We are called to live as daredevils, but most of us are bound by fears of some kind. God didn’t make us to be timid people who are dependent on worldly things; we are meant to be free from fear and complete in love. He wants to set us free so that we have the confidence to be daredevils.
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Daredevil of Love
• Dwayne Polk
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A daredevil is a person without fear. But most people don’t live this way. There are people like firefighters and police officers who risk their lives to save others, but fear of some type steps into our lives at some point. One place that fear can manifest in our lives that wouldn’t be such a surprise is in feelings of need and, when taken to far, feelings of greed. Greed basically occurs
when there is “excessive or rapacious desire.” And it doesn’t necessarily just deal with money, which is what we often think about with greed. Greed can deal with all kinds of resources like time, energy, power over others. It’s basically when we begin making ourselves and our concerns about prosperity central to life. It barely even sounds sane to “not worry” about our lives. And if we are going to overcome this issue, we need to understand God’s love.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 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 4:16b-18
The main point in this passage is about having complete CONFIDENCE about one’s positive relationship to God because of how we love. The word used for perfect (teleioo) doesn’t mean “immaculate” or “without flaw”. The word means completion, brought to fulfillment, entirety or accomplishment. This is love that is “for real, for real!” One’s love for God is brought to “fulfillment” by living it out fully in loving action…and in seeing God’s love growing in us, we lose fear about things. We become like Jesus. Jesus’ love for the Father conquered all fear
(death, abandonment). He truly didn’t WORRY about things like we do. And he sure didn’t hoard himself in all the different ways that we do.
– We are meant to be free from fear and complete in love. Allow the Holy Spirit to “drive out” our fears and anxieties. And be prepared to do serious repentance.
– Through “working out” our love in God’s Power, we gain peace and courage in God’s World.
– As we allow God, by His Spirit, to work in us, He can allow us to face ALL of our fears, and take the leap into the beautiful life of faith. We become living daredevils of God’s love.
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Focus Scripture:
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I John 4: 16b-18
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 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.
