From His Heart

[Judy Harder]

September 30, 2011    From His Heart
     
What to do When You Don't Know What to do

"O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." 
2 Chronicles 20:12

Have you ever been there?  At a place in life where the troubles and problems before you are so great and so numerous that you don't know what to do?

In the Old Testament, good and godly King Jehoshaphat found himself in that uncomfortable place.  The enemies of Judah had banded together to make a super army ... and they were coming to wipe God's people off the map.  The circumstances were dire and destruction seemed certain.

Jehoshaphat did not know what to do except pray and get his eyes on the Lord.  And that is exactly what God wanted him to do.  When he took his eyes off his problems and put them on the Lord, God responded in mighty power.

IN YOUR PROBLEMS

Are you facing great and frightening problems today?  Is it cancer?  Is a layoff coming?  Is the marriage ending?  Is some destructive addiction taking you down?  Is the devil coming at you with both barrels?

What do you do when life seems to be caving in all around you?

You join with Jehoshaphat and honestly say, "God, I am powerless in this problem I am facing, and I don't know what to do.  But I choose to take my eyes off my problems and put them squarely on You."

You see, you and I are not able to handle the problems of life, but God is able.  And God will arise in your trouble IF IF IF you will just look to Him and trust Him, no matter what.

THE POWER OF PRAISE

In the story of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20, it is interesting to note that God told him:

1. Do not be afraid because I am with you.
2. Do not be dismayed because I am able.
3. Do not think this is your battle because it is Mine!

How's that for an answer to prayer!  So, the people gathered the next day to face the enemy. Judah's army was ready, but they did not have to fight. In fact, it was the choir who led the army out to the battlefield.  And when the choir began to sing and praise the Lord, the Lord responded to their praise (their praise was proof of genuine faith) and routed the enemy before their very eyes.  WOW!

What to do when you don't know what to do?  Get your eyes on the Lord and praise Him! There is great power in praise!  Praise shows God you know He is in control, and you trust Him.

The wonderful old song says it best:

When you're up against a struggle, that shatters all your dreams.
And your hopes have been cruelly crushed by Satan's manifested schemes.
When you feel the urge within you to submit to earthly fear,
Don't let the faith you're standing in seem to disappear.

Praise the Lord. He can work through those who praise Him.
Praise the Lord. For our God inhabits praise.
Praise the Lord. For the chains that seem to bind you,
serve only to remind you, that they drop powerless behind you,
when you praise Him.

Read 2 Chronicles Chapter 20 today and be blessed as you trust God to see you through.

Love,


Jeff Schreve
Pastor

jeff@fromhisheart.org

[Judy Harder]

From His Heart
     
Conformed or Transformed?

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

Many years ago, when I was still selling chemicals for Nalco, I was talking to a customer about her boss.  She told me, "Dave does not speak evil of anyone.  He is a true Christian.  He lives it."

How many true Christians do you know who really live it?  The sad truth is this: while many go to church Sunday after Sunday, only a very few really radiate the glory of Christ.  Only a very few allow the Lord to transform their lives from the inside out.  Why is that?

CONFORMERS

The Bible warns us about being conformed to the world.  Without a doubt, the devil exerts pressure on us to conform ... to go through the motions of Christianity ... to exchange internal heart worship for external rituals ... to exchange a life-changing relationship with Christ to a lifeless, check-the-box religion ... to be an outside of the cup Christian, a whitewashed tomb that looks good on the outside but is rotten on the inside.

Churches are filled with conformers.  There are very few "Daves" to be found.  But a Dave is what we are called to be.  God wants us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we worship the Lord in spirit and truth and allow His Word and His Spirit to convict us and change us from the inside out.

HOW CAN YOU TELL? 

What are the tell-tale signs of a person being conformed vs. a person being transformed?

1.     The transformed fear God; the conformed fear man.  The transformed are concerned about what God thinks of them, while the conformed are consumed with man's opinion and approval.  Are you living to please the crowd or to please Christ?

