Tag: fear | Page 7

Fear Not 365 – For You Shall Have This, Too

February 17, 2017 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

I wish that I could dig through the Bible and find every mention of the word fear, and that every one of them would be uplifting and positive and leave us feeling like we are ready to go out and conquer the world. If I did that, then I would be dishonest.

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.

Fear Not 365 – Bad News

February 3, 2017 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

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.

Fear Not 365 – He Delivered Me

January 20, 2017 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

I have always thought that the life of David is fascinating. He was a man full of conflict and paradox. He was tough, smart, and a fearless warrior. At the same time, he was cunning, devious, passionate, fearful and vulnerable. He was a shepherd, musician, poet, warrior, and king. He was, in other words, human.

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.