Tag: Fear not
Day 3–More for Us than Against Us!
Scripture reading for March 4: 2 Kings 6:15-17 “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Sometimes our life seems like we are being overwhelmed by more than we can handle. We go to the doctor for a physical and come home with a list of issues showing us we are in trouble. We set up a budget, but then the sewer backs up and we are faced with a large financial disruption. As a first responder, we respond to a call for help in an accident and suddenly find multiple injuries and fatalities and entrapment with fire potential. Sometimes we respond just like the servant of Elisha, with despair and wondering what to do next.
This short story from Scripture tells us of a time when the prophet Elisha was staying in a walled city and the army was out fighting in another location. In the night, the enemy army surrounded the city with overwhelming forces. When the servant saw what had happened, he returned in despair, asking Elisha what they could do. Elisha simply turned to the Lord in prayer and with the vision of faith he had developed from walking with God. He asked that eyes would be opened to the invisible realm of the Spirit. God graciously granted the request and clearly revealed heaven’s army, armed with glory!
Prayer: Father God, thank You for this simple story from long ago showing Your power and ability to protect Your people. Remind me each day of this profound truth: “There is more for us than against us!” Give me grace to pray for open eyes when I feel overwhelmed or overrun. Thank You! Amen.
An angel’s insight!
Scripture reading for June 11: Acts 27
“Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to Whom I belong and Whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”” Acts 27:21-26
Paul was a prisoner of Rome, being transported to Rome for trial. He was traveling by commercial ships from Caesarea to Rome. While on this journey, the ship faced some ill winds and a very stormy season approaching for travel on the Mediterranean. Paul spoke a word of warning to the captain, warning him of danger looming and the need to change plans. But why would a ship’s captain take orders from a prisoner? (Acts 27:9-11)
As they proceeded onward, a storm arose that buffeted the ship and lasted fourteen days and nights. Paul was praying and an angel of God spoke again what Paul had heard from Jesus earlier (Acts 23:11): ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Faith came to Paul and he passed this word on to all on the ship. Fresh vision brings faith and subdues fear. God is with Paul and because of Paul’s assignment and faithfulness, God will spare the captain and all 276 persons traveling on that boat! It all unfolded just as Paul had been told by God through the angel!
Has God ever spoken to you giving you insight about coming events or dangers? What effect did this heavenly word of knowledge have on Paul and those going through this storm? What was the world view of those on the boat before Paul revealed God’s plan and provision?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for timely visitations and words of knowledge. It is comforting to know that You always know right where we are and lead us through the storms of life or calm them. I offer myself as available to receive words of knowledge and to share them with those needing encouragement. Amen.
A Word from God
Scripture reading for March 4: Luke 1
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and your shall call His Name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom there will be no end.”” Luke 1:26-33
Can you imagine the thoughts that went through Mary’s mind in this encounter with Gabriel, the angel sent from God’s throne? This angel was sent to a specific location and to a named individual and knew that that Mary was a virgin. He knew she was betrothed to Joseph, of the line of David. The angel understood Mary’s fear and bewilderment. The declaration that she was a ‘favored one’ and that the Lord was with her made her wonder and search for how to respond.
The next statement would really shake her world view: she was to become pregnant and bear a Son, but not any son, the Son of the Most High! This Son was to be given the Name Jesus and He would become a King ruling on the throne of David. His rule would be over all Jacob and His kingdom was eternal! Mary, seeking understanding, asked how this might take place since she was a virgin. The angel helped her see and understand with another clear Word from God: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God.” Mary responded in faith: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.” Luke 1:35-38
How does this story of an angel visiting a virgin girl named Mary fit with your current world view? Is it comforting or fearful to know that God knows your name, location, family ties, and thoughts? Would you want to know God’s plans for you and your life and offspring?
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You reveal Your knowledge and plans for us in ways we can understand and respond to. Thank You for the faith that Your Word brings to us to yield ourselves to Your will and plans. Have Your way in me today and each day fulfill Your plans in me and through me. Amen.
Only believe!
