Oh Me of Little Faith ( Spot of Doubt)

~~~~~Today some old acquaintances of mine paid a visit. They are not very nice, and usually bring bad things, but I keep letting them visit. I even offer them great chunks of my time, and let them alter my plans for the day. What is wrong with me ? Why do I let fear and worry in ? They do nothing but cause my stomach to churn, and they bring their friends , anxiety , doubt, depression~~~~~really though, how can you not be fearful and anxious in these times ? The news seems to be bad, food and gas prices are high, the housing market is just terrible and the war, and the personal worries about our loved ones~~I forgot. I forgot who I was, I am a daughter of the One who said " Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say ,rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. ( and here are the best words) Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

~~~~~This fear and anxiety are just another way of showing my lack of trust and faith in God. Then I went to the post office and received my 'Voice of the Martyrs' monthly magazine and I was ashamed. The many accounts of the people all over the world who are being persecuted and tortured terribly in this day and age simply for standing for Christ. That is all. I won't describe the atrocities being suffered, I would cry again, but these people count it joy to suffer for Jesus !~~~~~

~~~~~I will relay one little excerpt from a book written by Richard Wurmbrand, a Jewish Christian who suffered more than 14 years in a Romanian prison, being starved of food and human companionship, and tortured. Years after his release he and his wife founded the Voice of the Martyrs. He writes this " A Christian once asked an atheist, with whom he took a walk through the meadows, " Who made all these beautiful flowers ?" "Forget it!" was the answer."Do not come again with your stupid talk about God. The flowers only exist by themselves." The Christian did not persist. After a few days, he was visited by the same friend in his home. In his sitting room he had a beautiful picture representing the flowers. The atheist asked him,"Who painted this?" The Christian said,"Do not begin with this rubbish! Nobody painted these flowers. They came into the painting by themselves. Nature made the carved frame. Then by itself the picture jumped up on the wall, onto a nail which just happened to be there, driven by nobody. And that is all." The atheist took the joke badly. But then the Christian asked, " Is it logical to believe that these three flowers in the picture , which have no fragrance and no life, must have been created by somebody, while believing that the millions of living flowers with their heady perfume in the valleys and on the hills have no creator ?' ~~~~~

~~~~~"And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span? And why are you anxious about clothing ? Observe the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field , which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, Oh men of little faith?" Matthew 6; 27 - 30