Do Not Fear

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 

Why, even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows.  

Do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself  

Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat. . . 

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.  

Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

from a message Jesus gave in Luke twelve


I jotted these verses down in my journal yesterday morning, but they didn't really sink in. You know, I just noticed that Jesus was telling people not to fear. Then during Sunday School, the teacher was talking about Eureka moments with Scripture, and also praying instead of being anxious.

Eureka!

The Lord was trying to tell me not to worry about a situation in my life. Maybe more than one, as I have been feeling pretty stressed on a couple of fronts lately. Carrie, don't fear or worry or be anxious--pray about it!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger

I've been reading through James (slowly!) and chapter one verses nineteen and twenty struck me, as they often have:

But everyone must be quick to hear,
slow to speak
and slow to anger;
for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

A few cross-references I pondered this morning:

Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2

When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. Proverbs 10:19

He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:27

He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. Proverbs 14:29

The ESV study Bible has a great footnote on verse nineteen:

"The self-reliant anger of man, even when directed against some wrongdoing, fails to recognize that mere human reproach cannot change another person's heart, and thus does not produce the righteousness of God; nor indeed is such anger fully righteous itself." (emphasis added)

I thought of this particularly as a mother. It's easy to reproach my children in anger, but I must recognize the (potential) sin in this, and the folly of it.

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6


Verses are from the New American Standard Version. (I am using the English Standard Version for Bible study right now, but don't have it in my computer Bible program. It's quicker to just copy from BibleWorks, which has many translations, including NASB.)

Fear the LORD!

Who is the man who fears the LORD?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.

Psalm 25:12-14
(emphasis added)

Prayer of the Jewish Mother at Candlelighting

Father of Mercy, O continue Thy loving-kindness unto me and
unto my dear ones. Make me worthy to rear my children
that they walk in the way of the righteous before Thee,
loyal to Thy law and clinging to good deeds. Keep Thou
from us all manner of shame, grief, and care; and grant
that peace, light, and joy ever abide in our home. Amen.

found in Meditations for the Expectant Mother by Helen Good Brenneman

Future Joy

One thing I am asking the Lord to help me cultivate this year is joy. Here are thoughts from the two passages I looked at this morning.

For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

Paul anticipated joy at presenting his convert-disciples to the Lord. My children must be my primary convert-disciples. Work hard for this joy!

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus endured shame for the hope of future joy, willing to forgo present pleasure. My own present joy cannot be the chief end of my pursuits.

It struck me that both of these passages allude to present endurance or suffering for the sake of future joy.

Come, all You who are Thirsty

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

from Isaiah 55 (NIV)

Savoring God's Promise by Faith

The ESV Study Bible note on Isaiah 40:31 says that "wait for the LORD" has the idea of "savoring God's promise by faith until the time of fulfillment." I like that!

Biblical Principles for Doubtful Activities

1. Does it cause someone else to sin? (Stumbling block principle, or the law of love)
Therefore let us . . . determine this-- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. (Romans 14:13)
Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. (1 Corinthians 8:13)

2. We are to lay aside sins and every weight that keeps us from being the best possible Christian.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1)

3. We are to make no provision for the flesh.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Romans 13:14)

4. Don't violate your conscience.
I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. (Romans 14:13)

5. A Christian should be separate from the world.
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

6. Does it glorify God?
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

7. Would I be ashamed if Jesus Christ came and found me doing it?
Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. (1 John 2:28)

8. Can I feel free to do it when I remember that God the Holy Spirit dwells within me?
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

9. Is it fitting conduct for a child of God?
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10)


Taken from Dangerous Parenting Detours by Walt Brock (slightly adapted)

Not Hidden

O Lord, all my longing is before You;
my sighing is not hidden from You.

For You, O LORD, do I wait;
it is You, O Lord my God, who will answer.
Psalm 38:9,15

Showing Tolerance for One Another

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for/bearing with one another in love, (NASB/ESV) Ephesians 4: 1-2

Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Colossians 3: 13

Tolerance implies a certain amount of grit--like the other person is annoying or unpleasant. But not with clenched teeth; in a manner worthy of your calling, with humility and gentleness, in love, and in a God-like spirit of forgiveness. This is a command!

Psalm 34:9-10

O fear the LORD, you His saints,
for those who fear Him have no lack.
The young lions suffer lack and hunger;
but they who seek the LORD lack no good thing. (ESV)

from Psalm 33

The word of the LORD is upright,
and all His work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
on those who hope in His steadfast love,

Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart is glad in Him,
because we trust in His holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in You.

Psalm 33:4, 18, 20-22 (ESV)

Do Good

> Psalm 34: 14 Depart from evil and do good

> Psalm 37: 3 Trust in the LORD and do good;

> Isaiah 1: 17 Learn to do good;

> Matthew 12:12b it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. This reminds me that it is more important to do good than to keep traditions. What came to mind was stopping to help someone at the expense of being on time to Sunday school.

> Luke 6:27, 35 love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, . . . love your enemies, and do good,

> Galatians 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. This verse and the next emphasize first doing good to other believers, and second to all people.

1 Thessalonians 5: 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

> 1 Timothy 6:18 Instruct [the rich] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

Psalm 29

First, David tells us to ascribe (Webster--impute, attribute; to regard as belonging to or coming from someone) glory and strength to the Lord--as is His due.

Then he praises the power of God's voice. His voice! What power is in your voice?

Finally, he ends with this prayer, which we have now been convinced is fully within God's power to do:

May the LORD give strength to His people!
May the LORD bless His people with peace!

Love!

The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you

We love, because He first loved us.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet Jesus has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

[Jesus] is the radiance of [God the Father's] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,


Deuteronomy 7:7-8, 1 John 4:19, 1 John 4:10, Colossians 1:21-22, Romans 5:8, Hebrews 2:3 (ESV)

from the Daily Light, compiled by Samuel Bagster

If You're Thirsty, Don't Blame God

It's so easy to point the finger at God when my soul is dry. But He makes certain promises to His people! Who is to blame for my thirst if I walk beside a stream and refuse to drink? Who can I blame for soul-thirst if I don't drink of God's word and neglect to meet Him for prayer? Only myself.

Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Revelation 22:17

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:8

Who's Right?

When in doubt--

Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar. (Romans 3:4)

When I read something in Scripture that just doesn't seem to fit with "the way things are," I must believe God! He is true, and it is impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18b)! My heart is darkened (Jeremiah 17:9) and my mind impeded by sin (Isaiah 55:8-9), so when I disagree with God, He's right and I'm wrong.


Hebrews 6:18b in which it is impossible for God to lie,

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Keep a Quiet Heart

I think I find most help in trying to look on all the interruptions and hindrances to work that one has planned out for oneself as discipline, trials sent by God to help one against getting selfish over one's work. Then one can feel that perhaps one's true work--one's work for God--consists in doing some trifling haphazard thing that has been thrown into one's day. It is not a waste of time, as one is tempted to think, it is the most important part of the work of the day--the part one can best offer to God. After such a hindrance, do not rush after the planned work; trust that the time to finish it will be given sometime, and keep a quiet heart about it.

~Annie Keary, 1825-1879

Diligence in Proverbs

Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

I [Wisdom] love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.

He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.


Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:

"How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,

Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil."