WHERE ARE YOUR ROOTS?

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.  Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him.  Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

Colossians chapter 2, verses 6 & 7; from the New Living Translation (NLT)

What is your favorite place to “get away from it all”?  No, I’m not talking about that place where you have to save and save or max out a credit card to get there.  I’m talking about that place that is just a short walk or drive away.  My “fortress of solitude” (remember Superman?) is the woods.  It doesn’t have to be an enormous National Forest; just a place where there are enough trees to keep the view of the real world at bay for a moment.  It is there I take a deep breath to regain my composure, or seek insights into what I should preach (or write), or simply but powerfully reconnect with my Savior.  Perhaps I am drawn to the woods and trees because The Savior–my Savior, your Savior, and the world’s Savior–BECAME that Savior by dying on a rugged wood cross. 

Not long ago I went for a walk in a new stretch of woods.  I was not seeking to resolve any issues or find something to write about.  It was one of those mornings when I just wanted to take a walk with The Savior.  At the moment, I needed nothing from His hand; just to hold His hand was all I wanted.  I was walking up a slight hill and I came to a level place, so I stopped for a moment just to take it all in (which is another way of saying I needed a rest).  It was then I noticed it.

There was this tree I had stopped beside.  Oh, I know there were lots of others trees around, but this one caught my attention.  At eye level, it looked as if it were dead.  Its trunk that should have been straight was bent and twisted.  Obviously this tree, at some point, had encountered a severe storm and that storm had changed its shape.  I also noticed that about half of its trunk was missing from near its base upwards to about 4 feet.  Insects and perhaps disease had moved in after the storm that changed its shape.  From my viewpoint, looking straight ahead at eye level, this tree had died and would soon fall and eventually rot away.  And I also knew that process was a part of the cycle of life.  This dead, decaying tree would provide nutrients for new life.

It was at that precise moment that I looked upward.  I do not know what made me look up; perhaps it was The Savior who knew I was looking at the wrong part of that tree took his hands and made me look up.  And I am glad He did because it changed my perspective about this twisted, bent tree.  Right over my head, exactly over my head, there it was:  a limb growing upward with green leaves.  I am not a horticulturist by trade and I have never taken a botany class, but I knew enough to know that dead trees cannot produce green leaves.  That limb was growing upward toward the sun and this happened because the tree was still alive even though at eye level it looked dead. 

I took this experience as something the Savior was trying to teach me.  The very first thought that entered my mind was, “The roots of this tree are still alive, so this tree isn’t dead!  It’s alive!”  (I know, I know, it doesn’t take much to amuse me!)  At eye level there was not a single sign of life but below the surface life abounded, the roots were still working and there was still a connection in that bent and diseased tree to those roots, sending that life giving substance upward to that limb that was reaching up to the sun and producing leaves, that sign which said, “I am still alive!  I am bent and damaged, but I AM alive because I am still connected to my roots!”

And this casual “for no particular reason” stroll though the woods became a classroom where I discovered an important lesson straight from The Savior.  I reflected on the many storms that had happened in my own life; things which threatened to destroy me which were not my fault.  I also reflected on the things I had done which allowed the insects and diseases to come into my life and start to destroy me.  By the way, these “insects and diseases” are better known as “SIN”!  I looked back and I knew there had been times in my life when at “eye level” I must have looked dead, to myself and certainly to others.  But The Savior had another view, and that was at the roots of my life.  HE is where my roots grow that holds me tight and gives me nourishment.  He does this faithfully, even when I may not even be aware of His gracious work.  In that bent and damaged tree, I saw my life, and in that limb reaching up toward the sun, I remembered my roots.

Paul, in writing to the believers at Colosse, gives us words to live by and certainly words to give any and all of us hope.  The life of a tree is not in how straight its trunk is, but in how deep and how strong its roots are.  Paul told the Colossians, and us, to let our roots grow deep in The Savior.  We do this by being faithful to our private devotion times, by being faithful to worship and service as the Body of Christ, we do this by a daily persistent prayer life, and so many other ways.  Our roots grow deep in The Savior when we focus on Him, His love and grace for us.  And nothing makes our roots grow deeper than when we spend time at the foot of The Cross, The Cross made from a large straight growing tree.  The more time we spend kneeling at The Savior’s Cross allows our roots to be stronger and deeper.

