Responding to Our Fears

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Chronicles 20:1-27

When King Jehoshaphat heard a great multitude was bearing down on Judah, His first response was fear but his second response was to turn to the Lord in prayer. His prayer focused on God's sovereignty and faithfulness. He acknowledged their utter helplessness and awaited God's direction. God responded with fortification and direction. Jehoshaphat responded in obedience to God's direction even though it it was a very scary step of faith. God spectacularly delivered them from their fears by defeating the armies arrayed against them as all of Judah stood by and watched.

Raising Our Kids in Community: Priorities and Fears

Liz Sweet

2 Chronicles 20:1-27

God's highest priority is love. Secular research even agrees that friendships, forgiveness, and volunteering creates healthier and happier lives. People living in community with others have less stress. People at the end of life often regret not spending more time with loved ones. You will never regret investing in your children, nor teaching them to love. Community is a source of God's love and a provision for us and our children.

Is the Devil Real?

James Rochford

1 Peter 5:8-9

Some say Satan's greatest achievement is convincing us he doesn't exist. He prefers to work in the dark and let us think our evil thoughts come from our own mind. He uses his intellect rather than "power encounters" to manipulate us. He thrives on misinformation. As super intelligent as he is, he uses the same methods to deceive us over and over again. He manipulates expertly, embellishes fears and negativity, nurtures hurt feelings, and fuels temptation.

What Jesus Accomplished through His Death on the Cross-Pt3

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 2:15

The third accomplishment of Jesus' death on the cross was it delivered us from Satan's authority. Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities in the spiritual realm and made a public triumph over them at the cross. Although Satan has been dethroned, he has not yet been entirely destroyed. He still has power to do spiritual battle with us, but we know the end of the story. Jesus wins!

How to Be a Winsome Follower of Jesus

Conrad Hilario

1 Peter 3:8-15

In order to be a witness for God to an ungodly world, Christians are called to possess winsome qualities, to be winsome in what we say and do and give a winsome response to those who ask about our faith. We are called to give an account for the hope that is in us. We have good reason to believe in Jesus because He is true! Even atheistic scientists cannot explain the puzzle of the "Fine Tuning of the Universe."

Fear of the Lord

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 33

Modern readers of the Bible often have a negative reaction upon first hearing the phrase "the fear of the Lord." They mistakenly think we are called to be afraid of God but we must let the Bible interpret itself. The Bible says to fear the Lord means to stand in awe of Him, which means to ponder his greatness, power, intelligence, beauty, and wisdom as it is revealed through His creation. We can demonstrate we fear the Lord by trusting in His lovingkindness, and following His moral instruction. A synonym for "fear of the Lord" is humility before God.

The One Thing

Mike Sullivan

Psalms 27

From where did David's courage come? It came from being near to God. The one thing he was passionate about was to be near to God all the days of his life. Because David saw God in nature, in the things He had made, and in his Word, he was able to draw courage even in times of great difficulty and ongoing crisis. Because David could see the goodness of God in the land of the living, he could pour out his heart to God and recount what he knew of God and be at peace as he waited on the Lord.

Leading through Uncertainty: Lessons from Nehemiah

Shane Coulter

Nehemiah 8:1-17

Times of crisis, fear, and uncertainty present unique challenges and opportunities for servant leaders. Nehemiah offers us an example of how we too can be bold, faithful and loving in the midst of overwhelming and uncertain times. The effective servant leader will cling to prayer, be bold in the face of opportunities, be creative in the face of setbacks, and will see opportunity in upheaval.

God's Peace

Conrad Hilario

Philippians 4:4-7

Everyone wants to be happy, yet it is so elusive. True happiness is connected to having peace with God. When we ask for and receive forgiveness from God, we have peace with Him. This peace isn't something we are to strive for but it is freely given to us by God. Paul calls us to be anxious about nothing. Prayer with thanksgiving expresses our trust in God and assumes a posture of humility. Gratitude is not the result of peace but the cause of peace. It reminds us who really is in charge.