Dr. Brian J. Styer, DMin, BCC

Dr. Brian J. Styer, DMin, BCC Brian J. Styer, DMin (Doctor of Ministry), BCC (Board Certified Chaplain), is an ordained Southern Baptist pastor and SBC-endorsed chaplain. Navy.

His doctoral thesis on Southern Baptist Disaster Relief was published as a book for churches and crisis ministry. Brian Styer began his journey with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from the University of the State of New York Regents College (now Excelsior University) in 1994. His career spans diverse fields, starting with his service as a Hospital Corpsman in the U.S. He then served the

Mason Fire Department in Tennessee as a Volunteer Public Safety Chaplain for nine years. Concurrently, he took on the role of an Assistant Chaplain at the Tipton County Veterans Council and an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician. His compassionate outreach extended to Baptist Memorial Health Care, where he served as a Volunteer Hospital Chaplain. A fire safety advocate, Brian volunteered with the American Red Cross Mid-South Chapter’s Home Fire Safety Campaign and the Disaster Action Team. His professional development includes certifications from the Federation of Fire Chaplains, the International Conference of Police Chaplains, and the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. In May 2024, he graduated from Liberty University with a Doctor of Ministry in Chaplaincy. Currently, Brian serves with the Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief team as an NAMB endorsed Crisis and Disaster Relief Chaplain.

08/30/2026

A Genuine Christian

Text: Ephesians 4:22–32
Brother Leroy “Bob” Lane
Keeling Baptist Church

There was an evangelist I once heard who was bothered when people would say, “Well, we ought to be Christian about this,” or, “Let’s just act like Christians.”

He said that really doesn’t make sense. We either have Jesus Christ in us, or we don’t.

He illustrated it this way: Can you imagine a dog waking up one morning and saying, “Well, I guess today I’m going to act like a dog”? Of course not. A dog doesn’t have to act like a dog. He acts like a dog because that’s what he is.

And yet sometimes people who profess to be Christians have to remind themselves, “I suppose I ought to do the Christian thing.”

Paul is reminding the church at Ephesus that if we are Christians, then we ought to live like Christians. Our lives should reveal who we are in Jesus Christ.

Listen to Ephesians 4:22–24:

“You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Paul uses language everybody can understand—the language of changing clothes.

Take off the old. Put on the new.

Put off the old nature, the old habits, the old attitudes, and the old way of living. Then put on the new life that belongs to Jesus Christ.

But notice what comes between putting off the old and putting on the new:

“Be renewed in the spirit of your minds.”

That reminds me of Romans 12:1–2. Paul tells us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, and then he says:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”

The battle begins in the mind.

I remember a teacher I had when I was a boy who used to say, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

And I used to wonder, What about the mind?

Because that’s where the devil begins his attack.

If Satan can influence the mind, eventually he can influence the hands, the tongue, the body, the attitudes, and the actions. That is why Paul says we must be renewed in the spirit of our minds.

The Holy Spirit brings the mind of Christ into the believer’s life.

If you want to become more like Jesus, live like Jesus. The more intentionally we live according to what Jesus taught us, the more our lives will reflect Him.

The old nature wants us to continue living the old way. Paul says, “Take it off.”

And then put on the new.

Speak the Truth

Paul becomes very practical in verse 25:

“Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.”

I told my children when they were growing up, “You can never lie to me.”

Why?

Because if you lie to me, I cannot help you.

If you tell me you’re going to one place but actually go somewhere else, and something happens, how can I find you?

If you tell me you’re with certain people when you’re really with somebody else, how can I help you?

If you tell me you’ve done one thing when you’ve actually done something else, how can I be there for you?

It isn’t that I would stop loving my children. But dishonesty prevents me from doing what a father wants to do—to protect them, care for them, and help them.

There is something there for our relationship with God as well.

God knows us completely, but we sometimes attempt to live dishonestly before Him and before one another.

Christians should be different.

We share a common relationship through Jesus Christ. Your conversion experience may have circumstances unique to you, but every genuine believer shares the same union with Christ.

There are no super-saints.

There are no “über-Christians.”

