WHAT DO YOU FEAR?
Do you know that 365 times in the Bible God or Jesus (Who IS God) says, “Do not fear”? No, I didn’t count them but someone I trusted did and I know that it is written in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, “FEAR NOT”. Yet, being humans, we do fear, get anxious, tremble, worry, do all the things that God has told us NOT to do. Thank God that He has forgiven us in Jesus’ sacrifice!
Just recently, I was experiencing anxiety. You see, my birthday was coming up and I had to renew my driver’s license. My eyesight has gotten so bad with the cataracts growing that I have trouble reading or seeing very well. I was very concerned (fearful) that I would fail the driver’s license exam and lose my license. I had been to two optomitrists and failed both of their eye exams. My surgery was scheduled for a month AFTER my birthday. If I failed those exams, I was pretty sure I would fail the driver’s exam as well. So, I requested prayer from my sister, my friends – anyone I could think of who would pray. I really did spend too much time worrying about this.
Well, it had been several years since I had last renewed my license and I could not remember when or where the examiner came to Roundup so I went online to check it out. To my surprise, I discovered that you have to have an appointment now to renew your license and the day and place of the examinations was listed. I also discovered that the State of Montana gives you a 3 month grace period following your license expiration to renew your license. O, thank You, God!!! I made the appointment online for 3 weeks AFTER my scheduled eye surgery knowing that, by God’s wonderful grace, I would be able to see just fine by then. You see, I didn’t have to worry or be anxious for even a minute because God knew all of this all the time. He had it all worked out for me because I am His daughter and He loves me. He is a wonderful Father. His plans for me are always good and not evil and He walks with me through every trial I go through.
Revelation 12:10-11 says “Now it has come, the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ, the Messiah; for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been cast out! (see Job 1:9-11) and they (our sisters and brothers) have overcome, conquered him, by means of the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the utterance of their testimony”. See, there is nothing to fear! Our testimony about Jesus will keep the enemy at bay until that day comes when Jesus will set up His Kingdom here on earth and all will be peace, health, prosperity and joy.
I am praying that you have a testimony about Jesus, too. I would love to have you share it with me. That is how God grows in our minds – we hear about His marvelous works and praise Him for His Grace and Love towards us. You can share it by writing to this newspaper or calling me at the number listed elsewhere in this paper. I would love to hear how God is working in your life. And He is, you know, whether you know it or not. Look for Him. Know that your life is not happenstance. You are given choices and free will. The best choice you will ever make is to embrace Jesus as your Lord and Savior and God as your Father. They love you so much.
Rev. Joyce Kaplan, M.Div. Retired United Church of Christ Pastor.
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