Do Not Fear

Do Not Fear

by Dorothea ShieldsNo Comments
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Luke 2:10 The angel's message is just as relevant today as it was those 2000 years ago. A great light has dawned, and the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. With such an amazing opportunity in this life to know Salvation, it’s hard to believe people remain so resistant to the Gospel message. Deliverance from the bondage to sin and the darkness of the soul seems like an attractive scenario - especially to those who have made already made the great exchange. What holds people back? Often it is fear. The fear of giving up something that’s thought to bring value to one’s life, the fear of never having “fun,” or having to adhere to a long list of dos and don’ts. What initially held you back from surrendering all? The message, “Do not be...
Read More
Embrace It

Embrace It

by Dorothea Shields2 Comments
It’s funny how sometimes things work together to reinforce a message. I’ve been hearing the Lord say, “Embrace the mess. Embrace the pain. Embrace the struggle.” I like to avoid all these things. I do not like the messes of life, or of dealing with stressful situations. I do not like the pain of discipline, nor the effort and energy it takes to struggle through difficulties to reach the desired outcome. I’d prefer to take the path of least resistance, although I have learned that the path of least resistance does not produce the fruit of real transformation. The irony of the path of least resistance is whatever you don’t want to deal with is the very thing that continues to rear up and cause continual difficulty like a dead mouse smell permeating through your wall. My pastor says, (and it is so true) “If you don’t treat the little things like big things, they will eventually become big things that you...
Read More