Faith & Scripture

I Kings 17:13 - Several kings have come and gone in the life of Israel, which is now divided into Israel and Judah.  A few (very few) honor God and lead their people well - the rest go from bad to worse. Ahab is on the throne of Israel, and Elijah the prophet tells him that there will be no rain, not even dew.  God provides a brook and a raven delivery service to keep Elijah nourished for a while, then sends him to live with a widow in Zarephath. He finds her gathering sticks, and asks her for a drink and a bit of bread.  Her supplies were about to run out, and she was preparing one last bite for herself and her son, then she expected they would die. #FearNot, Elijah tells her, make your food, but first bring me a little, because God promises your supplies will not run out until we have rain again.  She honored God by honoring His prophet, and God kept His promise, as He always does.  Day after day, she made bread from a jar of oil and a  bowl of f...

II Samuel 13:28 - Here's another messy one, and a challenge.  If you like soap operas, here's a story for you.  David has several wives, and by them, several sets of children.  In one group is Amnon, in another, Absalom and his lovely sister Tamar. Amnon is in lust over Tamar, and finds a ruse to rape her - then he discards her as trash.  When Absalom finds out, he tells Tamar to keep quiet and forget the whole thing.  David finds out and gets quite angry, but no one confronts Amnon for two years.  "Desolate" is the word that describes Tamar for the rest of her days. After two years, Absalom invites all the sons of David to a dinner and orders his servants to kill Amnon once he is sufficiently drunk. #FearNot, he tells them, "you're following my orders."  The guilt of their actions is to fall on him as their master. Frankly, everyone in the story, with the exception of Tamar, is guilty. Her half brother is a rapist and a scoundrel, her bro...

II Samuel 9:7 - Saul and Jonathan have died in battle, and David is king.  He asks his servants to find someone related to Saul, and they find Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan.  He is unable to walk, but that doesn't matter, because he is a member of the family and thus worthy of respect in the king's eyes.  David tells the man, #FearNot, I will be kind to you because I love your father, you will own the lands of your family, and you will eat at the king's table all your days. For love of Jonathan, David searched for someone he could bless in his friend's honor.  For love of Jesus, God searches for those He can bless in His Son's honor.  Our crippled condition matters nothing in light of our relationship to Jesus - He makes us worthy in the King's eyes.  #FearNot

I Sam 23:17 - Saul is relentless in his pursuit of David, even after David has shown himself to be capable but unwilling to harm Saul.  Jonathan is both Saul's son and David's friend, and the scriptures say Jonathan strengthened David's hand in God and reminded him to #FearNot - God's declared plan would be fulfilled.  "You will be king," Jonathan said, "and I will be by your side." Sometimes we need an eye we can see, a voice we can hear, and an arm we can feel to remind us that though our troubles keep coming, God doesn't let our challenges overwhelm His plans, and we don't have to face such things alone.   As Solomon noted in Eccl 4, friends are sometimes lifelines, and we are blessed to have them. Whose hand can you strengthen, in God, today?  Tell them, #FearNot, you are not alone.

I Sam 22:23 - David, anointed but not yet crowned king, came through Nob and a few other towns with Saul on his heels intent on killing him. 85 priests of Nob were slaughtered at Saul's order because they failed to report on David and worse yet, gave him some bread and the sword of Goliath. One man, Abiathar, escaped as Saul's wrath fell on every man, woman, child, infant, ox, mule, and sheep in town. Abiathar reached David with the news, and David replied, Fear Not, stay with me and you'll be safe from him. There are those who follow the idea that if you can't defeat your enemy, abuse his friends and helpers. Saul was such a man as it regarded David, and Satan is such a one.... the people of Nob, and you and I, are nothing more than a way to inflict pain on the One who loves us. However, Jesus has already defeated Satan, so He has what it takes to fulfill His commitment: Abide with Him, and ‪#‎FearNot‬, all in His care are kept safe. This isn't to say ther...

I Samuel 12:20 - young Samuel is grown up and has been the priest of Israel for many years, never defrauding them nor dishonoring God as Eli's sons had done. They begged God for a king, as though He were not king enough for them, but everyone else had a king, so, y'know... We get in so much trouble when we trade God in for what everyone else has... Anyway, God and Samuel let them know what the price of a king would be - their resources would go to feed, protect, and decorate him and his home and his entourage - that is the way of human kings. Samuel reminded them of the King they rejected, the One who brought them out of Egypt, routed their enemies, and provided them a homeland, asking nothing for Himself but that they be His faithful representatives. Samuel asked God for a demonstration, and the Lord sent thunder and rain over the harvest-ready grain....they trembled, as they had at Sinai and on several occasions since, and repented of their foolishness. This is when ...

