We talked about fear and how it can keep us from freedom to experience all that God has for us.”
              –Dan Arnold  (Bear Creek)

    “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord Than great treasure, and turmoil with the treasure.”
              –Proverbs 15:16(NASB)
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I have a question for you this morning.  Can a person have both fear and faith in their lives?  Ponder that for a moment.  Fear is the enemy of faith.  Now, I am not speaking of a natural fear nor the reverential fear of God.  There are somethings we should have a healthy fear over, but I am speaking more of how fear can wrack the mind and stir up the emotions.  How can one trust and have faith in God if they are in fear of the same thing they should be trusting in?
    If you read the “faith chapter” of Hebrews 11, I notice one thing that went along with the faith of those mentioned and that is courage.  Sometimes it takes courage added to faith to overcome fear.  The devil wants to destroy your faith and he very often does that with fear.  He loves for you to be anxious, oh, but how to overcome that anxiety.
    Worry, worry, oh, how can it be overcome?Sure, we have the pat answers that can be given, but I cannot know another’s heart, mind, or situation completely.  I can easily say, trust in God, but to do that one must cast away fear, and that takes courage along with faith.
    I think sometimes we take Scripture out of context, most often because we do not take the time to study and fully contemplate what is being said.

         There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].”
                   –1 John 4:18 (Amplified)

This is a valuable and important Scripture in regard to fear.  I added courage to faith, but here we see that there is no fear in love.  But look at it more carefully:  “full-grown” or “complete, perfect” love is what does away with fear.  It is important to look at this first from a spiritual perspective.  Remember that John is writing to the Church, not to unbelievers.  The believer does not have to worry (fear) about punishment from God.  If he does, he needs to be reassured of the love of God, and that he is a child of God.  He has no fear of eternity.
    But there is a reflection of life in this world as well.  This is where we live, therefore, we must strive to overcome our fears by knowing that Christ loves us, cares for us, and those we love.  So many fret and are stressed in this life.  For some reason the devil makes us nervous over many facets that come our way.  We are to have confidence in God.

         “We’re not nervous, and God’s not nervous either…  He is firmly on His throne, and Satan can’t do anything about it.  Nobody can.”
                   –Dallas Willard

Perhaps that is what we need–a renewed and refreshed look at God on His throne.  
    Don’t be nervous about the future.  God is on His throne.  Don’t be nervous about the outcome of the election, nor fear what might happen if the liberals win.  God is on His throne.  Take a spiritual view of what is happening, have courage, have faith, and know that the love of God will “expel every trace of terror.”  With Thanksgiving in front of us it would do us good to begin thinking about how thankful we should be.  Begin, now on Friday the 13th, to be grateful and thank the Lord for what He has done and for what He will continue to do in your lives.

He [God] gets the last crack at them.  Some day they all got to stand there in front of that gate and let Him pass judgment.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (Captain’s Rangers)

    “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were judged, each one according to his works.”
              –Revelation 20:13(NKJV)
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There has definitely been a difference in response from the people in the election of 2016 and 2020.  Why weren’t there the riots by the right, the conservatives?  The left has little moral ground, therefore, what else can they do but show out their exasperations.  There is no hope in their ideas so what is left them?
    Now, what do we do?  Right now we let the lawyers and the courts, and yes, even the politicians fight it out.  My mercy, wouldn’t the liberal-left have a fit if the election was found to be in favor of President Trump.  But, what do you do in the meantime?  What is our responsibility?  
    The words of a song, which I thought was just a Sunday School chorus, came to my mind.  It was written back in the early 19th-century by Elizabeth K. Mills.  

         “O land of rest, for thee I sigh!
          When will the moment come
          When I shall lay my armor by
          And dwell in peace at home?”

I have thought, perhaps you have as well, oh, let’s get back to normal.  We might sigh, just as the composer said, when will the time come?  When can I relax and rest and dwell at peace?  Ah, but we must “put on the armor” and not take it off until that time when Jesus comes to take us home.

         “No tranquil joys on earth I know,
          No peaceful, shelt’ring dome;
          This world’s a wilderness of woe,
          This world is not my home.”

There is a fleeting joy, a fleeting happiness, but not one that is deep in the soul unless you know the Lord.  This world, read the news (even social media) and you quickly see that this world is one of woe.  Christians, you best wake us and realize that this world is not your home.

         “To Jesus Christ I fled for rest;
          He bade me cease to roam,
          And lean for comfort on His breast
          Till He conduct me home.”

Rest is only to be found in Jesus.  People cry for peace, they even riot for peace (think of that), but true peace only comes through the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  Search for a substitute and quickly you will find that there is none.  Until He comes for us, we lean upon Him.

         “I sought at once my Savior’s side;
          No more my steps shall roam;
          With Him I’ll brave death’s chilling tide
          And reach my heav’nly home.”

What’s going to happen now?  Oh, woe is me, where are you Lord?  My friend, rest, lean upon Him.  When the time is right He call us home, whether by rapture or by the grave.  But back to the early question, what do we do now?  The liberals, the crazies have won the election, what, oh what, shall we do?  The chorus of this old song has the answer.

                   “We’ll work till Jesus comes,
                    We’ll work till Jesus comes,
                    We’ll work till Jesus comes,
                    And we’ll be gathered home.”

