Scripture for the week:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7
Dear Friend,
What are you afraid of? The economy, defense, health care, education…the future? Can things get any worse? Yes, they can. What “change” can remove our fears? Do you really believe change is possible? Can a candidate bring it? A political party? Or does real change only come from something or someone larger than life?
Maybe your fears are more personal. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, a job, a relationship, your home or are facing a life threatening disease. What “change” can calm your fears?
From a spiritual perspective, fears can be the best fuel for change. Whatever you fear is limiting your life. For instance, if you’re afraid of heights, you are limited to living down low. Your fear limits your freedom and keeps you from real change. When we recognize what our fear is, we can begin the process of learning what God says about it.
The fear of the Lord is not the kind of fear we experience that paralyzes us, but fear that liberates us from all other fears. The word fear here is better translated “reverence.” It is the kind of reverence that says, “God is AWESOME, ABLE, LOVING, POWERFUL, FAITHFUL….” When we understand that nothing is higher than God, lower fears begin to diminish. The freedom to live in “real change” arises. When we trust the power of God we experience true knowledge, and a paradigm change occurs. We begin to see from the perspective of “no matter what is in front of us we face it with the All Powerful Mighty One.” We stop looking for people to change our circumstances and look to God to change our understanding. When you use fear as a fuel to draw near to God and His ways, life truly changes.
If you are fearful right now, ask God what needs to change in you.
Ways to Face Fear:
1. Make a list of your fears.Write down the times this week when you were anxious, uneasy or fearful about your life or the world.
2. What does God’s word say about the things you fear? Use a concordance or ask a spiritual friend or mentor.
3. What mindset or paradigm needs to change now that you know what God says?
4. Revere God and thank Him that He is higher than all of your low fears!
5. Keep meditating on the words from scripture and allow them to continually bring real change in your life.
Let the Spirit change your way of thinking. Ephesians 4:23 (CEV)
About the series, “Real Change We can Believe In
Listening to the promises of politicians can be exhilarating, overwhelming and disturbing! Who can we believe? Will this be another over-promised and under-delivered moment in history? Who can really bring “change we can believe in? There are some answers in the ancient words of Scripture that we think can help us discover the “change” we are looking for and help us determine what “change” is dangerous.
These talks will endorse no candidate or party, but tackle the issues we all care about with real hope for change and what scripture promises. What change is required to walk in health, prosperity, protection, intelligence, and a secure future? Using the book of Proverbs, we will build a campaign for whole life goodness.
©2008 Scott & Clare Loughrige