Category Archives: Fear

Battles, Belief, Bible, Caregiver, Compassion, Eternity, Fear, God's Will, Love, Relationships, Scripture

FEAR FOR OTHERS

GALATIANS 4:11

“I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”

Oh, how I can relate to this verse today. I know people who do not know Christ. They have not placed their faith in Him as Savior. I know without Christ that their eternal destiny is doomed. I fear for them. I know some believers who are not living for Jesus. There is no fruit in their lives. I fear for them that they are missing out on such blessings. I pray they all will surrender fully to the Lord Jesus.

Paul’s words here state the same fear for the Galatians. He had just scolded them for returning to the former things in their lives. Now, he says he fears for them. He is fearful that there are no basic principles in their lives. Has he wasted all his time with them? The word “labored” means he really worked hard. He gave his all to teach them.

APPLICATION

I have felt that way in my ministry from time to time. There have been days when I felt like all I was doing had no eternal impact on people’s lives. They didn’t seem to “get it.” When I see men, in whom I have invested months and months of time, turn back to their former manner of living, it grieves me deeply. We are warned against that. Proverbs 26:11 reads, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so is a fool who repeats his foolishness.”

How do we, as believers, deal with this fear for others? Simply put, we trust in Christ. We trust in the almighty hand of God. We pray. We continue to reach out and try to influence both our lost friends and family and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:16, “‘Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’” We can all do that.

Today, let your walk with Christ be so bright that others ask you how you do it. Point them to the Word that is their guide. Point them to prayer which is your communication piece with God. Show them how, when you fail (and we all do) how you get back up in the strength of the Lord. Make an impact today. Don’t give up.

There are those in my circle for whom I fear, Lord. Help me direct them to You and Your love.

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Accountability, Bible, Death, Fear, Reverence, Scripture, Sin

YOU DO NOT FEAR ME

MALACHI 3:5

“‘Then I will come near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, those who oppress the wage earner in his wages or the widow or the orphan, and those who turn away the stranger from justice and do not fear Me,’ says the LORD of armies.”

Oh, how our sins pile up in the face of God’s truth. That’s why I start every day in my Quiet Time in a period of confession. I confess any and all sins I have committed and even ask for forgiveness of those I may have committed but was not aware of. That can happen, you know. But more than likely, I am well aware of my sins and confess those by name. Why do I do that? Because I fear my Lord, not in a cringing, bone-shaking way. I revere His authority in my life.

The Lord lays out a list of sins before the people in today’s verse. A couple of these (sorcery and adultery) were worthy of death but had been tolerated by the priests. They all boil down to the last thing the Lord says, you “do not fear Me.” This is the bottom line. One commentator says this, “The words, ‘and fear not me,’ point to the source from which all these sins flowed, and refer to all the sinners mentioned before.” (Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament)

APPLICATION

I did a quick google search (yes, I use Google sometimes) and found 100 verses on the fear of the Lord. Hmmm, that might be important, you think. One of my favorite verses on this topic is Proverbs 1:7. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” How about these words of Jesus in Matthew 10:28, “‘And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.’” I could go on and on listing dozens of verses, but I think you get the picture. Do your own search of verses on this and spend some time just meditating on the verses.

One of my memory verses is on this subject. Psalm 86:11 reads, “Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may rely on Your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name.” That’s why I spend time each morning confessing my sins before Him. I do fear His name. I want an undivided heart.

Do you have a healthy fear of God? Are you aware of His power to deal with your sins at a moment’s notice? Yes, as a believer in Jesus, your sins are forgiven, but that does not give you license to sin, as the priests and people were doing in Malachi’s time. We must own our sins and confess those in our fear of God, our holy God. Do that now.

O Lord, You are the One I fear. Cleanse me, Father, from all my sins. Wash away my iniquities today.

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Belief, Bible, Covenant, Fear, Love, Reverence, Scripture

WHAT FEAR

MALACHI 2:5

“‘My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and was in awe of My name.’”

There have only been a few times in my life when I was truly fearful. One of those times was on a very wet, muddy road up a mountain in Kenya. Another time was when I faced my first stem cell transplant. During both of those times I did not doubt the Lord or His presence, but for a fleeting second or two I began to rely on my own strength and not His.

