Fear or faith.

Readings for March 28, 2015: Deuteronomy 20-22, Psalm 46.

Fear is natural.  It’s normal to be afraid when we’re confronted with a scary situation.  It’s normal to be afraid when there are storms and troubles in our life.  It’s natural for us to fear people, circumstances, events, enemies.  Fear is natural and normal.

And that’s the problem. What comes naturally to us is only sinful.  What comes to us without any effort at all is sinful and self-centered.  God himself reveals it when he said in Genesis: “The heart of mankind is only evil all the time” (cf. Genesis 8:21).  Normally and naturally God doesn’t sit on the throne of our hearts as the only God, our only God.  And normally and naturally we don’t want him.  That’s why we get scared and are afraid of people, circumstances, events and enemies.  Naturally and normally there are idols in our hearts.  Fear identifies the presence of idols, idols that we trust more than God, idols that we lean on more than God.  Fear identifies that we still are sinner/saint, that we still have a sinful flesh that doesn’t want to let God rule our hearts, that we still don’t want to trust God with all our heart, soul, mind or strength.

Constantly, however, God calls us to faith instead of fear.  As his people prepared to go in and fight to take over the land God had promised them, “Don’t be afraid of them because I will fight for you.”  God called his people to trust him instead of their weapons.  God called his people to trust him instead of their own strength.  God called his people to trust him instead of any other god.

Today, God calls us to faith instead of fear. Hear him.  Repent of your trust in people and things.  Repent of your trust in anything that is not God.  And hear God call you to trust him.  Hear God reveal to you who he is.  Hear God reveal to you why you have no reason to be afraid even if the nations are in uproar, even if the waves are surging and the winds are blowing.  Listen to God reveal who he is.  And then, then, live in faith not fear.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Lord God, my heart shakes often and for many different reasons.  I am often afraid of many different things.  This reveals my sinful dependence on things beside you.  This uncovers the foolishness and blindness of my own heart.  Forgive me and root out the fear from my heart.  Be the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Be my refuge and strength, my ever present help in trouble. Be for me what I cannot be for myself.  Be for me what no person, no institution, no thing can be for me – My Helper and my Savior, my God!  Abolish fear in my heart and fill me with faith.  Amen.

Faith’s full cup.

Readings for March 9, 2015: Numbers 11-15, Psalm 31.

How’s it look for today?  Are you excited about the opportunities, ready to take them on?  Are you nervous and scared about the challenges, afraid of what might happen?  What is your outlook, your forecast for today?

As I read today, I wondered: “Why would God send his spies into the Promise Land if their inheritance of that land was a foregone conclusion? Why bother to check it out if you were going their no matter what?”  There were two things that the spies saw when they went.  They saw amazing fruit and a land full of great gifts from God.  Their finds showed a land of huge promise and great reward for the people.  But they also saw enemies and nations that made them look and feel like grasshoppers.  Two men, Joshua and Caleb, saw the opportunity and trusted the promise.  The other spies, 10 of them, noticed the opportunity, but saw the enemies and feared the threat.  And the nation followed them.  The nation of Israel saw an empty glass and even cursed God for the journey on which God had taken them on.

There are opportunities for you today.  What are they?  What is God setting before you today like an open door, for you to grab and do?  There are also challenges for you today.  What are they?  What do you fear? What enemies are lurking around the corner, like a lion in the street?

Let’s live today, grabbing the opportunities and taking on the challenges, with faith.  We can trust God.  That’s all God wanted from his people.  He wanted them to trust them even though the enemies were bigger and they were like grasshoppers in their eyes.  God had a proven track record that he was more than powerful enough to take on and take down any enemy that they might face.  God has given us that same track record to us.  We know what he’s done. We’ve seen in the Scriptures his power and might to keep his promise to the Israelites.  And more – we’ve seen Jesus die for us.  If God didn’t spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.  How will he not also give us all things? (cf. Romans 8:32).

Here’s where we differ from the Israelites.  They knew the promise of God.  They knew that they would inherit the Promise Land. God had told them that much.  God hasn’t told us how it’s going to turn out for us on earth.  We long, like the people of Israel for the Promised Land of heaven.  That’s certain.  But on earth, we’re not sure how it’s going to turn out or what God is going to do.  But I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see!

Lord God, I see opportunities and challenges before me.  I’m excited and scared all at the same time.  Grant me strength to work at whatever you give me to do today with all my might.  And then do your work.  I can’t wait to see what you’ll do. Amen.

Godly swagger.

Readings for March 3, 2015: Hebrews 7-19, Psalm 26.

swag·ger ˈswaɡər/ verb 1. walk or behave in a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive way. noun 1. a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive gait or manner.

Swagger can have some negative connotations.  It can come across as arrogant, aggressive, pushy, better than everybody else.  And it certainly can have those connotations, especially depending on the reason behind the swagger.

The writer to the Hebrews drives us to a godly sort of swagger, a godly confidence.  Verse after verse, chapter after chapter he points out the superiority and prominence of Jesus.  He is the Savior and no one is his equal, not even close.  And here’s the thing.  He’s our Savior.  He’s my Savior.  He’s our God.  He’s my God.  What about that directs our eyes to the floor!?!  We have such a Savior that none is his equal!  It’s ridiculous how awesome he is.  It’s just plain awesome.  We can walk about with a bit of swagger in our step because of who our God is, who our Savior is, and who we are to him!

But let’s check that.  The writer to the Hebrews definitely lays down the gauntlet too.  There are some strong warnings not to ever turn our backs on him who is our God and Savior.  There are even some severe threats against us so that we don’t step away, wander away and fall away from the faith.  It’s enough to scare me.  It’s a moment for us to walk with a little more humility in our step, living our lives in fear and trembling, not afraid but, yeah, a little bit afraid because of who God is, because of how great he is, because of how gracious he’s been to us.  Martin Luther begins his explanation to almost every commandment by saying, “We should fear and love God…” It puts a little humility, a little awe, a little seriousness in our step.

And yet, despite the fear and awe, the fear and trembling with which we walk, there is a godly swagger.  Why?  Because “we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (Hebrews 10:39). Here’s my confession, fully of godly swagger, fully of Spirit-inspired confidence.  I’m new in Christ.  I’m saved by him.  I’m loved by him.  I’m God’s child.  I’m forgiven.  Bring on the day.  Bring on the challenges.  I belong to him and belong with those who believe and are saved.  

I pray God gives you the same confession, the same godly swagger, and the same Spirit-inspired confidence.

Jesus, thank you for being the ultimate Savior and rescuing me from an empty way of life that was self-seeking and self-pleasing.  Thank you for washing me clean and ushering me into a relationship with the Father.  This is a highly exalted status before God, indeed! Help me walk today with a godly swagger, a Spirit-inspired confidence, fitting for a child of God – confident of your love and loving all people I meet.  Amen.

Take Courage!

Readings for February 17, 2015: Acts 22-25, Proverbs 13:1-12.

Fear can be a paralyzing thing.  Take it from the Cowardly Lion.  Take it from me.  Physical danger and fear of physical dangers can be paralyzing.  Think of how the fear of heights, the fear of tight spaces, the fear of spiders, etc. really paralyzes people.  Emotional fear and threats are paralyzing too.  Think of how the fear of push back at one of your ideas, the fear of accusation, the fear of retaliation, the fear of hurt feelings, the fear of a confrontation, etc. can really shut people down.  Sometimes we’ll even crawl into a deep dark cave just to get away from the hurt.  Fear – physical and emotional – can be a devastating and paralyzing thing.

Paul was facing some major fears.  He had gone to Jerusalem but now had been arrested.  He was threatened with death.  He was imprisoned.  He was hated.  There were physical threats against his life and attacks against his person.  But God came and spoke to him and said, “Take courage” (Acts 23:11).  Literally, God said, “Be of good cheer.  Have good courage!  Be strong.”

Have you ever noticed how often God says this kind of thing to us?  “Don’t be afraid!”  “Take heart!” “Be of good cheer.”  “Fear not.”  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled.”  It astounding really.  God wants us to know without a doubt in the world that we have nothing to fear, nothing at all.  Consider it.  Why would God say, “Don’t be afraid?”  BECAUSE we have nothing to fear.

Think on it. We have nothing physical to fear.  Jesus has the power to calm the wind and the waves.  Our Father in heaven has the power to create with a single word.  The Spirit has the power to create life in dead, dry bones.  Our God has this power over all things AND he loves you.  POWER + LOVE = nothing to fear.

We have nothing emotional to fear.  Even if people reject us and our ideas, even if people turn their backs on and slander us, our God has other words to say to his children, to those who believe in his Son, “My beloved.  My chosen people.  Dear children who belong to me.” God’s FORGIVENESS + ACCEPTANCE in his Son = nothing to fear.

