Sep 10, 2024 | Trusting God
This is Part 4 of my 5-part series on reasons why Christians should not fear. You can find links to the other parts of the series at the end of this post. The fourth reason we should not fear is because God will take care of the situation for us.
In 2 Chronicles 20, we see the people of Judah being attacked by other nations. The people were alarmed and prayed to God: “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). God replied to their cries through one of the prophets and said, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15).
The people of Judah were afraid because they knew they were powerless to defend themselves against the attacking army. Many times, when we face difficult circumstances, we become fearful because we make the mistake of looking at the situation based on our own abilities. When we find ourselves in a dilemma that seems impossible to resolve, we fret and worry because we know we cannot handle it.
However, the people did the right thing: they turned to the Lord and He reminded them that the battle was His, not theirs. Likewise, instead of viewing the problem from our weak and limited perspective, we should look at it from the perspective of God’s sovereignty and power. Regardless of whether the problem is great or small, let us remember that God wants to handle the situation for us, then let’s give it to Him. First Peter 5:7 (Amplified Bible) tells us, “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].”
Second Chronicles 20:15 (above) talks about a battle, but the same principle can be applied to every situation we face. For example, our “battle” could be a health challenge, a financial issue, or a relationship concern. Whatever “battle” you are facing today, don’t be fearful; give it to God and let Him take care of it for you. Remember: the battle is not yours, it’s God’s.
What “battle” do you need God to fight for you today? What is keeping you from letting Him take care of it? Tell me about it in the comments.
Links to the other parts in this series:
Aug 27, 2024 | Trusting God
This is Part 3 of my 5-part series on reasons why Christians should not fear. You can find links to the other parts of the series at the end of this post. The third reason we should not fear is because God has brought us through difficult situations in the past.
Deuteronomy 7:18 says, “But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.” When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, God freed them with a great deliverance by sending ten plagues upon the Egyptians. Now His people are in the land of Canaan, and God has commanded them to drive out the nations that currently occupy the land. God told the Israelites not to fear the people they would battle in the land, but instead to reflect on what He had done for them in the past.
As we look back over our lives, we will see situations from which God has already delivered us. Malachi 3:6 declares, “I the Lord do not change.” This lets us know that the same God who helped us through tough times in the past is able to handle whatever challenge we are facing right now.
You may be going through something now that is bigger than anything you have ever experienced before. You must recognize that the size or severity of your circumstances doesn’t matter to God because no situation is too hard for Him.
When David went up against Goliath (who was almost 10 feet tall), he was not afraid because God had already helped him defeat a lion and a bear. In 1 Samuel 17:37, David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” David remembered what God did for him in the past and that gave him the faith to believe God would help him in the present to defeat Goliath.
Even though you may be in the midst of the biggest challenge you have ever faced, don’t be afraid! Keep your faith in God! He carried you through your problems before and He has the power to do it again.
What past situation did God bring you through that helps you know He can bring you through your present and future challenges? Tell me about it in the comments.
Links to the other parts in this series:
Aug 13, 2024 | Trusting God
This is Part 2 of my 5-part series on reasons why Christians should not fear. You can find links to the other parts of the series at the end of this post. The second reason we should not fear is because God is greater than any challenge we might face.
The enormity and severity of our circumstances often dictate whether or not we become fearful and to what extent. For example, if you were flying on a plane and the aircraft hit a little bit of turbulence, you might not be alarmed at all. However, if the plane encountered an extreme amount of turbulence, you might be more afraid because you don’t know what will happen.
When Assyria invaded the nation of Judah, 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 tell us what Hezekiah, king of Judah, said and how the people responded to his words: “‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.”
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Jul 29, 2024 | Trusting God
This is Part 1 of my 5-part series on reasons why Christians should not fear. You can find links to the other parts of the series at the end of this post.
Fear can produce many negative consequences in the life of a believer. In our violent and unpredictable world, fear of what might happen to us weakens our faith in God. Fear of what people might say to us or about us keeps us from doing what God commands. Fear of failure prevents us from serving God like we should. In addition, fear can cause us to worry, become anxious, and lose our joy. (more…)
Mar 26, 2024 | Prayer
I want to continue talking about putting God first. You can find links to the other parts of this series at the end of this post.
Today’s post focuses on putting God first by developing a “prayer reflex.” A reflex is “an automatic action that your body does in response to something.” When the doctor taps your knee with a small hammer, you don’t think about kicking your leg; it happens automatically.
In similar fashion, a “prayer reflex” is when we automatically pray first to God when something, either negative or positive, happens to us. Prayer should be our first response, not an afterthought.
If something negative happens, we put God first by automatically calling on Him for help, direction, strength, or whatever we need to handle the problem. For example, if you lose your job, instead of worrying, your prayer reflex should immediately kick in and prompt you to pray first and ask God to help you find another job. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
If something positive happens, we should not take the credit for ourselves or consider what happened to be luck or chance. Instead, let us put God first by automatically offering thanksgiving to Him for His blessings, protection, and power. For instance, if you take a physical exam and the doctor tells you everything looks good, your prayer reflex should immediately kick in and you should pray first to thank God for your health and strength. Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” So whether we encounter good or bad, let our first response be a prayer of petition, praise, or thanksgiving to our almighty and loving God!
What is your first response when something, either good or bad, happens to you? Tell me about it in the comments.
Links to the other parts in this series:
Mar 12, 2024 | Prayer
Earlier in this series on putting God first, I talked about the importance of spending time with God in two areas: Bible study and prayer. I discussed Bible study in previous posts. If you missed any of those posts, see the links below. Today, I want to talk about prayer.
I don’t think I need to tell you that you should pray because you already know that. But, despite our good intentions, we sometimes neglect prayer because we allow other things to distract us or have higher priority. If God is first in our lives, we should make a commitment to spend time with Him in prayer every day. We demonstrate that prayer is important to us when we make time to do it. If we don’t make time to pray, then we must ask ourselves if prayer is really important to us. (more…)
Feb 27, 2024 | God's Word
I want to continue talking about putting God first. You can find links to the other parts of this series at the end of this post.
In previous posts, I encouraged us to read and meditate on God’s Word daily. Then, I stated that we must sincerely believe what we have read. Now we come to where the rubber meets the road: we must live according to God’s Word. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Our obedience to the Word of God is proof that we believe it. When we obey God’s Word, we are putting God first because we are placing more importance on doing what God wants and less importance on doing what we want. (more…)
Feb 13, 2024 | God's Word
I want to continue talking about putting God first. You can find links to the other parts of this series at the end of this post. In my earlier post, I said one way we can show God He is first in our lives is by making the time to read and meditate on the Bible daily.
After we have read and meditated on God’s Word, the next thing we must do is believe it. Prioritizing God above everything else includes what we believe. We must believe what God says over what our friends, society, and the Internet tell us.
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Jan 30, 2024 | God's Word
In my previous post (click here to read it: https://joeyaperry.com/put-god-first/), I talked about putting God first. If God is first in our lives, we will make time to do the things that are important to Him and which strengthen our relationship with Him. Two disciplines that will enhance our relationship with God are Bible study and prayer. Today’s post focuses on Bible study. Joshua 1:8 tells us, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (more…)
Jan 16, 2024 | Commitment
Happy New Year! God has brought us into a new year and for that, we should be thankful! One way we can express our gratitude to God is by making a commitment to put Him first in our lives. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
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