“Steve from Berkley” was what everyone called him. I’ve written about him before. He has left an indelible mark on my life.

His long stringy hair was oily and gray. His beard was scraggly. We usually met in the dining room, but when I arrived at the nursing home to see him near the end of his life, he was unable to get out of bed.

When I first met him a couple years prior to his death, he was in a federal prison hospital. Thirty some-odd years before, he had robbed a bank. Though behind bars and confined to a wheelchair, his heart had soared in freedom. Freedom of the Spirit. Freedom from sin.

Now, on this visit, he was out of prison on compassionate release, but he was bedridden and near death. When he saw me, his smile grew from one ear to another. He sat up a little and stretched out his hand for a hug.

I don’t remember of what we spoke, not that particular day, but I do know that it was typical of him to brag of God’s grace and mercy. Even near death, Steve from Berkley was full of joy. In fact, his joy, while always full, now seemed to flood the entire nursing home.

I hope and pray that, when my time comes to leave this world, my joy grows by leaps and bounds. In fact, Why wait? — Lord, let the joy that you gave me overflow to those around me.

The Gospel of John seems to have more red font in it than any other. It is chocked full of the words of Christ. Reading through it this morning my heart stuck on three of the countless things that Christ says in chapters 14 and 15… The promises. It is those promises that compelled me to remember Steve from Berkley.

John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 15:11″These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Joy, from what I can see in John, is not a decision we make, not a discipline, and not an attitude. It is a gift from Christ all we have to do is receive it.

There is no doubt that death is scary, even for Christians like Steve from Berkley. It is a lone journey; no one may join us.

Yet Christ promises us that we shall never be alone. Always. Even until the ends of the earth, Christ is with us, holding our hands, gently leading us along, sharing His joy.

God Leads His Dear Children Along

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.

1. • Refrain:
     Some through the waters, some through the flood,
     Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
     Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
     In the night season and all the day long.

2. Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,
   God leads His dear children along;
   Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,
   God leads His dear children along.

3. Though sorrows befall us and Satan oppose,
   God leads His dear children along;
   Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,
   God leads His dear children along.

4. Away from the mire, and away from the clay,
   God leads His dear children along;
   Away up in glory, eternity’s day,
   God leads His dear children along

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Not only was I unplanned, I turned out to be a disappointment to my mother. Mom died before I was 28. I lived in another state by then, but I hurried home when I got the call. I was there for her final 12 hours in this world. I am not sure if she knew I was there. I am not sure she would have cared. After Mom’s funeral my brother told me that Mom had written down some thoughts about each of her children. He refused to show it to me. It would be painful, he said. That confirmed her disappointment in me.

As sad as that sounds, my regret is not that she was disappointed in me, rather my regret is that I gave her bountiful reason to be disappointed.

I have a parent, though, whom I can never disappoint. My Heavenly Father knows my ending from my beginning. Before He spun the world like a top, He knew every sin I would ever commit. He knew every time I would go astray. He knew before I took my first breath when and where I would breathe my last. God cannot be disappointed in me because He knew exactly what I was when He invited me to follow Him.

That ledger that God keeps, with my name on the top, with two or three good things in the right column and thousands of bad things in the left column… It lists every sin I ever committed and ever will commit. Lately, though, that list has disappeared. It’s gone. No one can find it. The ink faded away. The paper burned up. In its place, God wrote my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

A few years ago, I surrendered to Jesus as my Lord. I committed to live like Him. I can never make up for disappointing Mom, but I have a proud Father that I can never disappoint.  He killed the “fatted calf” when I came home. I tell Him I’m sorry when I sin. He says, “That’s covered by the blood of the Lamb – and has been before the foundation of the world.”

Fear Not for God knows all and loves us anyway. We will never disappoint Him.

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Talk to me…

I bow before you in the morning.

At noon I praise your name.

Fall at your feet in the evening.

And, tomorrow I’ll do the same.

Just talk to me… Oh, to hear you breathe.

Let me see…

I’m searching for you in the morning.

At noon I seek your face.

Find your glory in the evening.

And, tomorrow grant me thy grace.

Just let me see… Lord, to only see.

