BBD 08.27.21 Facing Fear - Absolute Faith (Classic)

#1 · August 27, 2021, 10:42 am

Quote from Forum Archives on August 27, 2021, 10:42 am
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Classic from 2003

The Burning Bush Devotional

27 August 2021

This
devotional was written in 2003 just before the “shock and awe” attack on Iraq.
It was also a time when the SARS virus was beginning to become a worldwide problem.

Facing Fear – Absolute Faith

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.

Today
there is another reason for fear, in addition to the approach of war, and the
increased likelihood of terrorism; health experts suspect there is a new
disease stalking humanity. The new disease is now known only as severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS). At least ten people have died from the illness, and
many more are ill with symptoms of SARS. With the rapidity of world travel,
diseases can spread at frightening speed, and SARS has struck with deadliness
in mainland China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Canada. Some are also ill with
the disease in Singapore, and there are suspected cases in the United States,
Australia, and the United Kingdom. The disease is similar to pneumonia,
beginning with a high fever and dry cough, which may lead to breathing
difficulties.

Does
God care when we experience fear? Yes! Reassurances from God
are plentiful throughout the Scriptures. Peter writes, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may
exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1
Peter 5:6-7).” But the greatest statement of God’s
concern, and care for you, is found in the sacrifice of His Son on the cross
for your sins (John 3:16). You should never doubt that God loves you, and cares for you. His
direction to you in the midst of fearful, and terrifying circumstances will
always be, “Fear not.” Why? Because God answers, “I am with you.”

I read
just this morning about a missionary who was wounded in Yemen, and his three
fellow missionaries who were killed. The wounded missionary spoke of the moment
he knew he could not escape from the gunman. He knew he would be shot, but he
spoke of the peace that surrounded him, as he faced the possibility of death.
That peace stayed with him, even after being shot twice, and he was still
facing the possibility of death.

King David
knew what it was like to stare death in the face, as King Saul hunted him like
an animal. David writes, “Yea, though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (Psalm
23:4a).” Why does David not fear death? Why does
he not fear evil, and all that could happen to him? “For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Psalm
23:4b).”

I
cannot imagine what it would be like to be living in Iraq at this moment,
knowing that a massive assault will soon begin just as it did during 1991.
Knowing also, that it is being said the bombardment will be more ferocious than
it was before. The only thing I have to relate to something like that is being
in the path of a tornado. Hearing the tornado sirens go off and seeing on the
radar that a tornado is headed for you but having nowhere to hide except
in a closet has given me great fear. It is a fearful thing, and only God can
bring you peace and assurance during such times. Only God provides the
possibility of your being spared destruction.

When
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden image set up by
king Nebuchadnezzar, they faced death in a fiery furnace. The answer of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is the answer that we need to give, and
believe, whenever we face fear “our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver
us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we
do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up
(Daniel 3:17-18).” They had an absolute faith that no
matter what happened, life or death, they would still trust in their God. That
is the faith we must have as we face the fearful things of the 21st Century.

Copyright © 1998 - 2021. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998, the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
those first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Visit the
Burning Bush website:

www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites are
celebrating 23 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the
Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to subscribers
across the world. At one time there were 18,000 subscribers in more than 70
countries to the devotional but that has now shrunk to around 9,000.

You can leave comments/feedback
about the devotionals at www.theburningbush.net.

There is a translation tool on
theburningbush.net website in the top right-hand corner of all of the pages.

Check out the Scripture Index being constructed for the Devotionals at
the Burning Bush website. The Links are in about the middle of the home page.
Topics for each devotional are now being added to the Index.

Please pray for comfort and
peace for those who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and healing for the
wounded. May they all look to the Lord for help….

Please pray for the people
of Afghanistan and the people of Haiti. Pray that America would turn back to
God. Please pray for protection of our troops especially in Afghanistan and
help for Americans and those who are fearing for their lives there in that
place. May God help them all!!

Please pray for God to touch and
bring about His will in these lives: Caleb Freeman; Pat S.; Buck & Barbara
Wright; GWEN PRUET; James Perkins and his wife; Vonnie; Evi Porter; Kinsey W; Addison;
JoJo, Bailey and Nicky; Ralph and De Chapman; Hilary; Cody Stahlman; Patsy M.; Todd
Higgins; Brandy and Jadyn’s Dad; John W.; Patricia Rohman and Lisa Butler who
has had a stroke; Scott J.; Karla W.; Clayton T. and Sarah; Clark S.; Lana
Bass; Matthew Collins; Marjean C.; Bradley E.; Fern McVey; Nannie R.; and Shonda
Hutson.

Please pray for the coronavirus
COVID19 pandemic to come to an end. Pray for treatments and a cure for the virus
to be rapidly found and deployed. Pray for all those afflicted to be healed and
for our leaders to have supernatural wisdom and ability to lead us through this
pandemic.

Please pray for an end to the
rioting, looting, wanton destruction, and the racial hatred in the USA and that
it will be replaced with peace and love. May God help the USA! Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of
course, I am always in need of prayer - please pray for me. 03.18.18 I accepted the call to be the pastor of Fairview
Baptist Church in Elk City, Oklahoma. Please pray for me and for this church.).

You can contact Ed Wrather at
theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com

If you enjoy the devotional please
recommend it to your friends. They may subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/DevotionalArchive.html.

Devotion vs Devotional: We do our
devotions, we read devotionals.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo devotional group by
sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond
to the confirmation email.

