How to Defeat Fear

No one I know would choose to live in fear. But even the most gifted or wealthiest among us do not have all good days, or only sunshine and no shadows, no troubles.

One way to defeat fear is to face it . . . not try to dodge it, or run away from it. Let’s see what Psalm 56:1-13 has to say about it.

David prayed honest prayers while fearing for his life. He told God he was being pursued by men who wanted him dead. They were relentless, planning his demise, lurking about, and always watching him!

Notice three important steps to facing fear: First, he poured out his heart to God and asked for help. Then he declared he chose to trust in God and His word. Last came a decision to control his thoughts; he would not concentrate on his enemies or their evil plans (Psalm 56:3-4, 10-11).

I don’t know where I heard this, but someone said, “When fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer it!” (Perhaps they were familiar with 1 Peter 5:8-9a).

Faith includes trust in God’s word. How well do you know it? Hopefully, you pursue it daily. Read it, make notes, highlight verses that speak to you. That’s when it becomes personal!

What do you do when God answers prayer? David said, “I will praise His word, give thank offerings to God, and walk before Him in the light” (Psalm 56:10-13).

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” And Psalm 40:8 says, “I delight to do your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

We can defeat fear.

Thanks to the internet, we live in a connected world, full of reasons to fear. Some are up close and personal, while others come on the news from far away.

Would I want to return to days without cell phones or internet capabilities? No, and I doubt you would either.

What I want to do is defeat fear by following David’s example: (1) Know God’s word, (2) Trust in it, (3) Pour out my heart, (4) Ask for help, and (5) Control my thoughts.

 Pixabay: Man, Head, Scared Image; PublicDomainPictures.

The Best Bread

In my early years, I lived in a town with a major bakery distributor. On certain days, the sweet smell of freshly-baked bread was strong. To a bread lover like me, the aroma was a pleasure.

Bread has been called “the staff of life” for good reason. Just think of how many ways bread is prepared and eaten around the world. It’s such a life-sustaining basic that some even use the word as slang for “money.”

When I pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), I’m thankful for my daily food, but today God impressed me to value it differently.

Let’s consider a couple of Jesus’ dealings with bread.

During His forty days of temptation and fasting in the wilderness, Satan tried to tempt Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning stones into bread (Matthew 4:1-4). Jesus replied, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

He was concerned with people both spiritually and physically. Take Luke 9:10-17, for example. He was trying to get away with His disciples, but crowds followed them.

Jesus taught spiritual principles for hours and healed many people. As the day was ending, the disciples said, “Send them away so they can go find lodging and provisions.” But, Jesus said, “You feed them.”

"With what?” they asked. "What do you have?" They found five loaves and two fish. After Jesus blessed their meager findings, all the people were fed.

You might eliminate bread and live on a low-carb diet physically. But spiritually, the same principle does not apply. We are to live a balanced life in both areas. 

Healthy spiritual values require taking time to read God’s word.

Some do it in the morning and others in the evening. The issue is not the time of day; the important thing is commitment.

Find time to get deeper into God's word than just a daily devotional. That's more of a snack to keep you going until you can sit down for a meal.

Make it your goal to say like the psalmist, “With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments” (Psalm 119:10).

Pixabay: Bread, Candy, Pies; aureliofoxrj.

How To Make the Best of Our Time

We’re facing a NEW year. Isn’t it great? By the time twelve months have passed, we’re all ready for a new start. Hopes run high for improvements with personal New Year resolutions.

In one of the oldest psalms in the Bible, Moses wrote, “Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14). As a caregiver, I can tell you I gratefully experienced God’s loving devotion and new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

God created time - - - days, years, and seasons - - - but He is not bound to it nor limited by it (Gen. 1:14-18). We’re the ones who live just one day at a time, and each day brings new challenges and a need for more decisions.

In Psalm 90, Moses says our basic life span is 70 years, or perhaps 80 if we’re strong (Psalm 90:10). We often hear of people living beyond 100 years, but the bottom line remains the same. We all live one day at a time, and we cannot count on tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13-17).  

Determine to live your best life this year, one day at a time!

Moses wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).  

And David said that wisdom begins with a healthy fear of the LORD, plus a heart to follow His precepts (Psalm 111:10).

In view of that fact, be wise in perseverance this year:

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes (one day at a time),

even to the very end (Psalm 119:112).

Pixabay: Time, Time Management, Time Planning, geralt.

 

  

Moving On

Have you ever had anything stolen from you? I have, more than once! Here’s how I responded.

First was the theft of my little blue Corvair. I had parked a couple of blocks away from work. At the end of the day, I walked back and couldn’t find my car.

I walked around a couple of blocks before calling the police. Later, they called saying someone had used my car to commit a robbery, then returned it close to where it had been taken. Surprise!

Years later, our VW camper was stolen. After dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, we were shocked to see our van missing! I waited while my husband walked around a couple of blocks. I understood how he felt.

He drove the area for days before the police informed him it was parked behind some apartment buildings. It was nice to get it back, but it was stripped of all our camping gear, right down to the bare bones. We sold it not long after.

Twice we had our home broken into. The first time, I went overboard on engraving our possessions. I remember thinking nobody’s ever going to steal from me again! Wishful thinking!

We moved to another state, and it happened again. This time, we reported stolen goods; however, nothing ever turned up when the police asked us to check out recovered items.

I decided it was time to move on. First, I poured out my heart to God. Then I asked for His peace and protection. I released the things we had lost and thanked Him for what we had.

If you’re wondering what brought these experiences to mind, it was John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. The thief is Satan.

