SHARK BAIT

 Its summer and swimming in the murky ocean water is a past time most of us enjoy. I like to hit the freezing water and ride the waves just like I did as a kid. It's all fun and games until I begin to hear those few musical notes, playing over and over in my mind, from the 1970's movie JAWS. All of a sudden panic strikes and I find myself struggling to sprint out of the water as fast as possible, imagining I'm being followed by a great white. Crazy how our thoughts affect our emotions even when we know our terror is ill-founded.

Fear sells movies but when it comes to our lives, fear has the power to cripple our faith. In the Bible, God tells us to "Fear Not" 365 times; a daily reminder. Whether its fear of failure, rejection, the unknown, or of not measuring up to expectations, this emotion can render us helpless when we fall for its intimidation tactics. Fear is used by the enemy (Satan) to trick us into doubting God's good plan for our lives. "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE and  a SOUND MIND." (2Timothy 1:7)

The feeling of fear is universal, an inescapable emotion built into our DNA to keep us alert when we perceive danger. However, God has already equipped us with his strength, love, and mental clarity to face whatever situation has us terrified. No doubt, fear is a formidable foe and runs the gamete from stomach flutters to full blown panic attacks. So...how do we counter balance the inevitable dread of bad news.   

FAITH always trumps fear.  "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)  We need to believe God cares about us and He is in control, no matter how bad our situation looks. I'm not suggesting blind optimism, wishful thinking or a naive denial of our misfortunes. I'm saying, we have to anchor our belief to God's promises, not our circumstance. Faith is our choice to rely on God's faithfulness even before we get the good report we are hoping for. 

We all face difficulties during our lifetime and fear will always be lurking under the surface of our thoughts but anxiety, dread and terror can't drag us under and drown us in despair when we believe God is in control and bigger than our worst nightmares. "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

DEEP DIVE

I used to scuba dive in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. I remember the feeling of excitement as the boat, filled with other enthusiastic divers, made its way miles away from the dock. Once we arrived at our destination we donned our gear, checked our air regulators and sat on the side of the boat waiting our turn to fall over backward into the cool ocean water. 

It usually took me a few minutes to realign my focus while I watched schools of barracuda and yellow jacks hang around the new arrivals watching and listening to us bubble and hiss from our air tanks. Two by two, we paired off with our dive buddies, and began our decent into the unknown. 

As we went deeper we needed to be acutely aware of our surroundings. The coral reefs were beautiful but the water beyond was murky, hiding predators, and our vision was blurred. Our focus also needed to be on our air regulators that let us know how much air we were using and periodically we had to check our compass so we didn't get lost or go to far from the boat. Things tend to get confusing when your swimming at deep depths. Diving is a great adventure and lots of fun but safety is paramount. If we don't follow the rules for safe diving our lives could be in danger.

Actually, we can learn a lot from scuba diving when it comes to our spiritual lives above the surface. 

As we navigate life, we need to check our equipment...our minds and hearts...and stay sharp. Life can be going well, but beyond what we can see an enemy is prowling, hoping to catch us off guard. The Bible clearly warns us of danger and how to navigate the issues we face everyday. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1Peter 5:8 )  Spiritual warfare is nothing new, its been affecting believers from the beginning of time. Our best defense is to be alert to our surroundings. Make sure you are not drifting away from God's protection and into sin that has the power to devour your soul.  When God tells us to be sober minded he means to live our lives deliberately, making sure we are staying within the perimeters set by his teachings. Don't neglect prayer when your life is going well. Be prayed up and ready. God's words, in the Bible, are our compass to keep us from getting lost and falling for the worlds errors. We live in a beautiful world but beyond what our physical eyes can see is a dangerous enemy who glorifies sin and mocks faith. 

Check your surroundings. Stay focused. Be sober minded. Pray. Read the Bible and be vigilant to do what it says. Why? Your life depends on it.

