Overcoming fear

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Fear will often turn people away from something that everyone else is safely doing. Paul reminds Timothy that God has given us power, love, and self-discipline to overcome those moments of fear.

In 1973, 26-year-old director Steven Spielberg was hired to make a movie based on Peter Benchley's novel about shark attacks called Jaws. The movie was so scary that even to this day millions of Americans panic when they get wind that a shark might be present in their beach area. A persistent shark phobia keeps people away from the beach.

But an article in Foreign Policy magazine claims that on average less than one American (0.92 people) dies each year from a shark attack. So just in case you really need something better to worry about, here's a list of some items more likely than sharks to cause your death while living in the United States:

Trampolines account for an average of 1.1 deaths per year.

Roller coasters take 1.15 lives per year. So the article advises, "Keep your hands inside the car; your next thrill-ride could be to the coroner's office."

Free-standing kitchen-range tip-overs cause 1.31 deaths per year.

Vending machines account for 2.06 deaths per year. The article states, "So if those high-fat snacks don't take your life prematurely, rock or tilt that machine while looking for a freebie, and you'll be sleeping with the Pepperidge Farm goldfishes."

Riding lawnmowers take 5.22 lives per year.

Fireworks cause 6.6 deaths per year. Although, technically, these deaths were caused more by careless and impatient people who peered into the PVC piping because the fireworks didn't seem to be igniting. Most of these deaths occurred despite safety posters warning something like, "Fireworks Can Burn at 2,000°F—Hot as a Blow Torch!"

Skydiving accidents account for 21.2 deaths per year.

Getting crushed by a television or furniture causes an average of 26.44 deaths every year in the United States. This statistic led the comedian Stephen Colbert to issue a warning against the perils of "terrorist furniture."

The article concludes with a challenge to face our fears and take action. After reminding us that the risk factors of smoking, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and alcohol kill 87 percent of Americans prematurely, the article urges us to get off the couch, turn off Jaws, and go for a swim.

In our Christian walk there are times we fear to do what is right. Take a moment and remember 2 Timothy 1:7. Hopefully your fear will be removed or diminished.

Good actions show love

1 John 3:18 (NLT)

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

There is a difference between words sweet to the ears and sincere affection and actions or services of Love. As song writer Don Francisco stated, “Love is not a feeling, it’s an act of your will.”

On September 30, 2013 Dwayne and Dawna Johnson of Buena Vista, Colorado had the perfect day planned. The electrician and high school football coach and his wife took their two teenage daughters on a day hike up a popular mountain trail. But then the unthinkable happened: a rockslide barreled down at them at a vantage point looking up on Agnes Vaille Falls.

Just before the cascading dirt and boulders swept Dwayne, his wife, and their oldest daughter to their deaths, Dwayne made a decision that saved the life of his 13-year-old daughter, Gracie. A few weeks after the tragedy, Gracie said, "I did cover myself, but I was just standing in the open. [My dad] pushed me to a rock that was bigger than I was, and he just saved me." Sheriff's Deputy Nick Tolsma added, "[Gracie] said her dad jumped on top of her to protect her right at the last moment when the rocks were coming down."

Immediately after the rockslide, as rescue workers began to search the area, they heard Gracie's voice coming from beneath the pile of rocks that covered her. Deputy Tolsma eventually spotted Gracie's hand sticking out from the rocks. No one in the town was surprised by Dwayne's act of sacrificial love. As a family friend said, "He would have done the same for any of our children, absolutely."

Just two days before the accident, Dwayne wrote to his 18-year-old daughter Kiowa-Rain, and encouraged her to "dream big," "develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ," and remember that "deep, meaningful relationships bring happiness." Dwayne lived out those words and the words of his Savior— "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." [Catherine E. Shoichet, Kyung Lah and Jack Hannah, "Colorado rock slide kills 5 members of one family; teen survives," CNN (10-2-13)]

The heroic actions of a father saved his daughter, but cost him his own life. Actions always speak louder than words. Imagine if the father had just said “Move out of the way” instead of protecting his daughter. Watch the actions of those around you. If they have good intentions towards you it is love. If the intentions are bad then love is missing. A friend told me once about a neighbor who showed up at his door. She had been beaten by her husband. She kept saying over and over to my friend, “He says he loves me, but what kind of love is this?”  Obviously it was not love, but misguided actions and false words.

God's sacrifice

1 John 4:9 (NLT)

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

Strange that God should love impure, vain, vile, dust and ashes! That he has loved us at such a rate, at such an incomparable value as he has given for us; he has given his own, only-beloved, blessed Son for us: Because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him, v. 9. (Matthew Henry Commentary)

In the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom tells the story of Eddie, a carnival maintenance worker who dies saving the life of a little girl. In heaven he meets five people who had been part of his life.

