Be Strong & Courageous

Hey There,

We’re in trouble...but not really. Let’s cover the trouble part first, then
the not “really” part next:

WE’RE IN TROUBLE:
Earlier this morning, President Bush tried to reassure American citizens
and others around the world and instill them with confidence about the
outcome of the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression.

“We recognize that the turmoil in the financial markets is affecting all
our citizens,” Bush said, standing in front of financial ministers from the
world’s top economies gathering in the nation’s capital. “All of us
recognize this is a serious global crisis that requires a serious global
response for the good of our people.”

Finance leaders from the world’s top economies, the Group of Seven,
pledged Friday night to take steps to keep leading institutions afloat,
unfreeze credit, ensure banks have enough capital to kick start lending
and safeguard depositors’ funds and restart the secondary markets for
mortgages and other securitized assets.

President Bush concluded, “We’re in this together, we’ll come through
this together.”

There’s a good chance that either you or someone you know is being hurt
in this financial crisis. People have lost jobs, homes, families, savings.
Some can’t afford medicine, heating fuel for the coming winter, and
there’s less food on their plates than there once was.

But no matter what you lose or end up losing as we go through this, please
don’t lose your faith—keep your focus on God.

Listen to this text from Micah 7:7 --

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.”

Remind yourself that God is the Good Shepherd who promises His people
that they “shall not want.”

Which leads us into the second part about how we’re in trouble...but not
really.

BUT NOT REALLY
During my spiritual focusing time these past couple of days, I’ve been
restudying Psalms 4-5 where David was hunted by his rebellious son,
Absalom and an army of 10,000+ soldiers.

Now that’s pressure on ALL kinds of levels.

Ever been hounded, hunted or chased?

Ever found yourself on the “losing” end?

Ever wondered if you would make it through another night only to worry
if you had what it took to survive another day?

Has life ever wearied your soul?

Do you know what it’s like to have life’s most precious gifts slipping
through your fingers and feel there’s nothing you can do to stop it?

How does a person deal with a crisis, cope with it and see it through to
the end successfully? Well, based on Psalms 4 & 5, here’s what you do:

1. Pray—cry out to God

“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me
in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer” (Ps. 4:1).

2. Receive His Joy.

“You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their
grain and wine increased” (Psalm 4:7).

3.  Rest in Him

“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make
me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).

4. Follow His Plan

“Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
make Your way straight before my face” (Psalm 5:8).

David prayed those things when being hunted like a wild animal.

He slept, rested, trusted and was at peace because He knew God was
with him and leading him.

He was surrendered to God and because he was surrendered to God he
wasn’t resigned to the situation, he pressed through to victory.

Which is what we’ll do in our life today and every day. We’ll:

Pray
Have Joy
Rest
Obey
Be victorious.

The victory is already ours...that’s why I can say we’re in trouble but not
really because One greater than any president, king or general is leading
us.

Does this mean we sit idly by and do nothing to help ourselves? Obviously
not. When God leads, action follows. You are to do whatever God is
impressing you to do this moment in every area of your life for a better
life today and a brighter future tomorrow.

God leads you...but He doesn’t live your life for you.

You have a part to play and it’s to follow His plan—a plan for which He
gives you the strength, grace and power to fulfill. So even though you
have something to do, it, too, is anchored in the gift of grace.

I’m not sure how things are with you today, but I just wanted to take a
few minutes to encourage you in God to let you know that everything
will be okay because God is your King.

As we end this devotional, I want you to repeat to yourself right now:

“I am divinely guided.”
“God is my Source, Supply, Surplus and Strength.”
“God is my joy. In Him alone do I trust.”
“I love you God with all my heart, and I’ll follow you wherever you lead.”

Dedicated to Your Spiritual Freedom,

Lynell

PS - Here’s Micah 7:7 again:

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.”

October 11, 2008 | Permalink | del.icio.us | StumbleUpon | | |