You may subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints
the devotional is only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email
to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the
confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

--

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org

Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Classic from 2003

The Burning Bush Devotional

27 August 2021

This
devotional was written in 2003 just before the “shock and awe” attack on Iraq.
It was also a time when the SARS virus was beginning to become a worldwide problem.

Facing Fear – Absolute Faith

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.

Today
there is another reason for fear, in addition to the approach of war, and the
increased likelihood of terrorism; health experts suspect there is a new
disease stalking humanity. The new disease is now known only as severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS). At least ten people have died from the illness, and
many more are ill with symptoms of SARS. With the rapidity of world travel,
diseases can spread at frightening speed, and SARS has struck with deadliness
in mainland China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Canada. Some are also ill with
the disease in Singapore, and there are suspected cases in the United States,
Australia, and the United Kingdom. The disease is similar to pneumonia,
beginning with a high fever and dry cough, which may lead to breathing
difficulties.

Does
God care when we experience fear? Yes! Reassurances from God
are plentiful throughout the Scriptures. Peter writes, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may
exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1
Peter 5:6-7).” But the greatest statement of God’s
concern, and care for you, is found in the sacrifice of His Son on the cross
for your sins (John 3:16). You should never doubt that God loves you, and cares for you. His
direction to you in the midst of fearful, and terrifying circumstances will
always be, “Fear not.” Why? Because God answers, “I am with you.”

I read
just this morning about a missionary who was wounded in Yemen, and his three
fellow missionaries who were killed. The wounded missionary spoke of the moment
he knew he could not escape from the gunman. He knew he would be shot, but he
spoke of the peace that surrounded him, as he faced the possibility of death.
That peace stayed with him, even after being shot twice, and he was still
facing the possibility of death.

King David
knew what it was like to stare death in the face, as King Saul hunted him like
an animal. David writes, “Yea, though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (Psalm
23:4a).” Why does David not fear death? Why does
he not fear evil, and all that could happen to him? “For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Psalm
23:4b).”

I
cannot imagine what it would be like to be living in Iraq at this moment,
knowing that a massive assault will soon begin just as it did during 1991.
Knowing also, that it is being said the bombardment will be more ferocious than
it was before. The only thing I have to relate to something like that is being
in the path of a tornado. Hearing the tornado sirens go off and seeing on the
radar that a tornado is headed for you but having nowhere to hide except
in a closet has given me great fear. It is a fearful thing, and only God can
bring you peace and assurance during such times. Only God provides the
possibility of your being spared destruction.

When
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden image set up by
king Nebuchadnezzar, they faced death in a fiery furnace. The answer of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is the answer that we need to give, and
believe, whenever we face fear “our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver
us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we
do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up
(Daniel 3:17-18).” They had an absolute faith that no
matter what happened, life or death, they would still trust in their God. That
is the faith we must have as we face the fearful things of the 21st Century.

Copyright © 1998 - 2021. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998, the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
those first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Visit the
Burning Bush website:

http://www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites are
celebrating 23 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the
Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to subscribers
across the world. At one time there were 18,000 subscribers in more than 70
countries to the devotional but that has now shrunk to around 9,000.

You can leave comments/feedback
about the devotionals at http://www.theburningbush.net.

There is a translation tool on
theburningbush.net website in the top right-hand corner of all of the pages.

Check out the Scripture Index being constructed for the Devotionals at
the Burning Bush website. The Links are in about the middle of the home page.
Topics for each devotional are now being added to the Index.

Please pray for comfort and
peace for those who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and healing for the
wounded. May they all look to the Lord for help….

Please pray for the people
of Afghanistan and the people of Haiti. Pray that America would turn back to
God. Please pray for protection of our troops especially in Afghanistan and
help for Americans and those who are fearing for their lives there in that
place. May God help them all!!

Please pray for God to touch and
bring about His will in these lives: Caleb Freeman; Pat S.; Buck & Barbara
Wright; GWEN PRUET; James Perkins and his wife; Vonnie; Evi Porter; Kinsey W; Addison;
JoJo, Bailey and Nicky; Ralph and De Chapman; Hilary; Cody Stahlman; Patsy M.; Todd
Higgins; Brandy and Jadyn’s Dad; John W.; Patricia Rohman and Lisa Butler who
has had a stroke; Scott J.; Karla W.; Clayton T. and Sarah; Clark S.; Lana
Bass; Matthew Collins; Marjean C.; Bradley E.; Fern McVey; Nannie R.; and Shonda
Hutson.

Please pray for the coronavirus
COVID19 pandemic to come to an end. Pray for treatments and a cure for the virus
to be rapidly found and deployed. Pray for all those afflicted to be healed and
for our leaders to have supernatural wisdom and ability to lead us through this
pandemic.

Please pray for an end to the
rioting, looting, wanton destruction, and the racial hatred in the USA and that
it will be replaced with peace and love. May God help the USA! Many prayer
needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You
can also post your prayer requests there (Of
course, I am always in need of prayer - please pray for me. 03.18.18 I accepted the call to be the pastor of Fairview
Baptist Church in Elk City, Oklahoma. Please pray for me and for this church.).

You can contact Ed Wrather at
theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com

If you enjoy the devotional please
recommend it to your friends. They may subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/DevotionalArchive.html.

Devotion vs Devotional: We do our
devotions, we read devotionals.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo devotional group by
sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond
to the confirmation email.

You may subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints
the devotional is only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email
to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the
confirmation email. If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org