Faith the valley of the shadow of death

(This is a summary of the message that was preached by Michael Larsen on August 2, 2020.)

Psalm 23:4. “The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything that I need. And even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid because you are with me."

Corrie ten Boon said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.”

The key to calmness and the key to confidence and the key to courage in this crisis is faith to keep our eyes on Christ.

James 1:1. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.”

What is the antidote to fear?

Fear is spelled F-E-A-R, which somebody said is “false evidence appearing real.”

So the antidote to fear is to replace fear, false evidence appearing real, with facts and with faith.

Proverbs 14:15  “The gullible believe anything they're told, but the prudent sift and weigh every word.”

Proverbs 13:16 says, “The prudent person always acts out of knowledge.”

Proverbs 18:13, “What a shame, yes, it is a folly, to decide before knowing the facts.”

Proverbs 18:2, “A foolish person doesn't care about the facts; all he wants to do is yell.”   

Proverbs 14:8, “The wise man looks ahead, but the foolish man attempts to fool himself, and he won't face the facts.”

Proverbs 23:23, “Get the facts at any price, and hold on tightly to good sense.”

Remember:

1.  Not everything you hear is true.

2.  This too will pass.

1 Peter 4:12 says this, “Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked when you go through painful trials and fiery tests in life.”

3.  Focus on what’s unchanging.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For our temporary and momentary troubles will not last. They will not last, but they are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. We focus not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

4.  No matter what I go through, God will go through it with me.

Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.

When you pass through rivers of difficultly, you will not drown. And when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned up. It will not consume you.”

5.  This is not the end of the story.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 14 say this. “We often suffer, but we’re never crushed. And even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and we get knocked down, but we get up again.”

6.  God wants to use me to help others.

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