Holy Spirit – Page 2 – Life in the Spirit

World War III is Coming – PART I

War is coming to America unless we as the people of America repent and cry out to our Lord for mercy. Just as there were steps leading up to World War I and World War II, there are steps leading up to World War III, and we are seeing them unfold before our very eyes.

This blog post will focus on one of the most pressing issues in the world now – the Russian – Ukrainian war, its spread to the West, and how to prepare. To gain insight into what is coming soon and how to prepare, take a look at this issue of Life in the Spirit.

World War III Is Coming – PART I Download

In I Chronicles 12:32, the sons of Issachar were commended for understanding the times and knowing what they should do. So let us be like them, seeking understanding of the times and what we should do to live at this time and serve our Lord. As in all things, question everything and take it to the Lord for confirmation.

Finally, there was much speculation about the eclipse that took place earlier this year. For a report on what really happened on that day, click here.

This blog is for the remnant Bride of Christ and all who seek The Truth. You won’t want to miss it.

Blessings on your day,

Mark

Mark Peterson, Ph.D.

LifeintheSpirit.net

GREAT QUESTIONS ARE WINDOWS INTO THE SOUL, PART II

This is PART II of Great Questions Are Windows Into the Soul – how we can take “nice” conversations to a deeper level that touches the other person’s soul, and provide an opportunity to share the love and truth of Christ. Always remember that a true conversation is an interchange, so any question should be followed by listening and responding. PART I started with these questions: I. How Are You? II. Who Are You? And III. What Were the Defining Moments in Your Life? This PART II continues with the questions that follow.

IV. What Do You Think About God?

When you die and pass through the veil of death into eternity, what do

you think you will see and experience? How does that make you feel?

If you visited heaven, what do you think you would find?

If you visited hell, what do you think you would find?

What do you think about God? Is He your friend?

What do you think He wants from you?

What do you want from Him?

How do you see Jesus? What do you think it would have been like to

be around Him when He walked on the earth?

Why do you think Jesus died on the cross?

Do you spend time with the Lord in His Word and prayer every day?

Do you realize that reading the Bible and participating in worship are

divine encounters with the sovereign, living God of the universe?

Do you pray daily? Constantly? What do you think it means to pray

constantly?

Why do you think the Word of God says it is a narrow gate and

difficult path which leads to eternal life in heaven, and there are few that find it?

How can we stay on the narrow path?

V. How is the Lord Working in Your Life?

Have you ever seen the hand of the Lord in your life or sensed His

presence? What was it like?

How is the Lord working in your life? What is He teaching you?

Do you realize that, as a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within you,

and seeks a personal relationship with you?

How does that make you feel?

Do you believe we can discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit

and be nurtured, taught, and guided by Him each day?

Do you look for the divine appointments God has for you each day?

Do you understand why God, who is a God of love, allows pain and

suffering?

Which do you think is most likely to draw people to the Lord: worldly

success or great trials and tribulation?

VI. What is Your Life Purpose and Calling?

Do you know the Lord’s calling on your life – the unique and special

purpose for which you were created?

Are you fulfilling His calling upon your life? If not, what is holding you

back? SO WHAT?

What are you holding on to that you need to let go of so you can be

spiritually clean and free to live life in the Spirit?

How do you perceive other people? As possible friends? Lost souls?

Potential brothers or sisters in the Lord?

What else would you like to say?

How can I pray for you?

To God be the glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

Source of image: Pixabay

ONE OF THE GREATEST TRAGEDIES OF ALL TIMES

One of the greatest tragedies of all time is the many people who believe they are going to heaven when they die, but end up in the Lake of Fire:

“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15

Here are four warning signs that we all should watch for, described as questions the Lord may ask us when we stand before Him after we pass from this earth:

Warning Sign #1: UNIVERSALISM – EVERYONE IS GOING TO

HEAVEN

“You believe everyone is going to heaven, even those who refuse to repent of their many sins and also reject Me – God the Father, My Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. You do not know Me, and have no place in the Kingdom of Heaven:”

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6

Warning Sign #2: UNFORGIVENESS

“You refused to forgive (this person) in your life, so why should I forgive you? My Son Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 6:14-15”:

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Warning Sign #3: UNREPENTANCE

“You worship other gods, such as wealth, status, pleasure, lust, and power, and are unrepentant. Why should I let you bring your sin and idolatry into heaven which is holy and without sin?”