There is no class system in the church of Jesus Christ.

We are all in Christ.

And because we are in Christ, we belong to one another.

Christ is the Head of the body.

Are you awake?

Jesus Christ is the Head of the body.

When one member hurts, we all hurt. When someone has a need, we should care. Christians help one another because we belong to one another.

Help One Another

Paul says in verse 28:

“Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands…that he may have something to give him who has need.”

Notice the transformation.

Christianity doesn’t merely say, Stop stealing.

It says, Start giving.

The thief’s hands once took from somebody else. After Christ changes him, those same hands work so that he can give to somebody else.

That’s Christian transformation.

First John 3:16–18 tells us that because Christ laid down His life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If we possess this world’s goods, see somebody in need, and close our hearts against that person, how can God’s love abide in us?

John concludes:

“Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Deed and truth.

That’s what Christians are supposed to do.

We touch the lives of other people because our lives have already been touched by Jesus Christ.

Christian faith is not merely something we say. It becomes something we do.

Build One Another Up

Paul also tells us to help one another with our words.

The tongue matters.

James chapter 3 calls the tongue a fire. James tells us that with the same tongue we bless God and curse human beings who were made in God’s image.

And then James says:

“My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”

Can the same spring produce fresh water and bitter water?

Can a fig tree produce olives?

Can a grapevine produce figs?

Neither should a Christian mouth continually produce both blessing and cursing.

We are supposed to be a blessing.

Janice used to have a phrase when our children were picking at one another. She used it with children at school, with our own children, and later with our grandchildren.

She would say:

“Negative teasing.”

She was teaching them something important.

Our words make choices.

Will my words build somebody up, or will they tear somebody down?

That’s what edification means—to build up.

Before you speak, ask yourself: Will what I am about to say build this person up or tear this person down?

Christians should be known for words that build.

Be Kind and Forgive

Then Paul reaches verse 32:

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”

Bitterness poisons the soul.

If bitterness isn’t dealt with, it becomes wrath. Wrath becomes anger. Anger erupts into clamor, accusations, slander, and eventually malice.

Paul says:

Take those things off.

Some people say, “I can’t help it. I’ve got my mother’s temper.”

Or, “That’s my father’s anger. That’s just the way I am.”

But if we belong to Jesus Christ, we cannot simply surrender ourselves to the old nature and say, “That’s just who I am.”

Christ changes us.

To change the outer person, the inner person must be renewed.

The Greek word Paul uses for “kind” is chrēstos. It even sounds somewhat like Christos, Christ. Perhaps that can help us remember:

Christ was kind.

He sought the good of others.

And Christians are called to do the same—even toward people who are difficult to love.

Because when Christians live according to the old nature, unbelievers look at us and say, “They’re no different from me. Maybe I behave better than those people down at that church. Why do I need Jesus?”

Our lives should never give people an excuse to think less of Christ.

Finally, Christians forgive one another.

Would all the perfect Christians please stand?

Nobody?

That’s the point.

We are imperfect people living among other imperfect people. Therefore, if we are going to live together as the body of Christ, we must learn to forgive.

Jesus taught that forgiveness isn’t something we count until we’ve finally reached our limit. Peter asked about forgiving seven times. Jesus answered with “seventy times seven.”

In other words, don’t keep score.

Grace receives what we could never earn.

And because God has forgiven us in Christ, we extend forgiveness to others.

Jesus forgave people who did not deserve forgiveness.

So did you.

So did I.

Jesus did not seek revenge. When His disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven upon people who had rejected Him, Jesus rebuked them.

They had forgotten who they were.

And sometimes I forget who I am.

I forget to forgive.

I forget to control the things that irritate me.

I forget to let Jesus Christ live through me.

I forget the kind of person I really am.

And that brings us right back to where we started.

A dog doesn’t have to decide whether he’s going to be a genuine dog.

But if I profess to be a Christian, my greatest desire ought to be this:

Lord, make me a genuine Christian.

Take off the old.

Renew your mind.

Put on the new.

Tell the truth.

Help people in need.

Use your words to build people up.

Be kind.

