Fear Not... Then Disagree

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. (Romans 14:1 The Message)

Fear Not… Then Disagree

My first best friend, Dan, was so wrong about Star Trek.  He thought Captain Kirk was best, but I knew Mr. Spock was best.  But we did not stop playing together, eating together, or watching together.  But lately, it seems that such disagreements, even about minor things (which Star Trek is NOT) lead to division, separation, and hate.

We have forgotten Paul’s words, even in the church.  We divide, seriously divide, over everything.  Your view of Baptism is incorrect, so I won’t worship with you.  My view of church government is wrong, so you won’t worship with me.  Our views of end times differ, so we stop listening to each other. 

But every one of those disagreements are among believers.  Rather than let disagreements divide us, Paul says we should welcome them!  We fear, perhaps, disagreement because we are insecure in our particulars… but maybe disagreeing discussions will help us understand our view more fully.  We avoid, perhaps, disagreement because we have been buying into our culture’s declaration that different causes hatred… but maybe disagreeing discussions will help us find where agreement ties us together.  We avoid, perhaps, disagreement because we are scared that we are wrong… but if we are wrong, don’t we want to be right?

Paul does not say that our disagreements are about ‘nothing.’  But He says that common faith in the necessary salvific work of Christ Jesus overwhelmingly unites us over every possible disagreement under that umbrella.

Fear not, then disagree.

Fear Not... Then Enjoy

Bread is made for laughter. (Ecclesiastes 10:19 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Enjoy

Once, when teaching, I decided to provide snacks for the students.  As I stood in the grocery store, eyeing the prices of delicious food, my plans diminished.  Too many children!  Not enough cash!  Eventually, I decided on something a little bit lower than Saltine crackers, and a little bit higher than celery.

I bought, and gave, those cute little tiny carrots.

One per student.

God takes care of His people.  One of His names, in fact, means The Great Provider.  But thankfully, He is not like me.  He does not skimp.  He does not minimize His gifts.  He does not provide simply to provide.

He gives us bread, and everything, to push us towards laughter.

This is a part of what Jesus meant by saying that He has come not simply to give life, but to give ABUNDANT life.  (John 10:10)

Smile more often, laugh more often, relax more often, notice more often, embrace more often, be in wonder more often, be amazed more often.

Fear not, then enjoy.

Fear Not... Then Be Ready

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24: 37-39 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Be Ready

Yesterday, a warning light came on my dashboard.  It was yellow, and had the shape of a flat tire.  My wonderfully advanced electronic sensing system was telling me that I needed to check the air in at least one of my tires.  I stopped at one service station, but their air pump was damaged. 

So, I drove on.

After all, the warning light was not red… or flashing… or getting brighter.

As it happened, everything was fine.  I expect it was the cold air of the morning that slightly deflated my tire, and a few miles on the highway took care of the air pressure. 

Jesus is giving a warning in Matthew 24 to be ready.  We usually read these particular verses and assume that Jesus is warning us to be ready to meet Him in person when things get really, really bad.  And as bad as you think things are, a part of you realizes that things could easily get worse.  So, like me, we see the yellow light, and drive on.

But that is not what Jesus really says here.  When mentioning the times of Noah, Jesus does not draw our attention to how wild and lawless things were during Noah’s time, although He could have.  Instead, Jesus points out that people were simply living lives in mundane normalcy.  There is nothing shocking or evil about eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.  Those activities indicate that society was just going on about society’s business. 

Even though a flood was coming.

Like those ancient folk, we live pretty casually.  We eat and drink.  We merrily marry and give in marriage.  We focus on today, and we make plans for tomorrow.  We ignore the absolute warnings that we are going to encounter Jesus… at any time.  And I am not writing about some sort of end of time encounter.  I am writing about closing our eyes in death, and opening them in The King’s presence.

Being ready for that is both easy and necessary.

All it takes to be ready, is to know that you need Him, know why you need Him, and cling to Him as the only hope today and tomorrow. 

Fear not, then be ready.

Fear Not... No Excuses

Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:7 ESV)

Fear Not… No Excuses

It wasn’t just that Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh… they spoke to Pharaoh even though they were afraid.  Moses had a bad history with Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  Knocking on the Palace door with expensive demands would cause anyone’s stomach to knot up.  But they did it, they obeyed God.

