How Can I Find Boldness To Share My Faith? 2 Timothy 1:8

Some people suffer from shyness or struggle with fears when it comes to sharing their faith. How do we overcome this?

"So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the Gospel, by the power of God." 2 Timothy 1:8

In the first century, the cross was a shameful thing, and if you knew someone who was crucified, it would be a scandal, and you would keep it secret; to not be ashamed went against the cultural standards of the times.

DO NOT
This has the strength of a command.  It is a clear statement that we are not to be ashamed. If we are sorry, we need to confess and repent.

TESTIMONY
To testify is to tell what you know.  It does not require an advanced college degree to tell about your experience,

SUFFERING
We are invited to share in his suffering.  It is an honor to suffer from the Lord. The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer in his name, Acts 5:41.

POWER
Power is set in contrast to shame. In this case, it is the opposite of shame.  The Gospel is the power of God to change lives and save mankind.  This power is far greater than any shame we could experience. The Gospel has power, and that should be sufficient to overcome fear.

JOIN
Instead of being ashamed of the Gospel, Paul invites us to become partners with Christ in affliction.

The greater act of power was salvation; it is the harder task; the lesser is to empower us to testify- to empower us would be easy after making salvation.

Accept the power, claim it, and act on the power of the Gospel.

To learn more about how the Gospel can change lives, see my other blog.

(c) Adron 11/19/14

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What Is The Best Way To Handle Fear? Advice From The Bible.

Sometimes the things we fear are so huge that we cannot think of anything else, in time fear grips and cripples us. Where can we turn to overcome fear?

"He said, Listen king Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this great army, for the battle is not yours but God's." 2 Chronicles 20:15.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
The Bible tells of an alliance of enemies that marched against the Lord's people. Facing certain destruction and death King Jehoshaphat sought the Lord with prayer. After he prayed the prophet came with the message not to fear because the battle is the Lords.

DO NOT BE AFRAID
There are many reasons we are afraid in life. There are circumstances outside our control, there are dangers that threaten us and our loved ones, and there are uncertainties in our future.

There is a bigger reason to not be afraid- God:
     * He is in control.
     * Nothing catches Him by surprise.
     * He will never lose a battle.
     * He is in charge of all things.
     * He has power over all things.
     * He is bigger than all things.

THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS
When there is a problem in our lives we think we need to act and we say, "What can I do?" God was in control long before we found out about the problem and He will remain in control long after we have forgotten the matter.

BUT GOD'S
God is able to win the battle. We have to do our part which is to obey Him and trust Him, God is able to deliver.

In 2 Chronicles 20 the story ends with the enemies turning on each other and annihilating each other. The Lord's people went to meet them in battle but found only dead bodies as far as the eye could see.

When you face the multitude of foes seek the Lord and pray to Him for deliverance because He is able.

(c)Adron Dozat 12/5/13

Where Is There Hope In These Dark Times? Isaiah 35:4

It seems like the people of faith are on the retreat.

People of faith may be justified in feeling like the world is falling further into darkness and our lives are near ruin. There are many reasons to be afraid. An intellegent person would look at the world around us and have good cause to be concerned. But must we live in fear? Is there really no hope? 

"Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong do not fear! Your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Isaiah 35:4.

BE STRONG

There is more than one kind of strength. This is not the strength for battle but the strength to wait. If God commands us to be strong then it must be possible. You do not need to feel that you will never be strong enough to endure.

DO NOT FEAR

Isaiah 35:4

Fear makes us weak in battle. It may cause us to act in haste. It may cause us to run when we should stand firm.

YOUR GOD WILL COME

Jesus was the earthly manifestation of God, and he came to pay for our sins and give eternal life to those who believe. He will return as earth's judge but we who have believed in Him have great hope of deliverance from the sinfulness of this age. Since he "will come" is repeated three times means that there is no doubt and it is sure.

TO SAVE YOU

Jesus promised to return and his kingdom of peace will be established. Those who trust in his work on their behalf will be saved out of darkness and judgment.

