Day 31: Genesis 15:1

"After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: 'Don't be afraid Abram. I'm your shield. Your reward will be grand!" ~Genesis 15:1 MSG

Abram has moved out of Uz, and he's living up with a bunch of fellows called Aner, Eschol and Mamre. His nephew Lot has moved to Sodom, but unfortunately all of the kingdoms around are at war with one another. And, in true fairy-tale fashion, what kingdom will get plundered and have all of its people taken as captives? Because the Bible says Lot is in Sodom... of course, it will be the kingdom of Sodom. Yes, Sodom gets attacked, ransacked, beaten and defeated by other kingdoms. An escapee of the carnage goes to Abram and is tells him, "Hey, your nephew got kidnapped!"

An angry Abram tells all his fellows "Come on, help me get my nephew back!" So the lot of them (pun intended) go and they whip those bad kings so bad, that they not only get Lot and his family back, but ALL of the plunder that was taken from the kingdom of Sodom. The king of Sodom of course is very grateful, but he still says, "Keep the people if you'd like but please give us our loot back..." Abram doesn't care about the plunder, so he gives it back and lets Lot and all the people go back to living in peace. He goes back with his fellows and they continue living.

Those two paragraphs above describe what "after all these things" is referring to.

And Abram got anxious. What if he had died? How could God possibly bring about His promise?

But God tells Abram NOT to fear. God promises Abram that He will be his shield, and reassures Abram that his reward will be great. God comforts Abram in his time of doubt and uncertainty. And He'll comfort you too.

As long as you are following in His commands, living without sin (or at least confessing and asking for forgiveness when you do sin), there is no need to be afraid; God will follow through. He'll defend His promise. And obeying God is ALWAYS worth it, even if you don't get three boxes of treasure.

Day 30: Jeremiah 16:19

"Oh Lord my strength, my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the Earth, and shall say, 'Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.'" ~Jeremiah 16:19 KJV

Observe how Jeremiah describes the Lord. The Lord is Jeremiah's:
~strength~fortress
~refuge in the day of affliction.

One might presume that "fortress" and "refuge" are synonyms. And in some ways they are. Let's take a dictionary look at the two. Fortress - any place of exceptional security. Refuge - anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape. Those definitions from dictionary.com show a fundamental difference in the explanation of the two. Refuge from danger can be found in a fortress - but just because you're in a fortress doesn't mean you're in a refuge. Using thesaurus.com, we could say that 

Jeremiah describes the Lord as his:
~fortitude
~stronghold
~sanctuary

Reading through some other versions of the Bible will probably reveal even more synonyms and ways of viewing God as an Almighty Savior.

The second half of the verse implies what has already happened - Jesus came and revealed a superior way to connect to God. Even Gentiles are allowed in on His love, and we know that it is better than the "gods" of our forefathers, which were nothing more than "lies, vanity and things wherein there was no profit."


So we know who the Lord was to Jeremiah - who is He to you?

Day 29: Psalm 33:20

"We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield." ~Psalm 33:20 NIV

I am going to make a bold statement and say that hope is like trust. Hope is the opposite force of fear. I am going to say that putting your hope in the Lord is like trusting Him. Obviously there are subtle differences, but I hope the more it is thought about, the more sense it will make. And I will continue to say that choosing trust and choosing hope is still that - a choice.

But as I look at this verse, God IS my help, and my shield. When I choose to hope, choose to trust, choose to look up at the God who loves us more than we can comprehend, I know He will help me, and He will shield me from my fears. Because when looking up at God, it's kinda hard to remember exactly what it was that you were afraid of. That is simply because of how AWESOME He is!

It's becoming ever clearer to me that fear is a product of taking our gaze away from Jesus. So today's reminder is to cast your burdens on Jesus and revel in all of the love that is His for you.

Day 28: Isaiah 41:13

"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." ~Isaiah 41:13 NIV

Sometimes I forget that God is a Father. Fathers, when encouraging their children to be courageous, don't just tell them to "suck it up" or "stop being a scaredy-cat-sissy", they tell their children that they will HELP. And God, as the paragon of a good Father, will grab your hand and lead you step-by-step through the process of overcoming fear. OOH, and lookie lookie, God takes the initiative, He goes on and "takes" hold of your hands! He doesn't ask, according to this verse. He doesn't wait until I ask. He guides us through!

Not to say that we shouldn't ask... I mean, isn't it in John that Jesus says "You have not because you ask not"? So, maybe in some cases it's because we haven't asked that He hasn't led us by the hand and reminded us to chill, don't be afraid, because He'll help us. The point is that no matter what, we still don't need to be afraid because He's promised to help us and that, my dear readers, is awEsome.

Image: Memories

Day 27: Psalm 32:10

"Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust in the Lord." ~Psalm 32:10, NLT

Remember how trust is the opposite of fear? Well. The ones who SHOULD be afraid are the wicked, because "many sorrows come to" them. Poor scoundrels...

The thing about "the wicked" is simply that they don't have to be maniacally diabolical to be "wicked". Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) "Wicked" is just another way to describe people that are slaves to sin. So if a person has not been freed from sin through Jesus, then they are wicked. Yes, that kind and generous man who just gave his fortune to children in Africa is wicked if he hasn't accepted Jesus in his life. (At least as I understand it...) The only way, the only truth, and the very best life is in Jesus. Otherwise, there's no way they're receiving God's greatest gift.