Forgive.

And let the world see in the way you live that Jesus Christ has made you new.

Perhaps the words of our invitation hymn express the response we need today:

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart.
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart.
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart.
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart.

Let us pray.

Lord, we thank You for Your Word.

Sometimes, as I prepare Your Word, I must get on my knees and ask Your forgiveness because I see how I have disappointed Jesus Christ in my daily life.

But Lord, thank You.

Thank You.

Thank You so much that You receive us with forgiveness. Thank You that You fill us with more of Jesus and give us that which overcomes the world.

Help us to put away the old life, to be renewed in our minds, and to put on the new life You have given us.

May we be genuine Christians whose lives show the world that we belong to Jesus Christ.

In the name of Christ we pray.

Amen.

08/25/2026

What Happens When God’s Word Tells Me I Need to Change?

Becoming a Christian does not mean that we immediately understand everything correctly or suddenly make every decision faithfully.

In fact, one of the first things a new Christian discovers is that following Jesus involves change.

We begin reading the Bible and discover that God thinks differently about something than we do.

He challenges an attitude we have considered normal.

He identifies something as sin that we have excused.

He questions something we trust.

He changes the way we think about relationships, money, sexuality, work, forgiveness, success, power, or ourselves.

Then we face an important question:

What will I do when God’s Word tells me that I am wrong?

Second Chronicles 32–34 introduces us to three kings whose lives help answer that question.

Hezekiah: Trust God and Still Do the Work

Hezekiah faced an enormous problem.

The Assyrian army threatened Jerusalem.

Hezekiah did not respond by saying, “God will take care of everything, so we don’t need to do anything.”

He prepared.

He strengthened Jerusalem’s defenses. He organized the people. He addressed the city’s water supply.

Then he told them:

“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles.”
—2 Chronicles 32:8, KJV

This gives a new Christian an important correction.

Faith is not the opposite of preparation.

Trusting God does not mean refusing to make plans, take precautions, seek medical treatment, save money, study for an examination, prepare for an emergency, or ask qualified people for advice.

The problem begins when preparation becomes our ultimate source of confidence.

There is a difference between saying:

“I prepared because God gave me responsibility,”

and:

“I prepared so thoroughly that I no longer need God.”

Christian faith does not require irresponsibility.

It requires dependence.

We prepare faithfully and then acknowledge that outcomes remain in God’s hands.

Manasseh: Have I Gone Too Far for God to Forgive Me?

Manasseh presents a very different problem.

His record was terrible.

He promoted idolatry and occult practices. He led others into sin. His reign was associated with violence and profound rebellion against God.

Then Manasseh was brought low.

Scripture says:

“And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.”
—2 Chronicles 33:12, KJV

God heard him.

For a new Christian carrying a painful past, Manasseh’s story matters enormously.

You may eventually look honestly at your former life and ask:

“Can God really forgive that?”

Perhaps you hurt people.

Perhaps you wasted years.

Perhaps you damaged your marriage or family.

Perhaps you became involved with drugs, sexual sin, dishonesty, violence, greed, occult practices, or something you are deeply ashamed to admit.

The gospel does not tell us to pretend those things were insignificant.

It tells us that God’s mercy is greater than our ability to save ourselves.

Manasseh could not travel backward and undo his past.

Neither can we.

Repentance does not rewrite history.

But because of Jesus Christ, our history does not have to determine our final destination.

Repentance Is More Than Feeling Bad

Manasseh also helps us understand repentance.

Repentance is not merely feeling embarrassed because we were caught.

It is not simply experiencing regret.

It is not saying, “I’m sorry,” while intending to continue exactly as before.

Biblical repentance involves a genuine turning.

Manasseh humbled himself, prayed to God, and afterward acted against some of the idolatry he had previously promoted.

His changed actions did not purchase God’s forgiveness.

They demonstrated that his turning was real.

A new Christian should understand the order carefully:

We do not change enough to make God forgive us.

We turn to God in repentance and faith, trusting the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Then repentance begins producing visible changes.

That distinction protects us from two errors.

One says, “I need to clean myself up before Jesus will accept me.”

