Why Are You Fearful?

Turner, Joseph Mallord William; Fishermen at Sea; Tate; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/fishermen-at-sea-117749

Psalm 42
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

Twice in this psalm, and once again in Psalm 43, the writer asks his soul, ‘WHY are you cast down? Why is your peace gone?!’ It is an exasperated question. He is not just curious for the answer, but is asking ‘What GOOD reason do you have to feel this frustration, fear, depression?! What has distracted you?’
The exasperation is emphasised in that he already knows the remedy to his troubled heart. He chastens his own soul and reminds himself of The Lord! Hallelujah! With the presence and provision of The Lord so close, why is my soul troubled? How can that be? But the solution is not in investigating the trouble of the heart, the solution is to turn all attention and focus on The Lord!

Psalm 42
5 … You hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His presence.

You hope in God!! His answer is to tell his soul to remember The Lord and to TRUST in Him! Remember His testimonies and His faithfulness, remember His promises, remember His great Love with which He loves us, remember that He is unchanging and true, and by faith, WAIT EXPECTANTLY on His deliverance and salvation!
The psalmist says hope NOW! He will praise NOW! He will rejoice in the victory now! He will wait EXPECTANTLY!! With such an expectant hope we can praise Him NOW for coming victory! Hallelujah! We can rejoice in the victory that’s already won!
By FAITH the writer already had the blessing! He would continue to praise and rejoice, despite his circumstance, because he truly trusted in The Lord! He chose to believe God and utterly yielded the outcome of his life to The Lord and surrendered to His will!
His flesh was suffering, his world was turning upside down, his heart was broken, everything was in turmoil… but his heart, his soul would look expectantly to The Lord and rejoice in His presence and Salvation! In the middle of the storm He chose to look to The Lord and rejoice!

Matthew 8
23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 And suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.
25 And the disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we are going to die!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

His disciples followed Him. Notice that detail. Jesus was with them. They were walking with The Lord, following His steps, living in His presence, yet the storm came! A life altering, life-threatening storm! Completely beyond their capability or control. The Good Shepherd will not always lead His sheep to the green pastures and still waters. Sometimes He will lead His sheep the difficult way, because He is the Good Shepherd and He knows how to lead His sheep.
The disciples were mostly fishermen. They would have done what they could to steady the boat. They tried… But it was when they came to the end of themselves and simply cried to Jesus that Salvation was realised! Our flesh naturally wants control, order, comfort but LIFE will only ever come from the Life giver! He alone is our EVERYTHING!
Then Jesus asks them, “Why are you fearful?”. The question is a similar tone to the writer in Psalm 42. Why?! What good reason do you have to be afraid? I am with you! It is a powerful lesson to learn that whilst we are going in the way that Jesus leads, we need fear NO evil! Our outward circumstance may seem dire, life-threatening even but Jesus asks “Why are you fearful?”
JESUS WAS SLEEPING! HIS LIFE WAS PEACEFULLY RESTING! Jesus is utterly yielded to the Father’s will! Completely trusting in Him! Jesus demonstrates, to His disciples and to us, the life that we can have in Him. There is a peace that passes understanding to be enjoyed when we truly trust our lives to The Father’s will.
Cast yourself upon Jesus’ goodness! If we truly trust then like Paul we can truly

1 Thessalonians 5
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

These are not commands that we are to obey but liberties that we can enjoy in Christ as we completely surrender ourselves to HIS will and His leading. If we truly trust in our Lord Jesus Christ we will be free to REJOICE ALWAYS!! We will pray ALWAYS! We will be so incredibly grateful for how He proves Himself faithful and true time and time and time again!! Faith ends in sight but it leads to love! Oh how we will love Him when we truly choose to trust Him. Hallelujah!
Brother, sister, why are you fearful? Why are you downcast? Why are you frustrated? Why are you without peace? Turn your eyes upon The Lord, look to Jesus! Hope you in God! Christ is in the vessel! His life is at rest! Be utterly yielded and trusting in The Father’s Will for His Will is Life and Life more abundantly for His disciples! Those who follow after Christ can rest as He does no matter how the storm rages! We can rest and rejoice in Him! Hallelujah!

