I John 4:18-20 Verse 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear drives out punishment. (So the one who fears is not complete in love.) Verse 19 We love because He first loved us. Verse 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. The person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This can be a scary verse. Now, sometimes we hate what our brothers and sisters do, but not them. With our Christian brothers and sisters, it is sometimes hard to tell what we hate. Mostly, if the hurt goes deep into the soul. I believe the soul carries your emotions. I’ve not read that anywhere, so I could be wrong.
I believe the fear comes into play because they are afraid to meet the Lord with this guilt of not being able to forgive or love a brother. This in itself is punishment. This can keep you from moving forward. The only way to move forward is to ask Jesus, through the Holy Spirit to help you. It will not happen overnight. If this person keeps adding hurt to your plate, it will take longer. Keep trying. It will be on them and not you.
In your prayers, always ask God to put more love in your heart for Him. The more you love Him, the easier it is to love other people.
We love because He first loved us. Someday we will face the One we love and the One who loves us. Our love for an unseen God is expressed in our love for God’s children….our brothers and sisters in Christ. We don’t love them because there is something about their personality we like and so forth. But because they are a child of God. With the completeness of love, we must be willing to sacrifice for them. Then truly, love is completed.
Elijah was God’s hands, feet, and spokesperson. The people worshiped Baal and there were 450 prophets that led the people in the worship of Baal. There were satanic demons behind this worship. Out of God’s mercy and love for His people, God wanted to show them that He was greater than all things. God showed them that he was “the mighty God.” God took all the power of the demons away while He showed His people His power.
Jezebel was not pleased when she heard what happened (Read I Kings 18). She sent Elijah a message She threatened to kill him in 24 hours. Elijah became terrified.
Elijah had just witnessed the power of God. He knew that God had made the demons powerless. Elijah, like Christans, who overcame in an intense spiritual battle, felt a reaction. He became weak physically, mentally and even spiritually. One needs to be prayerful after a victory in order to be prepared for temptations and attacks after a mighty work. Tenth Avenue North has a song that says that our fear has to face God. Those words touched my soul.
Out of fear, Elijah ran for his life. He left his servant in Beersheba and he went a day’s journey into the wildness. He rested under a juniper tree. Elijah was afraid and depressed to the point that he wanted God to take his life. He did not rest in God at this time. He had for 3 1/2 years before this time. Don’t judge Christians when they become fearful and discouraged. All of us at times see the circumstances instead of resting in God.
God understood Elijah’s complete exhaustion and lovingly shows His care for him in a practical way. God sent an angel to care for Elijah.
An angel prepared freshly baked bread, which was warm with plenty of water. He woke Elijah and told him to eat. Then Elijah went back to sleep.
After Elijah slept, the angel woke him again. The angel urged Elijah to eat again because Elijah’s journey would be long.
God waited until Elijah was refreshed by the food and sleep. Elijah traveled for 40 days and nights. Elijah wondered because he was still afraid and depressed, but he went to the same mountain where God revealed Himself to Moses. Elijah found a cave and went into it. The Lord began to reveal Himself to Elijah. God began by asking a question so that Elijah would speak to Him. God never wants His children to repress questions or feelings. God desires that we pour them out in prayer to Him.
Elijah, once again felt fear. He told God that he was the only one left that worshiped Him. He felt like a failure. God did not put Elijah down. God only showed Elijah His power out side the cave. God did not speak to Elijah until he returned to the cave. Then he heard that gentle whisper in the same way we hear God as Christians. Be still and be confident that God is with you.
I left many things out of this post. Please read I Kings 18 and 19.
Decades ago, God took my vanity and He decided to use it to grow my faith.
Some of the ladies of our church I attended, would eat at various restaurants once a month. I did want to join them but I felt that one needed to be invited. They did ask me. Yes, it brought joy.
The day came and after I got all my children prepared for a day at school. Now, it was time for me. I wanted to look good like the other ladies. This was before curling irons. I only had a hooded hairdryer. So my make-up was applied and probably a prayer or two. My hair and dress followed.
It looked like it was about to rain but I was only about 5-8 minutes from the restaurant. I thought I could make it there and get inside the restaurant. I was wrong. A heavy downpour began before I got to the restaurant. I parked the car. I watched the rain. I watched people run to the restaurant. I watched people run from the restaurant to their car. All were soaked, I said, “Lord, I worked so hard on myself.”