It seems proper to me that slavers, pirates, and Hitler should experience many sorrows. My inner sense of justice screams at people I deem wicked - murderers, rapists, politicians. (Sorry, politicians. I've yet to see a decent one of you.) There is a part of me that is over-zealous and wants justice, great sorrows and misery to come NOW upon these types of criminals. "Amen!" I cry when I read that verse. "Go get a taste of your own medicine!" But what I don't always realize is that... many sorrows will come upon my friends. Just because they don't know Jesus. (Which is partially my fault, if we get brutally honest about that.) And that, dear reader, is tragic.

The good news is that God promises if we trust Him, He will surround us with unfailing love. Unconditional love. Note that He doesn't say "He will provide utmost comfort and absolutely zero sorrows for those that trust Him." We are guaranteed some degree of discomfort in our lives. But we can and will make it through on His terms of grace. And chances are good that we will come out of our troubles the better for it. Whether or not we immediately see that is another matter. So what would you rather have - a "perfect" life, no troubles but always WORRYING that something bad will happen, or a very "imperfect" life full of troubles and turmoil but always having the confidence that God will come through?

I knew you'd want the confident life! Because you can't really choose the "perfect" life, so you might as well have some certainty, the certainty that God is good all the time.

Day 26: Romans 8:15

"The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out 'Father.'" ~Romans 8:15 NCV

When I accepted Christ into my heart, I was freed from sin. My slavery to the evil of the world was broken. I am no longer required to act and react the way the world does. In fact, as a child of God, I should be listening to God's specific instruction and act in accordance with His Spirit.

And Paul is telling the Romans above that God's Spirit doesn't put us back in the days of Moses - we don't have to be afraid that if we mess up and don't put a lamb to death that God's going to send us to Hell. We will mess up. Life isn't about how many times you do or don't sin, it's about whether or not you have Jesus to stick up for you and forgive you when you mess up. Not if we sin, WHEN we sin. Obviously once we've got Jesus in our lives, we should be changing, becoming "a new creation" that desires God's presence, a desire that can only come true when we have no sin.

So the Spirit of God will help us avoid sins, and thus we have nothing to fear! Well. We're not required to be afraid, in any case. We get to live in the fullness of God's Spirit, a fearless place.

Image: Growing

Day 25: Jeremiah 46:27

"But you, dear Jacob my servant, you have nothing to fear. Israel, there's no need to worry. Look up! I'll save you from that far country, I'll get your children out of the land of exile. Things are going to be normal again for Jacob, safe and secure, smooth sailing." ~Jeremiah 46:27 MSG

In chapter 46, Jeremiah is blasting Egypt with prophecies of gloom and doom for the proud nation. Egypt is getting ready to attack Babylon, but Jeremiah predicts a horrid loss. "The whole world will hear your anguished cries," verse 12 proclaims. "Egypt will be set back a thousand years," verse 26 foretells. And then God turns His attention back to His people - for all of the trouble He's going to put Egypt in through Babylon, Israel has "nothing to fear." God's people have no need to worry.

"Look up! I'll save you from that far country!" Look up and remember who you're serving! Keep your eyes trained on Jesus, who brought you away from your passport country and will save you no matter where you are! Keep your focus on Jesus, who has made you a citizen of Heaven, and remember He'll save you from the citizenship of Earth! Don't do what Israel did, and think that Egypt can save you. There is no power that can match Jesus, and your steps will falter in the waters on the world when you lose sight of Him. He's brought you to the surface, you're walking on top of it all.

Whatever "normal" is, God will put it back in your life, safe and secure in the arms of God, He'll help you glide across the choppy waters. Or at least He'll take the abnormality of your current situation and make it normal for you.

Day 24: Luke 1:74-75

"We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live." ~Luke 1:74-75 NLT

Ah, Zechariah. An average, everyday, ordinary priest. (If such a thing exists.) Zechariah and Elizabeth had been trying to have children for a LONG time. Reminds me of Abram and Sarai... anyways. Point is that they succeeded - and named the little bugger John. Who would later become "John the Baptist." This verse comes from a prophecy that Zechariah spoke after the villagers asked him what he would name his little boy. "His name is John." And then w00t! Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and this is a piece of what he said.

This verse stands alone quite nicely. But I would like to direct attention to the tense in the first three words. "We have been." I didn't pay attention in English class, so I'm not sure if that's past participle three or what, but it's in the past. It's already happened. We already HAVE BEEN rescued from our enemies! So... why be afraid of something you've already been rescued from? Silly, silly humans! Always so worried about something that's already been taken care of...

Day 23: Psalm 37:40

"The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him." ~Psalm 37:40 NIV

"The Lord helps them and saves them; he saves them from the wicked, because they trust in him for protection." ~Psalm 37:40 NCV

Take the "them" in the verses above and put "you" in. Now switch it for "me," and "I" as necessary. Now go sing your praises to God, who WILL take care of you. Count on it.

Trust in Him for protection! Remember, choose to believe that He will help and save you! These verses aren't even in the past tense, these verses are talking about a current God who will save the righteous and the godly and those who love Him from the wicked, from those who would see His people come to harm. Whatever they throw at you, He can take it and make it something good. Rely on Him to provide, and He will provide, He will deliver you, you can take refuge in Him and remember who He is.

