Monday, January 26, 2009
Fear that guards your heart
Peace is from God and peace will guard your heart and mind so that it will stay in Christ Jesus. That is the end goal. That through all of life's struggles and difficulties, our heart and mind would remain settled and sure in Christ Jesus as we trust Him and allow Him to be Lord in all life's circumstances. Why in Christ Jesus? Because Christ is our strength to make it through the difficulties and fearful realities. He is our joy which can be to the full despite circumstances. He is our caretaker, who will be with us forever and will help us overcome the world. The worst thing we can do is left anxiety upset our intimate relationship with Jesus. Above all else, cling to Jesus.
Ps 103:17 - But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—
The love of the Lord is with us and our children and our children's children.. This is a given. But, it remains on those who fear God. Fear God and know His love. It seems like a contradiction, but these two in fact go hand in hand. Love and fear, peace and joy... In all your anxieties, fear God only. You will be at peace, you will know His love and you will live unshakable in very shaky times.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Fear that ends in spirit-filled peace
In this comforting statement to his disciples, Jesus offers them peace instead of fear. It is as if he defines them as opposites, declares them as enemies and says this will be a sign of their trust in Jesus. If they ever experience trouble in their spirit or fear, they don't have the peace of Christ that he is offering them. In the verse before, Jesus tells them about the Holy Spirit and how he will not only bring to their minds all the teachings of Jesus but also teach them as well. That is a clue to how to have peace when you are fearful. We need the words of Jesus and the Words of scripture in our hearts, allowing the Spirit to replace fear with truth. But, it again is also a clue for us that if fear is first, that Jesus is not, because he promises to give us peace to replace our fear.
Is 11:1-3 - A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
I thought this was an amazing verse that describes how a Spirit-filled person will not only fear God, but will delight in the fear of the Lord. What a beautiful statement. When we are filled with the Spirit, we will delight in the fear of the Lord. It is a delightful thing because when you fear God, you will fear nothing else. It protects and purifies your soul and your mind from fearing anything else. It focuses us and centers us and frees us from the worries of the world. If we are to be like Jesus, we will, too, delight in the fear of the Lord, because His Spirit is in us.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
How fear turns to worship
This is a beautiful picture of the transformation of fear, from the fear of something that can hurt them to a fear of the One of who loves them. We know from the other gospel accounts that the disciples ran away and left Jesus, and then after He died, they hid for fear of the authorities. Here in the midst of their fear, Jesus shows up, and speaks to that fear with reassuring and loving words, "Peace be to you." Peace is the absence of strife and inner conflict, doubts and trouble. When we truly fear God, we will be at peace. We are only not at peace, when we give something or someone else more power than God. Jesus wants them at peace and when they are not, instead of rebuking them, shows them his body, eats with them and than speaks words of blessing to them. This change from fearing something to fearing God is described in the last line, "And they worshiped him and returned with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God." This describes a person who fears God only. A person who fears God will worship him as they are the only One worth worshiping. They will have great joy. They will bless God. Where fear ceases worship, joy and blessing, fearing God is the way to worship, joy and blessing.
What is it in your life that you have given more power or strength or worship to other than God? Do you fear the economy collapsing? Do you fear sickness or being hurt? Do you fear anything more than God? Press into Jesus, and let him replace your doubts with joy, and your fears with worship.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Fear that provides
If we can’t add an hour to our life, which we can’t, than there is nothing else we should worry about. If we could add an hour to our life, if we could change any circumstance with worry, than we should worry. But, since worrying changes nothing, since fearing things changes nothing, than, we should worry and fear nothing. God cares for us, and that should always be our antidote to worry. God cares and will care for every detail of my life. That is our solution to worry.
God will provide food and clothes and everything you need to those who fear him. The big question is: what do you fear more: Circumstances or God? It seems here that it is an either/or. I can fear God and he will take care of all my needs or I can fear circumstances and experience the discipline of the Lord of not receiving the things that I do need. This seems to be the opposite of this verse: He doesn’t provide food for those who don’t fear him.
Trust in God for all your needs. Pour out your heart to Him and be satisfied in Him, alone. Fear him only and let go of your worries and your fears from on earth and you will experience God in new and amazing ways.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Fear that moves from temporary to eternal
There is nothing that anxiety, a form of fear, can do to add an hour to a life. Anxiety can fix nothing. Worrying changes nothing. It enslaves you to this world by chaining you to the temporary and not freeing you to see the eternal, true perspective. When we think about it, fear and worry is as temporary a sin can be. Fear is wrapped up in this world.
Ps 111:10 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
I like this verse in contrast to worry because in it one recognizes that all wisdom begins with God, that those who follow God and not their own flesh and thus their own worry, have good understanding and perspective. And, so instead of spending a situation worrying, they can spend it praising God in whom belongs eternal praise. Fearing God frees you from the temporary prison of earth and allows you to see and know the reality of something which go beyond earth. That is the answer to worry. That is the solution to worry. Spend time thinking about eternity and your worries and fears will slowly dissipate.
These are the two distinct opposites. Worry and praise. Worry and fear spends time stuck in problem on earth. Praise sees a God who is in control, bigger than any problem and faithful to help, despite any perceived silence and greatness of the situation. The words eternal praise are the answer to fear and worry. He is both eternal, and worthy of praise.
How we need to spend time in praise of our eternal God when the all too temporary worries and fears press in on us.