No, not just a little Sunday School chorus that the kids can sing to make them happy.  Hmmm, perhaps the reason it is no longer sung is that we are too busy hopping and jumping wanting to be entertained.  Perhaps it is because there are fewer who will work.

I felt more secure around veterans.  They knew what to expect.”
              –E.B. Slege (With the Old Breed)

    “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia:  that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.”
              –2 Corinthians 1:8 (NKJV)
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         In Flanders fields the poppies blow
         Between the crosses, row on row,
             That mark our place; and in the sky
             The larks, still bravely singing, fly
         Scarce heard amid the guns below.

         We are the Dead. Short days ago
         We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
             Loved and were loved, and now we lie
                In Flanders fields.

         Take up our quarrel with the foe:
         To you from failing hands we throw
            The torch; be yours to hold it high.
            If ye break faith with us who die
         We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
                In Flanders fields.

Veterans’ Day, and as is my tradition, since 2001, I post the famous poem by John McCrae.
    How many have served, sacrificed, and died in service to this great country of ours.  No, today is not Memorial Day, but in a sense, it is a memorial of its own.  All who served gave of something, if nothing else–time, and an obligation to duty.
    There are many things that could be said concerning this day and the service of our veterans.  A veteran was a part of a cohesive unit, all with many jobs that must be maintained and accomplished in the fulfilling of the mission.  I would like to list the family members who have served (at least those in the 20th-century).

         Kenlock Jones — U.S. Army (World War I)    
         Harold Jones — U.S. Navy (World War II, Korea)
         Bobby Jones — U.S. Navy (World War II)
         Carl Adkisson — U.S. Army (World War II)
         Ted Adkisson — U.S. Marine Corps/U.S. Air Force (World War II, Korea)
         James Adkisson — U.S. Air Force (Korea, Vietnam)
         Donald Adkisson — U.S. Air Force (Vietnam)

         Walter Baker — U.S. Army (World War II)
         William Baker — U.S. Army (World War II)
         Howard Baker — U.S. Army (World War II)
         James Swank — U.S. Army (World War II)
         John Swank — U.S. Army (World War II)

Both Annie’s and my fathers served in World War II, plus all our uncles served in the military.  We also had many cousins who also saw duty.
    There is a staunch reminder in the last verse of this renown poem; it speaks of those who break faith with those who have served and lay beneath the sod.  There is a warning!  Have we turned aside the torch?  Have we dropped it?  Have we refused to take it and hold it firm?  Lord, help us, for those who went before did their duty.

Don’t hang on to your fear.  Let yourself hope.  It is only brave people who find life beautiful.”
              –William MacLeod Raine  (Challenge to Danger)

    “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.”
              –1 John 4:18 (NKJV)
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“Today God may seem silent to you.  The wicked prosper; those who commit wrong get away with it; the poor are crushed.  Suffering is ladled out upon the heads of the righteous from the scalding caldron of pain, adversity, and evil,” states George O. Wood.  
Where is God?  Why is He silent?  Why do the immoral rule and say that evil things are good and the good is evil?  Friends, don’t be like a leaf blown in the wind, for a day is coming when the majesty of God will be revealed.  Psalm 50 gives us a glance of what it will be like when the Lord comes to judge the earth.

    1 – Yahweh, the God of gods speaks; He summons the earth from east to west.
    2 – From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appears in radiance.
    3 – Our God is coming; He will not be silent!  Devouring fire precedes Him, and a storm rages around Him.
    4 – On high, He summons heaven and earth in order to judge His people.
    5 – “Gather My faithful ones to Me, those who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
    6 – The heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God is the Judge.  Selah
    7 – “Listen, My people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel.  I am God, your God.
    8 – I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or for your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me.
    9 – I will not accept a bull from your household or male goats from your pens,
   10 – for every animal of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
   11 – I know every bird of the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.
   12 – If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is Mine.
   13 – Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
   14 – Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High.

    The Lord is coming soon in His majesty, glory, and radiance.  Verse 3 should hold us in silence; a trembling should go through our body and soul.  Look at how He comes.  He will not be silent!  This reminds me of the prophecy of Joel in describing the Day of the Lord.  I like how the NLT puts verse 3, “Our God approaches with noise of thunder.  Fire devours everything in its way, and a great storm rages around him.”
    There is something here that is important for the believer.  God honors us in the fact that we are faithful to Him in the giving of sacrifices, or in today’s terms:  church attendance, Bible reading, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines.  However, what are they to God?  We can do all the demonstrating we want but if we do not trust Him what is the use?  Someone I know proclaimed the other day that we must turn on “worship music” (whatever that is) and sing/shout as loud as we can.  Why?  Is God deaf?  Is that what He really wants or does He want a people holy, acceptable to Him?
    Listen, I don’t think that God thinks in the terms of 2020.  We may think, only a few more weeks and this year will be over, but is it the end?  Why has God allowed the things to happen in 2020?  Perhaps it was to get our attention.  Perhaps to wake up a slumbering church.  Perhaps it is to get quiet before Him, humble ourselves, and then truly begin to trust Him.  

              “Not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars slain
               Could give the guilty conscience peace or wash away the stain.
               But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, takes all our sins away;
               A sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood.”
                         –Isaac Watts

    Let verse 14 speak to you.  “What I want instead is your true thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High.” (NLT)  Ponder, meditate, contemplate, and take action on this verse.  Fulfill your vows!  Have you ever made one to God, if so, it is still binding, begin to fulfill it now.