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

Warning Sign #4: LUKEWARMNESS

“You belong to the Church of Laodicea, a church known for comfort, prosperity, wealth, and leisure; a lukewarm, spiritually stagnant, church in the midst of people with great physical and spiritual needs. Why should I let you in while your soul is polluted with the world and worldly desires?

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth (reject you with disgust).” Revelation 3:14-16 MSG

These warnings follow the post “Each of Us is Going to Court” (https://tinyurl.com/EachGoingtoCourt), which describes how each of us will one day pass through the veil of death and be judged by the sovereign, living God of the universe in the Great Courtroom of Heaven:

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:12

The warnings are particularly relevant when we reflect on this sober warning that few there are that find the narrow gate and path which leads to heaven:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

So let us reach out to those who come across our path with the love and truth of Christ, for life is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

To God be the Glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

Education is Not THE ANSWER –

Two Incredible Stories

Source of image: unknown

Is education important? Of course. While we may expect a better educated public to address complex and serious issues more effectively than an uneducated public, in my many years as an educator, I concluded that it is not THE ANSWER to the many critical challenges facing our nation, such as drugs, poverty, homelessness, corruption, and crime. Ironically, it may even provide greater capability to promulgate evil. Here are two incredible stories that shed light on this matter:

Story #1: The Einsatzgruppen in Nazi Germany – Educated Murderers

Prior to the invasion of Poland in 1939, Heinrich Himmler, Chief of the German Police, created the Einsatzgruppen to identify, combat, and eliminate suspected enemies of the German Nazi government in areas taken over by the Nazi army. They were paramilitary death squads that engaged in mass murder, primarily by shooting many of the cultural, religious, and intellectual elite of Poland, including Catholic priests, Freemasons, Jews, local political leaders, communists, partisans, and Romani people.

These units, supported by SS units, killed over 50,000 Poles, including 7,000 Polish Jews by the end of 1939. Himmler recruited highly educated Germans to lead the Einsatzgruppen, with OVER HALF OF THE EINSATZGRUPPEN LEADERS HAVING PH.D.S. Their advanced education did not provide them with a moral compass to forbid mass murder.

Story #2: Craig Marlatt – From Prison to Street Ministry

Craig Marlatt’s life started out rough, then took a radical turn for the Lord. Sent to prison THREE TIMES for drug offenses, the third time he was in prison, Marlatt volunteered to assist with a prison ministry as the chaplain’s clerk because it was easier than working out in the hot cotton fields. There he met a homely preacher who preached the Word of God. The Holy Spirit convicted Craig, and he came to the Lord. When he left prison, he started a coffee house in the toughest part of downtown Orlando. Here is an ex-con with a high school education, ministering to drug addicts, prostitutes, and street people, as well as writing books and recording Christian songs that inspire people to live lives of honesty, virtue, and service.

These stories demonstrate that education, while important, can be used for good or evil, and that our Lord can and does use ANYONE who is yielded to His Holy Spirit and is willing to carry out the work of the Lord. God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.

Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 The word “life” in Greek is “zoe” which means a life expressing the highest and best, a life of service to God and to mankind. As just one example, the early Christians were known for rescuing unwanted babies off the trash heaps of the Roman empire. In contrast, communist regimes that explicitly rejected God have killed over 100 million of their own people. Christ brings life; communism – rejecting God – brings death.

So let us seek the Lord with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength, that we may discover God’s calling upon our lives and experience the abundant life – the life of joy that He promises to all who follow Him.

To God be the glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

The Eclipse is a Warning to America – Stay Inside!

While there has been a great deal of media attention to the eclipse coming on Monday, much less attention is given to the spiritual dimensions and implications of the eclipse.

Messages from several watchmen and women have not only declared that the eclipse is a major warning to America to repent, but that a biological attack is planned for those who gather to watch the eclipse. This is very serious and includes a warning to stay inside rather than place you and your family in harm’s way. You can see these messages here:

eclipse-is-a-warning Download

This blog is for the remnant Bride of Christ and all who seek The Truth. You won’t want to miss it.

Blessings on your day,

Mark

Mark Peterson

LifeintheSpirit.net

Ten Reasons Why Repentance is Absolutely Necessary

Our nation is becoming more and more perverse, as President Biden recently declared EASTER to be Transgender Day of Visibility, a direct insult to the sovereign, living God of the universe. This is a blatant abomination, and our nation and people are now facing judgment from God.

