Monday, January 02, 2012

Perfect Love

Once again, the Lord brought a moment as only He can and does. Someone came into my office with a ministry-related question and in the course of it, seemingly by accident, shared the concern and heavy burden that was presently weighing down their heart.

As surely as I'm human - of flesh, blood and bone- I found myself one hundred percent relating to their serious concerns. Though situationally different, the truth God reminded us of IN THE MOMENT was this: PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR!!

The calling of ministry is hard work! Life is hard work and few of us do it as well as we'd like. Yet, one day at a time, we rise up determined to bring our best to bear in all of our comings and goings, in all of our doings for the Lord's glory and our present joy!

But then, something from our past raises its ugly head demanding our attention; something which has circled in a corner of our consciousness for days, months...and now, it's time to pay the piper. Yes, it's time to take care of the issues that can no longer be ignored. What to do?

The first instinct of our flesh is to push "play" on the jumbled reel of our history and see all the mistakes, the lost opportunities, the moments we coulda, woulda, shoulda. If only we had or hadn't. The tape rolls on and the enemy has a party at our expense. Why? Because he has convinced us to forget WHOSE we are! We take this feature film of past woe and succumb to fear and stinking thinking! We forget to remind ourselves of this truth: the Spirit of Truth abides in us. Therefore, WE CAN FUNCTION IN FAITH rather than fear!

Do your worst, devil! We shall not be moved! Abba Father, Sovereign God, did not give us a spirit of fear! Nope! He gave us a spirit of POWER, and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND!

So I ask you/us: what is the thing that demands attention or has demanded your attention which has been ignored, pushed aside as something to do LATER? Well, today is our later! Let's choose today to let LOVE HIMSELF abide and cast out the fear that has kept us from wanting to do what is required of us to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God!

Let our doing (whatever it is) testify of the LORD!

Has He not brought us up out of the miry clay and set our feet upon THE ROCK?! Has He not redeemed us from the house of bondage! Dear ones, the LIVING WORD is calling us to remember now! We have all seen and tasted the righteousness of the LORD, the love of GOD! What can come before us to ever separate us from Him! Nothing!!

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God! ~ Micah 6:8

Stephanie

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An "instrument of change" in the Redeemer's Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America's Keswick as Woman of Character Program Administrator.

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