Day 22: Philippians 1:28

"Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself." ~Philippians 1:28 NLT

... seems pretty self-explanatory to me. It's a command. Our witness to God can be shown through a lack of intimidation. But let's go a little further. Open up the Bible! (Or select the YouVersion app... flipping through all of those pages can be intimidating xD ) Starting with Philippians 1:27, ending on verse 29. That will be the context. (Note that context isn't just what happens before... dun dun dun... it's also what happens afterwards. I forget that a lot when trying to explain :)

So, start off with Paul telling the Philippians to live as citizens of Heaven. We are not citizens of the world. We do not live the way the world lives. If the world can't tell the difference between us and itself - we're failing as Christians. (Tough but true statement.) Paul tells us to live in a manner that is worthy of the Good News and of Christ. If we're giving a poor image of either, we're failing as Christians. (Still tough, still true.) It's all in hypocrisy - now don't get me wrong, if we weren't hypocrites, we wouldn't be sinners. And all have fallen short of the glory. (Romans) So one way or another, there will be hypocritical instances in life. But it's one thing to mess up once, and another thing to LIVE that way. Say for example, a Christian says "Don't gossip." If that Christian is a gossip, then s/he is living hypocritically and is not living in a manner that is worth of the Good News and of Christ, and thus s/he is living as a citizen of the world.

But when we live in Christ, the world can see there's something different about us. (Which is good.) And some of that difference comes from intimidation... We've got Christ inside of us. (And if our God is with us, who can stand against us?) We aren't afraid of other people, (or circumstances etc) because we've got Christ inside of us. And "I can do all things through Christ in me." So why be afraid? There's really no good reason TO be afraid, since we've got Jesus. Thus our lack of fear is a testimony to the world. Going on to verse 29, we've got the privilege of trusting Christ in us. Because we've accepted Him, now He is our rock. And we also get the privilege of suffering for Him - because a bully will do everything in his power to make you afraid, and that might include suffering. Getting beat up, threats, whatever. But we still don't have to be afraid, because we've still got Jesus. Nobody can take that away from us.

And when I say nobody, I mean that there is no person in the world with that power. Not one.

Day 21: Psalm 40:17

"But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay." ~Psalm 40:17 NIV

In order to get help, generally it's good to ask for it. Because even though there ARE incredibly amazing and absolutely fantastic people who can not only tell you need help, but will actually go HELP you in the word, they are few and far between. And chances are slim that you live in the near vicinity of one such person.

So, you've got to ask.

But it doesn't do much good to ask the wrong person for the wrong kind of help. "Hi Dad. I need help sewing this hat together." Dad hasn't sewn once in his life let alone by hand. He's not going to be much help, is he? But Mom, who worked as a seamstress, she's the one you're going to want to ask to help you with sewing. She might even be able to teach you something useful!

Since God can do anything, generally it's good to ask Him for specific help. Which is why Psalms usually don't have just one verse... they generally are longer, and specific in their praise or cries for help. I've found that the best way for me to deal with worry (or any other bother like that) is to acknowledge the trouble, pray to God about it, and move on. It sometimes seems that all of our problems can be traced to a lack of prayer. So what's the solution? Why, pray more, of course. And God will take care of the rest.

Image: Fotopedia

Day 20: Jeremiah 39:17

"But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear." ~Jeremiah 39:17 NIV

Jeremiah, as I look back on him, was a remarkable person, because all of his prophecies came true (duh) but also because he prophesied even though nobody believed him. He followed God's word to the last letter, and NOBODY ever really took him seriously. He predicted the Babylonians would capture Jerusalem. He predicted that the Israelites would stay in captivity for 70 years. All of these things came to pass. But the Levites and priests and the king all were mad at Jeremiah for spreading bad news among the people. During the final siege at Jerusalem, Jeremiah was arrested and thrown into a cistern. A Cushite named Ebed-Melech was the only person in Jerusalem who bothered to convince the king to let Jeremiah go, and he succeeded in getting Jeremiah out safely. And the above verse comes as a piece of God's special message to Ebed.

In essence, the message was God telling Ebed that He was going to crush the city, but that Ebed would get out safely. God says that "I will deliver you on that day." Ebed had the reassurance of God himself that he would "not be given into the hands of those" he feared. Standing up for the right thing resulted in God's delivering hand over his life. I bet he felt a whole lot better about the whole thing when Jeremiah told him what God said. And since it's in the Bible, we can trust that it is also written for us - God will deliver us in our day of trouble as well.

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Day 19: Isaiah 25:4

"For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall." ~Isaiah 25:4 KJV

God doesn't change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The "thou" in this verse is referring to God. So if "thou hast been" it also means "thou art" and "thou shalt be." God has been, is and will be a protector of the poor, and the helpless. God has been, is, and will be a shelter from the storm, shade that shelters us from the heat and a solid wall that shelters us from the blast of blizzardly people.

God protects His people. He shelters them when they need a safe haven from the mess of life. And He won't let us be overcome by the Devil, people, or circumstances. The promise of who God is assures us of that. And sometimes all we need is a little bit of reassurance that God really is there - and He has been, and He will always be with us.

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Day 18: Psalm 27:3

"If an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. If war breaks out, I will trust in the Lord." ~Psalm 27:3 NCV

Remember the scene in "The Two Towers" when Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas get surrounded by the riders of Rohan? Yeah, that's what I see when I read this verse.

I'm a big fan of putting myself in other's shoes. So when I'm glancing around in Gimli's boots, I'm quite intimidated. Here I am, a dwarf (not really a fan of horses) and a hundred-some pony-boys come riding up and point a gazillion spears at my neck. I would be scared. What if Rohan now served Mordor? I wouldn't be expecting to walk away from that.

