Be Not Afraid

 Luke 2:10
 …“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people…”
Being afraid is a natural instinct of humanity. Fear is an emotion that kicks in when we sense danger. We are not safe and there is a possibility that we are in harm's way. I have seen inscriptions on hats and T-shirts with the words “Fearless”. The message implies that they are not afraid of anything. The reality is that we have an element of fear that God puts in us. The shepherds in the field were not chastised for their fear. Who would not be afraid if angels all of a sudden appeared all around you and a supernatural light glowed all around them. The comfort comes when we are assured that God is in control and putting our trust in Him means that we do not have to fear. When God says, “do not fear”, we can believe that He knows where we are and what we are going through. We no longer have to hold on to our insecurities and fear the unknown. We can let go and rest in the knowledge that God is good and has our back. 

Cheerful Giver

 2 Corinth 9:7
Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver
Giving money is not the only way to be a giver, but money allows us to purchase the essential needs of survival. Providing for the needs of those who are in need of food and shelter is grounded in scripture.  Giving to the ministry of spreading the Gospel of Christ is also foundational to the support of God’s work. Giving to the work of God was established in the Old Testament when God required the people of Israel to give a tenth of their income. This was written in OT law, but Christ changed the heart of man, putting within each believer a new law,  the desire to give. We are not giving because God is holding a stick over our head and requires us to empty our pockets, but He tenderly touches our heart, showing us that He gave His indescribable gift to us in Christ. Putting in our heart a thanksgiving spirit to give and sacrifice our wants and desires to help others, and to further the Kingdom of God. Are you a cheerful giver, or do you give out of obligation and duty? Blessed are those who give out of love and not duty

Light of Life

 Dec. 4th, 2021
John 8:12
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
A light shining in darkness will dispel fear of the unknown. The light may not always reveal what is hiding behind the shadows, but if one stays close to the light, the light will shine a pathway to its destination. We live in a world that is full of darkness, Satan has blinded the eyes of many and has deceived them from seeing the true light. He has deceived others to think, that which is good is evil, and that which is evil is good. Following Jesus, is to follow His teachings and life. Jesus never condoned sin (The life of darkness) but he came to shine the light of God on sin so that others may see their sinfulness and start to walk toward the light of God’s love. It is not good enough to just stop committing sin, to have real life is to have Christ be the light within you. He is the Light of Life, follow the light.

We Will Not Be Shaken

Psalm 62
My soul waits in silence for God alone; From Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I will not be greatly shaken. 

Earthquakes bring fear and uncertainty. They shake the ground we stand on and the things around us fall into disarray. Our world also shakes around us and life seems to come tumbling down. Loved ones pass away unexpectedly, the loss of work, relationships fall apart, our freedoms in our country are being attacked, and  the cares of life press on us leaving us in distress. We have a rock, a stronghold that will not be shaken. He alone is able to keep us from all that will hurt us. He is our salvation, and in Him we can trust that all will be well, we will not be shaken, we are in the palm of His hand.

All Scripture

 2 Tim 3:16
 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness.

Many people have a horse to ride when it comes to preaching the Bible. There are some preachers that you know will be preaching on praising God, another preacher will preach on hellfire and brimstone as their preaching legacy. As a person who believes that Christian should live with a perfect heart toward God and live holy and blameless, I like to focus on those parts of the scripture that emphasizes behaviors that are unspotted from the world.  Preaching Jesus, the good news of salvation is also at the top of my list, and to me should be the center focus of all scripture. What good is it to live a sinless life (avoid sinful acts) if you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. You can praise God morning, noon, and night, but if Christ does not abide in the heart, our praises are clanging cymbals. Yes, we must never get away from being part of the Vine, a part of Christ. For those who abide in Him, all scripture is given to us for instruction to live pleasing to God. We find answers to life problems, we are comforted by His promises, and stand corrected when we mess up. His word is full of grace and mercy, it will lead the sinner to repentance, and provide the believer with instructions to walk according to His precepts. ALL SCRIPTURE, the whole counsel of God is provided for us to make it into the Kingdom of God.

Worship Him

 John 4:23-24
The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 
The place of worship is a special place. I often feel that God dwells nearer in these places. The reality is that God is not confined to a location or building. I still feel that the house of God holds special meaning, and that He is pleased that we have dedicated a place to gather together as believers to praise and worship Him as a collective body of worshipers. But as true worshipers of the Father, we worship Him everywhere we go. We worship Him in the way we live. Christ is the center of our lives, and in everything we give thanks. He is the air we breath, we find solace in knowing that He walks with us, talks with us, and abides in us. I love to worship Him in His house, but God is not seen in the material things of this world, He is seen in the hearts of believers, and we worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

He Loves Us

 Roman 8:37
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

God’s love is not necessarily seen through the blessing we are given by Him. His goodness is not determined by the things we have and even the family that surrounds us. Even in the hard times, His love and goodness is manifest toward us. He walks with us even in the shadow of darkness. In our darkest hour, He draws near and cares about our needs and struggles. We cast our cares upon Him and He cares for us. He loves you and me, and His love is not measured by what we have or don’t have, His love is measured by His abiding presence in the time of need. O, how He loves you and me!