A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


March 22, 2015

Luke 8:25

And He said to them, [Why are you so fearful?] 
Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—
in My veracity and My integrity)?


    Perhaps just like the disciples in Luke, Chapter 8, you are facing some storm in your life.  For me, it is about finances.  Being self-employed, the upcoming tax season is always a burden to my soul.  Again this year, we are faced with a tax bill that isn't justified by our income.  How can we owe so much, and have to pay so much in quarterly taxes, when we made less this year than last -- and paid less in taxes than we owe this year?  
     And I must confess that each year at this time, I am filled with unbelief.  How will we meet this financial burden, and are we truly following God's will for our life by remaining self-employed?  These feelings of mistrust and doubt are no different than those experienced by the Disciples as they were tossed upon the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a raging storm.  Just like the Disciples, it is times like this in my life, when I feel as if I am sinking.  And what do I do?  I give into the despair that comes with the lies Satan is whispering in my ear ... "There's no way you can pay those taxes!  And even if you come up with the money for Tax Day, two months later you have another bill due in the matter of the Quarterly payment.  How can you possibly think you can overcome these tremendous financial burdens?"  
      But this is when I must seriously change my focus.  If I keep my eyes and my mind on my problems, then it only leads to a lack of faith.  After all, the Disciples had Yeshua, the Son of God, who could bring people back from the dead -- and He was right there in the boat with them, and they still doubted that they would survive their storm!  I don't want to repeat their unbelief! 
     That's why it is paramount for me to realize that He is in my boat, too.  He's right here with me, in the middle of my storm, and I need to refocus my mind and my energy on Him, rather than the problem I am facing.  I need to remember not only Who He is, but who He says I am, and what He can do in my life.  I need to focus on the tremendous Power that He has in my life, and that His Word is true, as are His promises. 
     In Psalm 50:15, the Word reads, "And call upon Me in the day of trouble:  I will deliver you, and you will glorify me."  Psalm 34:7 reads, "The angel of Yahweh encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them."  Now, I can try to focus on these promises and try to remember them, but if I don't believe them, then these promises cannot deliver me, can they?  There is no power in the promises, without belief and trust.  
     If I will but focus on Him, there are certainties that cannot be dismissed.  If I believe that one day I will reside in Heaven because Yahweh can resurrect me from my dead body and give me a new glorified body like His Son, then why can't I believe Him for solving a lack of finances?  When I look at my storm from that perspective, it seems silly to be tossed about upon a sea of worry and stress, doesn't it?  When I focus on that aspect of His nature and how big He is, then there is no doubt that He can deliver me from this inane issue of taxes.  
     I know that it does not mean that I will never have any troubles in my life.  The Bible is clear that we will suffer tribulation in this world.  But I must keep my eyes on my eternal life and focus on the Lord's Power, His Word, and His promises.  I can't ignore my tax problem, but I can take action according to my faith and belief in Yahweh, instead of reacting with fear and frustration.  When those doubts and unbelief begin to threaten my stability, I need only believe that He is greater than anything in this world.  Don't get swamped by unbelief -- focus on Who is in the boat with you!


1 comment:

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