The second person he meets was captain of his army unit in Vietnam. For the first time Eddie learns the captain died saving his life. As they reminisce about their time together, the captain talks about the significance of the sacrifices each of them made.

"Sacrifice," the Captain said. "You made one. I made one. We all make them. But you were angry over yours. You kept thinking about what you lost. You didn't get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It's supposed to be. It's not something to regret. It's something to aspire to. Little sacrifices. Big sacrifices. A mother works so her son can go to school. A daughter moves home to take care of her sick father. A man goes to war…"

He stopped for a moment and looked off into the cloudy gray sky.

"Rabozzo (a member of their unit who died in captivity) didn't die for nothing, you know. He sacrificed for his country, and his family knew it, and his kid brother went on to be a good soldier and a great man because he was inspired by it. I didn't die for nothing, either. That night, we might have all driven over that land mine. Then the four of us would have been gone."

Eddie shook his head. "But you…" He lowered his voice. "You lost your life."

The Captain smacked his tongue on his teeth. "That's the thing. Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it. You're just passing it on to someone else."

God made a sacrifice by sending His Son Jesus Christ to the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. People often question, what does it mean when it says “that we might”? It means we have a choice to accept the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us on the cross when He died for our sins. We might choose to believe or we might choose not to believe. John 3:16 tells us, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” We have a choice, believe or not to believe, but our choice determines our consequence. Accept the sacrifice Christ made so that you may live an eternal life with Him. That is what He is passing on to you.

Unsafe people

Proverbs 25:19 (NLT)

19 Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.

This proverb is a reminder that there are people who we cannot trust with our problems or issues. These people are unsafe and can cause us suffering in addition to our problems and issues.

Dr. Kristina Welker in an article from the AhWatukee FootHill News, published July 19, 2011 provides some clues for recognizing people who can be unsafe in your life. Unsafe people usually reveal things you don’t wish revealed or stir up problems causing issues with other friends. Dr. Kristina Welker says:

Be wary of people who avoid being vulnerable. They are avoiding intimacy, communicating only on a superficial level. They withhold parts of themselves hoping you will believe that they have it all together.

Unsafe people cannot tolerate criticism even when it's constructive. Unable to admit fault, they justify their actions and focus on yours. When you try to tell them you are hurt by their behavior, they make it about them and refuse to see the situation from your point of view.

They lie to you instead of telling you the truth; in spite of this, they demand your trust. They gossip about you, instead of keeping your secrets confidential. They run from one person to another "stirring the pot" and telling each person what they want to hear.

Unsafe people are inconsistent. They don't live up to their commitments. They make promises they cannot keep. They lack integrity. They are out to get their needs met, without considering the needs of others.

You can be assured that you are in an unhealthy relationship when it is one that resembles that of a parent/child. For example: They give you advice when you don't ask for it. They don't trust your judgment. Critical and disapproving, they are quite certain that, without them, you will not make the right decisions.

Enmeshment is also quite common in an unhealthy relationship. This occurs when the unsafe person wants nearly all your time, and is competitive and jealous when you have other friends or other interests.

These are some of the things to look out for when forming friendships and relationships. Eventually the unsafe person will cause issues in your life that brings problems. Remember the characteristics above; they are red flags you could be in an unsafe relationship with someone. Heed the warnings and instead put your confidence in people you can trust.

Plans to prosper

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Through the prophet Jeremiah God speaks to the people about the plans He has for them. The plans are for their prosperity so they will have hope and a future.

There was a man named Jeremiah Lanphier who lived in New York City during the 1850s. Those were years of tension, when the shadow of war loomed over America. There were strikes, depressions, tailing banks, long jobless lines, and an air of simmering violence. In this setting, Lanphier accepted a calling as a full-time city evangelist. He walked the streets, knocked on doors, put up posters, and prayed constantly—all to no visible result.

As his discouragement increased, Lanphier looked for some kind of new idea, some possibility for breakthrough. New York was a business town; maybe the men would come to a luncheon. So he nailed up his signs, calling for a noon lunch in the Old Dutch Church on Fulton Street. When the hour came, he sat and waited until finally a single visitor arrived. Several minutes later, a couple of stragglers peeked through the door. The handful of them had a nice meal.

Lanphier gave his idea another go on the following week. Twenty men attended; at least it was a start. But then forty came on the third week. The men were getting to know each other by this time, and one of them suggested he'd be willing to come for food and prayer every day. Lanphier thought that was a good sign, and he ramped up his efforts for a daily meal and prayer time.

