Locking the Door on Fear and Worry

The formula of praise-trust-recall serves as a lock on the door of our heart to shut out worry and fear.

Meditation Thought: “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

“Let not” implies a choosing of letting or not letting. Therefore we do not have to allow the trouble or the fear to stay with us when it first tries to enter. God has revealed a number of ways that we can close the door to worry and fear: praising Him in various forms (singing, words of praise), trusting Him (reading or reciting scripture), recalling His past deeds on our behalf.

In the act of closing out fear and worry, we also open up new possibilities for God’s working in our lives, solving our problems, bringing us joy. The formula of praise-trust-recall serves as a lock on the door of our heart to shut out worry and fear.

A Lighted Path

Listening and doing bring answered prayer.

Meditation Thought in response to Psalm 119:

In His faithfulness, God gives His commandments that we might have His knowledge working in truth. The lighted path brings us peace until we can see the evidence of His testimonies, and give Him praise for His glorious workings in our lives.

  • Knowledge – allowing the Spirit to manifest Himself in us to teach us the knowledge needed for action.
  • God’s Faithfulness (we can trust You)
  • Commandments – if we listen to Your commandments, we know Your will and doing Your will brings answers to our prayers.
  • Truth – (v.104 & 159) Through Your precepts I get understanding; the sum of Your word is truth which brings me to understanding which brings me to right action.
  • God’s Word lights my path
  • God’s testimonies are wonderful (v 129)
  • Great peace for those who love to obey.

Daily Rescue

We do not have to wait for help to come, it is present all the time.

Meditation Thought: “Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. ” (Psalm 68:19)

Praise first, acknowledging the power, the ability, the willingness of our Lord, our God to help us – and our acknowledging this fact and our appreciation of it. He daily bears us up – we do not have to wait for help to come, it is present all the time.

We are presented with a problem: we do not panic, we know where to turn to find the solution: God is our salvation – our rescuer. With a Rescuer with such power, such love, why should we fear? As long as we call upon Him we overcome all difficulties, and we can enjoy much of the process in doing so – certainly we can bear the suspense, knowing the solution will please us and bring glory to God.

Hope Does Not Fail

What better description for a life of peace and victory?

Meditation Thought: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

Afflicted (hard pressed) – not crushed
Perplexed – not in despair
Persecuted – not abandoned (forsaken)
Struck down – not destroyed

What better description for a life of peace and victory? No matter what the circumstances, hope does not fail, for “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

We are not crushed, despaired, abandoned or destroyed because we are not alone, we know our “Reserves” are coming to back us up – all we need do is to wait for them to come to change the situation. What a difference it is to know that our uncomfortable position is only temporary – and that good is being worked in it for us.

It’s easy to take discomfort when you know it is bringing rewards later, easy to take when you know it is improving you every minute. We don’t seek discomfort or problems, but when they come (as they do to believers and non-believers alike), we can rise above them in our minds as our minds concentrate on God, seeking His will – His wisdom – His solutions. Soon – or at least on God’s schedule – we have not only our minds, but every part of us risen above the discomfort and problem and feel exhilarated and happier for the overcoming of the trouble, for the knowing more completely than ever before, that God is sufficient. As we come closer to Him in trust, we can not only throw off fear of events, we can almost welcome trouble because we know God will work so much good from it that eventually it will become a blessing.

Words Become Energy

When it seems difficult to determine the will of the Father, draw close to the Son.

Meditation Thought: “And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.” (John 12:45)

“I am the light – that you might see – and what you see bears heavily on what you think and do. It is imperative that you see Truth if you are to be a citizen of the Kingdom. And the only way of seeing Truth is by believing the Word. Don’t just look at the words and hear the words, but let the words penetrate into you – into your mind, into your heart, into your spirit, so that the words become alive in you – they become energy instead of ideas.

To see the Father – the Creator and continued Guide of all things, to understand Him, you need only to look at the Son. When it seems difficult to determine the will of the Father, draw close to the Son and He will reveal the Father’s will, for He does the will of the Father and came to guide you too in the will of the Father.

The Son is:
loving
obedient
trustworthy
active
thoughtful
patient
kind
available
giving
humble
healing
soothing
charitable
loyal
willing
able
confident.”

Dispelling Darkness

When His glory is perceived, others are drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

Meditation Thought: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

“Let” – not “Do” shine. Our part is to allow God to have His way with us, so that He makes our light shine. If we attempt the actual lighting by trying to accomplish it by good works, then people would focus on us, not God. By allowing God to take complete control of our lives, He lights such a bright lamp by the works He does in and through us, that His glory is seen in the light. When His glory is perceived, others are drawn to it like a moth to a flame, and God is then able to work in them, too, lighting their lamp.

