Fear Not... Then Look for God's Hand

None of this was by chance.   (II Kings 24:3 The Message)

Fear Not… Then Look for God’s Hand

Judah was in trouble.  King Nebuchadnezzar had finished them off as a nation.  God’s people were being dispersed.  On almost every measurable scale, Judah had lost.

But God tells them that no matter how bad it is, God is at work.  He is doing His good work.  He is keeping all of His promises.  And while the promises of wrath were most obviously in front of their eyes, God wants them to remember the promises of restoration, of redemption, of hope.

When our times are troubled, either politically, financially, relationally, emotionally, or spiritually, we notice the troubles.  And even after we have learned that God overcomes all fears, that fear pathway is very comfortable.  And perhaps we begin to trod on it again.

But things do not, “just happen.”  We might not see His wheels moving behind the scenes, but He is at work.  We might not see His blueprints, but He is at work.  We might not see His roadmap, but He is at work.

For Judah, God was humbling them.  For Judah, God was preparing them for an outpouring of meaningful grace.  For  Judah, God was preparing the way for His Son, our Messiah.  For Judah, God was putting them in a hole so deep they could not help but look up towards Him.

God is up to something grand for you, too.  No matter how dark the skies.  No matter how lonely the room.  No matter how fearsome the catastrophe.  God’s hand is lovingly at work.  I guarantee His work has something to do with Jesus. 

Fear not, then look for God’s hand.

Fear Not... Then Be Patient

And the king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah.  But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem. (II Kings 23:21-23 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Be Patient

My hearing aids really do help me hear.  But I have had a frustration with my hearing aid company.  Each time I enter their office for a maintenance check, I have had the same request.  I asked them to increase the base line for my hearing aids.  They nod sagely and have offered a slight increase and a large explanation as to the disadvantage of giving me what I wanted. 

But this time, they hooked me up to a new machine.  And they found that I have been regularly increasing the volume.  With shock they exclaimed, “Wow!  Let’s raise your base level so you do not have to do that!”

They finally did what I asked!

And I was reminded of the Israelites from the time of the judges to the wonderful rein of King Josiah.  Were you surprised to read that the Israelites had not kept the Passover Feast in all of those years?  But apparently, other than the time of the exile, from then on, they celebrated. 

Not only does this display God’s patience with Israel… but I can imagine prophets and priests, scribes and scholars, devout people of God crying out, “Please celebrate Passover!”  And being given reasons why it just was not practical yet.  Maybe next year.

Perhaps we are not as frightened as last year.  And when we look around at others who still seem to be afraid, we might react impatiently. 

Perhaps we are more interested in obedience than we used to be.  And when we look around at others who still seem mired in selfish, worldly ideals, we might react impatiently.

Perhaps we are able to trust God more deeply than we did last week.  And when we look around at others who display doubt, skepticism, or disbelief, we might react impatiently.

Jesus is our Josiah, who reminds us and urges us to fear not, to obey Him, and to trust God.  Be patient while others find the ears to hear Him.

Fear not, then be patient.

Fear Not... Then Surprisingly Love!

…and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Surprisingly Love!

The story of Romeo and Juliet is surprising because their families had taught them to hate, but they chose love.  The annoying story of that cat and dog who traveled together across America, even though dogs and cats are absolutely known to hate each other is surprising.  A tale I recently read about German POW’s in Central Kansas who ended up marrying All-American loyal Americans is surprising.

Jesus declares that when we become different, as His followers, we will be hated.  But do not despair.  He encourages we hated folk to endure till the end, promising us His salvation.

That ‘endure’ word, though is tricky.  By ‘endure’ Jesus does not mean, sullenly hunker down in your hate bunker.  He does not mean swim in the pool of self-pity.  He does not mean plan your revenge on the haters.

Jesus means, ‘keep on loving.’

His commandment to His people is ALWAYS to keep on loving.  He summarizes the ten commandments with the word, “love.”  He repeats His instructions repeatedly.  He displays love throughout His live, death, and life… so that we will imitate Him.

And this love that He asks of us is surprising.  Our world urges getting even.  Our world urges protecting ourselves.  Our world urges imitating hate, repeating hate, embracing hate.  Since we were hated first.