Scripture reading for February 14: Mark 5
“Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” And He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when He had entered, He said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at Him. But He put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand He said to her, “Talitha Cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking . .” Mark 5:36-42
Jesus confronted all kinds of sickness, demon possession, and now even death of a twelve year old child. This child was the daughter of the synagogue ruler. This ruler had come to Jesus pleading for His healing intervention. On the way, Jesus was interrupted by a woman who touched His garment and was healed. Then a messenger from the synagogue ruler’s household came with word that the child had already died. Jesus firmly instructed the ruler not to be afraid but to believe. Jesus took with Him only His inner circle of disciples and upon arriving, found the usual wailing and grief. He tried quieting the crowd by telling them that the girl was only asleep. This brought derisive laughter. All were put out except mother, father, and the three trusted disciples.
Contrary to the sentiment of the crowd of mourners, Jesus’ world view saw restoration and healing in response to believing faith. Contrary to those who laughed, Jesus calmly took the child by the hand and commanded her to arise. Immediately, (a term loved by Mark!) the girl arose and began to walk! Great joy filled the house where moments before there was grief and mourning. With those who by faith believe, nothing is impossible! Seeing from Jesus’ perspective brings vision for resurrection from death!
Have you ever been confronted with a situation that looked hopeless even though you had asked Jesus for help? What did the battle inside between fear and faith feel like? Have you ever had to remove yourself from those around you that refuse to act in faith?
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for not always taking impossible situations to You and instead giving way to fear. Help me to be an encourager of faith and not a hindrance or a mocker. Let me walk with Jesus each day into impossible situations and see immediate victory in response to prayer and declaration! Amen.
Money buys an alibi!
Scripture reading for February 7: Matthew 28
“Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.” Matthew 28:10-15
On the morning of the third day since Jesus was crucified and buried in the tomb, the women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, went to the tomb. As they approached a great earthquake shook the area and the stone was rolled away by a descending angel who took a seat on the stone. The guards were shaken and became like dead men. Today we might describe this as being ‘slain in the Spirit’ This angel comforted and encouraged the women to have faith and not fear. He instructed them to go to the disciples and tell them to go to Galilee and there they would see Jesus. As they left there in fear, Jesus appeared to them, and repeated the encouragement to not fear but to tell His disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
The guards went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. They assembled the elders and came up with a plan: give the soldiers money to tell people that “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we slept.” They promised the soldiers protection from the governor. This is the story that was spread around and gave the guards an alibi for their negligence and an explanation for the body of Jesus disappearing.
If you were one of the guards, how would you process these events in light of your own need to escape punishment? In what way do you relate to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary upon seeing the angel and the empty tomb? How does our world view hinder us from a real understanding of Jesus Christ?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your patience in working with Your people to help them shape their world view to accept the resurrection of Your Son. Forgive me for acting in fear and looking for excuses or natural explanations. Continue to expand my understanding of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Amen.
The King from Heaven
Scripture reading for January 1: Matthew 1
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21
Joseph, son of Jacob, was a godly carpenter of the tribe of Judah living in Israel under Roman occupation. He knew God’s Laws and sought to live by them. His world view was shaped by his parents, his past history as a Jew, and by God’s Word. Joseph likely would have memorized the first five books of the Old Testament before he became a man at thirteen. He was a carpenter by trade and lived an ordinary life. He was betrothed to Mary, another of David’s line, when his world was shaken by the revelation that Mary was pregnant! Wanting to offer grace, he decided to divorce her quietly. But God broke into his world view through an angel appearing in a dream declaring to him, “Do not fear.” The angel explained that this child, to be named ‘Jesus’, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would save His people from their sins.
How was Joseph’s world view challenged by God? What were some of the objections that he was being asked to overcome by faith? Would Joseph have been able to understand all the implications of the angel’s statements?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as I contemplate these questions and this amazing story of Joseph and Mary and Your plan to save Your people from their sins, expand my world view as You did for Joseph and Mary. Help me overcome my natural tendencies and fears and to walk by faith in Your Amazing Word. Amen.
“Fear not!”
Scripture reading for July 29: Isaiah 44-48
Comfort is needed when people have been through the fire of judgment or discipline. God is a God of all comfort and one of the ways He comforts us is to encourage us not to be afraid. It is said that the term “fear not” or variations of this phrase is used 366 times in the Bible. This means that there are enough verses for every day of the year–even leap year! God knows we need this encouragement. Let’s look as some things God encourages us to not be afraid of and see our hope begin to rise!
In Isaiah 43:1-3, God tells His people to not be afraid when they pass through the rivers or walk through the fire. He has redeemed them and they belong to Him. He promised to be with them and protect them no matter what the trouble. He will ransom them and redeem them and gives His word!