Lord, I wait…

I am weary from so much running.

I feel like I could faint.

Please, let me rest in your presence.

Under your wings with no complaint.

Just let me wait…renew my strength.

-Talk to Me, S.J. Hager

___

Fear Not, Just Wait Upon the Lord

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This is one of the more controversial verses in the Bible. Many people believe it is a promise to believers that if we turn away, we still keep our salvation. Others believe that this verse means that God will not tolerate an unfaithful believer because He cannot be joined with that which is sinful. This begs the question, “Does God remain faithful even when we are faithless?”

Here is the verse in context:

This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.

I cannot answer that which theologians have been debating for two thousand years, but I will say this. The question is moot if we die with Him. Put to death the carnal nature by surrendering to Christ.

Brother Lawrence said this (paraphrased) –

“Now that I see God by faith, here is what comforts me: I feel what faith teaches us. I see what it teaches us. And, in that assurance… in that practice of faith, I will live and die with him.

Brother Lawrence taught that to have faith was to “live and die with Christ.” Continually. If he faltered for a brief moment, forgetting for just a while about his Savior, Jesus Christ, the he felt he had sinned and immediately confessed it to God. He puts it this way (paraphrased):

I know my weaknesses. I God let’s me alone for one moment, I would be the most wretched man alive. I don’t see how He could ever let me alone, though. Faith gives me as strong of a conviction as sense can do. I am convinced of this: He never forsakes us unless we first forsake Him.

We should fear to leave Him. We should always be with Him. We should live and die with Him, in His presence. You pray for me and I will pray for you.

Did you catch that? He never forsakes us unless we first forsake Him. I think that is what Paul is telling Timothy in the verses above. It fits right in:

If we die with Him, we will live with Him. If we deny Him, He will deny us. He will never forsake us unless we forsake Him.

Fear not, He will never forsake us unless we first forsake Him. Just keep the faith.

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Still, we all endure loss. Some more than others, but it is a universal experience. As someone who is middle aged, my experiences with death are probably quite common. I have lost all my grandparents, both parents, a handful of friends, a couple of childhood playmates, an old high school girlfriend, and a couple of coworkers. Still, I have always had this nagging feeling – as we all do – that death has a particular grudge against me, and that few others have witnessed so much death as I.

The Bible tells us that it is appointed unto man once to die; every one of us shall die. Job declared,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Take another look at that passage. You have probably heard it at funerals. You almost always here it on television depictions of funerals. “The Lord giveth… and the Lord taketh away.” The part that I find astonishing is that Job praises God. “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Can you praise God in the midst of such tragic loss? Can I? Can we look death in the eye and say, “I don’t understand God’s plan, but I will praise Him nonetheless?”

I could if it is my own death to which I refer; I have been ready to go for a while. What kind of faith does it take to say that when faced with the death of someone as close as a spouse, a son, or a daughter?

Church tradition tells that the Apostle Peter’s wife was led first to her death at the hands of Emperor Nero. As the guards led her away, Peter called to her, “Remember the Lord!” What faith. What wonderful faith!

In correspondence with a friend from Africa who has seen friends and family martyred, he has reminded me that we can be certain of a few things pertaining to death. Take comfort in them:

• Everyone will die, even those who persecute us.
• Death is not the end, look at the story of Lazarus. Our bodies will be restored at the Return of the Lord.
• The very day that we die, we will see Jesus is Paradise.
• We will see our loved ones in heaven. 2 Samuel 12:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Death is certain, but so is eternal life for those who have aloud Jesus to be Lord of their life. I have always known for certain that God took my mother because He loved her too much to allow her to suffer longer.

There is one more thing I know for certain. We must faithfully love those whom God has given us, because they are just on loan to us. He will want them back again someday.

Fear Not, for we shall see our loved ones again.

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The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6 to approach God with thanksgiving. It says it this way :

If we want to be rid of fear and anxiety, then we must…

• Pray 
• Plea earnestly 
• Give thanks 

Giving thanks is not always so easy. 

This week torrential rainfall hit the central parts of the United States. I know of one family whose home floated off its foundation and was destroyed. They were left only with an automobile and the clothes on their back. It’s easy to say they should thank God they are alive. 

