Merle Mills

Focus or Fear?

Some of my most frightening moments as a child happened when our family experienced power outages. Darkness would fill our home as my brothers and sisters and I imagined large 10-legged creatures with purple eyes and green hair lurking in the dark. Until my mom or dad lit a candle, we would huddle together, trembling from what we imagined to be in the surrounding darkness. The entrance of that spark of light brought smiles to our wide-eyed, terrified little faces, dispelling imaginary fear.

The goal of our soul’s enemy (Psalm 143:3) is to keep our minds and hearts full of fear, thus preventing us from focusing on promises from our powerful and loving heavenly Father. Most of these fears, whether imaginary or real, constantly lurk in the dark rooms of our minds, threatening the focus of our peace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the giant golden statue built by King Nebuchadnezzar. Instead of fearing, they focused on the power of God:

They declared: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty” (Daniel 3:16-17 NLT).

The woman who anointed Jesus with the alabaster ointment refused to listen to fear and the accusations of being called sinful. Instead, she focused on Jesus and worshipped at His feet. Jesus declared to those around:

“I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” (Matthew 26:13)

Peter and John were commanded by the religious leaders in Jerusalem never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18).

Instead of fearing, they declared:

“Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)

Fear becomes powerless in the presence of faith.

Many years have passed, and should a power outage occur, flashes of what could be lurking in the dark still trigger my mind to tremble in fear. However, I have learned to focus on words from Scripture that promise freedom from fear, imaginary or real. The entrance of that light brings a smile, dispelling fear.

The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. (Psalm 119:130)

What are you afraid of today? You and I can refuse to accept fear, and instead, focus on the light that Jesus is waiting to shine into that darkness, dispelling any fear:

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12)

With our God’s help, you and I can overcome fear, imaginary or real.

Heavenly Father, in the fearful dark moments of our lives, help us to focus on the light of Your presence—because it is there that we become fearless! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

~

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Turn Back or Not?

Merging onto the interstate was easier than I had expected. It was 8:30 a.m. Without traffic backups, I would arrive in time to pick up my niece at 9:00 for her appointment.

Traffic slowed. This was a perfect time to check my cell phone to ensure there were no messages with last-minute changes from my niece. I reached carefully into the usual spot in my handbag. It was not there. In rushing, I had forgotten it.

Should I turn back? With a 60-mph speed limit, time restraints, and no upcoming exits, there was little choice. I decided to proceed without it.

Have you ever left home without your cell phone? What were your feelings?

I suspect most Americans feel uneasy leaving their phone at home.

For the next few hours, I would have no mobile functions: no calling or texting, GPS navigation, emergency alerts, verse of the day, lunch menu choices, or other notifications... I began to feel “uneasy.” Should I have turned back?

I thought of a few examples in the Bible about those who did not consider turning back, such as the twelve disciples:

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you also going to leave?" Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

The adulterous woman. Jesus forgave her past and told her,

“Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11 "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."————— OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

David the psalmist confessed:

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight (Psalms 51:4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.* OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

He later declared,

I will praise the Lord all of my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live (Psalms 146:2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

The Apostle Paul said of himself:

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.1 Timothy 1:15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"—and I am the worst of them all. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

He later said:

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,* but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

I too have received God’s forgiveness from a broken past. No… turning back is not an option:

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes (Psalms 119:59 I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

Without my cell phone, all went well. My niece arrived early for her appointment, we used verbal communication (an almost-forgotten skill) to arrange a meet-up after, and we used her cell phone to help locate her favorite Colombian Blend coffee shop.

Five hours later, I was reunited with my handheld device. On checking, the only communication I had received was a message at 8:57: “Good morning, Aunt Merle. You haven't forgotten me, right?”

Loving Father, You have promised to forgive our past. May turning back from walking in that freedom never be an option, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

~

Spontaneous Praise!

I arrived for my scheduled outpatient tests: an x-ray and a CT scan. Medical procedures always make me fearful. The examination room and table were no exception. Both were cold, matching the ice-cold fear of each heartbeat as I waited patiently for the radiologist to appear.

I was unaware of an attendant in the adjoining room until I heard a female voice softly filling the air with spontaneous praise. The song was familiar, "Holy Ground," written by Geron Davis. In worship at my Church, it was sung often, and the words always reminded me that wherever I was, the ground became holy, accompanied by the presence of Jesus and angels. My icy heartbeats were warmed as spontaneous praise from the heart of an unashamed praiser helped refocus fear, apprehension, and anxiety, to my Heavenly Father.

