A New Year Without Fear
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A New Year Without Fear
Adrian Rogers
Love Worth Finding
God's Word brings us a comforting promise, along with an insightful command as we face a New Year: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:5-6).
You and I can live this coming year without fear if we apply these four incredibly wonderful truths to our lives and root them deep into our hearts.
The Contentment Of His Provision
Contentment is not getting what you want, but it is wanting what you already have. First Timothy 6:6-8 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us therewith be content." If you know Jesus Christ, you have contentment. If you've got clothes on your back, something to eat, and Jesus Christ in your heart, you're rich!
Do you know why we have fear? Because we think our needs or the needs of someone we love are not going to be met. Or we fear that the things we think are meeting our needs are going to be taken away from us. The deepest need of your heart can only be met in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Companionship Of His Presence
I don't know what I'm going to face next year. But there's one thing I know, He will never leave me. Are you a child of God? He will never leave you either. Isn't that wonderful!
What's another reason we may fear in the coming year? Because we're afraid we're going to have to face something we don't understand, and we're going to have to face it alone.
When God's Word promises that God will never forsake you, it literally means that He will never abandon you. He will not give up on you. We need to practice the presence of the Lord this coming year. When the devil comes and knocks at you heart's door, you can simply say, "Jesus, please go answer the door."
The Confidence Of His Promise
We're going to zero in on a little phrase in our verses in Hebrews, "He hath said." A promise is no better than the one who makes it. Who says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"? It is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. This is the confidence of His promise.
In the coming year, when you say, "God, I just don't have the strength." The omnipotent God will answer, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." When you say, "God, I'm afraid of what is going to happen." The omnipresent God says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." And when you say, "God, I don't know what to do." The omniscient God will respond, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." He himself hath said it.
The Comfort Of His Protection
Hebrews 13:6 promises, "So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Now, put that with verse five which says, “He hath said."
Like I said earlier, I don't know what you're going to go through this coming year. But I know you can boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, so I will not fear what man shall do to me." When you find your contentment, companionship, and confidence in Jesus. Then, you'll find your comfort and courage in Jesus. -
I hope this article will bring a new strength and courage to you as you walk through this year. Know that God will always be guiding you
Live joyfully, brothers and sister in Christ! -
Are You Stuck in a Cocoon?
Chip Ingram
Ask any butterfly if God has changed its life, and the answer will be a resounding YES! But according to the respected Gallup and Barna research organizations, you wouldn't get the same response from the average American who believes in Christ.
Sadly, recent research from both Gallup and Barna indicates that the decision to follow Christ makes surprisingly little difference in how the average American believer lives. It doesn't change where they spend their time or how they arrange their priorities. It doesn't affect their integrity at work, their sexual expression, their commitment to marriage, or their principles of parenting.
Why? Most likely it's because these believers got a little bit of the Easter story, but never fully understood the foundational truths of what was accomplished by Christ's death and resurrection. And that's the core, the basis for the metamorphosis of the believer. And without that, there's no real change.
Perhaps you've faced a similar struggle. Perhaps you went to camp or a church service and prayed to receive Christ. Then you tried hard to be good for three or four days, or weeks, or years. But you've realized that you're still sinning a lot. You're still struggling with the same stuff. It sure is hard. You want to change, but you feel as if you're still stuck in the cocoon.
If that's where you are today, or if that describes someone you know, what I'm about to share is going to be a tremendous blessing for you. Here are five principles of metamorphosis, of life change, that I believe can help bring you or any believer out of the cocoon and into a transformed life.
Principle #1: Life Change Always Begins with the Truth
Life change, real life change, is always rooted in the truth. And the first truth you have to understand is that the power to live a new life was made possible by Christ's death and resurrection. Christ broke the power of sin so you are no longer its captive.
God wants you to change. He wants you to walk in a manner worthy of your calling. But He's not asking you to try harder or do better. Christianity isn't about a code of ethics. Christianity is about a relationship with Christ, and part of being in that relationship is receiving from Him the power to change.
Principle #2: Life Change Demands That We Act on the Truth
Christ won the victory over sin, but you don't become a co-partaker of Christ's victory until the moment you receive Christ as your personal savior by faith. The moment that happens, your past is put behind you, the spirit of God comes in, and your sins are forgiven. You are in Christ.
