Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

[Below are notes from the message "No More Phobias & Fears: How to Use Your Faith"]

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1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Fear distracts and dominates the lives of too many people. The Bible says that "Fear has torment..."

We have no need to fear lack, and every reason to have faith, when God has promised to provide access to a limitless resource. Jesus said, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Fear is defined as "expectation of danger or harm." Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith attracts God's favor, blessings, and overcomes all fear!

Here is a story that in that illustrates how fear distracts and torments when faith could have resolved the problem:

Matthew 8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus asked His disciples (and us): "Why are you fearful?"

The disciples woke up Jesus (who are sound asleep during a storm!) to ask Him to do something they should have done. Jesus was resting in the boat after a long day of ministry. A sudden storm made the disciples afraid. They allowed their fear to interfere with their faith and forget that Jesus was on the boat with them! Because of this, Jesus called the disciples' faith “ little.” He expected much more from men who had been trained first hand.

When storms come, or big opportunities are presented, let your faith rise, not your fears.

Phobias and fears arise when a lifestyle and mindset of faith are absent. If we claim to be Christians and disciples, Jesus FULLY expects us to trust Him. When you feel like you have respond with fear, remember that the Miracle Worker is with you.

People are tormented by fear because of the absence of God, who is love, dwelling in them. Torment is the negative thought, the scenario, or the drama that plays out in our minds over and over again.

Perfect love, that is God’s perfect love that is in you, will cast out all fear. If there are things you need to do, but that you are afraid to do, God’s love and presence will remove all those fears. Rather than expecting something bad to happen, you expect something good to happen because your "Father” is right there with you!

There is a real emotion of fear generated by imminent danger that requires action. However, most fears are imagined and therefore not real and best summarized by the acrostic:

F-alse

E-evidence

A-ppearing

R-eal

For believers in Christ, there is an overarching reality to embrace summarized by this text:

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Walking by faith cancels fear! Fear is negative expectation of danger and harm. Faith is positive expectation of good according to God’s word: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)

Here is an essential reality for believers: "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) We know that there is more to life than what we see. Our lives should be governed by spiritual principles

Faith begins where the will of God is known. The Bible reveals God’s plan and purpose. The Holy Spirit provides specific insight and guidance. Therefore, faith in God is an extension of our relationship with HIm.

James said that faith without works, or corresponding actions, is "dead" (James 2:20). True faith is belief followed by actions consistent with God’s will and word.

Here are seven affirmations for those who “walk” or live/act by faith in God.

You are walking by faith when you are fully persuaded of a biblical promise or a God-inspired purpose that you have not "seen."
You are walking by faith when you are joyful about things that you have not yet received.
You are walking by faith when difficulties and setbacks do not change your mind about the will of God or the word of God.
You are walking by faith when you receive answers to prayer and begin to see results based on your faith in God. Don't wait for the "full load" before you rejoice! Thank Him now!
You are walking by faith when you continue to diligently follow God and perform those actions consistent with what you believe.
You are walking by faith when you take calculated risks. We are not like the man who receive one talent (a small amount of money), but "played it safe" and buried it, rather than invest it. (Matt. 25:25)
You are walking by faith when you daily do something related to your plans, dreams and expectations.

Faith is necessary because requires it to bring His purpose and blessings into our lives. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6)’

Our faith in God is the “demand” that brings “supply.” It’s not a matter of “works,” but a matter of responsibility and protocol.

“You have not because you ask not..” (James 4:3) If God knows what we need, why do we need to ask Him? We ask because God wants to engage us and empower us to receive supply based on demand. God is an excellent Father! He knows how to train us to become engaged, responsible Christians.

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Matthew 6:25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

Jesus said not to worry. Worry comes from imaginations about circumstances. Your imagination or “mind’s eye” is very powerful. According to the text, the worry issues were: “Do I have enough?” and “Am I worth it?”

The real key issue is, “What is life about?” Notice that Jesus said that your life is more than food and clothing. You have great value because people are made in God’s image and likeness. You are God’s masterpiece! (Ephesians 2:10).

Worry undermines your sense of value by making it seem like you are living on the edge of lack and have to operate in “survival mode.”

