Fear that changes everything

Heb 13:5-6 - Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Wow. This is timely verse for this time and age. I have found myself becoming anxious in the past few weeks with all this talk of recession. I have found that I am never anxious when I think about God and how He promises that He will provide and care for me, but I do become anxious when I think about what could be, and how will I get what I need and what if things get worse. This I have always known. But, what surprised me in this passage was that the worry and fear is born out of a love for money and continual desire for more. Our fear is born not out of just surviving and making it, but losing money and losing stuff. God says, love me more than money, be content with little and like Philippians 4:11-13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Fear God and grow through this trial a fear and love for God that money can't touch. Use this time to dig deep the roots of trust and you will become rich in faith. Hebrews 11.6 says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God..."

Ps 128:1-4 - A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.

The difference between blessing and lack of blessing is what and who you fear. Here the blessing is on the one who fears that Lord and walk in his ways. You will be blessed in the fruit of your labor, and prosperity and peace and joy will be yours, regardless of the amount of money you have. You will experience prosperity despite the amount of money you have. Your children will learn to trust God and experience a dynamic relationship of seeing God provide. You will grow rich in faith. It's who you fear that changes everything.