Luke 21:26 Jesus warns that there will be difficult days, and the hearts of many will be intimidated and that fright will overtake them. The Word of God gives us the answer to those days because we are the called-out ones, God’s assembly, and His presence overcomes the spirit of the antichrist. Let’s not forget His promise to us in Matt 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” David says it this way in Ps 27:4 where he describes how Yahweh will provide victory against his enemies and his desire was to dwell in Yahweh’s presence in the temple. “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”
When God makes His presence felt through us, we are like the burning bush: Moses never took any heed what sort of bush it was - he only saw the brightness of the Lord. - Author: George Eliot
I Have Great HOPE - 1 Thess 2
Perfecting, Equipping, Edifying -Eph 4, 1 Cor 12 & 14
The Bible and the Correlation of Mind and Body, Medical science has come to understand that there is a strong relationship between a person’s mental and physical health. Medical science says our mood tends to affect our health.
The Bible revealed this to us with these statements (written around 950 B.C.
“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones” (Pro 14:30). “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: and a good report makes the bones fat [healthy]” (Pro 15:30). "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones" (Pro 16:24). “A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Pro 17:22).
Jesus told us in this world we will have tribulation distress and suffering but be courageous confident, undaunted, be filled with joy; I have overcome the world.” AMPC. It's time to live the abundant life Jesus told us about, it's time to make a difference in this world.
Ekklesia The Assembly Called Out Ones
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear - 1 Jn. 4:18
Fear can be defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending pain or danger. The trigger for this emotion can be real or imaginary, and it may or may not be rational.
Ps 27:1-3 This Psalm is teaching us of the paralyzing effects of fear. V.3 Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: Though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. A siege in ancient Near Eastern warfare involved blocking off any route in or out of a city, often resulting in famine. If we take in negativity and speak negativity the end results many times is to be paralyzed by fear.
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” ― Corrie Ten Boom
God’s unconditional love stops the paralyzing effects of fear. Jesus was wounded, bruised, opposed, afflicted for us on the cross destroying the power of fear.
Fearless In The Day Of Fear - Psalms 34
The Natural & The Spiritual Man - Jn 21
God’s Love Has Everything to Do With It - 1 Jn 4:18
John explains to be confident of God’s love on the day of judgment because God’s wrath is reserved for those who are unrepentant. We are complete in God’s Love.
Franklin D. Roosevelt at his first Inaugural Address, which occurred in 1933, in the middle of the Great Depression: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
I can move forward because I’m motivated by God’s unconditional love. I’m not afraid of God’s wrath, because I’m complete in God’s Love.
Amplified:
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]. God’s love has everything to do with it.
The Greatest Words We Will Ever Hear - Matt 25:14-30
This parable cries out responsibility and faithfulness before our master Jesus comes back.
We all pray that we will hear God's voice saying, "Well done good and faithful servant.” To hear these words means we have fulfilled God’s purpose.
My legacy doesn't matter. I don't have to be remembered. It's important that when I stand before the Lord, he says, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' I want to finish strong. - Author: James Dobson
The only music minister to whom the Lord will say, 'Well done, thy good and faithful servant,' is the one whose life proves what their lyrics are saying, and to whom music is the least important part of their life. Glorifying the only worthy One must be a minister's most important goal! - Author: Keith Green
More Than Conquerors in This Life
Jesus Christ destroyed the power of death with His resurrection power providing eternal life for those who repent and turn their life over to Him.
1 Cor 15:26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
God’s plan for us is eternal life, and Jesus purchased our eternal life on the cross, so we don’t have to fight the battle of life on your own- He won that fight for us.
1 Cor 15:55 – 58 The power of death was destroyed so that we can be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Jesus isn't telling us to carry the sin of all mankind but to learn how to cast our burdens upon Him who carried all of humanity's sin and burdens to the cross. - B Spada
Jam 1:3-4 The Road To Endurance
Trials and sufferings are on the road to Christian maturity. The Word of God gives the answers to trusting the Lord Jesus Christ in troubled times. Things to remember in troubled times: the faithfulness of God 1 Cor 1:9; When I am weak then I am strong 2 Cor 12:10; All things work to the good because God is good all the time Rom 8:28; The peace of God gives us the strength to endure Phil 4:7.
Heb 12:2-3 When I consider what Jesus Christ endured for me on the cross my soul says, Lord teach me to trust you in these last days. I know you died for me, and I know you love me – B Spada.
The Regenerating Power of Jesus Christ
The Ransom Price - Jonah 4
How Will You Run This Race - Heb 12:1
Spiritual warfare is very real. There is a fierce, and ferocious battle raging in the realm of the spirit between the forces of God and the forces of evil. Warfare happens every day, all the time. Whether you believe it or not, you are in a battlefield. You are in warfare.” – Pedro Okoro
This race represents contest and a conflict – Bringing our life into balance can be an agonizing process.
The Greek word for race is agon from which we get our word agony. The race is a conflict in that there is an internal struggle of the soul.
The Pain Of Moving Forward – It’s Like A Long-Distance Runner
What’s interesting about marathon runners is how in tune they are with their own abilities
• They know their strengths and weaknesses – they understand their limitation
• They know how to pace themselves to conserve energy
• They set small goals along the way
• They do not focus on beating the person next to them
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Peace with God and Peace of God
God so Loved the world, when you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, the hostility between you and God was done away with through Jesus Christ (Jam 4:4).
(Rom. 5:1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The peace of God is now made available to us even in the darkest moments of life.
Duke University did a study on "Peace of Mind." Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are:
1. The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge is a major factor in unhappiness.
2. Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures you repented of leads to depression.
3. Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it.
4. Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.
5. Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
6. Cultivate the virtues of humor, compassion, and loyalty.
7. Do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.
8. Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.
The peace of God during these times is an anchor to our soul. – B Spada
Will You Join the Great Multitude - Rev 7
Will you stand and be counted for the Lord?
Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable. – Harry Emerson Fosdick
Josh 1:9 The Word of the Lord for 2022, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Many are overwhelmed, shattered, and dismayed. This is when the Lord’s power and grace comes upon His servants. Joshua was reminded by God to be strong and of good courage. Don’t be afraid God will be with you wherever you go.
Fear is born of Satan, and if we would only take time to think a moment, we would see that everything Satan says is founded upon a falsehood.
- A. B. Simpson
New Identity Jn 11
A New Year with an All-Knowing God.
Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
This year by the grace of God I will not carry burdens that was intended for the Lord to carry, I will say to the Lord, “Lord I’m going to bed; it makes no sense for both of us staying up all night, I give this burden, care, trouble to you.”
“Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” —Arthur Somers Roche
Phil 4:6 The trinity of faith to combat anxiety is prayer, supplication (compulsion because of your inner need), and thanksgiving. The Apostle Paul did not write this from the comfort of his Living room or the sanctuary of his office, he wrote this in a Roman prison.
Great grace to you in 2022 in Jesus’ name.