AFFIRMATIONS DIVINE

Psalm 46:2

Recently, several members of our family received a timely letter from my father, Bruce Foster.  He encouraged each of us to take a look at current events, and take everything seriously.  Frankly, the letter disturbed me so much, I began to pray, because I hate being disturbed.

From the time I was a small child, I had incorrectly mixed fear with faith.  There are memories etched in my mind of our family devotions.  (yep, we had lots of them)  After my dad led the Bible reading, each of us had to kneel and pray.  When I got down on my knees, I always made sure I knelt right beside my father, just in case the Communists barged through the door to round up all the Christians.  Suffice it to say, I was pretty scared just to pray, but I thought my dad could probably handle the Communists, I certainly knew I didn’t have a chance without him.

Let’s face it though, no matter what your background, the world can be a very frightening place.  Something is always happening, and it’s clearly not all good.

Take Japan’s recent earthquake,  tsunami, and subsequent nuclear crisis.   This all happened just a few days after I received Dad’s letter.  By that time, God had given me an answer to the letter. I also think these answers might be helpful in encouraging everyone to “Get A PLAN”.

I didn’t have to be angry with my father for scaring us all to death.  And I didn’t have to feel guilty about not being worried.  Instead, I got pretty excited because, I saw my truth.  Other people can have their legitimate  fears, and it would do me well to pay attention to warnings.

That’s when I made the promise to myself.  I will write down what I know to be true of all these ills in the world, and I can share this because they’re AFFIRMATIONS DIVINE!

Below you will find my letter.  I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but if you read it and think about it, you might just be encouraged to get your own family plan.

Dear Dad:

Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together.  Warnings are important.  Let me show you how I plan to use this letter, to help me in life.

I will address the issues in the order they are given.

Border  (our national border)

I will pray for the people coming through the border that they will find Jesus.  I will pray for the people protecting the border, and I will pray for the government and vote when I can.

Debt

I can not change the national debt, but I can change my own finances.  I will work to be totally debt free, with the exception of a house payment, in 5 years.  Mike and I are working on this one now.  How this helps the country I can not measure, but I have faith in the power of one.  If one can slay a thousand then two ten thousand.

Trust

On trust, I have to go with Habakkuk 3:17&18.  Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.

Energy

Here again, I will act on my belief in the power of one.  I will review ways to conserve energy, use less gasoline, oil, etc.  My next car will not run strictly on gasoline.  Yes it will cost more in the long run, but this is something I can do.  Also, turn down the thermostat, wear sweaters, take more walks, ride a bike.  We need to quit relying on foreign oil, use our resources, and move toward other forms of energy.

War

All I can do here is pray but especially for our family members who are in the military.  A shout out to Bruce Petty, and all of our other family members who have served or are still working in government.  Let’s all pray diligently for them each day.  Pray for wisdom for our leaders.  Not just say we are praying, really pray! Do remember government is ordained by God and we are to pray for leaders.

Terrorism

Let’s keep our eyes and ears open.  But also remember these verses.

Proverbs 29:25

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

Matthew 5:43-48

You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for them who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others.  Do not even the pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect.

Political correctness

Here again we look to the bible for our example of how to bring Jesus to our modern day world.

As Christians we look to Ephesians 4:15.  We must speak the truth in love.  This means we speak with respect, gentleness, and kindness, always remembering to maintain dignity, for we are called to love.  This does not mean we will never hurt anyone, even when our intentions are noble.   Remember Solomon said, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful”.  Proverbs 27:6

There is a difference between an honest confrontation that causes people hurt, but then makes them think, and possibly change, and sarcastic, demeaning truth.  One gives live, the other death.

Islamic extremism

Corrie Ten Boom dealt with Nazi extremism.  She resisted those who would kill the Jews, and helped the Jewish people and the Dutch resistance, in a nonviolent way, in accordance with her faith.  Her story is a perfect example of how God gives us the love to be able to pardon our enemies.  Corrie Ten Boom  even brought many of her enemies to the knowledge of Christ.

Financial

Disaster can strike quickly and without warning.  It can force us to have to evacuate quickly or confine us to our home.  We all need a plan of action for survival if we should suddenly find ourselves without water gas or electricity.  We must each prepare our plan in advance.

Please plan for financial and natural disaster as a family.  In order to get started go to www.disastercenter.com .  I would love to see our family discuss and plan for a national disaster.  Think no cell phones, money, food or gas.  How would you make it?  Everyone should be singing Grandpa’s praises for bringing this to our attention.  We should consult with Teresa and John Steiner, in order to begin working on a sustainable food supply.  Are we all gardening?  Why not?  If not, what is the second best alternative?

Our own government has gone to the trouble of putting up billboards and developing a website showing us how to do this, but I’ve been negligent.  It should not be hard to get a plan.  But like so many others, I focus on renting a movie, or what to eat.  Let’s end the complacency, and each one of us Get A Plan!

The Enemy within

“We have met the enemy and it is us.”  Walt Kelly first used this quote on a poster for Earth Day in 1970.  My enemies within are complacency, sloth, poor choices, and lack of commitment.  Those are just the easily identifiable ones.  But, thanks to Grandpa’s letter, I now have a place to start.  And just because I hate fear mongering, prejudice, and Christians looking stupid on television (because they always seem to find the hateful ones picketing at funerals, or hating Obama) well, I am no longer willing to throw out the baby with the wash.  I challenge each of you in this family to do what I am doing.  Take this letter seriously.  Get a plan.  Embrace the power of one.  You won’t be filled with fear, you’ll be too busy.  We are supposed to live each day as if it were our last, and if we did, Jesus would be so much more the central part of our focus.

Labor Unions, Educational Systems, Seminaries, and Mosques in America

These are all addressed loosely above, but this is how I will end this letter.  Let’s all fall back in love with Jesus, first, then our immediate family second, and our country third.  Commit all we do to the Lord.  Redeem the time, because the days are evil. And rejoice because greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world.

Thanks Dad.  You’ve given us lots to think about.

Love you,

Robyn

Please let me know if you have a good plan for your own family, that might help the rest of us, and remember Psalm 46:2.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.