Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy, chapter 1. There, in v. 7, the Apostle wrote this, to the sometimes-timid Timothy:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
People in the world, who are outside of Christ and His church, *ought* to be plagued with a constant spirit of fear. In their cases, they have plenty about which to be terrified. But the regenerate church member need not fear any-thing or anyone but God Himself. And our fear of God is a familial one, that is perfectly mingled with love. Our Heavenly Father has already expended all His righteous wrath against us and our sin on His Own dear Son Jesus. Be-cause of this, we Christian believers have nothing to fear.But because we still bear in ourselves our old flesh nature, we still (regrettab-ly) experience unnecessary fear from time to time. Still, let us who love Christ totally own our birthrights, and live in full confidence—all in Jesus.
[Puritan quote of the day: "By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil, that is, in their judgment, will, mind, and affections.” —John Bunyan, in, "The Fear of God"]