Before long, the building was overflowing. The luncheon had to move again and again, so high was the demand. The most intriguing element of the "Fulton Street Revival," as they called the phenomenon, was the ripple effect. Offices began closing for prayer at noon …. Fulton Street was the talk of the town, with men telegraphing prayer news back and forth between New York City and other cities—yes, other cities had started their own franchises; other godly meetings were launching in New York.

The center of the meeting was prayer, and it was okay to come late or leave early, as needed …. Men stood and shared testimonies. [This was not] a place for the well-known preachers of the day—this was about the working class, businessmen who wanted to share the things of God.

Some historians went so far as to refer to the Fulton Street Revival as the Third Great Awakening, because it lasted for two years and saw as many as one million decisions for Christ. Given the influence of New York City, no one could estimate the national and international impact that spread out from Jeremiah Lanphier's simple lunch breaks. It is well known, however, that great funds were raised for fulfilling the Great Commission. [Ronnie Floyd, Our Last Great Hope (Thomas Nelson, 2011), pp. 167-169]

Jeremiah Lanphier started out with a single purpose that grew and prospered. God had plans for him, to grow his future and in the process help others grow and prosper.

The Word of God

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Here we are told that the word of God is inspired by God and that he literally put his breath to the words that are written. The purpose of God’s word is to become equipped for good works, to teach the scripture, and the use of scripture to correct and train how one should live.

After I send out a devotional the other day a friend wrote back and asked, “Are you reading my mind?” Something I wrote spoke to him and he related to the words.  But it wasn’t me speaking to him; it was God working through the scripture breathing life into His words so my friend could hear from God.

I have been writing devotions for over 10 years. I started writing them to encourage a friend. What I soon learned is that I was encouraging myself and learning things God wanted me to do. As others read my devotions they would occasionally write back saying, “How did you know what I needed to hear today?”  Honestly, I didn't! I knew nothing about their situation, problems or anything else going on in their life. I just started with a Bible verse and wrote from what I read. God was the one giving the person what they needed to hear.

This is why it is so important to read through The Bible. As you read God will bring thoughts to the surface and help you see meanings you never saw before. God will teach you and train you so that you will be equipped for every good work; that is the importance of reading The Bible.

Heavenly Father, I pray that we will become good servants obedient to you Lord. I pray that you will breathe wisdom upon us and let us know how to live. Let us learn to love one another even when we may not feel lovable or loving. Let us be a reflection of Jesus who died for our sins. Teach us to live as He did and reach out to others. Father thank you for the wisdom you give us.

I pray these things in the sweet name of Jesus,

Amen 

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven

Proverbs 17:9 (NLT)

9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

When love is put aside to focus on faults of others it becomes an opportunity to separate friends. Matthew Henry once said, “The best method of peace is by an amnesty or act of oblivion.” Turn our heads away from the faults and let love fill in the gaps.

Amy Sutherland communicates some interesting ideas about husbands and wives in an article she wrote for the New York Times called, "What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage." Sutherland begins by explaining that, after 12 years of marriage, she became dismayed that her husband still exhibited several irritating habits. Her reaction to this realization is shared by many women today:

These minor annoyances are not the stuff of separation and divorce, but in sum they began to dull my love for Scott. I wanted—needed—to nudge him a little closer to perfect, to make him into a mate who might annoy me a little less, who wouldn't keep me waiting at restaurants, a mate who would be easier to love.

So, like many wives before me, I ignored a library of advice books and set about improving him. By nagging, of course, which only made his behavior worse: he'd drive faster instead of slower; shave less frequently, not more; and leave his reeking bike garb on the bedroom floor longer than ever.

A breakthrough came when Amy began traveling to a school for exotic animal trainers in California in order to research a book she wanted to write:

I listened, rapt, as professional trainers explained how they taught dolphins to flip and elephants to paint. Eventually it hit me that the same techniques might work on that stubborn but loveable species, the American husband.

The central lesson I learned from exotic animal trainers is that I should reward behavior I like and ignore behavior I don't. After all, you don't get a sea lion to balance a ball on the end of its nose by nagging. The same goes for the American husband.

Back in Maine, I began thanking Scott if he threw one dirty shirt into the hamper. If he threw in two, I'd kiss him. Meanwhile, I would step over any soiled clothes on the floor without one sharp word, though I did sometimes kick them under the bed. But as he basked in my appreciation, the piles became smaller.

A lesson I have learned in life is that it is difficult to change the behaviors of others, but if you change your own behaviors you may see new results in the other person.