DON’T ALLOW FEAR TO ROB YOU OF GOD’S BLESSINGS

 

God’s blessings come to us in various forms. There are blessings we enjoy just for being His creation, like the rain, sunshine, food, and family (see Matthew 5:45).   We enjoy other blessings for being His children through adoption. Many of those blessings are the fulfillment of promises He has made to us as His children, and of course, there are blessings that we receive for playing our role in promises that are conditional on our obedience. For example, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

On other occasions, we experience God’s blessings when we trust and obey His commands. For instance, the Israelites had been promised a land flowing with milk and honey for their own. The land wasn’t just handed over to them; they had to fight to take possession of it. The fulfillment of this promise required faith in the God who promised—that He is God Almighty who has the power and ability to do anything and everything. It also required faith based on past experiences where God had been faithful in keeping His promises, and demonstrated power on their behalf, like delivering them from slavery in Egypt.

When the Israelites were close to Canaan, the Promised Land, God instructed Moses to send tribal leaders to go and spy out the land. Moses picked and instructed these men to find out whether the inhabitants were weak or strong, few or many, if the towns had walls or were open, fertile or poor soil, and also, to bring back some of the produce. Twelve representatives, one from each tribe, were sent (see Numbers 13:1-3; 17-20).

On their return after the survey, only two leaders (16.7%) were confident they could conquer the land; ten leaders (83.3%) had a negative report. They reported that the inhabitants were more in number, bigger, stronger, and some of them were giants; this report frightened the rest of the people so much that they decided to not go into the land, but instead choose another leader and return to slavery in Egypt. When the two—Caleb and Joshua–tried to encourage them with their favorable report, the community plotted to stone them (see Numbers 14:1-10).

If the Israelites really believed in the God who promised to give them the land, if they had reminded themselves of God’s faithfulness and power from the past, and if they had taught themselves to obey God in the presence of fear and obstacles, the story wouldn’t have ended the way it did—God was angry and would have destroyed them, except for Moses’ intercession on their behalf (see Numbers 14:11-19). God responded: “I will pardon them as you requested. But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord’s glory, not one of these people will ever enter that land” (Numbers 14:20-22). Their punishment was to wander in the wilderness for forty years (one year for each of the forty days they spent spying on the land) until the older generation had passed away. Fear and disobedience had robbed the older generation of God’s amazing blessings. In addition, the ten negative reporters who incited the rebellion were struck dead with a plague; only Joshua and Caleb from that generation lived to see the promised land.

Dear reader, is God asking you to do something? How are you responding? What are your fears and concerns? Remember, He is going to be with you, providing you with the necessary resources! Can you look back and recount some of God’s blessings and faithfulness? Always remind yourself of them, remember God’s promises, and move on in obedience. And even when you don’t understand situations, remember His Word: “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6). Don’t allow fear to rob you of the blessings He has for you!

WHAT FEAR AND WORRY SAY ABOUT US

 

Our behavior always says something about us. For instance, there are reasons why we fear and worry, although we know we shouldn’t. As God’s children, there are subtle reasons behind our worries and fears.

1)    We worry because we don’t care to obey God. If we care to obey Him, we will not worry after He tells us, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). And “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6). “Don’t worry” is a command to be obeyed.

2)    We worry and fret because we don’t trust God. If we did, we’d believe His Word: “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” If we trusted Him, we could say with confidence, “‘The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6). We worry because we are not sure we can trust Him 100% of the time.

3)    We worry because we so quickly forget His goodness in the past. The Israelites did the exact same thing in the wilderness over and over again. After God had met a need, you’d expect them to remember it the next time a need arose, but they didn’t. Instead, they resorted to murmuring and complaining. When they refused to go into the Promised Land because of fear, God said to Moses: “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?” (Numbers 13:11). One could hear the frustration God felt in His response. And sadly, we are no better than they were. We have the Scriptures in hand, the recorded Israeli experience, and yet we worry as if our God were dead, powerless, or uncaring.

