When Fear Becomes A Snare
Proverbs 29:25 KJV says:
"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."
The Bible warns us against placing our trust in people rather than in God. When we become overly concerned about what people may think, say, or do, fear can become a snare that keeps us from trusting the Lord.
Remember Abram when he traveled to Egypt and became afraid of what might happen to him because of Sarai?
Genesis 12:11-16 NLT says:
"As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, 'Look, you are a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, "This is his wife. Let's kill him; then we can have her!" So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.' And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai's beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace. Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels."
Abram's fear led him to take matters into his own hands, and his plan backfired. But God still protected him.
I think this is a wonderful reminder for us. Even in our weaknesses, and even in those moments when we fail, God can help us, protect us, and teach us to seek Him first in all things.
Perhaps you have had moments when fear caused you to make a decision you later regretted. Maybe you were more concerned about what someone else might think than about trusting God. If so, remember that our failures do not mean God has abandoned us.
The answer is not to put our trust in ourselves or in other people. The answer is to put our trust in the Lord.
The last part of Proverbs 16:20 says:
"…whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he."
What a beautiful promise. When we trust the Lord, we don't have to be controlled by the fear of people or by the fear of what might happen.
So today, let's put our trust in Jesus. When we make a mistake, turn to Him. When we don't know what to do, turn to Him.
Richard Templin Hancock
Encouraging you to have faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him daily.
Christian - forgiven - grateful
Welcome. My name is Richard Templin Hancock and I’m here to encourage you to have faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him daily. I'm glad you're here—let's walk this path together.
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Contend For The Faith
Contend For The Faith
"Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."
"Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."
---Jude 1:3 (WEB)
Jude calls believers “beloved,” and that matters. This call to contend for the faith is not harsh—it is loving. God knows His people will face error, compromise, and pressure, so He lovingly calls us to stand firm in the truth.
Contending for the faith does not mean being argumentative or proud. It means holding tightly to God’s Word, refusing what is false, and staying faithful to Christ in everyday life. We contend when we open our Bible instead of feeding on the world. We contend when we say no to sin, when we speak truth with gentleness, and when we refuse to be ashamed of Jesus.
Think of Jesus in the wilderness answering Satan with Scripture. Think of Paul refusing to let the gospel be distorted. God’s people have always been called to stand on truth.
Some days contending looks dramatic, but often it is quiet and ordinary. It looks like choosing obedience when compromise would be easier. It looks like guarding your home, your mind, and your church from falsehood. It looks like loving Christ enough to remain faithful when the world pushes back.
Believer, you do not need to invent the truth. You are called to hold fast to the truth already given in Scripture. So stay near the Word, stay humble, and stay bold. Christ is worth your faithfulness.
Jude calls believers “beloved,” and that matters. This call to contend for the faith is not harsh—it is loving. God knows His people will face error, compromise, and pressure, so He lovingly calls us to stand firm in the truth.
Contending for the faith does not mean being argumentative or proud. It means holding tightly to God’s Word, refusing what is false, and staying faithful to Christ in everyday life. We contend when we open our Bible instead of feeding on the world. We contend when we say no to sin, when we speak truth with gentleness, and when we refuse to be ashamed of Jesus.
Think of Jesus in the wilderness answering Satan with Scripture. Think of Paul refusing to let the gospel be distorted. God’s people have always been called to stand on truth.
Some days contending looks dramatic, but often it is quiet and ordinary. It looks like choosing obedience when compromise would be easier. It looks like guarding your home, your mind, and your church from falsehood. It looks like loving Christ enough to remain faithful when the world pushes back.
Believer, you do not need to invent the truth. You are called to hold fast to the truth already given in Scripture. So stay near the Word, stay humble, and stay bold. Christ is worth your faithfulness.
The Purpose Of Him
The Purpose Of Him
Ephesians 1:11 ESV
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,”
Think about the first time you started thinking about God, Jesus, and salvation. Do you think it was an accident? I don’t think so. Think about it.
Jesus tells us in John 6:44:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
Again, Jesus says in John 6:65:
“...This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
Now look again at what Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:11:
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
There is great comfort in knowing that God has a purpose. Our coming to know Jesus is not some random accident. God has been at work, drawing us to His Son and calling us into the salvation we have in Christ.
His purpose is not to abandon you. His will has always been to love you, to draw you closer to Jesus, and to see you through.
So, my fellow follower of Christ, cling to Jesus. Trust Him. Seek Him in prayer and remember that your life is in His hands. The God who began drawing you to Himself is the God who will faithfully lead you forward.
And if you are at a point in your life where you feel yourself drawn to Jesus, then go to Him in prayer. He is waiting.
Ephesians 1:11 ESV
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,”
Think about the first time you started thinking about God, Jesus, and salvation. Do you think it was an accident? I don’t think so. Think about it.
Jesus tells us in John 6:44:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
Again, Jesus says in John 6:65:
“...This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
Now look again at what Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:11:
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
There is great comfort in knowing that God has a purpose. Our coming to know Jesus is not some random accident. God has been at work, drawing us to His Son and calling us into the salvation we have in Christ.
His purpose is not to abandon you. His will has always been to love you, to draw you closer to Jesus, and to see you through.
So, my fellow follower of Christ, cling to Jesus. Trust Him. Seek Him in prayer and remember that your life is in His hands. The God who began drawing you to Himself is the God who will faithfully lead you forward.
And if you are at a point in your life where you feel yourself drawn to Jesus, then go to Him in prayer. He is waiting.
The Holy Spirit Is With Us
The Holy Spirit Is With Us
John 14:16-17 NASB
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”
Fellow follower of Jesus, I have been thinking about the Holy Spirit and how He is here with us day in and day out.
Through troublesome nights and busy days. Through good health and sickness. Through victories and defeats. Through all of our lives, the Holy Spirit is right here with us.
I thought this would be a good time to encourage us all to seek the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give us greater understanding as we grow in knowing Him and seeking His help.
I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Don’t you?
I know that the Holy Spirit will always bring me back to Jesus and His teachings. He reminds us of the words of Jesus and helps us understand and live according to His truth.
In John 14:26, Jesus tells us:
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
What a wonderful promise from Jesus. The Holy Spirit is not distant from us. He is our Helper, our Teacher, and the Spirit of truth. He abides with us and is in us.
So today, let us thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us seek Him, listen to Him, and allow Him to continually point our hearts toward Jesus.
John 14:16-17 NASB
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”
Fellow follower of Jesus, I have been thinking about the Holy Spirit and how He is here with us day in and day out.
Through troublesome nights and busy days. Through good health and sickness. Through victories and defeats. Through all of our lives, the Holy Spirit is right here with us.
I thought this would be a good time to encourage us all to seek the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give us greater understanding as we grow in knowing Him and seeking His help.
I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Don’t you?
I know that the Holy Spirit will always bring me back to Jesus and His teachings. He reminds us of the words of Jesus and helps us understand and live according to His truth.
In John 14:26, Jesus tells us:
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
What a wonderful promise from Jesus. The Holy Spirit is not distant from us. He is our Helper, our Teacher, and the Spirit of truth. He abides with us and is in us.
So today, let us thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us seek Him, listen to Him, and allow Him to continually point our hearts toward Jesus.
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