Fear Not When

Written by Trophy of Grace

Cross Post from Consecrated to Him

"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine, When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:1-2

We should not be surprised when trouble comes upon us. Jesus told us that in this world that we would have many sorrows and troubles, but that we should have peace in Him. James tells us to count all joy when we have troubles because that is when our faith is tested, and our endurance has a chance to grow. When our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (John 16:33, James 1:2-4)

But I love what our Lord has told us in Isaiah 43:1-3 the best. He said “Fear Not!”

“Fear not when...”

• You lose your job.
• You fall behind on your mortgage.
• You get a negative report from the doctor.
• You are persecuted.
• Troubles press in on every side and you feel completely overwhelmed.

Our Lord knew that we would have to go through all of this. That’s why he said WHEN you pass through the waters, through the rivers, and walk through the fire. He says, “I will be with you. I will not allow the rivers of trouble to overflow you. You will not be burned by the fire and the flames will not scorch you.” Thank you Jesus!

He is encouraging us to take heart and remember that we are His. We belong to Him and because we are His He will take care of us. Whether He has already made a way of escape or determines that He will walk us through the trials we have been redeemed. We are not alone in our troubles. So when fear comes knocking on the door of your heart allow faith to answer it and fear will flee.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord, For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

If you have allowed your roots to grow down deep in the Word of God then during the times when the heat comes and there is drought in the land you will not be crippled by fear. Instead you will still be full of hope and trust in the Lord. You will keep pressing forward leaving all of your troubles in His hands and knowing in your heart that everything will work out for your good no matter what. You will not lose focus or become distracted by your problems; instead you will continue to produce good fruit in your life. You will be an example to others and when they see your strength they will know that it is by the power of God that you are able to overcome. Your faithfulness and determination will bring glory to our Lord.

So when troubles come fear not! For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Do not be dismayed, for our Lord will help us and strengthen us. He will uphold us with his righteous right hand. (2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10)

Baby Mama Drama

Anonymous: I have been with my boyfriend for two years. We are both Christians and recently made the decision to be obedient to God and to keep in His word daily. I love the fact that we are growing together and encouraging each other when times get tough.

My boyfriend has a three year old son that we pick-up on the weekends and I love him to death. When it’s us three we have a great time together. The only thing is I feel that my boyfriend is trying to keep me away from his son’s family. He doesn’t like to tell me when he talks to his son’s mother and seems to make calls over there secretly to keep me from finding out.

I want him to be a good father and to be in his sons life as much as possible but I have had a bad first impression of his son’s mother in the beginning of our relationship because she tried to break us up and would tell me lies about them getting back together to chase me away. There isn’t any contact between his mother and I now but I feel like I am left out of the family, I know I can’t take his mothers place but sometimes I feel like a stranger when it comes down to what is going on.

My boyfriend says he wants to marry me and we both agree we need to draw closer to God first but I’m not sure I can be married to him if he can’t include me in his life with his son. I don’t know if I should just back off because I shouldn’t have a say on what’s going on or if I’m entitled to have some say. My boyfriend says I’m a good mother to his son but when it comes down to any decision making he makes me feel that I need to keep my mouth shut. I just know if I’m going to be his wife I don’t want to feel the way I do now. What do I do?

Response: Surrendering your life daily to God is the best choice you can make.. If you will read the bible daily you will see that your mind and your desires will be renewed. Reading the Word and doing what the Word says is the secret to living a successful Christian life.

Now for the baby mama drama..

I know you said that she has done hurtful things in the past so you probably don’t trust her. I understand completely. It also doesn’t help that he seems to be sneaking to talk to her even though it’s probably innocent. He might think that it bothers you that he talks to her. It’s important that he knows that you are secure with your relationship and you trust him. That way he won’t feel like he has to hide. He is always going to have a relationship with her no matter what. Accept it for what it is and start praying about the whole situation if you are going to even think about marrying him.

The bottom line is the one you have to trust is your man. For any relationship to function properly there has to be trust. You have to trust your boyfriend loves you and is working daily to become the godly man that God wants Him to be. If you are confident in your relationship it would not matter to you if he talks to his ex because you know that he is your man and you trust him.

You have to pray about these feelings of insecurity and ask God to give you peace about the situation. If you love the child then you will pursue peace in this situation for his sake. Don’t hold grudges against the ex. Let it go. Forgive her for the past mistakes she’s made. We’re all human and are subject to error. Have mercy on her and try to see things her way also. Pray for her. If you do this you will see that your feelings towards her will begin to change.

Matthew 5:44-48 says “But I say, love your enemies, Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

It may be best that you do not have contact with the ex for now. She may or may not want to have to interaction with you. In the event that you do have to interact with her be patient and remember that you represent Christ. Always pursue peace!!

You are spending time with their child and she may have her guard up for several different reasons. She can be thinking any or all of the following: 1) Is she going to try to take my place. 2) What if my son calls her mommy. 3) What if she tries to take his dad away. 4) Will he still love and care for my son the way he does now when he gets married and has children with her.

There is a lot that could be going on in her mind. Not to mention that she may still have not gotten over the relationship with your boyfriend, the father of her child. The baby is only three. That is isn’t a very long time. So be patient and merciful.

Are you entitled to have some say? To the baby mama no. To your boyfriend you should lovely give him your advice and suggestions regarding the child. It is best not to make him feel caught in the middle between you and his ex. You may have to learn to step back sometimes and leave it between them.

My husband has two children from his previous marriage. I try not to get involved between his ex-wife and him. When I do talk to his ex-wife I am very patient and I keep it very simple. They make decisions for their children and I support my husband. I don’t always agree, however I do not over step my boundaries with her or him regarding his children. When his children visit us they abide by our rules because this is our house. I love them and care for them just like they were my own.

After praying about this whole situation you need to go to your boyfriend and let him know that it bothers you that he seems to feel that he needs to hide from you when he’s talking to his son’s mom. Reassure him that you trust him and that he does not need to sneak around.

Then leave it in God’s hands. Don’t worry and stress out about it. Remember that our Lord works everything out for our good. So let Him.

I will be praying for all of you.

God bless Sister,

Trophy of Grace

He Wants Me To Become A Polygamist Pt2

Girls' Reply: thank you so much i will do my best to leave and find another place to stay and if you will please keep me in your prayers

1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 32

Response: thanks. I needed that.

Lovingly,

Saved by Faith

Read Part 1 Now


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He Wants Me To Become A Polygamist Pt1

QUESTION: k heres the thing i have a boyfriend and he wants me to be polygamist and i really dont believe in that and he doesn’t want to be with me if i am not that and i love him and if i do leave him i have no place to go i will be homeless what do i do i am so confused do i stay with him so i can have a place to stay or tell him that i do not believe that and move on and just be homeless please help me

ANSWER:
RUN AWAY FROM THIS SITUATION AND DON’T LOOK BACK!! Get away from this man. It sounds like he’s trying to take advantage of you because he knows that you have nowhere to go. Don’t allow yourself to be trapped in this immoral sin.
You are not a piece of meat. Don’t allow you to be used and abused by men.

I realize that you may be scared b/c you have nowhere to go, but pray to God for help. The Lord knows your fears and he sees your tears. He will help you if you will humble yourself before Him.

Do you have any friends or family you can call that are willing to help you? I know you may not want to go to a shelter but you cannot stay in this situation. If you give into his request, you might find yourself deep into a situation that you might not be able to get out of so easily.

1 Corinthians 6:18 reads that we are to “flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”

Our body is a temple; a home for the Holy Spirit that lives within us. God doesn’t want us to be dirty minded and full of lust, but to be holy and clean. “Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:8)

So I plead with you, please don’t stay with him…


1 Corinthians 6:13-20
1 Thessalonians 4:1-10

We will keep you in our prayers.

Sincerely,

Saved by Faith

continued... He Wants Me To Become A Polygamist Pt2

Crooked Path Straight

When you accepted Jesus as your Savior you put your life in His hands. Now your Heavenly Father is going before you and making all your crooked paths straight and at the same time making you a stronger Christian. (Isaiah 45:1-3)So don’t be surprised when unresolved issues that you may have avoided start manifesting themselves again. Don’t be surprised when it seems that your world is being turned upside down and there is trouble all around you. It could be an attack of the enemy or perhaps God is just testing your heart and refining you all at the same time.

