Tag: fear

What Have You Done with It?

Old Testament: Exodus 25 & 26

Poetry: Psalm 30

New Testament: Matthew 25:14-30

Have you ever been given a huge gift of money, equal to say, 20, 40 or even 100 years of wages? I am going to guess your answer, like mine is “No!” So instead I will ask, what would you do if you were given a huge gift of money like that? Houses, cars, boats, RV’s, college, investments, and even some donations. I can dream up a few things and I am sure you can, too. 

But what would you do if you were entrusted with a huge amount of money worth 20, 40 or 100 years of wages? It’s a totally different question. The money isn’t yours. But you are responsible for it. The owner has put it in your care (whether you wanted it or not). And he is going to be returning (sometime) to see what you have done with it. 

You have some options. You could totally screw up and spend it all as yours and have nothing for the master when he returns. But that would be totally unwise because of what the master would do when he returns. You could hide it under your mattress and just keep it safe so you can return it when the master comes. This option is ruled by fear: fear of losing, fear of the master, fear of things not turning out right, fear of trying. Only trouble is, the master has a few different words for the fearful afraid servant who hid his alloted resources: wicked, lazy and worthless. Well, that’s not really the only trouble because the LARGER trouble is what becomes of that fearful, afraid, wicked, worthless and lazy servant: the master orders him to be  thrown, “into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30). His eternal destination is decided because he was too afraid to try to use what the master entrusted to him. 

In order to please the master, everyone needs a ministry in which they are putting to work what God has entrusted to him or her. Your ministry doesn’t have to look like your neighbors or pastors or parents. God has given each one of us different resources, bags of gold and talents and spiritual gifts and skill sets. But he didn’t give them to us for us to foolishly squander on ourselves or fearfully hide away. In fact, he didn’t give them to us for us to keep. But he entrusted them to us for us to put them to work for him. He expects us to grow them. And when we do, he welcomes us to come share in his happiness and even gives us more. 

Which words will you hear from the master? It depends on what you have done with what he has entrusted to you. 

-Marcia Railton

Reflection Questions

  1. What resources, talents, gifts, skills and passions has God entrusted to you? How are you putting them to work for him? 
  2. Are there times when you have allowed fear to keep you from investing God’s talents He’s given you?
  3. Which words will you hear from the master? 
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Your Father’s Care

Old Testament: Genesis 25 & 26

Poetry: Psalm 10

* New Testament: Matthew 10

Have you ever been outside somewhere and simply sat in silence for a while? Maybe it was in your backyard, a forest, or a beach. Often, if we quickly look at a landscape we only notice the “big picture” things – the mountain in the background, the fact that there are trees in certain places, maybe we notice a path up ahead. But if we take a couple of minutes and just observe the area around us, we begin to realize that there is a lot more happening than we first thought. You might notice how the leaves move in the wind, or see bugs crawling over the dirt, or maybe you can spot where the birdsong is coming from in the canopy above. 

It takes intentionality to notice the small details around us. 

Matthew 10:29-31 has always been one of my favorite portions of scripture. Sparrows are small, ordinary, brown birds that are very unimpressive in the world of birds. You probably won’t brag to your friends about the sparrows you saw on your bird-watching trip. However, the Bible mentions these little guys multiple times! 

Luke 12 gives us a little more insight into just how insignificant these birds were. You could buy 5 sparrows for two Roman coins that were each worth less than an hour’s wage. They were cheaper when you bought more. These birds were pretty much worthless in Jesus’ day. 

Look at what Jesus says! He says that the Father sees every single one. 

We might pass by a tree, completely unaware that a little bird is perched in the branches. But the creator of the universe knows exactly where it sits. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

Jesus then makes a comment about the hairs on your head. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to count each of your hairs…but I did when I was a kid. I remember hearing this verse and being the determined child that I was, I sat down to try. I didn’t get very far. I don’t think I even got past one teeny little section of hair! God can count ‘em! How crazy is that?? 

We then read in verse 31, “Fear not”. Why is Jesus telling them not to be afraid? If we look at the previous portion of Matthew 10 we see Jesus calling his disciples. This calling is pretty intense, right? He tells them that they will be doing all of these amazing things but they will ALSO be persecuted, hated, brought to trial, and sent as sheep in the midst of wolves. That sounds pretty terrifying if you ask me! 

That is when Jesus speaks these incredible words – that even one of the insignificant and seemingly worthless little birds (that we might totally pass by, unaware) is not forgotten by the Father. You are of more value than many sparrows, and our God sees you. And He knows you. And even then, He still loves you.

