8 legged arachnids? Are you afraid of heights? Or confined spaces? Are you afraid of public speaking? Do you fear being abducted by aliens? Which do you fear most?

Rejection? Ridicule? Disapproval? Do you fear that you will not be able to pay the bills? Do you dread telling your friends about Christ? Do you even fear people finding out that you are a Christian?

Are you afraid of what people think about you? Are you fearful and anxious about the future? Do you fear changes in your life? Do you fear being alone? Are you afraid of death?

Jesus Calms the Storm : Mark 4: That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Two Interesting Points: (1)Jesus spoke direct to the wind and the waves. (2)Jesus, the Christ, was in the boat during the storm.

Romans 8: v28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. v31 What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? v38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Psalms 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?

We fear that we may not say the right thing. We fear that we will sound stupid. We fear conflict. We fear that we will be unprepared. We fear that the person may think us different or strange. We fear that our friendship may be hurt. We fear that they might not agree.

Always be prepared with gentleness and respect 1 Peter 3:15-16 says “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear consciousness, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ, will be ashamed of their slander.”

Matthew 10:27-28 “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” 4 Interesting Points: (1)We have discovered the secret. (2)The secret is splendid and it is very important. (3)It is about perspective. Consider God’s perspective. He wants and expects us to pass the secret on. (4)Consider the perspective of the one who does not know the secret.

John 3:16 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. 1 John 4:16-19 from The Message: God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love; we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgement Day – our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life – fear of death, fear of judgement – is one not yet fully formed in love. We, though are going to love – love and be loved. First, we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. 3 Interesting Points: (1)Being the object of well-formed (perfect and unconditional) love liberates! (2)Perfect love defeated death and the consequences of sin for those that believe and repent. (3)We now have no reason to fear anything!

No Fear? Know Love, Have Faith, Trust Him