Fear No Fear

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

For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (emphasis added)

Where are your eyes when you’re running? Probably looking to where you are headed. If you don’t like running into things, that’s pretty good advice. It’s even biblical (Hebrews 12:2). And even though we are in a race (1 Corinthians 9:24; 2 Timothy 4:7-8), and looking down is a bad idea, we desperately need to remember to glance at our feet from time to time. If you’re not running on the track (Psalm 119:105), you’re not going to win. If you’re not wearing the right shoes (Ephesians 6:15), you’re not going to win. Running is about much more than the finish line. The space between the start and the finish is where we lose focus. The space between prayer prayed, and physical arrival of the answer is where people lose their trust in their trust. It is the space where we move that causes the most loss of motion. It’s where we sit, stay, and don’t stand.

Sitting is NEVER an option. It leaves you defenceless. It leaves you unable to smoothly change direction. It leaves you harder to see. It leaves you in a place where it is easier to stay than to go. It is always the worst decision. “For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). Stand. It is ALWAYS stand. “Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that—whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent—I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Standing takes effort. It is important where you plant your feet. It’s important what you’re standing ON and standing IN. If you’re clinging to something that doesn’t match the Word, you might as well be trying to race up a greased slide in treadless shoes. If you’re in the best shoes ever for racing and trying to wade through quicksand, you’re not going to finish, much less win.

We are a culture of speed. The average attention span in children is 29.61 seconds. 14-15 year olds 28-42 minutes. 16-21 year olds 32-48 minutes. Adults (That’s about 22+)? They have an attention span of 8.25 seconds. Those teens we complain of can hold their attention better than we can. Huge advantage in an airhead competition. Huge DISADVANTAGE when trying to function in things of the spirit. We can’t even SEE them with physical eyes, so they can be hard to hold onto. We adults have built a culture of speed. Seeing our average attention span kind of explains it, doesn’t it? Fast food has a strong emphasis on speed of service, but according to the Journal of Marine Medical Society: Fast-food culture has transformed the food habits and overall diet quality of children and adolescents, resulting in an increased prevalence of childhood NCDs. The trend has the potential to negate and put a deterrent to much of the work that has been done to increase life expectancy around the world. Disquieting. A study of child television habits found just 9 minutes of viewing a fast-paced television cartoon had immediate negative effects on 4-year-olds’ executive function (further examination recommended). A recent Forbes article said that prolonged lack of balanced stimulation of all senses can lead to a decrease in brain size, with a 20–30% reduction observed in children who lack tactile stimulation and meaningful human interaction. With commercials being so prevalent, the actual ‘focus’ on tv is about 8-10 min at a time tops. So we have a mix of fast-paced hyper focus and longer focus on just one sense – kind of like fast food where speed trumps taste and quality. Few of these issues existed a hundred years ago. Are they a result of a culture made up of adults with low attention/desire for fast, or simply a result of technology? Of a society growing into something it doesn’t see the shape of yet?

Well, a believer doesn’t see the shape of things to come yet either. “For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). We know WHERE we are headed (1 John 3:2), but we can’t SEE it yet. Revelation helps some, but it is so symbolic that it is hard to see the completed shape of it (which is a good thing if you really think about it). We have been told we’re in the End Times and Messiah Jesus is returning soon for over two thousand years now (Revelation 22:7-21, for example. There are many examples). Our perspective on time is different from Adonai – who is the FATHER of Eternity and had to create it just so we could have a frame to hang our concept of Him on, even though it is woefully lacking. We want, we’re told things are coming, but the wait… and wait… and wait… and .. what’s that?… Oh. Wait. Sometimes we feel like we’re running in place. Other times that we’ve fallen down a hole. We don’t know what is happening because we cannot SEE and we’re told to STAND? YES. We stand. But in what? On what? With whom? These are the vital questions for a believer’s walk.

