These are often the first words that come out of the mouth of heavenly messengers to people needing to know God’s nearness and God’s wisdom.  Add these words to the words of Jesus, when he said in Luke 14 “before you make any kind of a purchase, such as a house, car, ipod, vacation trips, etc.  “SIT DOWN FIRST AND COUNT THE COST.”  And with these two scr i ptures let us face the most potentially difficult financial challenge facing this nation since the depression. 

Here are voices I have heard recently:’

“We had to declare bankruptcy because of the outstanding loans, mainly for expanding my business, which we can no longer  repay.”

“I can’t afford to keep my truck.  It gets terrible gas mileage.”  We can’t get our senior in high school a car now, because gas and insurance are well beyond our budget.”

“We are going back to basic TV, because with the rising costs of transportation, (which we need to get back and forth to work), we can’t do both.”

“We have asked our son to get a job after school to help our situation.”

A vacation to a far off destination, is no longer possible.  We will just have to get better acquainted with places around here.”

And the list goes on and on.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU HAVE HEARD OR MAYBE EVEN SAID?

If the Gospel deals with real life issues, and the Gospel is GOOD NEWS, what do you think this Spirit of Christ is saying to us today in the life situations mentioned above (or mentioned or heard by you)?

SIT DOWN FIRST AND COUNT THE COST and DON’T BE AFRAID! 

Here is what is happening in many places:  Families are sitting down together and realistically looking at their choices.  They aren’t afraid to repent of poorly made choices in the past, because they know that repentance is the first action of a life of faith.  From that comes HOPE. WHAT ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD MAKE TO FAMILIES IN THIS STRESSFUL SITUATION? 

·        WHAT ARE SOME SACRIFICES EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY WILL HAVE TO MAKE? Some might not make them!

·        WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS FOR LIFE IN A FAMILY? 

·        WHICH OF THESE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR GOD’S KINGDOM

Have a period of prayer for each other and for the world.  FEAR NOT!

Some selected scr i ptures at times of crisis…but always FEAR NOT

46:3 (To Jacob); Genesis 50:19 (This times Joseph uses these words to console his brothers); Exodus 14:13 (Moses said this to his people):  “Don’t be afraid, stand firm (against the Pharoah); 2 Kings 6:16ff (Here Elisha said yes the enemy is at our door, but don’t be afraid, look who else is there! Psalms 46:3  “Don’t fear even though the earth should change, the waters roar, the mountains tremble.”

Psalm 56:11  “In God I trust, I am not afraid.  What can a mere mortal do to me?”  Was he naïve?  I can think of a lot of things “mere mortals can do to me!

Isaiah 10:24  “O my people who live in Zion! Don’t be afraid of the Assyrians when they beat you with a rod, and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did.” 

Jeremiah 1:8  After Jeremiah said to the Lord “I can’t speak!”  These words came to him from the Lord:  “Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I am with you.”

Daniel 10:10ff  Out of a vision these words were spoken to Daniel as he stood up trembling: “Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.  DO NOT FEAR, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard….”