Author: ChristianHolinessDaily

Fear Not 365 – It is I

January 29, 2017 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

Sometimes, we just don’t get it. We simply cannot see God at work. Peter and the disciples couldn’t. The night is dark. A storm moves in. The winds blow. The sea rocks. The boat is pitched. They see a ghost, or so they think.

I must remind you, many of these disciples are seasoned fishermen, and grew up on the sea. The others, are no strangers to the sea. They have seen everything, but they have never seen anyone walking on the water. No wonder they think it is a ghost.

What they see, of course, is no ghost, rather it is Jesus walking across the surface of the stormy water, three or four miles from shore. Perceiving their apprehension, he calls to them,

“Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

The disciples, though, are so caught up in the darkness and stormy night, that they do not recognize their Lord.

Like the disciples on that night, we live in a dark world. Storms light the sky. Winds blow in. Our world is rocked. Our lives are pitched about. Sometimes we do not recognize that Jesus is walking in our midst. He is right there, in the middle of the storm, reaching out to us and saying,

“Take courage, for it is I. Fear Not!”

Fear Not 365 – For He Gives Refuge in His Wings

January 28, 2017 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

The Bible is full of metaphors to describe God, but one of the oddest seems to be this one, in the 91st Psalm.

He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

While the word picture might seem odd or even humorous, it is not.

The psalmist refers to the the safety that one finds in God’s presence.

It is in His presence that we find His care.
It is in His presence that He hides us from our enemies.
It is in His presence that He shelters us from the storm.
It is in His presence that He gives us comfort.
It is in His presence that we feel His love.
It is in His presence that we find His compassion.
It is in His presence that we find warmth.
It is in His presence that He speaks to us.
It is in His presence that He teaches us.

Father, may I never leave Your abiding presence.

He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

-Psalm 91:4-5

Fear Not, for He gives us refuge under His wings.

Fear Not – Speak Out

January 27, 2017 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

In this passage, (Acts 18) Paul has decided not to try to reach the Jews in Corinth because they had violently opposed him. Have you ever been too frightened to speak to others about Christ?

I have never faced true persecution like some of you. No one has ever threatened to put me to death unless I denounce my beliefs. I have always thought, though, that it might be easier to endure persecution than it to simply talk to friends about Christ. I pray I never find out. For many Christians, “witnessing” to friends and loved ones is especially difficult.

Yet, Christ commands us to spread the Gospel. “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Did you catch that? First, in Jerusalem. First, we are to be witnesses where we are, at home. At work. At school. Wherever we are, we are to be witnesses.

I have several times heard the story – true in spirit, if not in fact – of a young man who went to his pastor and told him that he felt God’s call to the mission field.

When the pastor urged him to begin preparations by witnessing to friends and family, the young man lost interest.

Why is it that so many of us are afraid to stand up and talk about Christ to those we know and love?

When I asked one of my friends that very question, he answered that he didn’t want to be a hypocrite.

I reminded him that it is not hypocritical to explain the truth. As Christians, we are not perfect; we still sin. Sometimes, we still have a great deal of sin in our lives. What we are, is forgiven. God will rid us of our sin, in time. He is changing us. He is changing me.

Don’t be so afraid of persecution that you give up. And don’t be afraid of being a hypocrite. It is not hypocritical to tell people that God has forgiven you and is changing you. We are sinners saved by grace, being transformed into the likeness of Christ. God’s ways, in God’s time.

Fear Not. Speak Out.