For Without Faith...

Here you go girls...Another devotional from Marcie! I have started to depend on these...they lift me up mid-week just when I need it! Enjoy!
Stay Blessed!
Megs

For Without Faith…..

I planned on studying Esther this week but my heart is overflowing. I want to thank every one of you for your prayers while we were in Costa Rica. If the Lord allows we will look at Esther next week. I know all to well what it is to be afraid. Do you? A week ago today I was so afraid I almost tucked tail and ran instead of boarding my airplane. Since my husband is both stronger and faster than me, I got on the plane. When the plane was taking off I scrambled for a barf bag to no avail. My dear husband gave me his jacket and I made myself a little bowl. For an hour I sat with that jacket on my lap praying the Lord would help me. The thought of leaving the three little souls the Lord has entrusted me with had me hovering over a jacket sick with fear. Some of you might say, “Who could blame her that is perfectly understandable.” Beloved, the Bible says in Romans 14:23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. I was not a poor, dear mother worrying about her children. I was a born again child of God about to puke in my husbands jacket because of my lack of faith in a mighty, omnipresent, omnipotent God! Lets just call it what it is girls. It is sin!I am thankful that the Lord heard my prayers, that His ears are open to my cry and that he will indeed deliver me out of all my troubles (Psalm 34:15 & 17). The Lord heard my cries way before I boarded that plane. His ears were open to my prayer last week when I asked for faith like Abigail’s. He is so faithful. 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith not by sight. Abigail walked by faith. She could not trust what she saw (the army of 400 men racing toward her). She had to believe in Him who she could not see. Sisters, I met my army March 25th. It was a Bowing 757. It was taking me way to high, way too fast, and way to far away from my home and children. I kept telling myself that the Lord could be in Indiana with the kids and with Alan and I (whether miles in the air or miles away in Costa Rica) all at the same time. The only problem was that I really did not believe that.The effect of fear is like the effect of too much alcohol. What you know to be right and true becomes uncertain. 1 John 4:18 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. Too much alcohol not only torments you physically (vomiting, hangovers, falling and hurting yourself) it completely distorts your thinking and your judgment. The Bible tells us to fear the Lord. A little fear is good. Fear that begins to effect you physically and distorts what the Bible tells you is true, this is from the evil one. The Lord, ever so patiently, pushed me to face three of my biggest fears this week. The same faith he gave to Abigail thousands of years ago, he also gave to me. Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Beloved, the Lord gives us just the right amount of faith at just the right time. You do not need faith to fly across the country until you are flying across the country. However, you do have to believe when the time comes He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. It has been my experience that the only way to conquer my fears is to face my fears. The only way to face my fears is to have faith in the One who desires that I be fearless. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The Bible tells us how our faith will be increased in James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. It is in our trials that our faith in our Saviour will be increased. It is when we realize just how badly we need Him. In Romans 12:3 it says not to think of your self more highly than you ought to think. I am going to be completely honest and I hope you are not too disappointed (or surprised). Before having to get on that plane I thought I had at least average faith. I was thinking of myself more highly than I ought. The Lord had to humble me before He could increase my faith. Hovering over my husband’s jacket for an hour waiting to puke my guts out was pretty humbling. I want to say to God’s glory that as I sit on another Bowing 747 on my way home that I have not had so much as a flutter in my stomach. The Lord peeled away layers of fear over the week I was in Costa Rica. Fear that I was not aware even existed. Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (I am only righteous through Jesus) and His ears are open unto their cry. He is an awesome God.I do not expect to ever be so afraid to fly or leave my “on loan” children again. But I do know this is not my last battle with fear or faith. I have a battle to finish with a tarantula I met in Costa Rica. The Lord indeed knows my limitations so that battle will have to wait.Have you ever held a snow globe? In our hands it is so small and fragile. It fits right in the palm of our hand. From our view there is nothing hidden from our sight. Think about the Lord beloved. Do you realize how big He truly is? Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: The view I had on the plane gave this verse new meaning to me. We are so small, yet we are so loved and cared for. Sister, there is no reason to fear. We are but a snow globe in His hands. Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts….and be ye thankful. Lord, I pray you will make this verse real to me and to my sisters in Christ. Replace our fear with your peace and help us to always be thankful. Help us to remember that without faith it is impossible to please you. Amen.