I do not know who authored the next thought. Did the thought come from me? Did the thought come from God? The thought was, “The Red Sea, it was parted.” “OK God, I worked too hard on me. I paused, then said out loud, “Would you part the rain?” A few seconds later, I noticed a lady from our group getting out of her car. So I opened my door and jumped out. There were no umbrellas. We both arrived at the restaurant doors at the same time and stepped inside. The lady looked at me and said, “How are you not wet?” I did reply, “I did ask God to part the rain.” I really did not dwell on what happened. Maybe I should have done so.
Well, for another step.I have to go back to 1968-1969 in Key West, Florida. There was not much there then. There was a Naval Hospital, base, one shopping center (what we now call strip malls). I can not remember if the grocery store was there or elsewhere. There was a drive-in. One evening we were going to the drive-in and came face to face too, I guess, a waterspout… We were so close that I could see the water swirling around. I don’t remember seeing what happened to this monster so I guess I closed my eyes. We went to the movie. We saw so many of these things dropping out of the sky. The highest that I could count at one time was 20. One would come down out of the sky and go back up w3ith two taking its place,
Now, let me tell you about the thunderstorms. The highest point on the island was the Naval Hospital. Then the movie screen. I think our palm tree came next., The island is only 3-feet higher than the ocean. You could hear every part of a storm. You could hear lightning crackling its way to the ground. Except for the naval hospital, the movie screen, palm trees were the highest points on the island. Yes, I had a palm tree next to my trailer.
Now let us throw hurricanes into the mix of things. We were told that when a hurricane was headed our way, we were to move all the furniture to the middle of the room. How is that really done in a 10-foot wide trailer? Beds took up the whole room except for a two-foot walkway. We were to take coconuts off of any palm trees. We were told to sterilize our bathtubs, sinks, and anything that could hold water. Water was piped to the Keys which had broken in the past. After that, we would go to our shelter. Ours was in the out-patient surgery room. We slept on the floor with a sheet and a pillow. I prayed asking God to not let the hurricane reach us. God was good to this frightened young mother. It stalled about 90 miles from us and then just died. Our stay there was only for a year, That was long enough to imprint fear in me. But I forgot about it until last year, when a hurricane was heading for where my daughter and family lived. Yes, I prayed.
We moved back to Arkansas. Home of tornadoes. I am so thankful that we lived in houses with basements. Every time there was a tornado warning, I would tell the kids to get in the basement while I would grab my dog (Yorkie), my purse and Bible (I have too many notes in my Bible for it to perish.).
One time I was not home when a tornado appeared. It was probably a “0” on the scale. I was less than 4 minutes from home. I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I saw fire shoot out of some motor on the top of a grocery store. The red lights stopped working. But I did not see anything. I was only about 3 minutes from my house. My children would be walking from the bus stop in about 5 minutes. Finally, I got through the light and headed home. I saw a carport up in a tree. When I saw that, I yelled, “God, my babies.” I turned on the road to our house. I did not see any destruction. Later I found out that my children were walking home at the time all of this was happening. In the same lot of the grocery store was a Wal-Mart. The back wall came down. There was some destruction in the block after my road. It was the back of a golf course, Apparently. the tornado lifted up when it came to my road and put down again a block after my house. God took care of my children. I have heard two other tornadoes above me.
Now we need to move to the 1990s. I do not remember what year everything you have read came together. Although God had been protecting my family, I still was fearful. One evening, we had an outbreak of tornadoes. I was glued to the tv following each tornado warning., My husband had to work late. I do not remember if any of the children were home. Some were married and others in college. My youngest was still here but I do not remember if she was home or elsewhere. A tornado hit or was spotted in a town about 30 minutes from my home. The tornado was heading my way. I let fear consumed me. All I once I yelled without thinking about what to say, “God, remember when you parted the rain for me, please part the storm. A few minutes later, the storm parted.
I started doing this when I would become afraid. God always parted the storm or it wasn’t anything when the storm arrived here. I did not share this with anyone. I thought I should have been stronger.
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul. Psalm 94:19
One evening, a year or two later, my husband came home, looked at the TV and said, “Look, God parted the storm.” So I told him and my youngest daughter about asking God to part the storms when I was afraid. Now I had a husband and a daughter that knew what I was doing. After my youngest daughter got married, she would come in sometimes telling me not to ask God to part the rain because we need rain. I always told her the truth that I was not the one causing a drought.
I do not know if God will continue to part the weather or not. I generally don’t ask Him anymore. I did ask God a few decades ago, why He developed my faith in this matter. Or is this a stepping stone for something in the future. God did not answer. Maybe it was just to tell others my story so they will not be afraid to ask God about________whatever you need at the moment. Please do not contact me to pray about the weather. I will not do it. Develop your faith. Trust in Him. You are His child. Love Him for He is pure love. Lay your love for Him at His feet and watch His Love engulf you.
