Of whom shall I be afraid?

One of the most pervasive problems in human life, individually, in the family, in the church, in the city, in the state, in the nation is NEGATIVE FEAR. Hence, the Bible is filled with REMINDERS: DO NOT FEAR. Here are a few reminds to encourage every reader:

1. Psalm 27:1-4
"The Lord is my light and my salvation;
WHOM SHALL I FEAR?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?
When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh--
my adversaries and foes--
they shall stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
MY HEART SHALL NOT FEAR;
though war rise up against me,
yet I will be confident.
One thing I asked of the Lord,
that I will seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in his temple."
If we can only FOCUS our hearts and our lives on God through Jesus Christ, ALL dangers fade into insignificance. OUR GOD is more powerful than any and all enemies and forces and dangers.

2. As Joshua and the Israelites approached the challenge of crossing the Jordan River to the west and encountering the Canaanites living in the land, Yahweh encouraged them in these words:
"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous . . . Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you. . . . Be strong and courageous; DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED OR DISMAYED, for the Lord your God is with you WHEREVER YOU GO." (Joshua 1:5-9).
It would be difficult to be in challenging circumstances more difficult than Joshua and the Israelites. When we face difficulties and dangers, we MUST trust in God alone.

3. Mark 4:37-40 relates the well-known story about a storm that arose on the Sea of Galilee.
"A great windstorm arose, and thewaves beat in to the boat, so that the boat was already beings swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, 'Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?' He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, 'WHY ARE YOU AFRAID? HAVE YOU STILL NO FAITH?'"
Life is filled with storms of all kinds. We cannot avoid them. Let us trust God each day.

I hope this will be a daily encouragement for YOU wherever YOU are and whatever YOUR circumstances might be.

Share YOUR experiences and escapes with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis