Read:

Genesis 50:21 "Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them"

Exhortation:

Joseph's brothers were afraid. And there seemed to be good reason for their anxiety. They had conspired to do away with their brother because they were jealous of him. Having sold him into slavery, they thought they were through with him. But God had protected Joseph and had elevated him to great power in Egypt. Speaking to his brothers, Joseph explained it well: But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive (Genesis 50:20).

This good news was related to Joseph's brothers while they were kneeling before him seeking forgiveness. They had expected judgement and instead received grace. They must have lived through this scene a thousand times on the way to Egypt, each time characterised by some variation of expected revenge. Perhaps Joseph would devise some means of paying them back for their meanness that would cost them their freedom or their families. He had seemed forgiving, but how could they be sure of his true feelings? The miles to Egypt must have been long, and the mileage rolled up on their bodies and emotional systems immense. That journey may have found them in imaginary Egyptian jails, serving as slaves for the rest of their lives, or experiencing some punishment practised in Egypt that was unknown to them.

Now they were being told to stop being afraid. They would be treated kindly and both they and their children would be nourished by the one they had wronged. Their worries and fears were in vain.

Too often, like Joseph's brothers, we stew over imaginary fears. Our Lord will nourish and care for His own!

Read:

Genesis 46:3 "And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation"

Exhortation:

Being uprooted can be frightening. Jacob lived in Canaan, the land of promise. The famine there had forced his family to go to Egypt to find food and while there they had discovered Jacob's son Joseph who had been sold into slavery many years before by his jealous brothers. Joseph now held high office in Egypt and invited his father and brothers to come there and live. An old man now, Jacob must have found it difficult to make the journey and to relocate his family.

There are many fears connected with moving. You may be wrestling with some of them: Will I ever feel at home there? Will the neighbours be friendly? Will I be accepted? Will the children be happy?

But we must remember that Christians do not move alone! Our walk with God is not confined to a geographical location. The Lord promised to go with Jacob and urged him to put away his fears.

On the other hand, conditions may not always be easy in a new home. Egypt was to become a difficult place for the descendants of Jacob, the Children of Israel. But their deliverance from that land would become a central miracle of the Bible.

The future may hold a major move for you. You company may send you to work in a foreign land. You may be moving to a foreign land for further studies. But remember - changing locations does not separate a child of God from his Heavenly Father. And your obligations to worship and pray will be just as important in that new area as in the old one where everyone knows you.

Whatever the future, allow the promises of God to dispel your fears. If you have been born again, you will never move alone. His love knows no boundaries.

Read:

Genesis 26:24 "And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake""

Exhortation:

God reminded Isaac that he did not need to be afraid. Certain promises that had been made to his father Abraham included him in their benefits. God's agreement - covenant - with Abraham was reported to dispel Isaac's anxiety. Remembering the promises of the Bible will aid us when facing obstacles that make us afraid.

God's promises encourage faith. Faith is developed by exposure to the Bible: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). As you take time to study the Bible you will find guarantees of strength, peace, courage, salvation, power, victory, and answered prayer. Consequently, your faith will grow. Depression will depart. Fears will flee.

We need to trade our fears for faith. A. W. Tozer wrote: "Many of us Christians have become extremely skilful in arranging our lives so as to admit the truth of Christianity without being embarrassed by its implications. We arrange things so that we can get on well enough without divine aid, while at the same time ostensibly seeking it. We boast in the Lord but watch carefully that we never get caught depending on Him."

God's promises hold true today. And they are given for our times of need.

Stop trembling and start trusting. Those good words, Fear not, are for you. His promises will bring you through your present test!

Read:

Genesis 21:17 "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is"

Exhortation:

I remember reading the following story: Needy miners and settlers in British Columbia, engaged in stripping abandoned Fort Alcan of electrical appliances, and plumbing, made an amazing discovery. While dismantling the jail they found that though mighty locks were attached to the heavy doors and two inch bars covered the windows, the walls of the prison were only patented wallboard made of clay and paper, painted to resemble steel. A good heave against any of the walls would have burst them out.

Nobody ever escaped from the jail at Fort Alcan by breaking down a wall because all thought it impossible. Many are prisoners of fear and doubt when a push of faith would bring freedom.

Hagar, Abraham and Sarah's banished maid, wandered in the desert and despaired for the life of her child. When her meagre supply of water was exhausted, she placed the young boy under a shrub and went some distance away to weep so that she wouldn't witness his death. God's question, "What aileth thee, Hagar?" let this troubled mother know that He was aware of her problem. As soon as her eyes were opened she saw that He had already provided the solution - life-giving water. Now His promise assured the future of her son.

What aileth thee? What is bothering you? Why are you troubled?

Put away your fears. Your problem has not taken God by surprise. There is a design in your present difficulties.

Open your eyes and you will see that God has a solution. Rest your future in His hands

Read:

Genesis 15:1 "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward"

Exhortation:

Those who sacrifice to do the will of God will be rewarded.

Abraham had left his homeland not knowing his destination but sure of the call of God. To their sorrow, he and Sarah, his wife, were childless. And they were up in years. There seemed no human hope that they would have descendants. Now they were in a strange land and had been in battle to rescue their relatives who had been taken captive by heathen kings.

In spite of many difficulties, Abraham remained faithful. He was confident that God would repay his obedience. He believed God and anticipated rewards ahead. Nevertheless, he must have wondered how long it would be before he began to receive dividends on his investment of sacrifice and obedience.

Then came this revelation: The Lord was his reward. It might be a great distance from the place of his call to his unknown destination, but in the meantime, God was with him. That was his reward.

Today, you are weary in the race of life. The journey seems long. You have no doubt about your salvation or the certainty of your final destination, heaven. But you are tired, discouraged, about to yield to temptation, wondering if heavenly rewards are worth your present trials.

And here you are dreading the remainder of the year. But don't be afraid. The Lord is your reward. He will go with you to protect you - be your shield. His presence will fill the year with joy!