Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

The godly face many dangers, but the Lord saves them from each one of them.
Psalm 34:19 (emphasis added)

Success, victory, overcoming, and ease are all very different things. Jesus is often looked at as a penniless rabbi, but we never hear of Him having a financial difficulty. In fact, we see evidence that Jesus gave so much to the poor that during the single most important ritual meal on the Jewish calendar, they thought a disciple leaving meant another gift (and not betrayal though Jesus had JUST talked about it). We see evidence that He had some (not all) fancy clothes. We see evidence that they routinely had three quarters of a year’s wages on hand. Jesus was obviously successful. Jesus overcame all the spiritual attacks from the enemy. But Jesus was also CONSTANTLY tempted as well as INTENSELY tempted at specific times. He was scored by the religious elite. His entire ministry was rejected by almost all His hometown. His family thought He was nuts. Not all His followers stayed, but many rejected Him. He was betrayed by a close friend. He was under scrutiny by both the temple money men, merchants, and the government as a possible leader of rebellion. He did nothing wrong, but was attacked on every side. He was bullied and mocked. He was slandered. And finally brutally tortured and executed for crimes He did not commit by a small group of religious thinkers who had influence with a government desperate to keep uprising from rising. Jesus was victorious. But Jesus did NOT live a life of ease.

It is possible to be rich and be the loneliest person in the room. It is possible to be successful in business or as a merchant or service person, but be hated by all your staff. It is possible to wear the best of the best but never be seen. It is possible to be bright and cheery, until the real you gets home. Suicides are not always those who were known to have problems. Many are ‘surprise’ suicides. Dying mere hours after cheerful, buoyant interactions with friends, family, or the public. It is possible to have all the assets anyone could want, but have them existing by a bare thread. It is possible to gain the world in mere hours and then lose it all in moments. You can have many friends, but be depressed. A wonderful family, and struggle to put on your socks in the morning. You can appear to be fine, but have a disease eating you up from inside. Appearances, situation, stature, and identity do not tell the truth.

Getting into ‘second stage’ troubles, whenever we stand for Jesus and the morality of Adonai, we will stand almost alone. The world will agree on some of it. I think most, if not all cultures agree murder is wrong. That it is a crime. That it should not be. That it is worthy of punishment. Get into OTHER aspects of the human experience, and societies, religions, and even individuals will have WILDLY different opinions as to what is right and wrong. Standing and saying that a God you cannot see is the final and deserving arbiter of ALL morality does not go over well. Broad strokes might be accepted, but we as humans balk over the fine print. We like fluidity. We like change. We like to think that the societies that we build over hundreds of years will change and be malleable. We do NOT like to be told that no matter how THINKING changes, MORALS do not. This is VERY unpopular. These days, even challenging whether something can be challenged is unpopular.

That means we could be among the top earners of our city, region, country, continent, or even the world, but stand alone against a unified front of scorn, derision, and attacks. We can be called names, shut off from social situations, and even be jailed. All while being prosperous, successful, and kind. Standing for the Name of Jesus against all comers brings with it a unique and fervent style of persecution. Jesus agreed and left no doubt about it. “And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved!” (Matthew 10:22). “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Paul agreed too. “Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). A life standing on what Adonai says is right from HIS point of view is a life that the world and the enemy want to wipe away.

The Father doesn’t want to have us suffering in the way that WE think of suffering. Yes, we will probably suffer for Jesus’ sake (Philippians 1:29). It doesn’t mean that we are left alone. Jesus wasn’t left on His own. They tried to kill Him several times but could not do it. They couldn’t even touch Him when the time for the crucifixion came until Jesus Himself allowed it (John 18:6). The Father can and WILL bring us out of every danger. They stoned Paul and left him for dead (Acts 14:19-28). Paul walked away afterward. Satan sent a demonic spirit to harass Paul so that he couldn’t get any traction through his ministry (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul overcame it when he stood on the Word and relied on Adonai’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). In fact they did a LOT to Paul (2 Corinthians 11:16-33), but Paul counted himself a victor (2 Timothy 4:7) and a momentary sufferer (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Today’s verse shows us that our salvation from disaster and trouble doesn’t come on us all at once, but at each and EVERY time we are under threat. Each name calling. Each underserved denied promotion. Each denial of rights. Each attack on our money or reputation. Each time we are buffeted so that WE can’t get any traction in what we are called to do for Adonai. Each and every time we are in danger. Emotional danger. Physical danger. Mental danger. Financial danger. Spiritual danger. The Father has a way out of that trouble AND a way to turn the circumstance into an opportunity for us to give Him glory. But we need to submit to His will. His timing. His methodology. It won’t happen as WE want, but as HE wills.

We are to be His OBEDIENT children. Seeking Him first and foremost. Worshipping and praying. Reading and hearing the Word. Relying on Jesus. Putting our TRUST in the Father. Believing what HE says is possible. Living our lives in His service. Humble. Putting Him in His rightful place. In other words, truly LOVING Him. When we do? We will find it easy to hear Him. To know where to put our steps. To find the way out of danger that He prepared before we even knew we WERE in danger. Not sick in ANY way, but WHOLE and HIS.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 110:1

“Here is the Lord’s proclamation to my lord: “Sit down at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”” The Messiah was to be the Son of David. Isaiah prophesied it and all the rabbinical sources agree. “A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. The Lord’s Spirit will rest on him—a Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord. He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances or make decisions on the basis of hearsay. He will treat the poor fairly and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and order the wicked to be executed” (Isaiah 11:1-4). This has been a consistent accepted teaching on the origin of the Messiah for thousands of years. “While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.”” (Matthew 22:41-42). Jesus was descended from the House of David through His blood ancestors (Luke 3:23-38 shows us Nathan, son of David was a blood ancestor and one through whom the physical throne could be claimed) AND through His Messianic Rights (Matthew 1:1-17 shows us Solomon, son of David was an ancestor, through whom spiritual lineage could be claimed, but not the physical throne which was stripped from Solomon’s line in 1 Kings‬ 11:29-31). Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the City of David (Luke 2:1-7). It is in this city Messiah was to be born as a Son of David (Luke 2:6; Micah 5:2). Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b