LIVING FEARLESS, FEARLESS LIVING

I come to the keyboard today with a grateful heart.  I imagine I do not have an attitude of gratitude as much as I should.  However, I take time out today to share my heart-felt appreciation with you about the one person you know means everything to me - my best friend, Savior, Lord, and King - Yeshua or Jesus.

I am finally starting to grasp the saying, True Love Casts Out All Fear.  The New International Version of the Bible says 1 John 4:18 like this -

• There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

I have found that the phrase No Matter has popped up a lot in my relationship with God lately.  No Matter that I don't understand God right now.  No Matter that there is a lot of change swirling around me.  No Matter that there are healings and salvations pending His attention.  No Matter to all that may seem dire and/or pressing - God has been and is Faithful in His Love toward me.  All I have to do is look back at the Altars in my walk with God to see His consistent presence.

However, it is hard to wait around.  I can take a positive answer, I can take a negative answer, but if there is one thing in life I Hate it is Not Knowing.  Even when I believe I know the answer, God may have a different timing in mind and for whatever reason there have been times when this information was withheld from my mind and spirit.  It does not have to be timing that is the missing information.  Whatever is the key ingredient that I need to throw into the mix of my life - making it more productive, I need it.  Even here, in this totally frustrating period of time, God says to me - "No Matter I got your back (and front and sides and above and below)."

This No Matter could be translated into the Scripture's words - "Fear Not".  And as long as I keep God's Faithfulness in the forefront of my mind and spirit I will not and cannot operate out of fear, but out of His "perfect love" toward me.  Knowing and trusting in His love for me and His sovereignty in all matters - drives out all fear.

God is Love.  And God keeps displaying His Love, through Grace, to me.  This unmerited favor places the burden of proof (of who He is in my relationship) on His shoulders.  Originally - 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.  But Grace did not stop at my conversion, He keeps on showing me Favor in "perfect love", "driving out all fear".

Prayer:

Thank you Lord Jesus for your Faithful Love you grant me especially in the midst of my non-understanding times and down right disrespectful times.  Thank you for your Grace.  The non-deserving favor I received and still receive from you continues to be amazing.  May my heart always remain humble in the sight of the price you paid to do away with the punishment I Did Deserve, but that you Drove Out With Your Love!
In your name Jesus I pray, Amen.