IF YOU ARE REAL...PROVE IT

 The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of our Christian faith but for some of us, it's a sticking point where doubt clouds our vision. The Bible tells a story about doubting Thomas, one of Jesus closest followers before his death and crucifixion. This guy was part of the inner circle. He spent intimate time with Jesus and his chosen twelve. He saw Jesus heal the sick, walk on water, cure diseases and raise a man from the dead, yet he wasn't on board 100%. The night Jesus died Thomas ran away and hid. He ended up not being around when the Resurrected Savior appeared to the disciples. When they told Thomas about this supernatural event he scoffed at them like they were delusional. 

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side I will not believe." (John 20:25 ) 

A week passed until the disciples were in the house again, and this time Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked , Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  Then he said to Thomas , "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side  Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God."Jesus didn't condemn him, or shame him. Instead he challenged Thomas to stop doubting and believe.

Have you ever been there, where part of you believes but the other part is screaming Prove It.  I have.

 Like Thomas, I was supposed to know Jesus. I was raised Catholic. I went to church. I knew the Bible. I professed to believe...just not 100%.  One day, many years ago, I came to a tipping point in my life. I was broke, raising two children and my marriage was a disaster. My relationship with my husband hit rock bottom and we were headed for divorce. In desperation I cried out to Jesus. I literally prayed "God, if you are real,,,do something with this mess of my life." I ended the prayer and walked away disillusioned, confused, my heart full of doubt, and a mind overflowing with questions. The crazy thing was, Jesus showed up. Shortly after praying that prayer, even though I did not believe God heard me or cared, I started to read the Bible. Little by little my mindset and attitude changed. First, toward the reality of a God who sent his son to die for my sins, and secondly toward my relationship with my husband. He saw the change in me and began his own reading program drawing him closer to Jesus. Needless to say, its been 56 years and we are still together, navigating the ups and downs of marriage with the Resurrected Jesus. In effect, I did what Thomas was told to do...stop doubting and start believing.  When Jesus was finished proving himself to Thomas he said,"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and believed." (John 20: 29) 

KEEPING PROMISES

 Remember when you were a kid and swore a promise with the infamous "pinky swear"? I taught this symbolic gesture to my youngest daughter who took this Japanese inspired practice to new heights. She learned quickly that when she locked pinky fingers with me, and we made promises, whatever we swore to do became a done deal. Although these promises were silly like having waffles and ice cream for Friday nights dinner or having her two best friends for a  sleepover extravaganza these promises became an unbreakable agreement. Back in those innocent days of childhood, this simple gesture signified a promise that would never be broken. She learned she didn't have to do anything to earn these promises, she simply had to believe I would do what I promised to do. Pinky promises were more than a silly way of making a commitment, to us, it was a foundation of trust.

Did you know, in the Bible, there are 7,487 promises for your life. If you decide to read just one of these promises a day you will have a promise from God for more than 20 years of your life. If that's not great news I don't know what is.

 To the point of this blog... we can pinky swear (so to speak) with our Heavenly Father and trust him to fulfill all his promises. "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)  In other words, when you agree with God, and choose to believe the promises written in the Bible are for your life, you have in effect, done a pinky promise with God, the creator of all things. God tells us to come to him with childlike faith. He wants to bless you. Below, I have listed a weeks worth of God's incredible promises. Google the verses on your favorite Bible app. Each day, read and think about what God is promising you. You don't have to earn his promises. He actually cares about you and wants to abundantly bless you.  Don't wait to get started on the road to miraculous blessings. Accept his offer of an abundant, promise filled life.

God has a great plan for your life! (Jeremiah 29:11) 

All things are possible for those who believe. (Matthew 19:26)

God will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

When you are weak, God will give you strength. ((Isaiah 40:31)

God will guide you along the right paths for your life. (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

You will prosper and succeed in all you do   (Joshua 1;7-8) 

God loves you and calls you by name. (Isaiah 43:1)