You Are The Light

Matthew 5
13” You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its saltiness, how shall it be salted again? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

YOU ARE the salt and light! God the Father, by His Son Jesus Christ, has set His Light, and His Testimony upon His people! This is an incredible truth to meditate on. God Almighty has set HIS Glory on HIS people! Jesus Christ is The Light of the word but now He is that same Light within His people! You are to be a vessel for His Light that the darkness cannot comprehend or overcome! Hallelujah!
However, the salt can lose its saltiness, the light can become covered and you can choose to walk in the flesh instead of The Spirit. Just as Jesus is the Light so He is the salt! There is a weighty responsibility upon you to maintain that saltiness and to let that light shine! There is a vital need to abide in Christ, to maintain His abiding in you. We are to maintain His saltiness, we are to LET our light shine.
There is a secret place where we can abide under the shadow and care of The Almighty. NOTHING can harm us there! NO ENEMY, NO DARKNESS can enter that place! We are commanded to abide there! But we can choose to leave. We can be distracted, we can be negligent, we can focus on self… May we be ever so careful to abide; to maintain our saltiness; to let our light shine forth out of our hearts, conversation and conduct!

Isaiah 60
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

YOUR Light has come, now it is YOU who must arise and shine HIS Light!! The glory of God has risen upon you! Oh give that much thought!! HALLELUJAH!!
Oh may the world look at us and understand that we have been with Jesus!! (Acts 4:13) He is so worthy to be glorified in our conversation and conduct! May we praise Him in our actions, may His testimony be our reputation! May we bear MUCH fruit, shine ever so bright and be a precious flavour of Christ… As we are careful to abide in Him.

“Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse of salvation, but it is our job to keep the lower lights burning to guide men safely to Him.” – DL Moody

Thirst & Drink

Revelation 21
6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

Revelation 22
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

He that thirsts may drink as much as He desires!! There is no other specification or requirement. However, notice that the invitation is exclusively given to those who THIRST! This water is not given by association, it is not promised to those who call themselves “Christian”, it is not given to church members, good people, or even elders or pastors. The water of Life is ONLY for those who thirst and desire.

Psalm 27
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.

It is easy to desire. Many desire to go to heaven, many have a desire to be right with God, to know His presence, to be considered good and faithful servants in His Kingdom.
But it is not enough to desire only. There must be a seeking after, a searching out, a hunger, and a thirst… There must be an action taken! This is a faithful principle in scripture.

Matthew 7
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

EVERYONE who asks receives but only everyone WHO ASKS!
EVERYONE who seeks shall find but only everyone WHO SEEKS!
EVERYONE who knocks shall have the door opened for them but the door will only be opened to everyone WHO KNOCKS!
Have you asked The Lord for His abundance? Have you sought for His will? Have you knocked on the door of His secret place? Have you thirsted for the waters of His Life and Life more abundantly? Or has your appetite subsided? Have you had enough? You don’t need any more?
There is a promise of blessings far more precious than we can ever comprehend if we would simply have the faith to act! Nothing more is required! NOTHING!! Believe The Lord, believe His Word! Hallelujah!

Matthew 7
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those WHO ASK Him!

Brother, sister… If you are thirsty, if you lack, come, drink of HIS water; ask, seek, knock and believe!

