Gene Markland

 Don’t forget to dream. Imagine what works the Lord will do through you. The Bible shows us how repeatedly that the Lord will work through ordinary fallible people to accomplish His purpose. So dream, think about how you, yes you, may become part of the doing while believing. Remember how thousands of hungry people were blessed with food by the Lord’s generous miracle. We’re also shone how Lord Jesus used the twelve disciples to carry out the feeding? That same Jesus will also use you to meet peoples’ needs, and bless them…for Him. 

Who would aspire to carry a large basket of food and distribute it to hungry people? Not so glamorous, right. But the how many of us would like to be part of a gigantic miracle that people talk about through eternity? So dream, dream big for who knows where your dreams will carry you when you a serving the Lord Jesus?

 “Fear not!” The Angel says to virtually everyone to whom he appears. When the news arrives, the messenger is sometimes more scary than the news. So today the news is scary to so many and like the Bible predicted so long ago, we are living in a time where “ mens hearts are failing them for fear.”

The world is not at peace, and actually it’s more like a stirring cauldron of war, violence, famine, natural disasters, and evil of unspeakable dimensions. If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, then His peace is available to you. But if not, then your peace is hard to come by. 

Remember when The Disciples were tossed about in the raging sea and it looked like they were going to die, Jesus came walking on the water to save them. He exercised His mastery over the wind and the waves and walked on the water to save His people, then commanded the wind and waves to be peaceful and still. He’ll walk on water for you if necessary and take charge over the horror that you are facing. He says to us, “Fear not!” Look to Him and not the circumstances which surround and threaten you. Fear not.

Phil was a man of faith, devotion to God, and of prayer. He would have many a conversation with God but the trouble was that it was mostly a one way conversation. For you see Phil had great fear of the Lord possibly calling him to step out of his comfort zone and become a doer of the word and not just a hearer. How many well intentioned lovers of God are satisfied and yet complacent in their do nothing lifestyle. 

Sure, church attendance etc is good and needed, but what about the thing, yes the thing that God has actually called you to? Many hear the call,  but turn a deaf ear, and pretend not to hear it. Content with their complacency, they continue with the idea that one day, one day it will be convenient. It will be better. Then they will do great things for God. He may not be calling you for great things, such as reaching the whole world. He’s calling you for anything. Don’t wait for the opportunity given you to do great things, just do something. We know that the longest journey begins with the first step. But the fear of the first step can be crushing. 

Be open to the call of God. He never calls someone whom He doesn’t also enable. Don’t be so frozen and stuck in perceived inadequacies that you miss the greatest adventure in your life. Be open!

 Callie was a young woman who was mostly strong in her faith, but could not shake self doubt. She believed the Bible and in Lord Jesus, but felt so unworthy. The world around her offered so many temptations and distractions that she often doubted whether she would be counted worthy at the Lord’s appearance. 

Even though she was given the gift of prophesy and blessed many people in church and out, sometimes the thoughts in her mind condemned her over the slightest failure. The Bible teaches us that’s it is the work of Lord Jesus on the cross that gives us eternal life…freedom from sin and death.  His doing not ours. 

The Bible also says, “Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7-9)

Cast your cares, your doubts, and your fears upon Him for He cares for you. And you will have a glorious ending.

This year there is a phenomenon happening in college campuses all over the United States and in various places around the world. This phenomenon is a spontaneous revival. Started by young people who felt the urge to tarry after chapel services and pray. These prayer services were initiated by young souls asking God for forgiveness. True repentance ensued. A supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit of God descended and engulfed the worshippers and now people of all ages come searching to be part of the presence and kindness of God. So far it is continuing 24/7 around the world. How long will this last? Only God knows. The Bible says, 

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.“ (Romans 15:13)

What? Pay my taxes? Oh now you’ve gone to meddling in my business! What? The Apostle Paul is the one telling me in the Bible? Oops. Here’s what he wrote, 

“Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.” (Romans 6-7)

You know, most people don’t look at it that way. The Bible says that God sets people in authority over us and that we are to respect them and honor the law, for that is God’s will. Remember even Jesus said to render to Cesar what is Cesar’s and to God what is God’s. 

But the government wastes so much money you say? I agree but look at what the government does to help and bless people, as well as employ thousands of fellow citizens. It may not be perfect but pray that your contribution goes for the right usage. God sees and knows. He is the ultimate judge. 

Are you ever disappointed with yourself? Do you ever sit in church and feel badly because the truth is that you have compromised with one foot in the ways of the world, and the other foot in the ways of the Lord? Listen friend, it’s a part of becoming a mature Christian. The conviction of the Holy Spirit will point you in the right direction…if, you listen. Flood your mind with the word of God and earnestly desire to be more like Jesus, and God will disclose His will for you. Eventually as you change the way you think, the ways of the world will cease to interest you as you experience the ways of God, and the true blessings which will unfold in your life.

The Bible says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Have you ever heard it said by a Christian or even a Pastor in church that “God is a good God! Sometimes that saying bugs me and here’s why. First of all God is the only God. There are none above Him or even to compare. He is not one of many Gods so He cannot be a good God, He is THE GOOD GOD. The other thing is who among us is qualified to state whether He is good or not? Of course we know that He is good. The Bible says that He is good and the only one who is good. So many of us have experienced his goodness. Yet who am I to judge Him and His goodness? Now I’m not putting down anyone who says that God is a good God because I believe their heart is in the right place. I mean I’ve sang the song that says God is a good God, yes He is. I just think that we can get close to Him and so familiar that we lose the realization of His magnificence. 

The Bible says, “For who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” (Romans (11:34-36)

I spoke with a young man once who was a faithful Christian, a church goer, and yet he was worried that when he died he wouldn’t be allowed Into heaven. When I asked why he felt that way, he told me because of his past. He felt the guilt and shame of his past. How many of us, if we dwelled on the past, wouldn’t feel the same way. It gets down to this, do we believe the Bible, the word of God or not? The Apostle Paul wrote the following.

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”(Romans 10:9-10, 13)

There it is. Shed the guilt because you have been made “not guilty” by God Himself. You’re free! Rejoice!

Dwayne was a man who struggled with thoughts of fear. “What if this happens? What if someone does this?” One day his worries came home to roost when he fell and injured himself. While in the hospital he had fearful thoughts. Why me? How can I work and pay my bills? Who will take care of my family? Worries flooded his mind until he turned to the Lord Jesus. He asked the Lord to help him and immediately the peace of God flooded his soul as the Lord brought back to his memory His promise from the scriptures.

 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. – power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8-38-39)

Dwayne discovered that the love of God toward us, and His word as recorded in the Bible, washes our spirit, soul, and body with His peace as we turn to Him as our fear blocker.