Why We Truly Don’t Need to Fear This World
Casting our cares upon Him is trusting in Him to truly watch over us and take care of us no matter what we may face. We need not fear, dear Christian. We need not fear. Our peace is found in Christ.
It is a beautiful and comforting thing to open the Word of God in times of confusion and uncertainty and to be reminded and reassured of God’s instruction to not fear. It can seem easier said than done in this world to not be anxious or fearful in light of what we see before our eyes and hear with our ears.
However, as believers in Christ, we trust in the One we cannot presently see before our eyes. We trust in His promise of eternal life as we live in the now and not yet of that promise. We trust in His Word that is more certain and truthful than anything else. When God says not to fear, we can trust Him because He is not a man that He should lie.
Turn on the news any day of the week, and you will quickly find a reason for us to become anxious, angry, frustrated, or fearful. The times in which we live can certainly cause us to lean more on our understanding or to feed on the lack of understanding or confusion perpetuated among us.
I do not know about you, but it can be daunting and emotionally tiring thinking on the issues in our country. It can be heartbreaking to see the things taking place overseas, and feelings of helplessness for those who are suffering are real and for some, overwhelming.
And yet, though we have legitimate concerns and emotions, those of us who are believers in Christ can be in the midst of chaos, upheaval, and turmoil and be without fear because of Almighty God.
Where is the best place to turn in these times for encouragement, peace, and clarity? The best place to turn is to the Word of God. We can read time and again of God encouraging His people to not fear and to trust Him, and we can be encouraged by these words from God as those who are His people.
Fear Not the World
We find one of the first utterances to encourage the people of God in Exodus 14 in the account of God saving His people from Pharoah by parting the Red Sea. God used Moses to encourage the people to trust in the Lord while Pharoah drew near.
Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:13-14).
Moses encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous and to not fear or be in dread of the people whose nations would be conquered by God on their behalf. He assured Joshua that God would not leave them or forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Verse 8 in this same chapter goes on to say, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
We find that David encouraged his son Solomon in 1 Chronicle 28:20 to not be fearful in doing the work of serving the Lord in building the temple, telling him that the Lord would not leave him. We also see numerous examples from the psalmists in times of distress and fear being comforted by God.
Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 94:19 says, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
Psalm 55:22 encourages us to cast our burden on the Lord and as we do, He will sustain us while not allowing us to be moved.
We can do as the Psalmists did in understanding that when we are afraid, we can place our trust in the Lord. (Psalm 56:3) The Word of God is such a comfort to us because we know it to be true.
He Is Victorious
In the New Testament, we see Jesus Christ reiterating similar words found in the Old Testament, which I find interesting. He tells His disciples He will not leave them nor forsake them and to not fear. He encourages them with His peace He gives that the world cannot give. He tells them their hearts are not to be troubled nor to fear (John 14:27).
In the Sermon on the Mount, He instructs those listening to “not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Words such as this minister to us even today as we face some of the things we do.
If Jesus tells us in His Word not to worry about tomorrow, then we need not worry. This seems easier said than done, but we have a wonderful Savior who has never left us nor forsaken us. We need not be anxious about our life when we are secure in Christ Jesus.
The epistles offer great instruction for us to glean from and to apply to our lives as we endure hardships and face uncertainty in this world. Philippians 4:6-7 has been a personally encouraging passage in the trials of life and in times of impending anxiousness,
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
These are such beautiful words to remember daily. Peter tells fellow believers to cast all our cares and anxieties upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Casting our cares upon Him is trusting in Him to truly watch over us and take care of us no matter what we may face. Our peace is found in Christ.
What Does This Mean?
Our hope is found in Christ. Our faith rest solely in Christ alone. He truly gives peace the world cannot give or comprehend. If we should suffer for righteousness’ sake, we are to have no fear of those who do such things (1 Peter 3:14). We can rest in the Lord through every season and every moment.
Be encouraged by the Word of God daily. If you have to shut off the news and every other reminder of this fallen world around you, do that and get alone with God in His Word. Meditate on His promises and His faithfulness. We need not fear, dear Christian. We need not fear because the Bible tells us so.
For further reading:
How Is God Not the Author of Fear?
5 Powerful Verses for When You’re Struggling with Fear
Why Has God Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear?
What Does it Mean ‘Fear Not for I Am with You’?
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Iyan Kurnia
Why Is Christianity Perceived to Be: ‘White Man’s Religion’?
Why Is Christianity Perceived to Be a ‘White Man’s Religion’?
While there is a widely held belief that following Jesus is restricted to white men, this is not found in God’s Word. The Lord created all people in His image and desires all people to enter a saving relationship with Him.
In the short story, The Soft-Hearted Sioux, Native American writer and political activist, Zitkala-Sa wrote about a Sioux Indian becoming a Christian. The young Sioux man adopts Western forms of clothing and thinking because he was taught at a mission school that to be Christian was to receive the white man’s “soft-heart,” (Zitkala-Sa. “The Soft-Hearted Sioux.” Norton Anthology of American Literature: Shorter Ninth Edition. Ed. Robert S. Levine).
Because of his failure to distinguish between Western culture and the truth of Christianity, the young Sioux brought problems to his tribe, which cost him his life.
Sadly, many people across the world have bought into the lie that Christianity is a “white man’s religion.” Despite the misuse of the Bible and misrepresentation of Christianity by past and present Christians, being a follower of Christ is not restricted to white people or males.