Shut Your Door

Matthew 6
6 But you, when youpray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

YOU! When YOU pray! Close YOUR door! Pray to YOUR Father! Hallelujah! Oh what an invitation! What an opportunity! To be alone with Our Father in Heaven. YOU, and HIM. Oh how often we despise this invitation! How often we prioritise self. We make time to get ready for work but not to commit the day to The Lord! How often we make sure we have our breakfast and morning coffee but give little to no thought to being alone with The Father, Our Father. We choose to spend hours scrolling worthless things when we could choose to spend time in the presence of Almighty God! Oh how fickle we are!
Jesus speaks plainly here. He speaks directly to you, to me, the individual. Oh give this verse much thought! Do you prioritise your time alone with The Father? Is that the greatest part of your day? What on earth could be better?! Is He where your treasure is?
It is a command with a most wonderful and precious promise! Hallelujah! Go to your room, shut your door and pray to YOUR FATHER! When you go, when you shut your door, when you pray… He WILL hear! Hallelujah!

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

There is a secret place where WE are invited to be with The Almighty! Hallelujah! Consider that! Where else would you want to be?! Why would you want to be anywhere else? A place that is to be sought for. It is a private place that no other can enter. It is a place for you and The Father alone! Oh what a precious opportunity and invitation. A private audience with the source of all life, the source of all satisfaction, the source of all peace, hope, strength, joy and provision! Living in HIS presence!
It is a place where we can choose to stay! We can LIVE in that place! We need never leave! Nothing and no one can ever harm us there! The flesh life may undergo all kinds of tribulation and trial but our spirit can abide safe and secure from all alarm! Fearless, restful with fullness of Joy and pleasures forevermore! Hallelujah!
YOU… GO! Go to YOUR room and shut YOUR door! Find that secret place and shut out the world and all other distractions! Be alone with YOUR Father, THE FATHER! Hallelujah! Go be in HIS presence and when your body gets up to leave that room, let your heart/spirit remain in Him!

Live In Christ

John 15
4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.
5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honoured and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

The message is simple. Abide, dwell, LIVE in Jesus Christ! Whatever your experience; Whatever your circumstance; Whatever your knowledge… Abide in Him! Get to Jesus and stay in Jesus! Let the fruit of your being be HIM! HIS life, HIS love, HIS heart…
The warning is clear. Don’t leave!! Not for anything!! Don’t leave His presence! Don’t let your eyes be taken by distraction. Do not let fear rule in your heart. Root out pride and wash yourself from its fetid smell! Guard your heart with all diligence that it might not be taken from His secret place of intimacy.
We are not commanded to abide in church, denomination or community. We are not called to abide in religious practice or high moral standards. No!! We are called to abide in JESUS ONLY AND ALWAYS! Hallelujah! What an invitation and opportunity! The fruit of such a life will be HIS ALONE! The fruit of such a life will be true fellowship, true unity, true love for the body of Christ, preferring and esteeming others above self!

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

Where else would we go? Why would we want to be anywhere else?! Hallelujah! He is LIFE! And life more abundantly! Life overflowing, from streams within! Hallelujah! He has given us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and Godliness! In HIM we have all peace, all victory, pleasures forevermore and rejoicing in all things! As we abide in Him we can ask whatever we will!! Oh Lord stir our faith to partake of your abundance! Hallelujah!
Oh, we are so fickle and prone to wander away! We are so easily distracted at times. Oh, let’s be so careful to simply abide in Jesus. Let His Spirit fill us. Let His heart and His character be seen in our conduct and conversation! May others look at us and perceive that we have been with Jesus!! Let them perceive that we are WITH HIM!
When the enemy comes in like a flood, abide in HIM. When all is burned up, wasted and lost, abide in HIM. When all is well, abide in HIM. When you feel life is all so blessed and easy, ABIDE IN HIM! Recognise how utterly dependent you are upon Him, His Life and His provision. Recognise how dead you are without HIS life and run to Him!

Matthew 12
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

If I am in Christ, I am not in my flesh. If I am in Christ I will not be focused on my self and my desires. Christ’s body was broken, His time was interrupted, His days filled with serving and He has not changed. Oh Lord, please teach us to abide in You and may YOUR fruit be seen in YOUR people. May my life be known by YOUR good fruit.