The other says, “Because Jesus forgives me, it doesn’t matter whether I change.”

Neither is the gospel.

Grace forgives us, and grace begins transforming us.

Forgiveness Does Not Always Remove Consequences

There is another difficult lesson in Manasseh’s story.

God’s mercy did not make every consequence of his previous decisions disappear.

That distinction is important for new Christians.

God may forgive a sin completely while some earthly consequences remain.

A damaged relationship may require years to rebuild.

A criminal conviction may remain on someone’s record.

Money that was wasted may still be gone.

Trust that was violated may need to be earned again.

Physical consequences may remain.

Other people may need time before they trust us.

Forgiveness is real.

Consequences can also be real.

We should not interpret continuing consequences as proof that God’s forgiveness was incomplete.

Sometimes part of repentance is faithfully accepting responsibility for what our previous choices damaged.

Josiah: What Happens When the Bible Corrects Me?

Josiah gives us another picture.

During repairs to the temple, the Book of the Law was discovered.

When God’s Word was read to Josiah, he realized how far Judah had departed from God’s commands.

He did not respond:

“That’s an outdated document.”

“That isn’t how I was raised.”

“Everyone else is doing it.”

“I don’t personally agree with that.”

“My intentions are good.”

He humbled himself.

God said of Josiah:

“Thou didst humble thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me.”
—2 Chronicles 34:27, KJV

Then Josiah acted upon what he had heard.

That is an essential lesson in how Christians read the Bible.

We do not merely read Scripture. Scripture reads us.

It exposes motives.

It identifies sin.

It corrects assumptions.

It challenges cultural values.

It confronts personal preferences.

It reveals things about ourselves that we would sometimes prefer not to know.

Don’t Read the Bible Only to Confirm What You Already Believe

A new Christian naturally brings previous beliefs into Christianity.

We bring assumptions from our families.

Our culture.

Politics.

Education.

Relationships.

Entertainment.

Previous religious experiences.

Personal wounds.

None of us approaches Scripture as a completely blank page.

The danger is reading the Bible only to find support for conclusions we have already reached.

Josiah demonstrates another posture:

“If God’s Word disagrees with me, I am the one who must change.”

That does not mean Christians should accept every interpretation offered by a preacher or Bible teacher. We should examine Scripture carefully, consider context, learn from mature believers, and distinguish God’s Word from someone’s opinion about God’s Word.

But once we understand what Scripture actually teaches, discipleship requires more than agreement.

It requires obedience.

Information Is Not Transformation

A person can know a surprising amount about the Bible without allowing it to change him.

We can memorize verses.

Attend Bible studies.

Listen to sermons.

Learn theological vocabulary.

Win arguments.

And remain proud, dishonest, unforgiving, sexually immoral, greedy, cruel, or indifferent.

Josiah did not treat the rediscovered Scripture as interesting information.

He responded.

That gives us a useful pattern:

Read. Understand. Examine. Repent. Obey.

Ask:

What does this passage actually say?

What does it teach me about God?

What does it reveal about me?

Is there something I need to believe, confess, stop, begin, or change?

How does this passage point me toward Jesus Christ?

Bible reading becomes discipleship when God’s truth moves from the page into our decisions.

Claire’s Perspective: What If the Bible Challenges Me?

As a new Christian, I think Josiah might be the most uncomfortable of these three kings for me.

Hezekiah teaches me to trust God.

Manasseh teaches me that God’s mercy reaches farther than my past.

But Josiah asks whether I actually want God to change me.

I have spent years learning how to evaluate evidence, solve problems, make decisions, and trust my judgment. Those abilities are useful. I do not need to abandon careful thinking when I become a Christian.

But following Jesus means accepting that my judgment is not the highest authority in my life.

That is different.

I may read something in Scripture that challenges an assumption I have carried for years.

My first response may be:

“I don’t like that.”

“I don’t understand that.”

“That doesn’t fit the way I have always thought.”

Perhaps those are honest starting points.

But they cannot always be the ending point.

I need to learn to ask:

“Lord, am I willing for Your Word to correct me?”

