WE SHALL NOT DIE - Reading With the People of God #17Sample

Hope for the Fearful Heart

In this fallen world, many are weighed down with various anxieties, fears, and troubles. Isaiah has a word for the worried: “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong; do not fear!’” Why? “...Your God will come, He will come …to save you” (v. 4, NIV). The prophet promises that one day the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and those who cannot speak will sing with joy (vv. 5-6). We live in a broken world spiritually, physically, and relationally; but as we hear in Isaiah, God will bring both spiritual and physical restoration to all who trust in Him. When Jesus came, He began to roll back the curse and fulfill what the prophet foretold (see Matthew 11:4-5). This was a foretaste of what He will do for all His people when He returns, and what He will do even now for all who turn to Him. Freedom from fear doesn’t come through forgetting our problems, rather through faith in God and His promises. The cross shows that Jesus has, indeed, come to save us, to forgive us, to heal us, and that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Paul’s Appearance Before Felix

The Book of Acts has presented spectacular stories of conversions and repentance. Who can forget the turning of Saul to Jesus, or the Philippian jailer who fell before Paul and cried out for salvation? Acts demonstrates the power of the gospel to change hearts. However, Felix’s rejection of the gospel serves as a sobering reminder that it doesn’t always end with spectacular results. There will be times of rejection and disappointments, but it’s important to not give up sharing the love of Christ with others. Our call is to stay faithful in our witness to God’s amazing love and grace to the world.

Primer contributed by Norm Hudspeth; Ministering Elder