I Samuel 4:20 - Here is a scene that looks similar to the birth of Benjamin, son of Rachel and Jacob, but the lesson is its opposite. As with Rachel, the attending women tell a dying mother, the wife of Phineas, to ‪#‎FearNot‬, she has given birth to a son. She names the child Ichabod, meaning the glory of the Lord has departed. This is based on her knowledge that the Ark of the Covenant has fallen into Philistine hands, her husband and his brother have died in battle, and their father Eli, chief priest of the temple, died when he heard the news. There is no up-side in this story - but there is a word to the attentive. You see, Eli and his sons, and perhaps much of Israel, had come to regard not God Himself, but the symbol they had, the Ark of the Covenant. In that object, albeit a holy and divinely commissioned and protected object, they had placed their focus and confidence. If it was with them, they were victorious - they forgot that it was God's presence, not the Ark, that ...

If you enjoy love stories with a Cinderella flavor, Ruth is the book for you. She is the young woman from a foreign, even hated, heritage who watched her father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband die; said goodbye to her homeland and sister-in-law; then followed her mother-in-law to Israel with those beloved words, "Your people will be my people, your God my God". Don't skip too glibly over those words - she's leaving all that she knew because she has developed a trust for the God of the visiting family she married into. Her mother-in-law encouraged both ladies to return to their original households, to the culture and deities they grew up with, to the resources their fathers could provide, and Orpah took her mother-in-law's advice, while Ruth took her mother-in-law's hand. The story goes on, and in Ruth 3:11 , her late husband's cousin says to her, "‪#‎FearNot‬, you have a home and a family here with us." At the end of the book, we find...

Judges 6:23 , An angel of the Lord shows up to commission a man named Gideon to save Israel from the Midianites. He's the least likely candidate, which for God makes him the most likely candidate. Throughout the scriptures, we see that God appreciates humility - not groveling worthlessness, but humility, an honest appraisal of oneself before Him (not before others). The conversation goes on, and Gideon comes to realize he has encountered an angel, at which point he cries out, and the Lord says, ‪#‎FearNot‬, be at peace, you're not about to die. You see, though we have become a bit jaded about the awesomeness of God, and of His messengers, a dose of reality looks a lot different than the cavalier manner in which we dare to approach Him, or respond when He approaches us. Recall the demonstration on Mount Sinai. (Ex 20:20, January 9) Gideon realized his humanity in contrast to the holiness before him, and he responded appropriately, with full humble attention. Those who ho...

Judges 6:10 , the Midianites are raiding the Israelites every chance they get, taking or destroying their food resources. (Rather like the movie Magnificent Seven - good flick, that) Anyway... after 7 years of this agony, the Israelites turned to God and He sent a prophet to remind them of their history, His history with them... He's the One who brought them out of Egypt, brought them through 40 years of wilderness with their clothes and stomachs in good order, conquered the people who were on the appointed land, etc. He reminded them of all the instances where He proved to be the only God alive and active - and He reminded them that He had said FearNot‬ their gods, yet they had chosen to honor the false gods and reaped the slavery that comes with such a choice. Do we do the same? Do we turn away from the One who we know by testimony and example to be the only God alive and active, as we follow the gods of opinion, money, even government? There is One who has proven Himself.......

Today's #FearNot is a bit unusual...but there's still a point to be made, so here goes... After Joshua dies, the Israelites entered the time of the Judges, people God raised up to handle situations from time to time. In Judges 4 , the judge is a woman named Deborah, and she tells a man named Barak to go into battle, guaranteed that God will be with him and he will win. He answers that if Deborah will join him, he will obey. She did, the battle was won, but the victory for taking down the commander of the Canaanite army would belong to a woman. The phrase "Fear Not" shows up when a woman, Jael, tells the Canaanite commander not to fear entering her tent to hide. Then she assassinated him (and hopefully got a new tent). It was a ruse, so it doesn't seem to fit the "Fear Not" theme, but then it does... When God has a plan, He will accomplish it. He gives first dibs to a person, in this case Barak, but then He'll get the job done through some...