Perhaps there have been times in your life when storms, by no fault of you, have come along and bent and twisted your life.  The dreams you held have now vanished like the early morning fog.  The urge to throw in the towel on those dreams may be strong.  If this is you right now, then I want to say to you the same thing The Savior said to me in that early morning stroll, “Remember the roots.”  The storms do not change God’s purposes for your life.  If anything, the storms you weather adds purpose to your life.  Just as that tree taught me a lesson, so your life can teach others life changing lessons about the power of relationship–the relationship with The Savior because your own roots are growing down in Him.

Perhaps the disease and insects of sin have invaded your tree.  You look eye level at yourself and may sincerely think that you are finished.  You may feel that you have lost your usefulness in the Kingdom.  If this is you this morning, then I want to say to you the same thing The Savior said to me in that early morning stroll, “Remember the roots.”  Allow your roots to grow down into The One who still speaks those same words to every broken sinner, “I will not condemn you.  I will release you to go and have a new start.”  Grace and mercy are always available when we admit our inability to save our self and we intentionally choose to grow the roots of our life in Him.

And I discovered another lesson that revealed something about me that I thought I had managed to conquer, and it just hit me.  (See, learning is not over just because you leave the classroom.)  You may be familiar with this expression:  “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”  Well, God taught me a new expression:  “Don’t judge a tree by its trunk at eye level.”  I hate to admit it, but I must, that from time to time (and even once is not acceptable to The Savior) I judge people at eye level.  I allow a bad experience, a moment of mistreatment, that eye level experience, to continue to shape my opinion of that person.  I cannot see their roots, so I have to look up toward the Son and remember that there is still hope when there is still a connection to the roots.  And by the way, if you have not figured it out yet, there is no way I or you or anyone can see the roots.  Father, forgive me for my judgments and thank you for reminding me (again) that you are the judge, not I.

Let us pray:  Father, above everything else, I want my roots to grow deep in you.  I need the life giving substance of Your Spirit.  Help me engage my life in those practices and disciplines that will keep me alive in You.  Thanks for keeping this bent and diseased tree alive with new growth.  And Lord, help me to stop making eye level judgments, not about trees, but about people.  Amen and Amen!

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SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA GET AWAY FROM IT ALL!

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.

Matthew chapter 14, verses 22 and 23; from the New Living Translation (NLT)

Sometimes you just gotta get away from it all; all of it! And this is exactly what me and Debbie are doing this week. We are at Pensacola Beach, Florida for the rest of the week. WHAT?????? With the mess our culture is in and the mess in the United Methodist Church, you’ve gone AWOL? Missing in Action? Yes, Virginia, I’m on vacation–but I’m not AWOL, nor am I missing in action. The Master gave me a week’s pass and I’m taking advantage of it!

Look carefully at today’s story. Jesus had been teaching all day. Fixed lunch for thousands of people. Taught some more. Then notice what He did. BEFORE He pronounced the benediction and sent the crowd back home, He MADE the disciple get in that boat! This tells me they didn’t want to leave. He MADE them get in it. I would imagine it was like trying to get first graders get in a straight line and be quiet. Difficult task to do. And I imagine that when He pushed that boat away from the shore, He breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, they’re gone! So He turns his attention back to the crowd. Pronounced the benediction, and sent them home.

Another sigh of relief! Now, take notice and pay careful attention to what Jesus does next! He gets away from EVERYTHING! In case you missed it, I’ll say it again: JESUS GOT AWAY FROM EVERYTHING! Just Him and Dad. No lesson plans to give to the disciples. No great messages for the crowds. No miracles. None of that! For a season, Jesus withdrew. Were there still things to do before His death? Absolutely! Were there miracles still to be performed? Yep! Did He need to spend time with the Disciples to prepare them for what was ahead of them? You betcha! Still. . .Jesus got away from it all.

And what about you? Do you take time to get away from it all? No, not for just a few minutes. But really get away from it all? Think about it: could Jesus have still done everything He needed to do without that away time? Absolutely! But remember–Jesus is modeling for us the life that God is offering us. He’s showing us how to live–even in the midst of so much chaos and turmoil. Don’t you think there was chaos and turmoil when The Master walked this earth as one of us? Sisters and brothers, in times like these, follow the example of Jesus and remember: SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA GET AWAY FROM IT ALL! And that’s exactly what we are doing!

THE FAMILIAR

Normally The Familiar isn’t a good thing because it keeps us from experiencing the Adventures God has for us. It denies us the wide open spaces where we uncover and discover the greatness and faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. It hides and denies us the truth that we can do anything through Christ who strengthens us. The wide open spaces teaches us how to hold on to God in every situation and throughout all seasons.