I also find Manasseh encouraging.

There may be things in my life that I wish I could go backward and change. Christianity does not offer me a time machine.

It offers me something better:

mercy.

Jesus can forgive what I cannot undo.

Then He can teach me to live differently from this point forward.

And Hezekiah reminds me that trusting God does not require me to stop thinking, planning, or preparing.

I can make the best responsible decision I know how to make and still say:

“My confidence is not ultimately in my preparation. My confidence is in God.”

Perhaps that is what growing as a Christian looks like:

Trust God with what I cannot control.

Repent of what He shows me is wrong.

Allow His Word to change what I do next.

When a Church Needs Reform Too

Josiah’s story is not only about individuals.

An entire religious community had drifted so far that rediscovering Scripture exposed how much needed to change.

Churches can drift too.

Traditions can become more important than Scripture.

Personalities can become too powerful.

Programs can continue simply because “we have always done it this way.”

Cultural or political loyalties can begin shaping the church more than the gospel.

The answer is not novelty for novelty’s sake.

Nor is the answer destroying every tradition.

The question is:

What does God’s Word say?

Healthy Christian reform means continually bringing our beliefs, practices, priorities, and institutions back under the authority of Scripture.

Jesus Does What Reform Alone Cannot Do

Josiah could reform laws, worship practices, and national behavior.

He could not permanently change the human heart.

That is why we need more than reform.

We need redemption.

Jesus Christ provides the greater deliverance.

He bore the guilt of sinners at the cross.

He rose from the dead.

He establishes the new covenant and gives His people the Holy Spirit.

Christianity therefore does not say:

“Reform yourself thoroughly enough and God will save you.”

The gospel says:

“Christ saves sinners who cannot save themselves, and the Savior who forgives us also begins transforming us.”

We do not obey Scripture in order to purchase salvation.

We obey because we have been brought into a new relationship with God through Christ.

HEAR the Word

Highlight

“And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly.”
—2 Chronicles 33:12, KJV

Explain

Manasseh had committed profound evil, yet when he genuinely humbled himself and turned to God, God heard him. His story demonstrates both the seriousness of sin and the extraordinary reach of divine mercy.

Apply

I should not excuse sin, but neither should I believe that my past places me beyond God’s mercy. When Scripture exposes something wrong in my life, I can confess it, receive God’s forgiveness through Christ, accept responsibility for consequences, and begin walking differently.

Respond

Lord, teach me to trust You when I feel surrounded. Help me prepare responsibly without making preparation my god. Give me humility when Your Word exposes something wrong in me. Keep me from excuses and give me genuine repentance. Thank You that Jesus can forgive what I cannot undo. Through Your Spirit, reform my thinking, desires, choices, and habits so that my life increasingly reflects Christ. Amen.

Questions for Reflection

1. When you feel threatened or uncertain, what do you trust first?
2. What is the difference between responsible preparation and self-reliance?
3. Is there anything in your past that makes you wonder whether God can truly forgive you?
4. What is the difference between regret and repentance?
5. Why might consequences remain even after God forgives someone?
6. When Scripture disagrees with something you have always believed, how do you normally respond?
7. Are you reading the Bible primarily to acquire information or to become more faithful?
8. What is one area of your life that God’s Word is presently asking you to change?

Key Truth

Christian growth means learning to trust God when we cannot control the outcome, receiving His mercy when we repent, and allowing His Word to change what we believe and how we live.

There is one additional connection I would preserve from today’s HEAR study because it ties several Christianity 101 chapters together:

Hezekiah asks: What do I trust?
Manasseh asks: What do I do with my sin?
Josiah asks: What do I do with God’s Word?
Psalm 79 asks: Where do I turn when everything is broken?
The gospel answers all four: Turn to God through Jesus Christ.

That is exceptionally useful for a new-believer guide because it shows that biblical discipleship is not a collection of unrelated religious behaviors. Trust, repentance, Scripture, prayer, and obedience all grow from the same relationship with God through Christ.

