A Certain Hope for Uncertain Times

Kathi Macias has become one of my go-to friends for biblical wisdom applied in practical ways. In this Encouragement UPGRADE, she reminds us circumstances may change, but our hope is in our God who never changes.

"My favorite scenario is that Jesus will arrive and scoop us up before the going gets REALLY tough," Kathi says, "but Jesus Himself told us that no one knows the day or the hour when He will return."

I (Dawn) admit that I'm also hoping Jesus returns... SOON! As our culture disintegrates, sometimes my heart fills with fear. But then I fix my eyes on Jesus, and something else too—which Kathy writes about here.

Kathi continues . . .

I’ve noticed that a lot of people tend to be dividing into two different camps lately:

• those who run around pulling their hair and screaming that the sky is falling, and
• those who have no clue, nor do they care what’s going on beyond their own little self-developed bubble.

This wouldn’t disturb me so much if it were strictly unbelievers reacting this way, but even some Christians seem caught up in one or the other of these behaviors.

I have a tendency to lean toward the screamers, since I too sense we are living in perilous times.

But then again, when in history have times not been perilous, at least somewhere in the globe?

Of course, I don’t want to discount prophecy, and it’s difficult not to listen to the news and try to line it up with Scripture.

But whether we’re in the last days, the next-to-last days, or the last of the last days—

Is stocking up on peanut butter and toilet paper really what we are called to do as Christians?

All right, I admit that I’m of practical German stock, and I like the feeling of security I get from being out of debt and having enough canned soup on hand to last me until the millennium—just in case.

My favorite scenario is that Jesus will arrive and scoop us up before the going gets REALLY tough, but Jesus Himself told us that no one knows the day or the hour when He will return. The only thing we can know for certain is that He WILL come . . . and when He does, it will be at the perfect time.

So where does that leave us, particularly as we work our way through 2021, with looming economic problems, virus vaccines and lockdowns, and uncertainty at every turn?

It leaves us in exactly the same place as when things were going more smoothly and everything seemed right within our own little world. It wasn’t right, of course; it only seemed that way because our personal life situation wasn’t threatened.

And that’s the point.

People have lived with threats and wars and terrorism and economic instability since Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden.

Might we be living at the end of the age, when everything comes to a head and Jesus really does return? Most certainly.

Then again…

It really doesn’t matter, for how we live is not to be based on what we think tomorrow might bring, but rather on what God has called us to do TODAY.

• “Every commandment which I command you TODAY you must be careful to observe…” (Deuteronomy 8:1, emphasis added).
• “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for THE DAY is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34, emphasis added).
• “TODAY, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8, emphasis added).

We are called to be faithful TODAY—not to lament our failures of yesterday or fret about tomorrow.

If we are true believers, then we are to be about the Father’s business, as Jesus was when He walked the earth. We are to fulfill the Great Commission of going into all the world to proclaim the gospel and make disciples.

That’s what we need to focus on TODAY—whether tomorrow seems to threaten turmoil or promise peace. For the Scriptures are clear that regardless of what we face, God’s thoughts and plans for us are “of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Several years ago, I wrote a book called The Moses Quilt, a contemporary romance told against the backdrop of the life of one of America’s greatest heroines, Harriet Tubman.

This amazing woman of faith and courage was born into slavery and went through life uneducated and nearly penniless. Yet she not only escaped slavery herself but went back into the “lion’s den” nineteen times to successfully lead out about 300 other slaves, including her elderly parents—all the time knowing there was a “wanted dead or alive” bounty on her head.

How was she able to do it? By refusing to allow the circumstances to dissuade her from following what she believed was God’s call on her life.

Harriet stood on God’s promises.

She stood on scriptures she had memorized from hearing others recite them—because she was unable to read—and lived accordingly.

Those same promises that fortified Harriet Tubman’s courage are available to us.

With that in mind,

• we don’t need to scream and pull our hair,
• nor do we need to hide within our personal safety bubbles and ignore the world around us.

God is calling us to so much more; He is calling us to be about His business and to enter into those plans and thoughts He has for us… to give us a future and a hope, just as Harriet Tubman and so many others did before us.

How are your responding to these uncertain, sometimes scary times? How might standing on God's promises and the encouragement in His Word give you sure hope and a plan for moving forward in obedience to Him?

Kathi Macias (www.kathimacias.com) is an award-winning author of more than 50 books. A wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she lives in Southern California with her husband, Al.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of ambermb at Pixabay.

How to Rest from Fear and Worry

When I think of Debbie W. Wilson, the word "clarity" comes to mind. Debbie takes biblical truths and makes them clear and motivating, and helps readers see the Word of God from fresh perspectives. In this Faith UPGRADE, she points to many things we might fear, and one fear we might be overlooking to our detriment.