So it is absolutely necessary that we repent of our sins and seek the Lord for His protection, guidance, and peace, as never before, because:

God is a holy, righteous, and jealous God. If we approach Him with unconfessed sin on our hearts, we are idolators, worshipping another god.
Unrepentance refuses Christ’s gift of salvation. If we refuse His free gift of grace, we will be judged under the Law and found guilty.
Unrepentance drowns out the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. We lose our ability to discern what is from the Lord and what is from the evil one.
Repentance frees us from the bondage of sin and death. When we retain sin in our hearts, we remain in bondage, enslaving our souls to the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Conviction from the Holy Spirit is our friend, as it is a warning sign that we are straying off the narrow path.
Unrepentance pollutes our witness to others. Unconfessed sin sends mixed messages about Christ and those who follow Him.
Unforgiveness is a powerful example of unrepentance. And if we don’t forgive someone of their wrongs against us, our Lord will not forgive us of our sins.
Unconfessed sin is a cancer to our souls, and we need to get rid of it before it spreads and takes over completely.
Unrepentance opens the doors to demonic influence in our lives. Unconfessed sins attract demons like fresh meat attracts flies, but repentance closes those portals to our soul.
There is no sin in heaven. If we arrive at the pearly gates with sinon our souls, we are refusing to die to self and live for Christ, which is the entrance fee to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Lord is sending us into the front lines of the great spiritual battle for the souls of men and women – the ultimate prize. But we can only do this if we are spiritually clean, have our spiritual armor on, and are in touch with the Holy Spirit.

If hold on to any sin and refuse to die to self, we are saying no to life in the Spirit – a great spiritual adventure filled with blessings, sorrows, and the joy of the Lord that only comes from His presence in our lives.

So let us repent, forgive, and go forth with the love and truth of God, for time is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

To God be the glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

Start Each Day in the Third Heaven

START EACH DAY IN THE THIRD HEAVEN

Source of image: Freepik.com

For many years, I would get up in the morning, have breakfast, and go to work. But I discovered that our Lord calls us to a higher calling and purpose for our lives:

a love for us to experience that can transform us,
a battle for us to engage in that is worth fighting, and
a story for us to live in that is far bigger and better than we have known.

Furthermore, when we receive Christ, we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. And when we spend time each morning in His Word and prayer, we can experience the three heavens. We receive a clue about the third heaven from the apostle Paul in II Corinthians 12:2:

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.”

THIRD HEAVEN

When we repent of our sins, forgive others, and get into the Word of God and prayer, we can commune with our Lord in the third heaven, where the sovereign, living God of the universe resides on His throne, with Jesus Christ on His right side. This is also called the secret place:

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

Our Lord teaches, convicts, equips, encourages, and loves us. He also illumines and transforms our minds so that we can see the world as He does and walk in the Spirit.

But then He says – it is time for you to go and carry on My work on earth, because there are many souls who don’t know Me and are headed for the Lake of Fire. So put on your spiritual armor and go forth.

SECOND HEAVEN

Then we can enter the second heaven – the realm of angels, demons, and spiritual warfare, where we can:

Ask our Lord to bind the demonic forces harassing us and our loved ones, and command them to go into the Lake of Fire,
Plead the blood of Jesus over our family and friends and ask our Lord to protect us with His mighty angels,
Rebuke all curses upon us and our loved ones, including generational curses upon our family to the 4^th generation,
Ask our Lord to touch their lives of particular individuals, our leaders, and the lost.

Interceding for others is like SPIRITUAL ARTILLERY. Just as armies shoot artillery shells into enemy territory, we are asking our Lord to send His Presence into the lives of loved ones – for healing, comfort, direction, and peace.

You don’t think demons are active today? Then you are misled by our culture and Lucifer. Here is what the apostle Paul said:

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12

FIRST HEAVEN

Now we go out into the world to carry out the work that He has set before us:

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

We are also to look for the divine appointments our Lord has for us each day. And we should always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us, imparting some spiritual gift to them, or receiving a spiritual gift from them.

If we don’t spend time with our Lord in the third heaven, we won’t have anything supernatural to share with others. And we will miss the joy of the Lord that comes from fulfilling His purpose for our lives.

