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[0:00] A pastor's reflections, surely. Exodus 20. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not, for God has come.! I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

[0:15] ! Isaiah 1.18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

[0:26] Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Fear is a natural response to living life in a world of unknowns. We do not generally fear the things we are sure of.

[0:39] It's the unsure that incites fear. When we are not sure of an outcome, or when the unexpected or unforeseen is suddenly thrust upon us, it can be a very fearful thing to attempt to process these unknowns without the assurance of knowing the outcome.

[0:56] For Israel, in Exodus chapter 20, they have just experienced the greatest unknown of their lives. Something that was completely outside of the experience of their natural, everyday lives.

[1:10] The Word of God. God's Word had just been loudly and forcefully interjected into their lives, and their response to it was fear. Why? Because of their lack of assurance.

[1:24] Isaiah 14.27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

[1:34] When God's Word is loudly and forcefully interjected into our lives, it is not the Word of God itself that we are unsure of. We know that God is true, and His Word is true.

[1:47] We know that there is nothing that can gainsay the Word of God. But what we are unsure of is the effect that the Word will have upon us. Even when we are sure that God's Word will surely change us, we are still unsure of how comfortable we are with that change.

[2:07] Like Israel, we cannot stop the effect of the Word of God upon our lives. It will surely have its effect. Jeremiah 23.29 Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

[2:25] But unlike Israel, we do not need to respond in fear, simply because the effect is unknown. While we may not be sure what exactly the results of God's Word may be in our lives, we can be 100% sure of the God of the results.

[2:43] Fear not, for God has come. We can always be sure that God has come for our good and our blessing. No matter how unsure we may be of exactly how that will look, we can always be sure that it is good, because He is good.

[3:01] Let us draw near in assurance of the God who surely loves us. Hebrews 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith.

[3:13] Father, thank you for your sure word that has been spoken so powerfully into our lives. Thank you that the results of that word are 100% assured and 100% good.

[3:26]  Help us today to walk by faith, fully assured of the one we have put our faith in. Amen. Amen. Amen.