FEAR NOT OF THE FUTURE ,,Must Read

God’s Antidote for Fearing the Future

10/28/12

Author: Rick Warren

David was confident about the future when he penned Psalm 23:6.

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

No anxiety, fear of the future, worry about tomorrow. He’s confident — “surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.” Where do you get that kind of confidence? If you’re a believer, there are three reasons why you don’t need to fear the future:

1. Because God is watching over me.

2. Because God’s grace is working in me.

3. Because heaven is waiting for me.

“Surely goodness will follow me all the days of my life.” Because God is good I can expect His protection and provision. I can expect that no matter what happens to me, God will bring good out of it somehow. It will always either be for my own good, for the good of other people, or for the good of His kingdom. God is a good God.

Psalm 145 “The Lord watches over all who love him…” God cares about the details of your life. Like a father, He will provide for you in the future. We don’t know what the future holds but we do know Who holds it. We know God is in control and God loves you and wants to help you. He says, I will be like a Father and will watch over you.

“Surely goodness will follow…” What does he mean by that? Obviously David had disappointments in life. Not everything good happened to him. He’s not saying, Surely, only good things are going to happen to me. That’s not true. Bad things happen to good people. He’s not saying only good things are going to happen. He’s saying only goodness will follow. Good things will always come out of whatever happens even the bad, the evil, the difficult. God will insure that good will come out — it will follow whatever happens to David.

The great promise that God has given to believers: Romans 8:28, “We know that all that happens to us is working for our good! IF we love God and are fitting into his plans.” This is not a promise for everybody. All things do not work together for good for everybody in the world. Things work together for bad for people who are not trying to go the way God wants them to go, who are not following his path.

But if you’re a believer, the Bible says all things are working together for good — not all things are good — but working together for good. That’s what it means “goodness will follow me”. There is no difficulty, dilemma, defeat, disaster in the life of a Christian that ultimately God won’t bring good out of. Eventually, He’ll bring good out of it. Somehow.

Why are Christians the most confident people about the future? “We look forward with confidence to our heavenly bodies. And we are not afraid, but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:6,8. Death, for Christians, is a transfer, a promotion. It’s on to better things. No more problems. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. You don’t know how to live until you’re ready to die. Only a fool would go all through life, totally unprepared for something that everybody knows is invitable. You’re going to die. Someday. If we have accepted Christ we’re going to go to heaven.

What is heaven going to be like?

You’re going to be rewarded for your faithfulness to God and your obedience to Jesus Christ. We’re going to be reunited with loved ones who know the Lord. We’re going to be reassigned work to do that we like to do in heaven — it will be something you really enjoy doing based on your SHAPE. Some people think when you get to heaven, you’ll be given this white sheet and set around all day on a cloud, strumming a harp — to me, that’s hell! I can’t think of anything more boring than sitting around on a cloud strumming a harp. You’re not going to be an angel in heaven. God’s going to give you stuff to do and it’s going to be stuff you like to do. Look at how much stuff there is to do on earth, and it’s imperfect.

Can you imagine what heaven is going to be like? The God who created wind surfing and snow boarding, you’re going to get to heaven and it will be that with no sprained ankles. You think of all the things you can do here on earth that are cool — just wait until you get to heaven. You won’t have your back go out, and things like that.

We’re going to be released from pain, from sorrow, from suffering, from depression, from fear. Rev. 21:4 “He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever.” Doesn’t that make you a little homesick for heaven?

Who is heaven made for? It’s not made for everybody. It’s made for people who say, “God, I want to be a child of God. I want to follow You.” I Peter 1:4-6 “God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life…” Everybody is created by God but not everybody is a child of God. You only become a child of God when you ask Him to put you in His family. You’re born into His family. “…the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely …” It’s not up to me to make sure I get there safely. Once I’ve committed my life to Christ, He makes sure I get there safely to receive it because I’m trusting Him.

“…So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.” The going is rough for a while down here. But it’s just as true that one day we’re going to be with the Lord. Heaven was made for Christians, believers, for those who love Jesus. If you didn’t love Jesus, why would you want to go be with Him for eternity?

Earth is the warm up act. This isn’t the big deal. You’re going to spend 60, 70, 80 maybe 90 years here on earth. But you’ll spend thousands, millions of years in eternity — heaven or hell. This is the appetizer, the preschool. This isn’t the big show. This is the opening act you’re in right now. The problem is that even most Christians act like that all there is to life is going on here and now. That’s all that matters. No! This is just preparation for the big event where you’re going to spend all of eternity.

Download Rick Warren’s free sermons online.

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Comments

Thank you Rick for sharing these powerful reflections. Precious readers, if you are fearing the future be encouraged, for God's got the antidote. Truly the antidote is a living relationship with him, for his perfect love casts out fear! Cherished Christians, let's praise Almighty God for his wonderful joyful and joy-bringing presence.The Lord Jesus will be returning soon. What a wonderful even more wonderful time that is going to be. We have so much to look forward to: a life where there is no pain, crying and sorrow! What a priceless gift eternal life is. Friends, our praise is for the unique God of the Holy Bible. Let's praise him for his outstanding attributes, attitude and abilites. Such is compassionate love toward us that he can set us free from feeling dejected, depressed and defeated and set us soaring replete with his blessing and gift of faith, hope and love into adventures fresh, new and exciting that totally fulfill us and glorify him.

To God be the glory now and forever.

Josef Sefton , 11/03/12 06:44 PM