The Scary Mask

My sixteen year old relayed the story – still laughing as he told us. He and his younger brother were playing “monkey in the middle” in our church gym. In the middle was our older son – while our younger son held the ball. Suddenly, our younger son began pointing, yelling. His knees went weak and he literally began wobbling around – and almost fell over with fear. Our older son thought he was just trying to get him to “look” so he could hit him with the ball and win.

Finally, his terrorized yells convinced him. When he turned around, there was a face at the window – a horribly, scary, awful face! Of course, “older brother” knew it wasn’t real. It was simply another young person – inside a mask. Before long, they were laughing together in the face of fear.

Unbelief is like a scary mask. It terrorizes our faith with fear! Its ugly face shows up in the windows of our life – causing our heart to grow faint, and our prayers to shrivel up into heartless pleas. God is pleased when we come to Him with a strong belief in Who He is and what He is able and WILLING to do for us. We can possess an uncompromised trust in the All powerful, All knowing, All loving God that we serve.

Recently I came across a quote that I absolutely love. In fact, it spoke so much to my heart that I put it up on my refrigerator. It simply says, “I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe, and I believe God.” Sam Wigglesworth

See, life throws us a lot of junk to deal with – as well as glorious days to revel in. Reality can be a whole lot like a “scary mask” sometimes. It blocks out our “faith fact” that He will live in us – and does rule over all. Retaining our faith in the face of fear is an overcoming challenge only accomplished through the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. We must stand up and declare Who He is!

God gave us free will – the gift to choose. Our choice does not have to be dependent upon how we feel, what the situation currently is, or the momentary circumstance. Our choice is just that – our CHOICE! We can choose to BELIEVE GOD!

It is HIS desire to be our “present help in time of trouble.” It is our CHOICE to allow Him to be all that we need.

It is HIS desire to be our Provision AND our Provider. It is our CHOICE to receive His Provision AND trust Him to provide for ALL our NEEDS.

It is HIS desire to reveal to us the Father heart of love through the Son, and our CHOICE to accept His love gift of salvation.

Don’t faint at the scary mask of unbelief. The enemy uses any tactic to keep us from truth. He masks the circumstances of our lives with doubts and fears to keep us from believing the TRUTH of God's Word. The truth that God is FOR us not against us. The truth that the good work He begins in us He will complete. The truth that He is WITH us ALWAYS!

Keep focus on the face of our beautiful Lord. Refuse to "faint at the mask." CHOOSE to believe Him for THIS DAY! Say it aloud – let it be known, “I BELIEVE GOD!”

Take it with You

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:22 (NIV)