Trading Fear for Faith
Exo 3 (NRSV) 7 Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Pastor Mark concluded his two-part series on fear vs faith today. After two days of being fever free due to Covid, my fever returned yesterday and lingers today, so I stayed home and watched the service on TV.
The Pastor used Moses’ fear of following God to point out the necessity of trading our fear for faith. He stated that for most of us we have had to battle the same fear for most of lives.
It occurred to me as he spoke that the reason we have to fight the same fears for a lifetime is that, unknowingly, we continue to nurture our fears instead of facing them and letting go.
Surely not, you might say. Surely I have not given rise to my fears. But look at Moses. God told Moses His plan and told him how he was a part of His plan, and all Moses could do was come up with reasons why God was wrong.
I’ve said for years that I believe the sweetest words to God’s ears are not, I love you, but instead, Here am I. You see, fear seldom prevents us from saying “I love you” to God, but it is probably the number one preventative from saying “Here am I”.
If we could just understand and accept that God’s plans for us existed before the foundation of the world, then we could finally replace fear with faith. (KJV) 2 Tim: 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Fear Not
Josh 10(ASV) 25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage:
This week our pastor began a two part series on fear and he started with the question, “What is your greatest fear?” My immediate thought was, being elderly (I hate that word, especially when I have to apply it to myself), my greatest fear is falling. You see, as a retired pastor, I have seen how devastating falls can be and how they can lead to disability and worse.
A few years ago I heard someone say there are 365 scriptures telling us to “fear not.” Wouldn’t that be great, to have a “fear not” for every day of the year?
While this is not true, it is true that God our Father does not want us to spend our lives in fear.
Admittedly, fear is a part of each of our lives. But we do not have to allow fear to rule our lives. In fact, if we were to recognize God as our primary source when we face hard times, rather than our last resort, I believe our fears and other obstacles would be lessened.
The Pastor went on to focus on people who fear the loss of control. I think we can all identify with that type of fear to some degree.
Pastor Mark made a very salient point—when we try to control others we are trying to walk in a path not designed for us. Did you get that? We are to live in the gifts God has given us and use those gifts to walk our own path.
I love that.
I would like to encourage you to recalibrate your life choices so that fear no longer rules your life. How will relinquishing fear impact your life?
Giving up fear will enable you to begin to replace fear with faith. Will your life become miraculously easier and better? No, but you will experience a peace that is born of faith, and isn’t that better than living in fear?
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Friendship
Ecc.(NIV) 9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
I texted a friend this morning and was saddened to learn she has been undergoing major health concerns for several months. It amazes me how quickly friends can lose touch. It is not for lack of caring, but instead we sometimes are so caught up with our own traumas (and dramas) that our friendships occasionally suffer.
I have always loved this scripture in Ecclesiastes that highlights the importance of friendship. We see in clear, concise language the reasoning behind the human need for friendships. We are more productive, if we fall there is an ally to help us get back on our feet, and there is less likelihood of two being overpowered.
Admittedly, I never thought much about this third aspect of friendship. I grew up in the 50’s and ‘60’s in Little Rock where crime was much less concerning than in Solomon’s time. But in the 21st century most of us are well aware of the possibility of becoming a victim of crime and we just feel safer with a friend by our side.
The final aspect of friendship as defined by Solomon is the need for God in any relationship. When Solomon reminds us a three fold cord is not easily broken, we see that all relationships are strengthened by God, and friendship is no exception. So I encourage each of you to ask God to watch over and strengthen your friendships, preventing those relationships that are strong and those that are fragile from falling apart. You will be so glad that you took the time to ask God to bless your friends and your relationships.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Growing in Grace
2 Peter(NRSV) 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
Final Exhortation and Doxology
14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
This week our Pastor finished a two part series entitled “Growth Spurts.” He referenced the passages in Luke regarding Jesus’ growth, reminding us that Jesus gave up His divinity in exchange for our humanity. Thus, Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature as humans do. Just as we grow physically, emotionally and intellectually, it is imperative that we grow spiritually.
Around 40 years ago I attended a lay revival. I will admit I did not expect much from this revival. Instead of a big name evangelist, the revival was led by a lay person. My big revelation came when we were asked to graph our spiritual life over the past five years. I was never so shocked to see my graph revealed my spiritual life had flatlined. How could that be? I taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, attended church each time the church was open, which back then included Wednesday night and Sunday night. Yet, the evidence lay before me. No growth.
That night I began to pray with my whole heart that God would change my heart and my life to give me such a hunger and thirst after Him and His word that I could only be satisfied when I was in constant fellowship with Him. Four months later, after many hours of prayer, I was alone in my house and the Holy Spirit fell upon me. I fell immediately to my knees and bowed before a holy God, weeping and praising Him for all He was worth. It was a supernatural experience that I have never forgotten.
From time to time I am reminded of that morning 40 years ago and of the many hours of prayer that preceded that event. And I am so thankful to have since been able to study John Wesley’s understanding of Grace and and learn how we, as Christ followers, are able to grow spiritually.
Wesley explained the Grace of God as unmerited favor and showed the progression of such Grace from the time we are infants to the moment we become aware of His saving power, to the way we grow into fullness of life with our Savior. Wesley called the first step of Grace “preventing” Grace. We refer to it today as prevenient Grace and in essence it is the Grace that prepares us to understand our sin nature and to understand and receive salvation.
The second step of Grace is justification of our sins. After we have acknowledged our sins we repent and turn away from our sins. Finally we begin the process of sanctifying Grace which is, in essence, growing in Grace. Sanctification does not mean we are made perfect, but I believe it is a process of perfecting us in love. I will admit this step is where my frustration with myself is most evident. How can I be so impatient and at times so quick to complain if I am filled with God’s Grace?
The answer is that I am growing, and will continue to grow in His grace, until the day I die. Peter encouraged us to “strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” and Paul assured us in 2 Corin 5:17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new.”
So I encourage each of you to continue on the pathway called holiness, allowing God’s word and your time spent communing with God to mold you and perfect you in His love as you grow in God’s amazing Grace.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
A Closer Walk
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Have you examined your spiritual life recently? Are your prayers shorter than they used to be? Has your focus shifted? Are you neglecting reading God’s Word?
In the song “Just a Closer Walk” the unknown author has one simple request, to daily walk closer to God. But with all of the distractions in today’s world, is it possible our walk with Jesus has been affected and we scarcely notice?
Allow me to offer some encouragement. I have found the more time I spend in my Bible and in prayer, the more time I want to spend.
There is nothing wrong with a one minute prayer, but a steady diet of such a prayer will leave us weak and less capable of dealing with life’s difficulties.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul tells us to pray without ceasing. What he is telling us is that we can be in an attitude of prayer wherever we are. I like to tell folks instead of making God your last resort after you have tried to solve your problems, why not go to God first?
Psalm 119:105 tells us the Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
I pray that each of us would hunger and thirst after the Word to the point that it becomes a natural part of life to soak up the Scriptures and talk, and walk, with Jesus.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Seeking Holiness 