Proverbs 3: 25-28

Day Two:

Do not be afraid of sudden terror
    or of the ruin^[a] of the wicked, when it comes,
²⁶ for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being caught.
²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,^[b]
    when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
It is interesting to note that in today’s reading, we are reminded that we do, indeed, live in a fallen world and that there will be terrors and ruin. There will be fears and terrors in our days, but when our foundation is the rock on which we stand, our feet will remain secure. Terrors will come.  This can be in the form of being layed off, sickness, cancer, addictions.  Things will surprise us and take us off guard. Yet, when we are focused on His will and his promises, nothing will shake us from our foundations. Do you have “terrors” right now- circumstances that caught you off guard, seemingly snuck up on you?
Remember that this whole journey begins with “Fear of the Lord”. A reverence in Him, a trust in His character and nature. Perhaps if the storm is taking you out, it might serve you to remember who He is?
Assignment: Open your journal to a two page spread. On the top of each page, write “Who do you say I am?”   On the left hand side – imagine that Father God is speaking to you answering your question to Him; “ Father God, who do You say I am?” Fill in all of the words that he speaks to your heart…beloved, child, etc, You may get words that are not nurturing and kind, encouraging and up-lifting.  This is not who you are – these are lies that have been written on your heart by the enemy of your soul. I would sit on those words and ask Jesus how those negative words found their way into your story- and journal it out.
On the other side, the right hand side of the spread, imagine Father God is looking into your eyes and He is asking you, “My child, who do you say I am?” Write every word that comes to you – every word of who God is .  You may be get words that are not nice, not comforting. Punitive. Judgmental. This is not who God is, but it may be a lie that the enemy has written on your heart. How did these lies get written into your story and into your perception of God?
If you are stuck in a storm, sinking fast, this exercise may help you find a foothold, abolishing a lie that is weighing you down.
Do a scripture search of the character of God. Listen to the song and wrote His names.  His names speak of His promises.  He will hold you up and He will keep you from terrors.
  Names of God, John Paul Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UQf9zZBzv4
The last of our verses today seem to speak to me of living through a generous, abundant mindset:

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,^[b]
    when it is in your power to do it.²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

These scriptures seem to speak against a poverty mentality that we can live out of.  Again, I think this goes back to trust. If there is an opportunity to love recklessly and give abundantly---do you trust that it does not take away from you in any way?  In God’s economy there is plenty. This scripture is often viewed through a monetary perspective.  I would like to offer a different view. In God’s economy there is no competition and there is no reason to not acknowledge another’s talents and successes.  The Body of Christ is made up of a mosaic of colors and talents. There is no room for jealousy, competition and control. To rejoice in each other’s successes is to operate as the Bride of Christ.  Do not withhold “good” from those to whom it is due. Congratulate your peers rejoice in their success!  When God knit you together in your mother’s womb He placed a calling on His elect. You were crafted with a distinct purpose in His Kingdom. Only you can do the thing that His fingerprints made you to do.  Jealousy and competition is a thing from hell that divides the Bride of Christ and causes her to falter. Do not withhold any good thing from your neighbor.  Live with a reckless abandon of glorifying God in each interaction that you have, rejoicing in others and loving with abandon!

Rejoicing in another’s success does not diminish you in any way. It does not make you less than. It does not mean there is “less for you”. It does not mean that you are not as good. It only means that you are mature and rejoicing when another walks in their destiny.  When someone finds their destiny and wears it as a mantle, it is cause for merriment in the Kingdom.  As they put on their mantle, it helps define others position and purpose.  We are all created to be wearing our mantle, as a completed “gear”, in the mechanism called  “the Bride”, operating as a giant machine – together glorifying and magnifying our God.   Do not withhold good. Trust in Him.