Faith or Fear
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· 10 viewsYou must truly know your God
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Faith or Fear?
Faith or Fear?
But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”
But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”
Do you fear the by wrath of a father’s hand?
Luke 5:8-
Do you fear being scolded by wrath of a father’s hand?
Are you afraid of what other’s think?
Are you afraid that you won’t measure up?
Do you fear the judgement of a parent?
Do you fear being the odd one out or not fitting in?
Do you fear being the odd one out or not fitting in?
Are you
Whom do you fear and why?
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
Luke 5:8-10
THis is a tea
Luke
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
The only thing we have to fear is the ‘culture of fear’ itself. NEW ESSAY: How human thought and action are being stifled by a regime of uncertainty” by Frank Furedi
NEW ESSAY: How human thought and action are being stifled by a regime of uncertainty.Frank Furedi Fear plays a key role in twenty-first century consciousness. Increasingly, we seem to engage with various issues through a narrative of fear. You could see this trend emerging and taking hold in the last century, which was frequently described as an ‘Age of Anxiety’ (1). But in recent decades, it has become more and better defined, as specific fears have been cultivated.
Fear plays a key role in twenty-first century consciousness. Increasingly, we seem to engage with various issues through a narrative of fear. You could see this trend emerging and taking hold in the last century, which was frequently described as an ‘Age of Anxiety’ (1). But in recent decades, it has become more and better defined, as specific fears have been cultivated.
Frank Furedi argued that fear has become a powerful force that dominates the public imagination, and that politics has become a contest of doom-mongering.
Church Security
Church Security
Intelligence has recently uncovered a new wave of church terrorism that has rapidly affected the Body of Christ. Intelligence has uncovered the names of the leaders behind this wave: Bin Gossiping, Bin Critical, Bin Absent, and Bin Sour. The fear is, that these leaders have well developed cell organizations in many churches across the nation. Intelligence also fears that there is ever more brothers in this wicked family just waiting for orders to invade.
Since our first report, we have been notified by a number of Church’s Board that they have identified four additional suspected terrorists working in different churches. Three of the four have been apprehended. Bin Sleepin, Bin Loafin, and Bin Lazy have been taken into custody. I would like to advice you that it is very difficult to find anyone fitting the description of the fourth cell member, Bin Workin, in most churches. However, I am confident that anyone who looks like he’s Bin Workin will be very easy to spot.
Seriously, faith or fear is rooted in knowledge or understanding. What you know about someone can and will determine what you believe about that person.
Fa
Back to the wrath of a father’s hand; you fear that person because of what you know about them, how you understand them to act or react. You believe if you do wrong your parent will hurt you for doing so. The issue or question that arises is are we disciplined in love or in anger. I always had to be careful to not discipline my children in anger because that is not love. Disciplining or hurting someone, you all know that discipline hurts, in anger is to tear down or put under subjection. To discipline in love is to restore, build up and empower one to learn and grow.
Let me talk for a moment about faith. We all have faith in something or someone based on what we know and have learned about the thing or person. Can we count on someone, are they a person of their word. Simply put do they do what they say, does there actions speak louder than there words.
What is you faith in?
not matter how old you are you may still look to a parent?
In whom do you have faith?
What is the object of you faith?
Do you have faith in the government?
Do you have faith in the company you work for?
Do you have faith in your teacher?
Do you have faith in your parents: not matter how old you are you may still look to a parent?
“And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so? “ - American Pie by Don McLean
Who is it that you have faith in? Is it yourself or is it something that has proven themselves to be faithful. Proven as in you know that He is faithful.
Now let us look at the text again and see how the simple question of faith or fear can be answered.
Now let us look at the text again and see how the simple question of faith or fear can be answered.
In today’s text we see what can be taught from it.
Understanding:
it can produce the following
It can produce two products
Humility
Faith
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Fear
Faith
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Humility leads to:
Repentance which produces faith and action
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 2
Do nothing from aselfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Which produces faith and action
Paralysis - dear in the headlights
Faith should only produce two products:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Faith should only produce two products:
Action - Fight or Flight
Faith should only produce two products:
Faith should only produce two products:
Understanding that leads to greater faith
Action that leads to service
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Fear itself can produce several actions:
Paralysis - unable to move
Action - fight or flight
Humility - recognizing the God in whom you have faith and whom you serve
You are
This leads me to a final matter to note:
You must truly know your God so you can have a true faith and a healthy fear.
