April 20 Do Not Fear… John 14:27
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27)
All of my life, I have heard that we are “living in perilous times.” Once again, common sense and the rule of law have been sidelined, in order to express outrage and a “mob mentality,” of rioting, destruction of personal property and no regard for what is right and proper. When you have elected officials promoting the unrest, in anticipation of an outcome that is contrary to what is demanded, validating the destructive intentions of those that are intent on destruction of private property and the “Burn it down” mentality, then these folks have a green light to lawlessness and destruction. Regardless of how “righteous” the original intent, those individuals that are determined to create havoc, seems to prevail. Evil actions, camouflaged as a call for “Social Justice!” What does the constant reporting of this lawless behavior do to the average person, sitting at home, with the thoughts of going out to a store or even going downtown to a museum, or having a meal at one of the many restaurants. The one word that comes to mind is fear. We have all experienced it and we will experience it again. Folks, please be aware that the behaviors of individuals and the issues of the day began many years ago in the homes of the protestors and rioters. I have been “Fired up” about various issues during my lifetime, however, I can only imagine what my daddy would have done had I been found, in the streets, breaking windows and burning buildings and creating general destruction. Yesterday afternoon, a dear friend called to ask a simple question: “What am I to do? I need to go downtown tomorrow and I am afraid to be on the streets.” Quickly, I began to ruminate on an answer that would provide comfort and a calming; and this scripture came to my mind, and I shared the promise from God’s word. Listen, we are living in perilous times and Satan is excited about the situations and is using every tool available to cancel the effects of God’s Victorious Word. When Satan can create fear in our lives and when he can cause us to slow, or even stop our proclaiming of the Good News, then he has succeeded. Let the Peace of God dwell in you and face each new day with the assurance of His Grace, Love and Provision. This world is going to continue to erode and is going to continue to walk in darkness. We must not fear! We must be the BRIGHT LIGHT in the darkness of this sinful and evil world. Just a thought… Notice that all of the destruction and rioting occurs under the cover of darkness. Could it be that the scriptures are correct… “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Do not fear the issues of the day! Claim His promises, walk in His light and look up to Jesus for your wellbeing. Repeat this statement; over and over…I am the child of the King, who is not moved by this world. For my God is with me, and He goes before me, I DO NOT FEAR because I am His!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!!