It wasn’t just that Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh… they spoke to Pharaoh even though they were inexperienced.  They did not have the Pentateuch to study and understand how God works.  They did not know God as well as we do, He was new to them, unknown to them, unproven to them.  But they did it, they obeyed God.

It wasn’t just that Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh… they spoke to Pharaoh even though they were old.  Do not confuse their advanced age with the advanced years of the Patriarchs.  Moses and Aaron were in the same physical condition that men of eighty or eighty-three years old would be today, but without modern technology.  But they did it, they obeyed God.

What’s your excuse?

Fear not, no excuses.

Fear Not... Then Stop Complaining

And here’s a second offense: You fill the place of worship with your whining and sniveling because you don’t get what you want from God. (Malachi 2:13 The Message)

Fear Not… Then Stop Complaining

I had a ‘friend’ in college who sat behind me in Sociology.  He approached me after class one evening because he had noticed that mostly all I did in class was sigh and shake my head.  We began a tradition of grabbing coffee sometimes and complaining about how bad the class, and the premise behind the class was.

When the class ended, so did our coffee time.  We had nothing even resembling a relationship… all we did was complain together.

Do our prayers sound like that to God at times?  The emphasis of Biblical prayers is giving thanks.  (Insert here TOO many verses to list!) But when we pray it is easy for us, like Malachi’s flock, to mostly complain.  We complain about the weather by couching it in a request.  We complain about our health by couching it in a request.  We complain about politics by couching it in a request.  We complain about the apparent success of God’s enemies by couching it in a request.  We complain about the past by couching it in a request.  We complain about the present by couching it in a request.  We complain about the future by couching it in a request.

Try praying for a few days emphasizing thanks. 

Fear not, then stop complaining.

Fear Not... Then Watch

But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” (Exodus 6:1 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Watch

It has been common in our American history for both sides of an argument to claim God’s support.  While it is important, even necessary, for us to evaluate our issues according to GOD’S Word, sometimes we are too quick to claim God’s support of our perspective.

Not so for Moses in Egypt.  God told Moses that when God acted in Pharaoh’s life it would be obvious.  And it was.  Each plague worse than the previous, with a grand finale of horror on the tribe’s last night in Goshen.

Moses could state unequivocally that God was acting… and acting in a particular way.  God describes His actions with a repeat of the adjective, “strong.”  God was acting at that point without subtlety, without nuance, without interpretation options.

When reading Scripture God’s actions are clearly seen.  There is no room for doubt, so God’s people can, and should, speak of God’s hand clearly and loudly.  But when reading the newspaper, it is not usually so clear.  And at times, we have been wrong about what God is doing.  We have claimed political victory where the winning was actually losing… and vice versa.  We have claimed social success where our success was much closer to failure.  

And when we have claimed in that way, we actually weaken our witness for Christ.  We lose credibility.

There is one way to interpret events that is guaranteed, scripturally.  Every current event, every present crisis, every news article is sent to us by the One True Living God for one purpose:  To point the eyes and hearts of every human towards Christ.

It is all about Him… not about our rights, our profit, our success, our failures, our agonies, our worries, our fears, or us at all.

Fear not, then watch.

Fear Not.... Then Do

Pharaoh’s daughter said, “Yes. Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother. (Exodus 2:8 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Do

Moses’ parents made a difficult decision.  The Egyptians had instructed the slave-Israelites to kill all male babies the moment they were born.  It was difficult because they risked punishment, even death, from the Egyptians.  But they chose life, instead.  Note, that they did not have the Written or Spoken Law of God at this point in history.  But as Romans 1 intimates, they knew in their hearts enough of God’s Law to know good from evil.

And murder, even when commanded by authorities, is evil.

So, they put their baby in a basket, and hoped that God knew what He was doing.

God, of course, had the risk in hand.  Not only was baby Moses kept safe in that basket, but Miriam, Moses’ sister was sharp of mind and quick of wit, and when Pharaoh’s daughter fell in love with Moses, Moses’ mother ended up appointed as initial caregiver for the baby.

There was no risk in doing ‘right.’  There was no risk in defending life.  There was no risk in disobeying evil.