After being saved and delivered out of the hands of the Egyptians, Miriam and all the women sang a spontaneous song of victory. Previously, they had focused on their bitterness and bondage (seeExodus 1:14 They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ). Now, they were focused on God’s power:

“Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; He has hurled both horse and rider into the sea."Exodus 15:21 And Miriam sang this song:"Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NLT)

Paul and Silas were wrongly accused, beaten, and thrown into prison. At midnight, they prayed and sang spontaneous praise songs. These focused songs of praise not only opened the prison doors, but the chains of all the prisoners fell off and the chief jailer was drawn by God’s power. Their singing allowed them the opportunity to share the Gospel which was received by him and his entire household. (SeeActs 16:25-34 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) .)

Scripture encourages us to sing and make melody in our hearts:

"Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD!"Psalms 96:1 Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

"Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts."Ephesians 5:19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

David committed to singing as a part of his life:

"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath!"Psalms 104:33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

The results of my x-ray and scan were both abnormal, but thanks be to our God, successfully treated. I believe the soft spontaneous song of praise, reminding me of being surrounded by angels and the presence of Jesus, invited an inner God-given strength and peace in my soul. Even when I hear this song today, it turns my focus to Almighty God and His indescribable love, power to calm fears, strengthen, and heal, through songs of spontaneous praise.

On earth, I may never know the name of the attendant who was unashamed to offer a spontaneous song of praise to Jesus. That attendant may never know or imagine how her praise impacted the life of this then-fearful young woman.

Has our Heavenly Father placed a song of praise in your heart? That song spontaneously sung could inspire you, or someone nearby, warming icy heartbeats, and refocusing fear, apprehension, and anxiety, into the presence of Jesus, and the holy angels.

Heavenly Father, may songs of spontaneous praise about You, Your presence, love, power, and peace, always be in our hearts, and on our lips, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

~

Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

You Are Invited to Pray

“This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard. Our flight today will reach a cruising altitude of 33,000 feet. The weather looks good and we should arrive at our destination in approximately one hour and 20 minutes. Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.”

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight? I had not flown since January 1999, more than 16 years ago. In 16 years, there were many negative airline incident reports. My trust had been destroyed, replaced by fear.

For the next 80 minutes, my life would be guided by the hands of a captain I did not know, nor knew me. Dependent on his skill and wisdom, there was nothing I could do in my own strength. I felt helpless. Fear gripped my soul. Seat-belted in, feeling trapped at 33,000 feet in the air, I breathed a prayer.

“Heavenly Father, help me.”

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

Have you ever felt there was nothing you could do in your own strength, helpless? Gripped by fear, or trapped?

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalms 56:3 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Prayer has no limit. We can pray morning, noon, or night, silently from the heart, whispered, spoken aloud, or from any location. It has the ability to defeat fearful thoughts, and transform them into moments of strength, wisdom, peace, and hope.

David, fearful and running from Saul, took refuge and fled to Cave Adullam. According to Thompsons Chain Reference Bible, “there was a strange, secluded wildness about the place.”

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.” Psalms 57:1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection.I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Jonah prayed with seaweed wrapped around his head (Jonah 2:5 "I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ) out of the belly of a whale:

“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me.” Jonah 2:2 He said,"I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me.I called to you from the land of the dead,* and LORD, you heard me! OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Peter prayed on a housetop:

“Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.” Acts 10:9 The next day as Cornelius's messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Hannah prayed for a child and our Heavenly Father gave her a son:

“O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life... ” 1 Samuel 1:11 And she made this vow: "O LORD of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut.*" OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

King Hezekiah prayed to be healed:

“I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you.” 2 Kings 20:5 "Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, `This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the LORD. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Jesus whipped, beaten, pierced, and nailed to the cross prayed for His persecutors:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Today, if you are you feeling helpless, gripped by fear, or trapped, you and I have a Captain who wants to guide our life. A Captain who knows us, and One we can trust. One who invites us to pray, with the promise that our prayer will be heard.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [a]mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been cleared to land.” We were arriving at our destination 10 minutes earlier than scheduled. Fear before prayer had almost denied me the joy of a relaxing flight.

Prior to deplaning, I had the opportunity to speak with and compliment the captain. He had over 35 years flying experience. My life had been in capable hands.

We too are in capable hands. Our Captain has been guiding lives eternally.

“Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalms 90:2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NKJV)

Heavenly Father, every day, in every situation, or circumstance of our lives, may we always remember Your invitation to pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Do Not Forget to Remember

Water, Bible, cream cheese, crackers, camera — all were prepared and ready for my weekend retreat at Virginia Beach’s ocean front.

I have grown to enjoy the art of photography as a hobby, and recently upgraded to a more expensive camera. I already imagined the photographs I would take, especially of the sunrise.

I was on the eighth floor of the hotel and knew the view would be spectacular. At 6:00 am, I was ready. Sunlight slowly began to fill the morning sky. Ten minutes later, it had arrived … the beauty announcing a brand new day.