Principle #3: Life Change Is a Gift
You can't change on your own. Sure, you can discipline your life. You can make some progress. But only God can change your life from the inside out. Only God can make you into the mom or dad that your kids never dreamed they could have. Only God can make you love your spouse unconditionally, even if you get nothing in return. That's supernatural power. That's radical change. That's the gift of God!
Principle #4: Life Change Is a Responsibility
But with the gift comes responsibility. Every believer is given a spiritual gift, a supernatural enabling, at the moment of salvation. It's a sacred trust given to you for the purpose of service. It's given to you to fit exactly who you are so that your life and purpose will achieve God's highest glory and bring about the greatest joy in your life.
Principle #5: Life Change Never Happens in Isolation
I don't know why, but God uses the spiritual gifts He gives us to work the gift of supernatural change in others. That's why He chooses to have us live in community together, love each other, and operate out of our giftedness in a way that transformation occurs. The gifts God gives us supply what others need to change into the likeness of Christ.
So if you've already experienced life change, I encourage you today to actively use your spiritual gifts to help others experience the same transformation. And if you're still stuck in the cocoon, I hope you understand that Christ's death and resurrection defeated sin, death, and Satan. Act by faith today. Repent from your old way of thinking, be transformed by the power of God, and discover life outside of the cocoon!
Excerpted from EdgeNotes, the bi-monthly newsletter of Living on the Edge; based on the book Holy Transformation. Used with permission. Copyright 2003 by Chip Ingram. All rights reserved.
About the author: Chip Ingram is President of Walk Thru the Bible in Atlanta, GA, and Teaching Pastor of Living on the Edge, a national radio ministry. -
Only One
Greg Laurie
I have heard it said, "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. What I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do."
One godly man or woman can make a dramatic difference, even in the darkest of circumstances. Jesus put it this way:
"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world-like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:13 NLT)
Our Lord is telling us that we, like salt, should make a difference in the situations we are in. Just as a little salt can either improve or worsen the flavor of something, a little influence can go a long way. You might be the only Christian in your family ... or the only Christian in your workplace ... or the only Christian in your classroom ... or the only Christian in your neighborhood. In fact, you may be trying to get out of an uncomfortable situation in which you find yourself. But you may have been put there by the Lord to be an influence and, in a godly way, to move people in the right direction. God can do a lot with a little.
We have heard of people like Dr. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, who recently went to be with the Lord, and D. L. Moody, the great evangelist of his time, and of course, Billy Graham. But have you ever heard of Edward Kimball or Henrietta Mears?
Without Edward Kimball, there never would have been a D. L. Moody. Kimball was a shoe salesman. He worked at a shoe store in Chicago and felt led by the Lord to share the gospel with young Dwight, a fellow salesman. Dwight responded to the message, gave his heart to Jesus Christ, and ultimately went on to be the greatest evangelist of his generation. It was because of Edward Kimball's faithfulness to share the gospel that the Lord reached D. L. Moody, who in turn reached millions.
What about Henrietta Mears? In 1928 she was called to teach a Sunday School class at the First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood. Under her direction, the class grew from 400 to 4,000. She later went on to found Gospel Light Publishing and Forest Home Christian Conference Center in Southern California. Of the people she influenced, 400 went into full-time Christian service. Among them were Bill Bright and Billy Graham.
It is the power of one. Our lives can make a difference. In Ezekiel 22:30 God says, "I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one" (NLT). God is looking for that one who can make his or her mark.
You may be the only Christian whom some people will ever know. The fact is that God can do a lot with a little. If you don't believe me, just ask that boy who was willing to share his lunch one day and saw Jesus feed 5,000 people, plus women and children, with his little meal. Or spend some time in the Book of Exodus, where you'll find the story of one man who lived such a godly life that, for all practical purposes, he kept two-and-a-half million people from turning to full-tilt idolatry. His name was Moses.
God is just looking for one-someone like you-someone like me. Will you be that one person? We all would love to be a Billy Graham, D. L. Moody, or Bill Bright. Maybe you will be. But would you be willing to at least be an Edward Kimball or a Henrietta Mears? Would you be willing to do what you can, where you are, with the influence that God has given you? Never underestimate the power of one. -
The Secret of Satisfaction
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
None of us know what we may be facing this year. Perhaps it is a life filled with anxiety, disappointment, worry, or grief or perhaps not. But we all know we will have difficulty. How can you get through it?
PROMISE OF PEACE
Regardless of the difficulty you may face, I want you to know that there are six verses in God's Word that hold the key to true satisfaction. That's right! Whatever struggle you're facing right now, you can have unshakable peace and contentment by applying these six verses. Where are these verses? Psalm 23.
