Numbers 13:28 "But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!"
I remember wrestling in middle school. Back then I was a much lighter guy of about 98 pounds...and I was on the edge of the dividing line between those that wrestled in the 90-98 pound class and those that wrestled 99-110. It never failed that in tournaments, I would get placed in the latter category. I was out-weighted, oversized, and overmatched in every possible way. I would get into matches and just push with everything I had to barely move my opponent. Many times, the matches would end embarassingly with my shoulders pinned to the mat.
That sometimes happens in our spiritual lives as well. Have you ever felt like you were way too small to handle a problem that was way too big? Maybe it was a situation that you initiated..maybe not. In either case, you had to decide whether to fight or flee....stick it our or pack it in...wrestle with it or forfeit.
Maybe that's happening now... Maybe there are some "giants" that you just can't seem to beat in your life. They are bigger than you...and stronger...and all seems hopeless. That's what we're going to discuss this week...overcoming those giants...I hope you'll stay with me this week and we can learn together the perspective we need to conquer what seems impossible...
This morning...let's do this.... make a list of three giants that you are facing in your life...they can be emotional, financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual... they can be anything that right now seems too big to defeat. In your journal, write a prayer asking God to reveal to you those giants... and additionally pray that He will begin even today to open your heart and mind to the perspective that you will need to defeat them...
Blessings to you this morning and always,
Pastor Brian
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Monday, September 1, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Swim!
2 Tim 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
This weekend, Pastor Troy talked about the land of "Hold Out" and the land of "Sold Out" In other words, going from a life of excuses to a life of excellence...completely giving your life to Christ. What are some of the things that hold people back from full commitment to a life that honors Jesus? Let's dig in...
I remember going to Boy Scout camp one summer. When all the scouts arrived, immediately they were taken to the waterfront and told to get into swimming trunks. The instructor told us that we were going to take a swimming test by jumping in to the murky deep lake and swimming some predetermined length. If we could swim there...turn around...swim back using the backstroke...and float for 1 minute...we would be awarded our swimming badge and could use the pools and watercraft all summer long. If not, we were considered a "white level" swimmer and were not allowed near any pools or the lake. I was not a strong swimmer (and still not today) so I decided during the trials that I would not even jump in. That water was deep! Who knew what might be lurking under the surface! What if I sank to the bottom...got a cramp...swallowed that murky stuff...couldn't float...what if I.... you get the point. I didn't do it. All summer long I sat on the bank of the lake and watched all my friends have the summer of their lives while I reaped the results of my fears.
I think a lot of us live that way today. The reason we don't totally "sell out" to God is because we are afraid to... What if He won't catch me if I fail? I can't see around the next corner...what if I am ruined? What happens if I start to drown...how will I know He's there? All these fears go through our minds. So we sit on the banks of life and watch our friends have all the great experiences. It's time to jump in.
What is God calling you to do? What do you know you are supposed to risk, try, or challenge yourself with? What are you afraid of? Rejection? Failure? Not knowing enough? Not being enough? Still running from a past? I've got good news for you...if you want to get to the land of "Sold Out"... if you want to really live...here are two words that you HAVE to grab a hold of...
total trust.
Easier said than done in many cases.... But I see so many people who trust God only until they start to sink a little...and then they begin to flail...and then begin to sink. Put simply...they give up because they can't give up control of their lives to God.
He's stronger than any current...able to hold us up when we sink...hold back what lives just under the murky water of life... He gives us reason to keep swimming...
That summer, I didn't sell out to the idea that I could pass the test. I missed out. Are you tired of missing out on what God has for you in your life? Quit wondering and start trusting. You'll be an ace swimmer in no time.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
This weekend, Pastor Troy talked about the land of "Hold Out" and the land of "Sold Out" In other words, going from a life of excuses to a life of excellence...completely giving your life to Christ. What are some of the things that hold people back from full commitment to a life that honors Jesus? Let's dig in...
I remember going to Boy Scout camp one summer. When all the scouts arrived, immediately they were taken to the waterfront and told to get into swimming trunks. The instructor told us that we were going to take a swimming test by jumping in to the murky deep lake and swimming some predetermined length. If we could swim there...turn around...swim back using the backstroke...and float for 1 minute...we would be awarded our swimming badge and could use the pools and watercraft all summer long. If not, we were considered a "white level" swimmer and were not allowed near any pools or the lake. I was not a strong swimmer (and still not today) so I decided during the trials that I would not even jump in. That water was deep! Who knew what might be lurking under the surface! What if I sank to the bottom...got a cramp...swallowed that murky stuff...couldn't float...what if I.... you get the point. I didn't do it. All summer long I sat on the bank of the lake and watched all my friends have the summer of their lives while I reaped the results of my fears.