And that is true for us, too.  We think too much, I think.  We wonder about effects and results of our Biblical choices.  But God has the risk in hand.  We hesitate to act righteously in unpopular ways.  But God has the risk in hand.  We box our choices in with risk assessment and avoidance.  But God has the risk in hand.

You apply this to your life.  Where do you hesitate to obey, fearing opposition?  Where do you comply with evil, worried about results?  Where do you wait to do the right, Biblical, thing… because common sense says it is dangerous?

Sabbath keeping, even when it is costly to your business?  Voting for righteous candidates, even if they ‘can not’ win? Opposing abortion, even when society mocks you?  Neglecting to mention scriptural evidence for your decisions, because the world will laugh?

Fear Not, then do.

Fear Not... Then Find God's Plans

But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. (II Chronicles 22:7 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Find God’s Plans

It has been said, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.”  And that is true as far as it goes.  But I suggest an addendum to that saying.  “He who fails to follow God’s plans, fails.”

Ahaziah came to power in Judah through a series of unfortunate and fortunate events.  The youngest son of King Jehoram, he was selected as king only because all of his brothers had been captured in a raid by the Arabians.   He seems indecisive, letting his mother,  Athalia, make policy decisions… poor ones.  In his brief reign, he wandered, and led Judah away from God.

But God’s plans were still running the show.  God had even planned Ahaziah’s end, even though Ahaziah sort of slipped into a friendly visit of the evil Israelite king, Joram.  God found no difficulty in using Ahaziah’s chaotic looseness to accomplish His plans… eventually leading to the ascension of Joash, Judah’s great king who restored God’s people to God’s Word.

Chaos feels frightening.  It feels unrooted.  It feels insecure.

But in God’s plans, there really is no chaos.  He has every detail worked out.

It is clear that the chaos of Judean history could have been avoided if Ahaziah and others had found God’s Word, like Joash eventually did.  But God’s plan was carried out. 

We see this happening often in scripture’s description of history.  Noah’s ark, Jacob’s marriages, and David’s anointing are good examples.  Bethlehem, Golgotha, and the empty tomb are even better.

Fear not, then find God’s plans.

Fear Not... Then Set Your Face

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, (II Chronicles 20:3 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Set Your Face

Few of us are proud of our Driver’s License photos.  Those faces do not look anything like our imagined visage.  We either look surprised, asleep, lost, or possessed.  If we had the ability to alter those faces, what exactly would we change?  Would we choose to look noble?  Would we nuance our expression to appear alert?  Would we want our photo to be attractive, manly, or cute?

Jehoshaphat set his face to seek the Lord.  What does that mean?

We might think it had little to do with his facial features.  But I am not so sure.  While certainly, the idiom of the Bible here describes a purposeful mix of character, Godly desire, and noble intention.  Simply, Jehoshaphat aimed his entire being on the solution to his fear, God Himself.

But idiom usually has roots in reality.

If you could see Jehoshaphat, you would not have seen a man with a goofy grin.  You would not have seen him displaying a facial expression of terror, horror, or fear.  He would not have appeared sullen, self-pitying, or sad.

He was seeking the Lord… and I expect he looked like it.  His external skin mirrored his internal state.  He probably set his face with seriousness, with hope, with awe, with humility, with an impatient patience.

I am not sure what that looked like.

But Jehoshaphat’s face mattered.  Because it showed what he felt, what he sought, what he needed, what he depended on, what he lived for.  His face showed his heart to the world.  His face showed his God to the world.

Our faces are yet another one of those things that we claim is our own, and no one else’s business.  Our pride of self-expression, self-feeling, self-planning, and self-intentions is still simply that… pride.  Jehoshaphat instead set even his face to seek the Lord.  Jehoshaphat instead submitted even his own personal face to the Lord.  Jehoshaphat instead seems to be saying, my all is his.

Fear not, then set your face.

Fear Not... Then Help Your Community

Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court. (Daniel 2:49 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Help Your Community

When I managed a telephone sales company, I hired my best friend to take the late shift.  Three other employees were friends or spouses of other workers.  It was a profitable place to work, and we took joy in helping our friends and family find the same benefits we had found.

Maybe it does not sound fair.  Maybe it was selfish.  Maybe it was nepotism.  But I would do it again.  I was blessed, and wanted to pass that blessing on to those I loved.

