{"id":24722,"date":"2018-12-15T03:30:07","date_gmt":"2018-12-15T11:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=24722"},"modified":"2018-12-11T14:04:16","modified_gmt":"2018-12-11T22:04:16","slug":"december-15-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2018\/12\/15\/december-15-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"December 15, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”\u00a0<\/em>Psalm 56:3<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Be Afraid<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When the angel came to Mary, to Joseph, and to the shepherds, the common theme was, “Do not fear, do not be afraid.”\u00a0<\/em>It’s a good thing they said that because, well\u2014angels!\u00a0You might be a little nervous! I’m so glad that God knew they would need to hear those simple words: “Do not fear.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In fact, “Do not fear, do not be afraid”\u00a0<\/em>are instructions mentioned more than any other command in the Bible.\u00a0One study I looked at said it’s mentioned over 365 times in the Word.\u00a0God knew we’d need to be reminded of this simple instruction over and over, even daily, as we face situations in our lives.<\/p>\n

On this unexpected journey we’ve been on, I’ve heard God whisper it to my heart many times. And I remind myself repeatedly that I don’t need to be afraid.\u00a0With God holding my right hand, walking with me, carrying me\u2014I don’t need to fear anything that comes my way.<\/p>\n

But sometimes it’s easier said than done.\u00a0I have had to face so many HUGE issues on this journey. I can say I don’t need to fear, but it’s much harder to get rid of very normal, human fears that pop up.\u00a0A key for me has been bringing my fear into the light, into the truth of God’s word.\u00a0Fear tends to thrive in the dark and in the mind. By speaking out my fear, the Lord can help me.<\/p>\n

When I speak my fear to the Lord, it allows Him to lift it from my mind and my heart.\u00a0He can then carry the “burden” of that fear.\u00a0He is able to pour His peace into my soul.\u00a0He is able to shed truth and revelation into the fear so that it loses its power.<\/p>\n

I’m so grateful for God’s clear instruction to us to “fear not.”<\/em><\/p>\n

God isn’t saying there’s nothing to be afraid of.\u00a0Life is scary\u2014there are frightening things that come.\u00a0But He’s saying we don’t need to fear because of who HE is in the scary things of life!\u00a0And often when He gives the command to not fear (it’s a\u00a0command<\/u>, not a suggestion), it’s followed by His action, His response, His help.<\/p>\n

Like Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds in the Christmas story\u2014we don’t need to fear!\u00a0God is with us!<\/p>\n

\u201cLord, as we face the huge issues that come into our lives, help us not to fear but to place our feet firmly on the Rock of Christ, and realize that we do not need to fear. Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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