 

It's okay to care and be concerned about an issue because the concern is what will drive us to pray. However, it is not okay to worry! Let’s stop worrying so much, and instead, focus on expressing gratitude for the past and the ongoing goodness we enjoy.  

At this point, we need to pray and confess our lack of faith and ingratitude, and how we insult God’s goodness through our behavior. We need to focus a lot on God’s promises and His faithfulness in His dealings with us in the past. He is the same yesterday and today and forever!

JESUS WAS PERSECUTED!

Jesus once told His disciples, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first….A slave is not greater than the master. Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you” (John 15:18, 20). So, how was Jesus persecuted?

●     His claim of son-ship was rejected by the leaders. When Pilate found Jesus not guilty, the Jewish leaders responded, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God” (John 19:7).

●     He was accused of being a glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Jesus knew what the people called Him; so, when comparing Himself with John the Baptist, He quoted them: “John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Lk 7:34).

●     He was accused of being demon-possessed. It seems that each time Jesus reminded the people about his relationship with God or His deity, they accused him of being demon-possessed: “Some said, ‘He is demon-possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?’” (John 10:20). And another time, they said to Him: “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?” (John 8:48).  

●     Sinners made fun of Him: One of the criminals who was crucified that day scoffed: “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you are at it” (Luke 23:39). 

●     The leaders plotted to kill Him numerous times. One such occasion was when Jesus healed a man with a deformed hand on the Sabbath: “At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus” (Mark 3:6).

●     Satan persecuted Him: “The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread’” (Luke 4:3).

●     Even His townspeople were put down because of Him. When Peter and Andrew met Jesus, Philip went to tell Nathanael, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth” (John 1:45). Nathanael’s response: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46).

●     The crowd ridiculed Him. “The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. ‘He saved others, let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One’” (Luke 23:35). At Jesus’ sentencing, the soldiers robed Him and put a crown of thorns on His head, irreverently saluting Him: “Hail! King of the Jews!” “They mocked, as they slapped him across the face” (John 19:3).

●     They falsely accused and convicted Him of things He hadn’t done. When the Jewish council took Jesus to Pilate, their stated reason for arresting Him was, “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king” (Luke 23:2).

●     They put him through the most shameful death—crucifixion. “When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross” (Luke 23:33).

●     They gave Him vinegar instead of water for His thirst: “The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine” (Luke 23:36).

●     Finally, they killed Him and stole His property: “The soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice” (Luke 23:34).

●     He was buried in a borrowed tomb: “Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed him in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock” (Matthew 27:59-60).

●     And when God raised Him from the dead on the third day, the leaders bribed the guards who were stationed to guard the tomb, to say His disciples stole the body when they fell asleep, to refute the resurrection: “So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today” (Matthew 28:15).

So, we can conclude that Jesus was persecuted non-stop by just about everybody. What was remarkable in all of these situations was His response; He did not fight, argue, or hate them. Instead, He was saddened by their hardness of heart and rebuked them, but He prayed for them: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Jesus warned His followers (us) right from the onset that we would be persecuted because we belong to Him. Have you experienced any yet? Christians are persecuted all the time, sometimes in homes where not every member of the family is a Christian—especially converted Muslims get disowned, threatened, and kicked out. The workplace and schools are also hot spots for persecution; colleagues and schoolmates are always looking for occasions to criticize, ridicule, and call us names. 

How should we respond to persecutions? Exactly the way Jesus did—He rebuked, corrected, held no grudge, and prayed for them. In addition, He instructs us how we should respond: “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44).

We know God promises to bless and reward us when we obey Him. Here are some of the blessings we can claim or look forward to: “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way” (Matthew 5:10-12).

So, let’s not fear persecution; let’s trust God for the strength and courage to face it, and to lovingly pray for our persecutors. And as we look forward to His return, He says to us: “God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). It will be worth it all when we see JESUS face to face! O, what a wonderful day that will be! Even so, Lord Jesus, come!