But David says even if he was in that situation he wouldn't be afraid. That if war broke out, he'd trust God. In David's time, there actually was a chance he'd be surrounded by enemies and wouldn't come back. Wars were commonplace - in fact, Spring was the time of the year that kings most often decided to go out and conquer. If David, who could have spent his time and energy worrying about dying decided to trust God and to not be afraid, can't we choose the same things? Because it's a choice - choose to worry, or choose to trust God.

I try to ask God to help me make good choices everyday. And this is just another choice I have to make when overwhelming thoughts threaten on the horizon of my mind. I choose confidence in my God.

Day 17: Revelation 2:10

"Fear nothing in the days you're about to suffer - but stay on guard. Fear nothing! The Devil is about to throw you in jail for a time of testing - ten days. It won't last forever. Don't quit, even if it costs you your life. Stay there believing. I have a Life-Crown sized and ready for you." ~Revelation 2:10 MSG

Being in a relationship God has everlasting life and supernatural courage, not to mention having the Maker of the Universe for a best friend as added bonuses. But it also puts the greatest enemy into perspective. And when with God... the Devil can't crush you. Satan has been damning humans ever since God made Adam and Eve. He's what you might call a professional. He knows all of the weak spots of the human.

If that's not enough to give some chills, try working those imagination skills! Come to think of it... maybe I need to downplay MY imagination skills. But despite this, God tells us to fear nothing. NOTHING! No matter what that little buster throws at us, it's not forever and it's a test we can't afford to fail. God has already sized our Crown, and it's waiting for us. That is something the Devil can't take away from us.

So we're not just supposed to "fear not." We're called to fear NOTHING! And no, that doesn't mean the absence of anything should terrify us. It means something more along the lines of not being afraid, no matter what is thrown our way.

'Cuz our God is bigger. Do you believe that?

Day 16: Joshua 23:6

"Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses without turning aside to the right or to the left." ~Joshua 23:6 NIV

Apparently it's not easy to obey ALL that is written in the Book of the Law. Thank God I have Jesus today, and don't have to worry about things like being ceremonially unclean, about sacrifices and offerings at the temple and all that stuff.

But I still have a whole Bible of God's instruction. And whereas not all of the laws apply to society anymore (think women wearing headdresses, think sacrifices, think circumcision...) I've still got to live my life by God's law - and I can't turn aside from that law to the right or to the left. God's will is the law that guides my life. And if it was easy to do so, everybody would be doing it. But I've got strength from God, and I've got courage to do what He tells us to. Not because "I'm supposed to do it. Not because "it's right."

It is right. It's God's will. And I am strong enough to do it 120%.

Because that's what God tells me.

Day 15: Luke 1:50

"His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation." ~Luke 1:50 NIV

"His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him." ~Luke 1:50 MSG

It's not very easy to comprehend the "fear of the Lord." It doesn't directly mean that I am afraid of God. It's not like I have to "fear" that He's going to zap me with torrents of lightning if I do something wrong. That's why it's easier to explain using the word "awe," as the Message does. According to dictionary.com, awe is described as: "power to inspire fear or reverence; an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc produced by that which is grand."

See, humanity cannot comprehend God. He's just too big for our puny minds. And our minds are afraid of what we don't understand. That fear produces a proper respect for God, amplified by the sheer awesomness of who He is. And get this, God wants to bless us for it. "His mercy extends to those who fear Him..." God is a merciful God. And whoa! He wants to share that mercy with those who truly love Him. With those who understand what He's all about. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." I'm going to try and be wiser so I can live in the confidence of God's promises to those who fear Him!

Day 14: Isaiah 41:6

"The workers help each other and say to each other 'Be strong!''' ~Isaiah 41:6 NCV

Sounds kinda like a beehive. The worker bees go around working, giving each bee only as much work as it can handle, helping one bee bring back as much pollen from one spot as possible. 'Bee strong!' they might tell each other. (Sorry, I couldn't help it!)

Anyways, moving onto the point. If we are the body of Christ, we should probably be following this example. Let's re-write the above verse in the context of the Church. "The members help each other and say to each other, 'Be strong in the Lord!'" Each member of the body should help other members, to grow, to stand firm, to love Jesus. Each member should encourage other members to "Be strong!" If one member sees another one fall, they should go help them back up again. We're not in this body alone, we're not the only child of Christ. We have siblings, and they might be struggling. So we are to be God's hands and feet and help them through. Help them put their eyes back on Jesus. Help them overcome their struggles. And when it's our turn, they'll help us. It's teamwork. Watch your brother's back. It's God's will, isn't it? Otherwise why would he have given you a brother?

Remember to sow what you want to reap. Sow courage. Reap courage. Ask God to help your brother. It is so important to remember our siblings, because that is a testimony to the world about our Jesus! Do you think the world gets a good image when one brother puts down or completely ignores another? Do you think God is pleased? No! Do you think Satan is? Oooooh yes. And if we're pleasing Satan... we're just giving him another foothold to consume our lives in fear.

Oops. Let's not let that mistake happen in our lives.

Day 13: 2 Kings 19:6

"[Isaiah] said to them 'Tell your master this: the Lord says 'Don't be afraid of what you have heard. Don't be frightened by the words the servants of the king of Assyria have spoken against me." ~2 Kings 19:6 NCV

Words... they convey meaning greater than their individual power. They mean so much more than just a conglomeration of letters. They can inspire courage. And terror.

