Happy New Year!

I spent some time practising some spiritual discipline after all the gathering, parties and not forgetting the amount of food consumed! I just came back from Singapore. It was indeed a blessing staying at a 5-star hotel - Shangri La (Orange Grove) at the heart of Orchard Road with good buffet breakfast and best of all - all paid for - free of charge! When people are tightening their spending belt, I least expected myself to shop at Singapore. I am very thankful and grateful for the hospitalities shown to me by my Singaporean Pastor and wife, friends and cousin.

Did some reflection this morning and my heart is full of thanksgiving. Though there were many rough edges in 2008, I sailed through. I am thankful God see me through thus far.

I claimed His promises and comforted by His words and assurance that as I stepped into 2009, though it is full of unknown and uncertainties, I can be assured of His hand on me.

I found the following message which Dr Meera gave me very encouraging.


DO NOT BE AFRAID CHAI GIM
LUKE 1:26-38 especially vs. 28-30
There is a short story on TV which I saw about a train journey. The passengers were chatting away with their friends. A man was standing with his bag near him. It was a normal scene on a train in England. At the next stop the man got down. After the train started, the passenger noticed that his bag was left behind. As time went by, they kept looking at the bag wondering whether there was a bomb inside. There was a sign on the train saying "If you see anything unusual tell someone." The passengers got more apprehensive about the bag. Outside, the next scene shows the same man running. To me it seemed as if he was running away from something or someone. When the train stopped at the next station, that man came in, took his bag and went off. A ll the passenger heaved a sigh of relief. As the train started again there was a sudden loud bang. Sounded like a gun shot. Everyone got frightened. It was a little girl who had been chewing bubble gum and the bubble which she blew had burst. The story ended. You had to make your own conclusions. As I thought about this story, I realized that there was nothing to fear but the passengers were afraid. It was only a bag and bubble gum which had made them all afraid.


The angel came to Mary in Luke 1:28-30. When the angel greeted her she was troubled. But the angel comforted her saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary". Why was Mary troubled? Maybe because of the appearance of the angel to her. In those days angels appeared to men, seldom to women. It was a man's world. Or perhaps she was troubled because of the words of greetings. Unusual words. She could not understand them. She was only a young teen. Just imagine if an angel came to you and spoke those words would you have been troubled? Mary was comforted with the words "Do not be afraid(DNBA). You are highly favoured"


4 times in the Christmas story we read the words DNBA. Angels speaking these words.
Luke 2:8-10. DNBA to the shepherds
Matthew 1:20 DNBA to Joseph
Luke 1:13 DNBA Zachariah
Words of comfort to them. DNBA Mary, the Lord is with you. Emmanuel, God with us. God in the form of baby Jesus was in Mary for 9 months. God in the form of the Holy Spirit is in us always.


Today the Lord is saying to each one of us "Do not be afraid, ... (Add your name in). "DNBA Chai Gim. You are highly favoured. The Lord is with you. " Why are you highly favoured? Because you are a child of God. Every child is highly favoured by their parents. How much more does God favour you.


DNBA. Emmanuel God with us.


Fear is universal. It is not wrong to have fear. If we had no fear we would walk into the road and be run over by the cars. What is wrong is to continue to fear for days, months and years. Today what are you afraid of? Maybe ---
Finances. Health. Job insecurity. Children's education. Broken home. Guilty past. Meeting people. You think God cannot help you. Unable to pay your bills. Whatever it is
A survey done years ago by some psychologist showed that more than 80% of what people were afraid of does not actually happen. Psalm 56:3.
You are highly favoured. Emmanuel God is with you. The Holy Spirit is in you. DNBA. Go to him for your needs. Not the stock market. Let God's word be your assurances. We sing the hymn "Standing on the promises of God". Do we actually do it? Stand on His words. John 14:1 John 14:27 Matthew 28:20 Hebrew 13:5. He is giving you His peace. Receive it from Him. Tell Him that you receive His peace. There are 365 times in the bible with the assurance DNBA/ fear not/ do not fear. One for every day of the year. God knows that we will fear so he has said that many, many times to reassure us.
HOW NOT TO BE AFRAID?
1 John 4:16 &18. Vs 16 God is love. Vs.18 Perfect love casts out fear.
If perfect love casts out fear, and God is love, then it means that God (perfect love) casts out fear.

Since God casts out fear, then when we fear, it means that God is not there in the situation, problem or whatever we are fearing.
Fear = absence of God. So bring God into your problem, situation or circumstance which causes you to fear.
How? Talk to Him. Tell Him your fears. Be frank. Give your fear to Him and receive His peace in return since He is giving you His peace. Speak His words. Take all the verses on fear that are in the bible and speak them out every time you have fear. My favourites are Isaiah 43:1-2, 2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 56:3
When a child falls the mother immediately picks up the child. When a car comes in your path while you are driving, you immediately slam the brakes. When we are afraid we need to take immediate action. We are not taught to do so, which is why we go on living with our fears, sometimes for years.
When a patient has a stroke it is crucial for treatment to be started early in the first 10 minutes if possible for best outcome, or the first one hour. Similarly for fears, take action fast. In the first 10 minutes. When fear comes, give your fear to Jesus. Immediately. Where Jesus is there is no fear.
Fear + Jesus = Peace, boldness, confidence, ability to do what you are to do and the ability to be what God wants you to be. The potential is in us. Don't waste your life because of your fears. So act fast. Stroke paralyses. Fear also paralyses if left on its own it saps our energy, unable to do anything. So take action early. Work at it. Bring Jesus in immediately.
Remember Fear+ Jesus=faith to move mountains.

I have learned to get rid of my fears. Speak the words of faith. Speak His words. If you want the word of God on fear I can give them to you. Keep speaking them. I have said 2 Timothy 1:7 many many times to rid myself of my fears. I may have said it more than 1000 times.
Don't go into 2009 with your baggage of fears. Speak His words. Be an overcomer. I have done it. So can you

Fear+Jesus= Peace. Fear +Jesus = Faith