But we were also loved, first.

And His love is greater than hate.

Fear not, then surprisingly love.

Fear Not... Then Come Inside

What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?” Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” (Matthew 9:11-13 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Come Inside

This is an ironic story.  The Jews of Jesus day, having been saved by God’s mercy and grace (as they were supposed to remember every Passover feast!) had forgotten how God had saved them.  They had forgotten that they, if left to their own devices, would be crooks and riffraff, too.

But Jesus sees things as they are.  The only difference between those outsider crooks and riffraff, and the insider crooks and riffraff is Jesus Himself. 

The outsiders sought Him, knowing He was their only hope.  The insiders rejected Him, thinking they did not really need Him.

Whether you see yourself as an outsider or an insider, stop using those labels.  Both outsiders and insiders need the Jesus gate.  Both need HIM to welcome us crooks and riffraff.

In fact, in the big scheme of things, there are no outsiders and insiders.  Only self-siders and Jesus-siders.

Fear not, then come inside.

Fear Not... Then Let God Know

Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? (Job 39:26 ESV)

 Fear Not… Then Let God Know

I once spent most of an afternoon with Author and Theologian John Stott.  In his day, he was among the most respected and read Biblically conservative pastor on the planet.  While attending seminary, I was tasked with picking him up from the airport and entertaining him in the hours preceding a presentation he was making that evening.

I had a grand time.  I told him about Mississippi.  I told him about Michigan.  I told him about my car.  I told him about my wife.  I told him about my dog.  I told him about the books I was reading.  I told him about how popular he was.  I told him how much I enjoyed his most famous books.  I told him… well, I told him a lot of stuff.

Years later, I was ashamed of that afternoon.

I was so interested in presenting my knowledge, that I did not take the opportunity to find out what Dr. Stott knew.  I barely asked him any questions.  I did not listen, other than as a preamble to making more statements myself.

And while you probably would have been more mature than I was in that particular situation, isn’t it a pretty common attitude?  We mistrust what others, no matter how expert, have to say.  We know what WE know, and are not amazing listeners. 

And we join Job in having that non-listening attitude when it comes to what God says.

Job 39 is filled with God’s list to Job of SOME of the things that He knows, that Job does not.  Job finally listens, and stops demanding that God listen to HIM. 

We are not going to know everything.  But God does.  Our expertise in any area is a drop in the ocean of God’s knowledge.

At first, we might not like that.  Our brain pride is intense.   Our encyclopedic knowledge no longer fits in encyclopedia sets.  But eventually, as we discover how many things we really do NOT know, it is the most comforting thing we CAN know.  Trusting HIS knowledge is more reliable than trusting 17 PhDs.  Trusting HIS knowledge is more helpful than trusting in all the meteorologists in the world.  Trusting in HIS knowledge is more absolute than any school of philosophy ever founded.

And through His Word, His Son, and His Spirit, He tells us the great things we need to know.

Fear not, then let God know.

Fear Not... Then Ignore the World

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32,33 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Ignore the World

When we were first married, we were in Amway.  Yes, we drew circles on a white board and tried to convince people to join our money-making plan.  We did not do very well at it.

Mostly because we were ashamed of our Amway membership.  In western Michigan (Amway’s home) most of us rolled our eyes at the thought of Amway.  We belittled anyone who announced they had ‘joined.’  Amway, despite’s it’s contribution to Michigan’s economy, was not respected, liked, or appreciated.

So we did not admit it to our family, our friends, or our general community.  This makes it difficult to build an Amway group!

Some of us treat our Christianity in the same way.  As modern America forgets our Biblical roots, it is less socially acceptable to be an unabashed Christian.  As the world despises our desire to adhere to God’s Law, it is dangerous to announce that God’s Law is our standard.  As the entertainment industry mocks us, our educational system derides us, and our government appears to be conspiring against us, it sometimes feels good to hide.

But do not hide.

Our world, one of God’s three enemies, seems to have power, but the world can not hold a candle to God’s light.  Our world, one of God’s three enemies, seems to have the future planned out, but the world knows nothing about tomorrow, where God already dwells.  The world, one of God’s three enemies, clamors for our attention, but God shouts more beautifully and louder in every atom, galaxy, minute, decade, event, word, and activity we might see.