There are only certain sets of words that we need to actually bother about - and those are the words of God, and words from God. If God says we need to bother about the words of my leaders, I suppose we need to bother about those words too. But that's not the point. The point is that "threats" need to become empty, as long as they're not spoken from the mouth of God. "You're not good enough," my mind tells me. Well. God says I am "fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139) Take that!

If it's not from God, I'm not going to listen. I'm just not going to bother. Who cares? "Don't be afraid of what you have heard," the Lord says through Isaiah. "Don't be frightened by the WORDS the servants of the king of Assyria have spoken against me." Here's the background scoop: Good king Hezekiah of Judah has just received threats from the Assyrian king that they are going to raze Israel. The Assyrian king sends a whole letter of all the times he's been successful, listing all of the reasons Hezekiah is going to fail. Hezekiah sends some officials to find Isaiah, a prophet of the times, and he himself goes into the temple and lays out the letter before God. Isaiah tells the officials the above verse.

My Sunday School teachers always made me memorize Bible verses, and for a long time, I thought it was just because they didn't have anything better for me to do. But it turns out that the more of the Bible we have inside of me, the less of anything else is in there. Parents always said "Garbage in, garbage out," as far as thoughts and what we see and put inside our brain goes. But "Bible in," is going to mean, "Bible out." If we've got God's words coming in, if we have them hidden on the inside, we're not going to think negative thoughts. And if we do, we can counter those thoughts with God's words. And as I've already established, we only really need to bother about what God's words are.

Quite a simple conclusion, I suppose. God's thoughts will not inspire fear, they will inspire quite the opposite - confidence. So thinking God's thoughts means we conquer fear. Quite a deduction, wouldn't you say, Watson?

Day 12: Psalm 91:13

"Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet." ~ Psalm 91:13 KJV

If I had known before this project that the KJV had references to dragons in it... I probably would struggle through a lot more of the old English! Now, what does this have to do with fear... let's see. First of all, it's a promise that we will overcome our enemies. "Thou shalt tread," "shalt thou trample," etc. Be our enemies as powerful as a lion, or as sly as a snake, God says He's got us covered. We're gonna walk all over them! Granted... it doesn't say anything about it being easy. Or simple. Not even in the context does it mention that! But it does say that God will come through.

If I can't convince a dragon to be my pet, at least it won't be able to eat me!

Day 11: 2 Chronicles 15:7

"But it's different with you. Be strong. Take heart. Payday is coming!" ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7 MSG

Israel has a history as sad as Poland's in a lot of ways. Admittedly as God's holy people, they do have so many great things that happened to those who obeyed God. But when they went down the path of unrighteousness - things really got dirty for them. Splitting Israel was one of those times that really tugs my heart. King Asa, a King of Judah, was one of those few kings who did obey God. And God honored that.

In the chapter leading up to this verse, a prophet named Azariah is moved by the Spirit to go tell Asa a couple of promises from God. "God will stick with you as long as you stick with him," he tells the king in verse 2. "If you look for Him He will let Himself be found." Azariah describes the decrepit state of the nation at the time. "At that time it was a dog-eat-dog world," he says in verse 5. "Nation battered nation, city pummeled city. God let loose every sort of trouble on them," verse 6.

"But it's different with you. Be strong. Take heart."

We've got Jesus now - we're different from the world. We once acted like the world - every man for himself. And it's a terribly frightening world to live in. It's always, "What if...?" There's no constant. But it's different now. We've got Jesus. And He says be strong - take heart. "I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33) We might live in the world, but we also live in the one who made the world. And that One is telling us to be strong. To take heart. Payday is coming for the unrighteous, for those who try to tear us away from God. Stand strong until the end!

Take courage, little heart, your God Loves you.

Day 10: Psalm 59:16

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." ~Psalm 59:16 NIV

This verse reminds me of the story of Paul and Silas. That one time in Acts when they were stuck in a prison cell, and they started singing. Singing praise to God. And *crash* all the bonds fall off! The doors are open! I mean, I have a hard time imagining that Paul and Silas experienced exactly 0% fear in all of the time that they served God. Every time they got stuck in another situation they probably had a grumpy feeling in the pits of their stomachs, a wisp of fear in their hearts. But I suspect they had mastered the art of redirecting their fearful thoughts to thoughts of God.

Music is extremely powerful. I recall going on a ski camp three years ago. It was the first time I'd been skiing since I'd been a second grader! I was worried I'd fall and break something (like my left arm, or my legs). I didn't have any poles either, since I was borrowing skiis. And, woe is me, I had learned with poles. Needless to say, I was stressed and anxious. So I sang under my breath - almost the whole time I was on the slopes. Don't ask why, but whenever I was on those Alps, Relient K's "Less is More" was on repeat in my head. And it gave me courage! I was reminded that God was there, watching over me. (More thanks to the fact that it was a worship song than thanks to the lyrics...) I was going down a red slope, the second level, and one of my ski buddies crashed into me. Bloop! Down we both went, me head-first. I crashed onto my chin, and had a horrid jaw-ache afterwards - but I was fine. I firmly believe God's angels were hard at work there, the whole trip.

Often I notice when I'm nervous like that I start singing "Less is More" in my head. That song has become my wordless prayer, the one I sing when things start going over my head. When there's only God to trust, that's the background noise in my head. Playing soccer at recess, I often twist my ankle sorely - that's the song that goes on in my head. Once while playing on the concrete, I tripped over my brother and slammed full speed on my side into the concrete. I couldn't breathe, my body was in such shock. Yup, my inner playlist had singled down to "Less is More."

