Our Fearless Champion

[Bro. Bill]

READ: Matthew 8:23-34

Why are you fearful? —Matthew 8:26
Falling asleep was a challenging event during my childhood. No sooner had my parents turned out the lights than the crumpled clothes I had thrown on the chair would take on the form of a fiery dragon and the thoughts of something living under my bed put me into a panic that made sleep impossible.

I’ve come to realize that the immobilizing power of fear is not just a childhood experience. Fear keeps us from forgiving, taking a stand at the office, giving our resources to God’s kingdom, or saying no when all our friends are saying yes. Left to ourselves, we are up against a lot of fiery dragons in our lives.

In the story of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, I’m struck by the fact that the only one who was not afraid was Jesus. He was not afraid of the storm, nor was He afraid of a crazy man in a graveyard or of the legion of demons that possessed him (Matt. 8:23-34).

In the face of fear, we need to hear Jesus ask, “Why are you fearful?” (v.26) and be reminded that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6). There is nothing that He can’t overcome and therefore nothing for Him to fear. So, next time you’re haunted by your fears, remember that you can rely on Jesus, our fearless Champion! —Joe Stowell

Lord, thank You for the reminder that You will
never leave us nor forsake us. When I am afraid, I
know that I can rely on Your presence and power
to calm my heart and overcome my fears.

In times of fear, call out to Jesus, our fearless Champion.

Bible in a year: Ezekiel 1-2; Hebrews 11:1-19
From our daily bread

[Bro. Bill]

Up

[coy-ote]

so true thanx for sharing

[Jwade]

Good Word! Thanks for sharing!

[lovemylegacy]

Awesome! Thanx Bro Bill

[Swamplizard79]

Amen Bro. Bill... Thanks for posting!

[Deb]

Love that message.

[JWHunt]

Thanks Bro

[LWolken]

Hebrews 13:5 comes from the book of Deuteronomy specifically 31:6 Its amazing how many times our new testament writers quote directly from the old testament since after all thats the only thing they had to test if one spoke of the truth. They knew that if anyone spoke contrary to The Word of God(Jesus) that they were in fact antichrist and were a son of the Devil since the devil spoke against Gods words in the garden and replaced Gods instructions with his own instructions (about what was to be food).

Deu 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

Now lets back up one verse to see the conditional statement of this promise our God makes to us.

Deu 31:5 The LORD will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you.

I would highly reccomend reading ch. 30 so that as believers we may understand what is being said in ch.31 In Deut. 30:19 God calls His two witnesses a requirement He made for us that even He obeys one which Jesus Himself quotes in Matt 5:18. Then is verse 20 we are given the definition of Love which John quotes directly from in John 14:21, 15:10 All these quotes we see in The New Testament came from the Old Testament

There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9) which is also confirmed in this chapter of Hebrews in verse 8 after the verses mentioned in the daily devotional.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

This is to be understood as "The Word of God the same yesterday, and to day and forever." according to John 1:14

Lets see what Deuteronomy 31 says about foresaking

Deu 31:10-12 And Moses commanded them, saying: "At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law,

Deu 31:16-18 And the LORD said to Moses: "Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, "Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?' And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.

We may not think we have done these things but the reality is we have and continue to do them willfully. Man does not define what is a idol, God does. Man does not define a graven image, God does. Man does not make appointed times, God does. Man does not make Feast Days, God does. Man does not define blessed and cursed, good and evil, bitter and sweet, light and dark because man is not the Creator. We can only exercise our free will. Obey or rebel. Remember when we rebel against The Word of God we rebel against Jesus. When we reject The Word of God we reject Jesus. But when we ask Jesus into our hearts we are accepting The Word into our Hearts.

Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me(John 14:21, 15:10), for I proceeded forth and came from God(Jesus is the voice of God); nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.(God spoke and this is Jesus)
Joh 8:43 Why do you not understand My speech(voice, words)? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
Joh 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do(follow his instructions not Gods). He was a murderer from the beginning(in the garden), and does not stand in the truth(Psalm 119:142), because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
Joh 8:47 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."

Do we love God or have we become lovers of men?

[jetlag887]

Good reads!

[TexasBear]

Thanks for sharing!