Josh 10:25 - The five Amorite kings, being soundly defeated in battle, ran to hide in a cave - and Joshua had the cave sealed until the battle was complete. Then he gathered the kings and instructed his military captains to observe and participate in the execution of these leaders. Joshua told his men to fear not, because God would conquer all their enemies as He had conquered these who came against them. Joshua knew his army would have more battles before they settled into the place God promised them, and he knew the character of his people, that opposition and discomfort would restart the appeals to go back to Egypt. For some, forgotten slavery is more palatable than ongoing fights for freedom. When we are called to the Christian life, we are called to the cross - it's a challenge, not a spa membership... we may at any moment be called to carry our cross, carry someone else's cross, or hang upon a cross. One cannot read of Jesus, Paul, Peter, Stephen, and others honestly ...

Josh 10:8 - The second time around, in obedience, they conquered Ai. Five Amorite kings discussed going to war with the Israelites, and one city (Gibeon) decided on another tactic. In short, they disguised themselves as distant foreigners and asked for a treaty. Joshua & co granted the treaty without asking God first, but their oath being sacred, they were bound. The Amorite kings attacked Gibeon so they could take on Israel without dealing with an additional army, and Gibeon asked for Israel's help. Trapped in an oath, knowing he hadn't consulted God before making this treaty, and still nursing wounds from an earlier disobedience - this is not a good position to fight from.... Yet, God said #FearNot, I have given you this battle as well. We often get ourselves into tight spots, usually because we didn't check in with God first, or we let someone convince us that they have the right, even godly, plan... Even in such a place, those in relationship with God can c...

The crossing of the Jordan and the battle of Jericho are behind them, the Israelites are victors because they obeyed the Lord. That is, all but one... Because Achan chose to keep some of the Lord's spoils for himself against direct orders, Israel got beat in a followup battle by a much smaller group, the people of Ai. We cannot overcome the challenges we face when we are disobeying the God we claim to serve - the One who fights for us will withdraw His help when we withdraw our obedience. The trouble was found and dealt with, and in Joshua 8:1 , God comes back to Joshua to rebuild what was lost within the heart of the leader of Israel. God told him, FearNot and don't be discouraged - go back to the place where you were defeated and I will go with you - the victory and the spoils will be yours. We often do the same - on the heels of a great victory we forget to seek God, confident that victory will be ours again. In the face of these unexpected losses we can get buried i...

Josh 1:9 Moses is dead, Joshua is fully in charge, and God tells him Be courageous, obedient, and diligent...FearNot‬, I am with you. Cross Jordan, conquer Jericho. Those in relationship with I Am can face challenges with courage to the extent that they are diligent about seeking and obeying His instructions.

Moses' time of teaching is over - the Levites are about to receive his volume of writings and the commission to preserve them and reread them to all Israel every 7 years. Moses knows full well, as God does, that the hearts of people are bent toward rebellion, and the heart of God is bent toward His people - all those who would trust in Him. It is nearly time for Joshua to be formally commissioned as the new leader...and Moses repeats in Deut 31:6 and 31:8 , "Be strong and courageous, FearNot, God will never leave you nor forsake you." This promise is valid for us as well, we who trust in Him - He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, a very good reason to #FearNot.

With the history lesson over, Moses recounts the instructions for how the Israelites are to live, in order to honor and to represent God. Civil, personal, worship, and battle. In Deut 20:3 , they are told that when facing enemies, though they see armies and resources greater than themselves, FearNot. God plus anyone, even only one, is always a majority.

Deut 3:22 , Moses tells of passing his leadership responsibility to Joshua, the same who went with 11 others to scope out the promised land 40 years prior. Moses told Joshua to remember what he had seen, and how God had delivered and led them. It is our primary task as elders and mentors to encourage younger people to ‪#‎ FearNot‬ , based in their own experiences of God, and based in our years of experiences as well. We who have lived long enough to recognize that God truly is the same in character, while always fresh in demonstration, have a great responsibility to those who are choosing whether or not to follow the God we claim to serve. For the sake of generations coming after you, #FearNot to retell the stories of His faithfulness - He is as wise and loving and powerful as He's ever been.

Deut 3:2 , Moses continues the history lesson, reminding the young Israelites that when God says " ‪#‎ FearNot‬ , I've got this", the only right response is to fear not, because... (C'mon, it's obvious...) God's got this!  Forward march, two, three, four...

It's been 40 years, Moses is giving the next generation a history lesson, now that they've buried most of their parents outside of the promised land. This group needs to know, all together, who they are, where they came from, where they're headed, and most importantly, who their God is. He starts the lesson by reminding them that God stood ready to give the promised land, that trust was to be placed in Him beyond fear and discouragement based in temporal circumstances ( Deut 1 :21 ). Each day, we find ourselves where we are because of decisions - perhaps our own, perhaps someone else's. You are here - take a moment to look back at the decision point, whether fear or faith won out, and where the decision led. Then, look at the faithfulness of the God you serve and take advantage of the chance to choose faith, today, from where you are.

