Tag: Fear

How dare you!

July 27, 2024 by YBP

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To lull me to sleep

With your razor blade words and saccharine tones

You trapped me in a box till my arms and legs outgrew that absurdly tiny space

That tension made me explode into fractions of the minutest pieces all over the place

It has been taking me years to find them and pick them up

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To rape me incessantly

Bleeding me to the core

Jeering and misleading me once more

Your wicked plans strapped close to your chest

As you imagine more ways of torturing me undetected

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To speak abominations

Of hollow empty promises

Dangling the shadow of hope in your hands

Deceiving me into oblivion

Giving me the drink of darkness in the soul

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To shame me in the court of the multitude

As you plant those seeds of doubt and discontent

In the secret fields of my solitude

Your weeds have been crowding my mind

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To pollute my well of purity

With evil intentions and belligerent energies

The silent waters that once ran deep have been stirred like a hornet’s nest

Stinging me with pain unbearable

I numbed myself in silence

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To parade me in my innocence

Before throngs of unrecognizable faces

Invading my space and bringing me to the guillotine

Avoiding my gaze and pleas for help

You fed me to the pack of wolves

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To snuff out all my brilliant ebullience

You extinguished the optimistic flame within

And turned it into the raging fires of rage

Yet trapped inside my inner world

Twisting every right to express myself

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To blind me to the true beauty of creation

Making me look at all the lack

By imposing the narratives of your turbulent past

Stealing my joy robbing my purest gratitude

Forcing entry into my world by hurling your ugly world into mine

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To mock me and hurl insults on my humanness

You made me fear your judgement and all the daggers that you threw my way

I kept running away from you to save my soul and yet I kept running back to you seeking your approval

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

A chemist of unbelievable proportions

Concocting decisive manipulation

In ways that hide beneath the sheets

The clues of neglect have been mixed with sugar and spice but nothing that was nice

Leaving so much distaste

Yet taking away all other options on the menu

I was left with nothing to eat but garbage

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To stunt my growth in every imperceptible way

Making me second guess myself

Casting a hurricane of disbelief

Tormenting me with the fear of failure and rejection

Addicted to the image of perfection

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To play me over and over again

An unwilling participant in your torturous game

Pressure on me to defend my inner child

Revelling in my anguish

Never putting an end to my cries

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

To goad me into the sunken levels of your bane existence

Frying my emotions and pulverizing my identity

Pushing me to monster-like tendencies

Stop projecting your vile nature unto me

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

Questioning my life

After trampling on me unnoticeably

In the silence of the crowd

You hid your lifetime abuse with all the gravel of your words

But your actions betrayed you

They revealed your abyss of pain and dysfunction

Till you could no longer live the layers of lies

As your manipulations chased you

How dare you!

Who do you think you are?

You are not me.

Do not fool yourself into thinking that we are one and the same.

Deal with your thoughts. Deal with your emotions. Deal with your choices. Deal with your lies. Deal with your manipulations. Deal with your cruelty. Deal with who you are and the path that you have chosen.

This is the healing end of all the abuse.

This is the end of the tale you tried to weave.

This is the end of the horror you tried to heap.

This is the end of the sick game you trapped me into playing.

This is the end of you wanting to be me.

This is the end of you stealing my identity.

This is the end.

I am finally free.
❤️

Six terrific truths about Time

Here are :

First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.

Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.

Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.

Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time…pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.

Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.

Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.

Deliverance from Fear

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34:4

 Prayer positions us to receive the peace of God. It is when we seek Him that we see Him. It is when we see Him that we are secure. As we travel across the choppy sea of life’s circumstances, we can become dizzy and fearful if we look down at the water of wonder. But if we keep our eyes fixed ahead on a stable object, we remain secure and feel safe. Jesus is our immovable object of belief. He is our secure Savior who is there for us when fear assaults our attitude and threatens to highjack our heart. When we seek His face He reciprocates by flooding our countenance with His peace. He replaces our furrowed brow of fear with a calm face of faith. He gives the righteous a radiant face that is never to be covered with shame. The Lord hears our prayers by extending His peaceful presence.