AND His message is better!  Instead of offering doubt, He offers faith.  Instead of bringing fear, He brings hope.  Instead of cultivating selfishness and cruelty, He is love.

Fear not, then ignore the world.

Fear Not... Then Follow

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. (Matthew 9:9 ESV)

Fear Not... Then Follow

Today, it seems everyone hates politicians.  In Jesus day, everyone hated tax collectors.  They were the bottom of the barrel, the slime on the pond, and the scum on a dog’s toenails.

It must have been a surprise to the community when Jesus chose one of THEM to be one of His special disciples.

But Jesus knows what He is doing.  He is willing and eager to take even the shame of a tax collector on His back.  In fact, this is a core of the gospel.

It is not merely tax collectors that Jesus is willing to carry.  It is every breaker of God’s commands.  It is every arrogant person.  It is every liar.  It is every self-centered man, and every self-centered woman.  It is every one who has ignored, belittled, or forgotten God’s Holy Word. 

Do not be astonished at His choice of a rotten, no good, cheating, deceitful, two-faced, greedy tax collector.  And do not be astonished at His choice of a rotten, no good, cheating, deceitful, two-faced, greedy me and you.

Just rise from your old self and follow Him.

Fear not, then follow.

Fear Not... Then Return

Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Return

My boss and I had been friends, but then he stopped talking to me.  I had lied on a sales report, padding my totals out of embarrassment.  And he had found out.

The relationship was broken, with obvious consequences.  He was still my boss.  I was still his employee.  But work had now become unpleasant.

For awhile I just trod on.  Hoping things would get better.  But things got worse.

And finally, I did what I should have done right away.  I returned to his office, apologized, and promised to improve my behavior. 

Hosea knows that the Lord has torn God’s people because they had left Him.  Hosea knows that the Lord has struck His people because they had left Him.  And so Hosea knows that the way to be healed is to turn again to Him.  Hosea knows that the way to be have their wounds bound is to turn again to Him.

In the same way, perhaps some of the things we have been afraid of have actually been our fault. 

Maybe we have some returning to do.

My boss was eager for reconciliation, I found out.  God was eager for reconciliation, Hosea’s audience found out.  And God is eager for that reconciliation with us, too.  Try Him.

Fear not, then return.

Fear Not... Then Give

When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket… (Deuteronomy 26:1,2 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Give

An elementary school chum usually shared his lunch with me.  While my sack lunch was usually made up of a dried beef sandwich, a plastic baggy of chips, an apple, and a homemade cookie… HIS lunch included candy bars, Fritos, Oreo cookies, and other such delightful treats.  As we ate our lunches, I would keep my eye on his disappearing meal.  When he was finished, he would often hand out his leftovers. 

I would eat them with wonder.

 But I never thought of his gift as a meaningful sacrifice.  My place in his pantheon of friends was shown by WHEN he would donate to my lunch.  I received his leftovers.

I was still grateful, mind you!  But we both understood that giving leftovers is not the same thing as giving away something precious, first.

That is why God asked His people to give offerings of FIRST fruits.  He is not desiring our leftovers, whether in terms of money, time, or effort.  Leftovers show our gratitude in a different way than giving to God, first.

Notice that God’s instructions were particularly focused on what the Israelites were supposed to do after they successfully entered the promised land.  After the fearful struggles were over.  When fear had given way to peace. 

Then, aware that God had removed the reasons for their fears, they could show their understanding by giving to God first.

It is true for us, as well.  While plenty of things are still scary all around us, in Christ we have no reason to fear.  And like the grateful Israelites, we can show that we understand what God does for us.

We can give, first… not leftovers.  We can give before we have figured out if we have ‘enough.’  We can give because we are glad to acknowledge His conquering of our fears… by not being afraid to distribute our resources.

Not just money, but also time.  Not just finances, but also energy.  Not just possessions, but also priorities. 

Fear not, then give.

Fear Not... Then Super-Conquer

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8: 37 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Super-Conquer!

Our minds and gospel-expectations are too small.

The victories that we are used to are temporary, tainted, and incomplete.

