This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

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                   I Am Causing Your Faith To Grow

Child of Mine, these times seem perilous to many.  Problems are overtaking
people on all sides and difficulties abound.  There is uncertainty about
many things and men's hearts are indeed failing them for fear.

But that is not to be a concern of yours.  I want you to simply trust in
Me and know that I am both willing and able to take excellent care of you.
I have the resources you need and I am willing to release them to those who
are called by My name, to those who love Me, to those who are actively
doing My will and to those who submit to My lordship in their lives.

Dear child, I don't want you to confuse comfort and care.  I always take
good care of My own, but I don't always make it comfortable for them.  Look
at My servant David, who I anointed and appointed as a king over Israel.
My hand and My protection were on him from the time I had Samuel call him
in from the fields to anoint him until the time that he finished his reign.
But I did not always make his way easy and comfortable.

He want back to the fields and guarded his father's flock after I sent My
prophet to him. I could have set My angels around him to make his job easy,
but I did not. I allowed the lion and the bear to come in and attempt to
steal the flock, so that he might learn to fight and overcome. Notice that
I never let the wild animals defeat or destroy him, but I did allow them to
engage him.

There are times when I do the same thing in your life.  At times you wonder
why I did not protect you from this or that. At times you ask how I could
love you so dearly and still allow you to experience harm.  But child, just
like I knew David's destiny, I also know yours. I knew that I would send
David to fight Goliath, so it was necessary to train him to war.  I also
know the giants that you will one day face, and I am training and equipping
you to overcome them.

I love you and My protection is still over you, even when things that you
don't like happen to you. I do allow them to come against you, but I do
not allow them to destroy you.  I am teaching you to overcome and to learn
to walk in victory when I allow you to face difficulties. They will not
destroy you and they will not keep you from your destiny, if only you keep
your heart fixed on Me and purpose to obey all that I ask you to do.

David's destiny was always secure in Me, but from a human perspective, it
looked like it was filled with peril.  After he defeated Goliath and won a
great victory for Israel, the king became jealous of him. David did no
wrong and no treason or unfaithfulness was found in him, but he ended up on
he run from a powerful enemy bent to destroy him. He had to flee to hostile
kingdoms, he had to feign insanity, he had to hide with his men in the
wilderness.  He was separated from his wife and he slept in caves and many
times he had to go into hiding.

Do you think I loved him any less when I allowed him to go through these
things? Of course not. I have called him My friend and a man after My own
heart. He was precious and dear to Me, and I took care of him every step
of the way.  His enemy's never defeated him, his pursuers never destroyed
him, he was kept safe from harm and death did not overtake him in the midst
of all the challenges he faced.

While I cared for him, I also taught him how to obey Me and how to walk in
faith. I caused him to grow and to mature in character and in his walk with
Me. I allowed him to experience My faithfulness and to know deep down in
his innermost being that I am trustworthy.  I allowed him to go through
discomfort so his faith might grow, but I always took good care of him.
And in due time, I thrust him into the fullness of his destiny.

Child, I am the same God for you that I was for David.  My nature does not
change, I remain faithful. I will take care of you and I will cause you to
walk in the full measure of your destiny, just as I did with him. Child,
I do not abandon you in hardships, I continue to take care of you.  I am
at work in your life to bring in a greater measure of My glory and I am
causing your faith to grow.

Put your trust in Me and you will not be disappointed, for I will take care
of you.