I’m posting this because I had a day where I was confronted with underlying fear and anxiety that I wasn’t even aware of until I thought about it for a few moments. These verses were helpful to me, and I’m sharing them in the hopes they might be helpful to someone else. Now that I’m feeling better, I’m going to drink a tall glass of milk, take some Valerian root and get some much needed rest.

“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” -John 14:27

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. –Isaiah 43:1 & 2

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. The flame shall not consume you. -Isaiah 41:10

No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn’t have perfect love. –1 John 4:18

For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God’s children, and by the Spirit’s power we cry out to God, “Father! my Father!” –Romans 8:15

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12: 9 & 10

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” –Matthew 6:34

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? –Psalms 56:3 & 4

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? -Psalm 56:8

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, because he cares for you. –1 Peter 5:6 & 7

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah. –Psalm 46:1-3

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” –Deuteronomy 31:8

You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me. –Psalms 32:7

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation. –Psalm 42:5

God is my savior; I will trust him and not be afraid. The LORD gives me power and strength; he is my savior. -Isaiah 12:2

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” –Jeremiah 32:27

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? –Luke 12:25 & 26

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. –Philippians 4:6-8

When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace; you alone, O LORD, keep me perfectly safe. –Psalms 4:8

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalms 46:10

I’ve blogged about PostSecret before and visiting the website is as much a part of my Sunday routine as church attendance. (Admittedly, I’ve attended services at the PostSecret website more frequently than church this year.)

At any rate, it occurred to me today that what PostSecret founder Frank Warren has stumbled upon with his site and the many books and seminars it has spawned, is something the church has known for years. Confession really is good for the soul and has a freeing effect.

It got me thinking: Why are people more willing to make such confessions anonymously over the Internet, but petrified to confess anonymously to a priest or more openly in a small group setting during “accountability” time. I think (and I could certainly be wrong,) part of the reason is the church expects you to confess your sins, which are big, scary, ominous and damning things, where PostSecret simply asks for your secrets. Most people wouldn’t call these expressions sins, though quite often some form of sin is hidden underneath these confessions.

Perhaps, such an attitude could revolutionize churches. What if a church were to ask its members to submit their secrets anonymously for a month and then on the last Sunday of the month share some of those secrets with the congregation? Wouldn’t it be freeing to know that no one else in the church is a super-Christian either? Wouldn’t it help us to see one another as real human beings with struggles and hang-ups and help us to stop putting up walls and putting on airs with one another? Wouldn’t it be revitalizing for us to come together and truly love one another without pretense and without this idea that the majority of the congregation has it together while a small minority just can’t get it right?

It might be scary to some, but I think in the long-run it could make an effective difference in the way individual churches and perhaps the body of Christ as a whole functions. I may suggest it in my church. Your thoughts?

The Word became flesh.
Human.

The Word didn’t become a committee. He didn’t become a program. The Word didn’t become a set of rules or a religion. The Word did not confine Himself to a mission statement or a policy. The Word was more than a book. The Word didn’t become inspiration or accountability. The Word did not become a cause. The Word became flesh.

He became flesh to pour compassion upon weak flesh. He became flesh because flesh can be wounded and scarred. Flesh can have blemishes and flesh can hurt. The Word came as a human because humanity needed a real hand and a flesh and blood savior.

I’ve been getting into a lot of conversations about contentment lately. Despite my usually ranting blogs, I am usually content with the direction my life is heading in and I’m thankful for what I have. I don’t live in what most would consider excess and I generally don’t want more. I may not always be happy, but I am usually content.

In my conversations with others on this topic, I find that the words of the Apostle Paul on contentment being a learned secret ring true. Most people, no matter how hard they try, cannot be content in their circumstances. It’s almost as though contentment goes so against the grain of modern culture that it is a foreign concept in our goal-oriented, always-striving-for-bigger-and-better society.

I saw this clip a few moments ago, and it humorously drove home what I’ve been thinking on this subject for a few weeks. Enjoy!

For at least a week, from Palm Sunday to Easter, most followers of Christ have focused, or tried to focus on the events of the week of the Passion. For those who celebrate Lent, this focus has lasted about 40 days.

During this time of year, we reflect on what Christ’s life means to us. We pause on Good Friday and think about the depth of our sin and the tremendous amount of suffering our Lord had to go through on our behalf. We cringe when we think about the nails, the cross—the blood.

Some of us feel depressed on Saturday because we can empathize with what a dark day that must have been for the disciples and for the entire world as the Savior of all mankind lay lifeless in a dark tomb.

On Sunday we celebrate the defeat of sin and death for all of eternity. We rejoice that the tomb is empty and we worship our great God who orchestrated it all out of His love for His people.

Today, we return to our lives. But will we do so with the knowledge that our Christ is risen? Will we remember that He is flesh and blood— a concrete Messiah? Or will we return to the sin that grips us, thinking of Him only as a spirit, an “eye in the sky” that sees all we do, but isn’t affected by it? Will what we felt this week impact our relationship with Christ in the coming week?

I’d like to think I’ll take the reality of the resurrection into my week and into the rest of my life. But I know from past experience, that I’ll forget the One I serve and wander away too frequently.

Pontius Pilate first asked this poignant question on the day Jesus or Nazareth was crucified, and the question still vexes hearers today. Because of His teachings, His life and the events surrounding His death, all must eventually contend with what they believe about this great man.

At issue is the absurdity of His claims. Unlike other religious leaders, Jesus didn’t claim to be a prophet, a teacher or a messenger. He didn’t even claim to only be the Messiah. He claimed to be both Messiah and God in the flesh. To make brushing Him off even more difficult, He performed public miracles, delivered His teachings in the public square and died a public death.

Not only were His life and death played out in public, but after His death, He left an empty tomb behind and publicly appeared to hundreds of people before ascending into Heaven. Since this man from Nazareth claims deity and had a controversial “death,” anyone seeking Truth must wrestle with the question originally posed by Pilate. “What Should I Do With This Jesus?” What does one do with someone who claimed to be God and who’s resurrection story is supported by witnesses who lived during his own time? Could what Jesus said about Himself be true?

If it’s not true, then the Christian faith is founded on lies and all who believe it would be fools. But, if it is actually true and such a person existed who could defeat death, we would be even more foolish not to believe in him.

If you’re curious or searching for the truth, here are a few questions to investigate:

• Does God exist?
• Has God communicated with man?
• If so, does the Bible contain God’s recorded words?
• Does the Bible make predictions about the Messiah?
• Does Jesus meet the qualifications to be that Messiah?
• If Jesus is the Messiah, does that mean He is God, as He claimed?
• If Jesus was God, could He have risen from the dead?

photo credit: JavierPsilocybin

The word Hosanna, which we commonly hear on Palm Sunday and in some praise songs, means “Save now!” It is a cry, uttered by God’s people, to the God they believe can save them from the desperation they feel. This cry was uttered two millennia ago when Jesus rode into Jerusalem just before the Passover celebration the year He was crucified.

We sing this word, and we recite it in Palm Sunday liturgies and confessions, but how often do we cry out in desperate need and longing to the Messiah we believe can save us? How often in day to day lives do we treat Jesus as our Hosanna?

As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of a clip from Superman Returns that serves as a reminder that our world is still very much crying out for Hosanna.

Uncle Luther's Porch

• About
• Disclaimer
• Contact Us

A look at Christianity from the Christian family's crazy uncle