Faith Over Fear

As I was taking a walk, I stopped to chat with a neighbor, and we mentioned that we missed visiting with each other. She suggested we could sit on my porch at a distance, but since I feel the cold easily, that doesn’t work for me in the winter. I offered to invite her into my house, but she quickly responded with a fearful, “No, I don’t go into anybody’s house right now. We haven’t seen our children and grandchildren in a long time.” I completely understand her fear - this disease can be deadly. 

So we turn to God and what He says. We try to live our lives trusting Him especially in the hard situations in our lives. He says repeatedly “Do not fear, be anxious for nothing.” We want to live our lives obeying what He says and trusting Him rather than living in fear. 

There needs to be a balance between just trusting that we will not get the virus and, therefore, living without any caution (going anyplace we want, being with many people) or going the opposite way and giving into fear that cripples us, leaving us terrified. 

What does God say to us about fear and living with His wisdom? 

“So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isa. 41:10

We can depend on the absolute truth that God is with us and He will strengthen and help us.  There is no maybe about it. When fear assails, and it will, we can put our faith in this truth. Take time to affirm this truth to yourself – God is with me so I don’t need to let fear cripple me.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

Anxiety and fear will come given the current environment in which we live. But when it comes, this verse tells us what to do. Bring our fear to God in prayer with thanksgiving that He is in control in every situation, including COVID, and then experience His peace to guard our hearts and minds.

So as you stop letting fear guide your life, there is still the question of how to live in a world with COVID. Pastor Gabe has been preaching much about God’s wisdom as we study Proverbs. Rather than fear guiding us, we want God’s wisdom to guide us.  James 1:5-6 tells us to ask God in faith without doubting for wisdom and it will be given. When you are not sure what to do, where to go, and where not to go, what people you can see, seek God for His wisdom. He promises to guide us. He will guide through His Word, His Spirit and counsel of others.

“Heavenly Father, I am thankful that You are sovereign and You have not given me a spirit of fear but power, love and a sound mind. I confess that sometimes I have let fear guide me during this time. Thank You Lord for forgiving me because of Jesus’ death for me. I put my trust in You and seek to hear Your wisdom through Your Word, Your Spirit and counsel of others. Use my life during this time to reveal You to others.”

Freedom from the Mindset of Captivity

Scripture Reading: “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.” 2 Peter 2:20

I learned several years ago that having a “mindset of freedom” went along hand-in-hand with living a life of freedom, however, I also came to realize that one could definitely exist without the other; we can be deemed free by knowing Christ Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, but still have the mindset and actions of a captive. I was saved at the age of 33, after I entered into a discipleship/rehabilitation program. Before going into the program, I had struggled with addiction for twenty-two years, not to mention my childhood that was filled with deep hurt and trauma. So, by the time I had come to the end of myself, I was physically and mentally shackled to addiction, negative thinking, and to the ways of the world. I knew exactly what it meant to live according to the flesh and to be a captive and slave to sin. After giving my life to Christ, I truly believed in my heart that I had been set free and that I was forgiven, but my mind wasn’t on the same page as my heart. No, my mind was still a prisoner to what it once knew, and it would take a daily conscious effort to align my mind and heart to God’s Word so that I could fully live out the gift of freedom that I had been given.

There was one scripture that stuck with me from the very beginning of my journey, and I saw with my own eyes the warning of this verse come alive in the lives of those who would turn back to their old ways after being saved. 2 Peter 2:20, was the verse of awakening for me and I took heed to this warning, and I never went back. Day in and day out, I asked God to not only work in my heart, but also to work in my mind. I developed the habit of living out the Word in my daily life and putting it to practice so that my brain would develop a new way of thinking, and my new thoughts then became new actions. And then the day came, I finally experienced freedom from the mindset of captivity, my heart and my mind were working together in harmony and not separated from one another.

What I came to understand was that it was just as important for the heart to experience transformation as it was for the mind, and I understood by the warning of this scripture that one can certainly exist without the other; and when they exist separate from each other, we are only partially free. Jesus came so that we could live a life of complete freedom, mind, body and soul! It had become clear to me that I had a choice to make (as we all do), that I was either captive to my thoughts, or that I was going to take my thoughts captive; one of these always leads us back and the other always leads us forward in the fullness and freedom to which we were called to live.

“Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your transformational power! Lord, I ask that You would break down the prison walls in the minds of those that are still in captivity and that they would begin to experience the fullness of freedom in Christ Jesus. Amen!”

Steady

Scripture Reading: “My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.” (Psalm 108:1)

During one of my grad school moves, I distinctly remember struggling to carry out my mattress. The problem was not that it was too heavy. No, this poor little guy was flimsy as could be. So much so, you could barely lift it. And the accompanying bed was not much better - I don’t know where it came from, but I am pretty sure it was free. The wooden slats that held up the box springs tended to fall out during the night. One thing was made clear; it was time for a new bed! And not surprisingly, once I made that exchange, both my sleep and my back improved. 

Sometimes our spiritual lives are a lot like that sad mattress. They may look good on the surface (as my bed did when covered with a bedspread and pillows), but “flimsy” is a more accurate description when we take a closer look.

When things get tough, our natural tendency is to give up, run away, hide, pretend, or point fingers. But God has something better in mind. Through His power, we can be strong, secure, steady, and stable.

Recently, I have been challenged by Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” This section of scripture repeatedly urges us to stand firm. In other words, it is not automatic. We have to work at it.

Our spiritual strength is linked directly to the armor of God. Do you know what the first piece of armor listed here is? The belt of truth. We don’t grow strong by ignoring our shortcomings, but rather by facing them head-on. Standing firm always begins with truth.