I want to make a note. Some of us have read this passage countless times. We may even have it memorized. I really want to encourage you (myself included) to let these verses sink deeply into our hearts. Take a moment to meditate on what it truly means to be seen and known by God. How will knowing this impact your life? How will you live your everyday life, with the understanding that even in all the chaos of life and in the grand scheme of the world, the Almighty God cares for you? I hope you find immense comfort and joy in that beautiful truth.

-Katelyn Salyers

Reflection & Application

  1. It is a little too cold in some parts of the world today to ask you to go outside and sit for awhile, so if you have to do your sitting inside, that works, too. But, as Katelyn suggests, take some time and consider what this passage means to you. What thoughts and feelings do you have when you hear each of these statements: God sees you, God knows you, God values you, God loves you. Pray to Him about it. 
  2. What COULD you be afraid of right now? How does knowing and believing Matthew 10 help combat fear? 
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Too Scared

Old Testament: Zephaniah 1-3

Poetry: Psalm 140

*New Testament: Matthew 26

I am writing today’s devotion for those that consider themselves strong in their faith.  I’m talking about those of you out there that know there is nothing anyone can do to mess with your salvation.  You are going to stay faithful to the end no matter what may happen.  You just know you would never turn your back on God.  If Peter were around today, I am sure he would say he was in this group, but he surprisingly was not able to keep his word in the past.

In Matthew 26, Jesus was explaining to the disciples at the last supper that they were all going to fall away on account of him.  Peter spoke up and said that even if everyone else falls away, he never would.  I am sure Peter believed that with his whole heart, but then Jesus described how Peter was going to deny him three times that very night.  At that point, Peter did not politely agree with Jesus; instead, he doubled down on the fact that even if he had to die with him, he would never disown him.  The rest of the disciples then said the same.  So what happened?

Jesus was arrested after Judas betrayed him with a kiss.  A large crowd came to arrest him, and all the disciples deserted him and fled.  That didn’t take long.  They were too scared to stay with Jesus even though they said they would never do that just a few hours earlier.  Peter followed Jesus at a distance, but we know he was confronted three times that night and disowned Jesus all three times.  Why?  Because he was too scared.  He was tipped off it was going to happen that way so he could have been prepared to deal with it, but his fear made him act differently.

Would you be strong enough if you were in the same situation as Peter?  I hope so, but how strong is your faith now?  Does fear ever get in the way of you doing something that should be done?  Have you invited your neighbor to church yet or are you too scared?  Maybe just haven’t gotten around to doing that yet, wink wink.  Are you willing to stick up for some kid at school that is being picked on or are you scared what people might think about you?  Is there a ministry at church you might be good at, but you are too scared to give it a try?  Is there a family member, co-worker, or friend that needs to hear about Christ?  If fear is holding you back in any of these situations, join the Peter club.

I honestly think if you had enough guts to deal with any of these situations, it would probably turn out well, or at the very least, not that bad.  You may get rejected or have people ridicule you, but you may also save a life for eternity.  I am always surprised what risks people will take to save a life for a handful of years now (running into burning buildings, etc.), but they are unwilling to put themselves out there when trying to save lives for an eternity.

Do you know who was really scared to do something he knew needed to happen?  Jesus.  He prayed three times for God to come up with a plan different than him having to die for everyone’s sins.  He was so scared that he said in verse 38 that his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  He absolutely did not want to do what he was supposed to do.  But in those same prayers, he said he would follow his Father’s will, not his own.  Did the situation turn out to be easy and he was just over-thinking it?  Nope.  He had to go through a terribly painful death.  He was definitely scared, but he wasn’t too scared to do the right thing.

So those of you with the strong faith, Jesus gave you the example to follow.  Is there someone you need to talk to?  Make it happen even if you are scared.  Is there a ministry waiting for you?  Volunteer for that even if it makes you sweat.  Jesus saved a bunch of lives by facing his fear and acting.  Hopefully, you can help save some lives too.

Reflection Questions:

Is there something you should be doing for God that you have put off?  Do you make excuses so you don’t have to admit you are too scared?  Or maybe just try not to think about it?

It’s easy to put things off until later.  Is there anyone in your life that you waited to talk to, but now it is too late because they are gone (died, moved to a different state, got a new job at a different company, etc.)?  If so, how does that make you feel now?

