[Discoveries] 03-01-07 Little by little

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

This week I want to encourage you to get to know and support the 
Stendals. For over 40 years the Stendal family has faced constant danger 
they've brought the Lord's healing, peace and reconciliation into a 
three-way civil war in Colombia. Any amount of money you send their way 
will be used wisely and will yield eternal fruit for God's kingdom. 
Visit our support page for more information 
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/*Little by little I will drive them out before you ... -- Exodus 23:30*/

I've run this testimony before, but I hope you'll be okay with me 
running it again.

Thank God for small miracles.

As many of you know, most of my life I've been terrified of dogs. 
Exactly why, I don't know. My mind can tell me that most dogs are 
friendly; that you can survive a dog bite; that very few dogs are really 
dangerous; that if you aren't afraid of them, they will most likely 
leave you alone; and so on. But all of those pep talks disappeared 
whenever I got into the presence of a barking dog. Instead, I froze, 
paralyzed by fear.

Over the last several years, little by little, the Lord has been driving 
fear out of my heart. It hasn't been some big explosive encounter with 
God that left me absolutely fearless, but rather a little here, a little 
there. As fears arise, when I have the sense to do it, I take them to 
the Lord so He can deal with them.

Yesterday, I took a short walk in a large park. The area I walk in is 
usually deserted -- it borders a farm and few people seem to know about 
it. (A perfect place to pray) As I was walking along, a woman with two 
dogs approached from the opposite direction. While we were still quite a 
ways away from each other, one of the dogs broke from her side and came 
charging at me. When it got to me, it started nipping at my fingers.

In the past, I would have been beside myself. But I stood there, mildly 
annoyed, thinking to myself, I shouldn't have to put up with this. I 
raised my voice loud enough for the woman to hear me, "Would you please 
take your dog's teeth off my hands!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, "he has a thing about gloves."

Fine. I put my gloved hands in my coat pocket and stood there waiting 
for her to retrieve her dog. A couple minutes later, she and her dogs 
were gone.

I took stock. I wasn't shaking. My heart wasn't pounding. I didn't feel 
any emotion of fear. I was still a bit annoyed that this woman did not 
have enough courtesy to leash a dog that she did not have under voice 
command, but, otherwise, I was at peace.

Little by little, God works. Jesus usually doesn't drive enemies like 
fear and shame out of our lives all at once. He does it a bit at a time, 
until He has taken full possession of the land.

Meanwhile, let's celebrate these small miracles He brings our way!

Be encouraged!
Dwight


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