WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:05.040 Welcome to the greatest Sunday of the year. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:07.519 Mother's Day. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.640 This is where it's all about. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.240 Hey, all the dads, stand up. 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:12.880 Let us have a chance to honor you in the room. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:13.759 Come on. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:28.399 We do honor you today, even if your family doesn't honor you as much as they did for Mother's Day. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:29.679 That's okay. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:31.039 We do today. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:35.759 We certainly want to make the opportunity just to be able to express our appreciation and our love for you. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.000 Men, I do want to make a little plug real quick. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:43.039 Josh says it already, but we do got the new season of the Step Up Podcast coming out. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:49.359 This is not only for you, men, that just stood up, especially for you for sure, as fathers, but this is for any man in the room. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:58.320 We definitely want you to make sure this can be a resource that you can use as maybe you're commuting to the office or you're working out or you're working in the yard or whatever it is that you're doing. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:00:59.679 Let this be a resource. 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:02.719 We cover a wide range of different topics along the way. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:08.879 And I got a lot of great feedback from season one and really excited to be able to come back and to be able to start this again. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:13.040 And so grab your Bibles, open them up with me to 2 Timothy chapter 1. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:21.200 2 Timothy chapter 1 is where we're going to spend a little bit of time today as we continue in this highlight reel series. 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:28.640 I do want to take this opportunity to welcome all of the men and all of the women at our correctional facilities, those that are joining us online today. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:29.680 Let's give them hands. 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.120 So grateful to have you got to bring this message to you. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.640 Let me ask this question, really the question of the day. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.159 What are you afraid of? 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:43.920 What are you afraid of? 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:49.840 I remember sixth grade at Deer Park Junior High in the southeast side of Houston. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:55.280 It's kind of odd to think about, but back in those days, we actually used to get shots at school. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:55.760 All right. 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:57.599 Like so I don't know what the shot was for. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:10.159 I don't know what it was intended to be, but I remember literally getting my name called in class and I had to go over to the area of the nurse's station that they had set out outside of it where I was going to get a shot. 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:22.240 I remember it vividly because uh I don't think anybody in here would say that they enjoy shots or that it's somehow that they they like shots, but I remember being very, very afraid of needles. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:28.000 Like I just didn't like anything about the whole process and just the idea I didn't want to ever look, all those types of things. 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.840 But I remember getting called and my name was there, and I remember I was gonna be brave, right? 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:38.000 I'm gonna have courage, and so I'm gonna walk over there and I go and I see a bunch of my buddies that were in line in front of me. 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:42.000 And I knew that my buddies were all gonna be around whenever I was gonna get this shot. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:51.599 And I knew what you need to do in that moment is not to let them know that you're afraid, but instead to show strength in that moment. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:03:00.319 And so I remember getting in there and I kind of almost like flexed my arm, just almost like a like a show of just like mentally like I'm over this, I'm good to go. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:07.199 And I got there and I got jabbed, I got my shot, and then I was walking back to my classroom. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:14.800 And the next thing I remember is waking up in a cold sweat with the bruise on my head, I had passed out walking back to class. 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:34.000 And let me just tell you something, for years after that moment, I went from being afraid of needles to being deathly afraid of shots, so much so that I sometimes passed out prior to getting a shot in anticipation of the shot actually happening. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:35.520 That's how bad it was. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:38.639 Now, hopefully you don't have anything quite like that. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:42.719 But let me pose the question What are you afraid of? 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:46.080 All of us have fears. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:54.639 The question is not whether you are afraid, the question is whether your fears have you. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:56.560 Here's what I want you to do. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:57.919 You can write it down if you want. 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:01.520 Just write where you are, no stealing, don't look at anybody else's answers. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:06.000 What I want you to do is I want you to ask this question before God. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.280 What keeps you up at night? 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.599 What is it that gives you anxiety? 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:24.800 What is it that you begin to wonder why is this illness around you? 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:26.800 What's gonna happen? 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:33.040 Maybe for some of you it's the fear of losing your job. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:38.160 Maybe for some of you it's your fear of your marriage falling apart. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:42.720 Maybe it is losing your home. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:45.759 Or maybe losing your health. 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:53.680 Most of us have a fear of being exposed, so we'll do everything to keep up the image and the facade no matter what. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:57.360 Maybe you have a fear of being rejected. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:06.000 So you work harder, hoping that your boss or your family or your friends will finally be proud of you and respect you. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:16.399 Maybe you have a fear of being alone, so you'll do whatever is necessary not to lose someone, even if it means compromising your values so that they will stay. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:22.240 Some of you fear being hurt by others, so what you do is you just live your whole life guarded. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:26.079 Anytime somebody tries to get close, you just push them back. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.560 All of us are afraid of something. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:42.160 And when you peel the onion back and you begin to examine your fears, what you discover is that your fears are always attached to things that you highly value. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:49.839 If something's important to us, then losing it causes us to get uptight or anxious or afraid. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:52.399 Dads, let's get specific to you. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:54.959 What are some of your dad fears? 00:05:55.920 --> 00:06:00.240 Do you lay awake wondering, am I too harsh with my discipline? 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:02.879 Or am I raising entitled kids? 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:06.879 Will my teenagers still respect me when they're adults? 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:14.399 Am I working too much and missing out on their childhood, or am I not working hard enough to provide? 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:18.800 What if I'm repeating the same mistakes that my father made with me? 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:22.879 What if something happens to them and I can't protect them? 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:29.839 What if they walk away from their faith because of something that I did or because of something that I didn't do? 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:32.800 Dads, here's the brutal truth. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:38.319 Many of us are parenting from a place of fear rather than a place of faith. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:46.560 We're afraid of failing our kids so much that we're failing to trust the God who gave us those kids in the first place. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.240 I want you to take out your memory verse cards. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:07:03.279 If we're continuing in this series called Highlight Reel, if you've been here the last few weeks, this can be your third card that hopefully you've been able to use, placing it on your mirror, placing it in your dashboard, placing it somewhere that you will be able to see it on a consistent basis. 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:11.120 Our goal throughout this series is that you would not only hear messages preached on these individual verses, but that you would memorize it. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:13.920 We know some of you though, you are more digital. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:33.040 And so therefore, we if you take a picture of this QR code, uh, this can be all of the verses that we've gone through so far, where you can actually download an image that you can put as maybe your lock screen, or maybe you can put as your home screen, or maybe you can use it as a way to send it to someone else that maybe needs to hear it and maybe needs to memorize this verse. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:45.360 But I want to encourage you to take advantage of not just listening to these messages, but by memorizing these words, because we want these verses to be true in your hearts, not just in your head. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:59.439 If you remember, the reason that we're choosing these verses is because we're picking five of the top ten verses that are the most engaged, that are the most shared, the most highlighted on the UVersion Bible app last year. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.439 If you don't have the UVersion Bible app, let me make this a plug for you to make sure to get it. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:08.639 Got a ton of reading plans, a ton of different Bible translations, an incredible resource of God's word. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:14.639 But they list the top verses, and there's some amazing verses that you can choose from. 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:22.160 And so we have chosen five of those, and today's verse is 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 7. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:23.120 Here's what we're gonna do. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:24.079 We're gonna say it all together. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.240 You can either use your card, you can look at it on the screen. 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:30.639 I'm gonna say the reference, we're gonna say the verse, and then I'm gonna say the reference again. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:32.080 That's how I memorize scripture. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.039 I say the reference, verse, and then the reference again. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:36.320 All right, let's say it together. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:38.879 2 Timothy 1, 7. 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:46.240 For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:49.360 2 Timothy 1, 7. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:55.759 The phrase, fear not, is the most repeated phrase in all of the Bible. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.519 And as believers, we aren't supposed to be afraid. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:02.639 But all of us have fears. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:09.919 And if we're honest, these fears consume our lives and it begins to affect our behavior and our choices. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:13.840 So, how do we break free from fear? 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:15.519 I want to give you a list. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.320 This is a list that is not what you should do. 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:21.360 This is a list, though, that what most of us gravitate towards. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:25.200 I'm guilty on most of the things that are gonna be on this list. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:31.120 These are things as you look at them, I want you to just identify is this my method of dealing with fear? 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:36.639 And what I want to tell you up front is that it may help for a short season, but it never lasts. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:40.480 Here's some of the things that people do in order to deal with their fears. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:43.200 First of all, people try to avoid their fears. 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:44.799 Avoid your fears. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:46.720 If you're afraid of planes, you know what you do? 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:48.480 You simply avoid flying. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:53.200 If you're afraid of rejection, you just avoid the person altogether. 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:56.240 You're afraid of failure, you don't even try. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:58.159 Dads are the worst at this. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:04.559 The real men don't show weakness, so we just avoid the situation that would put us in a position of weakness. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:06.720 We all know this to be true, though. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.639 You can't avoid everything. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.200 You eventually are gonna have to face some things. 