The Lord reminds the priests that His covenant with Levi (specifically Aaron) was “one of life and peace.” It was everlasting. Then the Lord uses three different words that could be translated as “fear.” “Reverence” is mora which refers to a deed that should be feared. “Revered” is yare which means to be afraid, to hold in awe. And finally, “awe” is chathath, which gives us the picture of being prostrate on the ground. Do you think the Lord meant to say something about fear here?

APPLICATION

Fear still applies to us as believers, but not in a scary kind of way. No, our fear of the Lord rests in the love of Christ. Listen to these words in Isaiah 8:13. “Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread.” Proverbs 13:13 says, “He who feareth the Lord will be rewarded.” And I love Ecclesiasticus 1:11. “The fear of the Lord is honor and glory and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.”

What is your fear based in? Do you fear life and all the uncertainties it brings, or do you fear the Lord and trust His protection and guidance? When we have that spiritually healthy fear of the Lord, we are able to rest in His goodness. If things are not going the way we want them to, we can still reverence Him and fear His name.

God does not want us to be scared of Him. That is not the kind of fear He is talking about. But He does want us to have a high regard for Him and His commands. He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to believe He will do what He says. Do you fear Him that way? Try it this week. As you pray, tell Him how much you honor and trust Him. Then let your reverence build.

Father, I fear Your name and hold You in the highest reverence and praise.

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Access, Battles, Bible, Deliverance, Evil, Fear, God's Will, Hate, Love, Scripture

JACKALS EVERYWHERE

MALACHI 1:3

“‘but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.’”

I was leaving my home the other night, when out of nowhere this coyote ran across the street. Mind you, I don’t live out in the rural area of town. I live in a very urban area, surrounded by interstates and houses. Where did this little bugger come from? Better yet, where did he go?

In verse 3 of chapter 1 of Malachi, the Lord is pronouncing a judgment on Esau. Remember him, the twin brother of Jacob? The word “hate” is a strong word which we take in a very negative way. The fact is God had chosen Jacob in the womb to be the father of Israel. Esau could have done nothing to change that. His region and people would be destroyed five years after the Babylonians defeated Jerusalem.

APPLICATION

We make choices in life. Esau chose to go in another way. But after the story of him reconciling with Jacob, there isn’t much mentioned of him. It’s almost as if he just wandered into the wilderness where those jackals lived. The Hebrew word for “jackal” comes from the Hebrew tan, which means hideous monster or land creature. Are you living among the monsters? You don’t have to.

1 John 4:18 tells us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” The Lord wants to bring you in from the wilderness. There is no reason to fear. There is no reason to live among the jackals. He has made you a home, a safe home, a refuge.

I love Psalm 18. Verse 2 says, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my savior, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” So, come in from the wilderness of sin and strife. Put your full trust in Jesus, Who came to give you peace.

Father, You are my rescuer. You have delivered me from the wilderness and the jackals.

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Belief, Bible, Calling, Courage, Deliverance, Fear, God's Will, Scripture, Trust

DEEP WATER

ZECHARIAH 10:11

“And they will pass through the sea of distress and He will strike the waves in the sea, so that all the depths of the Nile will dry up; and the pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.”

I was recently at a hotel where they had this beautiful pool. Actually, they had two pools, one shallow and one deep. At the end of that deep pool was a diving tower with three levels. The top level had to be at least twenty feet high. Did that stop the kids from climbing up and jumping off? Not a bit. That deep water below was not scary at all. Why was that? Because they knew there was someone watching out for them – their parents. They would not hesitate to jump in to rescue them if their children were in danger.

Why am I talking about pools? Today’s verse refers to the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River on dry ground. Listen to what Isaiah says in 43:2. “When you walk through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. And shall smite the waves in the sea.” These waters are a symbol of the afflictions they would face, but God would bring them through. He is always standing by watching over His children.

APPLICATION

I have faced afflictions in my life where I felt I was underwater. I was drowning in self-pity, worry and doubt. I did not see a way out. Have you experienced that? But here I am, years later, and God is still using me. I don’t understand how He does it, but He rescues me each and every time. He knows my need way before I know it.

We should not be afraid of deep waters, of challenges that lie ahead. If God is calling you into the waters, He has a life vest just your size. In fact, He has tailormade it just for you. It’s not a used, worn out vest. Are you in over your head? Call out for Him right now.

Sometimes the Lord asks me to just dip my toe in that water. Other times He tells me to jump headfirst. I may have to wade or swim. But one thing I know – He is right there with me. The Lord “will strike the waves in the sea” at just the right time. He has been preparing me for these waters. I shall not be afraid.