"Riots, the election, the coronavirus, and the general unrest in our country—not to mention the financial strain on those who still haven’t been able to return to normal work—are enough to strike fear in the most steadfast of heart," Debbie says.

"In addition to this, the normal challenges of life don’t take a vacation when a worldwide pandemic and national upheaval hit." 

Whew! As I (Dawn) read that list of upsets, I felt the tension rise! We really have been through a lot in 2020, haven't we? But we've learned a lot about how to respond too; and Debbie highlights a wonderful choice.

Debbie continues . . . 

The Bible tells us not to fear any of these things (Matt. 6:25-34). It does, however, tell us TO FEAR  something you may be overlooking.

God wants you and me to fear missing His REST!

Notice the warning.

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it (Heb. 4:1 NLT).

Say what? Missing God’s rest hardly tops my list of fears. But, according to God’s Word, it should.

So let’s look at how to find rest from our fears.

How Do We Rest from Fear?

Hebrews chapter 4 uses Israel as an example of how we can miss God’s rest.

The rest God offers us is different from the rest He offered Israel.

But both hinge on faith.

God delivered Israel from mighty Pharaoh and promised to lead the nation into the Promised Land. The Promised Land flowed with milk and honey and provided protection.

But Israel listened to their fears instead of heeding God’s promise.

As a result, instead of picking juicy grapes, they ate manna all day—every day—for 40 years as they wandered in circles in the wilderness (Heb. 4:2-3).

If only they had believed God!

Listening to our FAITH will protect us from our fears.

Listening to our FEARS holds us in a wilderness of unrest.

What is rest?

• In the Old Testament God’s rest was an abundant LAND.
• In the New Testament God’s rest is an abundant LIFE.

Where do we find rest?

• In the Old Testament rest was found in a PLACE.
• In the New Testament rest is found in a PERSON.

Today, fear and worry drive us harder than any Egyptian taskmaster drove the Hebrew slaves. At least taskmasters slept, whereas worry will wake us up in the middle of the night.

Unlike Israel, we don’t have to leave the country, our jobs, or our circumstances to find relief from fear and worry. We only need to run to Jesus (Jn. 10:10; Jn. 16:33).

As unbelief kept the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness, so unbelief in our Lord’s daily care keeps us in restless turmoil.

Jesus used the example of a farm yoke to help us understand how our relationship with Him works:

Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light’ (Matt. 25:28-30 NLT).

Let Jesus teach you... so you can find His rest.

Are you listening to faith or your fears?

Debbie W. Wilson is an experienced Bible teacher and ministry leader. She enjoys equipping others in the areas of relationships, Bible study, Christian living, and discipleship. Known for her fresh insights and ability to make the Bible come alive, Debbie uses Spirit-filled encouragement to inspire her readers to trust God with their lives. Drawing from Hebrews 11, her latest book, Little Faith, Big God, shows readers how to live well and finish strong. Debbie enjoys dark chocolate, a good mystery, and the antics of her two standard poodles. Find free resources and connect with Debbie at debbieWwilson.com.

Silencing the Whisper of Fear

Cathy Horning is a woman of wisdom and prayer, informed by her knowledge of the Word and ways of God. In this Attitude UPGRADE, she exposes the enemy of fear—how it attacks our thought life—and how we can learn to face down our fears in positive ways.

“Fear’s whisper plants a seed in our thoughts," Cathy says, quoting a friend. "Then fear continues it’s whispers to take over our whole mind.”

I (Dawn) know the power of an unauthorized thought. Unless challenged with truth—and taking our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)—fear takes over and affects our attitudes and actions!

Cathy continues . . .

Recently, I read this Facebook post:

“So who else here starts freaking out if you have a little tickle in your throat or cough a few times?  I think we are all going to have some MAJOR PTSD from this stupid COVID! Go away... we don't want you anymore!”

Dozens responded to my friend’s post. Including me.

You see, I understand the scare of the throat tickle and cough, because the first few weeks of 2020 I was sick. Really sick.

It started with tummy troubles, then chills, a fever, then a dry cough that turned into a deep one, with tightness in my chest. The worst part of all, though, was a weakness that just wouldn't go away.

After six weeks, I went to the doctor, which revealed only a vitamin D deficiency. 

I chalked it up to a winter flu.

At the time, there were no daily news reports to whisper fear into me with terms like "plague," "pandemic," "coronavirus" or "COVID-19."

But as tummy troubles, fatigue, lethargy and more turned into a deep, tight chest cough, I felt fear’s whisper as I remembered my battle with pneumonia the year before. I recognized fear’s poisonous voice, andA immediately, I began the battle to silence its control.

1. I silenced the whispers of fear with PRAYER!

A Prayer of Surrender from Romans 12:1 —

“Father, I offer my body to You as a living sacrifice. Sanctify me through and through, and make me holy and pleasing to You. Teach me how to live every breath of my life in worship service to You.”