You may say, "That sounds too good to be true. Lasting satisfaction is just another piece of religious pie-in-the-sky." But it's not! There are many principles that we can learn from this incredible Psalm, but I want to share just one.
Notice that David starts off the Psalm by rejoicing, saying, "I shall not want" because "the Lord is my Shepherd." When you can say, "I am His and He is mine" then you will be complete. Let me explain.
A passing hunger for prosperity, progress, or prestige only brings shallow satisfaction. When we stuff ourselves with so many worldly snacks, we don't have any appetite left when it is time for the real feast!
PRACTICE HIS PRESENCE
On the other hand, a deep hunger for Jesus Christ leads to a perpetual feast full of knowing Him. And the glorious truth about feasting on the Lord is that you'll be continually filled and satisfied! Now that is a deep satisfaction!
So how do you feast on the Lord? By practicing and living in His presence every moment. Learn to realize that at each moment of every day, Jesus is always there with you--in your kitchen, your office, your car--just as He promised. Think about Him all day!
As one poet said, "Lean thine arms upon the windowsill of heaven, and gaze into the face of thy God. And then, with the vision full in your heart, turn to meet the day." And that's what I want to encourage you to do. Practice the presence of God. Feast on Christ. Wake up half an hour earlier. Turn off the television a little sooner. And spend time with your Shepherd. Then look at life from His perspective all day!
PONDER THE PSALM
I believe there is no better place to start than Psalm 23. This Psalm has been a sweet, personal blessing to me--and not only to me, but to others through the ages. It is as sweet to the child as it is perplexing to the scholar.
I want to encourage you to read and meditate on Psalm 23 and let the Lord show you that the secret to satisfying all of your needs lies in the hands of your Shepherd. You know, there are many people like you and me who might brush right over Psalm 23--and the glorious news of the Good Shepherd--because they think they've heard it all before. And yet they continue to desperately seek satisfaction and search for happiness in life. These things can only be fully known in a right relationship with God.
In closing, I want to encourage you to start--if you're not already--practicing the presence of God today. Why not begin with Psalm 23 and discover how your Shepherd can satisfy your soul.
" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Psalm 23:1
None of us know what we may be facing this year. Perhaps it is a life filled with anxiety, disappointment, worry, or grief or perhaps not. But we all know we will have difficulty. How can you get through it?
PROMISE OF PEACE
Regardless of the difficulty you may face, I want you to know that there are six verses in God's Word that hold the key to true satisfaction. That's right! Whatever struggle you're facing right now, you can have unshakable peace and contentment by applying these six verses. Where are these verses? Psalm 23.
You may say, "That sounds too good to be true. Lasting satisfaction is just another piece of religious pie-in-the-sky." But it's not! There are many principles that we can learn from this incredible Psalm, but I want to share just one.
Notice that David starts off the Psalm by rejoicing, saying, "I shall not want" because "the Lord is my Shepherd." When you can say, "I am His and He is mine" then you will be complete. Let me explain.
A passing hunger for prosperity, progress, or prestige only brings shallow satisfaction. When we stuff ourselves with so many worldly snacks, we don't have any appetite left when it is time for the real feast!
PRACTICE HIS PRESENCE
On the other hand, a deep hunger for Jesus Christ leads to a perpetual feast full of knowing Him. And the glorious truth about feasting on the Lord is that you'll be continually filled and satisfied! Now that is a deep satisfaction!
So how do you feast on the Lord? By practicing and living in His presence every moment. Learn to realize that at each moment of every day, Jesus is always there with you--in your kitchen, your office, your car--just as He promised. Think about Him all day!
As one poet said, "Lean thine arms upon the windowsill of heaven, and gaze into the face of thy God. And then, with the vision full in your heart, turn to meet the day." And that's what I want to encourage you to do. Practice the presence of God. Feast on Christ. Wake up half an hour earlier. Turn off the television a little sooner. And spend time with your Shepherd. Then look at life from His perspective all day!
PONDER THE PSALM
I believe there is no better place to start than Psalm 23. This Psalm has been a sweet, personal blessing to me--and not only to me, but to others through the ages. It is as sweet to the child as it is perplexing to the scholar.