08/17/2026

For Those Who Could Not Be With Us — Yesterday’s Message from Keeling Baptist Church

For our shut-ins, those dealing with illness, and others who were unable to worship with us yesterday, I wanted to share the substance of Brother Leroy “Bob” Lane’s message from Keeling Baptist Church.

This transcript has been lightly edited from the oral sermon for readability while preserving Brother Bob’s message, illustrations, Scripture, and pastoral emphasis.

WHEN FEAR KNOCKS
Brother Leroy “Bob” Lane
Keeling Baptist Church
Primary Text: Matthew 6:25–34

Jesus said:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear…. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

—Matthew 6:25–34

When we think about people who lived through difficult times, I think particularly about my mother’s generation and those who lived through World War II. I know the anxiety that affected people in those days—the safety of their family members and others. Those kinds of experiences probably never completely leave you.

But when we think about fear, we can say truthfully that all of us have some kind of fear.

Our fears may be great, or they may seem silly to somebody else. But to the person experiencing that fear, it is very real.

And you don’t have to raise your hand when I get to your fear. You can keep it a secret!

There are people afraid of heights, death, caves, wind, water, thunder and lightning. Some fear small enclosed spaces; others fear wide-open spaces. There are fears of snakes, spiders, cats, dogs, mice and large animals. There are even fears of imaginary creatures—the boogeyman in the closet or under the bed.

Some people are afraid of crowds. Others are afraid of being alone. Some fear losing their health or losing their lives. Some are afraid of what comes after death.

But those of us who know the Lord should have confidence concerning our eternal destiny.

Some people fear the dark. Others fear bright lights, hospitals, cemeteries, loud noises or even silence. I knew someone who was so afraid of bridges that they had to close their eyes when crossing one. I always offered to drive!

There are fears of trains, boats and airplanes. Some people are afraid of the unknown—which is something of a puzzle, isn’t it? You don’t know what it is, but you’re already afraid of it!

I do know that acrophobia means fear of heights because that’s me. Don’t get me up too high!

We all have some kind of fear, however brave we may appear.

But here is the important question:

Does our fear interfere with our life?

There are other fears that may be even more serious because they affect our everyday existence.

Some fears are caused by comparison.

Someone looks at another person and says, “I’m ugly.” Another says, “I’m too dumb. I can’t do what other people can do.” Someone else says, “I’m too poor. I don’t have what everybody else has.”

Where did those ideas come from?

Very often, they came from comparison.

And sometimes people compare their future with what happened to somebody else.

You tell somebody you are sick, and they say, “Oh, I knew somebody who had that. They died.”

Well, that’s a real friend, isn’t it?

Thanks for the comfort!

We need to be careful about allowing somebody else’s experience to determine what we expect God to do in our lives.

Then there is another great source of fear:

the future.

“What if I fail?”

“What if I make the wrong decision?”

“What if I lose my job?”

“What if I lose my health?”

“What if something terrible happens?”

The “what ifs” and “maybes” can consume our lives.

Some people become almost unable to act because they are so afraid of what might happen.

But whatever happened to somebody else does not mean that it will happen to you.

We are not called to live in fear of the future.

If we spend our lives looking anxiously ahead, tomorrow can steal the peace and joy God has given us today.

If we knew everything that was going to happen in our future, I’m afraid some of us might do some dangerous things trying to avoid it.

I think I’m better off not knowing all the specifics of my future. Instead, I can live with confidence that God will take care of me as the future comes.

Think about the future like walking down a long hospital corridor with several sets of doors.

You enter the corridor through one door. Farther down is another set of doors. Beyond those is another.

You have to walk through the first doors before the next doors open.

That’s often how God leads us.

We cannot see His will from the end back to the beginning.

I know where my journey ultimately ends. I know that I will see Jesus. I just don’t know everything that will happen between here and there.

And remember what Christian hope means.

Biblical hope isn’t merely saying, “I sure wish this happens.”

Christian hope is confidence.

I have confidence that I will see Jesus.

Between today and the day I see Him face to face, there will be many variables—things I cannot know and, frankly, some things I don’t want to know.

I want to live with confidence that Jesus walks beside me and prepares the way ahead of me.