If we don’t do spiritual battle in the second heaven, we will be going into enemy territory without armor, unaware of the evil that attacks us and our loved ones.

And if we don’t know God’s calling on our life, we will live in the first heaven, oblivious to the spiritual battles around us that seek to rob us and those around us of the joy and salvation of the Lord.

So let us go forth with the truth and love of Christ and witness to all whom the Lord brings across our path, for time is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

To God be the glory

Mark Peterson

LifeintheSpirit.net

CARRYING A PRECIOUS GIFT – FOUR STORIES

Story #1

There was once a great king who wished to send an invaluable and precious gift to a distant kingdom. So he chose a young man who was swift of foot, with a sound mind and loyal heart to carry this precious parcel to its final destination. The king chose his carrier carefully, because he knew the gift was very valuable, and a person of unsound mind or questionable character could not be trusted with such an important task. Such a person could easily be sidetracked or even sell the precious gift for money or other worldly considerations.

Story #2:

When the angel came and spoke to Mary, he told her that God trusted her to carry the Christ child from conception to full maturity and birth, then to raise Him as her son. She was to carry the Christ from the Kingdom of God into the Kingdom of Man, a sacred journey. She knew that the child within her body has not hers, but it was her responsibility to carry it to full term to delivery into life on earth.

Story #3:

When a woman conceives a child, she is not merely carrying a parcel or mass of tissue, but another human being, created in the image of God. The child within her may not only be a male, but have a different blood type from her own. So although it is within her, it is also distinct from her. Psalm 139 describes how precious and special each of us is, and God’s involvement in our creation, growth, and development:

“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you…’” Jeremiah 1:4

So God forms us through human means. He even knew us and our names long before we were conceived, and designated the days of our lives. Like Mary, women are the noble carriers of the most precious gift – a gift of human life – on a nine-month journey, to deliver it into life on earth. This precious cargo started in the Kingdom of God, where it was conceived in the mind of God, then entrusted to a woman to carry this precious life to full term and deliver it to the Kingdom of Man on earth. Like Mary, her responsibility continues in the nurture and admonition of the baby through childhood and into adulthood.

Story #4:

When we receive Christ as our Savior, our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell within us. So our bodies (and souls) are to be holy, set apart as the very throne room of God.

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…” Hebrews 12:14

It also means we should take care of our bodies, and not become obese, use drugs, or embrace any other sin that would pollute our bodies, the very tabernacles of God. For we are carrying within us the Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God. And although this does not culminate in physical birth as does a woman carrying a child, it can result in spiritual birth in others as the love and truth of Christ flows through us to reach those who don’t know the Lord and are on the broad path that leads to perdition.

For a woman to carry a child and give birth to a new human being is INCREDIBLE. And for a person to host the Holy Spirit – the very presence of God is SUPERNATURAL. So let us go forth and share the love, the truth, and the joy of the Lord, for time is short and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

To God be the glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

Seven Keys to an Abundant, Spirit-filled Life

Walking With the Lord

These are tumultuous times, with many ominous threats on the horizon for this new year of 2024, relating to our economy, national security, and war, to name just a few. And the pace of change is accelerating. So how can we live in this perilous environment and still have peace of mind and joy in our hearts?

In John 10:10, Jesus describes how He came that we may have AN ABUNDANT LIFE:

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

In Greek the word life is Zoe, and refers to the principle of life in the spirit and soul. Distinguished from Bios, or physical life, Zoe describes how Jesus’ followers shall not merely have a bare existence of life, but they shall have those things which make life eminently blessed and transcendent of circumstances – joy, fellowship with other believers, the peace of God, and eternal life. And this can happen even in the midst of suffering.

The following are seven keys that I have found that enable us to live an abundant, Spirit-filled life. These keys are not merely interesting; they lead us to the narrow path, which Christ spoke about:

These keys can open our hearts, minds, and souls to a vibrant life where we can live lightly and freely. And they may save your life.

