Ministry > DanielParker
Fear Not- Day7
Do not be afraid . . . a Savior has been born to you. Luke 2:10–11
Linus, in the Peanuts comic strip, is best known for his blue security blanket. He carries it everywhere and isn’t embarrassed at needing it for comfort. His sister Lucy especially dislikes the blanket and often tries to get rid of it. She buries it, makes it…
Overcoming Fear- Day6
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7
Fear ruled a man’s life for thirty-two years. Afraid of being caught for his crimes, he hid at his sister’s farmhouse, going nowhere and visiting no one, even missing his mother’s funeral. When he was sixty-four, he learned that no…
Quarantined by Fear - Day4
Seek his kingdom. Luke 12:31
In 2020, an outbreak of the coronavirus left the world in fear. People were quarantined, countries were put under lockdown, flights and large events were canceled. Those living in areas with no known cases still feared they might get the virus. Graham Davey, an expert in anxiety, believes that negative news broadcasts are “likely to make…
From Worms to War - Day3
The Lord said to [Gideon], “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” Judges 6:23
It was ten-year-old Cleo’s first time fishing, and as he looked into the container of bait he seemed hesitant to get started. Finally he said to my husband, “Help me, I-S-O-W!” When my husband asked him what the problem was, Cleo responded, “I-S-O-W!…
God’s Protection- Day8
I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:7–8
Needles, milk, mushrooms, elevators, births, bees, and bees in blenders—these are just a fraction of the many phobias attributed to Mr. Adrian Monk, detective and title character of the TV show Monk. But when he and longtime rival Harold Krenshaw find themselves…
No Fear- Day10
Ask God to free you from your fears. Luke 2:10
Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are, “Do not be afraid” (Dan. 10:12, 19; Matt. 28:5; Rev. 1:17). Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in catatonic fear. But Luke…
Facing Fear- Day5
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3
Warren moved to a small town to pastor a church. After his ministry had some initial success, one of the locals turned on him. Concocting a story accusing Warren of horrendous acts, the man took the story to the local newspaper and even printed his accusations on pamphlets to…
Irrational Fears - Day1
I will not forget you! Isaiah 49:15
It makes no logical sense, but when my parents died within a three-month period, I feared they would forget me. Of course they were no longer on earth, but that left me with a large uncertainty. I was a young, unmarried adult and wondered how to navigate life without them. Feeling really single and…
Fear
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
There are many things we fear daily. These could be simple momentary fears or larger more complex ones that leave us sleepless and exhausted with life. Recently my colleague…
Wrestling With God
Read: Gen. 28:10-22, 35:9-14
God blessed him, saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel (35:9-10).
“Fear is not a Christian habit of mind,” the novelist Marilynne Robinson has remarked. Yet fear is one of the most powerful and consistent forces in…
Confident Trust
Read: Hebrews 10:32-39
My righteous ones will live by faith (v.38).
Following a long season of loss, hardship, transition and illness, my heart and mind were in a fragile place. Though my assurance that Jesus Christ is “our great God and Saviour” (Titus 2:13) remained intact, I had many questions about what it meant to fully trust Him in the day…
Grace Scare
Read: 2 Samuel 6:1-23
David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?” (v.9).
Ever wondered about this line from “Amazing Grace”? “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.” Grace…
The Job Paradox
Read: Job 38:1-18
The Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?”. (vv.1-2)
A wise man once said, “Conflict is never about what’s happening on the surface—there’s always much more at stake.” Chances are that Job would have agreed with that statement. He found himself thrust suddenly and forcefully into heartbreak of catastrophic…
But God...
Read: 1 Samuel 23:7-14
Saul hunted [David] day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him. (v.14).
A man dealing with despair confessed to a Bible teacher, “My life is really in bad shape.” “How bad?” asked the teacher. Burying his head in his hands, the man moaned, “I’ll tell you how bad—I’ve got nothing left but God.”
The man thought that…
If It's Really You
Read: Matthew 14:22-36
Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you. (v. 28)
A non-Christian organization has established a hotline for people who are struggling with spiritual doubts. While the exact goal of this call-in center seems a bit fuzzy, its founder made an interesting observation: “Many people feel isolated or rejected when they begin to ask questions. ...If…
