The Fear of Man

John 9:18-23

But the Jewish leaders would not believe that the man had once been blind. They sent for his parents ¹⁹and asked them, "Is this the son that you said was born blind? How can he now see?"

    ²⁰The man's parents answered, "We are certain that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. ²¹But we don't know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. Ask him! He is old enough to speak for himself."

    ^22-23The man's parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already agreed that no one was to have anything to do with anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah.

Jesus had just healed a blind man, one who had been blind from birth.  It was an amazing miracle—the cure was so profound that even those he’d been around every day didn’t recognize him.  (See verse 9.)  The blind man didn’t know who had healed him, except His name was Jesus (v.11.) No one had ever opened the eyes of the blind before (9:32), yet the Pharisees refused to “see” the miracle’s message!  Their obedience was “blind,” and blinded them to the truth of who Jesus was.  

They interrogated both the man and his parents.  The man began to truly “see” Jesus through steps of faith, but his parents reacted in fear and became lost.

When the Israelites traveled through the wilderness headed toward the Promised Land, they had God guiding and protecting them.  They had a pillar of cloud (shade and air conditioning!) by day, and a pillar of fire (protection and warmth) by night.  God was with them every step of the way, just as He had promised:

Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go ~Nehemiah 9:19.

Even though they knew that God was with them, they were still very much afraid of the people of the land (“There are giants in the land—we look like grasshoppers to them!” Num. 13:33.)  It doesn’t seem rational to fear people of any size when your God stands among you in the form of a fire, but fear is irrational.  Fear causes us to stumble in more ways than we can count!  This formerly blind man’s parents were the prey of fear.

        Proverbs 29:25 says The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

        His folks were afraid of the Jews and didn’t want to be put out of the synagogue.  What was the snare?  Acceptance of the religious rulers’ decrees would bring them social acceptance but at the same time it would bring them spiritual rejection.

        Jesus said in Matthew “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

        And in Luke, “"But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”

        Of whom is Jesus speaking?  He’s talking about fearing the Lord.  Proverbs says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

        Fear is an old tool of the devil.  If he can get you to fear man, he can keep you from the love of God.  Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8,) except ourselves.  Fear will do this in your life. 

        Some scriptures:

By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life ~ Prov. 22:24

The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil ~ Prov. 19:23.

The fear of the LORD prolongs days (Prov. 10:27a) and in the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. (Prov. 14:26.)

In what ways has fear taken hold in your life?  Do you fear what people will think?  Are you afraid of doing what you know is right because of this?  Consider His promises to you.  Ponder His words and relent of being afraid!

Oh, beloved, now is the time!  Today is the day!  Repent of being fearful and become faithful!  God knows your heart and He wants to free you from fear.  Be free!

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32.)

Dear Abba,

I ask for forgiveness for walking in fear in some areas of my life.  Please free me from the fear of man, of circumstances, of my own actions.  Free me to serve You with all of my heart, and make me able to go and honor You wherever You send me.  Amen.

The World Hates Jesus

Therefore Jesus told them (His brothers,) “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.” ~John 7:5-6

The world hates Jesus because He exposes their sins.  John told us (3:19-21,) and this is the condemnation—that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Before we came to Christ, we hated Him, too.  Ephesians 2:1-10 says:

And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together in Christ, (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

We all once walked in that way.  We were all guilty and we were all without hope, but God…I love that!

Isaiah told us, years before Jesus came to save us all:  He was despised and rejected by mankind ~Isaiah 53

Jesus predicted His own death: He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.  ~Mark 8:31

Luke 9:22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Jesus knew what He was about.  He had already planned to redeem us. 

1 Peter 1:18-19 You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Because I was redeemed by His precious blood, I need to think about how I live now.  Jesus knows the battle we face every day, as we choose to either serve God and worship Him or serve our own desires. 

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”  Matthew 6:24

The word mammon is often translated “money,” but it would more accurately describe the world system—in which money is important.  You can’t serve both God and yourself, and you can’t serve God and still be able to do whatever you want.

John says the world is one of our three main enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:16.)  He warns us not the love the world—if we do, the love of God isn’t in us.

This became very real to me when I was young.  I had just started going to church and attending a Bible study.  My husband and I were at a bar.  I hadn’t quite gotten to gist of how to be God’s child yet.  I was rambling on about my life to the woman behind the bar, telling her how happy I was in Jesus, and then she invited me to the back for a little “snort” of something.  I’m ashamed to say I went—and when we came back I kept up the dialogue. 

At that point she turned to me and said, “Don’t preach to me when you’re high!”  She had probably hoped I would shut up about God if I was loaded, but that didn’t work!  I wasn’t even really high—I didn’t feel any affect at all.

I realized she was right.  I couldn’t do both—I could either preach, or get high.  I had read this very verse, and knew it wasn’t going to work the way I was trying to live.  So I told her she was right, and that from that point on I wouldn’t be getting high any more, and that I would tell people about the Lord instead.

Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

Ephesians 4:17-24 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 

But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 

You have not so learned Christ!  Be renewed!  Don’t fall prey to the enemy’s schemes.

and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:5-7.) 

Because of Jesus—His precious blood—we have freedom to be able to choose life.  It’s not because we were special; in fact, God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, so that He can get all the glory.  That’s okay with me, because I benefit from it all!  Because He chose me, I can choose Him, and life, and blessing.  Praise God! 

But the world hates our Lord, because He points out their need.  He wants to see them healed, but they avoid Him.  If only they could come to Him and know what I know now!  I must share what Jesus is doing in my life so they might see and turn and be saved.  Pray for the workers of the harvest!

