Most
of us have, at times, experienced those places in our lives when we just
struggle to get a grip on our fears. There is no end to the things of this life
that can paralyze us with fear or anxiety. Loss of jobs, health, relationships,
and even sometimes simply serving God are all just a small list of the things
we get anxious about. We remember the famous words of Franklin D. Roosevelt,
who said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Those are nice words. They fit well sometimes in the moments of our lives when our fears are completely without merit. But truth be said, there are things to fear. There are things in this life that are very difficult to deal with and we should never brush off people who are facing trials of life that have serious possibilities and conclusions.
Pain is real and there are countless types of pain. There are illnesses, such as cancer, that have a very scary prognosis. People face real issues every day that are life-altering and bring very heavy burdens to their lives. We need to have something in our lives that does more than write off our fears.
Enter Jesus. Jesus was a realist. He walked this earth as a man and was tempted in all ways just as we are according to Hebrews 4:15. He knew fear. He knew it was real and He knew what it felt like to be facing something terrible, so terrible that it brought Him agony beyond any.
Luke 22:44
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Jesus knew fear. Notice though where He is in this time of agony. He is in prayer. He is in the presence of His Father, Almighty God.
There is a temptation to think God doesn’t care about your situation. That was Jesus, you say. Of course, God was watching over Him and was listening to His prayers, but I’m not Jesus. I’m not important. Baloney, that is the devil trying to drag you down.
Jesus knew we would have weak faith at times. On more than one occasion he even rebuked His disciples for that, but only because they needed to be reminded of the truth of how solid the object of their faith is. We serve a God who is so much bigger, so much stronger, so much more caring, so fuller of grace and mercy, than we can ever imagine. God is infinite. You must learn what that means.
Jesus tells us just exactly what infinite means in terms of how ell God knows us and is watching over us. Read.
Matthew 10:26-33
“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So, everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Not one single sparrow falls to the ground that God doesn’t know about. Even the hairs on your head are numbered. God knows every little thing going on in your life. He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end. Despite what some false teachers may say, he has not left us to our own. He is sovereign and He is in control. Nothing happens without His knowledge and if it happens, he allowed it. He is God.
I hope this encourages you this morning in whatever fears you face. Don’t feel foolish if your fear today seems silly and ridiculous. Take it to Him in prayer.
There are things to fear, Jesus made that clear. He said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Fear God. But if you will humble yourself before Him and confess that you do fear Him, He will give you new life and adopt you into His family. He will call you sons and daughters. He is the perfect father, a father who will allow only what is necessary in your life to purify you and at the end make you like His son, Jesus. He will turn your sorrows into joy.
Open His Word today and you will find the promises of the new life in Christ. It is a life of love. I leave you with this scripture truth.
1 John 4:15-18
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
How do you deal with your fear? Be perfected in love.
Those are nice words. They fit well sometimes in the moments of our lives when our fears are completely without merit. But truth be said, there are things to fear. There are things in this life that are very difficult to deal with and we should never brush off people who are facing trials of life that have serious possibilities and conclusions.
Pain is real and there are countless types of pain. There are illnesses, such as cancer, that have a very scary prognosis. People face real issues every day that are life-altering and bring very heavy burdens to their lives. We need to have something in our lives that does more than write off our fears.
Enter Jesus. Jesus was a realist. He walked this earth as a man and was tempted in all ways just as we are according to Hebrews 4:15. He knew fear. He knew it was real and He knew what it felt like to be facing something terrible, so terrible that it brought Him agony beyond any.
Luke 22:44
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Jesus knew fear. Notice though where He is in this time of agony. He is in prayer. He is in the presence of His Father, Almighty God.
There is a temptation to think God doesn’t care about your situation. That was Jesus, you say. Of course, God was watching over Him and was listening to His prayers, but I’m not Jesus. I’m not important. Baloney, that is the devil trying to drag you down.
Jesus knew we would have weak faith at times. On more than one occasion he even rebuked His disciples for that, but only because they needed to be reminded of the truth of how solid the object of their faith is. We serve a God who is so much bigger, so much stronger, so much more caring, so fuller of grace and mercy, than we can ever imagine. God is infinite. You must learn what that means.
Jesus tells us just exactly what infinite means in terms of how ell God knows us and is watching over us. Read.
Matthew 10:26-33
“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So, everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Not one single sparrow falls to the ground that God doesn’t know about. Even the hairs on your head are numbered. God knows every little thing going on in your life. He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end. Despite what some false teachers may say, he has not left us to our own. He is sovereign and He is in control. Nothing happens without His knowledge and if it happens, he allowed it. He is God.
I hope this encourages you this morning in whatever fears you face. Don’t feel foolish if your fear today seems silly and ridiculous. Take it to Him in prayer.
There are things to fear, Jesus made that clear. He said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Fear God. But if you will humble yourself before Him and confess that you do fear Him, He will give you new life and adopt you into His family. He will call you sons and daughters. He is the perfect father, a father who will allow only what is necessary in your life to purify you and at the end make you like His son, Jesus. He will turn your sorrows into joy.
Open His Word today and you will find the promises of the new life in Christ. It is a life of love. I leave you with this scripture truth.
1 John 4:15-18
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
How do you deal with your fear? Be perfected in love.
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