Here’s the truth of the matter: You are too valuable to think or feel like that! Jesus said that God takes care of birds. He then asked the key question, “Aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”

Now say this: “Yes, I am valuable! I am too valuable to God to worry! He takes care of me so I can focus on solutions, not problems.” Amen!

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NOTE: Join me for an empowering and life-changing series of messages, "From Cope to Hope." Information. audio of messages, and resources available at www.NewCovenant.org

I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
Speech in Detroit, Michigan (1963-06-23)

You know my friends, there comes a time when people get tired of being trampled by the iron feet of oppression ... If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong. And if we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong. If we are wrong, Jesus of Nazareth was merely a utopian dreamer that never came down to Earth. If we are wrong, justice is a lie, love has no meaning. And we are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until "justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
Address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association (1955).

Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated.
Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story (1958)

I must admit that I have gone through those moments when I was greatly disappointed with the church and what it has done in this period of social change. We must face the fact that in America, the church is still the most segregated major institution in America. At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation. This is tragic. Nobody of honesty can overlook this. Now, I'm sure that if the church had taken a stronger stand all along, we wouldn't have many of the problems that we have. The first way that the church can repent, the first way that it can move out into the arena of social reform is to remove the yoke of segregation from its own body. Now, I'm not saying that society must sit down and wait on a spiritual and moribund church as we've so often seen. I think it should have started in the church, but since it didn't start in the church, our society needed to move on. The church, itself, will stand under the judgement of God. Now that the mistake of the past has been made, I think that the opportunity of the future is to really go out and to transform American society, and where else is there a better place than in the institution that should serve as the moral guardian of the community. The institution that should preach brotherhood and make it a reality within its own body.
Interview after his "Social Justice and the Emerging New Age" (1963)

It may well be that we will have to repent in this generation. Not merely for the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence and indifference of the good people who sit around and say, "Wait on time."
"Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution" (1968)

I say to you that our goal is freedom, and I believe we are going to get there because however much she strays away from it, the goal of America is freedom. Abused and scorned though we may be as a people, our destiny is tied up in the destiny of America.
"Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution" (1968)

I don't know how [Malcolm X] feels now, but I know that I have often wished that he would talk less of violence, because violence is not going to solve our problem. And in his litany of articulating the despair of the Negro without offering any positive, creative alternative, I feel that Malcolm has done himself and our people a great disservice. Fiery, demagogic oratory in the black ghettos, urging Negroes to arm themselves and prepare to engage in violence, as he has done, can reap nothing but grief. (January 1965)

The tough mind is sharp and penetrating, breaking through the crust of legends and myths and sifting the true from the false. The tough-minded individual is astute and discerning. He has a strong austere quality that makes for firmness of purpose and solidness of commitment.
Who doubts that this toughness is one of man's greatest needs? Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.
“Strength to Love” (1963)

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

It is true that behavior cannot be legislated, and legislation cannot make you love me, but legislation can restrain you from lynching me, and I think that is kind of important.
Keep Moving From This Mountain (1965)

Communism forgets that life is individual. Capitalism forgets that life is social, and the kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of communism nor the antithesis of capitalism but in a higher synthesis. It is found in a higher synthesis that combines the truths of both. (1967)

Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This is one of the greatest promises in the Bible!

Connecting with Christ eases our burdens and brings “rest for your soul.” The only “catch,” is that we accept the “yoke” or partnership with Jesus. A yoke is a device that joined two oxen so that they could work together to pull a plow.

Being joined with Jesus is the best possible partnership! I call it “The Rest Connection.” To “rest” means to “use the power of another.”

We all have responsibilities and things to do that are sometimes difficult. We don’t have to go it alone and wear ourselves out. Partner with Christ and let the power of God help you.

"The Stand" Performed by Joni Lamb and The Daystar Singers
by Hillsong United
Writer(s): Lester Mendez, Jewel Kilcher

Lyric Video graphics and titles added by Bryan Hudson

You stood before creation
Eternity in Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered

All I am is Yours

__________

Writer(s): Lester Mendez, Jewel Kilcher
Copyright: Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Emi April Music Inc., Wiggly Tooth Music, Apollinaire Music