What have we to fear?

Most people on this planet have at least one fear. Heights, the dark, bugs, death.

What about Christians? What about the redeemed? We know that we have a place in heaven, so we don't need to fear death. It's rather something to look forward to. (Not in a morbid way or anything, but we're going to be with our Savior and GOD for all eternity, I think that's something to look forward to, don't you?)

So, if we don't fear death, what else is there to be afraid of? I mean really, if it kills us, we go to heaven for all of eternity to live with our LORD and Savior. If it maims us, we wait out our short lives and go to heaven to spend all of eternity with our LORD and Savior. If it's not going to do any phisical harm to us, we live out a normal life and then go to heaven to spend all of eternity with our LORD and Savior.

Our GOD has every detail of our lives already planned out, and HE knows what HE's doing. HE's not going to inflict anything on us for no reason. HE has all power, and dominion, and HE is our strength.

Think about, we have the strength of the one who created the entire universe and all that is within, and holds it together in HIS hand. So, tell me, what do we have to fear?

And why do I need a reason?

A reason to praise GOD. Really now.

We're talking about the GOD that created the universe and all that is in it, who loved us so much when we were unworthy, and sent HIS only Son to die in our place. HE saved us from an eternal separtion from HIM and now we need a reason to praise HIM? Have we lost our minds?

Look outside your window, see that tree, or yard full of grass? GOD made that. He knows every cell and every atom, and subatomic paricle that we can't even see.

Look in the mirror. GOD made that too. HE knows you inside and out, not one hair on your head gos uncounted.

Look in your memories, see those sins you did? Know that wrong that you commited? GOD forgave that. HE forgave you in the most painful way ever, HE died. And then HE took the sins, and put them behind HIMSELF. Behind GOD. That doesn't even exsist, so niether do they.

So when you have to go and ask GOD to prove HIMSELF, that HE exsists, and the HE loves you, and why you should praise HIM, maybe you should just open your eyes. All the proof is right there.

Still need a reason to praise GOD? HE is. That's the only reason we need.

We are SAINTS.

If you are a Christian, a true born again believer of Christ, you are a saint.

I don't like it when people say, "well, I'm just a sinner saved by grace, so I'm going to mess up."

WE ARE NOT MADE TO MESS UP!!!!

Get this, we are completely new in Christ, the old man has passed away and all that. We are to be like Christ, being saved gives us no excuses for messing up. It's still wrong. We should be doing everything in our power to NOT mess up, because it's NOT ok.

We are NOT just sinners saved by grace, and although that might be a very nice song to sing on Sunday's and whatnot, it's not something to take to heart. It's not an excuse, because we are different. We are supposed to be set apart form the rest of the world, but when we say it's ok to keep messing up and not do anything about it, how is that different from the rest of the world??

We are supposed to be holy, as GOD is holy, and making the same mistakes over and over is not part of those quailifications. We are human, and we will fail, but we can avoid repeated failures. We can learn from our own mistakes, and the mistakes of others. Just because someone makes a mistake, doesn't mean you have to make the same one. We don't have enough time to make all the mistakes for ourselves. We shouldn't want to.

We should be striving to be like Christ, and do the things that GOD wants us to do. If we would just listen to what GOD is trying to tell us, so many things wouldn't be happening. Christian homes wouldn't be falling apart at the seams. If we would listen and do, instead of just trying to figure it all out ourselves, how much more we could do in this temparary place.

We are saints. We are different, and set apart. We need to start acting like it.

The things we do.

When GOD calls us to do the things HE has planned, we often look at the things that make us unquailified. To short, to tall, to big, to dumb, to weak, to ugly.

What if other things said that?

What if a leaf said that it didn't belong, and just fell off. That tree would not be the way it was made to be. Well, one leaf may not seem to make that much of a different, but what about ten? Fifty? One hundred? What if half of those leaves on the tree said I'm not good enough and just refused to be there anymore? It wouldn't be a very good tree now would it. It might even be cut down because it seemed to be dying.

What if a thread in an ornate rug said I'm just to ugly to be here, and popped off and left. The whole rug might come unraveled. A whole rug can become worthless because one thread refused to do it's job.

What if a telephone pole just desides that it's to weak to hold up those wires all day long and flops over on the ground? A whole neighborhood could be with power for weeks or more until a replacement is found.

When GOD calls you, HE knows what HE's doing. There's no reason to say no, because GOD is our strength. We cannot see the beauty and purpose for what we are called to do, because we cannot see the whole picture. One thread cannot see the whole rug, and one leaf cannot see the whole tree as it sways in the light of the sun.
We cannot see all the things GOD is doing through us as we sway through the glory of HIS Son.

It's not always easy, and it's sometimes the very last thing we want to do. But that is why GOD is our strength. We can't do it alone, and we don't have to. GOD is with us, and HE promised never to leave us. Even if you can't feel HIM there, HE is. So take heart, and go.