Monday, May 16, 2016

May 17, 2016

"Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, Lordlead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lordbe strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:10-14

Fighting fear is a full-time effort. If you don't get the best of it you can be sure it will get you.

We have been drawing from Psalm 27 to learn from the Shepard King how he learned to overcome fear. Through the first two-thirds of chapter I have drawn from his wisdom to show you:

To Find Your Place in Him, Vv. 1-6 - He Offers Protection

Seek His Face, Vv. 7-9 - He Offers His Presence

In this final third of the Psalm we are told to Rest in His Grace!

Actually, the fact is His protection and His presence ARE part of His grace as well.

One of the fears that haunts the human heart is the fear of not belonging. But you are promised that God will make sure you will always belong to Him. He will always receive you into His grace!

Even in the rare circumstance that a parent would forsake you. Or, in the even more rare situation that BOTH parents would dessert you - God will receive you into His grace.

When you rest in the blessings of His grace you never need to fear not belonging. You will know you belong to Him!

Another fear that dogs many people is the fear of not being good enough.


If you trust in your own moral goodness or your good works to secure your place in eternity, how do you know for sure that you are good enough or how can you be sure you have done enough good things to outweigh the bad?


Here is great news for those plagued by that fear! The grace of God removes it!


How?


Grace means that God provided for your moral goodness and accomplished the good work when He sent His Son, Jesus, to the cross. Upon the cross, Jesus atoned for all your sins and immoral behavior by dying for your sins. And He did the good work of become the sacrifice to atone for your sins. So, when you receive His grace and rest in it, you need not fear any more! As you remain in His grace you can rest in the knowledge that everything He has is yours and everything He is will be developed in you!


The grace of God in Jesus Christ provides all you need to live in right relationship with God and to live out His righteousness every day!


Are you hiding in His righteousness or are you still trying to earn it?


Do you face eternity without fear?


If you have fear you are probably not resting in His grace.