Good morning,

It is my hope today that you will know that the Lord is close to you if you call upon Him in truth and that He will fulfill your desires if you fear Him. Fear is an interesting concept in relation to our Lord. Sometimes it is translated as awe. I once heard a pastor speak about how fear of anything else other than God is a kind of homage, a form of idolatry. So, today may you only fear the Lord, may you only stand in awe of Him and nothing else.

I read a wonderful interview in Decision Magazine this morning about the missionary who, with her husband, was held captive by Muslim extremists in the Philippines. What an inspiring testimony. Her husband died during the ordeal..
Here's an excerpt, but please, read the whole article.


Q: After you were rescued, you said at a press conference that you and Martin wanted "everyone to know that God was good to us every single day of our captivity." How could you say that in light of the harsh treatment you received?

A:I think we saw what could have been happening to us. Things could have been so much worse. I could have been sexually assaulted, and I wasn't. They could have beaten Martin daily, or they could have tortured us -- but they didn't. As bad as it was, things could have been so much worse. There were many times when we'd be feeling down and pray, "God, could You show us Your goodness today?" Then, for instance, a beautiful dragonfly would land on a branch near us and hover around us -- a diversion from the monotony of our ordeal.

I recall one instance when, after a gun battle with government troops trying to rescue us, someone came to us with a big basket of a Filipino fruit that I particularly loved. Martin looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "Hey, this is your favorite fruit, isn't it?" Right there, in the aftermath of that gun battle, we were smiling and laughing because God had plopped some delicious fruit in our lap.

On another occasion, we received a package from our mission agency filled with goodies and a replacement for Martin's eyeglasses that the guerrillas had taken. We didn't realize until the day was almost over that it was Thanksgiving Day. Who but God could have brought a package into the jungle? We never found out how it got to us.

And then there was this unforgettable moment when we were allowed access to a radio. Somehow, only God knows how, we tuned in to a religious broadcast that was coming from Alaska. The sermon was on Romans 8:31-34. I'll never forget what the pastor said: "If you are in the midst of a hard situation, and if you could hear Christ in the next room praying, you wouldn't be afraid of thousands of enemies." He also prayed for persecuted people -- it was like he was praying for us, and God wanted us to know.

I've learned that if you're looking for God's hand, you'll see it. If you're not, all the good things He's giving you will still come -- because God is good -- but you might not recognize them."

I pray that you too will know God's goodness no matter what your circumstances and that you will be able to put on the whole armor of God so that the enemy can not entice you to fear or stand in awe of anything but the living and one true God.



From today's Morning Prayer

Psalm 145
18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.


Psalm 146
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

Jeremiah 32
26 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Ephesians 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: