Fear Not Little Flock - Steve Martin

 

Fear Not Little Flock

 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32, NASB

 

Back in the day, oh about 17 years ago to be exact, I was the USA Director of Vision For Israel, the Israeli believers' ministry founded by Barry and Batya Segal near Jerusalem. We had moved the American office from Savannah, Georgia to Charlotte, North Carolina. After hiring the four others who joined me on staff, we commenced building the office and warehouse setup for VFI and the Joseph Storehouse, as the humanitarian effort was also known around the world.

There were times when I liked to remind the staff, particularly during the trying times, that the Lord was in charge, He was on the throne, and all would be well. I liked to quote this verse in King James, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

As we all know this temporary world is not getting any better, if viewed with the natural eyes. It is just getting hard to live as we all are feeling in – spiritually, economically, socially.

In the spiritual realm, we experience the ongoing battle of standing on the Word of God, which is constantly under attack, if not even thrown out altogether in many regions. Dismissed as irrelevant, outdated, or for the “older generation” only, it is maligned along with our Lord Who is the very One Who Created the very ones who deny Him. Teaching our children, the basics of life, forever written in His Word, is a daily fight to accomplish, as all that is around them is pulling them in the other direction.

Economically the increasing cost of goods with inflation, shortages, lack of service, and distribution problems with the lack of full labor is putting pressure on all of us to be wise in our spending and provision for daily needs. It can be a fearful time.

And then the social atmosphere that abounds with fear, pitting this one against that one, this group against that group, this way against that way. If you say one “wrong” thing to another, relationships become stressed and then break.

No wonder the suicide rate among the generations has rapidly risen, with people succumbing to uncertainties and hopelessness.

Yes, I would remind the staff, and myself, that our Lord has what we need to combat the fear, by continually agreeing with Him, that we need not fear, for He is with us, guiding us, and providing for us.

Recently we had to have our Bradford pear trees cut down, being over 30 years old and just waiting for the next windstorm to bring the frail limbs crashing down on our house or cars below. What I miss most about the two not being in our front yard anymore, as I still enjoy the porch swing and rocking chairs, are the lack of birds that would rest in their branches, and the frolicking squirrels that would change each other around 20 feet above the ground. They never lacked the care of our Father, and they enjoyed His provision for life. He had promised to take care for them, and He fulfilled that.

So too must we continue in trust and faith for His provision, guidance, and protection.

²⁵ “For this reason I say to you, ^[q]do not be worried about your ^[r]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? ²⁷ And which of you by worrying can add a single ^[s]day to his ^[t]life’s span? ²⁸ And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, ²⁹ yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ³¹ Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But ^[u]seek first ^[v]His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be ^[w]provided to you.

³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will ^[x]worry about itself. ^[y]Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6: 25-34, NASB

Next time you are pressured or in stress about today, and tomorrow, repeat the word, “Fear not little flock.” His assurance will bring peace to your spirit and soul.

Ahava and shalom,

Steve Martin, Love For His People founder