2.     The transformed are soft clay in the Potter's hands; the conformed are hard, stubborn and rebellious.  The transformed come to the Lord saying, "Search Me, O God ...  See if there be any hurtful, evil way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way" (Ps. 139:23-24).  They wanted to be searched, convicted if going wrong, and changed.  The conformed have no desire to be searched, convicted, or changed by God's Word and God's Spirit.  They want their will and their way, and they hear sermons that tell them they are doing great with no need to change a thing.  Are you soft clay, desirous of the Lord to mold you into His image, or are you hard and stiff-necked, thinking you are just fine the way you are?

3.     The transformed shine; the conformed whine.  People who worship the Lord in spirit and truth and truly desire to be transformed by Him see wonderful changes take place within them.  As they walk with Jesus, they begin to radiate His glory.  The sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him begins to seep from their hearts.  It is awesome!  The conformed, however, radiate nothing but the stench of self.  Conformers gripe and complain about virtually everything.  They don't "rise and shine and give God the glory, glory."  Rather, they rise and whine and tell you the story, story.  "Let me tell you what's going on in my life: my boss stinks, my health is failing, my kids don't call, my church is awful and my Pastor needs to be fired!"  Are you a whiner or a shiner?

4.     The transformed win souls to Christ; the conformed don't.  People who are allowing the Lord to change their lives from the inside out are attractive to unbelievers.  The aroma of Christ on a person's life is indeed a SWEET aroma.  When all is falling apart and the transformed still have joy and peace ... WOW!  That gets folks attention and makes them say, "I want what you have."  The conformed, however, never win anyone to Christ.  How could they?  The stench of selfishness, discontentment, anger and rebellion is not very attractive, is it?  Are you winning souls by your life and by your lips?  If not, why not?  Could it be there is no transformation taking place within you?

The time is now for Christians to get serious about transformation.  Conforming to this world, going along to get along is not the Lord's way.  Christianity is all about growth and change.  John the Baptist put it this way, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).  May that be the cry of our hearts as we seek Him and present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice.

Love,



Jeff Schreve
Pastor

[Judy Harder]

From His Heart
     
Burning the Wick or Burning the Oil?

"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD of hosts.  Zechariah 4:6

I heard something the other day from a very well-known and respected pastor.  He talked about ministry being "so incredibly hard."  He was doing great work for God, reaching lots of people for Christ, but he was SO WORN OUT in the process.  Can you relate?  Does it seem as if the things God calls you to do are SO INCREDIBLY HARD?

As I thought about that statement, I started to wonder if this pastor was unknowingly burning the wick instead of the oil.

Everyone knows when you light a candle, the wax candle begins to melt and consume itself as it burns.  An oil-powered lamp, however, does not consume itself.  It can burn and burn and burn with no ill effects.  It can shine as long as there is oil in the lamp.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

Isn't it interesting that one of the key symbols in the Bible for the Holy Spirit is oil.  Anointing was done with oil to symbolize the Spirit of God coming upon a person - "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him [David] in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward" (1 Sam. 16:13).

God saved us to walk in the infinite power of the Holy Spirit, not in the puny power of our own human strength.  Jesus said, "Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).  When you feel worn out ... when you feel as if this Christian life is just SO INCREDIBLY HARD ... you are doing it in your own strength, and you need to come to Jesus.

Quit burning the wick and start burning the oil.  Of course we will still get tired, but the work will NEVER feel like a heavy, exhausting chore.  It will be exhilarating ... and you will feel the power from on high when the Holy Spirit is filling your life and providing the energy.

A SIMPLE PRAYER

Maybe you are heavy-laden today.  Maybe you need to pray this simple prayer:

Lord, I am so worn out trying so hard to please You and do Your will.  It is obvious to me that I am burning the wick ... and I need to start burning the oil.  Jesus, you have invited me to come to You.  You want to give me rest.  You want to live through me, not just live in me.  Right now, Jesus, I surrender my will to Your will.  Fill me with Your Spirit and Your power.  I yield control of every area of my life to You.  In Jesus' name.

That prayer, prayed from a humble, believing heart makes all the difference in the world!  Remember, anytime you feel burdened, weighed down, and overwhelmed in your Christian life, you need to blow out the candle and light the lamp!