Instead, all people can place faith in Jesus. To combat the erroneous view that Christianity is a white man’s religion, believers need to be more intentional about promoting diversity in their churches and by going out into the world to make disciples of all people from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
The Development of the Idea of the ‘White Man’s Religion’
Many people in history wrongly mixed Western, “white” culture with Christianity. For instance, some colonizers and missionaries in America sought to “Christianize” the Native American people through mission schools, which taught them the gospel and forced them to adopt Westernized forms of clothing and behavior as a part of being a Christian.
As was shown in the example of The Soft-Hearted Sioux, Zitkala-Sa mistakenly equated Christianity with Western culture. Sadly, Zitkala-Sa and many other Native Americans were repulsed by the gospel because of the mixture of Christian teaching and Westernization promoted by society and missionaries.
Similarly, other ethnicities around the world have also developed the same idea that Christianity is equal to Westernized culture or America. Some missionaries from England and America in the past forced their own customs and culture onto Native peoples, leading to the idea that being a Christian meant adopting the Western culture, such as clothing or worship style.
Also, the problem of slavery and racial segregation intensified the belief that Jesus was a “white man’s God.” Despite the work of many Christians who were the primary fighters for the abolition of slavery and racial equality, there were some Christians who misinterpreted and misused verses to support their racist views.
Despite these misrepresentations of Christianity in the past, Scripture is clear that all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). All ethnicities are equal in the sight of God. The Lord and His Word do not condone slavery or favoritism of any ethnic group, culture, or skin color.
Instead, He desires all people to be saved by placing faith in His Son (1 Timothy 2:4). Every single person was made to glorify Christ in their unique way (Isaiah 43:7).
Diverse Followers of Christ
When studying the beginning of Christianity in Scripture, the diligent student will quickly recognize the diversity of believers from Christianity’s inception. First, Jesus and His early followers were ethnically Jewish. They were not white but were people of color.
Scripture never describes the appearance of Jesus or His disciples as white, light-haired, or resembling modern Caucasian people. In fact, Lord Jesus is never physically described in Scripture, probably because of the human tendency to create carven images or idols (Exodus 20:4).
In the Book of Acts, many people from various countries were present when Peter gave his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:6-11). About three thousand people became believers after responding to Peter’s evangelistic sermon, which would have included the various people from other countries (Acts 2:41).
Also, a man from Ethiopia is specifically mentioned as becoming a Christian through the evangelism of Philip (Acts 8:27-39). Likely, the Ethiopian man went back to his country and spread the gospel (Acts 8:39).
Furthermore, Paul spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, which would have caused many different ethnic groups to hear the good news and become followers of Christ (Acts 28:14-16, 30-31).
In addition to being ethnically diverse from the beginning, there were also many early followers of Jesus who were women. Mary Magdalene was one of the first evangelists who spread the good news of Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:17-18).
Also, many women are specifically mentioned in Acts as believers in Jesus, including Tabitha (Acts 9:36), Lydia (Acts 16:11-15), Damaris (Acts 17:34), and Priscilla (Acts 18:2-3), among others. In addition, Phoebe is mentioned in Paul’s epistle to the Romans as a “deacon” or “servant” (Romans 16:1-2). Men were not the only disciples of Christ.
Thus, Scripture indicates that there were diverse followers of Christ from different ethnicities and backgrounds, both men and women, Jews, and Gentiles (Galatians 3:28).
In fact, Revelation mentions that, in the future, Heaven will contain people “from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9, NIV). As the Apostle Peter once realized, God does not show favoritism (Acts 10:31).
The Church’s Need to Become Diverse
Churches need to encourage ethnic and cultural diversity in their congregations. Doing so not only properly embodies the truth that Jesus died for all people (1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:2), but also makes all people feel welcome within church buildings.
If people in a church building are all homogenous, then people who do not look like them will not feel welcome. Instead, they will feel out of place and awkward.
Also, the church will need to be intentional about including and affirming people of all ethnicities. A variety in worship style, Bible teaching, and fellowship meetings will prove helpful in appealing to all types of people, regardless of skin color or background.
Congregations should avoid showing favoritism, rather in terms of ethnicity or socioeconomic status (James 2:1).
Finally, Christians should seek to spread the gospel to all people, not just those within their own geographical location. Jesus said to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).
Instead of meaning “races” or geopolitical nations, Jesus’ command means making disciples of people from all ethnic and language groups around the world. Therefore, participating in world missions is another way to promote ethnic and cultural diversity in the church.
The Savior of All People
While there are many people around the world who believe that following Jesus is restricted to white men, this is not found in God’s Word. The Lord created all people in His image and desires all people to enter a saving relationship with Him.
In fact, Jesus died for all people, not just a select ethnic or cultural group. From the earliest New Testament times, followers of Christ have included a diverse group of followers from people of various ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Jews, Gentiles, the rich, the poor, men, and women throughout history have followed Jesus as His disciples. Instead of focusing on making the church look more like one type of person, Christians need to encourage diversity in their churches so their congregation will more closely resemble the worshipers of Heaven, who come from places all around the world.
What Is Christianity?
https://www.christianity.com/god/jesus-christ/the-basics/what-is-christianity-alex-crain.html
There’s much confusion about what Christianity actually is, who can be considered a Christian, and how a person becomes one. Here’s a brief look at how the Bible answers that.
Yom Kippur — the holiest day of the year begins TONIGHT.
Yom Kippur — the holiest day of the year — begins TONIGHT.
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Blinken brought into TEARS by Rand Paul at hearing
https://youtu.be/7ea26lzAycM
