Title: No Cowardly Lions in Heaven/ Topic: Fear

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 40; Ezekiel 41; Psalm 128; Revelation 21

Scripture: Revelation 21:8
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Observation: I have always understood that those who persist in the sins of idolatry, sexual immorality, occult worship and other vile things would be punished for their unrepentance in the final judgment. But the cowardly? This verse lumps them in with all these other really bad people. I would never have thought of being cowardly as a sin, more just a weakness. Apparently my view doesn't square with God's. Guess who's wrong? I know God says perfect love casts out fear, that we are not to fear, that we are to stand and be counted for Him when it's appropriate. But I would never have suspected that God had such strong feelings about cowardice as to lump it in with murder, lying, occult practices and sexual immorality. Hmmm. Interesting.

Application: I need to take a different view toward my feelings of fear; they are not just an understandable weakness, they are sin. I need to repent of fear and lack of courage as I do any other sin and I must do battle against them. Fear is out to destroy me and God HATES it! I must make no more excuses for it and give no quarter to it in my life.

Prayer: Father, smash to bits every fear that I have. May every bit of reticent lack of courage be eliminated from my life. It reveals a lack of trust in You and I don't want any of it in me. May I be fearless in facing and defeating all fear through the power of your Holy Spirit. I want to be strong and courageous in You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.