Good Morning Everyone
Our theme for this month: “Healthy Living”
Our Bible verse for today: “There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear …” 1 John 4:18 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “God’s love makes all the difference.”
I love the thought Rick Warren shares in “The Daniel Plan Journal”:
“Many people are afraid to get close to others, even their friends, because they are concerned that if others see who they really are, they will be rejected … God’s answer to fear is love. God enables us to love the fear out of one another.”
People tend to fear getting close to others because they’re afraid that if they allow others to get too close, they will be seen for who they truly are and will consequently be rejected. How sad. How sad that someone would believe they could only be loveable and likeable if they pretend to be someone different from who they truly are; and how sad that we sometimes make others feel that way.
The answer to the problem is God’s love. God’s love is perfect. God’s accepts people as they are. When God’s love rules, there’s no longer any reason to fear what others might think or say about you, because others will be thinking and saying about you what God Himself thinks and says. Rick goes on:
“We drive fear from our community by loving one another so supportively that each person feels safe inside the group. This safety allows us to bring our humanity into the group, including all our joy and pain, our ups and downs, our victories and defeats. That is what deep and committed friendships offer.”
In order to help one another to be the men and women God wants us to be, we have to create an environment where everyone knows it’s safe to simply be real. That means there can be no criticism, no gossip, and no judging – just genuine love and concern, and a real desire to help one another.
Perfect love (God’s love) drives out fear. God enables us to love the fear out of one another.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 