Where is our security placed when we live in a world saturated with uncertainties and fear? We see disease and injuries, damage in our environment, discouragement, and disunity.
My answer is that real hope is only found by having faith in God’s truths and that we can discover these truths in the Bible.
I became a Christian when I was a child, making a personal decision to trust in Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. (You can read more about this on this page.) I was very young but I remember the change that God brought to my heart that day – when my fears crumbled into an instant and lasting hope.
Yes, Christians are still human beings and we do face fear in sudden or troubling circumstances. And our valid concerns/desire to be wise can end up going beyond just that and grow into a worry or bitterness if we allow our thoughts to go in that direction. None of us are perfect in our attitudes, actions, or conversations all the time.
But in our journey here on earth, Christians have within us, God Himself, Who reassures us through His ever-presence and reading/listening to His Word of the truths which give us inner strength to turn away from the fear and worry which seek to destroy our joy and peace.
A true believer in Jesus Christ has the amazing blessing of being able to simply rest in God’s control and does not need to live in fear! His peace is graciously provided to His children who walk by continued faith in Him:
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 NKJV
A Study Outline
I want to share with you some notes from a sermon I heard – it’s a message that I feel is relevant to a variety of concerns within my website audience.
(In this sermon, the pastor did not mention the EMF issue that I’ve addressed at times on my blog, a huge concern for some people. But the same verses and points can also apply to the EMF health issue or the variety of other situations more commonly faced by people over the years such as getting a cancer diagnosis, losing a job, reeling from rejection in a close relationship, dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster, colliding with disappointments big or small.
It is for that reason that I asked that pastor about sharing his points on this post for my website.)
These are solid truths which can encourage, regardless of the circumstances we face as individuals!
Note: The quotations on my blog posts are either NIV’84 and/or NKJV unless otherwise mentioned.)
God is in control!
God’s general care: He is Sovereign (Romans 11:33-36), far above all (Ephesians 1:19-23), and in all things (Romans 8:28). From the mouth of God come both calamities and blessings (Lamentations 3:37-39, Isaiah 45:7). The LORD reigns! (Psalm 97:1)
My life is in His hands!
God’s personal care for me as an individual…
My life is in His hands (John 10:27-30).
My life is hidden with Christ (Colossians 3:3).
The Lord sustains me and I do not need to fear what other people fear (Psalm 3:1-6).
God is my refuge, fortress, shield, rampart (protective wall) (Psalm 91:1-16). We can know the Lord’s protection.
We can dwell in the Lord’s security and rest. We do not need to live in fear and anxiousness (Psalm 34, Philippians 4:6).
God already has a set number of days (and places) for us to live on this earth (Psalm 139:16, Acts 17:24-28, Job 14:5).
Fear? Guilt from Past?
I remember showing a few verses in the Bible to a Christian friend of mine years ago who had struggled with fear of death.
Christians sometimes can have the confidence of being at home with the Lord after death, but can end up too focused on human feelings and goals that they might fear making unhealthy decisions or fear disasters, or keep bringing up in their conscience, their past sins that God has forgiven already. Here are the verses I showed her –
- Hebrews 2:14-15 – Since the children have flesh and blood, He [Jesus] too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
- Hebrews 9:14 – How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God?
What should my attitude be?
Joyful, praying continually, giving thanks in all things, setting my heart and mind on things above where Christ is seated in power and authority over everything (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Colossians 3:1-4 – Christians can only be of much “earthly good” when their focus is on Christ above).
My trust needs to be in the Lord, not in the human solutions to something (even though, sometimes God uses human discoveries to help us – still our trust should not be in the invention but rather in God Himself) (Psalm 20:7).
The Christian should be convinced in one’s own mind of a prayerful decision – God’s answer to his/her prayer and direction for that individual person; the Holy Spirit has promised to guide/lead those who belong to Christ. That is how a Christian “lives according to one’s conscience”.
(As an extra example that I/Joy can think of is that some Christians will be led by God into a decision to work in a “high risk for health/safety” type of career while other Christians will be led by the same God into a “less-risky” work situation. Not everyone is led to live where I do or to use less wireless technology, even if it is a “cleaner, less-harmful environment”.
Of course, we all prayerfully want to make decisions which are filled with God’s wisdom but we are to surrender to God’s will, regardless of “where” that takes us. My grandparents came to Canada and were granted religious freedom while others of their friends and family went through greater persecution for their faith.
God has a specific plan for each Christian and so “decisions on disputable matters” WILL vary from person to person. Yet, Christians still can have a deep unity in serving and worshipping the same God.)
Towards other believers in Christ, we are love one another deeply and accept one another without passing judgment on disputable matters (Romans 14; 15:7, Philippians 2:3-4, 1 Peter 1:22).
For further expansion on some of the above thoughts, you can listen to a conference message audio series by Bible teacher, Bob Dowie, from back in 1993: “What Manner of Persons Ought We To Be?“ available on our ministry website, “The Word In Our Hearts”.
God cares…. for me and for you!
“Cast all your anxieties/cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Biblical Christianity is different in comparison to all other systems of philosophy or religion.
We have a God Who actually, truly, really CARES for us, and even initiated that love towards us! (1 John 4:19, Romans 5:8)
David Guzik’s commentary on 1 Peter 5:7 tells us that,
“At their best moments, the religions of ancient Greek culture could imagine a God who was good. Yet they never came to the place where they believed in a God who cared.
The God of the Bible – the God who is really there – is a God who cares for you.
…that God cares … marks off Christianity from all other religions, which under all varieties of form are occupied with the task of making God care [or] of awakening by sacrifice or prayer or act the slumbering interest of the Deity.” (end of quote, emphasis mine)
Are you living a life of confidence in the true and living God Who holds everything in His power and cares for you personally?
I’ve added below, a song video suggested by one of our sons – “The God I Know”, sung by the Erwins.