Every spring I defeat the bugs that start coming in to the Jubilee building.  And yet next year more bugs enter.

The Axis powers surrendered unconditionally as the Second World War ended.  But other enemies soon arose.  And many in power in Italy, Japan, and Germany during the war escaped justice and caused difficulties again.

I keep catching colds, overcoming colds, and catching new colds.

But Paul announces to us that in Christ Jesus we find true victory.  Knowing that we are only familiar with a faded kind of conquering, Paul states that Christians find MORE than victory!  Jesus MORE than Conquers His enemies! We, in Jesus,  do not merely conquer sin, sin’s effects, sin’s power, and sin’s presence… we MORE than Conquer!

Because even though our eyes see the fight continuing, the cross-victory was absolute.

Because even though we falter and fear, the victory is sure.

Because even though we have troubles, distresses, persecutions, hunger, insufficiencies, dangers, or violence… we, in Christ, are more than conquerors.

We will know it completely in heaven.  But if we have eyes to see it, willingness to see it, hope to see it, trust to see it, belief to see it, or faith to see it… the victory is already here.  We are already more than conquerors.

Fear not, then super-conquer.

Fear Not.. Then Be Spiritual

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5 ESV)

Fear Not… and Be Spiritual

Being spiritual does not mean acting self-righteously and glancing heavenly with wondering gaze every few minutes.

Being spiritual does not mean ignoring the physical or the emotional.

Being spiritual does not mean speaking in an annoying pseudo-religious way.

Being spiritual, despite spirituality’s bad reputation in these modern days, as actually quite simple, attainable, and valuable.

Being spiritual means that Jesus is the focus of your life.

Being spiritual means that your motivation is found in Jesus.

Being spiritual means that HIS approval is the only approval that matters.

Being spiritual means that you realize that Jesus is the most important aspect of your day.

Being spiritual means that you realize that if there is no Jesus in what you think, say, feel, or do, it is a waste of time, energy, and life.

Being spiritual means that you speak, act, think, and feel about Jesus.

Fear not, and be spiritual.

Fear Not... Then Cut Out the Middleman

He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). (II Kings 18:4 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Cut Out the Middleman

In Numbers 21:9, Moses formed a bronze serpent as a tool to bring healing to the Israelites suffering from poison, brought on them by their disobedience to God. 

But hundreds of years later, the people of God had begun to focus on the means of God’s healing, rather than on God, Himself.  They remembered God’s merciful healing, but their eyes and hearts focused on the MEANS, rather than the SOURCE of blessing.

We do this, too. 

God blesses us by providing jobs so our families can be fed, and we take pride in our position and income.

God blesses us by placing us in communities, and we forget our community is intended to draw us to Jesus, to draw others to Jesus, and to better live for Jesus.

God blesses us by building a nation founded on wisdom, and we act like America somehow IS God’s blessing.

God blesses us with health, and that health has become our number one priority.

King Hezekiah had the courage and sense to get rid of the popular thing that distracted from God, the sentimental thing that distracted from God, the memorable thing that distracted from God, the very symbol of blessing that distracted from God.

It is no accident that it looked like a snake.

As our faith grows, and we can fear less… what snakes are distracting us from God?

Fear not, and cut out the middleman.

Fear Not... Then Wait

And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken. (Jeremiah 38:28 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Wait

They say a watched pot never boils.  In the same way, a watched microwave never dings.  A watched cake never finishes baking.  A watched download is never completed.  And a watched raspberry bush never grows.

We say those things.  But they are not true.  We say those things because waiting is a lost art.

We want what we want NOW.  We demand what we want NOW.  We do not want to wait, EVER.

This is the appeal of modern fast food, quick-dry paint, online degrees, and audio books.

This attitude effects our prayers. (Why hasn’t God answered yet???)  This attitude effects our patience. (I have already waited for ten minutes!!!!)  This attitude effects our trust. (If God really loved me, He would have helped already!!!)

But remember Jeremiah.  He preached long and hard, warning the people of their rebellion against God.  They had not listened. He preached again, long and hard, warning the people of Jerusalem of the coming invasion.  They had not listened.  He preached again, long and hard, warning the people of Jerusalem of the coming destruction.  They had not listened.