Take courage!  Paul faced trial and accusers.  We face all kinds of things.  But in the face of those things take courage because of who your God is.

Father, as I stare ahead into my day there are things that make my heart shake and even want to paralyze me.  Give me a God-worked swagger, a humble confidence that comes from knowing you.  Amen.

A Good Word.

Readings for February 16, 2015: Acts 19-21, Proverbs 12:15-28.

It’s Monday morning.  It’s going to be a big week.  It’s going to be a busy week.  I’m not sure what is on your plate and on your to-do list this week, but we’re all busy.  There always seems to be more to do than there are hours in the day.  Some of the things, if not all of the things, seem to be things that are beyond our ability to handle. Our hearts are heavy to face it all.

The apostle Paul was facing some major things in the days and weeks ahead.  He was facing a farewell with the Ephesians congregation with whom he had spent three years of his life.  He was facing major mistreatment and persecution in the great city of Jerusalem.  Yet, as you watch Paul.  He faced it all with a cheerful and joyful heart.  He knew what was coming, but he wasn’t anxious.  He was thankful.

Anxiety will weigh you down. That’s what Solomon wants to teach us.  “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up” (Proverbs 12:25).  Anxiety is an attitude or an emotion of distrust.  It is to be troubled and really bothered by something.  And it’s like a weight on your shoulders.  It makes your neck and back tense up.  It keeps your mind and body from really resting at night.  We become consumed with worry and anxiety.  Someone once said, “Worry and anxiety is like sitting in a rocking chair.  We do a lot of moving, but we don’t go anywhere.”  Anxiety is just like that.  Our mind and sometimes even our body is very active, but we’re not going anywhere.

What’s the antidote?  Solomon tells us that. “A kind word cheers it up.”  We need a good word of encouragement from a friend, who reminds you of God’s promises, of God’s love, of God’s care, of God’s power.  That’s what Barnabas was for Paul and so many others.  He was the encourager! That’s what his name means and that’s what he did.  We need a good word of encouragement from God’s Word.  As you read today and every day, pay attention to the words that God speaks.  He is speaking a good word to you to encourage you, to help you, and to build you up.  His only aim is to save you.  His only aim is to bring you to himself.  We need a good word to ourselves.  This is where we take God’s Word that we read and preach a sermon to ourselves.  Take one passage from your daily reading and preach it to your heart all day long.  Remind yourself about it.  Walk in the green pastures of God’s Word.  You’re safe under the care of the Good Shepherd.

Lord Jesus, speak life and speak hope to me through the people around me.  Speak life and hope to me through your Word and by your Spirit.  Amen.

You’re in good hands.

Readings for January 30, 2015: Exodus 15-17, Proverbs 1.

Scripture – “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at east, without fear from harm” (Proverbs 1:32-33).

Observation – A false sense of security is harmful.  I have self-security in what I’ve done; that becomes self-righteousness.  God makes it clear that I have none.  I can become secure in possessions; i.e. I’m okay with what I have or what I know.  I’m safe because I have money in the bank.  This is where Israel seems to be.  This is why they grumble when they don’t have it.  I can even become sinfully secure in God’s grace and think, “I can go do whatever I want because God has overflowing grace for me.”  This leads us away from faith and into all kinds of harmful sins and even toward condemnation.  But true rest and security is not found in us, in our stuff, in our work, in our ability.  True security is found in the God who so powerfully provides, who is always present, always with me.

Application – We’re all a little bit insecure in one way or another.  We become insecure because we’re not sure people like us.  We grow insecure because we’re nervous about plans succeeding.  We are insecure because finances aren’t where we’d like them to be.  We even get insecure because we’re leaving behind a comfortable place and moving forward; the new and the different is always uncomfortable for a while (but sometimes that’s what it takes to move on).  I am/we are insecure in ourselves, our abilities, our plans, our “approval rating,” our finances, etc.

What Solomon is saying to me/us is this: I may face trouble or hardship or opposition, yet I don’t need to fear it.  “without fear from harm.”  I am not and I don’t need to be afraid of what may happen, how people may respond, what people may do, where all this may lead.  That’s not mine to worry about.  That’s God’s.  And he has me in his good and powerful hands. Solomon says, “Seek God in his Word, seek God’s wisdom – there, there in God’s hands – there, there, in God’s Word – there is no fear.”  You are in good hands.

Prayer – Father in heaven, give me your wisdom from above and erase my fear and insecurities from my heart because I’m in your good hands.  Amen.

