Fear
I’ve been in Perth this week and never before have I become so aware of how fear can take over people’s lives, and it seems to me, stop them from any form of independent thought process. Not only in relation to this current Covid crisis but in a variety of other areas as well including climate change, global warming, the Chinese threat, American politics, the financial system etc etc! I was reminded of Revelation 13
Revelation 13:1-10
The Beast out of the Sea
13 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.”
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people
Have a look as verse 4, People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” Authority was given to the Beast so they worshipped the beast! They said “who can wage war against the beast” They feared it……, it had the authority and so they followed it. So just like in any dictatorship you have studied in history if you have people in fear and not questioning authority you can lead them like sheep being led to the slaughter. So this is a timely reminder that calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people
Fear seems to suspend our thought processes. God draws us through love not fear- because we know that perfect love casts out all fear. What we are going through is not the end of the world, God has a plan for us.
Just on that point of end times we know from Daniel 2 and 7 that there still needs to be 10 Kings ruling, that Israel has to still enter into a treaty where they will again worship at the temple.
Matt. 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Bottom line; If you see a covenant made with Israel allowing them to offer sacrifices on the Temple Mount, then we know we have 7 years left before the second coming of Jesus .
We need to remember that God is in control!
Charles Spurgeon once wrote
“I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes – that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens – that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence – the fall of leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche.”
In terms of epidemics just look at a recent list
So we will get through this we just have to trust God!- We will get through this as we have done many times before!
As Revelations 13:10 says “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people”!!
But I want to address a scripture that has brought me more than a little trepidation, dare I say it, fear!- until very recently!
John 15:1-8 New King James Version
The True Vine
15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you[b] will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. So my fear/ concern was this, if I bear no fruit clearly I’m going to be cut off, thrown into hell and burned! Every time I read this the same concerns and doubts came to trouble me. It seemed clear to me, if I did not reach a particular standard, the off to be burned I go! And clearly this is not biblical!
So lets just have a closer look at this scripture. To put it in context, if you look at John chapters 14 and 16 Jesus is talking about the believers in the Church and the work of the Holy Spirit in the church. So here too we are talking about the vine being the body of Christ with the branches being the believers and the Father being the gardener or vineyard manager if you like. We should note that Jesus is talking about believers not unbelievers! The branches are the different types of disciples. The branches are in the vine, the vine being Jesus
We read in Rom. 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Believers are in Christ
So while we may be in Jesus, we may be a disciple, but we may not bear fruit.
Some people have read this details and come away with the assumption that Jesus is contrasting believers from unbelievers ie, If you produce fruit, you’re a believer and if you fail to produce fruit, you’re not a believer, but Jesus knew that some would read His words and arrive this view, so He spoke the words of v.3 to make clear His point clear. In v.3 Jesus says that the disciples He’s speaking about were already “clean”. Being clean means to be spiritually clean, to be saved
Romans 7:4 New International Version
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Note we MIGHT bear fruit, not WILL produce fruit
So in v.2 Jesus speaks of both branches (i.e.,disciples), those who bear fruit and those branches that do not bear fruit . It also shows us that both possibilities can exist within the body.
So I asked myself these questions which are surely evidence of fruit I my life
Do I display godliness in my walk?
Do I speak as Christ did, with grace and love, gentle and kind?
Do I give generously in all things?
Do I withhold judgment of others, avoiding disputes and guarding my speech?
Do I love others above myself?
So this was my fear- I’m not like that!!!! My future seemed hot and firey!
But I know this, that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, and that we are “sealed” by the Holy Spirit and of course
John 3:16-17New International Version
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Getting back to John 15 and the vineyard.
At the end of this age and at the end of the growing season, even if there are no grapes on the branches (because it will only be at the end of the season when you know there are no grapes or no fruit), even if we think we did not have any fruit, we need not fear because this verse refers to our works that are burned up, ie what we have done on earth for ourselves. And that is worthless. But that which is of God will edure forever! As it says in 1 Corinthians 3 14-15
If anyone’s work on which he has built endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
No matter how little fruit we think we may have, no matter how insignificant we may think we are we should never forget that we are still His disciples, as much as any other, we are loved as much as any other, we saved just as all are who call upon His name. In fact we have been totally reconciled by Christ’s death, and declared to be holy, free of accusation and blameless! So let us not fear about anything, let us put aside our momentary troubles whatever they may be and set our eyes on what is eternal, for what we have here is just temporary
John 14:2 New King James Version
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
We are children of the King and He has a plan for us.
Remember we are living in a time that
calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people