Tag: fear of man
Don’t play to the crowd!
Scripture reading for March 1st: Mark 15
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Mark 15:9-11,15 “”Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. . .”Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.””
At Pilate’s judgment seat, he had a custom of releasing to the crowd one of the condemned prisoners. This was his way of gaining favor with those he had to govern. Earlier, he had been warned by his wife not to have anything to do with Jesus’ death because He was an ‘innocent man’. (Matthew 27:19) He knew that it was simply ‘out of envy’ that the Jewish Priests had handed Jesus over to him. He found no fault in Jesus worthy of death! All this being recorded, Pilate still played to the crowd and handed Jesus over to be crucified! In the end, Pilate would rather please the crowd than bring justice to the innocent! Political expediency trumped truth!
Observations for over-comers: Always stand firm on God’s word and truth. Don’t play to the crowd! “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.” (Psalm 5:4-6)
A student will become like his teacher!
Scripture reading for January 14th: Matthew 10
Key scriptures: Matthew 10:24-25, 28 “”A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household. . . . Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Jesus plainly taught His disciples that persecution would be their lot from others, often members of their own household. After all, Jesus was a Jew and His own countrymen turned on Him, some accusing Him of being demon-possessed and others plotting His murder–for religious reasons, of course!
However, Jesus’ disciples must continue to share the good news and preach truth without regard for those who opposed them. Their fear or respect for God must always be above a fear of man–even their own family! The fear of man could be the snare of the enemy that would take Jesus’ followers to their destruction in Hell! Jesus taught them that hell was a real place where the devil and his followers would spend eternity suffering for their lack of fear of God.
Observation for over-comers: As we follow Jesus, we are being transformed to be more like Him each day. This brings persecution from those in rebellion. Don’t fear their taunts, Christ has overcome! “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord will be kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)
Don’t depend on man’s help!
Scripture reading for July 22nd: Isaiah 17-20
“Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame. In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?” (Isaiah 20:5-6)
The fear of man is a snare that many men and women fall into. People look to a leader or a nation for help or protection. They rely on military power, political influence, or money to provide them a measure of safety and security. Most believe that ‘might makes right’ and that the ‘fittest will survive’. This appears to be the smart way to live successfully in this world.
We in the United States of America have had a lot to boast about in this regard. We have the most powerful military in the world. We have vast resources and technology that enables us to protect ourselves and to free oppressed peoples. But can these give us true safety and security? The Bible says that security is found in God alone!
Egypt was a powerful nation during this period of time. They were a nation of idolaters who consulted sorcerers and mediums instead of God. God’s prophet Isaiah warned His people that they would find these leaders very unreliable. (Isaiah 19:1-4) God would cause drought and famine to reduce the nation to despair. He would expose their politicians and officials as senseless and fools! (Isaiah 19:5-14) God would pour on them a spirit of dizziness causing them to stagger in their own vomit!
God’s mercy would be extended to those in Egypt as well. If they would turn to the Lord, He would have mercy on them! (Isaiah 19:19-22) He would raise up a deliverer and make Himself known to them. This passage ends with God declaring a blessing over Egypt and Assyria: “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:25)
God’s amazing mercy and love for all nations cause us to worship Him and willingly serve Him! Take time today and repent of any ‘trust in man’ and thank God that He is trustworthy! He alone is our source of protection and our way of escape!
Man’s help is futile!
Scripture reading for July 20th: Isaiah 17-20
“Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame. In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?” (Isaiah 20:5-6)
The fear of man is a snare that many men and women fall into. (Proverbs 29:25) People look to a man or a nation for help or protection. They rely on military power, political influence, money, or knowledge to provide them a measure of safety and security. They believe that ‘might makes right’ and that the ‘fittest will survive’. In the natural, this appears to be the smart way to live and get along in this world.
We in the United States of America boast of the most powerful and feared military in the world. We have vast resources and technology that enable us to protect ourselves and to free oppressed peoples in other parts of the world. We have sought to use our power and resources to protect freedom and fight against oppression and wickedness. But in spite of our great resources and technology God alone is our only source of safety!
Isaiah spoke an oracle against Egypt. Egypt was a powerful nation during this period of time. They were a nation of idolaters who consulted sorcerers and mediums instead of God. Isaiah warned them that they would find these leaders very unreliable and unstable and His judgment would expose them as false! (Isaiah 19:1-4) God would cause drought and famine to reduce the people to despair. He would expose their politicians and officials as senseless and fools! (Isaiah 19:11-14) God would pour on them a spirit of dizziness causing them to stagger in their own vomit! Trusting in men is futile!
God’s mercy was extended to Egypt. If they would turn to the Lord, He would have mercy on them! (Isaiah 19:19-22) He would raise up a deliverer for them and make Himself known to them and He would heal them! God declared a blessing over Egypt and Assyria: “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:25)
God’s amazing mercy and love for all nations cause us to worship Him! He alone is our source of protection and our way of escape!