Fear Not

"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  (2 Tim. 1:7 NKJV)

In just a few days all the posturing, posing, and marketing of the Presidential Campaign will be over.  Have you ever been so aware of the fear mongering that goes on as in this political cycle?

Fear is easily bred, easily manipulated, and used by the media, the politicians, and even the church to control people's behavior.  I am always amazed at how susceptible those who call themselves Christians are to the forces of fear.  Obviously it was not a new problem.  Look at history.

God speaks to Abran in Genesis 15, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

God speaks  through Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

We see it in the Psalms of David, the prophesies of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the teachings of Jesus.

Understand, the Bible does not tell us to walk in denial of the things that would bring fear, it gives us the key to being strong and courageous in the face of them.  Look again at God's encouragement to Timothy through Paul.

"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  (2 Tim. 1:7 NKJV)

God has invested, empowered, equipped, infused the believer with everything he needs to be victorious in the face of fearful things.  We have the ability to face any threat with confidence in the God who is our shield and buckler.  Giants, no problem, God is bigger.  Famine, no worry, God is able to give me all I need to thrive in the midst of the worst famine.  Political persecution, nothing to be troubled about, God will give me clear direction as to how to come out victorious.

Look at the list of what God has already given us.  

• Power, an inherent strength and ability that is made resident in us as a result of our relationship with God.  It is His power living in us in anticipation of our need to use it later.
• Love, the God kind of love, the kind of love that causes men to change their behavior and come in line with God's plan and purpose for their lives.  It is a love that is constantly looking to the needs of others in a commitment to help, to make a difference.
• A Sound Mind, actually, it is the ability to act wisely, to live with self-control.

All of this is resident in us to counter the effects of fear.  Let us rise in boldness and change our world.

I Am Encouraged

Each day the sun rises and sets in a monotonous progression, never changing its course.  The tides ebb and flow with methodical rhythm in a dance that will lull you to sleep.  Without thinking, the waters rise from the earth only to condense and again fall to the surface in an unending cycle.  Looking at this, some people are depressed or discouraged, but others are buoyed and renewed with each new sunrise, every new high tide, and with the falling of a new crop of rain drops.

David said, "When I consider the heavens ..." (Psalm 8) Looking at the same atmosphere we live in, seeing the same stars, and faced with the same challenges, David was encouraged by looking at the mundane.  In looking to the cycles of his environment David saw something from which he drew great encouragement.

The great expanse of the universe made David aware of how small and insignificant he was.  I feel that way sometimes.  What real difference does my life make in this world?  Why should anyone care if I live or die. after all, I am just a dot on a speck in the panorama of the universe.  But, like David, I see something else that makes me feel very special, I see the Father's genuine, demonstrated love toward me.

Look at David's words, "What is mere man that You give him a thought, the son of man that You pay careful attention to his every step?"  David saw, as do I, that the Father not only cared about him , but He was involved at every level of the life of the one who trusted Him in faith.  In worship, God showed up and spent time with Him, quality fellowship.  In sin, it was God going out of His way to find us and make a way for us to return to His presence and to righteousness.  He, the Father, cares so much that He numbers the individual hairs on your head, gathers your tears in a bottle, and counts the seconds you draw breath, and why?  What do we have to offer Him?  I mean, really, He's God; what can we give Him, do for Him, offer that He doesn't already have?  The answer is nothing.

So why does God bother?  That is David's epiphany.  God didn't go out of His way to be in touch with us for what we bring to the relationship.  The Father came looking for us so that He could lavish on us His wealth, His love, His power, and His wisdom.  Everything was Him loving us, what made us valuable to His was His choice to love us, and I am so glad He did.

Locate Your Heart

I bought a new laptop and was faced with a decision, did I want to subscribe to "Lojack for Laptops?"  It got me thinking about how we locate stuff.  Cars, kids, etc. all have options and gadgets available that let us keep track of where they are so we can recover them if they are lost and stolen.  What a great idea; wish I'd have thought of it, but I digress.

Locating people is something that I have found fairly easy to do.  Spiritually, emotionally, and even financially, people have "tells," those little give-aways that let you know where they are on the map.  Jesus pointed out one of these in the Gospels.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  (Matthew 6:21 NKJV)

If you want to know what someone values, look at what it is they give their money to.  I have been chastised many times for not investing my money in things that will guarantee me a cushy retirement.  What they don't understand is that a cushy retirement is of little value to me.  I love being active and involved in the things that make life worth living.  My heart is not in being able to kick back and relax in an empty existence.  My treasure is going to things like the encouragement of those who serve the Body of Christ around the world.

I remember Zig Ziglar saying, "You are going to spend a lot more time dead than you are alive; make your plans accordingly."  In other words, invest yourself in eternal things.

Where are you invested today?

In case you haven't noticed, once you pass from this globe your memory will be short-lived.  No matter the legacy you leave here may get you a statue, a bridge, a building, or a street as a memorial, but your memory will surely fade into the past and disappear within a generation.  But you can invest in something that will give you a return of eternal consequence.

You can invest in things of eternal value, things that God values.  You can invest yourself in people, the only thing God really cares about.  Be it through your local church, through a missions program, or by way of a special ministry project, you can be one who changes the course of history for someone else.  Giving needy children a shot a a normal life and an intorduction to the love of Christ, bringing health and healing to those who are hurting while giving them a chance to choose eternal life as well, or supporting those who are getting the Good News to those who have not yet heard, the choice is yours.

Where is your heart?  Where are you putting your money?  What are you spending your time on?  Join me in making our lives a force for the Kingdom of God.