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trust

Fearful to Fearless: Don’t Enter Fear

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“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 6:31, NIV

From Genesis to Revelation, God exhorts believers not to be afraid. Join me this week as we venture to be fearless in a world packed with reasons to fear.

 

Don’t Enter Fear

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 4:10, NIV

theatre-83862_640Our nation was in the throes of the Great Depression when President-Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a message of hope in his 1933 inaugural address: “This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

Roosevelt couldn’t have articulated it better. Fear paralyzes. It keeps us from moving forward regardless of the fact that most of the things we fear never happen.

According to a 2014 study by the National Institute of Mental Health, public speaking remains the long-standing number-one fear on the list of the nation’s top ten phobias. It makes sense: I’ve taken the platform in front of others throughout my life; I’ve acted in school plays, sung in choruses, chaired organizations, delivered keynotes, facilitated Bible studies, led spiritual retreats, participated in dramas, and presented monologues, yet there are still times when I hesitate to step into new speaking opportunities because of my fears.

A few years ago, I was asked to perform a role in our church Christmas drama. In spite of the queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, I accepted. Although I’d acted before, I couldn’t shake my fear. I had nightmares about forgetting my lines and dreaded the two upcoming performances.

The first night, I breezed through my lines in spite of my fear. The second night, despite my previous success, fear plagued me. Listening for my cue, I paced the hall outside the church sanctuary and prayed.  Frustrated with my inability to shake the nerves, I asked God, “What’s the matter with me? You’ve proven yourself faithful. Why can’t I trust you?”

His reply was quick. “You are trusting me.”

“How am I trusting you?” I said. “This doesn’t feel like trust to me.”

“You’re here, aren’t you? You’re doing it. You’re doing it afraid.”

He was right. (Of course He was. He’s God.)  On cue, I stepped out into that auditorium filled with people and delivered my lines. They were flawless. I did it. I did it afraid!

Trust is seldom comfortable. Trusting God doesn’t mean we’ll never be anxious or fearful. Trust is walking in obedience in spite of our fear―believing in God’s ability and relying on His strength when we can’t muster our own.

Does fear hold you hostage? Does it sabotage God’s best for you? God wants to protect us from unwarranted fear. Trust Him, even if you have to do it afraid. He knows what He’s doing. He will lead us to victory.

Starr

DISCERNING GOD’S VOICE TO FIND GOD’S VICTORY: GOD CONFIRMS HIS VOICE THROUGH HIS WORD

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“God thunders marvelously with His voice; 

He does great things which we cannot comprehend.”

JOB 37:5

Sometimes the best encouragement comes through a true story, especially one that shows the mighty hand of God to be at work among us. Instead of the usual format, I’d like to encourage you this week with a true story. Each day the Encouragement will continue as the story unfolds. You don’t want to miss a single day!

 

GOD CONFIRMS HIS VOICE THROUGH HIS WORD

“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (16) 

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (27)

John 10:16 & 27

WEDNESDAYThe questions continued. As they threatened my peace of mind, I read in God’s Word once again a verse that I often quote to others. It teaches us that while man may make his plans, God directs his steps. Therefore, I decided to continue obeying Scripture the Lord has given me in times past, such as in Matthew 28:19 when he said for us to “go into all the world” making disciples. And Psalm 105:1-3, where His voice spoke to my heart on February 28, 2008, telling me to go, and “make His deeds known to the nations.” In other words, I decided to continue to do what I knew for sure He had called me to do. We continued to make plans for Nicaragua 2015. 

Although the memory of the words I’d heard last year remained, and questions continued to roll around in my head, we moved forward. I asked God to confirm His plan, and make it known in my heart. Every single time I asked for confirmation, He would give me a new Scripture verse, or reveal a real life story about what He continued to do in Nicaragua. One day at a time, we kept moving forward. In January the date for the trip changed three times. The voice said, “Are you sure? Did the Lord say…?” Though the threat of harm still hammered in my mind, Scripture never confirmed it … not by one single verse. On the contrary, I kept reading, “Fear not. I am with you. Follow my voice. Trust me.” Verse after verse confirmed His calling to go.

I decided to follow Scripture instead of an unidentified voice that stood alone, without God’s Word backing it up. I told no one about what I’d heard back in 2014, not even Tom. Finally, in February, I confided in my pastor, Pastor Jake, about it. He cautioned that it might be the enemy trying to stop the work. He instructed me to continue to pray and fast, and believe God for the rest. Taking his advice, I moved forward. We asked others to join us in fasting and prayer for the mission. Many of you reading this story did just that. You joined our team in fasting and prayer. And the God of the Universe heard those prayers!

Finally the day came. Ten of us boarded a plane headed for Nicaragua. Even then, the thought invaded my mind, “Will the plane crash or something?” As we landed in Managua, six hours after leaving Greensboro, I heard the unmistakable voice of the Lord whisper, “You are all here, and you are all safe.” “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

At that moment, I knew for sure it was the enemy’s threatening voice I’d heard for a whole year. And I knew why …

WooHoo! Just wait until tomorrow, when you’ll hear the rest of the story!

Until Tomorrow,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda

Our Great Shepherd: Even in the Valley

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Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable passages of Scripture. Its words have been sung, prayed, and illustrated in countless ways, but if we’re not careful we can become so well acquainted with these verses that we forget the power these words hold. To recognize God as our Shepherd means we also have to accept that we are indeed like sheep: dirty, defenseless and helpless. Without a shepherd, the sheep are left to their own devices, which ultimately will lead them to starve, wander off, or be attacked. This week, let’s slow it down, remind ourselves that we are sheep in need of a loving Shepherd.

 

Even in the Valley

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 23:4-5

ThursdayAs a kid, I was a “happy Bible verse only” kind of reader. Anytime something sounded a little too scary, I’d zip right past it, and these verses were ones that I zipped right past most of the time. The valley of the shadow of death? Evil? My enemies? Regardless of what other words were in the verses, those words were enough for me to just trail off until I found something more positive.

Having grown up a few years and now experienced the valley of the shadow of death, evil, and the presence of enemies, I no longer skip through these verses. They hold deep truths for me, truths that have held me through dark nights and fearful moments while far from home.

The valley is deep and dark, and the verse does not read “IF I walk through the valley.” Living in a fallen world means that, unfortunately, we will experience the shadows. We will walk through death, despair, grief, persecution, heartbreak and depression. Things will be far from perfect, and there may be times when we can’t see a way out.

But we will walk through it. We won’t be lost in the valley, and we make it through to the other side. Our Shepherd will guide, sustain, and defend us with His rod and staff. We will find comfort in the everlasting arms of our Shepherd. The victory is ours because He has won it for us, and He invites us into His victory at His table. We will feast in the presence of our enemies, and victory will never be taken from us.

Sometimes it seems like our trudge through the dark valley will never end and we begin to lose hope, but even the faintest of lights overpowers darkness – we must not forget the power of Christ within us! We follow a Shepherd who has walked through the valley before us, and He keeps a close hand on us as a safe and certain guide through our darkest times.

Chelsey