The more people that allow God to light their lamps, the more light there is to dispel the darkness. We may never know how many other lamps are lit from our lamp by God, but we can be happy in knowing that our lamp is completely at His disposal.

Peace comes when we are doing the good works, knowing that God is pleased because we are doing His work, according to His instructions.

Producing Miracles

To be effective, our alliance must be solid, our cooperation complete, our understanding wise, and our trust unfailing.

Meditation Thought: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:18-20)

We gather together to wait in excited anticipation for the Guest of Honor – and He never fails to join us. We make our decisions, but are powerless to implement them – it is Jesus who uses His power and influence to make our decisions become actions. Our decisions must be in harmony with our Guest’s leading, however – we must first listen to Him, basing our decisions on His Principles, which are His Father’s Words.

To be effective, our alliance must be solid, our cooperation complete, our understanding wise, and our trust unfailing – we know He always does His part perfectly, and when we learn to do our part more competently, more whole-heartedly, the miracles are wrought for all to see – for all to look at in wonder, in joy, and in longing to see more miracles.

God’s Standard Operating Procedure is for Good to always triumph over evil, for love to always triumph over hate, for every transaction to reconcile His creations to Himself: We must make God’s Procedures our procedures, and then “procedures” produce “miracles”.

Praise God in all His glory!

Only Ask

Proceed without doubt, without fear – but only after consultation with Me.

Meditation Thought: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…  I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 12-13)

“Do not hesitate to use the authority which I have given to you; and do not dare usurp the authority which is Mine. How can you determine our respective authorities? In one way only: constant checking of My will and instructions by prayer – by listening to My Word and Spirit. I have deliberately withheld from you specific instructions and knowledge until you need them. Proceed without doubt, without fear – but only after consultation with Me. There are only a few principles which you need to know – but these few are expressed in as much variety as there are moments in your life.

Only I know the specific most effective application of the principles at any given time, for only I know the unseen forces working everywhere.

But I long to share this knowledge with you! Only ask Me so that your free will is honored.

Transformation: Ignorance to Life

We are delighted, awed – even puzzled.

Meditation Thought: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24) “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42)

The indwelling Spirit and the indwelling Truth of the Word implanted in the mind are the transforming powers which move us from ignorance of life to knowledge of Life. We know Whom to worship and how to worship. We know Whom to petition and how to petition. We know Whose we are and why we are.

We have discovered a new part of ourselves: our spirit. We are delighted, awed – even puzzled over this piece of us which has been there all along, but we had not yet found it.

We must learn the function of it – we must learn how to integrate it with all of our other parts. The concept is so new, so different: a part of us that is not known by physical sense, or by the mental process, but by the breath of the Spirit which brings life to our spirit. When we are born of the spirit truly we are “new creations”; we can now worship in spirit and in truth. We are no longer deceived by appearances or by the impressions others press upon us, but know the Truth: we see not with blurred eyes, but with x-ray vision. We hear not the clamor of the world, but the harmony of heaven. We taste not the bitterness of envy, but the Bread of Life. We touch not the grasp of Satan, but the tender clasp of the loving Father. We smell not the odor of burning flesh, but the perfumes of the ripened fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (See Galatians 5:23)

Miracle Workers

Not a thought, not the smallest of actions is neutral: everything is either to the glory of God – or the delight of Satan.

Meditation Thought: “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Not a thought, not the smallest of actions is neutral: everything is either to the glory of God – or the delight of Satan. Practice, practice: learn the meaning of the Word, and having this knowledge, seek the wisdom of the Spirit – by these shall you think and act to the glory of God.

And by these shall you think and act to the salvation of the world: your world – and the worlds it touches.

Let not your preoccupation with your feelings, your desires, your will, short-circuit the flow of power from heaven into your world. The Word and the Spirit are the miracle workers – through the willing mind and body of the believer. A willing mind and body are constructed from a willing spirit seeking beyond self: seeking to know from whom they came, and to whom they belong, and to whom they give glory.

I come not with
pounding drums
Nor searchlights
and parades:
Those you could
not ignore.
I come softly,
quietly, with gentle touch.
Asking, not demanding –
Will you follow Me?
For I go to bring
glory to God;
I seek to show you the way.
The limits you have,
So I had too.
And as I overcame
by yielding My will,
So I show you too:
The Father’s will is
the grace of His glory
Bringing peace and joy
and love.