July 23, 2012

".... my heart will not fear...." Psalm 27:3

Faith and fear are alternate realities. Each can feel very real but the one that is the most real to you will determine your state of mind.

Faith understands that life is out of your control BUT you have placed it in God's control. That reality will bring courage and confidence in the face of fearful circumstances.

Fear is a result of knowing life is out of your control and you are at the mercy of the adverse circumstances.

In this Psalm we are inspired by the demonstration of a faith that supersedes fear. There is much to be learned about how to have faith in the presence of fearful situations.

To overcome fear, don't focus on the fears but work on strengthening your faith. Like David testifies in this Psalm, faith is built on several solid and significant realities.

He found his place, Vv. 1-6

In fearful times you need a safe place to hide. The Psalmist found that:

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? " - V. 1b

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,"  V. 4

"For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." V. 5

Do you have a safe place to hide in fearful times? Have you found a place where you can escape your fears?

You can flee to the same place of safety where David found protection.

He sought His face, Vv. 7-9

Faith becomes more real when you have a protected place to flee from fear.

Also, faith seems more real that fear when you are in God's presence. David sought God's presence when fearful circumstances came his way.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face! ”Your face, Lord, I will seek.  Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.  Vv. 8-9

Do you live in God's presence?

If you are overcome with fear, you may need to seek His face.

He rested in His grace, Vv. 10-14

Fear can be debilitating and it is exhausting. It will drain you of all your hope and sap your strength and leave you in despair.

David found a place of rest from his fears. Along with God's protection and God's presence he found God's provision!

He learned to rest in God's grace.

"Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, O Lord; lead 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 Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Vv. 10-14

Do you know the grace of God? Have you received His gracious provision for you?

If you will build your faith on these three foundations, you will find your faith rising in times that used to create overwhelming fear.

The protection of His Place!

The Presence of His Face!

The Provision of His Grace!

July 22, 2012

"1.The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. 7. Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. 8. My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. 9. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. 10. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. 11. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. 13. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”  Psalm 27

How you can tell when it's going to be a rotten day:

You see a "60 Minutes" news team waiting in your office.

You call Suicide Prevention and they put you on hold.

Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the candles.

Your twin sister forgot your birthday.

Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell's Angels on the freeway.

Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.

The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard.

Your income tax check bounces.

You put both contact lenses in the same eye.

Your wife says, "Good morning, Mike", and your name is George.

There are times in our lives when our world comes crashing down on us; if anything can go wrong, it will. When life seems to be going in a downward spiral, you’re at the end of your rope and you can’t tie a knot to hold on - fear often takes hold of us. Fear traps us in the belief that nothing will ever improve, that we are ensnared and will never escape. When life gets us down, fear fills the void left by hope.

Fear is not the domain of the timid, but swells over all of us no matter how brave we may appear to be.

Julius Caesar once remarked that even the shouts of his enemies were music to his ears, but he was terribly afraid of thunder. When it vaguely looked like a storm was brewing, he began to shiver and shake. Peter the Great, considered by many to have been the greatest czar of Russia was terrified to cross a bridge. He would tremble in his boots whenever he stepped onto a bridge. King Louis the XV, of France, was so afraid of death the he ordered the subject off limits in his presence. Stalin was constantly in fear of being poisoned or killed. He had 8 bedrooms which could be locked up like safes in a bank. Nobody ever knew in which of these bedrooms he slept on any given night.


We fear losing our health, our wealth, our family; our friends. We fear losing the promotion or even the job. We fear growing old, but even more, we fear death.

On his return visit to many parts of the world, Herbert Hoover was asked by a reporter what, in his judgment, was the prevailing mood of the peoples in the lands he had visited. "The dominant emotion everywhere in the world is fear. This applies to every part of human activity; finance, industry, farmers, workers, thinkers, and government officials."

 

One of the things that makes the Psalms so helpful is the Psalmist is so honest and vulnerable. He shares his battles with fear as a fellow struggler not as some super-spiritual hero above the fray.

The reason that this 27th Psalm is such a favorite is because David is candid about his own fears but also confident that his faith gives him courage to overcome those fears. Fear didn't have the last word in his life and it needn't have the last word in yours.

He overcame his fears with two powerful resources - the presence of God (seeking His face) and the peace of God (standing in His grace). You have those same two resources available to you in abundance!

Having fear is not a sin. Letting fear have you is. Getting fearful is not sinful. Giving in to your fears is.

July 21, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall."  Psalm 27:1-2

As if you needed a reminder, last night's senseless and shocking murders in the Colorado theater show the dangerous days we live in. Another day and more new reasons to be fearful.

You go to such lengths to build safety around yourself and your children. You purchased an alarm system for your home and put safety seats in your car and helmets on your kids when they ride their bicycles. And you did extensive research to find the safest car you could afford to provide maximum protection for your family.

And then something unimaginable happens at a movie in an upscale suburb.

How do you cope with such an uncertain world? How can you keep from being overcome by fear knowing you cannot even go out for an evening of entertainment and be sure you are safe?

Think about those who survived the horrific ordeal. How will they ever be able to go out to a public place again?

And what about those whose young people made it out alive. How will those parents be able to allow their children to go out without the fear of something terrible happening to them?

What does Psalm 27 have to say to those folks?

Actually, it says a lot!

It says that life is filled with people and circumstances and events that are big and dangerous and out of your control. Because life is bigger than you, you need to be able to depend on some one bigger than life.

That is exactly what the Psalmist did when his life was threatened by a powerful and deranged king. David handled the fear by trusting in His God, a God Who is bigger than life!

David found security in his God, choosing to have faith in Him rather than live in fear of everything else. He knew this God was good and powerful and trustworthy because this God had delievered him before.