But. . .but sometimes we need to go back to The Familiar–the good Familiar. I’m talking about those times and places where are reassured of God’s faithfulness to us–even when–especially when–we have been unfaithful. Or maybe it’s a season of doubt where we struggle to embrace our future. Even David, the mighty King and Warrior, needed to go back from time to time to The Familiar. Psalm 23 places were essential for David. Before he became a mighty warrior and long before he became the Mighty King, David was a shepherd. And when life as a Warrior or as a King became difficult, I can easily imagine David singing this Psalm to himself–maybe even out loud.

As a shepherd in the wide open spaces, David experienced the faithfulness and provisions of His Heavenly Father. Imagines of green pastures and still streams helped him remember the Faithfulness of God. I have my places where I am reminded of God’s faithfulness to me. Sometimes all I can do is go there in my mind. And sometimes I can literally visit those places. Each time I find myself renewed and refreshed, and enabled to go forward into “my” unknown future, but a future that is known to God–and a future where I know He is right there with me. What are The Familiar places for you? Places where God’s amazing love and grace overwhelmed you? The Familiar isn’t a place made to live in–but it is the place to visit where we find the reassurance we need when the Journey becomes difficult.

Love God with all your heart. Love others the way Jesus loves you. And make sure all the glory goes to Him!

Silence!

Yesterday the Alabama Department Of Health challenged all Alabamians at noon to have a moment of silence for the over 12,000 (12,420 to be exact as of this morning’s Dashboard) who have died from COVID-19, their families, and healthcare workers. I wonder how many did this? I did, and I confess that as I started my moment of silence–even before it began–my mind was screaming: “Silence? Silence? You want Silence at a time we should be crying and wailing! We need to cry out–make some noise!”

And I know I heard the Holy Spirit say unto me: “Really? You think Silence is a waste of time? You’re just full of yourself, aren’t you!” Can I be honest with you? There are some occasions when I absolutely “dislike” it when the Holy Spirit speaks to me–and He’s right! Yesterday was definitely one of those occasions; He was right! But then, is the Holy Spirit ever wrong? Apparently some think so; but I know better!

There is such a boisterous cacophony of all kinds of ideas and words (yay, even the disquietude of personal opinions) around COVID-19 and vaccines. Now that I have been silent and had a moment to set aside all thoughts, Silence has been a good thing–a VERY GOOD THING! Silence is more than getting away to a quite place without the noises of people and things. And Silence is unquestionably more than keeping our big yaps closed. We must muzzle and shush the mind–otherwise there is no SILENCE!

Think about Elijah at Mount Horeb/Sinai. It was all that clatter and hullabaloo that got him there–both from Jezebel and from himself. Elijah was suicidal. That speaks a mountain of things about listening to others, and even ourselves. God directed him to go the Mount Horeb (a.k.a. Sinai). Elijah went and God told him he was about to pass right in front of him.

There was wind–such a strong wind that rocks were blown from their secure locations. If you’ve ever been in a hurricane or near a tornado you know that there is a lot of noise in strong winds. But, nope! God ain’t there! Then an earthquake–again lots of noise. Again, God ain’t there! Then there was fire–again, lots of noise. But God ain’t there! Then–I said THEN—SILENCE! The noise of the wind, earthquake and fire was gone. There was SILENCE! How do I know that? Because God whispered! Whispers cannot be heard without some silence.

Maybe you’ve heard this saying: “Silence is golden.” It’s another one of those sayings that sounds good–but isn’t completely true. The exactitude of Silence is more than it is golden–It Is Sacred! That is, if we can keep our hearts and minds clear of the fuss and fracas of the world–and our own caterwauling!

It Runs Good But It Doesn’t Have Brakes

With frequent regularity, I browse Facebook Market place. Sometimes I may be looking for something specific–or I may just look at an item because it grabs my attention. Such was the case this morning with the above picture. I have this identical 4-wheeler–same year and model. So I took at look.

Did you read the description?

• Runs and drives good
• No brakes
• New axle
• New rear end
• New Tires

Did you catch the second item? I highlighted it for you just in case you missed it. No brakes! Being a seasoned 4-wheeler operator, I know for a fact that without brakes–though it may run and drive real good–you will still need to stop. You can stop without brakes–it just takes a while longer. Unless–you run into something. For me at least–to run and drive good, brakes are essential.

