A small container with water pouring out
A small container with water pouring out

Stronger Stuff

"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 12:10 ESV

A church occupied in Great Commission work will see growth when people discover the love of the Father through Jesus, His Son. Then, fuelled by the Holy Spirit's guidance, these new followers of Jesus mature in the faith through discipleship and the application of God’s Word. Thus, the church becomes a marvellous blending of young and old, immature and mature, growing together in awe and reverence of the one true God.

Planting a tree
A man and young boy planting a tree

Fret Not (Part 5)
KEEP LOOKING UP!

"Trust in the Lord, and do good....
Turn away from evil and do good."
Psalm 37:3,27 ESV

Overcoming a fretful mindset requires that we seek the Lord's equipping to do good works in this fallen world. External situations should not determine our level of productivity in bearing the fruit of righteousness. Fretfulness doesn't bring glory to God but rather hinders us from responding as we should, namely by overcoming evil with good.

Driving
Sun shining through the clouds

Fret Not (Part 5)
KEEP LOOKING UP!

How can we live fret-free in a world full of turmoil and trouble, with a heart of love, while demonstrating true humility? Psalm 37 answers this question by coaching us to look ahead (which I covered in my previous blog), keep looking up, and stay productive.

When we look ahead, we see a day of true justice dawning just over the horizon of our present situations. With hearts and minds stayed on Christ, we anticipate the time of His glorious return and rejoice in His providential care until that day comes.

Driving
A person driving

Fret Not (Part 4)
LOOKING AHEAD

Part one of this Fret Not blog series, featuring messages based on Psalm 37 (ESV), concluded that Christians should refrain from unrighteous anger when the campaigns of the ungodly prosper. Part two showed how such fretting leads to general neglect in demonstrating love towards those who reject and oppose the righteous. The third part of the series reflected on how the Holy Spirit empowers those who exhibit Biblical meekness while, in the eyes of the world, such an attribute is considered weakness.  

Airport hallway
I am strong because I know my weaknesses

Fret Not (Part 3)
Blessed are the Meek

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
Matthew 5:5 ESV

Many mistake meekness for weakness, believing that the meek are subservient and ever yielding to the antagonist. This world esteems those who rise to fight back, crush injustice and avenge wrong. The cultural hero figure it readily embraces is the Steve Rogers type (the protagonist from the Captain America movies) who transforms into the ultimate superhero to defeat evil in the world.

Airport hallway
Airport hallway

Fret Not (Part 2)
What's Love Got to Do With It?

"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."
Psalm 37:8 ESV

In my previous blog, we learned that the meaning of "fret not yourself" is "do not get heated." In the face of injustice and evil, we are to refrain from agitation, anger and irritation because these reactions produce bad fruit. The question then becomes, how can we respond in a fashion that yields good fruit? The Lord revealed to me the answer to this question in a foreign airport while returning from an overseas trip.