When we were serving the world and our own selfish desires we made many mistakes and created crooked paths. Now God wants to help us fix those messes. Some times it’s done miraculously, but other times He takes us back to face the mess and gives us His grace and mercy to right our wrongs. This is all part of our growing process. Some issues can not be left undealt with. You see the Lord does not want anyone to be able to come against you with old unresolved messes. He wants to use you to serve others and be an example. So He is going to go through your life helping you restructure your finances, relationships, habits, responsibilities, and priorities.

Now that you are serving the Lord He wants to help you grow in faith, courage, and power. He wants to help you change your attitude and develop godly character in you. He wants you to learn to be confident in Him, the Holy Spirit, and His Word. He wants us to love Him with all of our hearts. (Deuteronomy 11:13, Deuteronomy 4:29, Deuteronomy 6:5) He doesn’t just want us to be obedient he wants our hearts to keep His commandments. (Proverbs 3:1, Deuteronomy 26:16, Deuteronomy 6:6)

Our Lord will allow us to be tested to display the intent of our heart and to see if we really love Him. (1 Thessalonians 2:4, Deuteronomy 8:2, Deuteronomy 13:3, Proverbs 17:3, Jeremiah 17:10) These tests encourage us to depend on His Word and help us grow stronger in our faith. He wants us to experience victory. So he will allow us to face trials and tribulation so that we can exercise our faith muscles. He wants us to see his deliverance and power. He wants to use these tests to build our confidence.

These tests also help us see what area in our life we still are weak in and need to work on. So don’t be scared and confused. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Our Heavenly Father will never put more us than we can bear. He will give us strength to go through the fires and storms of life. In fact He will be in the fire and the storm with us. Trust Him as He makes your crooked path straight and creates in you a pure heart.

Trophy of Grace

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Love Triangle

ANONYMOUS WROTE: (names are changed for anonymity) I was best friends with Noah for 3 yrs. We dated for awhile but things didn’t work out. Noah & I broke things off because he did some really stupid things at his ex’s and he scared everyone. my brother stopped a lot of bad things from happening that night. Another reason why it didn’t work out is because I still had feelings for my ex, Andrew, and he & I would hang out once in awhile. Even though Andrew calls me b/c he wants to see me, we end up arguing. He’s even called his ex to come over before I would leave his house! Well it was Andrew’s birthday and he wanted me to go out to the lake with him so I did... and he ended up ditching me to go with some other girls. So I was hanging out with everyone, enjoying myself when this really gorgeous guy Darren comes up and I looked into his eyes and we connected. We had a great weekend and exchanged numbers. We’ve had some deep talks on the phone. We write each other and he is worried that I love another guy... I do... I think. I told Darren that I love someone else and that didn’t go to well.. I think I messed that up and I really like him.... but I think he will stick with me and work this out. But there’s still Andrew... he keeps calling. He wants me to go out to his farm with him during harvest to keep him company... and I can’t say no.... I’m lost... fer reals


ANSWER: I read your email a couple of times to make sure I fully understand your situation. I think the first thing you should take into consideration is respect… respect given and respect received. Respect given is self respect and the respect you give others. Self respect is very important because it sets a foundation on how you will and will not allow others to treat you. God created you out of His undying love for you. Before you were in your mother’s womb He set forth a life and love for you that you must cherish. “He shaped us in our mother’s womb, and we are marvelous inside and out!” (Psalm 139: 13,14) God’s love combined with prayer should inspire you, give you the insight and self-respect and love you need in order to make sound decisions in every area.

Deut. 7:16; Song of Solomon 1:15; Zech. 2:8

The drama with Noah sounds like he lacks self control. Although you built a friendship with him originally, he seems a little unstable. God wants His children to be stable… to be rooted. The bible uses the analogy of building your house on rock or sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Let me briefly explain:

If you build a house on sand and a terrible storm comes, you’re house is going to fall apart because it wasn’t built on a strong foundation. But if you build your house on the rock, it will last through the storm.

For Noah, his careless ways are like building his house on sand. Eventually, it’s going to fall apart. Situations like this are when you really have to evaluate your friendships. I suggest that you pray for him. His being out of control at his ex’s house shows that he’s allowed the enemy to work in his life, taking full control. Pray that Noah finds love in the Lord and is able to settle his ways in order to better provide for his children and himself. Be positive, stay focused, and pray for his salvation. It is very important that we pray for not only our friends and family, but also for those who have hurt us.