It is not so easy when it happens to you. Giving thanks takes sincere introspection. It takes dialog with God. Ask Him to search your heart and show you those things for which you should be thankful. 

It’s not enough to make list and read it off. Thanks should come from the overabundance of joy within your heart. When you can speak to God like that, candidly and joyfully, then you begin to overcome all fear. 

Fear Not, rather be thankful.  

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My grandparents raised most everything they ate. I often helped Grandma make homemade egg noodles and peanut butter cookies. I resisted trying some of their recipes, though. I steered clear of hogshead cheese. I begrudgingly ate zucchini or spaghetti squash. I was fooled into eating pumpkin pie made of squash. I liked rabbit, however. It tastes like chicken. 

My job when visiting their farm was to collect eggs. More than once, I faced off with black snakes that wanted the eggs worse than I. I even helped butcher the chickens and pluck the feathers. 

I think that someday, when I am old and my memory has faded, the thing I will remember most about that farm will be keeping the newborn piglets warm under a heat lamp in the wee hours of a cold winter night. I laugh when I think that I named them. I may as well have named them Bacon, Ham, or Pork Chop. I was maybe nine years old, so what did I know? I made friends with the piglets and the sow (mother pig).

I only thought I made friends with the sow. I feel asleep in the barn. Later Grandpa carried me into the house. The next morning, I went out to check on the piglets. Grandpa had already let out the sow. As I crossed the barnyard, she was busy at the slop trough. Before I could enter the barn, she snorted and squealed and chased me to the gate. This hog was no friend. 

Instead of opening the gate, I dove for a small gap under the fence. I thought I was safe. I wasn’t. The sow bit into my leg. Grandma spent the next couple hours doctoring it. I spent weeks milking attention from it. 

That sow was vicious, just the opposite of the verse in Philippians 4:5 – 

Let your gentleness be known to all men…

That verse brings to mind Christ’s words in Matthew 10:16 –

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

The verse in Philippians is part of a larger context that speaks about the peace of God. 

Don’t worry… Be gentle. 

Don’t fear… Be meek.

Don’t fear… Be like a lamb.

Stop being anxious… Be like a dove.

That begs the question, then, how does gentleness bring one peace?

Take a look at the rest of that verse – 

…the Lord is at hand.

The Lord is at hand.

He is by your side. Within reach. He’s your Guide. Protector. Defender. You have no need to worry. Your wellbeing is His concern. Vengeance is His concern, too.

Fear Not, for the Lord is at hand. 

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When I speak of loving the doctor or hating the doctor, I am, of course, using hyperbole; I merely mean to say that we have a choice in how we view every situation in life. Within that one man, I find reason to rejoice or to begrudge. I choose to rejoice in the things I love about that doctor. 

The Bible tells us to rejoice. Always! Rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). 

Just two breaths later, Paul tells us to worry about nothing (Philippians 4:6). 

Rejoice always. Be anxious for nothing… Be afraid of nothing. Those are tall orders. Some would say those are impossible orders. Yet, here is Paul writing to the Philippian Church and telling them to be anxious for nothing.
The two thoughts are tied together, rejoicing and the lack of anxiety. One may live more easily without fear and anxiety if she rejoices in everything. One worries less if he sees the bright side to even dire situations. 

What was the bright side about removing a cancerous lump on my leg that even today gives me so much pain that I cannot walk more than a few yards without having it spasm? At the time, I could only rejoice in the fact that the doctor saved my leg and my life. In hindsight, I have much more to celebrate. 

Had it not been for that cancer in my leg, the doctors never would have found colon cancer lurking silently in my gut. At least, they never would have caught it in time. 

Had it not been for my leg, I would not have grown into a much deeper relationship with God. 

Had it not been for my cancer, I would not have grown so much closer to my wife. 

There are many more positive things that I could tell you that came as a result of a grave situation. I don’t have to list them; you see what I mean. 

Fear not. Instead, rejoice.

