HE is for us…

no wonder CHRISTians can be hopeful.  look at jeremiah 29.11 (msg)  GOD says, I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  if we just stopped there and said GOD’s pardon erases my guilt, CHRIST’s power erases my bad habits and HIS purposes transforms my problems.  that’s enough to be hopeful.  but HE also says i never have to lose hope because HIS protection relieves my fears.

fear is another great cause of hopelessness.  it is a very damaging destructive emotion.  psychologists have identified 645 different types of fear.  under each of those types there are hundreds of others listed.  when you are full of fear you cannot be full of hope.  so it pulls you down and it causes you to despair.  when you fear the future you despair of the future.  when you fear your family you despair in your family. 

what’s your greatest fear?  is it the fear of criticism?  is it the fear of being rejected?  is it the fear off being lonely all of your life?  is it the fear of failure?  is it the fear of death?  is it the fear that somebody might see you shopping in pick ‘n save?  what’s your fear?

over three hundred and sixty five times in the bible GOD says “fear not.”  HE says I want you to get the point.  so I’ll say it one time for every day of the year.  don’t be afraid.  why?  because HIS power, HIS perfection relieves my fear.  HE says i will protect you.

romans 8.31 (ncv), so, what should we say about this?  if GOD is for us, no one can defeat us.  notice it says,  “for us.”  if you are a CHRISTian GOD is not only with you all the time but HE is for you.  does that relieve a few fears?  GOD’s for me! 

years ago there was a movie that came out about a high school kid who was always being beat up in school so he got this guy.  the movie’s called my bodyguard.  how would you like to have GOD as your bodyguard?  GOD is for us if we’re believers. 

just a thought from the front porch…