Another cause of fear is insecurity and an unwillingness to trust.

Trust is a very short word, but it sometimes seems to be disappearing.

People say:

“If only this would happen….”

“What if that happens….”

Sometimes the circumstances we imagine become far worse in our minds than the circumstances that actually exist.

People are afraid of being abandoned.

But God has said:

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

People are afraid they won’t have enough resources to face tomorrow.

So what do we do with our fears?

First, concentrate upon faith and trust.

Listen to 1 John 4:16–19:

“God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them…. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment…. We love because he first loved us.”

What a marvelous message.

Our confidence rests in the love of God.

Fear can even serve us in one useful way: it can remind us how much we need the Lord.

Psalm 56 says:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Notice that the psalmist didn’t say, “I am never afraid.”

He said:

“When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

That’s faith.

Second, be realistic.

Faith does not mean pretending that difficulties aren’t real.

I think about cattle standing in winter weather. They face the wind and snow. They don’t make the storm disappear. They face what is actually there.

We need to do the same thing.

Ask:

“How serious is this problem really?”

“Is there something I can do about it?”

“Do I need the counsel of somebody else?”

“Have I done what God expects me to do?”

And then ask the great question:

“Has the Lord got this, or hasn’t He?”

We can face problems. We can face the future. We don’t have to run from reality.

But neither should we spend today’s energy worrying about something over which we have absolutely no control.

Psalm 23 says:

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me.”

Why can the believer walk through the valley?

Because God is there.

Our confidence is written in the promises of God’s Word.

Paul learned this lesson through his own suffering. He pleaded with the Lord concerning his thorn in the flesh, but the Lord answered:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”

—2 Corinthians 12:9

God’s grace is sufficient.

That brings us to another way of dealing with fear:

Seek contentment.

Contentment is the realization that our sufficiency ultimately rests in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

And sometimes the difficult roads we’ve already traveled allow us to help somebody else.

Perhaps you’ve already walked the road another person is just beginning.

Because God brought you through that experience, you may be one of the best people to come alongside someone facing it now.

We also need spiritual discernment.

We need to recognize what draws us closer to the Lord and what pulls us away from Him. We need to recognize the voices that encourage trust and the voices that continually feed fear.

And we need common sense.

I would rather have wisdom than knowledge. I have nothing against knowledge! But wisdom helps us know what to do with what we know.

Finally—and don’t miss this—

Pray.

Did you wake up?

I said pray!

Prayer needs to become our first response rather than our last resort.

I once visited a doctor in the hospital. As I prepared to leave, I said, “Doctor, let me pray for you.”

His eyes got a little larger.

He looked at me and said:

“Is it that bad?”

I resisted the temptation to tease him.

But isn’t that how many people think about prayer?

We try everything else first. Then, when nothing works, somebody finally says:

“Well, I suppose all we can do now is pray.”

No.

Prayer ought to be the first thing we do.

Prayer is agreement with God. When we learn what God’s Word says about our fears, our worries and our future, and then embrace what He says as truth, we are bringing ourselves into agreement with God.

We need to pray every day.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Lord, we need You today.

Prayer connects us with God no matter where we are or what is happening around us.

The smallest child can pray.

The oldest saint can pray.

We all can pray.

We must pray.

And now I want you to remember this:

Fear knocked.

Faith answered the door.

There was nobody there.

Amen?

Amen.

Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank You so much. We love You. Thank You for Your Word and for the way Your truth fills us with Your wisdom, Your love, and Your way of dealing with the fears of this life.

Thank You for the truth of Scripture.

Help us to trust You with today and with tomorrow.

May we seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, trusting our heavenly Father to know what we need.

May we be blessed by Your Word and live according to it.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

———

For our Keeling family: If you weren’t able to worship with us yesterday, please know that you were remembered. A church family extends beyond the people physically present in the sanctuary. May these Scriptures encourage you this week:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” — Psalm 56:3

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.” — Matthew 6:34

May the Lord bless our shut-ins, those recovering at home, those in hospitals or care facilities, and everyone who wanted to be present but could not.

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Brighton, TN
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