For 2020, I have chosen Isiah 41:10 as my personal verse. This lead into a theme for this year’s His Encouragement posts. Each week, I will be looking at another “fear not” of the Bible. I hope that as we journey together through these verses that we all will learn a little more about trusting God and rooting out the fear in our lives.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

Exodus 20:20 KJV

Today’s “Fear Not” comes right after God gives the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. I’ve spent several weeks thinking and praying and seeking for the lesson we can learn from this Scripture.

The Israelites have left Egypt and are standing at the bottom of Mount Sinai, the place God instructed them to meet him. In this place, God comes down to the mountain to share his plan and laws for His people. The people see the mountain smoking and thunder and lightening surrounding it and they are terrified. They tell Moses that they’re afraid to have God speak to them, “lest we die.” Exodus 20:20 is Moses’s response. “Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

When you see the thundering, lightening, and smoking of the mountains of this life, will you choose faith in him or will you choose sin?

When the bank account is low, do you have faith that he will provide or do you choose to covet or even resort to stealing?

When someone does you wrong, will you choose to believe that God will make things right or do you choose to hate?

When you realize you messed up, will you choose to believe God forgives or will you lie to cover up your fault?

I could go on, but I’m sure you catch my drift here. My pastor brought out these Scriptures from James in his sermon on Sunday night, and I realized they fit exactly what I wanted to say about Exodus 20:20.

James 1:2-4, 12-15, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

God will allow trials in your life to prove (try or test) you. When we face these difficult times it’s like God is saying to us, “fear not, for I am come to prove you. To test you and to try you, and see what you’re made of. Do you fear (respect, revere, stand in awe) me enough to trust me rather than turn to sin and believe in yourself? When you face the proving ground of life, what will you choose?

One last thought before I close, the trials of life are like the thundering, lightening, and smoking of Mount Sinai. It looks terrifying and will strike fear in our hearts, but if we keep our eyes on Him, nothing can truly harm us.

What scripture is encouraging you today? Share it with us!

Check out these other blogs for more encouragement from God’s word for your Thursday.

Nicole @ Christian Fiction Girl

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective 

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

Becca @ The Becca Files

Jenny @ Author Jenny Lynn

Rebecca @ Rev. Rebecca Writes

Andi @ Radiant Light

Leslie @ Words of Hope