Fruit On The Vine

 

“Having a ready answer”
As I sat down today to prepare this article, the lyrics of an old gospel song ran through my mind. “Troublesome times are here; filling men's hearts with fear.

Freedoms we all hold dear now are at stake.” After thinking on this, I realized how often I had seen this very thing throughout this week. People on every hand struggling with fear in some form; needing answers and searching for some key element to bring the relief needed.

Even a midst of all the great blessing so many of us enjoy, undoubtedly no one will deny the seriousness of the time in which we live. It is becoming more challenging by the day to continue in a pattern of living that most of us have known for so long. Family members, relatives, close friends that are about us with issues that require answers must remind us of our need to prepare ourselves to have answers to give.

If we fail to build our faith by building our relationship with God, we'll be no different from folks who are in a panic all about us. God's children must know and understand these times in which we live. We have a mission in this life. We're not here just to eke out an existence and then one day graduate from it in pomp and glory to another world. Furthermore, we're here to live by allowing Jesus Christ to live within us.

If we turn inward in our thinking and desires, we stagnate and have that selfish aura about us. No one likes to hang out around some old stagnant water hole. It breeds nothing good. Neither do people who can talk about nothing else but themselves and their little world. We are called for so much more than this.

As we spend time getting to know our Creator better, we place our focus on Him. He tells us in His Word that “perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment; He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Christians, I tell you today that you will be called upon more and more by folks who know you and what you stand for. We must be ready to help them with a ready answer. That answer needs to come from God's Word. We're responsible for giving that answer in Truth and accuracy with the anointing He places on our life for the situation at hand. Then it's up to the recipient to make a choice in what they will do with that Truth. But if we aren't prepared, what will be our excuse?

Let's not be among those whose hearts are failing them for fear, but let us have that mature love in our hearts that knows, come what may. We can rest in His finished work and trust Him in every area of our lives.

Be encouraged this week as we have celebrated our freedom. What a blessed thing! Our freedom in this nation wasn't bought cheaply, and neither was our Freedom in Christ Jesus, Who gave His life for you and me. May we show our appreciation by preparing ourselves with His Word and living the Life He gives.

Have a super blessed week,
Julie

Scripture References;

I Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Psalm 91 (Read whole chapter)

Julie