You may be thinking, "Wait a minute, Brad! Why wasn't God able to keep these people safe? Are you suggesting none of them were trusting in God?"

I would never assume that or imply that. I have no idea how they stood with God. And I didn't say He would necessary keep you safe. I said He would keep you secure. He is able to keep you safe, but He doesn't guarantee it.

Security has to do with your spiritual and emotional welfare. God will guard your soul and grant you peace of mind when you focus your faith and devotion on Him.

As David wrote this Psalm he wasn't safe from the relentless attacks of his enemies, but he was secure.

In the wake of Thursday's tragedy, are you looking for some security? Are you longing for someone you can trust to guard you?

With the Psalmist I say, "Let the Lord be your light and your salvation and your stronghold!"

Let Him help you "faith" your future!

July 20, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident."  Psalm 27:1-3

You were wired for faith not for fear.

Like faith, fear is a decision. You can choose to be afraid or you can choose to believe.

Here in this Psalm, David declares his decision to not give in to fear. That decision is based upon His knowledge that God is his light and his salvation. He chose to believe that a God who is able to do that for him is also able to deliver him from fear.

This does not mean that you may not have feelings of fear, but it does mean you do not have to give in to those feelings or act upon them. Rather, you speak faith to those fears just as David does in the first verse of this Psalm.

When he writes, "The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?", who do you think he is addressing? He is refocusing his mind by focusing on his faith not his fears. AND he is speaking to his fear.

That decision is best made ahead of time rather than when you are under attack by a fierce enemy. In fact, every day you should remind yourself that God is your Light and your salvation. Rejoice in that truth. Reinforce it in your mind. Saturate you spirit with it. Such a daily confess of faith will remove your fear. Speak it aloud so you can hear yourself declare it. Acknowledge His presence and power in your life.

When the day of trouble comes and the enemy is breathing his threats, you will find that faith has become your default setting. You will be able to choose faith over fear.

You can choose to live in faith and not by fear. Will you?

You can declare your faith every day! Do you?

July 19, 2012

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1b 

Here is some more good news from this great 27th Psalm!

Not only does God deliver your from inner and outer darkness, because He is your light and salvation, but he also is the "stronghold" of your life!

That just sounds comforting doesn't it? "Stronghold"!

Exactly, what does that mean?

A "stronghold" usually referred to the concept of a "Strong" tower - a very high, very strong and inaccessible structure nearly impossible to prevail against.

When I think of a "stronghold" I think safety. It is a place to flee when danger threatens. Do you have a safe place to run to?

The Lord is a stronghold, a safe place to run!

When I think of a "stronghold" I think security. A stronghold is a safe place to stay and remain secure against the attacks of the enemy.

The Lord is a stronghold, a secure place to rest!

When I hear the word "stronghold" I think solitude. A stronghold is a quiet place where you can find solitude in your spirit.

The Lord is a stronghold, a silent place to retreat and recover!

Where do you flee for safety? 

Where do you look for security? 

Where can you find solitude?

Can you declare with the Psalmist, "The Lord is the stronghold of my life!"

July 18, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?" Psalm 27:1a

Thank God for His light!

Thank God for being the Light!

As John wrote, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." I John 1:5-7

Thank God for enabling us to walk in His light!

Living in the Light gives security and safety. Praise God for that.

But notice the Psalmist doesn't stop there. The Lord is not just our Light but He is our Salvation!

In this context, He saves us with His light!

As much as we fear the outer darkness and the dangers it conceals, but there is an inner darkness that is equally frightening. That darkness is sinfulness. That sinfulness separates from God. Once separated from God, there is no light and the darkness returns. When the darkness returns so does the fear.

So, the Lord really IS our Light and Salvation. By His power and presence He can protect us from the outer darkeness that causes you to fear. And by His shed blood and His Spirit He can deliver us from the inner darkness that causes fear about eternity.

Are you trapped in fear?

Are you fearful over the darkness in your heart?

Are fearful about your eternal future?

Have you received His salvation?

Are you walking in His light?

July 17, 2012

"The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?" Psalm 27:1a

Darkness is one thing many people fear.

Light dispels darkness and helps relieve some of the fear.

The amount of fear that light relieves is related to the source of the light and the brightness of that light.

A night light gives a small amount of light, enough light to remove the fear of walking from the bed to the bathroom.

Better than a night light would be a flashlight because it produces more light, it produces that light in a concentrated beam and it can be carried with you into the darkness. If necessary, the flash light could be used to inflict blunt force trauma on an attacker.

The ultimate would be a high intensity flood light that would totally dispel all darkness and completely light that room, thus removing a reason for fear.

In addition to the amount of light, another factor in overcoming the fear of darkness would be who holds the light.

If a five-year old child was holding a flood light it would be helpful. However, a Navy Seal holding a flashlight would bring much more comfort.

Of course, a Navy Seal with a flood light would be even better!

So, when Psalm 27 declares that the LORD is my light, that is VERY comforting news! When the LORD is my light I have the benefit of the purest, brightest, most penetrating and purifying light EVER! Where His light shines darkness is not possible!

AND, that great light comes from the One Who raised the dead, healed the sick, and cast out demons! That is strong! But that is not all He did! He died on the cross to become the atoning sacrifice for you and me! Then, after three days in the grave, He arose from the dead and was alive for evermore!

Sin is a source of fear - BUT THE LORD, YOUR LIGHT - defeated sin on the cross! You need not live in fear when you live in Christ!

Death is a major source of fear - BUT THE LORD, YOUR LIGHT - conquered death when He arose the the dead and rolled away that stone! You need not fear death when you live in Christ!

If the Lord is your light and your salvation - WHOM SHAL YOU FEAR!!