Moral of the story (and the above verse): when afraid, sing!

I have a feeling that God made our bodies in such a way that when we sing we release tension, causing our muscles to relax, our bodies to release stress and worry. When in a car accident, being loose lessens the chance of a fatality, which is why drunk drivers often come out of the incidents they cause unharmed - an intoxicated body is extremely relaxed, because all of the sensory data is confused and the body is less able to recognize and respond to danger. Strange, but true! (So I've heard, anyways.) If we sing of and to God, who will be a fortress where we can hide, we can remind ourselves that He's hearing, listening and actively taking part in our lives. Besides, praise serves as a great reminder of who's on our side - an awesome, incredibly loving God.

Day 9: 2 Chronicles 20:15

He said, 'Listen to me King Jehoshaphat and all you people living in Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord says this to you: 'Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. The battle is not your battle, it is God's.'' ~2 Chronicles 20:15 NCV

I just love verses that have SO MUCH meaning without any context! But it's not smart to rely on the standalone verse. So, with no ado, we begin the background story!

As we can tell from the verse above, we're already in the point in history when Israel and Judah have split up. Now poor Jehoshaphat has just found out that a joint army combining the forces of Moab, Ammon, and Meun is coming to start a war with him. He's also found out that it's a HUGE army. So he's commanded all of his people to fast in prayer with him. He's gathered them in Jerusalem and they are praying in front of the Temple. While they're praying, a prophet named Jehaziel is filled with the spirit and that's where this verse comes from. These are the words of a spirit-filled Jehaziel.

The first thing he says is "Listen to me!" Seeing as this is the Bible, we can assume that God is always calling to us in times of fear. "Listen to me!" And then He goes on to say "Don't be afraid or discouraged." A direct command! Three, technically.

1) Listen to God

2) Don't be afraid

3) Don't be discouraged.

And why!? Because the battle isn't ours! It's God's! Just like it's not our job to MAKE someone accept Christ, it's not our battle to CONVICT someone of their sins - it's God's job. It's His part to orchestrate. We go show them Jesus and love them as people, and He does the rest. So we don't have to worry or fret about being "good enough" to bring someone to Jesus, we just have to be ourselves - obedient followers of God.

Day 8: Psalm 71:7

"I have become a sign to many; You are my strong refuge." ~Psalm 71:7 NIV

Oh the thousand ways we can empathize with David! He was such a practical dude... Perhaps a bit bipolar, but truly "a man after God's heart." Well, I can always attempt to mimic him and try to become "a woman after God's heart."

I don't like being confrontational. Sometimes it's inevitable, but I really do not enjoy it, especially when it comes to faith. I'd much rather set my light on a hill and let that be my testimony. I'd like to become a sign to many by my lifestyle rather than big talk. I also would rather let my example convict someone else rather than try to tell someone they're sinning. Maybe not the most effective strategy, but I'm learning.

And as far as dealing with fear... when afraid, I want to be reassured, I want to feel safe - I want to find sanctuary from my terror. And God is almost always that refuge, that sanctuary. I try to live by Christ's example, and that example is living through God. I have become a sign to many, and when they decide to bother me about it instead of fearing them I run to God.

Day 7: Joshua 1:18

"Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!" ~Joshua 1:18 NIV

Wh-wh-what!? Wh-wh-what a fascinating verse this is. Standing alone, it's actually kinda intimidating. Which is why one should always consider CONTEXT when reading the Bible. So, a little background check reveals...

Hmm. Moses is dead. And Josh has just been voted the new leader. Actually, God gave him the job. All of the Israelites that sinned against God by not invading the promised land are dead, and a new generation has risen up and is ready to kick out the bad-guys. But, thing is, the Ruebenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had already settled on the one side of the Jordan. All of the other tribes were going to claim land on the other side. When Moses gave the land to these tribes, he made them promise they would help their brothers claim their land on the other side. So, now that Israel is all ready to cross over, Josh has asked for the fighting men of the three (well, two and a half) tribes. The Ruebenites, Gadites and the peeps from Manasseh agree immediately, mobilize their forces, and send a message to Josh saying, "Just as we fully obeyed Moses so we will fully obey you." And that's where this verse is coming from - the end of the message from those two and a half tribes.

See, these tribes knew that God was with Moses, and they knew that God was with Joshua. So disobeying Joshua was like disobeying God, because Josh's orders were coming directly from God. Before Jesus, God was not as prevalent among the ordinary people, He mostly manifested Himself through His prophets, the Levites and leaders, or judges. So in order to follow God's law, one had to be well acquainted with the Torah (basically the first five books of the Bible) or one had to trust the local Levite priest or a prophet or a God-appointed leader.

Essentially the tribes were telling Joshua to stay true to his morals, to God's word - if one of the Ruebenites, Gadites or Manasseh-ites were to disobey his command, they asked him to be "strong and courageous" and to do the right thing: put them to death. Sounds harsh nowadays, doesn't it? But the Israelites were called to be a HOLY people, and God's HOLY Spirit was with them. And since God is a holy God, anything that is not holy is unable to be in His presence - it kinda disintegrates. (Think in Acts when Saphira and her husband lied to the apostles as to how much they sold their house for... it's the same principle. God's HOLY Spirit was so strong that any unholiness was removed instantly, I think.) In any case, that's why this verse is so "extreme."