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Mephibosheth was born into the royal family of King Saul in ancient Israel. To be precise, he was Saul’s grandson. His father was Jonathan. He was only five years old when his grandfather gravely sinned and fell from power. During the transition of power from King Saul to King David, nearly every one in Saul’s family was killed,  including Mephibosheth’s father. The boy had been hidden away by his nanny, but he was injured when they fled – the nanny fell with him – and Mephibosheth spent the rest of his life unable to walk. 

Jonathan and King David had been close friends, and, while it was out of David’s control, the death of his friend greatly disturbed him. 

Years later, in God’s perfect timing, David approached a man who had been one of King Saul’s aids. He asked the man if Saul had any descendents remaining. 

The man told King David about Mephibosheth, who was now grown, and still unable to walk. 

David asked the man to bring Mephibosheth to see him. 

When he came before David, Mephibosheth fell on his face. 

David called him by name. 

“Here am I,” said Mephibosheth, “your servant.”

David adopted him into his own family. He welcomed him to his table, the king’s table.

Like Mephibosheth, you and I were hurt by a fall. In our case, it was not the fall of our nanny, rather the fall of all mankind through Adam. Mephibosheth could never walk again, while you and I are unable by our own strength to walk in righteousness.

Like he, we were exiled, unworthy to sit at the King’s table. 

Because of the covenant that David had made with Jonathan, David went looking for even just one descendent who remain alive and found Mephibosheth. Because of the Covenant of Christ, God went looking for and found you and I.

When Mephibosheth entered the presence of King David, he bowed before Him, knowing that he was worthy of Death because he was in the line of Saul. He felt that he did not to deserve to be in David’s house because he could not walk. He knew that he had no standing in the court.  You and I, of our own merits, are unworthy to be in God’s presence and humbly bowed before Him.

God called Mephibosheth by name. He calls us by name. He calls us to repentance. 

Because of David’s love for Jonathan, Mephibosheth was adopted into the family of David. He was given a place at the King’s table for a long as he should live. We, too, have been adopted into the Family of the King. We have a place at His table.

So David said to [Mephibosheth], “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake…” 2 Samuel 9:7

Fear Not, for God will surely show us kindness for Christ’s sake.

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That generation – my generation – learned more than “duck and cover” during their impressionable childhood years of the Cold War. They learned that by keeping a nation in fear, they could keep them bound in chains. The truly sad part is that, whether they realize it or not, those who create an atmosphere of fear are in the employment of Satan.

Yes, Satan uses fear to manipulate and bind believers. If he can plant fear in your heart, then you will begin to lose faith, doubt the power of God, fail to seek divine guidance, and take matters into your own hands.

God on the other hand creates peace in your heart, gives you comfort and guidance, even in the turmoil of this frightening world. And, He creates unity in the body of believers.
Fear Not, for when God rules your life, you discover peace in your heart and unity in the church.

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Let me back up. God tells Jonah that the sins of the city of Nineveh have come to His attention and He wishes Jonah to deliver to them an ultimatum: repent of your wicked ways or be destroyed. 

Nineveh sits about 500 miles east of Jerusalem in modern-day Iraq. Jonah does just the opposite. He buys passage to southern Spain, near Gibraltar, 2500 miles in the wrong direction. 

Jonah later tells God that his reason for fleeing is that he didn’t want to see Nineveh spared. “That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” 

What you may not know is that Nineveh was not just depraved, it was mighty, intimidating, and frightful. It had perhaps the largest army in the ancient world. It was in a constant state of war, and had conquered many neighboring nations. It was a real threat to Israel. 

Nineveh had incredibly abusive laws. The death penalty was dispensed as easily as parking tickets in today’s world. To enter the gates is the city, one had  pass through mounds of skulls, put there to inspire obedience to the king. 

While Jonah no doubt hated the people of Nineveh, he would be a fool not to be afraid of them as well. He ran away and found that God delivered him to the ocean to be swallowed by a great fish. 

God had showed Jonah that, though he may not like the job he had been called to do, the alternative was much worse. 

The message? It is God who gives us life and salvation. It is God who sustains us. Without God, we sink to the bowels of the earth, to the deepest trenches of the sea. 

It is God’s grace that delivers us, and He may give it to whom He pleases. 

