“Do You Fear Bad News?”

“Do You Fear Bad News?”

            ^{Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.}

^{Psalm 112:6-7 NIV}

^{Depending on when you read this, it might be that time again . . . time to see what’s happening in our world. Time to watch the nightly news. Today is a day of national remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001 and many of you may hear recollections of that day when four coordinated terrorist attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group.}

         ^{The nonstop news reports may also feature the latest commentary on last night’s presidential debate. (I’m writing this on Monday, so we’ll assume it happened on Tuesday evening this week). Your source of news and information may also focus on other not-so-good events that happened so far this week.}

         ^{Am I the only person who feels like standing in front of my TV before watching the news and loudly shouting, “Jesus is Lord!” to remind myself who’s truly in control of this world and so I can be prompted to trust the Lord when I hear about the latest mass shooting, or see video coverage of grown-ups behaving badly? When controversy and culture-shift cause me to question both the leadership and lordship in this country, those words, “Jesus is Lord!” help to keep me focused and grounded.}

         ^{The psalmist says the righteous “will never be shaken” and “have no fear of bad news,” but I confess that I’m often shaken to the core with anxiety about the world my children and grand-children are inheriting.}

         ^{British theologian John Stott once said we should approach each day with a Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. God calls us to be in the world but not of the world, so I can’t just ignore what’s happening in the news.}

         ^{This question remains then . . . How can we maintain this delicate balance of trusting God while living among often untrustworthy voices? The psalmist says the answer lies in having a “steadfast heart.” That word steadfast means to stand firm under difficulty, to never waver.}

         ^{May God strengthen your heart and mind today and always, my friend, as you live for Christ with the knowledge of God’s Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit who lives in you!}

^{For those of you who will be worshiping at the Mt. Laurel Church of God this coming Sunday, September 8, Pastor Dale will be bringing the message from God to you based on Mark 8:27-38.} 

^{Consider reading this Scripture before coming to worship or watching on Facebook so your heart is ready to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice.}

^{Pastor Dale}

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this message with anyone you choose. And if you'd like to receive PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send an email to (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.