Fear Vs. Faith

We are sooo prone to fear. Big fears — “What if I lose my job?” “What if somebody dies?” “What if he is expelled?” — and small fears — “What if I lose my library book?” “What if the plant dies?” “What if I get a bad grade?”

Once, Jesus’ disciples had a pretty big worry (well, maybe a few more times than once). They got on a boat and went out to sea. Then it started to rain. And not just a little sprinkle, but a great storm. The boat was swamped by waves. Their worry was: “What if we perish?”

Why are you afraid?

We are afraid of the unknown. We are afraid of what we can’t prepare for. We are afraid of what isn’t in our hands.

But really, why do we fear these things? We know the God who knows the future. We know the God who holds the future. Why do you fear?

You are of little faith.

We are prone to fear because we are of little faith. Again and again, God has to remind us that as long as He is there and He’s in control, we have no reason to be afraid. We don’t have the right to worry.

In Isaiah 43:5, God told Israel, “Fear not, for I am with you.”

When a father was afraid for his daughter’s life, Jesus said to the doubters in Mark 5:36, “Do not fear, only believe.”

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. - Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)

The battle of fear and faith never stops. But God is always worthy of our trust. Remember what Jesus did when the disciples feared they were perishing?

And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. - Matthew 8:26

When we give God our trust, we don’t need to worry. Your storm can be at peace, too. Listen to Jesus when He says, “Do not fear, only believe.” He knows the unknown. He holds the future.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. - Isaiah 26:3

Two Beautiful Truths Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Show Us

Easter time is here! Your first thoughts may be chocolate bunnies and colorful eggs, but we must remember what the original Easter was all about.

Our Messiah rose from the dead. Many see this as the most important part in the Bible. Not only is this a past event we should always remember, but also something that should impact our everyday lives. Jesus lives.

Today I’m going to share two truths the Cross shows me that still affect me today.

#1: Jesus Loves You.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8

Why did He die? Because He loved the unworthy sinner so much He gave up His life to save us.

Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for us. He died that each one of us who follow Him may live. He loved so much, so unconditionally, that rather than letting us face what we deserve, He opened Heaven to us.

We must never forget Jesus’ death because that is how He showed us His love.

#2: He Has Overcome Sin and Death.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” - 1 Peter 1:3

Why did He raise from the dead? To defeat death and give us a hope. Jesus doesn’t stay dead. Jesus conquers.

If Jesus didn’t rise from the grave, our hope would be dead. But He is not dead so we have a living hope in Him. By His amazing mercy, He has overcome death and sin, things we could not defeat on our own, to let us have eternal life with Him.

Jesus lived a stainless life. He conquered every sin by the way He lived. If He were just another sinner, His death wouldn’t matter so much. But He was perfect. He was patient to those who didn’t deserve it, He was kind to those who didn’t deserve it, He loved those who didn’t deserve it. He was and is our perfect example of how we should live. He conquered sin, and then conquered death — both physical and spiritual death.

We should never forget Jesus’ resurrection because it shows us He can overcome anything.

How Does This Matter Today?

Well, first of all, Jesus still loves you today. And He still overcomes. Do you know what this means? If you are following Jesus, He can and will help you overcome. He can because He’s an overcomer. And He will listen to your prayers because He wants what is best for you.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” - Romans 8:31

So the Cross shows us that you can do anything with Jesus on your side. You can love the most unworthy. You can conquer the most persistent sins. You can overcome.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” - Romans 8:37