Considering God’s love and how He demonstrates it to us, we should be content with the situations in which He puts us, for things could be much worse. 

Fear Not, for things could be much worse.

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As part of the treatment, they placed our boy under an oxygen tent to keep him cool, something that he was too young to understand. He was afraid. As parents it was difficult to watch him cry and reach out to us and not be able to hold him. 

We neither one could resist; our son wanted us… needed us. One at a time, we would crawl under the oxygen tent and into bed with him. We held him and reassured him until he was ready to come home a week later. 

If we, as fallible human parents, possess the irresistible urge to treat our children with such loving care, can we ever begin to imagine the loving care of our perfect Heavenly Father?

Reach out to Him, and he will comfort you and hold you. 

Fear Not. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. 

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I’ll be honest; I was nearly scared to death. The room filled with shadows, and noises, and lights like I’ve never seen before or since. A scary movie. A ouija board. Seven very active imaginations. Perhaps the devil himself. I left, and began walking home-based frightened the entire way.

It was after midnight, and I walked nearly eight miles before I caught a ride home.Still, I think I did the right thing. A wise man fears evil and departs from it, according to the Bible. That’s exactly what I did. The thing is, I never should have put myself in a situation where I had to walk home in the middle of the night. 

If we walk hand-in-hand with Christ, we will be better able to identify evil, and avoid it altogether. 

Fear Not. Flee from evil… or, better yet, avoid it altogether. 

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Here is an email from one of our faithful readers in the U.S.:

Dear Christian Holiness Daily,

I have seen a decline in holiness preaching over the past 30 years. There is very little emphasis placed on how the Holy Spirit works in our lives in empowering us to live above sin. The church we attend now is wonderful but I think there has only been one time that I have heard the word sanctification, sin, salvation, saved, holiness, or Holy Spirit over the last year! This is not an exaggeration. In years gone by, every Sunday morning service ended with an open altar.

The changes I’ve seen seem to be pulling our denomination away from its roots in the message of holiness. The preachers who used to preach holiness are either retired or passed away. The younger ones ‘teach’ but don’t preach. I guess they each have their own style, but I feel like I’m attending a college pep rally followed by a college seminar on generalized topics. Sorry if this sounds like I’m complaining or ranting. I’m just really concerned.

Do you see the same things in your church?

Thanks,

Southern Gal

Here is what we’d like her to know:

Dear Southern Gal,

I am fortunate that I go to a church where the pastor still preaches holiness. But, your letter actually addresses two very important and timely issues, and I see a third issue that stems from those two. Your first question is, do I see many pastors abandoning the message of holiness. Your second question is, do I see many pastors that still “preach?” 

Like you, I see a great number of pastors and evangelists who no longer preach that Christians can draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to live above sin. I’m sad to say that I am not surprise that you rarely hear the doctrine of holiness preached in your church. 

I, too, see a great number of ministers whose priority seems to be to entertain their congregations. God’s Word seems to come in second place behind professional performances. Some ministers, it seems, would rather rely on talent than the Spirit. They would rather appeal to the congregation’s egos and emotions than their hearts. As you adeptly word it, they would rather give a “pep rally” than an altar call. Because of this trend (and many others), many believers – including myself – fear that the Church in America may soon be unrecognizable. 

This is the third issue I see in your letter: Is there hope for the Church in America? 

Honestly, I don’t know. I fear that the Church in America has been marginalized so much, and has so forgotten what it means to be a Christian, that its immediate future seems relegated to a cultural minority, devoid of spiritual power. America’s only hope is a true revival on a national level, and soon. 

Here, though, is the hope for the Church found within the tragedy. From what I see and hear from my readers, the decline of Christianity is limited to parts of the western world. I hear of revivals and growth in India, Pakistan, and Malaysia. The church is strong in the Philippines, Nigeria, Argentina, Columbia, Syria, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East. The Church in America may be in decline, but it is on the rise elsewhere. 

Fear Not. The Christian Church will never die, for God always has a people. The Church is alive and well. 

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It’s not that certain scriptures are lost, misplaced, or denied. Rather, they’re usually surrounded by other better-known texts that tend to suck all the air out of the room. This is one such passage:

“Now, when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:23-25 NKJV).