Love,

[Judy Harder]

The Desires of Your Heart

Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Recently, I talked to a sweet Christian woman of the Philippines named Heather.  I asked her about her dreams and goals for her life.  She said she has two great dreams: to be a majorette (a lighthearted dream), and to be a housewife (a serious dream and desire).  Since Heather is 30 years old, she may never realize the majorette dream, but her desire for a godly husband is surely one that God wants to fulfill.

I asked Heather if she knew Psalm 37:4.  She quoted it from memory.  Obviously, that verse was one she was claiming as she prayed for God's man for her.  Without a doubt, Psalm 37:4 is a great promise, but it is a CONDITIONAL promise.  There is something you must do ("delight yourself in the Lord") in order to see God give you the desires of your heart.  If you fail to do your part, if you fail to meet the conditions, the promise is null and void.  So here is the key question: what exactly does it mean to "delight yourself in the Lord?"

The Hebrew word translated "delight" is anog.  It literally means to be soft and pliable.  In the PJV (Pastor Jeff Version), Psalm 37:4 reads, "Make yourself soft and pliable in the hands of the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Are you doing your part of Psalm 37:4?  Are you making yourself soft and pliable in the skillful hands of the Potter?

POTTERY 101

Some years ago, I was given a pottery lesson by a dear friend and master potter.  She showed me the tricks of the trade with regard to working on the wheel.  It was GREAT fun.  I will never forget one of the key things she told me, "For a skilled potter to be able to make a great piece, the clay has to be soft.  If the clay is hard, stubborn, and non-pliable, the best of potters won't be able to make what they truly desire to make."

God is the Potter.  You and I are the clay.  Our only job as clay is to be soft and pliable in the hands of the Master.  Our only job is to be yielded to Him and choose His will over our will.

JESUS IN THE GARDEN

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross and the sin of the world being placed on Him, He prayed three times that this cup of suffering, condemnation and judgment might pass from Him.  And all three times, He ended His prayer with these words, "Yet not My will, but Thine be done."  He chose to trust the will of the Father over anything and everything else.  He knew His Father was/is full of love, and His will was/is "good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).  He yielded just like soft, pliable clay is supposed to do.  And He was GREATLY rewarded for His obedience and faith.

EVALUATION   

The other day, I watched a wonderful movie.  In the story, the coach and his wife were trying unsuccessfully to have children.  Brokenheartedly, the coach asked his wife this penetrating question, "If God never gives us children, will you still love Him?"  After honest soul-searching, her answer was YES!  As a result, God gave her the desires of her heart, and she got pregnant.

Perhaps you are facing what appears to be the death of your dream.  Perhaps the husband/wife you are longing for and praying for does not seem to be anywhere on the radar screen.  Will you choose to love God and trust Him EVEN if your dream never materializes?  That, my friend, is delighting yourself in the Lord.  That gets God's attention.  That causes God to fulfill His conditional promise.   

Never forget that the Potter loves you and wants what is best for you.  Let Him have His way and you will be thrilled and amazed at what is produced on the potter's wheel as He makes something stunningly beautiful of your life.

Love,



Jeff Schreve
Pastor

[Judy Harder]

From His Heart
     
How's Your Worship?

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Psalm 103:1

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869.  He was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement.  Although a Hindu and not a Christian, Gandhi did study the New Testament and was moved by the Sermon on the Mount, especially.  He was a smart man who had some amazing insights into people and societal ills.

Recently, I ran across Gandhi's list of seven deadly social sins.

1.     Politics without principle
2.     Wealth without work
3.     Commerce without morality
4.     Pleasure without conscience
5.     Education without character
6.     Science without humanity
7.     Worship without sacrifice

I think we would all have to agree that Gandhi was spot on with his list.  As a society, I believe we are all guilty of committing all seven.  Is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in?  I think not.