No one has ever been sorry for seeking the Lord. It takes time and effort but it is your best investment. Process your problems with prayer and you will be the most productive. We cannot come to the best solutions in our own strength. One dimensional problem solving only leads to average results at best. Why be satisfied with a perspective limited to your experiences, intelligence and giftedness? It is seeking the Lord that unlocks a treasure trove of truth that leads us to possibilities we would never imagine on our own. The fruit that comes from replacing fear with faith is unlimited. We can rest assured as the Almighty leads us down a new path. This is what may happen in the process of seeking your Savior. He delights in determining a better way for you.

This next season of your life is the Lord’s reward for your faithfulness all these years. You have sought Him unashamedly and obediently. Money has not been your motive. Pride has not prodded you. Fame has not been your forte. You have sought Him with your unselfish service. You have sought Him with your humble obedience. You have sought Him by ministering to the needs of others. Because of your faithfulness in seeking Him, He has grown your faith and marginalized your fears. Therefore, see this next season as an extension of His blessings. There is no need to fear because God is near those who seek Him. There is no safer or more secure place to be than in the process of seeking Him.

Moreover, God expects to hear from you before you can expect to hear from Him. If you restrain prayer; He may refrain grace and mercy. The more you think upon the Lord, and less of yourself, the better off you become. Seek Him, lose yourself, and you will discover the best way. Furthermore, there is no need to fear your next transition as your Heavenly Father has your hand and He is guiding you. There is no need to fear the cessation of this phase of your career as He is in control. There is no need to fear the breaking off of a relationship as He is in the business of mending broken hearts. There is no need to fear provision for your family as God is your provider. Seek Him and He will deliver you from your fears. Seek Him and you will be secure in Him. Seek Him before, during and after trouble comes. Then the process of seeking the Lord becomes second nature to your soul. Then fear fails its mission. Indeed, seeking Him fossilizes your fears!

Taken from Reading #23 in the 90-day devotional book, “Seeking God in the Psalms”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

Prayer positions us to receive the peace of God. It is when we seek Him that we see Him.

10 Things You’ve Got to Know About Fear

I mean, that’s what they say.

That people’s “number one fear is public speaking. And number two is death.”

So some crazy comedy guy asks, “Does that seem right?

That means to the average person,

if you have to go to a funeral,

you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

And when your bags are packed and you’re 24 hours from standing with a microphone

on the Women of Faith stage, Lord willing and if the creek don’t rise,

I confess —  none of that’s particularly comforting.

But that He says it about 365 times in the Bible,

Do not be Afraid — one assurance for every day —

so the women of faith believe and obey,

and the rock solid truth He won’t ever leave or forsake,

and there isn’t a thing in this world that can ever separate us from the love of Christ —

this crazy farmer’s wife putting all that in her bag.

She’s flying with that.

And these 10 Things to Know about Fear:

1. Don’t fear failing.

Fear not obeying.

2. Fear is a fraud.

Nowhere on earth is beyond the reach of God.

3. All fear is but the notion that God’s love ends.

4. Your fears don’t decide your fate — your fears destroy your faith.

5. We must do that which we know we cannot — to prove that it’s our God who cannot fail.
Our God appoints those who will disappoint — to point to a God who never disappoints.

5. Everything your Father has for you — is over the fence of fear.

6. Travel in the direction of your fears — to let God direct your life.

7. Fear doesn’t stop the really bad things as much as it stops you from really living.

8. It’s impossible to simultaneously feel fear — and give thanks.

9. Fear is always the flee ahead.

God is I AM and His presence fills the present moment.

Just. Rest. in. Him. in. This. Moment.

10. Do not feed the ducks, or the bears, or the fears.

Feed your soul — on the Word that is the Bread of Life.

So this heart’s ready — relying on Him.

Bags are packed.

Fears won’t be checked. {All lying fears have been kicked to the curb.}

Flying in the morning.

And before the sun sets here on the farm,

I see it there out the kitchen window,

there off the front porch —

That the geese are flying high — straight into the sun.