Is it possible that for some to believe in Jesus and still not be saved?

Doesn’t Scripture make belief in Him the essence of salvation?

Immediately after our text, we find the Lord’s encounter with Nicodemus with the iconic John 3:16 which states that “whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Earlier, John 1:12 had said “…to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”

And yet, our text makes it clear that some who “believed” in Jesus were not born again.
The reason given is a fascinating one: Jesus did not believe in them.
When have we ever given thought to whether Jesus believes in us?

The problem, Jesus said, is twofold: a wicked people want a sign, or a miracle; (wicked, meaning no faith), and even when they get it their loyalty is adulterous, meaning it does not last. If it takes miracles to give you faith, miracles would be required to prop up your faith.
Faith may produce miracles, but miracles do not produce faith.
 In salvation we come to know Jesus, but He also comes to know us. Jesus said that at Judgment He will say to some, “Depart from me; I never knew you.”

Perhaps we should ask ourselves, “Does Jesus know us?”

###

Editor’s note:

How does one get to know and love another? By spending time, talking and listening. Commit to one another. 

An interviewer once asked Mother Theresa, “When you pray, what do you say to God?”

Mother Teresa replied, “I don’t talk, I simply listen.”

Believing he understood what she had just said, the interviewer next asked, “Ah, then what is it that God says to you when you pray?”

Mother Teresa replied, “He also doesn’t talk. He also simply listens.”

It’s time to get to know our Lord. Pray, read His Word, and listen. 

Fear not if you know Jesus and He knows you. 

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It is the work of the Holy Spirit to rid us of sin, remind us of God’s Word, and guide us in His ways.  The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to resist temptation and overcome sin. He replaces our sinful nature with the nature of Christ. 

If our relationship with Christ rests on whether we choose to sin or not, then we are relying upon OUR WORKS and not the work of Christ at the cross. Our job is to surrender, to commit God’s Word to our hearts, and to pray continuously. Only then may we find strength to resist temptation. The Christian walk, the walk of Christian holiness, is a mystery. It is surrender and discipline. It is study and prayer. It is not a list of rules and laws and works, rather it is submission to the Creator in love.

Christian holiness may best be described by John who calls it “perfect love.” When we grow to know God so well that we love Him more than we love ourselves, then we are guided by His love. He keeps us from sin. We need no longer to fear sin or Satan, because God leads us in paths of righteousness. We need no longer to fear God’s retribution because we are forgiven; we live within the Light of His holiness.

C. S. Lewis in “The World’s Last Night” points out that there are other things besides God’s perfect love that rids us of fear. “Perfect love, we know, casteth out fear,” he writes. “But so do several other things – ignorance, alcohol, passion, presumption, and stupidity.”

His point is that perfect love rids you of fear. Sin numbs you and desensitizes you. It’s your choice.

Have no fear; rely on God’s perfect love.

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They had sinned, and God was demonstrating His displeasure, in hopes that the nation would repent. 

Often, when we blatantly disobey God’s will or continuously live in sin, God allows storms in our lives. Frightening storms. Fierce lightning. Terrifying thunder. 

If you’re living outside of the will of God, and storms are raging around you, then stop. Listen. God is speaking to you. Somewhere in your life is a Samuel, calling you to repentance. 

The storm won’t last long, though. God may discipline us, but He will never forsake us. Return to Him. Seek  God’s forgiveness. Follow in the steps of His Son. 

Fear Not. Serve Him with all your heart. 

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Still David prepared for its construction by gathering the building materials, and turning over the materials and plans to his son (1 Chronicles 22), Solomon, who, in fact, constructed the most splendid temple ever conceived. It took seven years to build. Solomon employed seventy thousand men to bear the burden of construction. He hired eighty thousand men to quarry the stone. He sanctioned 3600 foremen. It was a wonderous achievement. 

As glorious as the temple was, it is not what Solomon is remembered for today. Solomon is best remembered for his wisdom.

In Psalm 127, Solomon tells us, 

Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

You and I are just as wondrous as Solomon’s temple if we are truly children of God. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Apostle Paul tells us that we- Christians – are God’s temple. 