-Rick McClain

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The Implications of Living in God’s Love pt. 3 

Old Testament: Jeremiah 35 & 36

Poetry: Proverbs 21

New Testament: 1 John 4

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18 

Implication #3: we don’t have to live in fear 

What is fear? 

Fear is often ugly, manifesting itself in ways that harm our sense of peace. Anxiety, worry, and terror are all results of fear hampering our mental health. What is not mentioned often (or, maybe I just don’t hear it) is that our spiritual health plays an essential role in fear’s impact on our lives. I think fear is generally caused by not knowing (with certainty) what is going to happen, what has happened, or what is happening. We worry after an autopsy is performed because we don’t know if the doctor will come back with “cancer” or “not cancer”. We stress when we cannot get in contact with our spouse because of what may or may not have happened to them while they were running errands. And we are terrorized by the creaking we hear in the ceiling above because we’re unsure of what it could be. In all these things, there is fear in not knowing.  

Love and fear 

Perhaps thinking about fear in this way will help unlock John’s meaning behind the phrase “perfect (or, complete) love casts out fear”. The beloved disciple tells us that fear is related to punishment and, particularly, within the context of this section of the letter, punishment on the day of judgment. So, the fear is not knowing “will I be punished, or will I be rewarded?”. Contemplating the difference between everlasting life versus everlasting death seems like a perfectly reasonable motive for fear. John, I think, recognizes this, which is why he wanted to assure his readers that there is no need to fear for the ones who are children of God, which is to say, the ones who love one another. Those who love one another are the ones who have understood and embraced the love of God. Only because God first loved us can we love Him and each other in the way commanded by Jesus. It is because of this love that God showed us that we can know there is no punishment for those who know Him—that is, those who have embraced Him, His son, and have His spirit working through them).  

Doesn’t stop at fear of punishment 

But not being afraid of judgment day is only part of the story. We can live life without fear and its many manifestations. As Paul says in one of his letters, there can be a peace beyond comprehension. It seems easy to have peace when everything is going right for us, but it is quite rare for this state of serenity to last for more than a few moments. The real trick is to have peace at all times despite what is going on around you, despite not knowing everything that has happened, is happening, or will happen. The key is abiding in and trusting the One who made all things and will, through His son, make all things new.   

For the one who believes and lives in the love of God, there is no fear because they know that God is going to one day redeem this broken world and that even if they suffer here and now, the never-ending glory experienced in the redeemed world will make anything faced now blur from focus and memory. What many of us fear now will have no power when one has placed their hope and life in the hands of a loving Father. The mark of a fearless child of God is that they love one another. If you aren’t yet living without fear, worry, or anxiety, it seems like John would suggest it is because you haven’t yet truly known the love of God and begun to live in that love and live it out. If that’s the case, return to the gospel written by the beloved disciple (John) and read of the one who reveals God’s great love for us. 

-Joel Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. What impact has fear had on your life? How have you let it control what you do or don’t do?
  2. How has God given us an example of how to love? What does it mean to you that He loved you first?
  3. The end of 1 John 4 says we can’t love God and hate our brother. How can you show better love for all your brothers and sisters? Who in particular do you need to love better?
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Put IT to Work

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 47 & 48

Psalms Reading: Psalm 26

New Testament Reading: Matthew 25

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells a parable about a man who entrusts his money to three of his servants while he is away. They each receive a different amount of wealth: 10, 5, and 1. The master doesn’t instruct them on what to do with it; he simply leaves it in their possession and takes off. The first two double their money: the 10 now having 20, and the 5 now at 10. However, the servant who only had 1 chose not to risk losing it; he chose to bury it in the ground so that his master wouldn’t be upset with him. He was terrified of what his master might do to him if he was to lose his one and only amount of money. Unfortunately for him, this was the wrong choice and he was punished for it, because he could have made at least a little amount from it at the bank.


The parable is revealing of our Christian walk as well. Our Master, Jesus, has entrusted us with different things in this life to use and bring others to saving faith. Some of us have more money and opportunities than others, but every single one of us has been entrusted with something. You might have money, people, a position at work or school, a certain hobby, physical health, or a variety of different gifts. Jesus expects us to use whatever we have been given for the sake of the Kingdom of God. He doesn’t want us to waste it, and honors it when we give it a shot (did you notice that both of those who tried doubled their investment?). When we choose not to make an attempt, we are operating out of fear, which is the opposite of what Jesus and God empowers us with (2 Timothy 1:7).