On the other hand, the same verse says that Jesus has come to give us a better life. Unlike Satan, He will never mistreat us.

A New Year is coming. Has everything gone well for you this past year?

I doubt it, because troubles come to all of us. The question is, will we hang on to disappointments and frustrations, or will we move on and seek God for better things to come?

Why not pursue healthy spiritual growth this year with a daily reading of His Word and Prayer? Have a happy NEW year!

Unsplash by Boliviainteligente, Ano 2026, ano Nuevo2026.  

Realities of Christmas: Part Two

I hope you took time to read the scriptures I shared last week. This week, I want to share three realities of Christmas. I will not repeat last week's scriptures; however, I will note new ones.

FAITH

Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Imagine, then, how it pleased God to find a young couple full of faith. Joseph responded obediently to heaven-sent dreams, and Mary responded to an angelic visitor. Though His message seemed impossible, she said, “I’m the Lord’s servant. Let this happen as you have said.”

The shepherds were terrified to see angelic messengers. Yet, once the angels were gone, they encouraged one another to put forth the effort to check the message for themselves.  

By faith, the wisemen made a long journey, bringing gifts to be presented to the newborn king whose star they kept in sight. When they inquired of Herod, he knew to ask the chief priests and scribes where Christ was to be born.  The religious leaders knew the scriptural answer, but put forth no effort to have faith in it.

Simeon and Anna, both devout believers, waited by faith, even into old age, to see the promised Savior and Redeemer.

 GIVING 

True faith results in a positive response. There are many examples beyond the Christmas story. In Hebrews Chapter 11, do you see how faith was expressed as Abel offered God the right sacrifice? How about when Noah built an ark, or when Abraham offered Isaac upon the altar, or Moses refused to be called the son of a king’s daughter?

OBEDIENCE

Joseph and Mary, after eight days, took Jesus to be circumcised and named. They also took Him to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord, along with the required sacrifice. Scripture says, "When Jesus' parents had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Nazareth."

Do you have faith in God’s word? Do you show it by your actions? That requires a giving of self, putting forth some effort to obey. 

As James says, here’s the bottom line: I will show you my faith by my deeds (James 2:18).

Pixabay: Poinsettia, Leaves, Beautiful Flowers; Sandid.

Realities of Christmas: Part One

What do you really know about Christmas? I was recently at a Christmas celebration where they played a game of questions about Christmas. I was appalled to learn that some of my answers weren’t from the Bible at all. I had picked up many ideas from stories and movies about Christmas.

I vowed to go back to the Bible for a fresh start. I challenge you to do the same!

Ecclesiastes 3 says there's a time for everything. During the next 7 days, take time to connect with these scriptures. You don’t have to read them all at once!

Make use of your Bible, an app on your phone, or an audio version.

MATTHEW

1.       Matthew 1:18-25: God deals with Joseph, betrothed to Mary, God’s chosen Mother of His Son.  

2.       Matthew 2:1-12: The wisemen came looking for a young child, not a baby in a manger.

3.       Matthew 2:13-23: God warns Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt; after King Herod’s death, they return to Nazareth.

 LUKE

1.       Luke 1:5-25 and 1:57-80: God gives a baby (John) to a godly couple (Zechariah and Elizabeth) well beyond child-bearing years. He would be the one to announce Jesus’ ministry (Luke 3).

2.       Luke 1:26-45: Gabriel’s heavenly announcement to Mary and her visit to Elizabeth.

3.       Luke 1:46-56: Mary’s song of rejoicing in the majesty and wonder of what God is doing!

4.       Luke 2:1-20: Joseph and Mary must go to Bethlehem to register for Caesar Augustus’ census. The shepherds receive an angelic message and make an effort to check it out for themselves.

5.       Luke 2:21-24: Joseph and Mary’s care of Jesus included being faithful to their religious teachings.

6.       Luke 2:25-38: Simeon and Anna, two faithful and elderly believers, rejoiced to see this child who would bring redemption and salvation.

7.       Luke 2:39-40: Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth, having done everything required by the Law of the Lord, and as the Child grew, the grace of God was upon Him.

Movies have their place, and I wouldn’t want to be without them; however, this year, join me in taking time to review God’s own message to us!

Pixabay: Christmas Nativity Scene, Crib Image; garten-gg.   

 

Christmas Hearts and Hands

There are all sizes and shapes of clocks in the world. But they all have one thing in common. It's what's inside that makes the hands go around.

We have a large and lovely decorator clock in our living area. As much as we have enjoyed the outer beauty, its unseen inner workings are the important thing. Thanks to movements in the heart, the clock’s hands go around, treating us to a short melody every hour.

The Apostle James wrote, “I’ll show you my faith by my deeds” (James 2:18). Faith is like the inner workings of our spiritual heart that moves our hands to do things. He wanted faith to produce some good deeds, something that would meet needs and bring people joy.

He gave us some practical illustrations (James 2:14-18). It’s not enough to say, “Go in peace, keep warm and be well fed.” If you are aware of a need, activate your faith. Do something!

In December, people’s hearts seem more motivated to give. Hands generously drop dollars into red kettles, collect items for food banks and toy drives, and buy gifts to meet needs on Angel Trees.

These donations are important and bless many, but charitable institutions and ministries meet needs all year. That’s why, like the inner workings of a clock, our heartfelt giving should not simply be seasonal!

It’s not necessary to produce good deeds as regularly as the hourly tunes on our anniversary clock, but when it comes to helping others, there's no need to have only Christmas hearts and hands.

Don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution!

Resolve now to be motivated from heart to hands . . . to meet needs and show your faith. . . all year long!

Pixabay: Hand, Time; geralt.