John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.

From Background Notes [BN] for the weekend of November 30^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

By sending Jesus, God perfected His love among us and provided a way for us to become his children with forgiveness. On the day of judgment, we are able to stand boldly before God as His forgiven children not as His enemies in need of punishment.

Micah 5:4-5a

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses.

From Background Notes [BN] for the weekend of November 30^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Moved by the promise of such deliverance, Micah breaks forth in a prophetic utterance that reaches far beyond the immediate, passing crisis of Hezekiah and Jerusalem in 701.

Isaiah 35:8

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.

From Background Notes [BN] for the weekend of November 30^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The language of 35:8-10 emphasizes the safety of this highway (no lion found there) and the purity of this way (no unclean will journey on it). How is such a perfect path possible? The answer lies in the statement, “Only the redeemed will walk there.”

Isaiah 35:3-4

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

From Background Notes [BN] for the weekend of November 30^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

To all such persons, the prisoners of fear, the prophet offers this challenge: “Be strong, do not fear.”

1 John 4:18

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.

From Background Notes [BN] for November 23^rd & 24^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Or, as we have commented in these Notes: God loves us; fear not! Thanksgiving, as a celebration…

Psalm 69:30

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

From Background Notes [BN] for November 23^rd & 24^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Thanksgiving becomes a form of authentic witness to the world around. What we desire from our worshipful thanksgiving and our thankful worship is that other people might embrace the name of Jesus, would offer loyal obedience to His Word, and open their hearts to His steadfast love.

Psalm 100:3

Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

From Background Notes [BN] for November 23^rd & 24^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

We belong as “his people, the sheep of his pasture…” Ancient Israel was a distinctive people, a peculiar people, a holy people. Their identity was bound up with the God who called them and shaped them.