~ from Ann Voskamp’s Jesus-trusting heart to yours

Fear involves torment

There is no fear in love;

but perfect love casts out  fear,

because fear involves torment. 

But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 

I John 4:18

Fear,

when it is mismanaged,

leads to sin. 

And sin leads to hiding. 

And since we’ve all sinned, we all hide—

in 80-hour workweeks,

temper tantrums,

and religious busyness. 

We avoid contact with God!

We’re convinced God must hate our evil tendencies. 

We despise our lustful thoughts, harsh judgments, and selfish deeds. 

If our sin nauseates us,

how much more must it revolt a holy God?

So we draw a practical conclusion: 

God is ticked off at us! 

Sin has left us lost and confused. 

Yes, we have disappointed God. 

But no, God has not abandoned us!

Jesus loves us too much to leave us in doubt about His grace. 

God keeps no list of our wrongs. 

His love casts out fear because He casts out our sin!

Live forgiven!

~ Max Lucado

God has not given us a spirit of Fear

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

Fear! 

It sucks the life out of the soul! 

And when fear shapes our lives,

safety becomes our god. 

We worship the risk-free life!

The fear-filled cannot love deeply. 

Love is just too risky. 

No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear.

Don’t be afraid. 

Take courage.

Do not fear those who kill the body

but cannot kill the soul.

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. 

Trust in God, and trust also in me.

Jesus steps into the storm and asks,

“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Fear may fill the world, but it doesn’t have to fill your heart! 

Hysteria is not from God. 

And Jesus doesn’t want you to live there! 

The promise of Christ is …

God has not given you a spirit of fear!

~ Max Lucado

Hurricane Irene

Irene is of particular interest to us, because we lived on the North Carolina coast for 1 1/2 years. We can empathize with those along the entire coast and those inland who are going through this storm and its effects. The floods and tornadoes are of great concern.

We are praying that you will all be safe and ready for any emergency.

God is our strength. Lean into Him.

Blessings,

Sharon & Erick

Daily Promises – August 6 – Do not be afraid of what others can do to you

Psalm 56:11 KJV
11 In God have I put my trust:
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Promise #221: Trust in Me and do not be afraid of what others can do to you.

Fear of man is a powerful debilitating force in our world today. It will keep us from taking risks and it will keep us from being the person God made us to be.

If we are afraid of what others think, or what they will do to us, we are kept in a prison of their control.
God wants us to be free and He does not want us to live in fear.

The only way to deal with fear is to embrace the love that God has for us and allow perfect love to drive all fear away. (1 John 4:19)

Trust is the key. Knowing that our God and Father has our best interests at heart all the time.

In this promise, the psalmist makes a declaration that he will put his trust in God and not be afraid of what man can do to him. May faith rise up in our hearts today and agree with Romans 8:31, where the Apostle Paul declares “If God is for us, who can be against us?”. 

May each one of us grow in the incredible freedom of the children of God that we were intended to walk in and not live the place of being afraid.
Photo by Jeff Epp

His Perfect Love will banish fear from your heart

1 John 4:18 KJV
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Promise: My perfect love will banish fear from your heart.According to the Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word for ‘perfect’ is complete. Imagine a love that is complete in every way. The love of a father, the love of a mother, the love of a friend, the love of a brother, the love of a spouse, etc. Whatever love we need, the true source is found in the completeness of God’s love.In this passage, the word for love used here is the Greek word ‘agape‘, which often describes the love that comes from God. In 1 John 4:16, God Himself is described as the complete expression of love and then two verses later the Apostle John says that God’s perfect love will violently throw out all fear from our hearts. The root of worry is fear. The root of insecurity is fear. Fear of man, fear of the future, fear of the present, fear of lack, etc.  There are many things in this world that cause us to be afraid but God continually is telling His kids “Do not fear!”I believe He says it 365 times in the Bible, one encouragement for every day of the year! What an amazing promise! Fear cannot co-habit with love. When love comes, fear is banished forever! God is love.  Whoever lives in love, lives in God!

Today, allow the perfect, complete love that flows from the heart of Almighty God to fill your heart to overflowing and fear will have no option but to flee in response.