2021-06-29
Psalm 119:97 NRSV
One of the most powerful weapons God has given us for conquering fear and worry is memorising Scripture. Memory is a bit like a muscle; the more we use it, the stronger it becomes. There are lots of things we can recite from memory. Things like birthdays and important dates, addresses and phone numbers, National Insurance numbers, bank account numbers, and car number plates. All these items have two characteristics in common: we use them frequently, and we need them constantly. In other words, we’ve memorised them because we use them so often, and we can’t get along without them.
In a similar way, we can begin to conquer our worries by confronting them as soon as they appear with a powerful Scripture verse that we’ve memorised. God’s power is greater than our problems, and God’s Word is greater than our worries. He’s committed to keeping His Word, so whenever we speak scriptural words and promises into our situation, we’re bringing His wisdom directly into it.
Just as Jesus resisted the devil’s lies by speaking Scripture (see Matthew 4:1-11), we can fight temptation, worry and fear with God’s Word. Here are some simple verses to begin to memorise for when we’re feeling anxious: ‘You are my place of safety and protection. You are my God and I trust you’ (Psalm 91:2 NCV); ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD you God is with you wherever you go’ (Joshua 1:9 NLT); ‘Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid, because you are with me’ (Psalm 23:4 NCV); ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in you’ (Psalm 56:3 NIV).
Jer 25-27; Luke 3:11-20; Ps 64; Prov 14:25-28
2021-06-28
1 Peter 5:7 NKJV
When it comes to dealing with your fears and worries, you have two choices; cast them on the Lord, or keep them and try to handle them yourself. When the communists overran China, missionary Isobel Kuhn was forced to escape on foot across the snow-covered mountains into Burma. There she was stranded at the world’s end, with no money and no way to get home.
“I cannot tell you the dismay and alarm that filled me,” she wrote. But she made two decisions. “The first thing is to cast out fear,” she said. “The only fear a Christian should entertain is the fear of sin. All other fears are from Satan, sent to confuse and weaken us.” So Isobel prayerfully trusted God, and rejected panic. Second, she sought His guidance as to the next step, and eventually she arrived home safely.
Here’s an important key to victory: Instead of living with your fears and allowing them to take root within you, identify them and confront them the moment you become conscious of them. Next, turn each fear into a prayer and give it to God, refusing to take it back, confident that He will handle it for you. And don’t just do it with some of your fears and worries, do it with all of them. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (v. 7 AMPC).
You’ll never be entirely free of fear and worry, but by God’s grace you can do a lot better than you’re doing right now.
Soul food: Jer 22-24; Luke 3:1-10; Ps 59:9-17; Prov 14:23-24
1 Petrus 5:7 NLV
Wanneer jy jou vrese en bekommernisse moet hanteer, het jy twee keuses; gee hulle aan die Here oor, of hou hulle en probeer om hulle self te hanteer. Toe die kommuniste China oorgeneem het, was die sendeling Isobel Kuhn geforseer om te voet oor die sneeu-bedekte berge tot in Burma te ontsnap. Daar was sy gestrand, met geen geld en geen manier om huis toe te gaan nie.
‘Ek kan jou nie vertel hoe ontsteld en verskrik ek was nie,’ skryf sy. Sy het egter twee besluite geneem. ‘Die eerste was om vrees te verwerp,’ het sy gesê. ‘Die enigste vrees wat ‘n Christen moet hê, is die vrees vir sonde. Alle ander vrese kom van Satan af, wat hy stuur om ons te verwar en te verswak.’ Dus het Isobel met gebed op God vertrou en paniek verwerp. Tweedens, het sy sy leiding gesoek om haar volgende stap te neem en uiteindelik veilig by die huis aangekom.
Hier is ‘n belangrike sleutel tot oorwinning: In plaas daarvan om met jou vrese te lewe en hulle toe te laat om binne-in jou wortel te skiet, moet jy hulle identifiseer en konfronteer die oomblik wat jy van hulle bewus word. Tweedens, moet jy elke vrees in ‘n gebed omskep en dit vir God gee, met die volle vertroue dat Hy dit vir jou sal hanteer. Moet dit ook nie net met sommige van jou vrese en bekommernisse doen nie, maar doen dit met almal van hulle. ‘Neem al die dinge waaroor julle julle bekommer of wat julle omkrap na God toe, want Hy self is die Een wat vir julle sorg’ (vers 7 DB).
Jy sal nooit heeltemal vry van vrees en bekommernis wees nie, maar deur God se genade kan jy baie beter doen as wat jy tans doen.
Sielskos: Jer 22-24; Luk 3:1-10; Ps 59:9-17; Spr 14:23-24
1 Peter 5:7 NIV
When it comes to dealing with our fears and worries, we have two choices; cast them on the Lord, or keep them and try to handle them ourselves. When communists overran China, missionary Isobel Kuhn was forced to escape on foot across the snow-covered mountains into neighbouring Myanmar, where she was stranded with no money and no way to get home.
She wrote: ‘I cannot tell you the dismay and alarm that filled me,’ But she made two decisions. ‘The first thing is to cast out fear. The only fear a Christian should entertain is the fear of sin. All other fears are from Satan, sent to confuse and weaken us.’ So Isobel prayerfully trusted God. Second, she asked for God’s wisdom and guidance for the next steps to take, and eventually she arrived home safely.
Instead of living with our fears and allowing them to take root within us, we need to identify and confront them the moment we become aware of them. Next, we need to turn each fear into a prayer and give it to God, refusing to take it back, confident that He’ll handle it. We should do this with all our worries and fears, not just some of them. God wants us to share our big worries and the small ones with Him – nothing is beneath His notice. ‘Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully’ (v.7 AMPC).
We’ll never be entirely free of fear and worry, but we always have a loving God who’s ready to carry them for us.
Jer 22-24; Luke 3:1-10; Ps 59:9-17; Prov 14:23-24
2021-06-27
Matthew 5:9 KJV
Here’s some advice for handling disagreements: 1) Sometimes the best resolution to a conflict is a separation, even if it’s just for a short time. When emotions run high, we need space to think clearly. And God can use this time of separation for His glory. Because Paul and Barnabas parted, the gospel was preached in even more cities. But when a temporary separation is the best option, we need to agree on how long it will be. In some friendships, one person might have outgrown the relationship. But this should be handled with love and wisdom, realising that we can all learn from our mistakes and grow through them. Later Paul wrote, ‘Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:11 NKJV).
2) If we realise that we were in the wrong, we need to acknowledge it. For a single, focused leader like Paul, this called for humility. It’s actually quite comforting to know that someone as anointed and brilliant as Paul could rethink his position and come to a different conclusion. A mistake might be bad, but it’s not as bad as the pride that defends it and spurs us on to keep making the same mistake.
3) We must learn to disagree without being disagreeable. After their conflict, both Paul and Barnabas focused on their own missions. Nowhere in Scripture do we find a time when either of them talked publicly about their disagreement or talked badly about the other. The only behaviour we have the power to change is our own. ‘We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ’ (Ephesians 4:15 NLT).
1 Ki 17:17-24; Mark 5:21-43; John 11:1-45