In Isaiah 44:1-5, God tells His people to not be afraid for their children! We can trust the Lord to pour out His Spirit on our offspring and His blessing on our descendants. When we follow the Lord and live by faith, God takes care of our kids! He is able to guide them and help them to choose to walk by faith too! Let’s say “amen” to this promise and live free from fear for our children’s future.
In Isaiah 44:6-8, God encourages His people to not be afraid of the future. He is their redeemer and is the Almighty Lord who has all power and knowledge. He knows the future and holds it in His hands. He is a Rock for those who are in fear of the future. Trusting in Him can make us truly free!
The last thing we can give up fearing is old age and the weakness and frailty associated with it. “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am He, I am He who will sustain you, I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4) Sounds like God can handle us in old age, too, doesn’t it? What’s there to be afraid of anyway? We are people of faith and please God by trusting Him in everything! “Fear Not!”
God’s amazing mercy!
Scripture reading for May 20th: 2nd Samuel 11-12, 1st Chronicles 20, Psalm 51, 32, Acts 27
Acts 27:21-26 “Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to Whom I belong and Whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.””
Paul, the prisoner, had sought to direct the crew and captain from sailing into what Paul knew was dangerous weather. They did not listen and for two weeks they had been buffeted by a storm and all hope of escaping was gone. Paul called them all together and shared what an angel of God had revealed to him. God was merciful and granted all who were on the ship their lives but the ship would be lost. God’s Word was true and it happened just as Paul foretold. But God’s mercy is not just to save our physical lives. As the Psalm and reading from Samuel tells us today, God is merciful to all who will call upon Him in repentance and faith. God forgives even murder and adultery for King David!
Psalm 51:1-2 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
Prayer: Father, I am so thankful for Your abundant mercy and Your steadfast love of me, a sinner! Thank You for granting me life eternal through Your mercy in Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for blotting out my sins and iniquity and delivering me from death. Thank You for washing me from my sins and giving me Your righteousness. I will worship You for Your steadfast love and abundant mercy!
1st Samuel 12:13-14 “David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.””
“Fear not, little flock!”
Scripture reading for March 28th: Deuteronomy 27-31, Luke 12
Luke 12:27-31 “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom and these things will be added as well.”
Each day believers have choices to make concerning how they spend the gift of time, talent, and energy. As fallen creatures, before salvation, we were driven by appetites, fear, and opinions of others. Worry and fear marked each day in most of mankind because of concern about food, water, clothes and shelter consumed most of life. Jesus spoke to His followers of a different way to spend our time and energy. He promised if we would put our effort into seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness, God would take care of our basic physical needs. Jesus then used examples of the birds and the lilies to emphasis our Father’s amazing care and provision. We as His children are of much more value and it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us our needs and even a full inheritance in His eternal kingdom! Praise our Lord!
Luke 12:32-34 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.” For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for not always trusting You. Thank You for Your faithful provision for me and my families needs! Give me grace to know how to use the material things You have blessed me with to further Your kingdom and help lost people find righteousness and eternal life through the Gospel. I desire Your blessing and a full inheritance in Your Kingdom!
Deuteronomy 30:15-16 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord by loving the Lord your God, by walking in His ways, and by keeping His commandments and His statutes and His rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.”
Eternal life by works?
Scripture reading for March 24th: Deuteronomy 19-22, Psalm 6, Luke 10
Luke 10:25-29 “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?””
Because of sin, all mankind is languishing in despair and doesn’t know how to inherit eternal life. The lawyer that was testing Jesus with the question about this, answered Jesus’ question back with a good answer from the Law. He advocated loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength and our neighbor as ourself. The story revealed God’s mercy towards us and what He desires of us. Eternal life is a gift of God’s mercy. He alone has defeated all our enemies and goes before us. He alone can heal our rebellious hearts and pour in His love.
Deuteronomy 20:2-4 “And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is He Who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for being our “Neighbor” in sending Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving us the gift of eternal life by faith through Your grace and for healing our rebellious hearts. Deliver me from ever thinking I can earn eternal life. Help me today to be a neighbor to those around me and to love as You loved me and gave Yourself for me!
Psalm 6:1-2 “O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor discipline me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But You, O Lord–how long?”