Do Not Fear
by Pat McIntosh
We are all born with at least two fears: the fear of falling and the fear of noise. We soon develop many more, depending largely upon our culture or personality. It would be interesting to know how many phobias are mentioned in our dictionary. Members of a psychology class asked 500 people, “What are you afraid of?” The 500 people listed 7000 fears! In reality, fear only exists when we allow it to do so. It can only control us when we give it the power to do so.
The book of Lamentations is a compilation of five poems written by Jeremiah. Jeremiah wrote about Judah in the days preceding their being carried away into Babylonian captivity. He tried to get them to repent before that punishment was levied, but to no avail. In the midst of that upcoming heartache God, through Jeremiah says, “Do not fear.”
Certain fears are good and healthy. The fear of burning enables us to be careful around fire. If we have a “healthy fear” (in contrast to a phobia) of things, they will actually aid us in avoiding the danger associated with them. The fear Jeremiah addressed had to do with the kind of fear that required divine help in overcoming. We need (and have received) divine comfort and encouragement in times of fear. There are times when even the strongest of us face a certain fear. This fear may be unique to us or shared by the corporate whole. To deal with such, let us remember the words of the Psalmist: “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4). God cares for us and knows what we fear. May we look to Him and His word for aid in such times.
Sunday A.M. Sermon – Do Not Fear (Lam. 3:55-57)
- What God said in the past removes it today
- The need for divine help – Psa. 23:4; Heb. 13:5-6
- Help has been provided – 2 Pet. 1:2-4; Rom. 15:4; Psa. 55:1-5; 46:1-3; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Jno. 4:16-18; Heb. 2:14-15; Eph. 1:3-6
- Assurance provides motivation – Matt. 7:7-8; Heb. 4:16; 2 Thes. 1:6-9
Sunday P.M. Sermon – Bearing One Another’s Burdens (Gal. 6:2-5)