What does this have to do with the Kingdom Life? We need to stop at regular and often frequent intervals. Without stopping to rest (I mean, God worked 6 days and rested on the seventh) it puts us in serious jeopardy. Stopping helps us gain perspective–and will give us that moment to focus on God, rather than everything else. You need to come to a complete STOP! Not those rolling stops at stop signs. Do that in front of a police officer and you may get a ticket for NOT stopping.

Remember the words of David:

“Be still, and know that I am God!

    I will be honored by every nation.

    I will be honored throughout the world.”

Psalm 46:10 (NLT)

The best part of your day is when you stand still in the presence of God. This will enable you to know who He is (He’s God, that means you’re NOT), how much He loves you, and how He will guide and help you through whatever comes your way. Be still, just be still!

Where Does Your Help Come From?

It seemed for a while that writing was a gift–a gift that I enjoyed. It began when I was selected to be Community Spiritual Director for an Emmaus community we were involved with. I started doing a weekly devotion for the Community. My sources of inspiration was seemingly unlimited. Nature, signs, conversations, and my best source of inspiration was our wonderfully unique grandchildren. I even started working on a book based on those devotions. It’s still unfinished.

I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been absent quit a lot from this blog. Can I be truthful with you? I lost my inspiration to write. I could blame it on the Pandemic–my routine was changed. I could blame it on the Republicans. I could blame it on the Democrats. I could blame it on the news media. I could blame any of a number of things and events. But that wouldn’t be truthful. Call me Harry S. Truman if you like, but the BUCK STOPS HERE!

God confronted me this morning with a painful truth. I would rather truth be pleasant, but sometimes, often times, The Truth is painful. Here’s how it happened. I’m a pacer; and when the weather is decent, I walk around the yard. This morning I decided to walk the perimeter of our place. I started on the east side, then the back side, as up the west side (not that much of a distance; probably took me 1 minute), I looked up and I saw a deer traversing our front yard and enter the woods and stopped. I stopped to watch it. Then another deer crossed our front yard. The first deer was watching me. It came within 20 yards of me.

And in that moment, I was mesmerized by God’s creation. For a fleeting moment I thought, “I wish it was deer gun season!” But that thought left me quickly. One creation of God was watching another creation of God. That’s when the Painful Truth hit me hard! My inspiration for writing has been here all along. I just wasn’t watching! Forgive me, Lord, for I am an unprofitable servant.

And I remembered Psalm 121–“I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” Please hear the plea of this unprofitable servant, don’t look at the headlines, look at the ONE who always sees us and patiently waits for us to see Him!

Love God with all your heart. Love others the way Jesus loves you. And make sure all the Glory goes to Him!

Sounds Of Silence–Wednesday’s Wonderings 19 February 2020

(image from gravitycenter.com)

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”  Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.
(1 Kings 19:11-12

Silence!  Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.  Sometimes silence is extremely awkward.  Sometimes silence is welcomed, especially after the grandkids leave after a 2 day visit.  Sometimes silence is painful, as when someone goes home, alone, after a funeral or divorce proceeding.  But the most painful silence of all is when it seems, at least to us, that God and heaven are silent to our prayers and our needs. 

It is not only painful, but as we see in the story of Job, it is often frustrating when God not only seems to be silent, but actually is silent.  We don’t like it when God is silent and demand that God speak and speak right now.  But God doesn’t always speak out.  He chooses a time of silence.  So, how do we deal with and respond to those times when God and heaven are silent?

Elijah had remained faithful to God even though many of his fellow Israelites have turned to worshiping empty, dead gods.  Then comes the great victory at Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to a contest.  Prepare a sacrifice, one for Baal and one for the Lord God of All.  The God who answered by fire would be the God of everyone.  And we know that God answered Elijah’s prayer.

But then comes the threat from Jezebel:  “I will make you like one of my priests of Baal, dead as a door nail!”  Elijah, the man of courage and conviction at Mt. Carmel, becomes Elijah, a man filled with fear.  He runs away and wishes to die.  Yet God lets Elijah know that He, God, is not finished with him.  He goes to Mt. Horeb, anticipating a meeting and a word from God.  But when he arrives, something is wrong, or so it seems to the normal eye. 

