overcoming fear

Balaam’s Donkey

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field.” Numbers 22:33

How do you react when life veers off course? In Numbers 22, a man named Balaam is traveling with his donkey to a place God does not want him to go. When God blocks Balaam’s path with a sword brandishing Angel only seen by the donkey, the donkey veers off course, and that makes Balaam frustrated. He can’t see the obstacle so he blames the donkey. Sound familiar? When we can’t see the obstacle in our path,

We Usually Find Someone Else To Blame.

Eventually the sword carrying Angel makes his presence known to Balaam, and you can guess what happens next. Balaam becomes contrite in a hurry. The next time you find yourself frustrated by circumstances, obstacles, or delays in life, trying saying, “Lord, what are you trying to teach me?” You may be surprised by the answer.

Peace

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

God said, “Do not fear, for I am with you…” Isaiah 41:10…

There is an age old news axiom that says, “if it bleeds, it leads.” The more tragic, horrific or fear inducing the stories are, the faster they will make the front page or lead the newscast. There is a reason Jesus said many times in scripture, “Do not fear,” for God knows that fear is just what the world loves to serve up on a silver platter. Thankfully, we have the antidote for such daily doses of fear: quoting scripture. Try saying out loud Isaiah 46:1, “God is my refuge and strength, my very help in times of trouble. Therefore,

I Will Not Fear.”

God also said in Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear for I am with you.” Every day, we have a choice to make. We can give in to the fear the world loves to pump into our eyes and ears, or, we can believe God’s promises. Faith is a decision that comes with an amazing level of peace. Hand your fears over to God, and let Him hand you a life worth living.

The Promise Of Hope

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

“Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord…There is hope in your future!” Jeremiah 31:16

How do you react when life veers off course? When you are faced with a set back in your health, in your finances, in your family life, how do you react? I’m no stranger in crying out to God. There have been many times I felt like the sky was falling. Yet every time, not sometimes, not occasionally, but every single time I’ve faced a setback, my weeping soon turns to praise. This is not just something that happens by accident, I make a choice to praise God because

I Believe God’s Promises Are Real.

Try it for yourself. Praise God till your fears subside. It may take minutes, it may take hours, it make take days, but all too soon you will feel His touch upon you. You will hear God say, “dear child, refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears for your work shall be rewarded. There is hope in your future for I am your God!“

Peace That Passes Understanding

/ James Penner / Leave a comment

God said, “Do not fear, for I am with you…” Isaiah 41:10…

There is an age old news axiom that says, “if it bleeds, it leads.” The more tragic, horrific or fear inducing the stories are, the faster they will make the front page or lead the newscast. There is a reason Jesus said many times in scripture, “Do not fear,” for God knows that fear is just what the world loves to serve up on a silver platter. Thankfully, we have the antidote for such daily doses of fear: quoting scripture. Try saying out loud Isaiah 46:1, “God is my refuge and strength, my very help in times of trouble. Therefore,

I Will Not Fear.”

God said in Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear for I am with you.” Therefore, we have a choice to make. We can give in to the fear the world loves to pump into our eyes and ears, or, we can believe God’s promises. Faith is a decision that comes with an amazing level of peace. Hand your fears over to God, and let Him hand you a life worth living.