We live in a world that can be dangerous at times. And there is wisdom in being mindful of genuine danger. But could there be a kind of fear that is wrong, even sinful? Could it lead to guilt, anxiety, and paranoia? And when it does, could it be part of God’s early warning system to keep us from experiencing deeper emotional or spiritual issues?
In today’s other readings, we’ll look at God’s faithfulness in hard times. And on our part, the importance of doing what is morally right and not what appears to benefit us at the moment. We’ll, also, talk about a biblical view of authority and contentment in our circumstances whatever they may be.
Spiritual battles are raging all around us. Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy all that God loves. He wants to destroy the family, destroy people’s will to work, and destroy our love for one another. He wants to divide and sow discord. And he and his evil minions seem to be ramping up their evil crusade everywhere. But many of us go into the battle ill-prepared. So, how can we strengthen and prepare ourselves for life’s battles?
And today’s readings in Proverbs and the New Testament talk about spiritual battles of another kind, the ones that go on inside of us.
First, how the “lions” of fear can keep us from moving forward and trusting God.
And in Romans, after acknowledging the war between the flesh and the spirit, the Apostle Paul tells us how we can be assured of victory. A message we all need to hear concerning our personal spiritual battles with sin, the flesh, and the devil.
We have all known once seemingly faithful pastors and other believers who have fallen into sin or simply let their walks with God fall by the wayside. Too often they leave destruction, even despair, in their wake. What about you? Could you be drawn away from God’s call on your life by flattery, fear, money, success, favor with the right people, or other distractions? What can we learn from Nehemiah about protecting our testimonies, our jobs, and our ministries from those things?
Are you bold enough to ask God for a double portion of His power in your life? Why do you or I neglect to say as Isaiah did, “Send me!” or like Elisha, “Please give me a double portion, Lord!” Is it out of a false sense of humility, fear, or something else?
David, the Apostle Paul, and others in the Bible understood their need to trust in and rely on God and not their own abilities or anything else. What about you? In what are you trusting with the things going on in your life and the world around us? Whether it’s the images on the nightly news, the threat of continuing inflation, political issues, or worries about your family, health or personal finances, where is your trust? Is it in the government, in medical intervention, or in your own abilities? Or are you ultimately trusting God and God alone?
Today we’ll look at how guilt and shame are tied to other negative emotions like fear and shame. We’ll also see how the culture has tried to remove all restrictions, including God’s law, to alleviate feelings of guilt, instead of dealing with the root issues. Then we’ll look at what guilt is biblically and how God says to deal with it.
When sin entered the world it was accompanied by an uninvited guest … FEAR. Yet, the Bible tells us over 450 times, “fear not” or similar words. Find out the two root causes of fear and learn to overcome it biblically in your own life.
Aging parents, health concerns, rebellious children, financial worries, safety issues and more. For many of us, they can lead to increasing fear, worry, and anxiety ranging from mild to paralyzing.
As believers we know we should trust God rather than be fearful and worried, but the peace we desire and God wants us to have, sometimes seems elusive.
We know the answer lies in our relationship with Christ, but sometimes we need practical advice on how to break those old habit patterns.
LIVING BETWEEN THE ALREADY & THE NOT YET – Part 3 Several weeks ago I started this series, “Living Between the Already and the Not Yet.” “The already” is who we are in Christ and have been since the day that...