The Lord was not in the wind, not in the earthquake, and not in the fire.  In other words, God was silent.  In all of the normally expected ways that God spoke in that day, He chose to remain silent; not a word of confirmation of His awesome presence in any shape, fashion or form.  If I had been Elijah I would have demanded:  “OK, God, you called this meeting.  You wanted to talk and I needed to hear and talk.  What’s all this silence about?”

Truth is, that God uses those times for silence for something far bigger and much better for us, even when we cannot see how His silence helps us.  I believe there are certain specific things that God teaches us individually in these times of silence.  God will reveal principles and truths that relate directly and specifically to us and where we are in life at that particular moment.  It depends on the situation what God is trying to teach us.  However, there is at least one principle that applies to us all; a single overriding truth that fits us all.  The fact is that the time of silence is the best way to discover the power and strength that wells up inside us during the times of silence.

Here is the principle:  God is trustworthy!  God does not have to move, or speak or do anything to prove that He and He alone can be trusted.  When we are silent, usually, but not always, it means we are not doing anything.  This is not true with God.  Because God can be trusted, His silence does not mean is not that He is not working on our behalf.  Truth is, God is hard at work for us, even when we can’t see or hear him; ESPECIALLY when we can’t see or hear God.

And even though God and heaven is silent, it never means that God has forgotten us.  And, it NEVER, EVER, EVER means that God has turned His back to us.  Remember the principle:  God can be trusted!  How can we be this confident that God hasn’t turned His back on us, even in the times of silence?  The answer is clearly simple:  because of the Cross!

Cleansers!

Well, time for my daily class assignment:  What did you learn yesterday?  As the day began I was looking forward to it.  But now?  I admit that it is a bit more difficult than I imagined.  Has that ever happened to you?  Something you thought you could do, easily do, but out of nowhere it became difficult.  Truthfully….I don’t like difficult.  Thinking about what to write was as blank as this graphic.  So what does one do when preparing for test time?  You review your notes.

Set up the beach canopy–check!  Cooler with drinks–check!  Beach towels–check!  Beach chairs set up–check!  Bag with snacks–check!  Reading materials–check!  Sunscreen and applied–check and check!  Feet buried in the sand–check.  What next?  Sitting in the shade of the canopy, looking at the scene graciously provided for us by The Creator.  Listening to the sounds of waves and birds.  When we were a bit warm, going into the Gulf to cool off, floating on the gentle waves.  Then a southerly breeze came in helping to keep us cool.  A couple of naps between finishing that book.

Where’s the lesson?  WHAT’S the lesson?  What am I forgetting?  And it finally hit me.  There was that moment I realized my mind was totally blank. (Please, no comments from the monkey gallery!)  And there were other moments when my mind was blank….cleansed from everything.  No thoughts about writing, the churches, my Dad, my own grief from Mother’s recent death.  My mind has been cleansed.  Think of it as a computer reset.  Cleansers–that’s the lesson.

There are cleansers for the face, microwaves, ovens, bathtubs, commodes, even this thing called a colon cleanse (now try to get that image out of your mind!).  My Father knew what I needed on that day–for my mind to be completely cleansed–to set aside all my thoughts–just to be me in the presence of my King and Creator!

The blood of Jesus cleanses our hearts, but what can cleanse our minds?  The mind is more complicated and delicate matter.  A few sentences back I mentioned “colon cleanse”–how many of you still have that image in your mind?  If we try to get some thought out of our mind, say a certain song or a colon cleanse, it only seems to linger and grow roots.  And should we cleanse our minds of all thoughts, what will we replace them with?

I’m thinking about a story Jesus once told found in Matthew 12.  A man seemed to have rid his mind and heart of a demon.  The demon went looking for another home.  Failing to find one, he returned to that man.  Found the home of his heart and mind cleaned but unoccupied.  So he goes and gets 7 buddies and moves right back in.  And the point is???  Once your mind is cleansed, make very sure that it is immediately occupied with God’s presence.

When I had my mind cleanse, I did it intentionally in His Presence.  The result was that He rearranged some thoughts and replaced others.  Along with that process, He provided me with balance, perspective and wisdom.  And I urgently needed that to happen.  So when your thoughts overwhelm you, when you mind resembles that junk closet, take the time to be in His presence.  No agenda, no asking, no searching for answers–just alone with Him.  As you as prepare for this cleansing, and before you begin, make the decision to ask Him to sort it all out.  Add this “cleansing” process to your regular spiritual disciplines.  Allow it to be a part of your spiritual disciplines.  Balance, perspective and wisdom–all are gifts found only in His presence.