Turning the camera on, no light appeared. Another try — again, no light appeared. I had forgotten to recharge the battery.

Many times in our lives, we forget to begin our day by recharging our faith in remembering Words from Scripture.

David’s custom was to recharge early (see Psalms 5:3 Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ). As a result, when he faced Goliath the giant, he did not forget to remember God’s power.

"You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven's Armies — the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45 NLT.

He had spent time to recharge his faith through the Word. The more we spend time with our Heavenly Father, the more we will remember Words spoken from Scripture. The more we will forget doubt and become strong in our faith, causing us to believe, trust, and have confidence in who our God is, remembering what He has promised.

In any given day, we too may be faced with giants: financial lack, medical, physical, family, and employment situations. As we face the day, we can remember and declare the words David spoke to the giant fearlessly, and confidently, we will overcome in “the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Your day may begin at 2:00 or 6:00 o’clock in the morning, 3:00 in the afternoon, or 9:00 at night. Whatever the time, begin by taking a few moments in the presence of our Heavenly Father to read, focus on, remember His Words, and thank Him for a fresh recharging of faith for the day.

Scripture tells us:

Job considered God’s Word, “more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12 I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

Solomon said God’s Word was, “life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.” Proverbs 4:22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

Jesus said: “And the very Words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

David remembered that our Heavenly Father was with him when he killed the lion and the bear (1 Samuel 17:35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ), so when facing the giant, he remembered God’s help, and was fearless. He did not forget to remember Words from Scripture:

“I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.” Psalms 86:7 I will call to you whenever I'm in trouble, and you will answer me. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

After regaining my thoughts, I remembered my cell phone. I had forgotten its photographic capability. As a result, I was still able to capture stunning photographs of the sunrise, which almost seemed to wait for me with expectancy.

In future trip planning, I will not forget to remember to ensure that my camera battery is fully charged.

Heavenly Father, I pray You will help us not to forget to remember the value of daily recharging our faith, through Your Words given to us in the Holy Scriptures, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Forgiven ... Are You Sure?

“Ms. Mills, no data was found on your thumb drive, so there is nothing to be recovered.”

I had tried to access the drive at home and being unable to do so, felt the help of someone more experienced would be the answer. Driving to the closest computer repair store, I explained the situation, only to be informed that the drive where I had saved documents, photographs, important links, medical information, interesting tidbits, and much more than I could recall, was empty. All on the drive had been erased, deleted, wiped out.

This was not the answer I had expected. I was shocked.

“Are you sure young man?”

Scripture tells us:

“I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25 "I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) KJV

For one who has sinned, this statement could be shocking. Can God really erase, delete, and wipeout the sins I have committed?

“Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD."Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) KJV

“Are you sure?”

Yes, we can be sure our Heavenly Father will hear and answer our prayer for forgiveness.

“I acknowledged my sin unto you, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalms 32:5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) KJV

I was unconvinced. In a haze of unbelief, my next step was to contact the manufacturing company of the thumb drive. I was sure they would have a better solution. After explaining the situation, I was placed on hold. I was hopeful. A few minutes later, my hopes were again crushed.

“Ms. Mills, it seems that your thumb drive has malfunctioned; all the data on the drive has been erased. My suggestion is that you try a data recovery professional in your area.”

“Are you sure?”

Our God forgives, and the Bible tells us His forgiveness is not only extended to all, but He chooses to forget our wrong doings, and to remember them no more. It may be difficult for us to forget, but our God chooses to forget.

“And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12 And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins."* OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) KJV

I have kept my thumb drive, and you guessed, at times still try to retrieve the items on the drive. Results remain the same: “no data available.”

I quietly try to recall what documents, photographs, important links, medical information, interesting tit bits were saved. It’s useless, they have all been erased, deleted, wiped out. Even if they were important, now it would make no difference.

Sin is often accompanied by torment, guilt, shame, anger, depression, regret. Because of my past sin, I experienced them all. I would recall photographic images and tidbits of the sins I had committed over the years. Finally realizing I could no longer go on living with these negative emotions which were secretly destroying me, I cried desperately to God for help. My hope was found in David’s prayer:

“For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.” Psalms 25:11 For the honor of your name, O LORD, forgive my many, many sins. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) KJV

Is there some sin you have committed that you believe too great for our Heavenly Father to forgive? Will you bring it to Calvary’s Cross as I did? Today, you can leave that sin, and walk away assured of hearing The Master say:

“My child, there is no data to be recovered. The torment, guilt, shame, anger, depression, and regret, has been erased, deleted, and wiped out.”

“Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”. John 8:11 "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."————— OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

Heavenly Father, that you would forgive me, and free me from the hurt of my past, I am truly grateful, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Merle

Mills

Contributing Writer

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