Fear

 

We are all well acquainted with the emotion that bears a choke hold.  It's ruthless.  It's torment.  It's an enemy to faith, a thief that robs you of life - imprisons you to a false reality. 

Anxiety, depression, doubt, worry, hurt, anger, sadness, low self-esteem, unworthiness, hatred, prejudice.  It comes disguised underneath many different emotions, but it all comes down to one thing:

 

FEAR.

 

The paralysis for some is the dread of what could happen years down the road, anxiety associated with an unpredictable economy, and for many it is the torment of what today, the next hour, the next minute will bring. 

"...fear has torment." 1 John 4:18a

Fear is not only an emotion, but a spiritual force. It is very similar to faith in that both have an unshakable belief in an unseen future. Fear trusts circumstances, natural predictions, the enemy's lies, and self.  Faith trusts God and what His Word says.  Fear is negative faith. 

 

Fear is an enemy of God.  It in essence rips Him of His lordship in our lives. We become self focused and not God focused.  We put our trust in the wisdom of man rather than in the power of God (1 Cor. 2:5).  We no longer see Him for Who He is and who He desires to be in our lives...  He solely becomes a gateway to Heaven, but in our day to day living He is diminished to a dusty figure placed on a shelf.   

God is love, and the Bible says that Perfect Love casts out fear.  God is THAT perfect love. 

 

"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but perfect love turns fears out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment.  He who is afraid has not fully experienced His perfect love." 1 John 4:18

Father, we want to know Your love... Your love is our freedom.  Your love removes shackles. Your love delivers us from all fear.  You are not what our circumstances look like. You are not what the latest trends define You as.  We commit to growing in the knowledge of who You truly are as defined in Your Word, and through that knowledge - growing in intimacy with You... We know that in experiencing that intimate love - fear has no more room in our lives. Thank You for Your love and the hope and peace it brings.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEyRoj2sFc4

 

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

 

Memorial Day

Father, we thank You for Jesus - the One who willingly laid His life down for our eternal freedom.

 We also thank You for the men and women who have served and are currently serving our country. Like Jesus, they have committed themselves and their time for the sake of freedom. They have unselfishly laid down their lives for us and even a future generation yet unborn.

We thank You for the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter. Comfort the families who have lost their loved ones while battling for our country's freedom. We are so thankful for the price they've paid. Comfort the families whose loved ones are away. Give them strength and courage to face each day.

We lift up those who are on the battle lines now and those who could be called at any time. We pray for their protection and safe return. We pray that their purpose in fighting for our peace not be in vain.

 We pray for the servicemen and women who do not know You. Send laborers into their path. May the blinders be removed and their eyes be opened to the Gospel message. We pray Jesus would become their hope and comfort, and that they would then unashamedly share their experience with Him to others. We pray for a domino effect to happen - that the saving message of Jesus would spread like wild fire!

 

We pray that the United States would come back to You. We pray that revival would be sparked in the hearts of all - that a great awakening would strike the land and Jesus would be glorified in America. Bless our country, Father. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBoMJmwNfbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arSiv9PRo04

Post a message to our veterans:

http://www.proudtobeavet.com/Pages/thank-you.aspx

Easter Story

 

Twelve men left all and followed Him

Miracles they had seen

They watched Him heal all who were sick

Those with unclean spirits were made clean

But one follower named Judas Iscariot

Betrayed Him with a kiss

Handed Him over to the chief priests

To be scourged and put to death

He was mocked by those that held Him

“So tell us, are You the Christ?”

“You wouldn’t believe Me if I told you,” He said

For they accused Him of speaking lies

“Are you the Son of God?” they stammered

He responded, “Yes, I am He”

Accusations of blasphemy filled the land

An act deserving the death penalty

They all condemned Him to be put to death

As they struck Him and spit in His face

Even one of His disciples whom He loved very much

Denied ever seeing His face

Carrying Him away; they delivered Him to Pilate

“Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate sneered

“You say rightly that I am a King,” Jesus said

“But My kingdom is not from here.”

Jesus, the Christ, and Barabbas, a murderer

Stood before the multitude

By custom one prisoner could be released

The one whom the people choose

“Away with this Man; release to us Barabbas,”

Insistently the people cried

“Then what shall I do with Jesus, the Christ?”

They shouted, “Let Him be crucified.”

A purple robe they placed on His body

A crown of thorns twisted on His head

“Hail, King of the Jews,” they mocked

As blood streamed from His head

His back took brutal beatings

His head they struck with a rod

Spitting into His face they scorned

“Save Yourself if You’re the Son of God!”