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way Jesus loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Him!

Excuse me now, I hear the bell for the next class to begin.  And I am ready for it, more than when this week began because I now have His balance, perspective and wisdom.

Give It Up: Fear

(Part 2 of my Lent Series “Give It Up’)

Matthew 14:22-33 (N.L.T.)

²² Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. ²³ After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

²⁴ Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. ²⁵ About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

²⁷ But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”  ²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said.  So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”  ³² When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

In case you missed last week, our Lent Series is about this question:  What Do I Need To Give Up And Not Pick Back Up After Easter?  We are looking at things that we need to give up for more than 40 days.  Most things that we give up for 40 days are shallow when we know we can pick them back up again at Easter.  And we should know that God is never pleased with shallow sacrifices.  We should always be looking for those places in our lives that God wants to cut away, to prune.  Truth is, we don’t; so, Lent is a great time to refocus and maybe, just maybe we can engage in this Spiritual Discipline every day, not just at Lent.  Today’s “thing” we need to give up is Fear.

I’m not talking about those healthy fears—like being afraid of poisonous snakes, walking across busy highways and dangerous animals.  Certain fears can protect us from harm.  I’m talking about those fears that imprison us and deny us the ability to enjoy life.  There’s a technical term for those kinds of fear:  Phobias

Have you ever wondered when the emotion of fear first entered God’s creation?  When was the first time Adam or Eve knew what it felt like to be afraid?  Well, I know the answer:  After They Had Sinned!  We read in Genesis 3:10—He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”  We never find prior to that moment, Adam or Eve ever being afraid; not once!  To know why they were afraid, you need to remember the temptation they faced:  To become their own god.  That was the promise and the lie from Satan.  “Eat this and you will be just like God.  That’s why He doesn’t want you to eat it.  He doesn’t want the competition.”  Take a moment to think about what scares you.  I’m not talking about flying in a plane or snakes or bugs.  Think about some of the more serious issues of life.

• Fear Of Failure. Fear of failure is the thought that failure defines us. Some think it is for the rest of their life; but it doesn’t have to. They take no risks and cower down in their comfort zones.
• Fear Of Rejection. Fear of rejection creates the desire to win the approval of others. You focus more on pleasing others than God, and usually end up either pleasing neither one and become miserable.
• Fear Of Being Alone. Fear of being alone causes you to engage in dangerous behavior and take on toxic relationships. Those living by the fear of being alone are swallowed up by wrong choices and people.
• Fear Of Being Discovered. Fear of being discovered creates a fake self. It’s the fear others will stop loving you if they knew the truth about you.  It manifests itself with that judgmental attitude of pointing out the faults of others.
• Fear Of Change. The fear of change is rooted in the need to be in control. That desire to be in control comes out the very same reason Adam and Eve ate that forbidden fruit—to replace God with self. Change may, and probably will involve you giving up control of the issues you feel like you must control.

Think about those disciples in that boat in that storm.  We’re not talking Carnival Cruise Lines.  There was barely enough room for those 12 men.  Now there are fierce winds and big waves.  They are literally stuck in that storm.  It’s not unreasonable that they are afraid.  There’s a good probability that Peter had friends who went out one night to fish but were never seen again.  It is a frightening situation and getting worse.  It’s not abnormal when we face the storms to be afraid. It’s what we do with…

If you can remember only one thing, remember this:  The More Energy That You Put Into Trying To Stop Fear, The More Energy Fear Has To Use Against You.  Living in fear makes you guilty of idolatry.  Fear that controls us becomes the idol that you serve.  Remember last’s week’s 1 thing:  Whatever You Permit To Remain In Your Mind, You Promote With Your Life .

Whatever you promote with your thoughts, attitudes, words and actions is the expression of your idol.  Your Fear will become your idol.  What can we do when faced with those unsettling and scary moments that come against us?  You can’t tell someone, “Oh, grow up!  Stop being afraid!”  Telling someone to NOT be afraid is like telling a cat, “Stop acting like a cat.”  It just won’t happen.  Instead do these 3 things to control your fears:

1.   When Afraid, Stop

The thing about fear is that it doesn’t want a little bit of our attention—it wants it all!  Fear pushes us to do something, anything to try to calm it.  As we do something, the fear grows stronger, so we do more.  It’s a never-ending and vicious cycle.  But no amount of activity or actions we take will ever calm that fear.  Here’s the fine print that fear doesn’t want you to see:  Fear Disappears As We Rest In God.