What have you been entrusted with by your Master? Take some time to write down what skills, people, and possessions you have been given in a column on a piece of paper. How can you use that to further the gospel message of the Kingdom? Take some time to brainstorm and write down in a separate column next to that first list any ideas that come to mind.


You’ve been given something; don’t waste it. And Jesus is with you always through the process, so don’t fear anything (Matthew 28:20)

-Talon Paul

Reflection Questions

  1. Take some time to create your two columns: What have you been entrusted with by your Master? and How can you use that to further the gospel message of the Kingdom? Return to it throughout the weekend with more thoughts. What have you been given that you never considered using to spread the good news of the Kingdom?
  2. Has fear stopped you from using your talents? What should we be most fearful of (men, what others think, what if I mess up – or – what will happen when the Master returns)?
  3. What can we learn from the other two parables in Matthew 25?
  4. What do we learn of God and His Son Jesus in our reading today?
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God is Not Scared

Daniel 1

Monday, October 31, 2022

Today, I heard a conversation with someone explaining why something is or is not scary to them. Sometimes when we look at Bible stories and really try to imagine what it was like for the people living through these experiences, we think “that must have been scary”.  Let’s try to imagine the anxiety and fear Daniel experienced when Babylon’s forces came through and he was taken into captivity. He was chosen as one of the youths who had ability for serving in the king’s court. He was described as flawless, good-looking,“showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge.” So here is this amazing young man facing captivity in a foreign land and serving a king in a foreign court. He faced overwhelming obstacles as he began his three-year program of education learning the language and literature. But he immediately faced pressure to just conform-just accept the social norm, don’t worry about what is right or wrong? Just believe and do what you are told. But Daniel did not just do what he was told.

As you might know, Daniel is remembered as a righteous and wise follower of God. So how did he do it? How did he choose the moral and right course when he was facing a culture that did not even consider what is right in the eyes of God?

In verse 8 we read that Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself. In that instance, it concerned the food he was offered.  But the phrase “made up his mind” or “set upon his heart” speaks volumes about who Daniel was and who we should be. He had resolved the matter. He first looked to God who could show him right or wrong, he firmly decided on the right course of action and he followed through. Daniel chose to follow God by doing what was right and moral. This was Daniel’s practice throughout his life and it was sometimes met with opposition and I imagine he experienced fear. (A Lion’s Den is not a place anyone wants to be.) But he was willing to suffer for doing what was right. His actions proved his devotion and love for God. And the Lord sent angels to help along the way.  God was with Daniel and his companions. He gave them abilities and miracles to prove that He was there, even in the middle of their captivity. He gave them the strength to stand for what was right. He gave them the ability to conquer fear. Of course, He will help us to do the same.

-Rebecca Dauksas

Reflection Questions

  1. When was the last time you were in a scary situation surrounded by the foreign or unknown? How did you handle it? What would you do again in that situation? What would you do differently?
  2. How would God want you to resolve not to defile yourself?
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Sharing the Victory

1 John 5

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

One more song this week – 1 John 5:4-5 “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Those two verses are the song, but verse 4 picks up in the middle of a sentence & thought, so backing up a couple verses:

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

When we have faith, we can overcome this world.  Our faith that Jesus is the son of God gives us victory and makes God’s commands not burdensome thereby helping us to keep His commands.  And by keeping His commands, we can love one another – the children of God.

Verse five is also a reminder that the victory is exclusionary.  Who overcomes the world?  Only those that believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  We have to strike a balance in our love for others.  Because if we love based on the world’s terms, we accept anything.  But to do that would not be love.  Because only those who believe that Jesus is God’s son overcome this world.  So if we in our “love” just leave our friends alone because we don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable, or we don’t want to feel uncomfortable, we put them in a position of not having that victory.  That isn’t real love.

We give a lot of reasons not to share the love of God with other people and I think fear forms the basis of a lot of it – fear of rejection, fear of being ostracized, fear of losing money/power, etc…

But when we read verses like this, we should be reminded that we have to push through that fear.  To show our love in actions (chapter 3), we need to share with others that while we have been separated from God, God provided an atoning sacrifice for our sins (chapter 4), and with this sacrifice, if we believe, we can overcome and have the victory (chapter 5).

And what is that victory?  As he wraps up his letter, John tells his audience – 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 

We need to believe in Jesus as the Son of God to be a part of that eternal life, and if we are loving others, we should be telling them so they can have that victory too.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

1.”Who is it that overcomes the world?” (1 John 5:5a – see 5b for the correct answer). Who thinks they are overcoming the world? What are they missing? Do you fall into the overcoming category?

