1-5-2018

Good Morning All,

Proverbs 29:25; “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

        As my sons were growing up, I used to follow sports a little more closely.  I would watch the games and listen to the other parents as the fortunes and successes of the team were discussed.  You would hear conversations like, “We’ll do fine until we play team “x”; as soon as we play them we will lose.”  The parents were sure of this and often times told the players this as well.  So the players would begin the game with the assumption that they would lose.

    I have always wondered how much that impacted the game.  If one team is convinced that it cannot defeat the other team; will the first team play without giving the best effort they can?  If the first team expects to lose, does it do all the pregame mental and physical preparation as intensely as it does when it expects to win or at least to compete?  Or does the team that expects to lose simply go through the motions of playing?  I really do wonder about the psychology of this.  When we think our opponent is unbeatable, how do we react?

    This is what the proverb in our verse is about.  Fear can paralyze us.  It can cause us to stop trying.  It can cause us to turn away.  It can cause us to shun the things that we desire.  It can cause us to avoid the things that we want to do.  It is usually fear, either of rejection or of ridicule that causes us to shy away from expressing our faith in the public part of our life.  It may be at our job or at the places where we do business or the times and places when we interact with friends.  We may hear the comments of the others and then shy away from what we truly believe and confess.

   God encourages us to stand strong.  We are always safe in his loving arms.  He has defeated all of our enemies.  We have no need to fear man; we only need to trust in God’s wonderful grace.  We know his truth and we know of his love for us.  We have his promise of salvation.  We have his promise of eternal life.  This can and should give us the confidence to face all the snares and fears that the world throws at us.  We are to walk by faith; faith in the risen Savior that we are redeemed and guaranteed our salvation.  We have nothing to fear; God has given us the victory that cannot be taken away.  In Him alone we have this great truth and promise.

Gracious Father, too often I walk in fear of what others think or say.  There are too many times when I hide and shirk what I am to do or say.  Forgive me when I fail and give me the strength to go forward in the confidence of your truth.  Lead me to be the voice of grace and hope in this dark and lost world.  Grant me the spirit to walk by faith in your eternal love.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret