One of the ways that fear gets to us is that it makes us take our eyes off of what really matters. Fear has a way of making us look down, not look up. When we look down, we are … Continue reading
Look Up
Tag Archives: Fear
Some Thoughts on Fear
Today, I was thinking about fear. I guess since 9/11, here in America, we’ve been afraid. And we’ve had a lot to be afraid of. Terrorism. The economy. Politics. Cultural shifts. Those of us that are Christians have seen so … Continue reading
Do Not Fear (a reading from Revelation)
Every morning when I work on these thoughts, I got to a website that has daily readings from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a Gospel, as well as some daily Psalms. And I’ve been reading this week, and honestly … Continue reading
Don’t Give Up Yet
Sometimes we feel like a light should just flip in our lives and all the old problems, all the old fears, all the old temptations, they should just go away. When we get saved, or give it to God, or … Continue reading
Idolatry?
Some of our Old Testament daily readings for the next while will include portions from Judges. Judges is one of the more fascinating (and saddest) books in the Old Testament. The people have crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land, … Continue reading
Using our Failures
I heard a quote one time, I don’t remember the source of the quote, or even who said it, but the heart of the quote has always stuck with me. If you are afraid to fail, you’ll never achieve greatness. … Continue reading
Be Strong
I was once told that in the Bible when something is mentioned once, it’s a big deal. When it’s mentioned twice, it’s a really big deal. But three times, that’s God’s way of saying, HEY PAY ATTENTION. So, that said, … Continue reading
Free from Fear
Fear is a powerful thing. What are you afraid of? We’ve all got something. I always joke my greatest fear is being on top of a tall building, being chased by a snake with a needle. Today’s passage really brought … Continue reading
We are not Alone
Sometimes we can feel really alone in life. Sometimes life can seem overwhelming. Sometimes we can be afraid and not know what we are supposed to do, where we are supposed to go. We can just feel alone and afraid. … Continue reading
Love is Greater than Fear
One the reasons in life, I believe, that we are afraid is that the thing the are afraid of feels bigger than whatever it is that makes us feel secure. Our fear seems bigger than our security. Think about that as you read our passage today from 1 John 1:16-18:
16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.
So many things in this passage to understand. First, this important notion that God is love. Scripture paints for us so many pictures of who God is. But the two defining characteristics of who God is, is found here (God is love) and found all through the Bible, God is holy.
God is both. We all fall towards a deeper appreciation of part of God’s character, but for us to fully understand who is, we must understand that He is love, but He is also other and different from us, He is holy.
But notice today what this text says about love and about fear. We are told that there is no fear in perfect love, because perfect love casts out fear. How is that possible? How does perfect love cast out fear?
What this means, to me, is this. Of all the things that you are afraid of, things that aren’t minor things, things that are big things, things that may plague and worry and scare us, God is bigger than them.
God’s love is bigger than them.
God’s love is bigger than whatever may happen to you. God’s love is bigger than whatever mistakes lay in your past, your present, your future. God’s love is bigger than whatever may come.
You don’t have to be afraid. God has seen it all. God knows it all. God is aware of it all. He really is.
And He loves you. Don’t be afraid. You are loved. You are perfectly loved today. God loves you.
And that love is light, and that light drives out fear.
Love is greater than fear. It is. Lived loved, not afraid.
Do not fear today. God loves you. No matter what.
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