Through God’s providence, Daniel had the opportunity to present God’s truth to King Nebuchadnezzar, and the King saw that Daniel’s God was God.  The King made a strong pronouncement about our God, place Daniel high in his bureaucracy, and Daniel was probably pretty satisfied with how things turned out.

But Daniel did not just bask in his blessings.  He did not simply make it through the insecure, scary time and rest.  He spread the blessings around.

He asked that his three best friends also be given positions of responsibility.

Second only to our aim of giving glory to God, is our good desire to be a blessing to those we love.

When you make it through the fear, look around and be aware of God’s blessings.  And then spread those blessings around to those you love, and who love you.

Financially? Yes.  Emotionally? Yes.  Verbally? Yes.  In prayer?  Yes. 

Fear not… then help your community.

Fear Not... Then Be Different

Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Be Different

We fear losing.  Any battle, really. 

And our culture and civilization tell us to fight fire with fire.  To match force with force.  To respond to hatred with hate.  To never back down, or appear to back down.

But Christ’s followers have a different battle plan, proposed here by Paul.  He says let the victory (or loss) be in God’s hands.  Instead, fight fire with air conditioning.  Match force with conversation.  Respond to hatred with love.  Overcome evil, not using evil’s tools… but using the same weapon that Jesus used to conquer sin.  Overcome evil with good.

We live in an age of escalation.  But it is past time to de-escalate.  We live in an age of revenge.   But it is past time for peace.  We live in an age of separation and division.  But it is past time for gathering around the Christ-center.

We do not have to imagine what a world of escalation, revenge, separation, and division looks like.  We live in that world.  But imagine a world where we desire to love instead of to win.  Imagine a world where we fight for each other, instead of fight each other.  Imagine a world where we yearn to help instead of yearn to win.  Imagine a world where we enjoy giving instead of focus merely on profit.

Sounds like heaven.

But we can have it here.  And while you might expect me to write, “It starts here with YOU,” it really does not.  It starts with Jesus.  Then we follow, copy, emulate, imitate, and be like Him.  He chose mercy instead of getting even with us.  He chose grace instead of wining.  He chose the big de-escalation that fixes everything.

Fear not, then be different.

Fear Not... Then Call

But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? (Romans 10:14 The Message)

Fear Not… Then Call

A friend of mine has become an expert in small engine repair.  If my chainsaw, weed-eater, or limb-chopper starts to run a little rough, I call him.  But this has not always been the case.

I used to spend a lot of time doing the repairs myself.  Fiddling, experimenting, trying out new bad words… Because I did not know that I had a reliable helper.  But when I found out my friend’s skills, it was easy to reach out to him for help.  Because I trust him, I can call on him.

Folk will not call on God for help until we trust Him, either.  In fact, why would we?

In a real sense, the first time we cry out to God, we show that at some level, we trust Him.  Whether we are crying out to Him for help with a relationship, financial troubles, health concerns, or our very souls… our crying out is trusting.

But it starts with knowing Him. 

Fear not, then call.

Fear Not... Then Be Known

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. (Exodus 1:8 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Be Known

What if my father was best friends with actor John Wayne, but never told me?  What if my mother worked as a scheduling consultant for Billy Graham, but never told me?  What if I played basketball with Wilt Chamberlain, but never told my children? What if you gave walking lessons to Neil Armstrong, but never told me?

Those would be sad situations… but hardly world-changing.

Egypt’s new king did not know Joseph, but why?   Perhaps after Joseph’s withdrawal from Egyptian politics, the Israelites huddled in Goshen and didn’t ‘get involved.’  Perhaps the Israelites did not believe that talking about the work of Joseph did not matter anymore.  Perhaps the Israelites were too busy resting on their laurels… and Egypt forgot.

And “Joseph” was not the point.  When Moses wrote this verse, I imagine him smiling at his own subtlety.  Because Joseph being forgotten was not important.

Forgetting Joseph’s God is another matter.

It is fun and easy to blame the Egyptians for their eventual mistreatment of the Israelites.  But part of the blame extends to the descendants of the patriarchs who stopped being noticeable by the Egyptians.   The Egyptians had seen Joseph’s God interpret dreams accurately. The Egyptians had seen Joseph’s God bring rag-Joseph into the position of riches-Joseph. The Egyptians had seen Joseph’s God save the world from famine.