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:14.080 And your question is, how are you going to do it? 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:16.720 Second thing people do is they power through your fears. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:19.039 This is my favorite of them all. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:21.759 This is what I do in most things in life. 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:30.720 I've done this with even my kids whenever they were little and they were nervous about jumping into the pool, even though they'd gone through swimming lessons, even though they knew what to do, but they were nervous about jumping in. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:35.759 I'd quote Philippians 4 13, pick them up and throw them into the pool, you know, because that's what you're supposed to do. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:37.039 Power through it. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:38.320 Like we got to figure it out. 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:41.440 If you're afraid of riding a roller coaster, you know what the best way to figure out if you love it. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.320 If you're scared of that roller coaster, you ride the roller coaster. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:47.120 You face those fears, you go right through them. 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:49.840 This is how I've lived most of my life. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:54.080 Whenever I've got something that's a challenge, we power through the challenge. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:56.879 We don't analyze it, we don't debate it, we just go through it. 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.879 We just face it, we go right into it. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:07.919 Here's the problem: sometimes you face your fears, you power through them, and you realize that everything that you were afraid of is actually real and it causes more fear. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:10.559 Doesn't always work. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:16.159 Another thing people try to do is distract yourself away from your fears. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:21.759 If you're afraid of needles, think about a really happy place while you're getting your shot. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:22.960 It doesn't work. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:28.320 If you're afraid of public speaking, picture everyone in their pajamas. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:32.000 And it's supposed to make you less nervous about public speaking. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:34.080 This is why we like vacations. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:40.080 Because we escape reality and we get to go away from all the things that cause us anxiety. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:45.120 Here's the problem with vacations: you eventually have to come home. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:56.320 And when you come home, what you realize is that the distraction was good, but it doesn't remove a source of what's causing you to be fearful in the first place. 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.120 Another thing people try to do is they try to control your fears. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:00.639 Any control feaks out there? 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:02.480 This is my hand lifted up, very, very high. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:03.519 There's no question about it. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:06.159 This is certainly one of the things that I try to do. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:11.039 Whenever I have fears, I begin to just try to figure out how to manage those fears. 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:14.320 We try to control the things that make us afraid. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:17.440 If I've got afraid of not having enough money, I just gotta work harder. 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.200 I gotta get a bigger savings account. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:27.840 I gotta make sure that I got a big enough nest egg so that fear of financial insecurity can go away because I can control it. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:30.879 Or maybe I've got a fear of a medical diagnosis. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:35.519 Somebody all of a sudden get I get a phone call and I realize that I've got something that's gonna be challenging. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:43.840 Man, I gotta get with the best doctors, I gotta get with the best treatment, I gotta get the best hospitals, I gotta go to the best place, and I gotta control the situation. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:46.080 Here's the problem: we all know this to be true. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.840 You can't control everything. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:55.519 And every time you think you're controlling something, something tends to happen where you get reminded that you're not actually in control. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:03.360 Another thing that people do quite often is they try to medicate or diagnose your fears. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:08.480 I want to say this with all pastoral heart and concerned people here. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:13.600 I do not in any way want to suggest that it medication is wrong. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:20.960 God has given us incredible medication and drugs as well as incredible doctors to help people that have chemical imbalances. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:24.639 It is not wrong or sinful for you to take medication. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:35.919 But statistics show 20% of adult Americans are currently taking anxiety medications, and 43% have taken mood-altering drugs. 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:36.960 Dr. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:51.600 Richard Lehigh states the average, listen to this, the average high school kid today has the same anxiety level as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:59.519 What I am trying to suggest is this is that this medication and diagnosing of everything is not helping. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:10.720 It certainly may provide temporary relief, but it doesn't deal with the underlying issues that are causing the concerns. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.279 So, how do we actually break free from fear? 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.000 This is where the Bible is helpful for us. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.320 Psalm chapter 55, verse 22. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.600 What a great verse. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:27.279 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:31.519 He will never permit the righteous to be moved. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:39.519 When you bring your fears to God, he doesn't meet you with judgment, wondering why you're not further along, why you're still bringing this up. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:48.000 He invites you to take your fears and lay them on his back so that they get off your back. 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.519 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 6 and 7. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:15:00.480 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:01.759 Why? 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:03.759 Because he cares for you. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.320 We can pray through our fears. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.840 We can confess to God that we fear man more than we should. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:12.720 There is freedom when you admit these things to Christ. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:19.840 God knows what you need before you ask, He cares about them, which can cause us not to be afraid. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:30.480 Ultimately, the main point that I want you to see today, though, from this passage the way you break free from fear is to fight your fears with fear. 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:33.840 Fight your fears with fear. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:34.720 Let me explain. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:40.240 Remember this phrase the right fear cancels out the wrong fears. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:46.080 When the fear of the Lord fills your heart, there's no room left for the fear of man. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:51.039 Throughout the Bible, we see that we are not to be afraid, but there's also this other idea. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:54.639 We are told that we should fear the Lord. 00:15:54.879 --> 00:16:02.720 Proverbs chapter 9, verse 10 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:05.600 This is different from being scared. 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:11.759 This instead is a fear where we get wisdom and insight into life. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:16.080 The fears that we've been discussing keep us in slavery and bondage. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:20.960 They're scared fears that leave us vulnerable and helpless. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:26.720 But the fear of the Lord is one of awe and reverence and respect. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:33.759 This may not say much about me, but I'm just saying that I hate one of the most dreaded experiences that I have. 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:35.279 I had to do recently. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:41.360 Whenever I call a mechanic to drop my car off. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.039 There's nothing that feels quite as helpless as that moment. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.480 I'm not a big car guy. 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.639 I don't necessarily know a lot about what's going on in cars. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:50.799 And so I just am waiting for the phone call. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:53.759 And they're gonna tell me whatever it is that I need. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.399 I have no idea what they're talking about. 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:01.279 I have no way to argue or to question or to do I really need that? 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.480 And they could say whatever they want, and I've got no next thing to say. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:10.400 Like I just feel so helpless, and I'm kind of at their mercy in every single way. 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:20.559 We uh we're taking a vacation in a couple of weeks, and we we make a long road trip, and our car's got about a hundred thousand miles on it, which is kind of a big number that that kind of a lot of stuff tends to kind of break. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:25.599 And so I've taken my car in to kind of make sure everything's good before we make this kind of road trip. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:33.759 And there's two different places that we've gone uh in the area, and and one, uh like we've kind of had to go sometimes out of necessity because this other one isn't open as often. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:38.720 And this one over here, what I've realized is that with both of these mechanics, I fear them. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.680 Like I fear them in every way. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:47.759 But my relationship with them determines what kind of fear I have. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.359 Let me explain. 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:55.759 On the one hand, over here, there's this mechanic that I don't know if they're telling me the truth. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:00.000 Like, to be honest with you, I kind of question it 90% of the time, right? 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:05.200 Like, like, there's no way I took it in for an oil change and I need$700 of work. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.640 There's just no way, all right? 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:15.920 Just change the oil and let's be and immediately, like, but but if I'm in a situation and they have the car undone and like they kind of tell me what it is, like I've got no choice. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:23.839 And so, therefore, my fear of this one that I don't really trust and I don't really believe is one of begrudging submission. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:32.319 Like, I hate it, I don't agree with it, I don't know if I believe it, but I don't have a choice, and so I guess I will do it. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:36.240 On the other hand, we've got another place that we go to, and we really like them. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:38.559 The people are really nice and they're really friendly. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:44.880 Other family members have gone there as well, and we feel like we've had good success with the work that they have done. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.039 They've been honest and all of that type of thing. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:52.960 And so, because of that, I fear this mechanic just as much, but this fear is a totally different type of fear. 00:18:53.119 --> 00:19:08.240 This one is one where he gives me bad news, he tells me that I need to go get this fixed and go get this changed, and I need to do all this money that I didn't want to have to spend, but because of my relationship with him is one of trust, I say, okay, go ahead and do it. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:08.960 That's fine. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:11.039 I know you know what's best for me. 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:21.839 I believe you want what's best for me, and so therefore, I'm gonna agree to this, even though I don't want to do it, but I agree, I believe you, I fear you, and therefore I will submit to it. 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:25.119 Folks, the same thing is true when it comes to the fear of the Lord. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:43.680 If you view God suspiciously, if you view your relationship with the Lord like He's out to get you, like you think He's trying to somehow pull something on you that you weren't expecting, then you're gonna fear Him, but it's being gonna be one of fear of begrudging submission where you're like, fine, I'll do it. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:20:02.640 But instead, if you have a relationship with him where you've seen his goodness, you've seen his mercy, you've seen his faithfulness and his consistency, you've seen how he's been able to take the broken things in your life and put them back together and allowed it to be able to be way better than it was before. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:11.920 Then whenever he tells you something to do, even if it's a hard thing to do, even if it's a sacrificial thing to do, then you gladly and willingly will do it. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:12.400 Why? 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:19.359 Because your relationship with him allows the fear of the Lord to be one of awe and reverence and respect. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:25.119 Proverbs chapter 19, verse 23 says, The fear of the Lord leads to life. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:31.839 And whoever has it rests satisfied, he will not be visited by harm. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:36.880 When we fear the Lord, it displaces our earthly fears. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:37.920 Think about it. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:47.599 If you're afraid of a minor medical procedure, then you talk with someone who's just been informed that they have an operable tumor with only months to live, suddenly your fear seems really small. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:50.720 Let's say you're afraid of water. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:56.799 But maybe your child falls into the water and is drowning, you're jumping into that water to save them. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.279 Why? 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:03.440 Because you have a greater fear of losing your child, which displaces your fear of water. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:09.039 Here's the point: when you fear the Lord, there isn't much room to fear anything else. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:30.319 When you realize the greatness of God, the goodness of God, the bigness of God, the depth of his love and his mercy, the height of his holiness and the length of his grace, you have a reverent, worshipful, all-filled fear of the Lord, and everything else that you could possibly be afraid of becomes so pedestrian and becomes so small. 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:33.519 Here's the truth that will change your life. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:37.440 Big God means small problems. 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:42.079 Small God means big problems. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:47.680 If you've got a big God, you're gonna have small problems. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:52.640 If you've got a small God, your problems are gonna be huge. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:59.759 We've taken the creator of the galaxies and we've shrunk him down to the size of a lucky charm that we pull out in case. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.200 Of emergencies. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:12.960 But when our view of God becomes so big, our fears are shown to be the fraud that they really are, and we can legitimately say that we have no fear. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.240 This is why we read in Matthew chapter 6. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:24.400 When Jesus speaks about worry and anxiety, he tells us how to deal with it in verse 33, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:34.000 And all these things, all these things will be added to you. 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:40.720 The context for 2 Timothy chapter 1 is the Apostle Paul is nearing the end of his ministry. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:46.079 He's got this young disciple named Timothy who's been pouring into, he's been trying to raise up. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:49.279 He was a church planner, he was a leader in the church. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:51.200 And Timothy was struggling. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:57.839 Things weren't as easy for him as he hoped, things weren't as natural or quick as he desired them to be. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:00.160 And he was in need of encouragement. 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:06.640 And so Paul's charge to him was to embrace the challenge and the opportunity. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:11.680 Look with me in 2 Timothy chapter 1, the context, beginning in verse 6. 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:19.920 It says, For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:28.000 For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:34.640 Therefore, do not be ashamed about the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:39.680 But share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:44.400 Sharing in suffering can lead to fear, folks. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:58.640 Yet what it says is that you are to embrace this not in a form of fear, but instead you share for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:22.640 Not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:34.079 But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.960 Here's why this matters for your fears. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:42.720 Jesus didn't die and rise again for your just for your eternal future, he did it for your daily fears. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:53.920 Every worry that you have about your kids, every anxiety about your adequacy as a father, every fear about your future, Jesus conquered them all when he rose from the tomb. 00:24:54.559 --> 00:25:02.240 The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you right now in your parenting and all your leadership fears. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:06.880 And when you fear the Lord, according to 2 Timothy 1, verse 7, three things happen. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:08.319 You get power. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:13.599 Not the power to control everything, but the power to trust the one who does. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:23.839 Instead of frantically trying to manage every outcome in your kids' lives, you have the power to be the father that God has called you to be and to trust him with the results. 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:25.359 You get love. 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:32.240 Instead of parenting from fear, fear that they're gonna get hurt, fear that they're gonna rebel, fear that they won't succeed. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:33.759 You can parent from love. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:36.400 Love that disciplines without rage. 00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:39.039 Love that protects without controlling. 00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:41.920 Love that guides without manipulating. 00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:52.240 You get self-control, not that white-knuckled kind where you're barely holding it together, but the steady confidence from knowing my God is in control. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:58.079 Your kids need to see a dad who's not spinning out when life gets chaotic. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:01.680 Think back to that fear that you named earlier. 00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:06.640 Now imagine facing it with God's power instead of your own strength. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:12.640 Imagine facing it with his love instead of your self-protection. 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:18.799 Imagine facing it with his control instead of your anxiety. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:22.880 This is what 2 Timothy 1, verse 7 is offering you. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:26.880 The question is: do you fear the Lord? 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:31.920 Do you believe what he says to be true over everything else? 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:35.759 Psalm 77, verse 13 and 14. 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:38.160 Your way, O God, is holy. