BBD 08.12.05 When Things Go "Bump" in the Night
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
make this transition and during this time the old website will remain at the
current url http://www.theburningbush.org and the new website will be at the url
http://www.theburningbush.net. Both websites will remain active until the
transition is complete and new devotionals will be posted at the new and old
websites. All of the devotionals written during 2005 are available at the
new site. One of the new features is the ability to post your prayer
requests and praise reports automatically to the site.
The new website url is http://www.theburningbush.net
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The Burning Bush Devotional
1,463 New Subscribers since November 2004
08.12.05
When Things Go "Bump" In The Night
(Originally sent 03.12.03)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a
sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1:7.
Some folks living around Langley, Virginia become a little nervous when they
hear strange or unexpected noises. Maybe it is because they have an unusual
neighbor. Their neighbor? The Central Intelligence Agency. The neighbors
were a little concerned when a helicopter hovered over the top of a building
on the CIA grounds for an unusually long time. They were installing a new
air conditioning unit. Or, the strange noise that emanated from the facility
during a recent snowstorm. It was just some rented heat blowers to melt the
snow.
A spokesperson for the CIA Bill Harlow said, "There are lots of houses that
are adjacent to our fence line or close to it. Sometimes they see and hear
things that gets them nervous." So, the agency has hand-delivered postcards
to the homes surrounding their facility. The cards asked residents to report
"anything unusual or suspicious." The card was signed by "Marie." The CIA
says that "If they see something or hear something which disturbs them, they
need to know who to contact." That way the neighbors can be assured that it's
just a new heating unit or they were just melting some snow. I wonder what
they will say during the summer? And who is "Marie?"
We live in an increasingly violent and uncertain time with threats of war
and terrorism on many horizons. How do we face life during such a time? How
do we continue to move forward living life and serving God during such
times? It is one thing to profess our faith but a much greater challenge to
actually live out that faith. How can we live in a way that will bring light
to the darkness that constantly presses upon us?
The enemy uses fear to keep us in our place. He uses fear to keep us from
spreading faith, hope, and love to others around us. Often our enemy uses
verbal threats from others like Nehemiah faced (Nehemiah 6). Other times it
is a fear based in reality like Moses faced when responding to God's call.
Moses knew how powerful the Egyptians were and how cruel they could be. In
both situations what happened? Nehemiah and the people completed the
rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem in spite of the threats. Moses led
his people to freedom in spite of the power and cruelty of the Egyptians of
that era. In both situations God provided the strength and resources needed.
Nehemiah prayed, "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands (Nehemiah
6:9b)." Moses was assured as God addressed each of his excuses. Moses was
to remember that it was God who sent him and to share that with the
Egyptians and his people (Exodus 3:13-14). Moses became great in prayer
speaking with God as a person would speak to another.
Moses and Nehemiah were both commissioned by God. Timothy and Paul were
commissioned by God. You and I if we know the Lord as our Savior have been
commissioned by God. So, when the world says get back into your foxhole;
when they say stop living and talking like a Christian what do you do?
Remember that you have been commissioned, sent by God to live out your faith
in this world. Your commander is not your neighbor. Your commander is the
Creator of the Universe. If you need strength and courage ask Him for it
just as Nehemiah did and He will provide it. Because, "God has not given us
a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Copyright © 2003-2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
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D, Rita's family, Mona's family, William, Marc, Morgan, Ashleigh (The biopsy
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The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
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