HEAVEN OR HELL--YOUR CHOICE

 

Heaven and hell are the two places where people will be spending eternity. Heaven is described as God’s dwelling place; the very place Jesus has gone to prepare a place for His children (see John 14:2-3). Heaven is a place where there’s no crying, sin, or death; its streets are paved with gold, and it never gets dark there. Hell, on the other hand, is a place prepared for the devil and his demons; it is a place of torment, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Everyone who has ever lived will spend eternity in one of these two places; there is no other option. 

The best thing about it is that you are not forced into either place: you get to choose. You decide which one appeals to you, and then you do what it takes to get there by fulfilling the requirements.

What are the requirements for entrance into heaven? There are three things you have to do, and they are easy to remember as, as one evangelist described it, the A B Cs of salvation:

A.    Agree with God that you are a sinner. He has declared that “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). “Everyone” refers to all humanity, because we are all the descendants of Adam and Eve, who sinned in the Garden of Eden through disobedience. And because we are their descendants, we’ve inherited their sinful nature and the resulting consequence—separation from God.

B.    Believe in Jesus as your sin-bearer, who took on the punishment you deserve as a sinner: “This is how God loved the world {people}: He gave his one and only Son {Jesus} so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him {Jesus}” (John 3:16-18).

C.    Confession of your faith is the next step after placing your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. At some point, sooner or later, people should know about your faith in Jesus: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

 

The next question should be: How does one go to hell? If you disagree with God about your sinful condition and therefore refuse to repent, you won’t go to heaven; that automatically sends you to hell. On the other hand, you might agree that you are a sinner, but choose some other way to get to heaven: maybe another religion or good deeds. The response to that thinking is Jesus’ claim about Himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the father {God} except through me” (John 14:6). So, Jesus is the only way to heaven; the Bible also compares your good deeds to filthy rags, so that won’t work. If you really want to go to hell, which I sincerely hope and pray you don’t, reject the love of God, ignore this message, and, in the end, you will find yourself in hell.

 

Dear Reader, I hope you’ve picked heaven over hell as your destination after this life. t If so, welcome into the family of God; there are five things you’ll need to do now. You are now a new baby in Christ Jesus.

1)    How do babies grow and thrive? They are fed milk, and the Bible says the same thing about new believers, including you: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness” (1 Peter 2:2). Your milk is the Word of God; read it every day, meditate on and study it. As you practice what you learn, your life will begin to gradually change and you will grow in your walk with God.

2)    Secondly, you need to seek God in prayer. He has declared, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Make prayer an ongoing practice, expressing thanks, confessing what you might have done wrong, and petitioning for yourself and others.

3)    Find a Bible-believing church where you can be fed the Word of God, and grow in your faith.  “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). God has given each person at least one spiritual gift with which to serve others in the church. Go and use your gift to encourage others, and allow yourself to benefit from the gifts of the other members of the family.

4)    Start sharing your faith with family and friends to help them come to salvation in Christ just as you have. Let your way of life confirm what you share with them.

5)    Heaven will be awesome. The more you read about it, the more you’ll be looking forward to going there; anticipate Jesus’ return as He promised in John 14: 1-3. And while waiting for his return, live a godly life, so when He appears, you’ll have nothing of which to be ashamed.     

Now that you’ve definitely picked heaven over hell, be assured that God has put His Holy Spirit in your heart to identify you as His own, and also, as a guarantee that you will inherit heaven as He promised (see Ephesians 1:13-14).

And if you are still on the fence, don’t wait too long, because time is running out. Since you have no idea how much time you have before you pass on into eternity, I encourage you to accept Christ today, ensuring that whenever that time comes, you’ll have no regrets. Remember, you cannot make changes once your window of opportunity closes. Please choose now, and choose wisely!