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:40.640 What God is great like our God. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:42.880 You are the God who works wonders. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:45.200 You've made known your might among the peoples. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:51.680 To grow in the fear of the Lord involves dwelling on God's goodness and his greatness and the power of God. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:54.400 Isaiah 46, verse 9 through 11. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:56.559 For I am God and there is no other. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:06.640 I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times, things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose. 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:09.039 I have spoken and I will bring it to pass. 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:11.279 I have purposed and I will do it. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:16.640 God is infinitely greater than anything that we fear. 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:23.920 He is not bound by the same circumstances or external factors that are so often the center of our fears. 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:30.160 God has even overcome death itself, so that we no longer have to be afraid of even death. 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:32.240 Psalm 34, verse 9. 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:40.079 O fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack. 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:43.359 There's freedom when you fear the Lord. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:47.440 There's peace when you let God handle the things that you can't control. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:58.880 We must stop finding our identity in the fear of other things or other people or other ideas of what we think others think, but instead find our identity in the fear of the Lord. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:02.000 So here's my application. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:07.440 Grow in the fear of the Lord. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:13.759 What this means is read the stories of the greatness of God. 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:18.960 Dwell deeply on the richness of his provision. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:26.400 Hear the stories of God's faithfulness taught through Bible studies and your personal reading of the word. 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:30.160 This is why one of our core values is the Bible speaks. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:37.359 We don't want you just to bring your Bible or take out that Bible app and open it up only on Sundays when you're sitting here in church. 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:45.920 But we want you to be a self-feeder so that you can rehearse and you can remind yourself and you can read about the greatness and the goodness of our God. 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:53.519 Get on a Bible reading plan and read about the God's goodness and his greatness in your life. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:29:05.680 This is why we want you to get here early and be expectant to meet with your God as you join with others corporately, to gather and to sing and to give praise to our God. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:17.920 That you can hear about how holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:29.759 We sing these truths to remind our souls that what we walked in here with and the circumstances are not gonna define us, but instead the greatness of our God is gonna lead the way. 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:32.400 This is why we get in a group. 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:34.799 This is why we're better together. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:50.319 Because when we're in a group, we get the opportunity to not only share our story with others, but we get to hear from others about how God overcame struggles, how God has provided, how God has met all of their needs. 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:59.519 As you begin to grow in the knowledge and the fear of the Lord, there's no longer room for your other fears, which will be so insignificant. 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:02.400 Let's say the verse together in closing. 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:04.799 2 Timothy chapter 1, 7. 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:12.079 For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:14.960 Would you bow your heads all across this room? 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.960 What are you afraid of today? 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:32.160 Would you give that fear to the Lord? 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:34.319 Just turn it over to Him. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:37.519 Cast those anxieties on His feet. 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:43.039 Is it the opinion of others? 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.000 I want you to know this. 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:50.160 If you're a believer in Jesus, you have infinite value because you're a child of His, no matter what others may say. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.880 Is it your kids? 00:30:56.480 --> 00:31:02.640 God's called you to be stewards of those children, to launch them out, not to control them. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:09.599 Give them over to the only one who loves and cares for them more than you, their Heavenly Father. 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:13.920 It's time for you to find freedom today. 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:22.480 For some here today, you've tried to find freedom from your fears through so many of the ways that we mentioned earlier. 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:24.319 They just haven't worked. 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:27.119 We last for a moment, but it doesn't last long. 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:35.119 The only way to find freedom from your fears is to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and as your Savior. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:40.880 Jesus accomplished this freedom for you by offering up his life on a cross. 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:49.200 He was resurrected from the dead three days later, and if you place your faith and your trust in him, then you don't have to be afraid. 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:58.400 Right where you're seated, would you just pray this simple prayer like this? 00:31:58.559 --> 00:32:01.039 Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:09.200 I live my life in constant fear because I know that when I die, I'm gonna go to hell. 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:14.480 But right now, I receive your gift of eternal life. 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:18.720 You paid for me on the cross. 00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:23.680 I place my trust in you. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:31.359 But you help me live trusting in you, knowing that wherever you have for me, it's best. 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.960 It's good. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:36.400 It's in Jesus' name I pray. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.079 Amen. 00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:40.319 Thank you so much for joining us this morning. 00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:47.839 We can't wait to see you next week for any of our services at 8 30, 10, 11 30, or Espanol at 1 o'clock.