Fear not

Isa 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

 One of the most oft repeated commands in the Bible is “Fear not”.  God is the reason we can overcome our fears. He has promised to keep us, to help us, to strengthen us and to uphold us by His power.  This passage tells us to not fear or be dismayed, because He is with us.  He said “I am your God”.  What a promise!  What a strength and confidence to face the future!  This doesn't mean we won't face trouble or difficulty.  We will.  What it means is that God will be with us to help us and protect us.  Keep your faith.

Worship Him

Psa 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 What a privilege to be able to worship the Lord!  We are to give God the glory that He deserves. We are to praise Him, exalt Him, adore Him and magnify Him above everything because He is worthy!  We are to worship the Lord in the beauty of a changed life, a life motivated by love to God and love to others; a love lived out in right motives and attitudes within, right words and right actions.  What a beautiful and joyous occasion when the children of God extol His awesome love and holiness in the sweetness of a clean heart and clean hands.

First

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 We really only have one task in life: to pursue our relationship with God and His interests.  We have this promise: if we make this the top priority of our life, God will take care of the rest.  Too often, we allow our lives, our time and our energy to be expended in pursuing the things of this life and neglect the most important things. Let’s make sure we keep our priorities straight.

Because He cares

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 We all have worries, cares, anxieties.  We can give them ALL to Him, because He truly loves us and cares for us. It is this faith and confidence in Him that allows us to have peace and joy in the midst of uncertainty and difficulties.

He has traveled this path

Deu 31:8  And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

 I really like this passage.  God knows the path we travel.  God sees the future, and in that sense, He has already traveled the road before us. He will be with us, He will never forsake us, He cannot fail us.  Therefore, no matter what the future may seem to hold, we need not be dismayed or fearful.

Our deliverer

Psa 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

Even in the midst of trouble, surrounded by enemies, God is able to keep and deliver us.  Though their anger may grow hot, yet we are safe in God’s care.  He will save us and revive us.

There is a reward for the righteous

Psa 58:11  So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Again, we are reminded that good will be rewarded.  Often we are made to believe that doing right will cost us.  This verse reminds us that there is indeed a God who is still in charge. It is God who has the final say, and in His justice, the good and right will be rewarded.

Lift Him up

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

 It is Jesus that draws men to Himself yet today.  As the world looks on, may our prayer be that they see Jesus only in all we do and say .

Draw nigh

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

 Whenever there is a distance between us and God, a coolness in our relationship, it is never God who has moved.  The fault is always ours.  If we repent and do those things to draw close to Him, He will always draw close to us.

Heart is fixed

Psa 112:7  He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

 It is our trust and confidence in God that allows us to face the future with confidence rather than fear.  We are not struck down with fear when we hear a bad report, or a fearful outlook.  Rather, we can overcome fear when our heart is steady in trusting in our good and loving God.

Obey

Pro 13:13  Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

Over and over we need reminded that God’s word tends toward life, while disobedience leads to death.  In our temptations, we can easily lose sight of this truth, but the fact remains.  Obedience leads to the best life can be, while sin and disobedience leads to death and destruction.

Slow to anger

Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

 How often we get ourselves in trouble by speaking to quickly or by speaking in anger.  We should give great effort to disciplining our self to listening, and to being careful in our response.  Our anger does not produce a life of good and right.

They shall obtain gladness and joy

Isa 51:11  Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

There is a joy that comes with gathering with the children of God. They gather home to spiritual Zion with singing and gladness.  There is coming a day when we will be home, and all sorrow and sadness will be gone forevermore.  Until that day, let’s enjoy the foretaste of heaven in the gathering together with God’s children

My God shall supply

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 We all have needs.  We all have worries about our needs, yet those who know the Lord need not worry and fret.  God has promised to supply all our needs.  Notice we are reminded that God has more than enough to back up that promise.

He will deliver

Jer 1:8  Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

 There are many things that can cause us to fear. Evil often seems so strong, but we are reminded that we really have nothing to fear.  God is with us and has promised to deliver us.  Let us trust Him more fully and not be afraid.

Even to our old age

Isa 46:4  And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

God is concerned about our whole life.  He cares about us from the time we are conceived all the way to our old age and even beyond, into the life to come.  He has promised that He will carry us safely all the way through. 

If God be for us...

Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Who or what can stand against God?  Who or what is able to thwart God’s plans?  What an assurance for a believer!  If God is on our side, if God is for us, there is nothing or no one who can keep God from accomplishing His purposes in our life.

Bruised

Isa 42:3  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

 Discouragement and trouble can often make us feel very weak.  Sometimes there is not much left but smoke, the fire is dying out.  Yet God is tender and patient.  He works with the bruised so they do not break.  He fuels the smoking flax back to flame again.  God will accomplish His purposes, both in the world and in your life.  Are you bruised, just down to smoke?  Run to God, allow Him to comfort and to fan into flame again.

More permanent than the mountains

Isa 54:10  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

 Our God is more sure, more dependable, than even the creation, the earth, the mountains and hills. All these things may be shaken, may disappear, but God’s goodness and kindness will remain.  His covenant and mercy remains sure.  May our confidence in Him be unshaken.

Finding peace

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

What an encouragement!  We will face difficulties and troubles in this life, but we have this assurance:  Jesus has walked this way before us and overcome all the opposition in this world.  We can cheerfully live this life knowing He will bring us safely through.