PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT ALL FEAR
When
we talk about “love” we probably think first of the relationships we have with
others. Today I would like to address relationships, actually the greatest
relationship of them all; I want to discuss the love we have for our Heavenly
Father, and the relationship we have with Him.
Would
you agree, that in any good relationship - TRUST must be a part of love?
If a husband & wife do not trust each other – unless it changes,
that marriage will not last. The same
is true with any relationship: marriage, friendships, children & parents,
God and His kids.
Since
9-11 - not only in American, but also around the World – fear is trying to take
hold. If you are born again, and have a
relationship with your Heavenly Father – fear should never be a part of your
life. If we live in any degree of
“fear” we do not trust God, and His Words to us.
The
Bible says: “In the last days men’s
hearts will fail them because of fear,” This should not apply to those
of us who have accepted Him as our Lord and our Savior, and know Him as our
protector. There really is a lot of
evil in the world today, and where there is no Jesus, fear rules.
NO PEACE = NO JESUS!
NO JESUS = NO PEACE!
Psalms
27:1: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom
shall I be afraid”
I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect
love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made
perfect in love.”
What
does “Perfect
love casts out all fear” mean?
Let’s think about that a moment:
Ø
A small child instinctively knows that their
godly parents will protect them from harm!
Is that right? That child
also takes no thought of what it
will eat, or if there will be
milk there when he wants it. He simply trusts! {‘except a man become as a
child, he will not see the kingdom of God.’]
Ø
If you are afraid that a person is going to
hurt you – you do not trust that they love you. Right?
Ø
However, if love is founded on trust - where is there room for fear?
Ø
If love for the Heavenly Father is founded on
trust… and we believe The Bible is truth – how could we fear?
Ø
Do we
believe God’s Word is truth or not? Which part of the following was not written
for you?
Psalms 34:4: I sought the LORD, and he heard me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalms 34:7: The angel of the LORD encampeth round
about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Psalms 56:4: In God I will praise his word, in God
I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Psalms 23:4: Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and
thy staff they comfort me.
Psalms 27:1: The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear? the LORD is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 115:11: Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the
LORD: he is their help and their shield.
Psalms 27:1: The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear? the LORD is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When
we look at the terrorist acts of 9-11 there are a lot of questions!! Some ask “Where was God?” Others
look at that same situation and say…
“God was in control.” Others: “God had nothing to do with that!” and I’ve also heard “It was the judgment of God!”
There
is a lot of evil to consider in this Nation:
‘Churches being burned; Random
drive-by shootings; shootings in our schools; family killing family; anthrax in
the mail; etc., etc. If we put our focus on all this – it WILL
bring FEAR!!
Just
a few days ago – the church I attended for years, right here in this little
town – was targeted by a troubled man with a shotgun. Thank God, there was no
one in the building that Sunday, when he decided to open fire on the church.
Was it a coincidence that the youth pastor and the teens with him decided to
leave the church, just a few minutes before the man drove his truck through the
glass doors, and emptied his shotgun? I
think not! The gunman did shoot three people in a near by apartment building,
but there was no loss of life. PTL!
So…..
o
should we quite going to church?
o
Is the church no longer a sanctuary, or a
place to be safe?
o
Has God lifted His protection from the church?
o
Does He no longer protect His people?
o
Is this the judgment of God coming to the
earth?
o
Can we be safe?
o
Does God protect His own?
Everyone
has their own opinion…. This is mine:
Yes,
there were born again believers who died on that tragic day – and when I look
at all those who could have been there, and were not – I have to think that
those believers who did move on
into heaven – were either in
disobedience to God; or living in the day that it was “appointed unto man once to die”
4.
There is much that could cause us to fear – but the Word of God is truth, and
it will never pass away. Amen?
If
we say we “love God” and are His kids – we must also “TRUST” God. If the LOVE we have for our Heavenly Father
only works when things look good and feel safe - we don’t love Him with a
Perfect love, we don’t trust Him! If we
did, we would never walk in fear! Amen?
Fear is a “spirit”
– says II Tim 1:7 – and it says that it doesn’t come from God. So then…. Where would it be coming
from? Yes, of course…. The devil!! It is one of his sharpest, most frequently
used tools. Even when he knows that we
are a born again believer – he will TRY to sell us fear. As believers – he should never make the
smallest sale!!
Perfected
Love will keep it’s eye on God’s Words – TRUST will steadily be at work, no
matter what goes on around it.
God
is GOD …. And He is God all by Himself!
:O)
Job 23:13-14
“God is in one mind, and who can turn Him? What His soul desireth, He
doeth! For He performeth the thing that
is appointed for me: and many such things are with Him.” KJV
(The Living Bible) “His mind
concerning me remains unchanged, and who can turn Him from His purposes?
Whatever He wants to do, He does. So He will do to me all He has planned, and
there is more ahead.”
Isa 43:1-2 LB “Now, the Lord who created you, says
“DON’T BE AFRAID, for I have ransomed you: I have called you by name: you are
mind. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of
oppression, you will not be burned up – the flames will not consume you. For I
AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, your Savior, the Holy One of Israel. ….. Others died that you might live; ……you
are precious to me and honored, and I love you. DON’T BE AFRAID, for I am
with you.”
Vs 13: “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one
can oppose what I do!”
Fear
WILL come knocking at you door… you can count on it! Fear of debt or fear of losing a job; fear of the unknown; fear
of relationships; fear of people; fear of death; fear of war; fear from daily
news; fear from neighbors; fear for your children; fear for your life. However, when it comes knocking at your
door – you do NOT have to let it in!!
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 “For though we walk in the
flesh, we do not war after the flesh: for the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.”
Let
that love be perfected in you – trust God, rest on His Word! He is mindful of
you, and He is still in control.
DO
WE LOVE GOD?
DO
WE TRUST HIS LOVE?
DO
WE TRUST HIS WORD?
There
is a way to test, or measure our love; Read I John 4:19-21 & I Corinthians
13
