Do Not Be Afraid

Matthew 10:28-31 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[a29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:7 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

7 But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

James 2:13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

 

 

Message given by Stewart Jones.

Do Not Be Afraid,
poem by Stewart Jones

My child
Do not be afraid
Because I’ve already numbered
The hairs of your head
And I’ll be with you until the end.

Do not be dismayed
When the path you’re on
Gets hilly and winding
I will be here with you

My child
I’ll be waiting for you
At the end of your journey.

How many times does the phrase ‘Do not be afraid’ appear in the Bible. By my count, 81.

The reason I come to this church is because of the sense of family that I have found within these walls. We have to realize that no matter what service we choose to attend or differences we may have, we are still a family. As part of the family of God we learn through His grace that no matter our journey, we are loved.

As most of you know, when I was 11 I was struck by a car and I received a bruise to the brain stem and what I had hoped to become would play a part in helping me cope with the challenges that lay ahead. I wanted to become a brain surgeon. A lot of people ask me if I could go back and not have to live through the accident would I, and I say no. Because of the accident, I am the person that I am.

My family helped me through the accident, with their love and support. They helped me during the dark days of therapy and counseling. They also helped me become the person I am.

The mercies of the Lord are great, because the accident could have been one of the worst things that could have happened to me, but the Lord turned it into one of the best things that could have happened to me. The reason I feel this way is because it helped me to have a relationship with the Lord, it helped me to be an advocate for people with disabilities. I go to Washington D.C. to rattle cages. I don’t do it as myself but as a representative to all those who have no voice.

It has helped me write three books. I am very thankful to the Lord for each of these gives. I know as I grow in my walk with the Lord, that each of these gifts will grow in strength.

I was given a 5% chance to live. If I did wake up, I would be severely mentally impaired. I think I’m doing pretty good given my odds.

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