And then he waited.

He took God at His word, and waited.

He did not try to do all of God’s work himself. 

He waited.

Jeremiah was not lazy.  He worked before he waited.  He listened before He waited.  He obeyed before he waited.

But then he waited.

Maybe Jeremiah had heard Isaiah’s promise: “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 ESV)

Fear not, then wait.

Fear Not... Then Open the Narrow Gate

 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13,14 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Open the Narrow Gate

I was attempting a Drive-Through purchase a few days ago.  Two lanes existed, but one line was VERY long, and then other was very short.  I felt compelled to choose the long lane… because everyone else was!  But I chose the short lane… and got my food much more quickly.

Going along with the crowd rarely is the best choice.  Popular opinion discovers truth.  “Most People” are usually… wrong.

Jesus warns us against taking the easy, common, wide path through life.  This easy path includes, ‘looking out for number one.”  This easy path includes doing things, or believing things, just because ‘every else does.’ This easy path includes putting conditions on love, trust, or forgiveness.  This easy path includes agreeing with God’s Word only if it suits us.  This easy path includes striving for popularity, profit, and position.

But the gospel path is the better path.

It leads to faith, hope, and love.

It leads to right.

It leads to life, eternal.

The odd thing is, that this hard path is actually the easier path.  Because Jesus already did the hard work for it, on the cross.

Fear not, then open the narrow gate.

Fear Not... Then Hope

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Hope

I am not overly fond of painting houses.  Perhaps because I have fallen off ladders, been attacked by bees, overstretched muscles, and spilled paint in hard-to-clean places.  These aspects of painting MIGHT cause me to be afraid of warming up the scrapers and paintbrushes…

But I am not afraid of painting houses.  Because I have seen the result of the hard work.  I have seen the result of the discomfort.  I have seen the result of the tedium, soreness, and exhaustion.  In fact, while I get dirty, get sore, and get tired, I have found that I can endure… because of the expected end result.

Painted houses look nice!

Life is hard.  Even on the other side of fear, troubles still remain.  Christians still have financial troubles, relationship issues, physical trials, and sleepless nights.  We still suffer. 

We have learned, maybe, to not fear the dark… but what do we do now instead of fear?

Paul tells us to purposefully, consciously, patiently hope.  Hope, for Paul, does not mean to smile innocently and sing happy songs no matter our struggles.  Hope, for Paul, means knowing that however difficult our circumstances, God is at work.  Hope, for Paul, means looking ahead to the glorious result God promises.

God is doing something great.  God is doing something that produces endurance, character, and hope.  God is doing something that will result in peace, contentment, and joy.

Fear not, then hope.

Fear Not.. .Then Stop Hating

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (I John 2:9 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Stop Hating

Any time Christians find ourselves acting like the world, it is a red warning flag.

And lately, we have been hating.

We know who are enemies are, and we want the worst for them.  We want them toppled politically, emptied economically, and embarrassed publicly.

After all… look what they have done to US?  They pass laws against the Church.  They accuse Christians of being bigots.  They mock, belittle, and insult us in nearly every news broadcast.

They hate us.

And lately we think that means we get to hate them back.

But John tells us a different story.

We, born in the amazing love of Christ Jesus, get to be different.

We get to love instead of hate.

Fear and hate are closely connected.  Hate comes from fear, and leads to more hate.  Once we start hating, winning becomes the goal, and we become afraid we will lose.  When we are resting in hate, there is no rest.  When we see our enemy and hate, not only do we see their hatred of us, but we increase the hate quotient by adding OUR hate into the recipe.

When we find peace and hope through Christ, we are supposed to be in the light instead of the darkness.

Why are we still acting like we are in the dark?

Fear not, then stop hating

Fear Not... Then Repeat

“There’s nothing new to say on the subject. Don’t you still have the message of the earlier prophets from the time when Jerusalem was still a thriving, bustling city and the outlying countryside, the Negev and Shephelah, was populated? [This is the message that God gave Zechariah.] Well, the message hasn’t changed. (Zechariah 7:7-9 The Message)

Fear Not… Then Repeat

I have a four-foot length of pipe that fits nicely around the handle my pipe wrench.  On those occasions that I need to loosen a particularly stuck bit of plumbing, I reach for my pipe.  I have used that pipe for over forty years.  It adds leverage and helps me loosen things.

