In my life, I have discovered that when it comes to the choices of fear and faith, it’s not always one or the other. Life produces fear, it’s an emotion we feel, but with God’s help, I can choose faith anyway. Though I may feel fear, I choose to trust God.

Main Points:

1. As Christians, we acknowledge that fear is a choice. We can also make another choice. It’s the decision to live by faith.

2. Having faith doesn’t diminish the reality of what we are facing, it doesn’t deny it or sweep it under the rug. Faith is not pretending the hard times aren’t there. Faith is choosing to believe that God is with us in our battle and that the ultimate outcome is in His hands. He is involved in every detail of our lives.

3. Faith brings God into the equation. As I face my fears, I remember what the Bible says about God’s character and his power. God is both loving and strong. He is compassionate and powerful.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 23:4 - “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

Psalm 86:15 - “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Ephesians 3:20 - “God…is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”

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

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There is a very common type of fear identified in the Bible that is not talked about much. It is the fear of man. It’s a fear of people and it can include intimidation, peer pressure, social anxiety, isolation, and insecurity. The fear of man can lead us to make choices that aren’t right for us or avoid making decisions at all.

Main Points:

1. When we are filled with the fear of man we are no longer focused on God, his presence, and his power in our lives. The fear of man leads us to a place of bondage and enslavement. We become slaves to our fears and unable to move forward.

2. The fear of man asks: What do people think of me? Will they accept me? What if I’m rejected? What if they don’t like what I’m doing? How can I face something like that?

3. The will of God for your life is peace and rest. God’s will is for you to live with confidence in your Heavenly Father’s love. When we fear others we live for their approval. As believers, we are to live for the approval of God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 29:25 - “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”

Hebrews 13:6 - “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Galatians 1:10 - “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Psalm 27:1 - “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”

Proverbs 14:27 - “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

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I discovered that Jesus could offer me something that nothing or no one else could offer. He could quench my spiritual thirst. He offered me a relationship. He offered me purpose for my life. As I began to sincerely follow him, my life was filled with contentment. I realized that Jesus could satisfy the thirst and the longing that I had inside.

Main Points:

1. You and I have experienced physical thirst. But we have another kind of thirst. It’s spiritual thirst, and yes everyone experiences it, sometimes without realizing it. Inside all of us there is a thirst that nothing in this world can satisfy. There is a thirst within us that only God can fill.

2. All of us have tried to satisfy our thirst. If a person is thirsty, they are going to search for water. It’s the same way with our spiritual thirst. We are all looking for a way to quench our thirst. We search for meaning and purpose through a person, through possessions, or by pursuing pleasure…only to find that our souls are still parched.

3. We experience this living water when we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. It’s only then that we can experience the satisfaction of our thirst being quenched.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

John 6:35 - Jesus says, “He who believes in me will never thirst.”

John 7:37-38 - : “‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’

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According to the Joshua Project, there are still 7,415 unreached people groups around the world. An unreached or least-reached people is a people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group without outside assistance.

Main Points:

1. Why should we care? Why should this be a priority for the church? Because we are compelled by our Savior to reach them. We have been given this mission. This is what matters to God.

2. There must be within the body of Christ an urgency to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. The gospel must be urgent to us because it is urgent to God. Can I ask you, “Is the work of missions and evangelism urgent for you?”

3. What if every Christian took the Great Commission seriously? What if every Christian prayed for the lost, for our missionaries, and the unreached? What if every Christian gave financially each month to ensure that everyone around the world had access to the gospel message? What if every Christian took steps of faith to witness for Christ?

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Matthew 28:19-20 - “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

2 Peter 3:9 - (God does not want) “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

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From generation to generation, the Word of God endures. It is timeless in its relevance. It speaks to the hearts of men, women, teenagers, boys, and girls. Seasons come and go, but the Scripture is still powerful in its application to the human condition.

Main Points:

1. The Word of God we have is precious. God has spoken and we have it in print and in digital form. It cannot and will not be destroyed. The Word of God is eternal because God is eternal.

2. God was the primary author of the Bible; He was the One who inspired the writers to speak truths. He was the initiator. God was the source, the writers were the recipients.

3. We can approach the Word of God today with confidence in its accuracy, relevance, and its power to endure. It is the eternal Word of God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 40:8 - “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Matthew 24:35 - “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

1 Peter 1:25 - “but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.”

Psalm 119:89 says, “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

2 Peter 1:21 - “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…”

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Offense is a growth opportunity. How will you respond when another Christian hurts you? Will you become offended and bitter? Will you ignore them and refuse to talk with them? Will you leave the church in an attempt to find a better one? Or, will you allow the experience to become a tool that helps you grow spiritually?

Main Points:

1. Every Christian is in process. We are not who we used to be, but we are not yet what we will be in Christ. We are learning and we are growing, but we are not yet perfect. Sometimes we make mistakes, we react, we get frustrated, and we say things we shouldn’t.

2. We can’t use our imperfections as an excuse. We have to own our behavior, ask God for forgiveness, ask others for their forgiveness and seek to reconcile. The mistakes then become an opportunity for our spiritual growth.

3. No one is immune to the challenges that come from relationships, even those among believers. We will all face them. Yet, there is so much growth that can occur in our character as we continue to love, pray, forgive, and sometimes confront.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Luke 6:28 - “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Ephesians 4:32 - “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Proverbs 19:11 - “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

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Character is never built in a classroom. Character is built in the circumstances of life. God builds character in our lives by allowing us to experience situations where we are tempted to do the exact opposite of the character quality. Character development always involves a choice. When we make the right choice, our character grows more like Christ.

Main Points:

1. We don’t know why tragic circumstances happen in our lives. We don’t know why accidents happen. We don’t know why people receive bad news from the doctor. Life and its difficulties comes to us all. Live long enough and you will experience suffering.

2. God will use every circumstance of our lives to help us be more like Jesus. If you think back over your life you’ll realize that you have grown through the things you suffered.

3. Christ-like character is the goal of the Christian life. To settle for anything less is to miss the point of spiritual growth.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Isaiah 43:2 - “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

Hebrews 5:8 - “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.”

Romans 8:28 - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:29 - “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”

Ephesians 4:13 - We are to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

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Do you ever wonder what God is up to? When there is a path forward that seems to be logical, rational, and reasonable, yet God takes another path? What is God’ doing? Where is He taking us? These are questions we all ask. But here is a better question for us to consider: Will we trust God’s plan? Will we trust our lives to a sovereign God who sees and knows all things?

Main Points:

1.Our decision to trust God comes down to our belief in his goodness. If you truly believe God is good, that his is loving, and that what he does is always right, you are more likely to trust him.

2. The longer you serve God, the more you realize that God’s ways don’t always make sense to us. He knows and sees what what we do not. If you are waiting for God to make sense to you, it’s not likely you will trust Him. This is a faith journey. Will you believe? Will you put your complete trust in him?

3. Whatever you are facing today remember that God knows and that He has a plan. Decide to trust Him. Let His plan for your life unfold.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Mark 4:37-38 - “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

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