By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
FRIDAY
THEME: OUR BEARING AND HELPING GOD
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
REFLECTIONS
God always makes ample provisions for whatever may happen to us before it occurs. That gives hope and assurance that life’s battles are not fought alone; the hosts of heaven are interested, especially when it involves the children of God. Many times, we have been assured and encouraged by statements and promises such as “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”- Exodus 14:14. Whenever we face fierce battles in life, and we claim this kind of promise, our strength is renewed, and our spirits are buoyed up.
Now, because fear is one of the major emotional, psychological, and physical challenges we face in life, the Bible is replete with encouraging statements and promises to allay our fears and to give us the strength, confidence, and boldness to act for our joy, our peace, and God’s glory. If only we could trust God and keep tightly to the conviction, “thus says the Lord,” we shall fear no foe or evil, we will be invincible, and we shall be victorious representatives of God. For our God, He will never leave us to battle our issues alone. That is why He states categorically in Deuteronomy 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.” Beautiful promise, excellent intervention of God!
For you today, beloved, the Creator God says: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” What other assurance do you need more than this if you truly trust God? He says, “Fear Not.” This comes from no different than the Omnipotent God. If you cannot simply take this word from God, who else can convince you not to fear? If in Christ you cannot let go of fear, then you may expose yourself to the danger of fearing continually until death occurs, which will, of course, happen sooner. William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar said: “Cowards die many times before their deaths.” Anytime you fail to deal with issues, but you allow fear to intimidate you, you are on the path of death. So, to live, God says: “Fear Not.” If you cannot take God for His word, then you are up for real trouble, self-torture, and self-destruction – think about it.
If you are tempted to fear, remember these golden words: “For I am with you. . . I am your God.” (Can you please repeat the golden words ten times to yourself right now?) If you genuinely acknowledge Him as your God, then the following promise is yours: “I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Beloved, this is God’s special message to you today, this week, this month, this year, and the years ahead until He causes you to sleep the sleep of death. For those who pant for God, every word from Him is a promise. What promise do you take from God today?
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 251 – “He Lives” – Alan Jackson
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His abiding presence and counsel; thank God for His help in dealing decisively with fear; pray to uphold God’s promises to give you strength daily;
– Pray for victims of war, disasters, violence, abuse, and oppression; pray for Christians who live in fear, persecuted for their faith, or overlooked because they are in the minority;
– Pray for the teeming unemployed youth, those engaged in vices, addictions, and occultism; pray for humanitarian agencies and their staff who sacrifice their lives to save victims in danger;
– Pray for the country’s leadership to seek after God, pursue peace and unity, avoid and deal with corruption, and be honest; pray for the elderly, lactating mothers, and pregnant women.