He didn’t fight back to prove who He was

For He knew His hour had arrived

To fulfill the very purpose for why He had come

For a lost people He would have to die

As they drove the cold nails in His hands and feet

His body exposed for all to view

Jesus cried, “Father, forgive them”

“For they know not what they do.”

Blasphemous words echoed throughout

Gross darkness encamped the land

And with His last breath He shouted aloud

“Father, I commit My spirit into Your hands.”

On the third day since His burial

An angel descended from Heaven

The earth quaked; the stone rolled away

The tomb was empty, for Jesus had risen

Two women mourned nearby the tomb

For they thought His body had been stole

The angel approached them and declared

“Rejoice, for He has arose!”

Quickly they fled to tell the disciples

Their hearts filled with great joy and fear

Some of them rejoiced while others doubted

And then in their midst Jesus appeared

They fell at His feet and worshipped

As He blessed them with His hands

“Go into all the world and tell them of Me,

I won’t be back ‘til it’s reached every land.”

“Remember you're not of this world

If you've received Me as your Lord

Be not like the world; keep from all evil

So that you may receive the final reward.”

“It’s time for Me to leave now,

You must carry out My ministry

I give you the authority to be My hands and feet

With My name you’ll set many free.”

“For it won’t be long before I return

For those who live for Me

They are who I will take as My bride

To Heaven for eternity.”

“Keep watch for the hour is so near

Be prepared to meet Me again

For in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye

As I am now, I will appear again.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOY0mjjmx8Y

 

Stones

 

 

Mistake is made

Which way to turn

Judged and battered

Bruised and torn

 

 What got her here?

Can anybody tell?

Or will you just join

And throw stones as well?

 

Does anyone here

Know her heart?

Why she was weak?

Why she fell apart?

 

You’d rather assume

Make a judgment call

Any of you standing

Beware lest you fall

 

You expose others

Yet hidden you remain

How quick you forget

I see all sin the same…

 

The teachers of the law throw a woman caught in the act of adultery at Jesus’ feet saying, “The Law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” Jesus stoops to the ground, writes in the sand, and tells them, “He without sin, go ahead and throw the first stone at her.” The men walk away one by one.  Jesus says to the woman, “Where are your accusers?  Didn’t even one condemn you?  Neither do I.  Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-12)

 

We may read this passage and marvel at God’s mercy.   We picture ourselves in this broken woman’s shoes and the relief she must have felt having her life miraculously spared.   We look at the “accusers” and are disgusted at how heartless they were, how devastating a public display of sin must have felt like, and feel a sense of thankfulness that “nowadays” is not like that anymore.

 

As I read these passages again, I find myself zooming in on the “accusers” once again, but in a much different light.  Could it be that we are falling into the same religious trap as these men as we share on social media, text gossip, or for us extra spiritual  people, send out “prayer requests” for someone's disgraceful sin?  Merciless, like the Pharisees; we parade around in our adornment of juicy details with a sole desire to make a public display of others’ wrongs.

 

Is it really that different than it was that day in the temple yard? With technology today, within a day’s time a global gossip network has been formed; fully armed with stones in hand. Overnight – you become a leader of “sowing discord among the brethren” – leading others, many in whom you do not even know, into abomination.

 

Jesus is saying the same to us.  “Are any of you without sin?  If not, then drop the stones. Stop behaving like Satan, the accuser of the brethren.  If you love Me, walk as I walked.  Walk in love.  Stop causing strife and divisions.” (Rev. 12:10, 1 John 2:6)

We are called to a higher level; to be like Him.  The Christian life is about being transformed daily into His image, His likeness, His way of doing things.  With that said, let’s look again at the opening passage of Scripture.  “He without sin, cast the first stone.”  Notice – Jesus, 100% sin free, yet you never see Him pick up a stone!  He didn’t come to crush what was already broken.  He came to restore it. (John 3:17) 

 

“If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.” (Galatians 6:1)

 

Prayer:

 

Lord, may our hearts break for the hurting, for their reconciliation to You.  May we never use another’s brokenness as a sick form of entertainment or to give us a false sense of righteousness.  It is not Your desire that any would perish, but that all would come to repentance. We want that heart.  We want a heart that is broken for the lost and for our fellow brethren who have entangled themselves in the affairs of another path.

 

We know that bad company corrupts good habits, so Lord, help us remove ourselves from those who choose to gossip and slander, from those who pull us away from doing Your will, from those who keep us flesh conscious rather than spirit conscious. We want to be promoters of unity, not sowers of discord. 

 

Forgive us for the damage we have caused others when we have not used our tongue to bring life.

 

(Rom. 1:29, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Cor. 5:20, Prov. 20:19, 2 Thess. 3:11, 1 Cor. 15:33, Psalm 133:1, Prov. 6:14, Psalm 34:13, Prov. 18:21)