I think a lot of us live that way today. The reason we don't totally "sell out" to God is because we are afraid to... What if He won't catch me if I fail? I can't see around the next corner...what if I am ruined? What happens if I start to drown...how will I know He's there? All these fears go through our minds. So we sit on the banks of life and watch our friends have all the great experiences. It's time to jump in.
What is God calling you to do? What do you know you are supposed to risk, try, or challenge yourself with? What are you afraid of? Rejection? Failure? Not knowing enough? Not being enough? Still running from a past? I've got good news for you...if you want to get to the land of "Sold Out"... if you want to really live...here are two words that you HAVE to grab a hold of...
total trust.
Easier said than done in many cases.... But I see so many people who trust God only until they start to sink a little...and then they begin to flail...and then begin to sink. Put simply...they give up because they can't give up control of their lives to God.
He's stronger than any current...able to hold us up when we sink...hold back what lives just under the murky water of life... He gives us reason to keep swimming...
That summer, I didn't sell out to the idea that I could pass the test. I missed out. Are you tired of missing out on what God has for you in your life? Quit wondering and start trusting. You'll be an ace swimmer in no time.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday - Fear of Relationship Change
Philippians 2:17-18 "...just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy."
When we share our story with others there is a real risk of our relationship with them changing. Now there are, of course, two ways of looking at this... positive change or negative change. So many of us assume that people are going to do what we talked about yesterday and reject us...thus causing negative change. However, I have found the opposite to be true in many cases:
1) People will appreciate the fact that you care about them enough to share what God is doing in your life. Your relationship with them will actually grow deeper with them...not more awkward or shallow. In this day and age, finding someone that actually wants to get involved in the life of another gets harder and harder...you can be that light in the otherwise dark world.
2) You may develop the reputation as the "religious" person in the family. Is that a bad thing? In my house, I am the one that people know as the one "connected" to God. All that means is that in times of crisis, I am the one they will gravitate towards when they need prayer or care. I've got to tell you... I LOVE that role. The great thing is that I can share my story with others and they can fulfill that role in the family right alongside me.
Overall, sharing your story will indeed change the relationship dynamic...but the question is...who is it more important to please...people or God?
Food for thought this morning...
Pastor Brian
When we share our story with others there is a real risk of our relationship with them changing. Now there are, of course, two ways of looking at this... positive change or negative change. So many of us assume that people are going to do what we talked about yesterday and reject us...thus causing negative change. However, I have found the opposite to be true in many cases:
1) People will appreciate the fact that you care about them enough to share what God is doing in your life. Your relationship with them will actually grow deeper with them...not more awkward or shallow. In this day and age, finding someone that actually wants to get involved in the life of another gets harder and harder...you can be that light in the otherwise dark world.
2) You may develop the reputation as the "religious" person in the family. Is that a bad thing? In my house, I am the one that people know as the one "connected" to God. All that means is that in times of crisis, I am the one they will gravitate towards when they need prayer or care. I've got to tell you... I LOVE that role. The great thing is that I can share my story with others and they can fulfill that role in the family right alongside me.
Overall, sharing your story will indeed change the relationship dynamic...but the question is...who is it more important to please...people or God?
Food for thought this morning...
Pastor Brian
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wednesday - Fear of Rejection
Acts 18:9-10 “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”
Fear of Rejection
Many of us don't want to share our story because we are afraid that those whom we are telling won't want to hear it. This might, in fact, be true. However, it shouldn't change our desire to tell the world what God has done in our lives. Think about it. Your story can bring hope, peace, and/or salvation to a life that needs it! Here are some truths about dealing with G0d-Story rejection:
1) Jesus will NEVER reject you! When you are out there sharing your story and bringing hope in Christ...you are being obedient to God and therefore blessed by Him!
2) Rejection is usually temporary. Just because somebody pushes back on you at first doesn't mean that they are going to reject you forever. You might be surprised at how they will come back to you later for a retelling of your story or clarification of how it might apply to their own lives.
Remember, all that you are doing is planting a seed....let the Holy Spirit do the rest!
Have you shared your God-story yet? If so, please let me know how it went! Let's make a big impact for the Kingdom together this week! That is my prayer...
Pastor Brian
Fear of Rejection
Many of us don't want to share our story because we are afraid that those whom we are telling won't want to hear it. This might, in fact, be true. However, it shouldn't change our desire to tell the world what God has done in our lives. Think about it. Your story can bring hope, peace, and/or salvation to a life that needs it! Here are some truths about dealing with G0d-Story rejection:
1) Jesus will NEVER reject you! When you are out there sharing your story and bringing hope in Christ...you are being obedient to God and therefore blessed by Him!
2) Rejection is usually temporary. Just because somebody pushes back on you at first doesn't mean that they are going to reject you forever. You might be surprised at how they will come back to you later for a retelling of your story or clarification of how it might apply to their own lives.
Remember, all that you are doing is planting a seed....let the Holy Spirit do the rest!
Have you shared your God-story yet? If so, please let me know how it went! Let's make a big impact for the Kingdom together this week! That is my prayer...
