Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“I have done what is just and righteous.
    Don’t leave me to my oppressors.
Ensure your servant’s well-being.
    Don’t let the proud oppress me.
My eyes fail looking for your salvation,
    for your righteous word.
Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness.
    Teach me your statutes.
I am your servant. Give me understanding,
    that I may know your testimonies.
It is time to act, Yahweh,
    for they break your law.
Therefore I love your commandments more than gold,
    yes, more than pure gold.
Therefore I consider all of your precepts to be right.
    I hate every false way.”
(Psalm 119:121-128)

God is going to act. It is inevitable. The book of Revelation tells us that, even if we discount all the other times in the Word that it’s mentioned. God is GOING to act. If you look at the ways in which the Lord acts, they’re BIG. The signs and wonders in Egypt. The battles in the Land of Promise. The crucifixion. Earthquakes. Changes to sunlight (Sun standing still, hours of darkness, etc). When God acts, God ACTS. This is NOT always pleasant for us. The Great Day of the Lord (when He is dealing with the wicked – not the Church) is approaching. It will NOT be a nice, pleasing, walk in the park (Matthew 24:36-44; Revelation 6:16). The wicked will hide, begging the Earth to shelter them from God acting. What about the godly? What about those who are sheltering in Him? What can THEY do when God moves against those who actively, and in full knowledge of what they have chosen, hate the Word and the One who wrote it?

“Let my cry come before you, Yahweh.
    Give me understanding according to your word.
Let my supplication come before you.
    Deliver me according to your word.
Let my lips utter praise,
    for you teach me your statutes.
Let my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commandments are righteousness.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
I have longed for your salvation, Yahweh.
    Your law is my delight.
Let my soul live, that I may praise you.
    Let your ordinances help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant, for I don’t forget your commandments.“
(Psalm 119:169-176)

RELY on God. THAT is how the godly will make it through the Great Day of the Lord and ANY time God acts. There is great debate in the Church about whether there is a rapture and if so, when it will come. Look. No one wants to go through trials and tribulations. No one wants to see widespread destruction as the consequences of the decisions of a fallen world. No one wants to be around for ANY of that. But it simply doesn’t matter if you really understand and align with Psalm 119. The Word of God is a wonderful thing. It shows us how to lean into God. It shows us how to make Him our Source. It shows us how to LISTEN to Him. It shows us how to get REVELATION KNOWLEDGE from Him. It shows us how to WORSHIP Him. It shows us how to TRUST in Him. It shows us EVERYTHING that we need to know ABOUT Him and to align with Him, agreeing with Him about all things. It takes effort. But it is WORTH it to put God first, keep Him there, value everything according to HIS scales, and rest in Jesus.

Summary

Unpleasant things happen in life. When God acts, nations can change in a day. The landscape of the Earth can transform. These are birthing pangs that we may not enjoy. But when we settle the Word in our heart, there is no fear. No anxiety. When events occur, we are above them and not caught up in their current. We are aware of them happening and we are affected by them happening, but we are PREPARED for it. God warns us. Talks to us. Nudges us to buy up on this, not buy that, stay home, take a different route to work, go early, or whatever He says. MILLIONS of possibilities. We need to love the Word because it strengthens our trust in God. Without total trust in Him, we won’t listen. We won’t obey. And if we don’t do those two things, we won’t be ready for when He acts. But if we DO do those two things, we will be sheltered. We will automatically praise and worship Him instead of cowering or getting worked up. We will KNOW that we KNOW that we KNOW that we WILL be taken care of, that we WILL NOT be left alone and lacking, that we have a GREAT God who is GOOD and MERCIFUL and LOVES us. We will be ready because He is ready and we can trust Him to provide ALL our needs no MATTER what is going on. That certainty ONLY comes when the Word is alive in our hearts (Romans 8:11; 10:17).