2. Who do you know who does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God? How can you truly love them?

3. What is the victory that you have to share? How would you explain it? How will you share it?

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Frozen by Fear. Let Loose by Love.

2 Timothy 1

Sunday, September 11, 2022

The pale princess cowered in the corner of her frigid room. Though she had been living a solitary life for many years for fear of people discovering her secret, Elsa was now summoned from her self-imposed prison for her coronation. 

“Conceal; don’t feel. Put on a show. Make one wrong move and everyone will know…”

If you’ve seen the movie Frozen, you know that Elsa had some sort of mystical power that could create and manipulate snow and ice. She had hidden it for a long time, but a stressful situation at the coronation event caused her to lose self-control, divulging her secret to her entire kingdom and initiating an eternal winter in her kingdom. Afraid that people might turn on her, Elsa abdicated her right to the throne by escaping to the mountains to “let it go”, seemingly embracing newfound freedom resulting from the revelation of her secret. The story continues with ups and downs, laughter and sadness; however, at the end of the movie, Elsa discovers that the way to control her powers is not fear, but rather love! 

What does this have to do with 2 Timothy 1, you ask?  Well, in this letter (which is believed by many scholars to be the last correspondence that Paul penned before his death), Paul is reaching out to his young protege, Timothy. He wants to remind Timothy of the gift of his salvation, and give him some warning and encouragement for the trials that are yet to come as a follower of Jesus.  

Paul begins by reminding Timothy where his salvation journey began, being taught by his grandmother and mother. Paul then reminds Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God” (verse 6). Elsa squelched her gift, but that is not the way God wants us to live in regards to our salvation. God gave Timothy, and us, a free gift of salvation, and He desires for us to fan it into flame! God longs for us to embrace His gift, to share it with others. What happens to a fire when you fan it, blow on it, nurture it? The fire grows! If you want to have a fire to keep you warm while you’re camping, you have to tend to the fire: replenishing wood as it burns down, blowing oxygen into it to get the fire rolling again, etc. Likewise, we need to actively be nurturing our gift of salvation, tending to our relationship with God each day, and sharing that gift with others, rather than hiding our gift like Elsa did. 

At the conclusion of the movie, Elsa is elated to learn that love, rather than fear, is the best way to manage her powers. Verse 7 continues, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” God’s design does not include us living in a constant state of fear. When we accept His gift, we receive the power of the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. In fact, we normally think of hate being the opposite of love (and sometimes it is), but scripture also indicates that fear and love are opposites (“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” I John 4:18). Paul wanted to remind Timothy to not focus on fear in the difficult times ahead, as God’s gift does not include fear; rather, focus on power (the Holy Spirit), love (God IS love – see I John 4:8), and self control (a fruit of the Spirit, along with love, that is produced in our lives when we are seeking Him).

In verse 8, Paul advises Timothy to not be ashamed to be a follower of Jesus, but to be ready to suffer for the gospel “by the power of God.” God’s power is promised to us even through the suffering, because we were saved and “called to a holy calling”. Just like Elsa’s powers had a purpose (which was further revealed in the sequel), God has a purpose for us, and He wants us to be strengthened and willing to partner with Him – through good times and bad – to fulfill our calling to His purpose. 

I’ll close with this 1883 hymn by Daniel Whittle that some of you might remember, which is based on verse 12: 

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.


But “I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

I know not when my Lord may come,

At night or noonday fair,

Nor if I walk the vale with Him,

Or meet Him in the air.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection questions: 

 – What are some practical steps you can take to “fan into flame the gift of God” in your life? 

– Reflect on some events in your life that led you to following Jesus. How can you use those experiences to encourage others to walk in faith and love instead of in fear? 

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Do Not Be Silent

Acts 18 

May 6

Paul leaves Athens and arrives in Corinth at the start of Acts 18. Paul meets Priscilla and Aquila and works with them as tentmakers in Corinth. Paul visits the synagogue and tries to appeal to the Jews and Greeks. He was reviled in the synagogue and then shakes out his garments and declares that he will only speak to the Gentiles. Even with the ruler of the synagogue being converted he still faces danger in the city. 

Paul had been chased from the towns of Thessalonica, Derea, and Iconium. I am sure Paul must have been wondering if this was his time to get chased from this city as well. The anxiety of knowing that in every new city he came to there was a chance of being thrown out of it and physical harm coming to him would have been a lot to bear. 