The best gift anyone can give to another is to pray for him or her. We live in a sinful world where bad things happen to people and people are tempted to sin. Praying for another person not only helps that person find God in the midst of trouble, but also helps us recognize the blessings that God gives us daily!

1 Timothy 2:1-5; James 1:13-15

Andrew and you seem to be caught in a yo-yo effect, going up and down. This is also not a healthy situation and is like you building on sand too. His blatant lack of respect should serve as a reminder for you… God intended you to be with someone that is respectful, that loves you wholeheartedly, and has a growing relationship with the Lord. I would suggest you not go to the farm to visit Andrew. Take some time to yourself. Meditate in the Word. Read and really try to understand the good things our Heavenly Father has planned for you. He will bring you someone that does not cause so much despair.

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance?" (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

Darren is new and exciting. New and exciting should still be taken at a slow pace. Love is something very serious and isn’t shared with just anyone. It takes time to build your relationship with God so why wouldn’t the same apply to a guy?? Develop a friendship with Darren, don’t rush into anything. Always work on your relationship with the Lord first, making sure you are rooted in your faith. God will bring your mate in your life in His due time. Be patient.

We just wrote an article that might help you… My Heart Skipped A Beat

Sincerely,

Saved By Faith

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My Cheating Ex

Confused Asked: I'VE BEEN WITH MY EX FOR THREE YEARS ON AND OFF AND WE FINALLY BROKE UP CUZ HE WAS CHEATING ON ME. OUT THE BLUE HE CALLS AND SAID THAT HE WANTS TO TAKE ME OUT FOR HIS BIRTHDAY IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT WHAT SHOULD I DO?


Answer: A major factor in relationships is trust:

Trust
1. reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence
2. confident expectation of something; hope

On again/off again relationships are always difficult because the trust usually slowly fades with every break up. Cheating shows a lack of a couple of things… lack of respect, trust, and of communication. I was in an on/off relationship for 10 years and we struggled with these same issues due to his infidelity. Truth of the matter be told, we weren’t able to get back the trust we had. Your ex’s invitation to celebrate his birthday with you might be him looking for a window of opportunity. He’s seeking you out at your weakest moment and this kind of manipulation or seduction is not God’s intention.

The enemy boasted, 'I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ (Exodus 15:9)

Pray. Ask the Lord to show you what He would have you do (Philippians 4:6-7).Ask God to give you wisdom (James 1:5). God promises to grant prayer requests that are asked according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). God wants you to make good relationship decisions. God desires you to be happy from your relationships. If you ask God with an open heart, He will give you the advice you need.

Saved By Faith

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Trusting Him Anyways!

Cross Post From ConscratedToHim.com Posted June 4, 2008

As I sit here thinking about how my sister is going to have a major heart surgery tomorrow morning I am comforted knowing that my God is Faithful. There will be times when we will or someone we love will experience sorrow or terrible hardship. We have got to remember and meditate on the fact that Jesus loves us and for that reason He will work EVERY situation out for our good, if we allow him to.(Romans 8:28)We can rest in His hands.

His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)Often times it is hard to understand what he is doing in our lives while we are going through difficult times. However, we have got to trust Him anyways! Blessed are those who don’t doubt Him. (Matt. 11:6) He will give us hind’s feet so that we can go over the mountains of life. He will be our strength. (Habakkuk 3:19)

My mother died when I was just sixteen. I have been a slave to drugs and the world. I was sentenced to prison at just 20 years old leaving behind a fifteen month old daughter. I have experienced sorrow and drama in my life, but I know that that our Lord allowed it for such a time as this.

Today those same experiences that caused me so much sorrow makes me want to comfort others who are facing difficult situations. He has put a desire on my heart to tell everyone I meet and know that they are not alone. It is through our tough times that we are molded and purified so that we can be used by Jesus to bring glory to God.

PLEASE trust God! He IS with you! Let Him comfort you. Let Him be your strength. He will hold you up with His victorious right hand. Who better to understand your suffering, heal your emotional wounds, and give you peace than Jesus Christ our Savior? (Jeremiah 30:17, Jeremiah 33:6) I truly love you with all of my heart and you all are always in my prayers.

Trophy of Grace

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