The Israelites have been taking the long way around, since they passed on the plan to enter Canaan. They asked politely to go through Edom, the land of their cousins from Esau's lineage - they were refused and blocked. They went through some territories with no issue, they were opposed and/or attacked by the armies of others (even when asking politely), and they still had complaining attitudes to deal with. God dealt with the attitudes, then in Num 21:34 He told them ‪#‎ FearNot‬ , I have given this army and its land to you. Sometimes it doesn't matter if you're polite or assertive - you may still be blocked by family, attacked by outsiders, or even get self-destructive for a time. As long as you're following God's stated promise and direction, don't let the opposition stop you.

Num 14:9 - The Israelites saw the plagues, celebrated the Passover, watched the Egyptian army drown in the Red Sea where they had just crossed on dry land, and approached the area that God had promised them. It was a sure bet, but they let fear get in the way, and they wanted to find another leader who would return them to slavery. When God makes a promise and proves Himself both capable and faithful, follow Caleb's advice: Don't rebel against God by overestimating the obstacles, ‪#‎FearNot‬ .

Exodus 20:20 - Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites get a glimpse of God's overwhelming presence. Moses told them this all-powerful God is the same One who rescued them, wants a relationship with His people, and knows that a healthy dose of awe goes a long way. As C.S.Lewis put it, He is not tame, but He is good. ‪#‎FearNot‬

Exodus 14:13 - God got the people out of Egypt, then let them see their situation....trapped between a sea of water and a sea of soldiers...and they did what people often do, panic & cry for the devil they know. God calls us into the unknown and gives us opportunities to see that He's got a plan and the power for every circumstance. Stand firm, trust Him, and ‪#‎FearNot‬ .

In Gen 50:21 , Joseph reiterates the promise he made in Gen 47, that he will provide for his brothers and their families. People who are fully submitted to God can be trusted to keep their promises, especially when they are based in plans God has already declared, ‪#‎FearNot‬

Jacob and Joseph have about 17 years together, then it's Joseph's turn to say ‪#‎FearNot‬ , as his brothers feel certain that they're about to see his revenge for being sold into slavery. What they have is his forgiveness, long ago granted, and finally realized. Gen 50:19 - the humble have nothing to fear from those submitted to God.

  God Redeems and Restores The next ‪#‎ FearNot‬ shows up in Gen 46:3 , when God tells 130 year old Jacob that He will go with the family to Egypt, and when it has become a nation, He will bring them out again - moreover, that Jacob and Joseph, father and long-lost-son, will be together until Jacob's eyes are closed in death. The God who knows all, plans ahead, redeems bad situations, and restores relationships says "Fear not, I will be with you and yours."

I'm not sure it's among the aforementioned 365 'fear not' statements, but it exists and it comes next and it says 'fear not', so here y'go... Gen 35:17 - Jacob & family are traveling, Rachel is in hard labor with her second son, Ben (his name got adjusted before the paperwork was filed). The midwife says "fear not, you will have this son". Sometimes we may feel like we're giving our last ounce of strength - and some truly have - but when it is given to and for God, it will live on whether we do or not. Invest yourself, your all, in His kingdom, in what He has prepared for you to do, and whether life is long or short, it will not be in vain... #FearNot.

The third "Fear Not" is in Gen 26:24 , where the Lord appears to Isaac, introduces Himself, and says "fear not, for I am with thee"...and He repeats to Isaac the promise He made to Abraham about multitudes of offspring - for His servant's sake. God keeps all His promises, for His own name's sake if not for ours, and sometimes, because He made the promise to someone else who loves both us and Him. You might be alive because of your grandma's prayers - and because God will keep His promises, no matter what...therefore, #FearNot.

The second "Fear Not" is in Gen 21:17, where God tells Hagar that He knows her situation and her son will live. He allowed her responsibilities to far outweigh her resources, and He committed Himself to be her supply, even though she was a stranger and outcast. Your realities don't have to become your roadblocks - look to the One who works miracles, sees individuals, and says things like "Fear not" and "Come to Me".

It is said that there are 365 "Fear Not"'s in the scriptures...the first is in Gen 15:1 , God's promise to Abram that He will be both shield and reward...a promise that's valid for us as well, and a good reason to #FearNot