WORSHIP FROM THE HEART

Although Gandhi, as a Hindu, did not worship the true God, he did understand about worship.  Worship does involve sacrifice.  The first mention of worship in the Bible is in Genesis 22.  In that chapter, Abraham takes his son Isaac to Mount Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice to God in obedience to God's clear command.  It was the hardest thing Abraham ever had to do ... to obey the voice of the Lord even to the point of sacrificing his dear son, Isaac, the son of promise and miracle birth.

And if you remember the story, this command from God was just a test to see if Abraham really loved and feared the Lord ... and would do what He said, no matter what.  (God intervened, and Abraham never plunged that drawn dagger into Isaac's beating heart.  Jehovah Jireh provided a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, a ram wearing a crown of thorns.  Does it remind you of anyone who took your place and became your sacrifice so you could go free?)

As much as we may want to get around it, we cannot.  Worship involves sacrifice.  To worship God in a way that pleases Him, we must give Him our heart, first and foremost.  Proverbs 23:26 says, "Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways."  We must willingly, lovingly sacrifice our heart on the altar.  When He has our heart, everything else follows.

You see, God can have:

1.   My money without my heart ... but He cannot have my heart without my money.
2.   My time without my heart ... but He cannot have my heart without my time.
3.   My service without my heart ... but He cannot have my heart without my service.

It's all about heart.  I hope you will join me in making worship from the heart the priority of your life.  As we do, everything else will follow, and God will be glorified.

Love,

Jeff Schreve

[Judy Harder]

 
From His Heart
In this month's e-newsletter, I talk about how you can make it through tough times like King David did.

You see, many times David found himself in a bad place. And far too often, he had no one to comfort him.

Have you ever felt like this? As a pastor, I'm aware of too many people who are suffering and feeling like David—full of heaviness, feeling as if there is no one to come alongside them.

But you know what David did? In the midst of his suffering, he began to thank and praise God: "I will praise the name of God with song, and magnify Him with thanksgiving" (Psalm 69:30). And we know that God answered David's prayer and blessed him greatly.

So if you're facing tough times, God can do the same for you as you give Him thanks even when you're feeling discouraged, depressed, and alone. Try it and see for yourself. There is great power in thanksgiving and praise!

I hope you're blessed as you read this fall edition of Real Truth. Real Love. Real Hope. Please don't forget to request a copy of the 52-week daily devotional and prayer journal, The Pathway to Discipleship, when you give this month. Debbie and I are so grateful to have your prayers and support.

Love,
 

[Judy Harder]

November 04, 2011   

From His Heart
     
Good News For Bad Times

Bad times.  Everyone faces bad times sometime in life.  Job certainly did.  He aptly said, "Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil" (Job 14:1).  Have you experienced turmoil in your life?  Are you experiencing some right now?

To be sure, bad times are not fun times ... but they are good learning times.  Typically, the greatest lessons learned come from the toughest times in life.  You know why?  Because it's in the hard times when we are most open and willing to listen and learn.

One of my favorite poems goes like this:

I walked a mile with pleasure
She chatted all the way,
But left me none the wiser,
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sorrow,
Not a word said she,
But oh the things I learned that day,
When sorrow walked with me.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

When you are walking in turbulent, troublesome times, it is critical to put some positive things into practice:

1.     Keep looking up and rejoicing in Him.  No matter what you may be facing, God is still on His throne.  He still loves you and still has a good plan for your life.  Offer genuine thanks to the Lord, even if you have to do it through clenched teeth.  God says, "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me" (Psalm 50:23).  Thanksgiving can be a sacrifice at times, but God is honored when we give Him the praise and thanks He rightfully deserves.

2.     Keep your thoughts on the truth.  When bad times come, it is easy to fill your mind with negative, depressing, miserable thoughts.  DON'T DO IT!  You can choose your thoughts as you would choose your friends.  Let your mind dwell on what is true and honorable and right (see Philippians 4:.  You are what you think ... so think God's wonderful truths, not the devil's depressing lies.

3.     See the light at the end of the tunnel.  When I was in college at U.T., Coach Fred Akers had a popular saying, "Tough times never last, but tough people do."  How true.  Do you know the most encouraging five words in Scripture?  "And it came to pass."  The bad time you are currently experiencing didn't come to stay, it came to pass.  It came for a reason to teach you to trust God ... to help you understand that Jesus never fails, and He will work all things together for your good and His glory.