We do not need to wonder if we have the strength to save ourselves or to protect those we love. There is one who is infinitely stronger than all our troubles and He promises to deliver us.  

When the world is against you do not act in haste and do not flee, compromise, or give up. Instead, stand fast and wait for the Lord- He will deliver you.

To learn more about the plan of salvation see my other blog.

How Does The Bible Help My Fear? Psalm 27:1

We are often beset with worry and fear. Sometimes it is about our future, our loved ones, our personal well-being or just chronic worry. Fear can overshadow everything in our life. It can cripple us and keep us from living the kind of life we want to live. What can we do about it?

"The Lord is my Light and my salvation. Of whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1, NIV.

THE LORD
First, consider the Lord. He is the all-powerful creator of the universe. He rules creation and has the ability to command events from the greatest storm to the smallest insect. The Lord is our creator who loves and knows us. He is the one who sent his son to die to pay for our sins- this is a loving God and a powerful father.

LIGHT AND SALVATION
That God is our light should be comforting to us because He is all-seeing and all-knowing, not only that, it is the fact that the one who is all-seeing and all-knowing is on our side. Light reveals the phantoms of darkness to be nothing. Evil seeks shelter in darkness for the Bible says "men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil,*" but light robs evil of its support, light even chases away evil.

He is our salvation, not we ourselves. We may be helpless to fix many of the problems that come into our lives; and the biggest one, our sin, is beyond repair. But God is salvation, and not us. We need not rely on our weak efforts and lack of ability. He is able, He is willing, He is our salvation.

STRONGHOLD
A stronghold by definition is a safe and secure place. It is the highest quality of fortress, not a tent but a bombproof ironclad citadel. It is the place no enemy can ever get into, it withstands all the efforts of the foe.

OF WHOM
Of whom is a question without an answer since God has no equal. If The All-powerful Ruler is your indestructible fortress there is no one who you need to fear.

FOCUS
We spend much time thinking about the little things that will cause pain and problems. Let us turn our focus on God not these lesser things

To say God is our salvation is a faith statement. We do not have salvation by osmosis, it is a gift God gives to those willing to receive it. To learn more about finding salvation read my other blog,  follow this link: Click Here.

*John 3:19

(c) Adron 3/24/13

What Does The Bible Say About Fear?

We have many fears, They can cripple you emotionally and keep you from making progress in relationships, work, and life in general. Sometimes a fear looms up threatening our very existence.

"So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10, NIV.

OUR IDEA

What The Bible Says About Fear

God does not promise to take away the object of our fear. We want the easy way out as if God were a magic genie to grant wishes that we could use to remove the source of our fears. But God does not offer that instead, he offers himself.

FOUR STATEMENTS
There are two truths and two statements of assurance and comfort in this verse.
     * I am with you. (Truth.)
     * I am your God. (Truth.)
     * I will strengthen you. (Assurance.)
     * I will uphold you. (Assurance.)

The truths validate assurance.
He says, "I am with you." He is the companion we need during the trials. He promises to be there for us like a shoulder we can cry on in prayer.

He says, "I am your God," a reminder of the All-Powerful One who is committed to us.

He says, "I will strengthen you." If The Lord who makes mountains so strong gives us the strength we should be strong indeed and more than able.

He says, "I will uphold you." He upholds the universe and keeps stars in their places If he upholds us we can be confident that we will not fall. He upholds us by his righteous right hand. Something that is righteous is pure, holy, trustworthy, and unfailing. The right hand speaks to us of authority and strength. This is a reinforcement of the first three assurances.

God's promises to us are based on who he is. All four I statements are followed by the word you. If this verse were to be summarized it would be that God says, "I am for you in this."

TWO COMMANDS
This verse gives two commands. Do not fear and do not be dismayed. The Almighty commands us not to fear. Then he reassures us he is able and willing to be there to help, uphold and give victory.

Do not fear!