All Who Are Thirsty

John 7:37-39


On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary:

The Jews, at a later time, introduced two additions to the original festival, viz., (1) that of drawing water from the Pool of Siloam, and pouring it upon the altar (Jhn 7:2,37), as a memorial of the water from the rock in Horeb; and (2) of lighting the lamps at night, a memorial of the pillar of fire by night during their wanderings.

Shemini Atzeret/The Last Great Day is when Jesus made His invitation.  The priest would go to the pool of Siloam and bring water then pour it out on the altar.  This was to symbolize the water pouring out from the rock at Horeb that God used to provide for His people in the wilderness.

God brought the people out of Egypt through the wilderness area surrounding Mt. Sinai.  Moses was told to first, strike the rock, so that water would come out.  When Moses did this, he showed us that the Messiah would be struck.  I Cor. 10:4 says “And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."

Moses then was to speak to—but struck—the rock on another day.  God was not angry at the people, but Moses was, and berated them, then struck the rock again.  For this misrepresentation of God, Moses lost his chance to go into the promised Land.  

Jesus cried out: “if anyone thirsts.”  Does anyone thirst?  Everyone thirsts.  Jesus is offering water that will eternally quench our thirst.  I have found that I crave Him even more now that I have come to Him! 

Chuck Missler says there are several things that happen when we “come” to Jesus.

1.  Jesus says come: when we do, we abandon ourselves and turn our backs on the world.  You can't serve God and serve the world at the same time.

2.  Jesus says come: not to a process or a procedure, not to baptism or communion, but to Him.  It’s not about religion!  We can't make it about a physical act.  

3.  Jesus says come: to Him, and drink.  What does this mean?  Make Him your own.  Keep seeking until you have a personal relationship with Him.

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy you shall draw water from the wells of salvation.    

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 3.)  I have found great joy in serving and knowing God.  Jesus is right!  I have a continuous flow of life from myself, so much so that I don’t understand where it comes from sometimes.  I do know that Jesus will always offer, and if I accept, my thirst is quenched.

Isaiah 44:10 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants and My blessing on your offspring.  

In Isaiah 55:1, another offer:

Ho!  Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters: you who have no money, come, buy and eat.  Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend money on that which is not bread, or your wages on what does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. 

You can't buy the kind of satisfaction Jesus offers.  My beloved friends, do you thirst?  Nothing else can quench but Jesus.  He invites—will you accept?

Don't Be Afraid

Jesus Walks on the Water

 ¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, ¹⁷ where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles,^[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

It was after the feeding of the five thousand.  Jesus had gone off alone, and the disciples waited for him until evening.  They decided Jesus wasn't coming back, so they left.  

They'd rowed out 3-4 miles and they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water.  They thought He was a ghost.  Matthew records this incident in chapter 14, 22-33.  He said to them, "I am" if it were translated literally.  I AM is the name of YHWH, the tetragrammaton (Greek: word with four letters.)  We get "Yahweh" or Jehovah from it.  

There are seven "I AM" statements in John: I am the Light of the world, I am the Bread of Life, further in John 6; I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Resurrection and the Life, and I am the True Vine.  They are all in John; I'll leave it to you to search them out.

Matthew's version records the storm that occurred that night.  He tells us that during that time, Jesus calmed the sea,  but first Jesus calmed His disciples.  I thought about my own life, and how God doesn't always calm the storm first.  He wants me to trust Him, to let Him calm my own heart.  

When I was young, my dad had some problems.  He had a tendency to leave a situation rather than face the issues.  He left my mother several times--a total of 11 times--while I lived at home.  I recall once that we came home from church and found that Dad had gone.  My mother started to cry, and we all huddled around her, crying with her.  

Parents should always consider the children first, being careful to present a calm demeanor.  But Mom had been through a great deal, and was unable to hide her feelings.    

My sister looked up at our mother and asked, "Mommy, are we poor?"  

Mom said, "Yes, honey, I guess we are."

There was a sense of surprise in her voice; we had always known God would take care of us, and had never really known want.  Dad was a good provider.  And even though Dad had left, we still knew we could count on God taking care of us.  But Mom was in shock.

I think that incident affected my sister, affected all of us.  So I asked the Lord what He might say to us, to comfort us in that fear that we would be left without provision.  I think it still lingers in our hearts.  

Maybe you're struggling through a storm right now.  Have you been afraid?  Jesus wants to calm that storm, but first He is concerned about you.  He loves you and will take care of you, but He wants us to trust Him.  

As I listened, I felt that the Lord would say to us:

My Dear Daughters,

        Don't be afraid.  I am with you.  I know all about you, your 

struggle against fear of the future, and that you yearn for 

acceptance.  I accept you and love you.  Your sweet spirits, your 

gentle hearts--these come from Me. They are a reflection of My 

love and work in your life.  I love who you are, my daughters.

Don't be afraid.  I will not abandon you.  I will never leave 

you or forsake you.

I saw your fears when your father left you and your mother 

wept in pain and frustration.  I saw you watching her and the hope 

and trust leaving your soul.  I wept over you, over the sorrow and 

anguish you felt then.  I felt it too.

Though your father and mother forsake you, my children, I 

will never forsake you.  This is my promise to you.  I am your 

Hope.  I am your Shepherd, and you shall not want.  I give you 

green pastures.  Not only do I provide for you, but I do so liberally 

and freely.  My bread is free and so is My milk and the honey: the 

best price!  

I am your Shepherd.  I lead you beside My still waters.  

Come to Me and find rest for your weary souls.  I would have you 

to be refreshed in Me.  Come.  There is no fear in My love for you.  

Be at rest and at peace in Me.  I love you!

Your Good Shepherd,

Jesus