So Long Insecurity, Week 1

Tonight was a good night.  Preparations had been made.  Prayer over the coffee pot to work properly and not have grounds in the coffee this time.  Carpet vacuumed (thanks to my wonderful husband!). House clean. Atmosphere prepared with prayer. 

Ladies began to arrive at my abode.  Some had hectic days, others more relaxed.  All with a heart for God, longing to grow in Him.  Now I sit with my lukewarm decaf coffee with vanilla cream, (I like it lukewarm. : )  I don't like my relationship with the Lord lukewarm, but I do like my coffee that way. ) reflecting on the conversations that filled the room previously in the night. Oh, and the coffee pot worked!  No grounds!

I love bible study!  LOVE IT!

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, bless His holy name! 
O my soul, bless God, don't forget a single blessing! 
He forgives your sins --every one.  (Oh this is good...)
He heals your diseases--every one.   (Wow, every one!)
He redeems you from hell--saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy--a paradise crown.  (Can it get any better?)
He wraps you in goodness--beauty eternal.  (Yes, and it does. Oh, how good you are oh God!)
He renews your youth--you're always young in his presence.  Psalms 103: 1-5 (The Message)

That wasn't the part I was going to share, but it was too good not to put in here!  Anywho...here is the part I was going to share:

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 
for He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey his precepts.  Psalms 103:13-18

This last week the bible study read "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore, the Introduction and Chapter 1.  God is so merciful.  He is so loving, compassionate, and patient with us as we grow to become more like Jesus.  He remembers that we are dust and mere humans.  Last week I mentioned that insecurity was sin. Let me say that was not to condemn, but to reveal a truth you may not have thought of before.  God is patient with our weaknesses and He is not mad at us.  He knows our struggles and our shortcomings and He wants us to be free more than we want it for ourselves. 

We all deal with insecurities to some extent.  We all have had to deal with thieves that have stolen part of our security.  Jesus Christ died to give it back to us.   

We cannot get security from how we look (youth is fleeting).

We cannot get security through our jobs or accomplishments.  It does not last.  Someone is always doing something better and we cannot keep up nor should that be our aim.

We cannot get security from another person.  People will always disappoint.  Not that they are bad, just also human.

We cannot get security from a man.  They cannot deliver! They may give us a temporary feeling of worth void of any true substance.  It only harms us to bend ourselves and often our character in order to feel a false sense of validation.  We end up acting or trying to be something we are not only to gain their approval.  I adore my man, but I would be in trouble if I depended on him for my affirmation and approval.  I cannot seek my security from my man and it is not healthy for you to seek internal security from yours.

So, where do we get our security?

But blessed is the man who trusts in the lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green, It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  Jeremiah 17: 7-8(NIV)

I like the way The Message bible says it:

Blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God. 

"The woman who sticks with God." We find our security, our hope, our confidence by trusting in the Lord, by sticking with God!  I like that visual.  It also reminds me of a band-aid commercial jingle....."I'm stuck on God because my God is stuck on me."

"Like a tree planted by the water that sends outs its roots by the stream."   We plant our roots by the Living Water--Jesus.  Never fearing, leaves always green, no worries, always bears fruit.....that is living in the security of Jesus.

It isn't just a fairy tale, it is available for all of us.  I would love for you to join us as we read this book.  I mentioned last week that I am planning to write about it every week after the bible study to share with you what we are learning.  The goal...... to finish this book with an unshakeable confidence in Christ, that He has given everything needed to fulfill His purpose.  There needs to be an unbeatable security filling the space where self-doubt once resided.  "So Long Insecurity....You've Been a Bad Friend."