First Presbyterian Church Fort Dodge

Our Advent Devotional book is in people’s hands all over the town. (You can pick up your copy at church if you don’t have one yet.) I hope you enjoy reading it each day. One church member realized that many of the devotionals had to do with fear. Austin’s sermon this past Sunday was on the angel’s announcement to “be not afraid.” In my adult Sunday school class, which meets in the conference room, the more we talked about our fears, the more we realized how many we had. It seems like fear is on our minds a lot.

Is there something scaring you right now? Fear of the future? Fear of the unknown? A very real fear? Let us remember that the angel arrived to the shepherds and to Joseph and to Mary to say “be not afraid.” We have God’s Holy Spirit residing in us, empowering us to do hard things and to live fear-free lives.

 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” God has given us a spirit of power, a spirit of love, and a spirit of self-discipline. Every time you find your mind sinking back into fear, exercise self-discipline by saying this verse, or another appropriate Bible verse. May you be fearless this week!

See you in worship!
Sara