Instead of thinking about it or trying to stop it, remember what David wrote in Psalm 46:10—“Be still, and know that I am God!”  For most of us, being still is the hardest thing to do in the face of fear.  It goes against our grain and the logic of the world.  But when you stop and are still before the presence of the Great I Am, you’re draining the strength that fear has over you.  Fretting and anxiety just doesn’t work in the presence of God.  The longer you are still before God the less control fear has over you.

Think about the time when the Israelites were in that frightening moment of the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s army behind them.  What did Moses tell them?  Exodus 14:14—“The Lord himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm.”  Perhaps David remembered that when he wrote in Psalm 37:7—“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.”  It’s not always easy, but train yourself to stop when fear presents itself.  Wait for God’s timing.  God’s timing is just right because God loves you.  This leads to the second thing you need to try:

2.  When Afraid, Love

When you give fear power and control over you, it elevates YOU to the top of  the importance ladder.  When life is all about you, it’s impossible to love God or any others.  Fear tells you one thing only:  “God doesn’t love you.  He’s holding out on you!”  Every time you allow fear control, you are echoing fear’s lie:  “God doesn’t love me!”  But He does, and your fear doesn’t change this truth.  Fear knows that if you doubt God’s love for you, then it has you in its grip.

But try this instead:  Remember How Much God Loves You.  Fear will say, “Well not very much.  Just look at you.”  But you tell fear, “Jesus left the glory of heaven for a smelly stable.  He faced temptations and endured being misunderstood.  He suffered at the hands of the Sanhedrin and the Romans.  He died on that Cross for me!  He rose from the grave for ME!  And He is coming back for ME!”  God never stops loving you even when you don’t love Him.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:9—You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.  Even your punishment was put on Jesus, that’s how much God loves you.  Fear is disabled when we start caring more about others than ourselves.  When we love others with our actions, fear loses its control over us.  And one more thing to try:

3.  When Afraid, Trust

Let’s get back to our passage today.  It’s been a scary time for them, and it appears to them that Jesus has forgotten all about them.  They are afraid and more than the boat sinking, they are spiritually sinking.  But someone looks out and they have a tough time believing what they are seeing.  Someone is walking on the stormy waters.  It must be a ghost!  But listen to Jesus’ first words to them.  He didn’t chastise them for their lack of faith.  He said:  “Don’t be afraid,” he said.  “Take courage. I am here!”  The Greek can also be translated, Don’t be afraid.  ‘I Am’ is here!  The Greek word for “I am” is the equivalent word for the Hebrew word “Yahweh”– the name God revealed to Moses!

Take control of that fear because you trust in His presence to make the difference in your life.  And now Peter wants to be sure it’s really Jesus.  So, he says, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”  Notice what Peter doesn’t say.  “Lord, calm the waters and then invite me to come to you.”  He says, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”  So Jesus invites Peter to walk on that stormy sea.

Now what’s Peter going to do?  The waves are high, the wind is strong, and everyone knows you can’t walk on water.  What do you think the other 11 were thinking about Peter?  Probably, “Well that is about the dumbest thing Peter has ever said!  This is not going to end well for Pete!”  That’s what fear says. But Peter steps out of the boat and goes toward Jesus.

He trusted Jesus, and it worked.  And when Peter started listening to fear again and started to sink, what does he do?  Does he call out to fear to save him?  Does he call out to the guys still in the boat?  NO!  He calls out to the only who he knows will be there for him, especially when he fails!  He Calls Out To Jesus Because He Can Trust Jesus To Reach Out And Take Him By The Hand.  And Jesus saves him.

And what Peter learned, you need to remember:  Trust Him Because He’s Trustworthy.  He’s Proven That There’s Nothing, Absolutely Nothing He Will Not Do For You.  His promise rings true from Matthew 28:20—“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  He’s true to His word.  The Greek word “always” means “for each individual”—none are excluded!

And how is it with you?  Is fear controlling you?  Then you’re holding on to an idol and not to Jesus.  Jesus will not share you with anything else.  He gives His all for you and will not accept anything less than your all for Him.  To anyone and everyone who is afraid, Jesus has something to say:  “Don’t be afraid, ‘I Am’ is here!”  Will you be still, love and trust the only One who loves you enough to die for you?  If you are living in fear, only Jesus can break those chains.  It’s your choice; intimidated by fear or living in Christ.