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I read the first chapter of Max Lucado’s book, “Fearless” and thought it was the perfect way to end the year via blog. Yeah, yeah…it’s that time of year when we do the time-honored “resolution” tradition. Whatever. I haven’t made them in years and haven’t decided if I will do so this year. One thing that I do know is that I am taking on a different life theme this year and that is learning to tell fear to “stick it!” That’s right, I said “stick it!” I’m tired of carrying it around on my back everywhere I go. No more free rides for fear!
Yeah, yeah…easier said than done, eh?
Well, I didn’t say that it would necessarily take a hike just because I said to, but that doesn’t mean I need to keep on molly coddling it! It will most likely try everything it can to stay on, but I’m sure not going to make it an easy ride! I’m just saying…no more doormat for me when it comes to fear.
Whew…enough of all that. Don’t worry, I’m not going to divulge my fears on here today and write a 400 page post or anything. I’m just going to take this year and truly work on releasing the hold of fear and hopefully create a few posts along the way. I am going to pray for each of them specifically and be still…well, I suppose this is where I should say that I am going to be praying about learning to be still first and then get to the fear thing. Believe me, it’s going to be a long journey!
That being said…here is a little excerpt from Lucado’s book. He also has the entire first chapter on his website at http://www.maxlucado.com/articles/excerpts/fearless_chapter_1
Here you go…
“They’re talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming, breakouts of Al Qaeda cells. Some demented dictator is collecting nuclear warheads like others collect fine wines. A strain of Asian flu is boarding flights out of China. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. News programs disgorge enough hand-wringing information to warrant an advisory. “Caution: this news report is best viewed in the confines of an underground vault in Iceland.”
We fear being sued, finishing last, going broke; we fear the mole on the back, the new kid on the block, the sound of the clock as it ticks us closer to the grave. We sophisticate investment plans, create elaborate security systems, and stronger military; yet we depend on mood-altering drugs more than any generation in history. Moreover, “the average child today … has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s.”
Fear, it seems, has taken a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, unwilling to share the heart with happiness. Happiness complies. Do you ever see the two together? Can one be happy and afraid at the same time? Clear thinking and afraid? Confident and afraid? Merciful and afraid? No. Fear is the big bully in the high school hallway: brash, loud, and unproductive. For all the noise fear makes and room it takes, fear does little good.
Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that. But fear itself? Fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors.
Wouldn’t it be great to walk out?
Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, absent the dread of failure, rejection, or calamity. Can you imagine a life with no fear? This is the possibility behind Jesus’ question.
“Why are you afraid?” he asks.”
This was today’s post for one of the daily devotionals that I read and it was too good not to share. We tend to forget about the human aspect of Jesus’ birth, especially when it comes to Joseph’s role. What a blessing it is to have such an amazing example of selfless love and Godly character.
Merry Christmas to all.
Here is the excerpt…
“Joseph [Mary’s husband, being a just man.” Matthew 1:19 NKJV
"Joseph’s role in the Christmas story teaches us two things: (1) Your character matter to God. (2) Doing God’s will is not easy. Jesus’ earthly father was a small-town carpenter living in Nazareth, a single-camel dot on the map Why Joseph? Doesn’t God have better options? A major part of the answer lies in his reputation, which he’s willing to give up for Jesus. “Then Joseph [Mary’s] husband, a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.” The phrase “a just man,” recognizes Joseph’s character. He’d earned respect through a lifetime of honesty and hard work. We’d probably view him as we would an elder, deacon or Bible class teacher. But Mary’s announcement, “I’m pregnant,” put it all at risk. Now what? On one hand he has the law, on the other hand he has his love. The law says, “stone her,” his love says, “save her.” Joseph is caught in the middle. Doing the will of God is rewarding, but seldom easy! Even after the angel explains to him the miracle of virgin birth, he still faces a dilemma. Make up a lie and preserve his place in the community, or tell the truth and kiss his reputation goodbye. He makes his decision: “Joseph…took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son” (Matt. 1:24-25 NKJV). Joseph swapped his teaching and his preconceived ideas for a pregnant fiancée and an unplanned son. In so doing, he made the big decision of discipleship. What’s that? Placing God’s plan ahead of your own!”
Our Greatest Fear —Marianne Williamson
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.”
—Marianne Williamson
Found these on a random blog this morning and thought they were awesome!
Characteristics of a proud unbroken spirit as compared to a humble broken spirit
- Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with the sense of their own spiritual need .
- Proud people are self-righteous- have a critical, fault-finding spirit looking at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. They look down on others. Broken people are compassionate. They can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven. They think the best of others and esteem all others better themselves.
- Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit. Broken people have a dependent spirit and recognize their need for others .
- Proud people have to prove that they are right. Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.
- Proud people claim rights and have demanding spirit . Broken people yield their rights and have a meek spirit.
- Proud people are self-protective of their time and their rights and their reputation.
- Broken people are self-denying.
- Proud people desire to be served. Broken people are motivated to serve others.
- Proud people desire to be a success. Broken people are motivated to be faithful and make others successful.
- Proud people desire for self-advancement. Broken people desire to promote others .
- Proud people have a drive to be recognized and appreciated and are wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked. Broken people have a sense of their own unworthiness and are thrilled that God would use them at all in any ministry, they are eager to give others the credit and they rejoice when others are lifted up .
- Proud people have a sub conscious feeling this ministry is privileged to have me and my gifts and they think of what they can do for God. Broken people have a heart attitude that says I don’t deserve to have any part in this ministry and they have nothing to offer to God, but the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives.
- Proud people feel confident in how much they know. Broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn.
- Proud people are self conscious. Broken people are not concerned with self at all.
- Proud people keep others at arms length. Broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and loving intimately.
- Proud people are quick to blame others. Broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they were wrong in a situation.
- Proud people are unapproachable. Broken people are easy to be entreated.
- Proud people are defensive when criticized. Broken people receive criticism with an open, humble Spirit.
- Proud people are concerned with being respectable and what others think and working to protect their own image and reputation. Broken people are concerned with being real what they care about is what God knows and are willing to die to their own reputation.
- Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual needs with others. Broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs.
- Proud people want to be sure that no one knows they have sinned to cover up. Broken people are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.
- Proud people have a hard time In saying, “I was wrong, will you forgive me.”
- Broken people are quick to admit their failures and seek forgiveness when necessary.
- Proud people in confessing their sins, tend to deal in generalities. Broken people are able to deal with the specific conviction of God’s spirit.
- Proud people fear consequences of their sin. Broken people are grieved over the cause the root of their sin.
- Proud people are remorseful they got found out. Broken people are repentant over their sin which is evidenced by the fact they forsake them
- Proud people when misunderstood in relationships, wait for the other one to come and ask for forgiveness. Broken people take the initiative to see if they can get to the Cross first no matter how wrong the other may have been.
- Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor. Broken people compare themselves with the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for mercy.
- Proud people are blind to their real heart condition. Broken people walk in the light
- Proud people think they have nothing to be repentant of. Broken people realize that they have a need of a continual heart attitude of repentance.
- Proud people are unbroken and don’t think they need revival, but they are sure everyone else does. Broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit.