We can take care of our bodies, and should, but the construction of the entire temple (our lives) must be turned over to God.  

God has gathered the materials to make you into His temple. He has lined up the workers. He spares no expense. He has drawn up the plans. He is the builder.  He is the foreman, and the head craftsman. Allow Him to construct your life. 

Do not be afraid, for He has taken much trouble to prepare a house for the Lord… The house is you. 

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Take the verse above. By itself, it seems uplifting and positive. Keep reading, though, and you discover that Rachel delivers a boy named Benoni, or Son of My Sorrow. She did so because she was dying. It’s difficult to find inspiration in this passage, for she died soon after delivery. 

While we may not draw inspiration, we can paint a lesson. Five chapters earlier, Rachel was concerned that she had born no children for her husband, Jacob. “Give me children or I will die,” she told him, and demanded that he father a child with her handmaiden. Instead of taking her problem to God, she took her problem into her own hands. 

God, though, had a different plan for Rachel. Sometime later, she gave birth to Joseph, not because of her threats, but because “God remembered” her. We don’t know for sure, but it may not have been His perfect plan for her to have a second son. On her death bed, during the birth of Benoni, she declared that God had judged her by giving her such a difficult delivery.  

It’s never a good idea to lose patience with God, make threats, scheme, and act immorally. Many bible commentaries speculate that, had Rachel waited on God to give children in His own time, that she wouldn’t have faced judgement and death. God gave Rachel her heart’s desire, and gave her two boys, but, because of her schemes, she didn’t live to enjoy them. 

Fear Not, but instead of taking matters into your own hands, take them to God. 

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The Bible is full of promises, most of which are taken out of context. The most common example of this is Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I hear this quoted – rather misquoted – almost daily. Christians, non-Christians, atheists; I think everyone misquotes this verse. “All things work out” has become “It’s meant to be.” It has become, “There’s no such thing as coincidences.” Few consider the second part of that verse, “of those who love the Lord.” Almost no one remembers the caveat, “Called according to his purpose.”

The verse in the photo above tells us we should not fear bad news. That’s tough. I hate bad news… late night phone calls; medical tests; you know, the sort of paralyzing fear that one feels when life spins out of control. Like Romans 8:28, Psalm 112:7 tells us not to fear, for God is in control. 

Here is the rub; this verse, too, includes a caveat. This promise is to those who trust in the Lord, those who are steadfast. 

There is no promise to non-believers. There is no destiny for those who do not follow Christ. There is no plan in the works for those who do not rely on the plan book. The only promise for the lost is the voice of the Father calling, “Come to me, child, and I will take away your fears.”

Fear Not Bad News, if your trust God. 

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In Psalm 34, David gives thanks for God’s protection, for delivering him from his enemies. This Psalm was written while David hid from King Saul among the Philistines. David spent his entire life, it seems, in a cycle of sin, repentance, and forgiveness, followed by sin again. And again. And again. You and I are much the same. 

In a passage similar to Psalms 34:4 (2 Timothy 4:18), we find Paul Pouring out his heart just before facing Caesar and execution. He says,

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.”

Both David and Paul were fully human, full of sin, murderers both, yet they are considered great men of God. Why? They fell on their faces daily and repented. When God revealed to them their deceitful hearts, they sought God’s mercy and asked Him to cleanse their hearts and change their lives. 

The difference in these passages, one written by David and one written by Paul, is this. David’s plea was answered when God rescued him from a dangerous situation and hid him in the unlikeliest of places. David lived many more years. Paul’s prayer was answered by his immediate execution. In Paul’s mind (and in truth), though, his execution was rescue. He was “taken safely to [God’s] heavenly kingdom,” which had been his hope for years. 

Both were delivered, but in very different ways.

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Although I remember waking up in the middle of many nights, shivering in the cold, we didn’t ask for government assistance, nor did we ask help of any church. God took care of us. I was suffering from cancer that winter, but I was months away from diagnosis. Miraculously, our water pipes never froze, we suffered no excessive flu bugs or other viruses. We dressed warmly and cuddled under blankets, and toughed it out. I prayed a lot. God protected us. 