I want to encourage you to read and meditate on Psalm 23 and let the Lord show you that the secret to satisfying all of your needs lies in the hands of your Shepherd. You know, there are many people like you and me who might brush right over Psalm 23--and the glorious news of the Good Shepherd--because they think they've heard it all before. And yet they continue to desperately seek satisfaction and search for happiness in life. These things can only be fully known in a right relationship with God.
In closing, I want to encourage you to start--if you're not already--practicing the presence of God today. Why not begin with Psalm 23 and discover how your Shepherd can satisfy your soul. -
woah.. very long... but will try to find some time to read n digest...
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thank you for your 'peng chang'Originally posted by audlenelee:woah.. very long... but will try to find some time to read n digest...
hope you'll be spoken to -
Originally posted by sillyme:thank you for your 'peng chang'
hope you'll be spoken to
by who? -
God, of courseOriginally posted by audlenelee: by who? -
umm... ok... but i might be freaked out though...Originally posted by sillyme:God, of course
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The Burdens of False Guilt
Charles Stanley
Insight for Living
"I have never smuggled anything in my life," author John Steinbeck said. "Why, then, do I feel an uneasy sense of guilt on approaching a customs barrier?"
Steinbeck's comments ring true in the life of many believers: we often live in guilt for reasons we cannot explain or identify. Consequently, our spiritual lives are hampered and our testimony is hindered-all because we have bought into Satan's manipulative plan of deception.
Satan loves to harass Christians. One of his most effective strategies is to convince us that God's forgiveness is not enough. Burdened and overwhelmed by guilt, we hang on to sin for which God has forgiven us, believing the deceptive tactics of the Enemy.
When identifying guilt in our lives, it is important that we distinguish between the two forms of this troubling emotion. The first-genuine guilt-comes as a result of violating biblical, moral beliefs. God uses this form of guilt as a positive motivator to teach and instruct us.
False guilt, however, is derived from misconceptions or feelings gone astray. When we are mired in the baggage of false guilt, Satan can easily remind us of past sins for which we have asked and been granted forgiveness by God.
Can you identify areas of guilt in your life? Have you asked God for forgiveness? If so, have you accepted His pardon?
Too often, we allow guilt to consume us long after God has forgiven our sin. As believers, we are free in Christ. We are not bound by legalistic rules and regulations, but, instead, we are liberated to let the Holy Spirit guide and direct our lives. We cannot "make up" for the sin we have previously committed; Christ made the payment for us long ago.
While we cannot repay God for His sacrifice, we can always strive to correct areas of weakness. When addressing guilt, the first step may be to identify the source of our burdens. While genuine, biblical guilt stems from poor moral judgment, false guilt can originate from a variety of circumstances-such as faulty teaching, unpleasant childhood memories, perfectionist tendencies, and low self-esteem.
All of these situations present Satan with an avenue to manipulate and distort the truth. If we were abused as children, we may blame ourselves for the mistreatment. Perfectionist attitudes may cause us to attempt to live up to unrealistic expectations and reach for goals outside of God's will. Faulty teaching can create a rules-based environment that encourages working for God's approval, rather than accepting His grace.
Once the source is identified, we can begin the process of eliminating false guilt from our lives. God's word tells us that we are special, we are loved, and we are forgiven. When confronting guilt, it's vital that we affirm these three characteristics.
- Why are we special? Christ gave His life for us; each of us is entirely unique.
- How are we loved? God loves us so much that He continuously forgives us; we live in forgiveness. He "demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:
. He loves us in spite of our sinful nature.
- How are we forgiven? God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) All we have to do is ask.
Guilt may seem inescapable, hovering above our entire lives. However, when we affirm and truly believe that we are special, loved, and forgiven by God, we will quickly recognize the seeds of guilt Satan plants in our lives; we will realize our ability to "walk in the light" as Christ is in the light. (1 John 1:7) Then, we can boldly reject false guilt, realizing that it is a tool of Satan to drag us down.
The blood of Christ covered all our shortcomings, burdens, anxieties, and doubts. As believers, we exist in constant forgiveness. There is nothing for which God cannot forgive us. Hand over your guilty emotions to Him today. -
never believed in having no fear. i believe in having your fears about something but doing it anyway. always told people, being unafraid of something is not courage. its called foolishness. being afraid of something but still doing it in spite of your fear is true courage.
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agreeOriginally posted by HENG@:never believed in having no fear. i believe in having your fears about something but doing it anyway. always told people, being unafraid of something is not courage. its called foolishness. being afraid of something but still doing it in spite of your fear is true courage. -
1 John 4
17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19We love because he first loved us.