(c)Adron Dozat 2/22/13

How To Handle Fear. Psalm 56:3

We all have times when we are afraid. Fear comes in many forms and is caused by many sources.  When it comes, what can we do? The Bible offers hope:

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." Psalm 56:3, NIV*.

BACKGROUND

Fear, encouragement from Psalm 56:3

This quote is from a psalm written by King David when he was captured by the Philistines. He expected torturous death for himself and his followers.

Sometimes we are captured by our enemies. They may be the enemies of debt, solitude, failure, loss, humiliation, or something much worse.

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW TRIALS
We may puzzle why God allows these dreadful events in our lives. Perhaps it is so...

     * We will grow through the challenges.
     * Or we will see life differently.
     * Or so we will have compassion on others that experience similar struggles.
     * Or, as in the case of Job, a test to justify God.
     * Or so we can have an opportunity to trust God.

WHY TRUST?

The verse above expresses how one man, David, handled fear. Though David was a warrior and experienced hand-to-hand combat, he acknowledges that he had fear for he says, "When I am afraid," not "if I become afraid."  He resolved to trust God. He made a decision to trust.  He didn't run from it, and he didn't fight it. He reasoned that God is worthy of trust.

     * God is greater than the problem.
     * God is more powerful.
     * God is all-knowing.
     * God is all-loving.
     * God is just and fair.
     * God rewards those who trust in him.
     * God is good and does good.

ACT OF TRUST

There is an action in this verse. David is not just contemplating positive thoughts- he "puts his trust..." The act of trust in God is personal, and we each must decide to trust in God since God is the creator of relationships. How we each experience him may be unique based on our relationship with him.

For some, trust is best expressed in a prayer where one tells God they trust him for the circumstances. For others, it may be a resolution that God is good no matter what and to move ahead in a situation. For others, it is a moment-by-moment refreshing of the truth that God is in charge of our good and to not react in fear. For some, it is to resolve to be faithful to God no matter what.

Whatever God allows in our lives is for our good, and he is worthy of our trust.

* To read this verse in other translations, follow this link: online Parallel Bible.

(c) Adron 9/10/12

Where You Can Go When You Need Someone To Hold Your Hand. Isaiah 41:13

Sometimes we reach out in desperation to find comfort, at those times it would be good just to have a hand to hold while we cry, mourn, or go through anguish.

"For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee 'Fear not; I will help thee.'" Isaiah 41:13. JKV.

GOD
This verse reminds us in triplicate just who is holding our hand, he says "I the Lord Thy God."  The Almighty is making a powerful point by the personal pronoun "I," He is not sending someone else, even the wisest, smartest and most caring person would fall far short of God who is always by your side, he is saying don't get it wrong it is Me coming for you. 

Second He is the "Lord," the sovereign; ruler and king of all, who has all authority and dominion; His every command is to be obeyed, He is the one who is coming to hold our hand.
Third He is "thy God," God is personal he wants us to know Him as our God, not just a god of a religion or a part of a creed he is our God.

RIGHT HAND
He will hold our "right hand" the hand that is for most people the dominant one: often stronger, but not only stronger it is more sensitive to touch more trained and in tune.  He holds the hand that most connects to who we are.  We may hold a hand while we walk on a dark and unfamiliar path, or while we cry, or receive bad news; God does not hold our hand only at one particular time, we may be confident his hand is available all the time we need him.

GOD COMFORTS
God is not silent in our grief, he has a message.  He is speaking but sometimes we are so self-absorbed (and understandably so) during our times of trial when we are suffering too much to hear His comfort.  Even if we don't hear them He still has words of comfort, guidance, and lessons in the times of our sorrow.

HELP
Here God speaks directly to our hurting hearts; He says "fear not. I will help thee."  If God says fear not then we can be confident and should not fear, after all, He is God.  He promises to help us, and this should give us much to rejoice in; we can look to and expect God to help us.

This verse expresses the willingness of God to comfort.  He desires to be our counselor, confident, and intimate.  He is holding out his hand for us to take and to experience his love.

(c)Adron Dozat 3/12/12