God is our Source no matter what the situation - every time and every where - He is always a very present help in time of need. Take a look at Psalm 46:1 where this line of thought originates from.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah - or stop and ponder the truth of what you've just heard! In every and all situations of life - no matter how severe, REMEMBER, that God, our God who is our Source is a VERY present help like no other in any and all times of need.

I love that block of Scripture because it reminds me that even if the worst case scenario reveals itself in life - the earth being removed, the mountains crumbling into the sea - He is still my Source - The Source, and He is with me, therefore there is nothing for me to worry about because He alone is God and He is well able to take care of me. And, think of it, none of us has had to endure anything of that magnitude!!!

Yes, tests and trials may come - some may be quite severe and some may take you beyond what you think you are able to bear. However, we must hold on to the fact that He is still our Source and He has not changed, His Word has not changed, the deposit of His Spirit has not changed, the blood that cut and established the covenant that we now stand in has not changed. AND our realization of these facts MUST NOT change.

The key to victory in every situation of life, no matter how severe is to learn to roll the care of it onto the Lord. We are not equipped to carry the load ourselves, however He is.

The enemy of our soul wants us to become so burdened down, so disoriented, so despondent that we lose our focus and lose our joy, that we cast away our confidence, our faith, and eventually lose heart becoming hopeless, beaten down and defeated.

When we look to Him as our Source, rolling the care of the situation on to Him, knowing that He is always faithful to His Word, faithful to the covenant - we are filled with new life, His life, His strength - experiencing victory in the midst of the storm. It is in this place that we begin to hear His voice, sense His presence and proceed with His leading.

I love what the Word says in 1 Peter 5:7 - casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Oh, what a glorious truth!

Notice there are two mentions of the word "care" in this verse. However, they are two separate and entirely different words in the Greek language.

The first word for "care" is the word "merimna" and has the meaning of anxiety, anxiousness and severe worry that brings about a disruption to the personality and mind. Within this word meaning, we can see clearly what the tactic of the devil is - to get us to lose our focus and lose sight of who we really are in Christ, and lose sight of His love and provision.

The second use of the word "cares" is the word "melo" and has the meaning of loving care, concern and intense interest in someone or something. Praise God!!!

Our God ALWAYS cares for us like no one else can and has made great provision for us in all things. After all, He IS Love, that's who He is and so that is what He consistently and inherently does. He also is all knowing and therefore knows the end from the beginning and is constantly moving on our behalf for our good. As believer's, our place is to simply trust Him by faith. Faith is always the pathway to victory, and remember, faith is an action word. James 2:26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. We could say that faith without corresponding action is dead, or without life. Faith takes action.

The first part of 1 Peter 5:7 reveals to us an interesting key in putting our faith to work and obtaining this victory, which is in "casting" all of our worry, anxiety, concern, anxiousness and care onto Him. We are not supposed to carry ANY of it. When worry comes we are supposed to take action and cast the care and concern of it on to Him, knowing that He is our loving Source.

Now, let's look at the meaning of the word "casting." It is the Greek word "epiripto," a compound or joining of the two Greek words epi and ripto. The word "epi" means upon, as on top of something. The word "ripto" means to hurl, to throw, or to cast, and it often means to violently throw or to fling something with great force.

In other words, we are not to play around with anxiety, fear, care, worry, dread and discouragement - we are to deal with it immediately and fight against it with every fiber of our being and get rid of it by casting it on to Him.

This really speaks to me as a fisherman. My habit is to learn the topography of the lake beds that I fish. I know where the drop offs are and where the fish tend to congregate. I've perfected my own style of casting and use the lightest line possible, and I load my reels extra full so that friction is cut down to a minimum. I use special long rods with fast eyelets so that I can cast farther than most and hit those special spots way out in the deeper areas of the lake (trout have a tendency to go deep when the sun gets hot upon the lake.)

It takes a lot of energy to hurl or cast as far as I need to. BUT in so doing, I generally catch more fish than the others at the lake. Many people around me often comment on how far I am able to cast my line out. I know how important this is for me to have a successful day of fishing and I work hard to be proficient at it. How much more important is this for our every day life as believers than it is for fishing?

No matter what you may be going through in life right now, KNOW that your God is an ever present God and ready to help in your hour of need. He is well able to do what He said He would do. He is YOUR Source. Begin right now to cast off ALL of your care, anxiety and concern onto Him and do NOT cast away your confidence, your faith and your trust in His ability and His great love for you. Take heed to the importance of this in your life. Worry and anxiety are clear indicators that your confidence and trust in God and His Word is wavering.

Get back into the promises of the Word, building yourself up, feeding your faith and casting off despair!

Resist the devil and he will flee from you - draw near to God and He will draw near to you! James 4:7-8

Dan Downey
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Dan Downey 2000 - 2015