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God has not Given Us a Spirit of Fear by Jack Winkle
Life will always bring challenges, but lately I've been strongly encouraged by a reminder for all of us that comes from a passage in 2nd Timothy. Verse 7 points out that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." That's a great combination:
God's power and love and a "sound mind" so we can, "Test all things, and hold fast to that which is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Knowing we have God's perfect love enables us to face anything that comes our way with a confidence that He is with us, strengthening us with His power and defending us because of His great love for us.
In all circumstances, good or bad, God faithfully leads us on. We just need to follow Him. Come visit us - in person is always best, but we're online as well! - and be encouraged by God's Word, the Bible, as we learn from Him.
I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a wonderful Resurrection/Easter Sunday!
Jack Winkle is the lead pastor for Calvary Chapel Golden Valley. calvarychapelgoldenvalley.org
What God Did for Us Matters
More than 2,000 years later, what God did for us, through Jesus and the cross, matters to Christians. It makes a difference in how we live and love - and how we face challenges. It affects our outlook and perspective. It invites us to let God's light shine in our lives.
The celebration of Easter and the power of Jesus's resurrection over death are even more significant and beautiful when we remember the darkness of Good Friday and Jesus's death on the cross. Our lives are dark sometimes.
Grief, addiction, doubt, illness and worry make it difficult to hold onto any hope that things can be different. Our faith promises us, however, that the light of hope never dies. The darkness will not last forever. Easter brings us the promise that God's love will never fail. Join us for online worship on Good Friday at 7pm and Easter, available all day.
Valencia United Methodist Church umcv.org