Seven Keys to an Abundant, Spirit-filled Life

KEY #1: REPENT of our sins to become spiritually clean

When we repent of our sins, we become SPIRITUALLY CLEAN. God is holy, and He will not tolerate sin in His presence. So if we approach Him with petitions (which He encourage us to do) with unconfessed sin on our hearts (a form of idolatry), He won’t hear us.
This includes sins we willfully commit, sins of omission (good actions we fail to perform), and unknown sins that we commit without knowing they are sin. (And yes, that includes taking the Covid-19 “vaccine”, because it is not a vaccine, but a gene-modifying operating system that alters our very genetic make-up – the essence of who we are, created by God.)
But God is merciful, and He forgives ALL sins from those who approach Him with a contrite heart.
Spirit-led Christians repent quickly and often, because they want to be spiritually free and clean, which is necessary to discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance is not a burden or embarrassing; it is the natural (or supernatural) means to live a life of freedom and joy, with no fear of death. We even need to ask the Lord to show us any sin in our hearts, so we can repent and get rid of it, lest it grow into a cancer of the soul.

KEY #2: FORGIVE others of sins they have committed against us.

None of us are perfect, and sooner or later someone will sin against us. We are to forgive them, regardless of what the sin was, and regardless of whether they ask for forgiveness.
If we don’t forgive those who sin against us, God will not forgive us of our sins, and we will be judged guilty under the law, a very serious matter.
The sin of unforgiveness in our heart can even become a doorway for demonic influence into our lives.
Unforgiveness also sprouts a root of bitterness that can grow into a cancer of the soul. Not forgiving another is like the guy who swallows poison and waits for the other guy to die.

KEY #3: SURRENDER to Christ and receive salvation – eternal life in heaven.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6
While He was here on earth, Jesus performed many miracles and fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. He even rose from the dead, attested to by many witnesses. No other religion has such a supernatural track record, thoroughly documented by many credible sources.
God doesn’t want to fight with us (He would win); He wants us to surrender and come out our hands up.
We need to die to self to live for Christ. And when we receive Christ, we even become new creations: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17

KEY #4: SPEND TIME WITH THE LORD and seek Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

If we spend all day in the world and no time with the Lord in His Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship with other believers, we will be starved spiritually, and will operate in the flesh and by worldly principles.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
It is when we spend time in the Word of God that our minds become transformed, we begin to see the world and other people as the Lord does, and we can begin to discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus even promises that we will find Him: “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord. Jeremiah 29:12-14

KEY #5: LISTEN for the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God states that God desires to communicate to us, primarily through the Holy Spirit:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:28
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26
“Therefore, the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness.’” Hebrews 3:7-8
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth… and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:12-13
You want to hear the voice of God? Start by reading the Word of God and asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you, because that is one of the primary ways He does.
Being able to discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit enables us to go from BELIEF in Christ to having a RELATIONSHIP with the Lord, from KNOWING ABOUT GOD to KNOWING GOD.

KEY #6: OBEY the Lord

We need to obey the laws of the land, unless they contradict the Word of God and His commandments.
And if we are prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something, such as reach out to someone and minister to their needs, we should do so as soon as possible, because often there is a window of time that will close and it will be too late.
There are many stories of how people’s lives were saved because they were in life-threatening situations and they heard and responded to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. (I am one of those, as I believe the Holy Spirit nudged me several years ago to slow down on a dark, slick highway, thus narrowly missing hitting a huge deer that passed right before my car.)

KEY #7: REJOICE IN THE LORD and let the truth and love of God flow through you to others around you.

Rejoice is to feel and show great joy or delight. When we were born, our family expressed JOY that we were born. When we receive Christ, we are born again (spiritually), and the angels in heaven and our brothers and sisters in the Lord REJOICE that we are now in God’s family as a child of God.
And we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves, with the truth and love of Christ flowing through us to all who come across our path.

Summary

These are Biblical times, as we see events prophesied in the Bible taking place before our very eyes. And the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will for our lives, which we discover when we are living Spirit-filled lives.

Furthermore, each of us was created to live at this time. So no matter how hopeless our circumstances may seem, God is calling us to a higher, transcendent calling and purpose in our lives, beyond merely accumulating stuff and worldly acclaim:

a love for us to experience that can transform us,
a battle for us to engage in that is worth fighting, and
a story for us to live in that is far bigger and better than we have known.

Our Lord tells us we are not to fear:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

But we are to trust Him with all our heart and He will direct our paths:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

And finally, when facing trials and tribulations, read the 23^rd Psalm out loud:

The 23^rd Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Life is short. God is great. Walk with the Lord.

Mark Peterson, Ph.D.

LifeintheSpirit.net