Father God, lead me to the water’s edge and let me hear Your voice when to proceed.

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Advocate, Angels, Bible, Caregiver, Comfort, Cowardice, Fear, Hand, Protection, Scripture

THE WAVE OF HIS HAND

ZECHARIAH 2:9

“For behold, I am going to wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of armies has sent Me.”

I have known several young ladies who were beauty queens. My high school sweetheart was Miss Pelham. So was my sister. They both went on to compete in the Miss Georgia contest. One thing you have to practice as a beauty contestant is your hand wave. When you are riding in parades and such, you are expected to wave like a beauty queen. Don’t ask me how to do it because I have no clue, lol.

The angel who was delivering this message now switches to the first person. As God’s messenger, he will wave his hand over their enemies and defeat them. Look at that again. All he has to do is wave his hand. Wow! Now that is power. That is all it took – a wave of his hand, as God’s messenger. His power wasn’t his power. It was God’s. He pointed to that. “Then you will know that the LORD of armies has sent Me.

APPLICATION

In Job 27:11, Job tells his friends this. “I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.” God’s hand represented God’s way of dealing with the wicked. His method of operation is evident in His hands. God will deal with the evil forces of this world one day. We just have wait and watch.

So why do we cower in fear? All God has to do is wave His hand at those who try to defeat us. We are under His protection. We are His children. God tells us over and over in His Word to not be afraid. Yet we doubt His abilities. Now, if you asked someone if they believed God could do all these things, you would get an affirmative answer. Their behaviors, however, tell a different story.

My hands have been used to protect, soothe, comfort, wipe away tears and hold someone dear. God does the same with His hands toward us. If someone was attacking one of my loved ones, I would use my hands to defend them the best that I could. If we, as humans, will do that, don’t you think our heavenly will do that and so much more?

You’ve got the whole world in Your hands.

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Abiding, Angels, Authority, Awe, Bible, Encouragement, Fear, Hearing, Listening, Scripture

WHO IS THAT MAN?

ZECHARIAH 1:8

“I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel, and white horses behind him.” 

Have you ever been out at night and saw someone in the distance that you could not quite make out? I know I’ve done that several times. It usually doesn’t bother me if I’m with someone else or it’s in a place that I know. But if that happens when I’m alone or in an uncertain area, I can get a little concerned. I may even holler at the person to identify themselves. I am sure you’ve been there.

Zechariah sees a man riding a red horse and he was among the myrtle trees. Many scholars speculate who this man may be. Was it Michael, the archangel? Was it just an angel? Was it Jesus? We don’t know for certain since he does not identify himself by name. But we know one thing. He was in charge of those who rode behind him. We will see him over the next several verses. He has a message for Zechariah.

APPLICATION

What would you do if an angel or the Lord appeared before you? Well, Carl, I would probably run away terrified. Really? I have to believe if the Lord sent an angel to me or if He Himself appeared, I would know it. I would want to be in His presence.

Remember Paul’s experience? Acts 9:5-6 reads, “5 And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.’”

Whenever an angel or the Lord appears, they bring a message. Sometimes it is a message of judgment. Sometimes it is a message of direction. God is still delivering His message. It comes in the form of a book – the Bible. In its pages are all the messages from Him you need to hear. We don’t need an angel to appear to us. We just need to spend more time reading and listening.

As I have spent more and more time in the Word, He has revealed more and more of Himself to me. His Word is inexhaustible. It will never get old. Take some time today and dig in deeper to this verse. Dissect it. Tear it apart and put it back together again. Most importantly, listen to the Lord as He speaks to you, just like that man who appeared to Zechariah.

Lord God, I do not have to wonder who You are. You have shown Yourself to me time and time again through Your Word.

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Battles, Bible, Devil, Evil, Fear, Scripture, Strength

LIMP HANDS

ZEPHANIAH 3:16

“On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: ‘Do not be afraid, Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.’”

I have had the opportunity to meet a number of college and pro athletes in my life. These guys are impressive with their size and physical builds. Standing next to most of them I felt like a dwarf. I have seen what they could do on the football field or basketball court. One of those athletes, though, had the limpest handshake I have ever felt. It was like shaking hands with a dead fish. No grip, no firmness. It just did not match his physique at all.

God promises His people strength in today’s verse. He says, “Do not be afraid, Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.” The Hebrew word for “limp” means to relax or sink. Now put that in the verse. God was saying to them to have no fear, don’t sink down or relax. You see, God knew they were going to face more challenges, so they needed to stay strong and show no fear. He was with them.

