Today, we are going to take a posture of peace
by receiving the invitation that God gives us
to not be afraid.
Posture is a short, audible fist bump
to remind you God is with you in everything.
Together, we're going to be emboldened
to take a daily posture of perfect peace.
Okay, y'all, blame it on vacation.
I'm just in a frame of mind right now
not to speed through things,
but just to be a little bit more intentional,
slow and steady, and spend more time on things.
And so, I've been spending time in Psalm 34.
It's so rich.
The word of God is such a treasure.
But I know we spent time together
in the last episode in Psalm 34.
I want to stay there today
and just continue to unpack this beautiful invitation
to not being afraid.
And so, Psalm 34, verses one through five says,
I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord.
Let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me.
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord and he answered me
and he delivered me from all of my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant.
Their faces are never covered with shame.
You know, I used to, every time I read,
and it's many times, I think it's over 350 times
in the Bible that says, do not fear.
And I used to read that command,
do not fear, as a condemnation.
Like, you shouldn't be afraid.
Get your life together.
Stop being so afraid.
However, as I've spent more time with the Lord,
as I've grown in my relationship with him,
as I get to know him better and understand his nature,
I realize he's not handing out a condemnation
when it comes to fear.
He's giving us an invitation.
It's not about, you shouldn't be afraid.
It's an invitation that says,
you don't have to be afraid.
You don't have to live in bondage to fear.
You don't have to be restrained, restricted,
held down, held back by fear.
It's incredible.
And so what I've been focusing on
as I've been studying Psalm 34 is
how to receive that beautiful invitation.
And so what did David do?
Well, the verses I just read,
he blessed the Lord at all times.
He praised, he gave praise to God.
Praise to God was always on his lips.
He boasted, he gloried in the Lord publicly
so that those who were afflicted,
those who were discouraged would be encouraged.
He didn't boast in himself.
He didn't boast in how awesome he was.
He didn't boast in his revelation
or his perspective on things or his worldview.
He boasted in the Lord and in who the Lord was
so that when people heard, they could be encouraged.
They could rejoice too.
And he exalted the name of the Lord and he sought the Lord.
What if 2020 wasn't some test?
Wasn't some passing of judgment?
What if 2020 is just our training ground?
I believe that's what it is.
I believe right now we, the people of God,
are learning about this invitation.
Hey, you don't have to live afraid.
We're learning fear is not a virtue.
It's not something to be held in esteem.
People who are unafraid, living by faith,
trusting in God, that is what we should look up to.
We're getting stronger in all of this.
We are exploring and discovering the depths of who God is.
We're exploring his nature
and his nature is becoming more of ours.
It's a beautiful thing.
It has not been an easy year.
It has not been filled with amazing circumstances.
However, just like I talked about in the last episode,
in the middle of crisis, we can live unafraid.
So I just wanna encourage you.
First of all, I wanna encourage you,
read all of Psalm 34 today if you can.
It's treasure.
It's absolute treasure.
And then go to the Lord and receive this invitation.
It's not about condemning you.
If you've been afraid, today's a new day.
Receive the invitation
because you don't have to live afraid.
The promise of perfect peace is found in Isaiah 26 three.
In Hebrew, it is shalom, shalom,
meaning complete wholeness,
nothing missing, nothing broken.
This is who you are in Jesus because of Jesus.
You are a living testimony of Jesus's ultimate win.
With every step you take today,
you're putting Jesus's victory on display
and Satan's defeat on replay.
You