Note: For the next few days in this daily reading blog I’m going to SOAP it as an example of how you might read the Bible devotionally. This method comes from Wayne Cordeiro’s book “The Divine Mentor.” S – Scripture, pick a verse that you want to focus on.  O – Observation.  Make some observations about it.  A – Application. Apply it to your heart, your life, your walk. P – Prayer.  Pray about it. This devotional practice has served me very well.

Absolute confidence.

Readings for January 29, 2015: Exodus 12-14, Psalm 23.

It was terrifying for Israel to leave Egypt for all kinds of reasons.  Strange isn’t it.  They were slaves to the Egyptians.  They were mistreated and abused.  The Egyptians were practicing population control.  And yet as you read on and walk with the Israelites into the wilderness and through the Red Sea they kept saying, “I wish we were back in Egypt; life was so much better than it is now.” Really.

Okay, I get it. Kind of.  Pharaoh was chasing them.  He wanted them dead.  He was running them down with his best chariots and fasted horses. They were leaving behind the comfortable and the familiar.  The idea of leaving home (as terrible as home had been) was scarier to them then staying behind.

Man, change is hard.  Moving forward is hard.  Leaving our comfort zones is difficult.  It puts us out there where people can take pot shots.  It’s new and it’s weird and it’s strange and it’s scary.

But God was with them.  He never left them.  He was there by their side, always between them and the Egyptians.  He was the pillar of cloud by night and the pillar of fire by day that stood between them.  He was the one who opened up the Red Sea so it stood up like a wall of water on the right and on the left.  They were not alone.  And neither are we.

Read Psalm 23, slowly, as you walk into this year.  Notice the absolute confidence David has in his God who never leaves his side.  David is sure that God will give absolute provision; nothing is lacking for me.  I have what I need.  My God perfectly leads me to sustain, nourish, refresh and restore me.  He is constantly a presence by my side, even in the darkest valley – yes, even in the death’s valley he is by my side.  Therefore, NO FEAR of evil; he is with me.  His cup of blessing pours over the brim of it’s cup, right in front of my enemies.  Can you imagine being an Egyptian audience standing at the edge of the Red Sea and watching God deliver his people and destroy your army!?!  God is with us!  His goodness and love will follow me wherever I go; and I’m (we’re) going to get to live with him forever.

Jesus, go before me! Go after me!  Defend me! And protect me.  As I move forward this year, I recognize that change is hard.  It’s hard to leave behind the sins of the past; they were so comfortable for me.  But they weren’t and aren’t pleasing to you.  Help me leave those behind and walk in the light of your presence.  Amen.

If you want a sound track for your a no-fear kind of day, check this one out.  It is growing to be one of my favorites! It doesn’t have to be yours, but I like it.

Standing firm.

Readings for January 17, 2015: Genesis 43-46; Psalm 16.

When Wendy was forced to walk off the end of the plank, she held her head high and boldly stepped to the end of the plank and stepped off the end.  But I dare say, she had no idea what would happen when she stepped off the end of the plank.  She saw the waters below.  She felt her hands tied behind her.  She knew the dangers animals that waited below. And she had no idea what would happen to her.  She was stepping out into the great unknown.

When Israel (formerly known as Jacob) made his move to Egypt.  There was much that he must have feared and wondered about.  He looked down and saw dangers.  He looked around had questions.  But his faith was by no means blind.  He was by no means stepping into the great unknown.  God made known to him exactly what he needed to know.  He wasn’t walking off a plank.  He was standing firmly on the promise of God who said, “I am God, the God of your Father.  Do no be afraid to go to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there” (Genesis 46:2).

I want to stand with Jacob. Sure, sometimes the waters swirl around me and I’m like the disciples who cried out, “Lord help! Don’t you care! We’re going to drown.”  Sure, sometimes I am afraid of what the future holds. Sure, I am uncertain about what’s going on.  But I have promises from God.

I have specific words from God that give me certainty and hope.  And so do you.  Just open up his Word and listen to him speak.  Instead of standing on speculation and imagination, stand on the rock solid promises of God and the clear words he has spoken.  It may look like alligators want to devour us and the waves want to rise up over our heads, but God is not overwhelmed by the things that terrify us.  He wants to do good things for you, eternal things, saving things.  He wants you in heaven with him.  David knew this and spoke with confidence in Psalm 16. His prayer is our prayer.

Psalm 16:5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.