God comes to Paul in a vision. God giving Paul this vision is an act of grace towards Paul. God is trying to comfort Paul and give him direction. God starts out with the simple statement of “Do not be afraid”. This feels a lot like Joshua 1.9. God gives Paul two more commands; Go on speaking and do not be silent. Paul has probably realized that most of his trouble befalls him when he speaks and he is not silent. The same thing is true of me except it normally isn’t because I’m preaching the gospel. God gives three commands and the unique thing about this vision is God also gives Paul three reasons why he should do those things. 

We have plenty of commands of God and God very often gives us the reasons why we should follow his command. Sometimes we aren’t willing to look hard enough for the reasons but there are almost always reasons. Sometimes we won’t find out the reasons until later or maybe we find out the reasons why in the kingdom. There is an element of faith in following Christ. 

God’s reasons for why Paul should obey his commands are that God is with him. God being with you may result in a kind of fearlessness. God’s next reason why is that no one will attack Paul to harm him. This statement must have relieved a lot of anxiety from Paul. God’s third reason why is that God has many in this city. 

God makes good on his promises to Paul. In verses 12-17 Paul is brought before the proconsul of Achaia, the ruler of that region, by the Jewish rulers and the new ruler of the synagogue. He is accused of persuading people to worship God contrary to the law. Just as Paul was about to speak the proconsul says that because it is a quarrel about words and there is no wrongdoing that he refuses to rule on this. The proconsul drives all of Paul’s accusers away. The mob that had formed ends up beating the new ruler of the synagogue, one of Paul’s enemies, in front of the proconsul. 

When we follow God’s lead and direction it will put us into positions where we get to see God work in situations. This situation for Paul worked out well for him. He didn’t even need to do anything to get out of the situation. He relied on God and God worked it out. The proconsul responded in his favor before Paul spoke. God was clearly at work in this situation because after that his enemy, the ruler of the synagogue, ended up being killed by the mob. His enemy was killed by the people who had originally intended to kill him. 

When we join God in what He is doing we will see this provision for us as well. There will be suffering and some pain but there will also be moments where we get to see God do God things and experience Him through those events. That’s part of what makes Christianity so exciting, fulfilling and awesome. 

-Daniel Wall

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. Can you think of a time you didn’t speak up for God, perhaps because of fear or discomfort? What promises of God might you have missed out on with that failed opportunity?
  2. When have you had the pleasure of “see(ing) God do God things and experience(ing) Him through those events”
  3. What can we learn from Apollos and Priscilla and Aquila later in this chapter?

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Be Strong and Courageous!

Joshua 1

2-22-22

After the death of Moses, Joshua had some large shoes to fill. Not only did he have to follow after Moses, he had the responsibility to lead the people into their promised land. 

Joshua had to be terrified. Maybe I am reading into how I would have responded with such a hard task but look how many times God assured him as they are getting started. Verses 3 and 4 – I will give you the land. Verse 5 – no one will stand against you – I will be with you and will never leave you. Verse 6-9 – multiple times He tells him be strong and courageous. 

God knew Joshua had a daunting task in front of him. He did not want Joshua to be overcome with fear. So He gives Joshua the best support and encouragement possible – I will be with you!

Notice how he doesn’t say it will be easy. This is something I think we all need to hear. Some get the idea if we follow God, go to church, get baptized…etc. that it will be easy. But still we all face difficulties, hardships and battle fear. We can be immobilized by fear or move on in strength and courage. 

I believe the promise given to Joshua is for us as well. No matter what stands in front of you: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

After embracing this promise we see Joshua step up and lead the people. He then had the opportunity to share that courage with the others who also saw the difficult task ahead. When they saw his strength and courage they vowed to follow him the same way they followed Moses. 

Others will see when you courageously face difficulties. It may give you an opportunity to share where your strength and courage comes from. Be ready to share that the presence of God can help us through anything. 

-John Wincapaw

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. In Joshua 1:6-9 we hear God tell Joshua three times, “Be strong and (very) courageous.” What else does God tell Joshua to do in these 4 verses? How is this related to building his strength and courage? Why is it still important today?
  2. Who do you admire for their Christian strength and courage? Ask them what their secret is.
  3. How has surviving through a past fearful situation helped to grow your strength and courage? What are you facing now or in the future that will be easier with an extra dose of strength and courage? How can you exercise those qualities today?
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