For me, this involves identifying unhealthy thinking patterns and replacing them with God’s Word. Recently, I took the time to address some of my weaknesses in the form of a declaration. Here are a few examples:

• I am content and satisfied. (Psalm 131)

• I am chosen to display the character of God. (Colossians 3:12)

• My prayers are powerful. (James 5:16)

• I have a ministry. And it matters. (Colossians 4:17)

• I am steady. I don’t give up, and I don’t quit. (Ephesians 6:10)

The start of a new year is the perfect time to “pull back the covers,” so to speak, and examine our hearts and minds. Take a few minutes to reflect on the following: 

• What is it that causes you to grow “flimsy”?

• What unhealthy thinking do you need to replace with a declaration of truth?

• What does God have to say about your shortcomings and weaknesses?

“God, my heart is steady because You are steady. I choose to stand firm – not giving up, not running away, and not giving in. You are powerful, strong, and trustworthy. You never leave me, and You never forsake me. I can trust in you, even when life is insecure. I can find peace in chaos, strength in the storms, and joy in the trials. Amen.”

Such an Awesome Thing

Scripture Reading: Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, “Father, save Me from this hour?”  But for this purpose I came to this hour. John 12:27

Little boy asleep on a manger bed,

Do I see a crown on your tiny head?

I know this cannot be, yet in my heart I see

Such an awesome thing – I can see a king.

Little baby safe in your mother’s arms,

What is this you’re wearing to keep you warm?

A purple robe I see; you’re clothed in majesty.

Such an awesome thing – you are born a king.

Little son of Mary, how can this be?

Three wise kings have come very far to see

The one who from his birth is Lord of all the earth.

Such an awesome thing – you are king of kings.

Little child, so peaceful and unaware,

There’s a crown of sorrow that you must wear.

Yet in your eyes I see your wondrous love for me.

Such an awesome thing – you will be my king. 

When I first wrote these words they were set to music, sort of a Christmas lullaby, but even without the melody or the gentle rhythm, they speak to the wonder and majesty of the Christ child. How we love to linger in the warm glow of the manger scene, but we cannot stay there. We must also remember why it was that Jesus came to be born on that first Christmas night.

The gospel of Luke tells us that Simeon immediately recognized the infant Messiah when He was brought into the temple, and by the power of the Holy Spirit began to prophesy regarding Him. His eyes beheld a baby, but His heart saw the Savior of the world; a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of God’s chosen people. But Simeon saw something more, for he then turned to Mary and said, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel . . . and a sword will pierce even your own soul.” He saw the Savior of the world in all His glory and honor, while also seeing the “crown of sorrow” that Jesus was destined to wear.

It is good for us to delight in the warm glow of our decorations, gifts, carols and candles this Christmas, but as we do so, let’s not forget the Jesus who was born of a virgin and came into our world for a purpose – to humble Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross – and to become our king, our Savior and our Lord. O come let us adore Him! 

“Father, open our eyes, I pray, to see the wondrous love you have for us in sending Jesus to be our Savior. Thank you for that love and grace that was poured out on the cross, and may we ever live to worship you and adore our heavenly king. Amen.”

Your “Yes” Could Change Lives

As Christmas is near and we are thinking about the birth of Jesus, I want to bring our attention for a moment to Mary, his mother and the hardest “yes” she ever had to answer. Let’s step back and remember the huge step of faith Mary took those many years ago. 

Most young girls at that time and in that area of the world were betrothed/engaged at around 11 or 12 years of age; and generally, to an 18-year-old who now would be able to have a job and take care of a family. In the Eastern world if you were 13 and not married, you were like what we think of as an old maid. 

Mary was engaged to Joseph, still living with her family. But the day the angel Gabriel appeared to her, changed her life and the world forever. Mary woke up on a typical day, perhaps doing her chores or visiting with family and friends, not even imaging what would come that day.

I think of all that Luke 1 says……. all Mary heard from the angel Gabriel:

1 – You have found favor with God.

2 – You will conceive and give birth to a son.

3 – You will call him Jesus.

4 – He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 

5 - He will be given the throne of his father, David,

6 – He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever and ever.

7 – His kingdom will never end.

Can you even imagine all the thoughts Mary had after hearing this news? Some of which I am sure were that people might not believe her, perhaps even some in her own family. In that time if you were found to be pregnant outside of wedlock you were often times killed. Historically and culturally, it was an honor/shame world in which they lived. Yet her love and trust for God allowed her to say the hard “yes”.

Sometimes the holiest things we are called to do may be the very hardest. Mary had no idea what this may have cost – for herself, Joseph, her family, her village. Yet she trusted and obeyed and said yes. 

 “And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.“ Luke 1:38. I love this verse. May we all have a heart that agrees – “may it be done to me according to your word”.   

When was the last time you had a hard “yes” to answer to the Lord? Were you able to answer yes? The only way we are able to answer yes is to be so close that we can hear Him and know Him deeply. Don’t allow fear to overshow what God has for you. God gave us spiritual gifts and wants us to use them. He will always enable these gifts to be utilized for both the benefit of others and His glory. 

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior this year, let us not forget to be listening to His voice.  Always being available to say “yes” as He calls us to join him. 

“Father, thank you for the greatest gift of your son, let us not take it lightly or for granted. Give us the desire to continue our walk and grow closer each day to always be available to say yes when you ask. Our heart’s desire is to be available at any given moment.   May your will be done in all things. In Jesus name, Amen.”