A Prayer of Trust from Daniel 5:23d —

“I honor You, dear Lord God! I thank You that You hold in Your hand my life and all of my ways!”

A Prayer for Healing from Mark 16:18 and Romans 8:11 —

“Thank you Jesus, You said that believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. So, Lord, I lay my hands on my sick body and I ask for You to heal me.” 

And, “Abba Father, thank You that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living in me. So, please let Your indwelling Holy Spirit quicken and give life to my mortal body, now!”

2. I silenced the whispers of fear with SELF-CARE!

As every part of my body grew weaker, I knew I had neglected my own health during the holidays.

• I had become lazy about taking my daily vitamins.
• I ate too many holiday treats.
• And, routine exercise had flown out the window.

Experience told me that neglecting any one of these was deadly on my immune system.

I knew I needed to take better care of myself.

• I restocked my vitamins, adding D and C, and faithfully took them each day.
• I stopped eating sugary snacks—almost completely.
• And, I began to walk often, a little more each day, as my strength gradually returned. 

3. I silenced the whispers of fear by LIMITING what I watched and read, as well as HEEDING the wisdom and instruction of those I trusted!

As I healed, some symptoms lingered for several more weeks, especially at night. Each time, fear’s whispers were fueled by the daily COVID reports, as well as by any ache, throat tickle or cough.

So, I silenced the whispers of fear by turning off the news and scrolling past the social media posts which fed the fear and anxiety.

Plus, I embraced the resources I read and learned about from others.

• I used good old Vicks (vapor rub and lozenges) for little coughs and throat tickles.
• I started each day with hot showers and pounding on my chest and back. It couldn’t hurt, right?
• And, I saved posts about old-fashioned respiratory therapy exercises, often used before modern medicines and machines.

When I wrote my last UPGRADE post—right after the shut down had begun—we all hoped it would end quickly. Now, here we are six months later.

Our world turned upside-down.

The whispers of fear have traumatized many, as my friend’s earlier post described. However, we don’t have to fall victim to fear’s control.

Each time we hear its whisper, we can run to the Lord in prayer. We can take care of ourselves with right eating, purposeful exercise, and immune boosting vitamins. And, we can turn off the incessant bad news, and, instead, utilize helpful information we find from reliable sources.

As our weeks have turned into months of restrictions and shutdowns, I still fight to silence the whispers of fear.

I wear masks and sanitize my hands. I am careful when I am out. And, I pray, a lot. I am taking care of my heath the best I can. And, I carefully choose what I read, listen to, and watch.

I know fear’s whisper would take over my mind, if I let it.

How about you? Do you recognize fear’s whispers? How do you silence this quiet enemy who longs to control your mind?

Cathy Horning is a popular speaker, Bible teacher, mentor, blogger and author. She is first and foremost a wife, mom and grammy, who passionately loves to teach and encourage others in faith, marriage and parenting, as well as how to delight daily in the Word of God. Visit Cathy's website for more information.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Moni McKein at Pixabay.

Let's Change Friday the 13th

I (Dawn) have never liked the superstition involved around a simple Friday—Friday the 13th.

Secularists give lots of possible reasons for mankind's fear of that day and why people think it's so "unlucky."

Two examples:

• On Friday the 13^th in 1307, a raid on the Knights Templar took place, essentially wiping them out.
• Judas was supposedly "the 13^th person at Jesus’ table" at the Last Supper before Good Friday when Jesus died. (That’s a stretch, right?)

Crazy, huh?

I say, let’s turn this “unlucky” day into a day of “Unparalleled Praise.”

Stop right now and think of 13 character qualities of God—the members of the Trinity—and offer praise for them.

Worship Father God, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit for WHO THEY ARE!

Ponder their matchless:

• wisdom,
• mercy,
• kindness,
• power,
• presence,
• love, etc.

Scientists tell us what we think about will color our actions.

Dr. Caroline Leaf, in her book, Switch On Your Brain, wrote, "When you objectively observe your own thinking with the view to capturing rogue thoughts you in effect direct your attention to stop the negative impact and rewire healthy new circuits into your brain."

With directed—or rather re-directed—thinking, we can change our behaviors.

It's the concept of bringing into captivity every thought (2 Cointhians 10:5) and renewing our mind (Romans 12:2) so we will not conform our lives to the sinful and superstitious patterns of this world, but rather to God's will.

Consider these scriptures:

1. Whatever you sow, you will reap (Galatians 6:7-8). What are you sowing in your thoughts?
2. Turn away from foolish, evil thinking—don't be reckless and careless with your mindset (Proverbs 14:16)—if you want to please the Lord.
3. Don't feed on folly (Proverbs 15:14).
4. Take your thoughts "captive" to the Word of God (2 Corinthians 10:5), and stand against opinions that rise up against "the knowledge of God."
5. Make the best use of your time as a wise person, not "unwise" (Ephesians 5:15-16).
6. Don't waste time on Friday the 13th fears. God has not given His children a spirit of fear, but rather a "sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7) of power, love and self-control.