For all that background, the most I can get out of this verse is to OBEY God, down to the letter, don't let anything stop you from completing His commands. (But make sure they're HIS commands before you go out and do anything violent!) Be strong and courageous as you do so, and encourage your fellow tribes to be strong and of good courage. Yay for building up other Christians! I suppose one just never knows when a good word can save the day...

Day 6: Isaiah 8:13-14

"If you're going to worry, worry about the Holy. Fear God-of-the-Angel-Armies. The Holy can either be a Hiding Place or a Boulder blocking your way, the Rock standing in the willful way of both houses of Israel, a barbed wire Fence preventing trespass to the citizens of Jerusalem." ~Isaiah 8:13-14 MSG

If we're going to choose something to spend our time, energy and resources on, I don't think it should be worrying. Being scared. That's just a waste of precious resources! Precious, nonreturnable time! And though our energy is renewable, worrying and fretting literally DRAIN energy like watching an HD movie DRAINS your iPod battery. Yes, you can recharge it. But it takes a lot more time to recharge the battery from 15% to 100% than from 80% to 100%. If we're going to worry - it might as well be about things that God is actively involved in, something that can make a difference.

And if we have to be scared of something, I'd much rather be scared of an omnipotent God who loves us with a love so deep and wide that it is infinite than of a Satan who hates us just as strongly. God can really be frightening - but ultimately He loves us and everything He does He does to try and get us closer to Him. And if we have Him, there's no need to be afraid of Satan. I'd hate to have God for an enemy - because, as the Old Testament often shows, when God gets mad, oh boy does He get mad! He sent Israel, His own people, into exile twice, and then let the Romans conquer them. I'd much rather live my life so that God is my Hiding Place, living to please Him and love Him with all I am than drift into wickedness that would make Him a barbed wire fence.

So God help me to live a life pleasing to You, a life of faith. *Amen

Day 5: Deuteronomy 7:18

"But I'm telling you, Don't be afraid. Remember, yes, remember in detail what God, your God, did to Pharaoh and all Egypt." ~ Deuteronomy 7:18 MSG

Here we go, another explicit command to "fear not." Yay! I will follow God's directive, I will complete His orders! I love the emphasis He puts on not being afraid - "But I'm telling you." I'm telling you, God will protect you! What are your fears? I'm telling you, God can get you out of it. Don't be afraid, silly!

To continue, Moses (I'm pretty sure he's the one writing Deuteronomy...) reminds us to remember all of the things God has already done for us. It's like learning from someone else's mistake. If they make the mistake, and you learn from it, then you will avoid that mistake and you won't have to learn the lesson for yourself, wasting time and effort and energy by doing so. By remembering what God did for me or Moses in the past, I can predict that He can do it again in the future. The fact that God is "like a photograph, never changing," to quote FM Static, helps here too. God doesn't change, and if He rescued His people in distress yesterday, He'll rescue them today too. And even if God doesn't rescue me in the same way, (He saved Israel from Egypt one way, from Babylon and Assyria in different ways. I mean, it's the same scenario: He's rescuing Israel from bondage to a super-country. But He does it three different ways!) He still will respond to those who call on Him! It reminds me of Narnia... in Prince Caspian when Lucy meets Aslan she wants Him to charge in and save the day. Aslan says, however, that He doesn't ever do things the same way twice. He still saves Narnia, and returns peace to the land. But He didn't charge in the way he did it in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

So, if I'm afraid that at my new school I won't have any friends... I can look back to when I moved to Poland. God provided friends then - some of my best, as a matter of fact. He'll do it again when I move back to America. :) I suppose that's just the way He rolls.

Day 4: Malachi 3:5

"And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts." ~ Malachi 3:5 KJV

The underlying message of this verse is that if I fear the Lord, then "fear not". God will judge those who do wrong, He will be a "swift witness" or as the Message puts it, He will put "compelling evidence against" evil. For the Jews Malachi is writing to, God is saying He will cleanse Israel of "sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit workers, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, anyone who is inhospitable to the homeless," ~MSG.

For me, I believe this is a promise of sorts. If we honor God and follow Him, He will protect us from those described - modern-day sorcerers, adulterers, liars etc. Since I fear God, I should "fear not" God's wrath and judgement.

Sometimes it may seem the whole world is out to get you. Everything comes crashing down at once. This might be a bit stretched from the verse's original meaning, but I believe it guarantees that God will protect us from hypocrites and that we should boldly continue doing what's right - even if it's not the easy thing. Why be afraid of people?

Day 3: Daniel 6:23

"The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." ~Daniel 6:23 NIV

What is the direct opposite of fear? Some would say it's confidence in one's self. I would say it's trust - complete trust in our God. From the faith we have in our God comes self-confidence and God-assurance.

Here's a quick summary to refresh the story: Daniel had been taken to Babylon when Jerusalem fell as Jeremiah prophesied. God had favor on Daniel and three of his friends, who "feared," or had great reverence for God. God moved Danny and his buddies up through the throngs of Babylonian officers, and Daniel became one of the greatest advisers in the kingdom because God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams. God gave Danny great favor with the king of the time, Darius. Now all the Babylonian advisers were jealous of Daniel's position and rise to power, and since he prayed three times a day to God, they hatched up a plan to make praying to any god but the king Darius illegal. The penalty for not observing that law was death in a lion's den.

