Selwyn continues to look at the fact that the remedy for fear is to focus on God.
On thinking about today’s study, I remembered these verses from John’s first letter (1 John 4:10-19, New Living Translation): “This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.”
Fear, is an emotion born out of what harm may come our way; yet, the ultimate disaster for many will be the ‘day of judgment’ – we must live like Jesus, and then His perfect love will drive out all fear – even, the fear of the ‘last day’.
How did you go with Selwyn’s question (as follows)? I thought it was a good way to summarise his discussion on fear: “Here’s a question which will take no more than a few seconds to answer: When afraid, where does your fear drive you? To worldly things or to God? You tell me where you go when you are afraid and I will tell you who or what is your god. Some when afraid, turn to drink. Alcohol is their god. Some turn to sensual pleasures. Comfort is their god. When Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, shrunk from the ordeal of the cross, He turned to His heavenly Father and chose His will, for He knew that despite His fears He would find in Him – and only in Him – the strength He needed for what lay ahead. Fear clarifies where it is we place our trust.”
I thought that another area, many turn to in times of fear – is friends or family – and, we tend to naturally do that when we are children. However, there comes a time, when we must turn to Jesus first – and that means before we turn to family, friends or even our church community. God must come first – in all areas of our life – do you agree?
‘He will come and save you’
Selwyn continues to look at the fact that the remedy for fear is to focus on God.
On thinking about today’s study, I remembered these verses from John’s first letter (1 John 4:10-19, New Living Translation): “This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.”
Fear, is an emotion born out of what harm may come our way; yet, the ultimate disaster for many will be the ‘day of judgment’ – we must live like Jesus, and then His perfect love will drive out all fear – even, the fear of the ‘last day’.
How did you go with Selwyn’s question (as follows)? I thought it was a good way to summarise his discussion on fear: “Here’s a question which will take no more than a few seconds to answer: When afraid, where does your fear drive you? To worldly things or to God? You tell me where you go when you are afraid and I will tell you who or what is your god. Some when afraid, turn to drink. Alcohol is their god. Some turn to sensual pleasures. Comfort is their god. When Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, shrunk from the ordeal of the cross, He turned to His heavenly Father and chose His will, for He knew that despite His fears He would find in Him – and only in Him – the strength He needed for what lay ahead. Fear clarifies where it is we place our trust.”
I thought that another area, many turn to in times of fear – is friends or family – and, we tend to naturally do that when we are children. However, there comes a time, when we must turn to Jesus first – and that means before we turn to family, friends or even our church community. God must come first – in all areas of our life – do you agree?