PRAYER

God, thank You for loving me.  Thank You for having all things under control.  I choose to rejoice in You, even in the midst of my problems.  Help me to keep my mind on You, Lord, and my thoughts on the things that glorify You.  And help me walk by faith and not by sight, knowing that "it came to pass," it didn't come to stay.  I want to learn and grow through this hardship ... and come out on the other side more committed to You and in love with You than ever.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Love,

[Judy Harder]

From His Heart
     
Nov 11

No Parking

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

My first outside sales job was in 1986.  I was working for the Commercial Division of Waste Management, Inc.  It was a fun job filled with tons of prospective customers because every business generates trash.

One of my prospects was The Summit in Houston.  In my sales days, The Summit was the home of the Houston Rockets basketball team (now it is the home of Lakewood Church).  The Summit was a great prospect for me because they could generate tons of trash.

I became friends with the Operations Manager, Henry Thomas – the Big Hen as the players called him.  He was a super guy.  Although he never gave me the business there, he did bless me in other ways.

One day he called me up and said he had tickets to the game for me. I said, "Are they good seats?"  He was a little offended.  The Big Hen ONLY had good seats.  Turns out they were great seats, sitting at mid court on the floor, one row above the general manager of the team.  As a big time Rockets fan, I was in basketball heaven.

One of the perks that came along with the Big Hen's tickets was a parking pass.  He worked it out for me to park in the players' parking area.  As I pulled up to the entrance, a security guard was there.  He had a clipboard with approved names.  I had to give him my name ... and it had to be on the list before he would allow me to park in that primo spot.  If my name wasn't on the list, I would have been turned away.

BAD THOUGHTS CAN'T PARK HERE!

Did you know that God wants us to put a security guard at the entrance of our mind?  He wants us to take "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."  EVERY THOUGHT!

The clipboard of acceptable thoughts God approves to park in the mind is found in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things."

What is parked in your mind today?  Do your thoughts match up with Philippians 4:8?  Could it be that you have been lax in taking every thought captive?  Could it be that some lies have been allowed to park in your mind – I'm no good ... I can't be forgiven ... God doesn't love me ... I can't overcome this addiction ... my family would be better off without me ... my circumstances aren't going to improve ... my marriage is never going to get better ... what's the use of trying ... what's the use of praying?  Does any of that sound familiar?

Make no mistake: you are what you think.  If you fill your mind with negative, rotten, depressing things, you will feel negative, rotten and depressed.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?

1.     Start right now towing out those negative thoughts that came straight from the pit of hell and fill your mind with the truth of God's Word – I am loved by God ... I am forgiven and washed clean by the blood of Jesus ... God has a good plan for me ... God does hear my prayer and will answer at the right time ... I am NOT a victim, I'm a victor in Jesus' name.

2.     Reinstate the security guard with his clipboard intact.  From this day forward, do not let negative, rotten thoughts park in your mind.  Tell them to "hit the road, Jack."  Your mind belongs to Jesus.  Hellish thoughts are not allowed access.

Rest assured, if you will start putting God's Word into practice in your life, you will start seeing wonderful changes take place.  God's Word is not only true, it is also powerful to transform your life.  Do what God says ... and start today!

Love,

[Judy Harder]

 From His Heart
     
Feeling Afraid

I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me "The Man Who Lives in Terror." They threaten, "If you say anything, we will report it."  Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip.  "He will trap himself," they say, "and then we will get our revenge on him."
Jeremiah 20:10 NLT

Turbulence.  I hate it.  When I am on an airplane, 30,000 feet up and feel the plane start to shimmy and shake, I instantly feel a tinge of nervousness.  If there is prolonged turbulence, my mind races with what will happen to my wife and children after I die in this plane crash.  My prayer life soars (pardon the pun) in times of turbulence because fear sets in.

Let's be honest: Everyone gets afraid.  Although people may wear T-shirts that have "NO FEAR" printed on the front ... they still fear from time to time.  It is just something that we tend to do when we face turbulent times in life.