We’re told again and again about holding to the truth of the Gospel as we heard it from our father’s in the faith: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, and the writers of the Old Covenant as well. The Word explains the Word, supports the Word, gives commentary on the Word, and never contradicts itself (any contradictions ‘found’ always come down to human minds not understanding the Divine Writer’s words). Paul is so serious about holding strongly to the Word that he gave this warning: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel—not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell! As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!” (Galatians 1:6-9). Anyone claiming to have received new doctrine from an angel? False teacher. Any doctrine, sect, or religion based on an angel’s teaching? False teacher. Ruach HaKodesh dictated the Word, the scriptures, to human beings who wrote down what He said. It came from OUTSIDE creation from Elohim Himself. Why would He bring a different teaching from a lesser source? It makes NO sense and clearly would NEVER occur. Doctrine from outside the Word that doesn’t accord with the Word is false doctrine. Sure, we argue over points, but we shouldn’t. We should all get along and agree. But we keep taking Ruach HaKodesh out of the equation and doing things ourselves. Bad idea. “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), and NOTHING else is. It is our foundation (John 1:14-18). It is what we run on. It is THE standard and THE security which gives us form footing. If we will live by it, humbly submit to it, there is no limit to what the Father can do to and through us by it (Romans 12:2; John 17:17).

Shoes are part of the Armour of Messiah Jesus that we are authorised to wear (Ephesians 6). The shoes of the Gospel of peace make a messenger prepared to share the glad tidings of peace – not peace man to man, but peace between Himself and Humanity. We MUST spread the Word that Elohim isn’t mad at humanity (not males and non-females). The world NEEDS to know this because their image of Elohim wavers between an empty-headed, pot smoking, doofus unable to hold it all together without help.- absolutely not true; and a judgement filled, terror junkie looking for his next fix – also absolutely not true. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God” ( John 3:17-18). This news is what we are to have on our feet. Not doctrinal differences. Not nonsense that isn’t in the Word (like healing having an end date). Not differences of opinion as to what words mean (like prosperity, for instance). None of that is good. None of that is news. None of that gives Elohim glory. None of that points to Jesus. None of that is acceptable footwear.

We are called to run our race on the foundation that is Messiah Jesus. Period. We need to be always checking to make sure we didn’t switch foundations. To make sure we didn’t sit down. To make sure that we didn’t swap shoes when we weren’t looking. And that we have our closest running mate in mind. Making sure our ears can hear. Making sure our ears are healed. And making sure they are trained on Ruach HaKodesh and the Word. All day. Every day. Never forgetting and always evaluating our condition in comparison to the Word and Jesus: the author and finisher of our trust in Him. He gives us the shoes. He is the foundation. Test EVERYTHING and cling to that which accords with those two things. Keep to the message of His Grace and Mercy. Keep to the message of salvation. Keep to the message of your healing. Keep to the message that spirits are real, we are spirits, and THE Spirit lives within us with Jesus exalting us in high places. Test everything. Hold to the truth of the Word. Run on His foundation. Run in Peace. Bring it everywhere you go and to everyone you meet. He is the lifeline for these drowning days. Let’s get Him to where He wants to go. The people He made whom He loves so VERY much.

It might not be fast. We might need to look down every 8.25 seconds to remind ourselves about what we’re doing. We might need to force ourselves back to our feet again and again and AGAIN. We might need to dig deep and be the praisey people we should be more than we’re comfortable with. But that is how you stand. You do it. For as long as it takes. Until the race is run. The victory reached. The arms of our Saviour wrapping around us, welcoming us to full rest. It will be worth it. And we just need to keep looking down to make sure we’re on His road and in His shoes.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Isaiah 59:20

““A protector comes to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,” says the Lord.” Messiah would come to Zion as their Redeemer. Not a military saviour – this time – but a Suffering Servant who would redeem at Zion by becoming the ONLY sacrifice that could PERMANENTLY wipe their sin away. “At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). Jesus arrived on the scene RECOGNISED by men of Elohim and prophetesses. Heralded by Angels. Worshipped and recognised by shepherds who watched over the flocks meant for sacrifice at the Temple. Jesus arrived at Zion to redeem mankind. Jew first, and then Gentile. Jesus IS Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

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

Matthew 16:16b