Maybe new wrench-tech has been invented.  Maybe new chemical, temperature, or magic ways to loosen pipes have come along. 

But I do not think so.

Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

Zechariah thought so.  The reason we still use a Bible that is hundreds of years old, is that it is like my pipe.  The Bible, old, reliable, and still true… is a Christian’s go to solution.

Do not be fooled into thinking that new philosophies are better.  Do not be fooled into thinking that so-called advancing civilization needs advanced connections with God.

For Zechariah, God’s message was THE message, whether it was written in the time of King David’s time, or the terrible time of the exile.  God is our only hope. 

The old ways, described in old Scripture, are still our only hope.

Fear not, then repeat.

Fear Not... Then Keep Praying

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:5-6 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Keep on Praying

These days I have three insulin shots every day. 

Imagine how foolish I would be if I stopped the injections because my blood sugar levels were under control.  The very thing that gives me good health needs to continue, obviously.

Imagine how foolish we would be if we stopped putting gasoline in the lawn mower, on the basis that the mowing was done for the day.  The grass continues to grow, so the mower continues to need grass.

Imagine how foolish you would be if you stopped talking with your best friend, because the relationship was so very solid, enriching, and challenging.  The continuing relationship requires a continuing nurture through conversation.

Yet we pray less AFTER our fear is gone.  We pray less AFTER the troubles are past.  We pray less AFTER our immediate need has been met by the Messiah.

The blessings of prayer, the benefits of prayer, the resulting relationship with God that comes from prayer go on and on and on and on.

Paul reminds us that the Lord is at hand.  See how close your hand is?  If you are here, so is your hand.  The Lord, the God of the Universe, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is right there.  And right here. 

Keep praying after the fear.  Keep praying after the peace.  Keep praying after the sorrow.  Keep praying after the joy.  Keep praying after the trials and troubles.  Keep praying after the solutions. 

Keep praying, Paul writes, in everything.

Fear not, then keep praying.

Fear Not... Then Give Advice

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Give Good Advice

I have a bit of plumbing knowledge and experience.  But I never knew as much as I thought I did, and I have forgotten more than I thought I knew.

And sometimes, when someone asks me for plumbing advice, I falter.

A young man who seemed to know about modern electronic gadgets once listened to my question about how my phone was misbehaving… and his eyes glazed over.  He just did not know.

We are asked for advice.  And even when we are not actually asked, we sometimes find ourselves in situations where we feel the need to give it.

And that can be a scary thing.

The closer the relationship, the more scary giving advice can be.

The more important the topic, the more scary giving advice can be.

It is scary because we, when we are being honest, do not really know as much as we think we do.

However, (AND THIS IS A HUGE HOWEVER!) you DO have the perfect advice to give.

You have sixty-six books worth.  You have, in the King James Version of the Bible, 783,137 words worth.

Passing on God’s word and advice in every situation is passing on the best advice.

In fact, passing on God’s advice is the best advice possible… because He is God!

Sometimes the advice found in God’s word is principial, and sometimes it is very specific.  But passing on God’s advice is less scary… because it is HIS reliable, sure, personal, and powerful advice.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16 ESV)

We do not need to give our own good advice… we can give Biblical Advice

Fear Not… then give good advice.

Fear Not... Then Use God's Clock

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (II Peter 3:8 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Use God’s Clock

We are wild crazy busy… but GOD has time in His pocket.

We do not seem to have time these days to contemplate, but we do take the time to worry.

We do not seem to have the time these days to sit and think, but we do take the time to run in circles.

We do not seem to have the time to live in wonder,  but we do take the time to complain

We do not seem to have the time to rest peacefully, but we do take the time to flurry in our teacups.

Maybe we need to throw away our watches, clocks, and sundials.  Maybe we need to turn off the time-

keeping function on our phones.  Maybe we need to trust God’s time. 

Maybe our wild crazy busy days would be less wild, crazy, and busy, if we tried to have God’s perspective of thousands of years instead of seconds. 

Fear Not… Then Use God’s Clock