Once the king had agreed to the law it was a simple matter of catching Daniel in the act of praying to God - because you don't just stop praying to God when the world tries to stop you. In ordinance with his law, Darius had to - though he didn't want to - throw Daniel in the lion's den. Darius was very upset, and as they threw Danny into the den he said "May the God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

Did God rescue Daniel?

Yes, yes He did. He sent angels to close the mouths of the lions. Darius came to check on Daniel, and when he found out that Daniel had survived a whole night in the den he immediately had Danny pulled out and threw the conspirators in!

Lions were considered the most ferocious beast of the time, and for good reason. God made lions killing machines - huge teeth, retractable claws, pure muscle! In the Psalms (and even nowadays) the Lion of Judah is one of the symbols of God. CS Lewis used Aslan, a lion, to allegorically represent God. A lion is a fierce beast.

Standing a good 4 feet tall and an even 8 feet long not including the tail, (that's 120 cm and 230 cm to keep things in perspective) lions are the second largest cat in the world, and at one point in time were as widespread across the world as humans (Wikipedia). Granted, that's apparently 10,000 years ago, when there were a lot fewer humans. So it's not like there were 2 billion lions running around. Anyhow. Try to use your best power of imagination and drop yourself into a dark cave where there are several lions. It is pitch black and you can't see anything except for maybe a crack of light from the opening of the den. The smell of rotting bones and manure fills your nose, and a cold draft blows past your back. It's hot in here though, from all of the bodies of hungry lions. Everything you know about lions is that they're hungry and you're fresh meat. You can't see them, you know they're there and you can just barely hear a few velvety paws padding around you.

The lions probably wouldn't have to kill me, I'd have a heart attack just trying to calm myself down, I'd be so absolutely petrified!

If Daniel can find confidence in God in that, then how can we rationalize our fears? God will provide a way out. We've just got to remember that God is good all the time, and He never gives us more than we can take. Lesson of the day: trust God. And the hard part is that trust is a choice...

Day 2: Joel 2:32

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." ~ Joel 2:32 KJV

When frightened or scared... pray! God is bigger than anything the world can throw at us. So when the world is throwing everything it has at me, I've got to call out to the God who made the world. The verse above was written as a prophecy for the end times. Up to this verse, Joel is foretelling the things that God's spirit will do as the world comes to a close. God will pour out His spirit on "all flesh" - on anyone, not just the Jews (the people Joel was writing to at the time.) Man and woman, old and young, all are able to manifest God's spirit! And now it has passed that whoever calls on Jesus will be delivered, redeemed, however you want to put it. The remnant - the few who stand through to the very end (as it is written in Revelations...) will be / are called by God. And we will call upon Him, and this verse promises all people that God will deliver us when we ask!

So again I emphasize, when uncertain or doubting, when terrified and hopeless, pray! Pray this verse, pray to the God who is bigger than any problem I might have. ASK! Jeremiah 33:3 says "Call to me, and I will answer you." It goes on to say "and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know." Peace, grace, love that passes understanding? We won't know it until we call to God.

God, don't allow me to be too proud to ask You for help when I desperately need it. *Amen.

Day 1: Luke 12:32

"Fear not little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." ~Luke 12:32, KJV

Ah, the first! Let's do a little background check on this verse, shall we? Open up your Bible! This verse is in red, because Jesus is talking. Oh... it's plain old black ink :/ Oh well! Maybe in the Fire Bible it's red... In any case. It might be more expensive to print red ink in addition to black. Hmmm... I have a cheapo Bible :O *Coming back down to doing background checks... Reading in the verses up to this one, we see the world-renowned passage of "God clothes the lilies even more splendidly than Solomon in his full glory... how much more will God clothe you!"

See, God knows what I need. He knows I need food and clothes. And water and a shelter. But He wants me to focus on Him, on furthering His Kingdom! He wants 100% of my focus to be on Him .

Wait, what does furthering His Kingdom mean? ...*thinks hard... It's nothing too hard to explain, I suppose: furthering the Kingdom means drawing more people to Jesus. So to seek the Kingdom means we need to be open to God's guidance, we need to be open to the needs of the people around us so we can point them to God. Jesus is basically telling us that who we are needs to involve sharing Him. Whether that's just being oneself - madly in love with the King - or standing in the middle of the Square and proclaiming "Jesus saves!" that all depends on the person. Ugh... being the center of attention is NOT my personality. I get intimidated by meeting kind and gentle new people... I can't imagine telling strangers that they're gonna go to Hell but Jesus can save them.

As far as applying the verse goes... "God!" I might say. "I'm on a mission! I'm going to the grocery store so I can feed myself! I can't just randomly stop and talk to this crying stranger, I have a Skype call with my friend in India!"

But seeking God's kingdom means I stop and talk, I try to help, I share Jesus' love. It'll turn out that my brother went shopping, and my Skype call was canceled later - if I obey God's call. "But what if this stranger doesn't want my help? I'll just be rejected and laughed at?"

It is God's good pleasure to give us valid opportunities to serve Him. So we shouldn't be afraid to do what's on our heart! And even if we are laughed at, or rejected... so was Jesus! And we are called to be a Christian, to be a "mini Christ." So if they plotted to kill Jesus, if they tried to trick Him and stop Him from doing good... how much more will they do it to me! Actually, that's a rather frightening thought O.o But Jesus also had God with Him - so we will also have the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God all on our side. It's always important to see every side of the box.