daily basis to
read His word and
be aware
of
His Anointed Presence throughout
each day. Once we spend this kind of quality time with Him we will
know how to stand victorious over the challenging times in this world
around us, live ever closer and intimate with God’s selfless love,
and dwell in that “Perfect” love that casts out sin.
“But
whoever [habitually]
keeps
His word and obeys His precepts [and
treasures His message in its entirety],
in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and
has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in
Him: (1
John 2:5 AMP)
John
17:23
2
Corinthians 13:11
1
John 2:5; 3:10;
4:8,
12,17-18
Deuteronomy
30:20
Micah
6:8
Zephaniah
3:17
Mark
12:30
Romans
5:5
Romans
8:38-39
As a little girl I used to wish I was secretly a princess and someday would be revealed to the world as Princess Linda. Much to my surprise, when I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord, I was accepted into the Kingdom where I am currently a child of God, the King of Kings (Luke 20:35, 36; Romans 8:16, 17; 9:25-27; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Revelation 17:14; 19:16)...I AM a princess...and "He's coming again, on a white horse He'll ride. He'll clothe me and crown me, and He'll make me His bride"! 