APPLICATION

We often fall into that trap of sinking or relaxing. Let me remind you that we cannot afford that luxury. Luke 4:13 comes at the conclusion of Jesus’ testing in the wilderness by Satan. He had given Jesus his best shot and failed to cause Him to sin. Did he give up? I don’t think so. Look at the verse. “And so when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.”

We can’t have limp hands when it is time to battle the forces of evil. If the devil plotted an “opportune time” against the Son of God, you had better believe he is plotting against us. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Strengthen your hands! Gird up and prepare for battle today. This is not an attempt to put fear in you. In fact, my purpose is just the opposite. We have the Supreme Commander leading us. Why should we fear? But we have to prepare ourselves through prayer to wield the Sword of God, His Word, in combat against those opposed to the kingdom. Grab your sword, beloved.

I am thankful that through daily wielding of the Word, my hands are strong and not limp. 

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Belief, Bible, Fear, Hope, Salvation, Scripture, Strength, Victors

TO NO AVAIL

NAHUM 3:15

“There fire will consume you, the sword will cut you down; it will consume you as the creeping locust consumes a crop. Multiply yourself like the creeping locust, multiply yourself like the migratory locust.”

I do not like being told there is no hope, so quit trying. But there are sometimes when we just know we can’t do it. A few years ago, I had to go through a physical challenge and score so many points to become a Reserve Officer with my local Sheriff’s Office. Due to a bad, left shoulder I could not complete the necessary pull-ups or push-ups. My other scores were okay, but not good enough to accomplish the score needed. I had to stop the challenge before I finished. I hated that.

Today’s verse may not be clear at first glance. But Nahum is continuing the prophecy against Nineveh. He ends this verse basically daring Nineveh to try to strengthen themselves against the hand of God. They could become as numerous as the locusts, but they would not prevail. It was all to no avail.

APPLICATION

Don’t listen to the naysayers. While we are in Christ, we never give up. There is always hope. He will never leave you or forsake you. We know that because He tells us that repeatedly in Scripture. I have not personally counted them, but I have been told that “do not fear” occurs 365 times in the Bible. That’s enough for every day of the year!

When the world says, “Just give in. Quit trying” you look them right in the eye and tell them you have a Conqueror on your side who cannot be defeated. Your life is in Him, not your circumstances. Do not give in!!! Do not!

There have been times in my life when I wanted to throw in the towel. I had believed the lies. I thought it was all to no avail. Why keep trying? But my precious Lord and Savior reminded me of what He had saved me to accomplish for Him. He didn’t so much save me from something as He saved me toward something. Life was worth it because of Him. Believe that today.

I will believe in You, my Lord, when all else seems to fail. You are my rock and my salvation.

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Belief, Bible, Blessing, Christ's Return, Confidence, Contentment, Encouragement, Eternity, Fear, Promises, Rest

I AM NOT AFRAID

MICAH 4:4

“Instead, each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, because the mouth of the LORD of armies has spoken.”

When I was growing up, my friends and I would often dare each other to do something. Sometimes it was approaching a scary looking house and knocking on the door. We had a few houses like that in my hometown. Other times it was to do some stupid physical challenge. We always said, “I’m not afraid.” Of course, inside we were trembling.

Finally, one day we can all say with confidence that we are not afraid. Just like Micah describes here in today’s verse, we can sit under our vine or fig tree (I don’t have either of these, lol) and rest. The LORD of armies has spoken. When God speaks, all is settled.

APPLICATION

Won’t that be great? No more worries. No more problems. All is at rest. That is hard to imagine, isn’t it? We live with issues and problems every day. Some of those are big, like dealing with cancer or the loss of a loved one. Other things are small, like paying that bill or a challenging child. We all have to deal with these kinds of things now.

But one day soon we will have perfect rest. I love to fish (as you who read my blogs regularly or who know me personally can attest). I love to be on the lake or at a pond early in the morning when the water is calm. It is like glass. That kind of peaceful scene will be forever. No more disturbances.

I choose to live in that peace today. I choose to believe my heavenly Father wants me to live that way. He does not desire troubles for me. Just the opposite, He desires peace. Only His peace can provide this for me. His peace gives me peace. Are you living in His peace today?

Thank You for giving me peace today, Lord. I choose to live in it.

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