And yes, the Egyptians should have remembered.  But also yes, the Israelites should have talked, spoken, reminded, taught, influenced, sung, shouted, mentioned, hinted, proclaimed, and preached about the One True God, and given the hope of the coming Messiah.

It is easy to blame our society for forgetting God.  But perhaps we have not let ourselves, and Him, be known.

Fear not, then be known.

Fear Not... Then Read the Handwriting on the Wall

Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Daniel 5:7 ESV

Fear Not… Then Read the Handwriting on the Wall

Today, when we think about the ‘handwriting on the wall,’ we think of something obvious, clear, and unavoidable.  But when Belshazzar, King of Babylon saw a disembodied hand writing mysteriously on his palace wall, he was confused, concerned, and afraid.

He did not know what the writing meant.

He had no idea.

Nothing was obvious or clear.  The writing was in Hebrew, not readable by Belshazzar, just three strange words… the writing was enigmatic, even knowing the meaning of the words: number, balance, and divide, did not make the message understandable… the writing was mysterious, and so Belshazzar sought help.

God was warning Belshazzar that his arrogance, his cruelty, and his rejection of the One True God was about to have consequences.  But those consequences were not unavoidable.  

If the King repented and turned to God, Belshazzar’s kingdom could remain, and Belshazzar could live.

But for Daniel, the handwriting on the wall was indeed obvious and clear.

Because Daniel knew God.  Because Daniel knew God’s Word.  Because Daniel knew that God always meant what God says.

Ironically, if Belshazzar had known those things, the handwriting on the wall would have been… well… the handwriting on the wall.

God’s writing is clear.  And its message is clear.  We’re in trouble.  And Jesus is THE answer. 

Fear not, and read the handwriting on the wall.

Fear Not... Then Help Your Community

Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court. (Daniel 2:49 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Help Your Community

When I managed a telephone sales company, I hired my best friend to take the late shift.  Three other employees were friends or spouses of other workers.  It was a profitable place to work, and we took joy in helping our friends and family find the same benefits we had found.

Maybe it does not sound fair.  Maybe it was selfish.  Maybe it was nepotism.  But I would do it again.  I was blessed, and wanted to pass that blessing on to those I loved.

Through God’s providence, Daniel had the opportunity to present God’s truth to King Nebuchadnezzar, and the King saw that Daniel’s God was God.  The King made a strong pronouncement about our God, place Daniel high in his bureaucracy, and Daniel was probably pretty satisfied with how things turned out.

But Daniel did not just bask in his blessings.  He did not simply make it through the insecure, scary time and rest.  He spread the blessings around.

He asked that his three best friends also be given positions of responsibility.

Second only to our aim of giving glory to God, is our good desire to be a blessing to those we love.

When you make it through the fear, look around and be aware of God’s blessings.  And then spread those blessings around to those you love, and who love you.

Financially? Yes.  Emotionally? Yes.  Verbally? Yes.  In prayer?  Yes. 

Fear not… then help your community.

Fear Not... Then Seek the Lord

The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God. (II Chronicles 14:7 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Seek the Lord

The logic of Cause and Effect is pretty clear.  Pay your bills on time, and you will have a good credit score.  Exercise fairly regularly and you’ll sleep better.  De-weed your garden, and your vegetables will grow well.  Check the oil in your pickup truck, and the engine will last longer.

When it comes to our spiritual life, we usually fit God in after our lives are in order.  Our daily lives are filled with so many tasks and activities, that our God-aimed-things are often postponed.  We’ll make time for scripture after our work is finished.  We’ll make time for prayer after our schedule is cleared.  Wil make time for the fellowship of God’s people after our urgent duties are taken care of.

But King Asa of Judah learned a different cause and effect.  He sought the Lord first.  And he, and all of Judah, found that those other things worked out well.  They sought the Lord, and He gave them security as a nation.  They sought the Lord, and He profited their labors.  They sought the Lord, and He gave them a peace that passed understanding.

Jesus said it this way, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

No matter what is ahead of you today, or this week, or this month, or this year… seek Him first.

