Instructions from the Bible

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them,for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Some people say the Bible instructs us to “not worry” and to “fear not” 365 times — that's one reminder for each day. But as motivational as that may sound, it’s not an accurate number. What is true is Christ’s command to “fear not”, being the most repeated phrase in His Word. Maybe that's because He knows the effect worry and fear have in driving us to the point of despair and hopelessness; the effect of thinking we are on our own to figure things out.

Oh, how well He knows His creation and the condition of the world in which we inhabit! In the face of challenges and uncertainties, the strength of our faith in God alone, is our strongest ally. Standing strong in our belief of God’s promises, not because they make us feel better, but because they are true and reliable!

Yes, the world can be a frightening place, but when we walk IN and WITH the One who created it; the One who knows and controls it all, we can diminish the stronghold of worry by practicing, Philippians 4:4-7:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”.

We have a choice on what we allow our thoughts to dwell on and as Paul continues to encourage us, he reminds us of this in Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you”.

Cathleen Reimsnyder

First Impressions Team