Who God the Father is based on what His word tells us.
But unfortunately one’s faith does not only produce greater faith that leads to action
1. His patience and kindness never runs out.
You don’t have to worry about overextending your Heavenly Father. says, “from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” And says, “for he is good; his love endures forever.”
That means not only that God’s patience and kindness never wear out, but that God’s ability to forgive you never wanes either. assures us, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” That means your Heavenly Father also never holds a grudge or brings up your past.
2. He is always approachable.
God never has a bad day, is never in a sour mood, and is never too busy or distracted for His child. When you are in relationship with His Son, Christ Jesus, you have complete access to your Heavenly Father’s ear, His heart, His focused attention. tells us we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Furthermore, tells us that God will not let our feet slip because He never slumbers. And in , David sang, “When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me,” letting us know God is never too busy to hear our cries and come to our rescue.
3. You will never have to earn his love.
tells us that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
While we were still sinners. While we were still blowing it. While we were not measuring up. While we were oblivious to Him and His love, He sent His Son to die for us. That is unconditional, sacrificial love and it is unlike anything you can experience on this earth. God is a Father who chose to love you and you didn’t do a thing to earn it.
4. You will never blow it enough to lose his love.
Since there was nothing you could do to earn your Heavenly Father’s love, there is nothing you can do to lose it. tells us, “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In other words, no circumstance, seen or unseen power, person, action, or inaction on your part can separate you from God’s love. That is powerful. And that is a promise that only your Heavenly Father has the power to fulfill. Every person on this earth who claims to love you and never leave you will still be separated from you (at least temporarily) through their death or yours. But God’s Word promises that even in death there is no separation from God’s love – ever ( ).
5. He has your very best in mind.
In , Jesus said: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” God not only has the ability to give you anything you desire (as long as it’s good for you), He also knows your situation down the road and what will be best for you in the long run, as well as eternally.
In , Jesus said: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” God not only has the ability to give you anything you desire (as long as it’s good for you), He also knows your situation down the road and what will be best for you in the long run, as well as eternally.
6. He loves you enough to discipline you.
You might have a hard time with this, especially if you were disciplined by your own father out of his anger, rather than his love. God’s Word says in : “do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
Scripture also says, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them” ( ). Have you ever had God refuse to give you something or take something away that you loved? Trust that your Heavenly Father was either protecting you from something or disciplining you out of love, or both.
7. His timing is perfect.
God doesn’t make mistakes. Nor does He forget. And unlike human fathers, His timing is always perfect. When He withholds something from you, it’s not necessarily because He’s angry or punishing you, or just not listening to the concerns on your heart. Scripture tells us in , “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
If you’re walking uprightly and you’re asking God for a good thing and He’s not delivering, it either isn’t truly good for you, or it isn’t time. Trust Him. Trust what He knows. Trust His timing. And trust the process He’s allowing you to go through. He knows how to give good gifts at just the right time.
8. He gives wisdom generously.
Did you have a father who held back in any way? Who only gave you advice when you applied it the last time he doled it out? Or who only gave you the bare minimum of what you needed – or not even that – to teach you a lesson or because he didn’t trust you with the gift? Your Heavenly Father is not like that.
says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” That verse means your Heavenly Father will never say, “I gave you wisdom once before and you didn’t use it, so I’m not giving you any more.” He gives wisdom generously. To all. Without finding fault.
9. He lets you make your own choices.
While God has expectations of you, like your earthly father might have, He doesn’t disown you or back out of your life when you select a different path. A wise, loving, and patient Father, He waits. And He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” ( ). That means when you come back to His best plan for your life, you find that it’s something you really wanted, too, and you find He is able to use those mistakes for good in your life from that point on.
10. He knows you intimately.
It is one of the deepest needs of the human race. To be intimately known. Yet sometimes we hide who we really are out of fear of rejection or that someone may lose interest in us when they discover what we are really like, warts and all. Scripture says your Heavenly Father knows you intimately.
In , David said, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways” (). God knows your thoughts before you think them, your words before you say them, and your actions before you carry them out. And with all that intimate knowledge of you, He continues to love you like the perfect Father.
The same faith that brought you to Christ is the same faith that enables you to continue in your daily walk with Christ. It is because of God’s love for you that you are able to live by faith.
The challenge today is how will you approach your Heavenly Father; will it be in faith or in fear?
