Good evening, Family!🙏🏽
This week, we praise God for:
💟 Kristina praised God for answered prayers. She has reached her 12th week of pregnancy and doctors told her the baby is growing perfectly. She thanks God for His goodness and protection over her and the baby, and leaves every concern in His hands. 🤲🏽
Kristina also expressed her gratitude for all of the love and support her church family showed her through the hardest times in her life.
💟 Amel expressed his gratitude for all the prayers lifted up for him and his family. He is especially grateful for all the prayers for him during his travels for work.
We are also praying for:
🛐 Our beloved brother, Gilbert. He has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and must now face the surgery he needs to deal with it. Let's ask God for His miraculous healing and protection over Gilbert. Let's also pray for strength, courage and whatever God knows he and his family will need moving forward with treatment. We know God is already working this out on Gilbert's behalf, and we will trust Him to do just that. 🙏🏽
🛐 Each and every silent prayer request lifted.
🛐 ALL of the children connected by love to The Lighthouse as they begin a new school year. May God grant them a year filled with learning, friendships, memories and new MERCIES, available to them each and every morning! 🌅
🛐 Alex Edmond. Amel requested that we pray for Alex as he not only started college, but also got a job and will be very busy. May God guide and protect him - especially from Covid, as he will be interacting with many people on a daily basis.
🛐 Carole and her family, as they are in great need of prayer
🛐 Vasthi's boss, Samantha, as she celebrates her 50th birthday.
🛐 Catheryn, Connor and growing Baby Llibre. May the Lord watch over and protect them, their new home and their future plans as they continue to walk with Him.
🛐 Protection and intervention on Elijah's behalf while he is in Florida. May God grant him and his family resolution on his custody case, that he might return to his family soon.
🛐 Our Bible Study groups on Sabbath morning and our Prayer Ports during the week. May they lead to stronger and healthier relationships with Jesus.
🛐 Matthew, as he deals with the pressures of the academy. May God strengthen and protect him as he continues to pursue his dreams in law enforcement.
Tonight's Devotional was shared by Lynette, who is a self-professed recovering fearful and anxious Basket of Nerves. 😓 Thanks, Lynn! 🙏🏽 What a wonderful blessing! 😊
“But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil.” – Proverbs 1:33
Fear is real, but God is bigger. Fear zeros in on the problem, while faith keeps it in perspective. Now, faith does NOT mean blindly running into danger or ignoring common sense. But it does mean turning to God every time fear begins to creep in. It means choosing courage rather than fear. So, what is courage?
Courage is strength in the face of fear. In other words, to really develop courage, you first have to KNOW fear. The great violinist, Isaac Stern, once observed an incredibly talented nine-year-old violinist. While clearly talented, Stern made the remark that, “You can’t really tell how an artist will be until the teen years, for that is when fear comes in. Then and only then can you see if the person has courage. You can’t learn courage until you know fear.”
Fear can paralyze us. Courage frees us to live life to the fullest.
Jesus epitomized courageous faith as He boldly walked God’s will – even to the cross. However, He knew very well the power fear could have on our lives and often reminded the disciples to cling to faith, not fear. One example of this is found in Matthew chapter 14. The disciples found themselves caught in a terrible storm, fearing for their lives. Suddenly, out of nowhere, they see Jesus walking out to them on the water. “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!” (Matthew 14:27), Jesus said – speaking right into their fear.
The comfort for Jesus followers in this story is this: Finding courage in the face of fear comes through putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Fear and faith do not mix – they’re like oil and water. When faith kicks in, fear moves out. However, when faith disappears, fear rushes in like a tidal wave. The key to finding the courage to overcome fear is faith.
Are you struggling with fear? Maybe it’s fear of economic or political uncertainty. Perhaps it’s the current coronavirus crisis or other health concerns. You could be struggling with the fear of financial insecurity or simply the unknown future. Thankfully, no matter the panic, no matter the problem, and no matter the uncertainty, God remains in control.
If you’re battling fear right now, take the time to pour out your heart to God in prayer. Then spend time meditating on who God is, what He’s done, and remind yourself of His promises found in Scripture:
God is GOOD – even when people, circumstances, and events are not.
Nahum 1:7, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 31:19, Psalm 34:8, Jeremiah 29:11
God is POWERFUL – bigger than the biggest crisis, threat, or uncertainty.
Psalm 56:3, 2 Samuel 22:33, Matthew 19:26, Luke 6:19, Psalm 147:4-5
God is NEAR – even when He feels far.
Psalm 34:17-18, Psalm 145:18, Hebrews 1:3, Joshua 1:9, Zephaniah 3:17
God is in CONTROL – even when life appears to be spinning out of control.
1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 105:4-6, Romans 8:28, Proverbs 16:9, John 14:27