Fear not, then seek the Lord

Fear Not... Then Be Reasonable

And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. (Daniel 1:20 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Be Reasonable

God’s commandments to His people do not have to make sense for us to obey, but they do.  God’s expectations of His people do not have to lead us to success, but they do.  God’s expressed desires for His people do not have to be reasonable, but they are.

Young Daniel and his friends believed God’s commands concerning their diet.  We do not know exactly what foods the Babylonians were offering to the captured Israelites, but Daniel and company did not believe that they should consume them.  Perhaps they had been offered to idols, and thus were expressly forbidden by God.  Perhaps they were foods prohibited in the Law, and they knew that God forbade them.  Perhaps they were merely unhealthy, and they knew that God wanted them to take care of themselves.

But their choice, made in faith, made trusting in God, made risking reputation, position, and perhaps even made risking their lives, led to physical health.

God’s ways are better for us than ways opposing God.  God’s ways are more sensible than ways opposing God.  God’s ways are more beneficial than ways opposing God.  God’s ways are more reasonable than ways opposing God.

Because God’s ways are truth.  Not just truth for us… but absolute truth.

Fear not, then be reasonable.

Fear Not... Then Ignore Intentions

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Ignore Intentions

I used to say, “I do not believe in conspiracies… I just believe people plan things.”

But lately, I am starting to believe in conspiracies.

Influential, persuasive, and powerful people are apparently becoming more successful in obstructing the preaching of the gospel.  They are apparently becoming more successful in limiting freedoms of God’s people.  They are apparently becoming more successful in changing the narrative of our history.  They are apparently becoming more successful in altering the foundations of Scripture, the Church, and the family.

But we, the people of God, adopted through the work of Christ Jesus, under the protection, providence, and power of the One True Living God, still have nothing to fear.

Joseph’s brothers had bad intentions.  But God was still in charge.

The Jewish leaders in 33 AD had bad intentions.  But God was still in charge.

Those who imprisoned the apostle Paul had bad intentions.  But God was still in charge.

No matter how powerful the intenders, God’s intentions are better.  No matter how twisted and evil the intenders, God’s goodness is better.  No matter how deeply woven the plots of the intenders are, God’s tapestry is better.

He’s already saved you, despite your worst intentions.  He’s already saved me, despite my worst intentions.  He’s already filling heaven and earth with His Kingdom, despite the intentions of His enemies.

Fear not, then ignore intentions.

Fear Not... Then Listen

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” (Genesis 46:2-4 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Listen

Jacob should not have been surprised to find Joseph in charge in Egypt.  God came right and told Jacob that he would be seeing his beloved son again.

But I can not shake my head at Jacob’s deafness.  Because I did not hear God’s promise, either.  I have read this passage many, many times.  And I never noticed, until this very moment, that God had made an astonishing and revealing promise to Jacob.

The Old Testament is filled with promises about the Messiah, but hardly anyone really expected the Messiah to be born then, or there, or with whom. 

Jesus told his disciples many times that He would die, and rise again.  But everyone was surprised when it happened.

I wonder what other promises God has been making that I have not noticed.

Perhaps it is time to read through the Bible again… maybe even with a bright highlighter.  Maybe I, like Jacob, need to listen a little more.

Fear not, then listen.

Fear Not... Then Prioritize

When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. (II Chronicles 12:1 ESV)

Fear Not… Then Prioritize

Rehoboam inherited the amazing Kingdom of Israel at Solomon’s death. After some poor decisions, and some civil war, Israel was divided into two smaller kingdoms, Israel and Judah.  Rehoboam ruled the smaller of the two, Judah.  In the eyes of many, Rehoboam was a successful king.  He endured a civil war, attacks by foreign kings, and an economic struggle or two.  In the end, he reigned seventeen years, and even the Bible acknowledges that he was a strong king.

But really, he was not.  He had his priorities mixed up.

Jesus said it this way, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

The bank sends overdraft notices; utility companies send shutoff alerts; employers send pink slips for absence; schools send warnings for excessive tardiness; stomachs growl and hurt if we miss too many meals; friends desert us if we neglect them… But the things of God have no such obvious warnings, penalties, or immediate effects.

And so we, like Rehoboam find it painless to put God lower and lower on our priority lists.  The world might call us successful economically, socially, or emotionally.

But if God is not first, we ultimately are no different than Rehoboam. 

Fear not, then prioritize