Transforming Fear to Faith

We are working to continue to serve you during this time. We are setting up ways to do Connect Groups online.

Transforming Fear to Faith

Our World needs hope

You have to have it and I hope that this week we have been able to give you some hope, but our culture needs us to give it hope.

We can get through this

2000: Y2K

Antr

2001: Anthrax

2002: West Nile Virus

2003: Sars

2005: Katrina / Bird Flu

2006: E-Coli

2008: Bad Economy

2009: Swine Flu

2010: BP Oil Spill

2012: Mayan Calendar

2013: North Korea

2014: Ebola Virus

2015: ISIS

2016: Zika Virus

2020: Corona Virus

We don’t have to worry. As a matter of fact, worry is useless. People are worried about when they will come up with treatments. I can’t control that… neither can you. We need to focus on what we can control

You can control your thoughts, your Outlook, and your actions.

Philippians 4:6–9 NLT

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:6 NLT

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

P

Look at what Paul said when he was having a difficult time. He was down and out and dejected.

2 Corinthians 1:10 NIV

10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,

I think God had him go through what he went through so he could encourage us while we are going through it.

Repeat with me.. th ehighlighted phrases

2 CO

Look at this.

Romans 8:28–39 NLT

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom 8:28

We need to provide support

We were able to help some people with food this week. We will always be on the look out for resources to help people.

Acts 2:42–47 NLT

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

We had more people view our online message last night than have ever come to our church.

Acts 2:42

We need to stay close while we are apart.

Heb

We have to stay close… socially, just not physically.

We are not entertainment, we minister to people.

Social distancing - physical distancing

We need to stay physically apart but socially together.

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Day came didn’t it.

We need to check on each other. Some are working, some are working at home, some are not working. Check on each other.

Small Groups online -

Jesus said many times…

Fear Not

Fear doesn’t need to get in our spirits and emotions. Our bodies get sick, but we cannot let fear dominate us.

Phobisa -

Pathophobia: Fear of disease

Glossophobia: fear of Public Speaking

Brontophobia: Fear of thunderstorms

Claustrophobia: fear of being trapped in small places

Arachnophobia: fear of spiders

Pentheraphobia: Fear of your mother-in-law

Ecclesiophobia: Fear of church

Homilophobia: Fear of sermons

There is a fear for everything because the devil is trying to make you afraid of everything.

1. Fear breeds more fear

92% of everything you are afraid of never happens.

I’ve been through some terrible times in my life, a few of which actually happened. Mark Twain

This health risk is real and we need to do everything that’s being asked of us, but we cannot let fear get in us.

Sign - Beware of the Dog… the little dog can’t hurt you… but the sign can. The disease may not hurt you but the fear will.

2. Fear clouds our judgement

Sign - Beware of the Dog… the little dog can’t hurt you… but the sign can. A lot of the time we fear things that really can’t hurt us, but the throught of it can. You make decisions on false information.

3. Fear redirects our energy.

When we are afraid, we back down and retreat. This is the time for the church to be the church.

so how can we do that.

4. Fear Paralyzes us

We have to transform our fear into faith

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy

A lot of people are afraid… jobs, bills, health, kids…

We need to transform our fear into faith.

1. We can Pray.

Psalm

Psalm 34:4 NLT

4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Philippians 4:6 NLT

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Phil

Pray all day… a bunch of short prayers… pray without ceasing.

You need wisdom - pray

when you do, he will free you from your fears.

2. Read God’s Word

The WOG brings comfort. Read psalms…

Psalm 91:1–16 NIV

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91:1-16

Everyone read out loud every day and change it to first person.

Pray -