Pastor Brian
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday - Fear
Great to be back! Thanks for your patience last week as I shared some other devotionals with you all...I needed the time to prepare and study... Glad you are here this morning! Let's look at this morning's verse:
1 Peter 3:15b (NLT) “Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.”
I talked last weekend about some of the fears that we have when it comes to sharing our story with the world... Let's look at each one of them this week...and what we can do to overcome them...
Fear of not knowing enough
Many of us think that we need an exorbitant amount of Biblical knowledge in order to share our story. That simply isn't true. Now don't get me wrong...we should always be striving to learn more scripture... all I'm saying is that you don't need to have that to start sharing your story. If this is one of your fears remember these three thoughts:
a) Your story is all about what God has done in YOUR life. The only thing that you need to be an expert on is you. Be sure that you can communicate this clearly to the person that you are sharing it with. Include important and honest details throughout.
b) You will probably never feel like you know enough. It's like waiting to have enough money before you have a child...isn't going to happen in most cases. Don't hesitate...go for it!
c) If the person you are sharing with challenges you on some things.... be respectful and remind them that you are just sharing what God has done in your life. Tell them that you are living a life centered on your faith. Be honest and admit that you can't explain everything... that's where the faith part comes in.
It is my prayer this week that you encounter someone to share your story with... but don't wait just because you think you need a seminary degree first. God has given you your story for a reason... share it confidently!
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
PS: Leave me a note in the comments with your experiences this week sharing your story! I'd LOVE to hear them!
1 Peter 3:15b (NLT) “Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.”
I talked last weekend about some of the fears that we have when it comes to sharing our story with the world... Let's look at each one of them this week...and what we can do to overcome them...
Fear of not knowing enough
Many of us think that we need an exorbitant amount of Biblical knowledge in order to share our story. That simply isn't true. Now don't get me wrong...we should always be striving to learn more scripture... all I'm saying is that you don't need to have that to start sharing your story. If this is one of your fears remember these three thoughts:
a) Your story is all about what God has done in YOUR life. The only thing that you need to be an expert on is you. Be sure that you can communicate this clearly to the person that you are sharing it with. Include important and honest details throughout.
b) You will probably never feel like you know enough. It's like waiting to have enough money before you have a child...isn't going to happen in most cases. Don't hesitate...go for it!
c) If the person you are sharing with challenges you on some things.... be respectful and remind them that you are just sharing what God has done in your life. Tell them that you are living a life centered on your faith. Be honest and admit that you can't explain everything... that's where the faith part comes in.
It is my prayer this week that you encounter someone to share your story with... but don't wait just because you think you need a seminary degree first. God has given you your story for a reason... share it confidently!
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
PS: Leave me a note in the comments with your experiences this week sharing your story! I'd LOVE to hear them!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday "Fear vs. Joy"
1 John 4:18 (TM) "There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love"
What are you afraid of? Not having enough? Failing health? Success? Failure? Relationship breakdown? Abandonment? Abuse? Unemployment? Money? Bills? Family?
If any of these are the cause of your fear...I have good news. If you are a Christ-follower...you are on the winning side. Scripture tells us that Christ has already overcome the world...everything that you are afraid of is in God's hands. He's already on it.
Everything.
Christ died and rose again so that we can boldly live! We need to always remember that when it seems darkest in our life and we are trembling in fear...Jesus Himself glows the brightest. Remember what we talked about a little while ago... when we are weak..He (Jesus) is strongest.
Take a stand today... Get your joy back... You serve a big God who loves you unconditionally. That should ALWAYS be the source of that never-ending joy!
Write it Down: Make a list of 5 things you are afraid of. Say a prayer and thank God that He wants to replace your fear with faith in Him!
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
What is today going to hold? If you are reading this devotional at night...what is tomorrow going to be like? Any ideas? I would bet that there are many of you reading this right now that are afraid of the future. I'm not talking about years from now...I'm thinking about tomorrow. How are you going to be able to deal with all of the things that the world is going to throw your way?
What are you afraid of? Not having enough? Failing health? Success? Failure? Relationship breakdown? Abandonment? Abuse? Unemployment? Money? Bills? Family?
If any of these are the cause of your fear...I have good news. If you are a Christ-follower...you are on the winning side. Scripture tells us that Christ has already overcome the world...everything that you are afraid of is in God's hands. He's already on it.
Everything.
Christ died and rose again so that we can boldly live! We need to always remember that when it seems darkest in our life and we are trembling in fear...Jesus Himself glows the brightest. Remember what we talked about a little while ago... when we are weak..He (Jesus) is strongest.
Take a stand today... Get your joy back... You serve a big God who loves you unconditionally. That should ALWAYS be the source of that never-ending joy!
Write it Down: Make a list of 5 things you are afraid of. Say a prayer and thank God that He wants to replace your fear with faith in Him!
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
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