Worry Ends Where Faith Begins

~Breanna

Waiting with Patience ~ Resting in the Lord

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him (Psalms 37:7).
Have you prayed and prayed and waited and waited, and still there is no manifestation? Are you tired of seeing nothing move? Are you just at the point of giving it all up? Perhaps you have not waited in the right way? This would take you out of the right place the place where He can meet you.
"With patience wait" (Rom. 8:25). Patience takes away worry. He said He would come, and His promise is equal to His presence. Patience takes away your weeping. Why feel sad and despondent? He knows your need better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to bring more glory out of it all. Patience takes away self-works. The work He desires is that you "believe" (John 6:29), and when you believe, you may then know that all is well. Patience takes away all want. Your desire for the thing you wish is perhaps stronger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival.
Patience takes away all weakening. Instead of having the delaying time, a time of letting go, know that God is getting a larger supply ready and must get you ready too. Patience takes away all wobbling. "Make me stand upon my standing" (Daniel 8:18, margin). God's foundations are steady; and when His patience is within, we are steady while we wait. Patience gives worship. A praiseful patience sometimes "long-suffering with joyfulness" (Col. 1:11) is the best part of it all. "Let (all these phases of) patience have her perfect work" (James 1:4), while you wait, and you will find great enrichment.
--C. H. P.
Hold steady when the fires burn,
When inner lessons come to learn,
And from this path there seems no turn
"Let patience have her perfect work."
--L.S.P.
~ Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman for February 21st

~Brittany

Exhortation on Worry ~ Looking with Eyes of Thanksgiving and Faith

"Be careful for nothing."

Philippians 4:6

Do you cross rivers before you come to them, dread troubles that never come, expect evil from the Lord instead of good?  In other words is your soul full of unnecessary care?  For that is what the word "careful" means - unnecessary care.
"Do not worry" is a plain and simple command, but it is such a difficult one to follow.  M. D. Babcock has given a few beneficial suggestions for the person who feels defeated because of the common ailment of worry.  "The anxious Christian hurts more than himself; he hurts the faith of those who know him and the good name of his Lord Who has promised to supply all his needs.  There is nothing which we cannot pray about.  Go deeper into the text: 'But in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God.'  What we can take to God we can trust to God.  What we put our fidelity into, He will perfect by His faithfulness.  While we work for the best, He works the best for us.  We may not succeed as we hoped; we may have discipline we little expected, but the Father knows what His child needs.  What God has for us to do we can do, or to bear we can bear.  Is there not enough in His ocean to fill our pitcher?  With the need of every day will come His promised supply - 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
"Do not forget the words further on in the text: 'with thanksgiving.'  Be on the lookout for mercies.  Blessings brighten when we count them.  Out of determination of the heart the eyes see.  If you want to be gloomy, there's gloom enough to keep you glum; if you want to be glad, there's gleam enough to keep you glad.  Better lose count in enumerating your blessings than lose your blessings in telling your troubles.
"Unbraid the verse into three cords and bind yourself to God with them in trustful, prayerful, thankful bonds, - Anxious for nothing, Prayerful for everything, Thankful for anything - 'and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' "  (from Thoughts for Every-Day Living.)
- Steams in the Desert, Volume 2, December 10th
~Brittany

"Fret Not Thyself"

OVERHEARD IN AN ORCHARD

Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
“I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so?”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
“Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.”
 

~ Elizabeth Cheney ~

~Brittany

Overcoming Fear, Worry and Anxiety

What a wonderful series of messages for ladies on overcoming fear, worry and anxiety by one of our all time favorite pastor's wife, Becky Morecraft. 

Click Title below to go to Sermon Audio and hear the series.

Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety by Mrs. Becky Morecraft

Worry and Rocking Chairs

Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but get you nowhere.

A sweet older friend (86) that I made several years ago, at a store that I shop at frequently; shared this with me the other day.  I thought it was really neat.

posted by ~Karen

Do you struggle with Fear and Worry?

Image courtesy of Tom Curtis at http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

What a blessing the body of Christ is!  This mornings message by Brother Lederman was very piercing and encouraging.  His main text was in Philippians 4:4-8.

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
(Php 4:4-8)

Fear
- paralyses us spiritually, emotionally, physically
- God did not give us a spirit of fear
- If we are looking to anything other than Christ we should be afraid!
- Fear and worry are first cousins.

We need to rejoice. - This can only be done if we have a correct focus.
It is not about me! It is ALL about CHRIST!

Worry
- the things we think about tend to consume us
- God said not to worry; therefore worry is a sin.
- When we are anxious and worried be assured trouble is coming. 

We overcome fear and worry by . . .  PRAYER!
Not being anxious means that we have prayed and are praying. 
Courage is fear that has said it's prayers.
Prayer= addressing God
Focus on the truths of who God is and what He has said.

Replace worry with . . . CHRIST!
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
(Isa 26:3)

There once was a man who wanted to come to America.  He saved and saved until he had enough money to buy his ticket to board the ship.  Only problem was he had no money for food.  After three days someone said to him that he needed to go get something to eat or he would never make it to America.  The man then proceeded to say that he did not have money for food.  The person with whom he was talking then shared with him that the ticket he had bought included three meals a day. 

What do we have in Christ?

Has He not provided our meals too?!

So why is it that we are worrying?