So forget about all the supposed "unlucky" superstitions. Don't give in to the mindless fears of Friday the 13th.

Instead, take time today to focus on and honor God.

It's a far better, far wiser and certainly more God-honoring way to use your thoughts and time.

Have you feared Friday the 13th in your past? Try the challenge to focus on 13 things about God's character today and watch this praise challenge feed your faith, not your fears!

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, at Revive Our Hearts, a blogger at TrueWoman.com, writes wiki-type posts at  Christianity.com, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and she has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

5 Excuses that Hold You Back

Kathy Carlton Willis is not only an encouraging cheerleader for writers and speakers, her practical wisdom as a life coach helps people move forward in faith. In this Goals UPGRADE, Kathy identifies five excuses that hold us back.

“How would your life be different," Kathy asks, "if you could ditch excuses for good?"

As a long-time excuse maker, I (Dawn) understand the distraction and loss that comes from living with excuses. In fact, my goals mantra has become, "There may be reasons, but not excuses."

Kathy continues . . .

One of my biggest blessings, but also biggest struggles as a life coach, is to recognize what causes someone to feel stuck, and to strategize biblical ways to help them be free of those restraints so they can function in freedom. It is challenging because some prefer to stay stuck rather than step out in faith into unfamiliar territory.

Faith gives us the bravery we need to move forward, one foot in front of the other, until we get to the destination God has for us.

Are you feeling stucik? What’s holding you back from pursuing the goals God has for you?

First, let’s look at the typical excuses we give.

5 Common Excuses

1. I don’t have time.
2. You don’t know my story, my hang-ups, my trials.
3. I can’t afford it.
4. I have a broken relationship.
5. It’s out of my control.

You make your own list. What’s holding you back? Why can’t you or won’t you take the next step needed toward your goal?

6 Ways to Ditch the Excuses for Good

1. Is it an excuse or a reason?

• If it’s an excuse, learn not to listen to it.
• If it’s a true reason, learn a “work around” so the reason is merely a detour rather than a dead end.

2. What fear is attached to your excuse?

If you find yourself in a place where you aren’t comfortable moving forward, usually it’s because there’s a fear holding you back.

What do you fear might happen if you move toward the goal God has for you?

• Fear of failure?
• Fear of success?
• Fear of change?
• Fear of what others think?
• Fear of it costing something you hold dear?

3. Kick the excuses to the curb and use godly self-talk instead.

Evict the excuses out of your head and heart. Then learn a new truth statement to repeat to yourself instead.

You can find what God thinks about you in Scripture and can apply it to your situation.

4. Make moving forward a priority.

Don’t wallow in stuckness.

Don’t give your excuses permission to have control over you.

Determine what God wants for your life and don’t let anything hold you back from it.

Even if you have to wait for something out of your control to happen, you can have “active waiting” by learning how to adopt the right thinking so it’s in place when you get the green light to move forward.

5. Spend as much time seeking the solution as believing the excuse.

Evaluate what it would take to tackle the problem.

Decide if you were aiming for the wrong destination—maybe the solution is a different destination or outcome. Seek God for that direction and then ask Him to help the next step become apparent to you.

6. Embrace the work of change.

Many people don’t move toward their goal because they’re comfortable where they are and don’t want to put in the extra effort necessary to get to where they wish they could go in their lives.

Sweat equity isn’t just for house projects—it’s for life projects.

We might get a little uncomfortable moving to the next step. That’s okay if it’s a temporary discomfort. And hey, that’s one reason Jesus sent the Comforter, right? He knew we’d be uncomfortable living out the deeds of His will in our lives.

“You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom” (Galatians 5:7-9 NLT).

Would you allow a thin rubber band wrapped around your middle to hold you back from rescuing a child from a burning building? Of course not.

Don’t let a thin excuse hold you back from what God wants in your life—from what you know to be a desire you have as well. Risk the momentary pinch or snap of that rubber band as you disable it from holding you back, and then all of a sudden you realize there’s less resistance than there was before.

What’s holding you back today?

Kathy Carlton Willis, God’s Grin Gal, shines the light on what holds you back so you can grow. She’s a speaker and author with over a thousand articles online and in print, as well as her Bible study, Grin with Grace. Her popular blog, Grin & Grow with Kathy is featured on CBN. She just released a training manual for speakers called, The Ultimate Speaker’s Guide. Kathy and husband Russ are trying to raise seven-month old Hettie the Boston Terrier—but in truth, she’s training them.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Geralt at Pixabay.