Are you going through some turbulence right now?  Is your life being tossed about like an airplane in a gale force wind?  Does it feel like people and circumstances are against you?  Are you starting to fear and think the worst?

JEREMIAH'S TURBULENCE ... AND GOD'S REMINDER

Jeremiah surely can relate.  He was obedient to God, delivering the message God told him to deliver.  It was a strong message of pending destruction ... and the people didn't like it.  Jeremiah's CD sales were zero.  Instead of heeding the message and repenting before the Lord as Nineveh had done when Jonah preached a similar sermon, the people of Judah hardened heir hearts and stiffened their necks.

The Jewish big wigs had Jeremiah beaten and put in the stocks for preaching such doom and discouragement.  Everyone was against Jeremiah.  Everyone hated him.  Everyone wanted him gone.  Everyone ... but God.

Although fearful and frustrated with the great turbulence in his life, Jeremiah had this awesome comfort and assurance: The LORD was with him.

"But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten."  Jeremiah 20:11

Don't you just love that verse?  When I feel afraid because all hell breaks loose in my life, I only need to remember that the dread champion is with me.  Nobody and nothing can defeat Him.

David said by faith, "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves round about" (Psalm 3:6).

OUR CHALLENGE

The challenge before you and me today is to make sure we are on the same page with the Lord.

If we stray from the Lord's will and ways, the dread champion will not protect us.  But, if we walk in the light with Him, confessing sin, and choosing His path over our path, we can have confident assurance that He will see us through any storm and deliver us from every evil.

Take courage today.  Meet your fear with faith.  The LORD is with you like a dread champion!

Love,

[Judy Harder]

From His Heart
     
Feeling Afraid

I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me "The Man Who Lives in Terror." They threaten, "If you say anything, we will report it."  Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip.  "He will trap himself," they say, "and then we will get our revenge on him."
Jeremiah 20:10 NLT

Turbulence.  I hate it.  When I am on an airplane, 30,000 feet up and feel the plane start to shimmy and shake, I instantly feel a tinge of nervousness.  If there is prolonged turbulence, my mind races with what will happen to my wife and children after I die in this plane crash.  My prayer life soars (pardon the pun) in times of turbulence because fear sets in.

Let's be honest: Everyone gets afraid.  Although people may wear T-shirts that have "NO FEAR" printed on the front ... they still fear from time to time.  It is just something that we tend to do when we face turbulent times in life.

Are you going through some turbulence right now?  Is your life being tossed about like an airplane in a gale force wind?  Does it feel like people and circumstances are against you?  Are you starting to fear and think the worst?

JEREMIAH'S TURBULENCE ... AND GOD'S REMINDER

Jeremiah surely can relate.  He was obedient to God, delivering the message God told him to deliver.  It was a strong message of pending destruction ... and the people didn't like it.  Jeremiah's CD sales were zero.  Instead of heeding the message and repenting before the Lord as Nineveh had done when Jonah preached a similar sermon, the people of Judah hardened heir hearts and stiffened their necks.

The Jewish big wigs had Jeremiah beaten and put in the stocks for preaching such doom and discouragement.  Everyone was against Jeremiah.  Everyone hated him.  Everyone wanted him gone.  Everyone ... but God.

Although fearful and frustrated with the great turbulence in his life, Jeremiah had this awesome comfort and assurance: The LORD was with him.

"But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten."  Jeremiah 20:11

Don't you just love that verse?  When I feel afraid because all hell breaks loose in my life, I only need to remember that the dread champion is with me.  Nobody and nothing can defeat Him.

David said by faith, "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves round about" (Psalm 3:6).

OUR CHALLENGE

The challenge before you and me today is to make sure we are on the same page with the Lord.

If we stray from the Lord's will and ways, the dread champion will not protect us.  But, if we walk in the light with Him, confessing sin, and choosing His path over our path, we can have confident assurance that He will see us through any storm and deliver us from every evil.

Take courage today.  Meet your fear with faith.  The LORD is with you like a dread champion!

Love,