Breaking the Shackles of Fear

C.A. Coates once wrote:

The natural man cannot bear the thought of being searched by God; he cannot stand to think of being found out in his true condition and character. But to the truly hungry believer it is a positive comfort to be assured that God knows everything about us; He knows the very worst that can be discovered. He has searched out all that we are, and in spite of all He has thoughts of blessing concerning us. There is, therefore, no fear of anything coming to light that might cause Him to change or reverse His thought of blessing and acceptance.

Fear can be a crippling thing. But God has broken the shackles of fear through the work of Jesus on the cross.

A group of Patpatar people in Papua New Guinea responded to the presentation of the gospel in 2013. Sometime later, one of the Patpatar believers spoke about the freedom she now has in Christ. She said:

I used to be so fearful about what I was doing and what I wasn’t doing to please God. Everyone would tell me what they thought I should do and it was a heavy burden for me. I now understand that I don’t have to be afraid of God. He provided a way for me. He sent His Son and through His death, and being buried and coming alive again I am saved from my sin and my wrong. My belief is in Him and He has done it all for me. Now my burden is light. My burden is light!!

It’s exciting to see the light of the gospel breaking through the darkness of sin. Today the truth of God’s Word has been proclaimed among the Patpatar people of Papua New Guinea. But there are still many who have yet to hear the good news of Jesus Christ in their own language.

Please pray that the Lord of the harvest would raise up more laborers for His harvest field.

 

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Misunderstanding Grace
by J. F. Strombeck

Many think of grace merely as the means whereby God forgives sin; and fail to recognize that grace is God's way of dealing with one who receives Christ, not only during the earthly existence, but also throughout eternity. Great harm has come from this limited conception of grace and the lack of teaching the fullness thereof. The present low level of Christian conduct is largely due to incomplete teaching of grace. All misconceptions on the part of many, that an over-emphasis on grace is a license to sin, would quickly be removed if grace were preached and understood in its fullness... It is grace upon grace that removes fear and gives assurance, stability and direction to the earthly life.