At the end of January, business took my wife and I to St. Louis for four days where we stumbled upon a dozen or so homeless men and women living under a freeway near downtown. We didn’t have much, but we were able to help them in a very small way. I realized then that, comparatively, we were well off. 

I was scared that winter, but God is in my side. Even if God had let me freeze to death, or even if I would have lost my life to cancer, I would not want anyone to think that God had failed me. We will all die someday, but it is not the end. Death is but a beginning and this life a mere foreshadow of that which is to come. A few years of suffering in this life is a mere wisp of time compared to eternity with my Creator. I no longer fear; not like I once did. 

Let those who fear the Lord now say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

I called on the Lord in distress;

The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

The Lord is on my side;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

The Lord is for me among those who help me;

Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.

It is better to trust in the Lord

Than to put confidence in man.

– Psalm 118:4-8

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Jairus had no warning when tragedy struck his house (Mark 5). He was a man of some importance, a ruler in the synagogue, which is more or less like the chief administrator at the church. Life had been good to him. He was prosperous.  He had a family. What could go wrong?

For most people, though, something usually does go wrong. Jairus’s daughter fell ill, very ill. He was desperate. This girl was the love of his life, his reason to live, as any daughter is for any good father. She was obviously dying and there was nothing that any doctor could do for her. 

Then, Jesus arrived on the shores of his town. He begged Jesus to heal her, and Jesus immediately headed to his house, followed by a throng of people. On the way there, though, Jesus stopped. 

“Who touched me?” said Jesus. 

Jairus panicked. His daughter was deathly ill. There was no time to waste. He must have thought Jesus crazy, for He was surrounded by hundreds of people, each vying for His attention, yet the Master had asked who touched Him?

In his mind, Jairus screams, “Come, hurry, Jesus. There’s no time for this…” Only the dignity of his position prevents him from grabbing the Master by the arm and dragging him to his daughter’s side. 

No sooner does Jesus bless and heal the woman that had touched Him, than Jairus sees his servants rushing into the crowd. They need not speak. He could tell by their expressions that his daughter had passed. 

When the servants did speak and confirm his deepest fears, he lost it. Tears welled in his eyes. His lips quivered. His hands shook. His heart sank. Death had called on his home, and taken his daughter. Oh, that he could take her place. If only the woman hadn’t distracted the Master. If only… 

The Master, though, had heard the servants and took pity on Jairus. “Do not be afraid. Only believe.”

Jairus heard those words and looked into the eyes of the Master and saw not death, rather he saw eyes full of life, light and love. What he felt as he did so compelled him to believe. For when Jesus spoke, the ruler of the synagogue understood this: no one loved his daughter more than he, except the Master. And, at that very moment, Jairus knew that whatever he found when he arrived home, all would be well because his home was in the hands of the living God. 

Oh, that I had understood the lessons of Mark 5 twenty years ago, when the sheriff called my office and asked me to meet him at the scene of my wife’s accident. I would have saved myself a world of grief had I trusted in God like Jairus.

So long as we listen to the words of Jesus, keep our eyes on Him, and invite Him into our home, all will be well. No matter what tragedy strikes, it is but a small bump in an eternal road; God will provide us the strength to endure whatever besets us. “Do not be afraid. Only believe.”

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As example, Abraham was promised as an old man that he would father a child. I hope that doesn’t apply to me. I think my wife would agree. 

The same can be said about the promises to Joshua when he began leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. 

I believe, though, that the spirit of the promises may be applied to the lives of those who diligently seek to live like Jesus. 

As the older Joshua stood looking into The Promised Land, he had no idea what lie ahead. Even for a seasoned warrior and a mature leader like him, the challenge that he faced must have been daunting. 

Similarly, we stand at the beginning of a new year not knowing what lies ahead. Will we prosper, or will we face crises? Will we find health or shall our health fail? Will we look back a year from now with tears for lost loved ones? The challenge of a new year can seem daunting. 

Find the Words of the Lord to Joshua, and take them to heart. Be strong. Be courageous. Do not be discouraged. “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” DO NOT BE AFRAID. 

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