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Overcome Fear with Faith

March 22, 2022

When I was serving with a church-planting team overseas, I had memorized a set of five Bible verses that I found especially encouraging. I would remind myself of these verses on the way to outreach ministry activities on a regular basis. They would remind me:

how great God is,
Jesus has all authority and has commissioned us
Jesus has promised to be with us,
the enemy of our souls is already condemned, and

Lately, I’ve been searching for a new set of verses for the current season of life. I was reminded of that search this morning during my quiet time. Some of these are strong contenders.

This morning, I was reading/listening to a devotional plan on the YouVersion Bible app titled, “Certainty Amid Uncertainty”. Pastor Gregg Matte, of Houston’s First Baptist, wrote the plan to help those who’ve been struggling lately.

Photo Credit: Kevin T. Cunningham. Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Sedro-Woolley, WA

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, you may be feeling that your whole world is falling apart. In spite of the uncertainty that surrounds us, we have ultimate certainty in God, the Rock of our salvation. We are going to see God do great things in and through us. Walk with hope, for our God is a refuge and an ever-present help in time of need.
Pastor Gregg Matte

Day 3 of this five-day Bible reading plan focuses on five Scripture passages:

Psalms 46:1-4
2 Corinthians 12:9-11
2 Timothy 1:7
Exodus 15:2
Isaiah 41:10

The first passage clearly gets us to shift our focus off of our current situation or problems and onto God.

Psalm 46
¹God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

The next passage offers comfort in the midst of our weakness, challenges, and confusion.

2 Corinthians
⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The next passage reminds us that even though we may be weak, he is strong and through his Holy Spirit, we can be strong.

2 Timothy 1
⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Again our hearts are moved to praise as we are reminded that the Lord is our strength, defense, and our salvation.

Exodus 15:2
“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The final verse ties it all together.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Pastor Gregg closes out the devotional with a declaration for us to proclaim aloud.

Declare: Jesus, You are my Strength. I know that I am not perfect and that sometimes I become impatient when my faith is tested, but I will not fear, and I will not allow my feelings to steal the joy that is found in You. I trust that You will give me all the strength I need to come out of uncertainty full of certainty.

You can find this reading plan at https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/20285. For more encouraging posts, visit https://trinity.encourageandequip.com/Sub-Test/home/start-here/

In Encouraging Bible Verses Confidence in God, Encouragement, Focus on God, Overcoming Fear, Spiritual Warfare, Trust God

Writing Scriptures

February 16, 2022

She became a modern-day hero of the faith for me. When I heard that Jill wrote a book, I needed to learn more. When I saw that it was a journal that incorporated Scripture writing, I was hooked.

In Bible, Focus, Worth Reading Focus on God, Spiritual Battles, Spiritual Warfare

Because Someone May Need You.

December 1, 2021

When I listened to the Our Daily Bread devotional this morning, it all came back to me. Somehow very early in my walk with God, He gave me a unique perspective on a critical topic.

I couldn’t quote the Scripture or explain the theology behind it at the time. I was in my mid-twenties, new to the faith, and had lots to learn (and still do). But I remember being surprised when I heard a much older believer say that she didn’t get much out of the service at a particular church.

I still remember the setting – almost forty years later. It was a Bible Study group that met in the person’s home. She was the leader. With as much gentleness and humility as I could muster, I shared that even though I didn’t feel I had much to offer, I still felt that I went to church more for what I could give than what I received.

Back to that Our Daily Bread devotional, John Blaze wrote:

I grew up the firstborn son of a Southern Baptist preacher. Every Sunday the expectation was clear: I was to be in church. Possible exceptions? Maybe if I had a significant fever. But the truth is, I absolutely loved going, and I even went a few times feverish. But the world has changed, and the numbers for regular church attendance are not what they used to be. Of course, the quick question is why? The answers are many and varied. Author Kathleen Norris counters those answers with a response she received from a pastor to the question, “Why do we go to church?” He said, “We go to church for other people. Because someone may need you there.”
Now by no means is that the only reason we go to church, but his response does resonate with the heartbeat of the writer to the Hebrews. He urged the believers to persevere in the faith, and to achieve that goal he stressed “not giving up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25). Why? Because something vital would be missed in our absence: “encouraging one another” (v. 25). We need that mutual encouragement to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (v. 24).
Brothers and sisters, keep meeting together, because someone may need you there. And the corresponding truth is that you may need them as well.
Our Daily Bread

Long before Marie Kondo’s “Does it spark joy” advice, people have been asking a similar question. It’s understandable. It’s natural. We evaluate everything from our perspective. So, it’s natural to evaluate things in our life by asking how something benefits us. Is this object, activity, or relationship making my life more enjoyable or not?

Part of following Christ – being “born again” – means that we no longer have to settle for “natural.” We’ve been called to a different way. A better way. A SUPERnatural way. As we grow in our faith walk, we learn to ask if our thoughts, actions, relationships line up with God’s call on our lives. Rather than asking if we get enough out of an activity, ask God, what would you have me do? God, is there anyone here (or there) that you want to encourage through me? Please lead me.

In Church, Community, Encourage Spiritual Warfare, Step out in faith

Respect!

February 23, 2019

A friend shared this on Facebook. Normally, I would simply click Like and maybe even Share. But this one seemed too important not to share here.

I did not write this! In fact, I do not know whom to credit as the author. If you know, please post in the comments. (Thank you!)

In Encouragers, The Need for Encouragement Courage, Overcoming Fear, Spiritual Warfare, Step out in faith

The Battle Belongs to the Lord! Be Still? Be Strong?

August 28, 2017

What comes to mind when you hear the term, The Battle Is the Lord’s? or The Battle Belongs to the Lord?

Does the military imagery trouble you? Are you OK with the military imagery but troubled that our part seems to be too passive?

Image by 3dconceptsman DepositPhotos #19467907

Do you ask yourself, if the battle belongs to the Lord, then what do l DO? Do I just sit here and do nothing? Well, sometimes the answer is yes. Other times, the answer might be different.

Be Still

When the Israelites were rescued out of slavery in Egypt, God was setting a trap for their captors that would include rescuing His chosen people while punishing their captors but His own people couldn’t see past the obstacle in front of them.

When they saw the vast Red Sea before them, they complained to Moses that they should never have left Egypt. Continue Reading…

In Character Development, Courage is, Encourage, Focus Confidence in God, Courage to serve, Focus on God, Spiritual Battles, Spiritual Warfare, Step out in faith

Sunday Verse: Romans 6:14 (paraphrased)

February 8, 2015

Do not let sin be the boss of you!

You are not under law but under grace.

I felt led to focus on and paraphrase this verse (Romans 6:14) after reading today’s Our Daily Bread devotional. Bill Crowder writes:

As my wife was babysitting our two young grandsons, they began to argue over a toy. Suddenly, the younger (by 3 years) forcefully ordered his older brother, “Cameron, go to your room!” Shoulders slumped under the weight of the reprimand, the dejected older brother began to slink off to his room when my wife said, “Cameron, you don’t have to go to your room. Nathan’s not the boss of you!” That realization changed everything, and Cam, smiling, sat back down to play.

Having heard my own kids (and others) occasionally use that phrase, “You’re not the boss of me!”, somehow Mrs Crowder’s words added new relevance to old familiar verses. If we have indeed trusted in Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf, then sin does not have power over us any longer–unless we give it control over us. When the Apostle Paul says, “Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” he is actually telling us, “Do not let sin be the boss of you!” Try to read these familiar verses with that in mind. You can add a little attitude if it helps.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

–Romans 6:12-14 (NIV)

The next time you feel temptation growing within, just let it know, “Sin, you are not the boss of me!”

In Encouraging Bible Verses, Sunday Verse Accountability, Easter Bible Verse, Spiritual Battles, Spiritual Warfare

Walking by Faith Is Challenging

August 16, 2013

So often, we attend church services all scrubbed up and looking our best. On the outside, we probably look like we have it all together and life is just one giant juicy peach. For some of us, that might represent reality for the moment. For so many others, that perception is just a thin veneer covering over a myriad of hurts, struggles, challenges, confusion and doubts. Not that we are deliberately hiding things. We may not want to bother others with our problems. We may just enjoy a break from dwelling on them. Regardless of how together people might seem, most likely, they still need some word of encouragement because walking by faith is challenging and increasingly challenged.

Classic image of a boy with his angellic self on one shoulder and his demonic self on the other shoulder.

Walking by Faith

The Christ-follower lives by faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists… (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)” The Apostle John wrote his Gospel so we would believe. Paul tells us, “The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 VOICE)

We place our confidence, our faith, in an unseen Creator God whose ways and very nature amaze and confound the wisest among us. However, by his grace, he has revealed enough about himself for us to trust him for the aspects we don’t yet understand. That is the very essence of walking by faith. It is not a blind faith that hopes (with fingers crossed) that we have made a good choice. Based on the evidence and experiences we have already evaluated, we make a conscious choice to trust God for the rest. Faith is central to our walk, but so often…

Walking by Faith is Challenging

Even John the Baptist had second thoughts about Jesus–whom he had baptized and declared Continue Reading…