Posted on by Renee Meyer

Is Jesus your Cheerleader?

I’ve written over the past few weeks about God with us and in us. I’ve never spoken to a group of women for whom the idea of intimacy with God, that kind of closeness, wasn’t scary for some, if not most.

So today we’re talking about one last promise. I’ve betrayed my English Major roots and themed everything I’ve written this month around PREPOSITIONS. We have WITH, and we have IN. Our last preposition is FOR: God is FOR us.

If the idea of intimacy with God is uncomfortable for you, perhaps that is because you have a view of God that isn’t safe. It’s hard to feel good about a God who is with and in you, if you don’t believe He is for you.

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Posted on by Renee Meyer

Why isn’t the promise of God-With-Us (Emmanuel) in the New Testament? (Don’t worry, it’s good news!)

God is WITH ME. I’m hanging on tight to that promise.

HE IS WITH US. That’s good news, but it isn’t the end of the story.

In this season I feel God inviting me deeper.

When I searched the Bible and pulled a long list of God’s WITH US promises, I saw that they are all over the Bible… Until you hit the end of the Gospels.

Then you don’t see “WITH YOU” promised again until it’s fulfilled in the Revelation, with “the tabernacle of God … among men…”

In all these years of clinging to the promise of God with us, I never noticed that the promise doesn’t come up in Paul’s writing or any letters from the early church in our New Testament. Paul and the other NT Writers don’t talk about God WITH US. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Hanging on to the promise: God with us

God is WITH us. This is gospel, this is good news.

We invite people to become Christians.  And we’ve hopefully responded to that invitation ourselves. But do we live the truth that believing Jesus is just the beginning?

Trusting Christ opens the door to a life WITH Jesus. John says, “THIS Is eternal life, that they may KNOW YOU, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

What difference does it make, as you think about walking with Jesus, to know that you are more than just a Christian? You are one who lives her life WITH GOD. You are more than “saved”, you have a WITH YOU God.

I don’t know what you are facing today. But I do know that God is WITH you.

Will you respond? Will you say YES to the great with you promise of Jesus? Will you welcome Him in, remind yourself that you’re not alone, put out the hands of your heart and hold on to Jesus, with you in whatever you’re going through?

I hope so. Because I personally am hanging on TIGHT to this promise. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer · 2 Comments

Do we need to ask God to “be with us”?

I’ve rarely prayed in a group where SOMEONE hasn’t asked God to “be with us”, I’ve prayed it myself. And it can’t be wrong, since Paul prays it: Now the God of peace be with you all.  (Rom15:33, also 16:20, 24, end of many of his letters)

But I try to catch myself, I try not to pray this anymore, because I don’t know that we have to ask God to be with us. We can thank Him that He IS with us. He’s already promised that He is.

God with us is part of the Original Design: Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer · 3 Comments

The Opposite of Fear is…

In Romans 9, Paul contrasts the "spirit of slavery leading to fear" with "the Spirit of adoption as sons." Is it possible that a strong sense of belonging, of sonship (or daughterhood!) can inoculate us from fear? Could I live so deeply into the connection to my Father as a child of God and fellow heir (brother or sister) with Christ that I could be brave, be afraid and do what I need to do anyway?

A few years ago we made the decision to move from homeschooling our younger two sons and sent them to school, 3rd grade and kindergarten. This was a rough transition for both of them, but particularly (and understandably) for our 3rd grader. Like his mama, he was afraid of failing, of standing out, of doing something wrong. He mourned for the safety of home, even when what he really needed was the risk and reward of the big wide world.

We talked to him nonstop about bravery, “Be brave!”, “You’re so brave!”, “You can be brave!” I’m embarrassed to think about how frustrated we got with him when he refused to be brave, especially considering my own wealth of personal experience in this area.

When has telling myself to be brave EVER helped me be less afraid??

Answer: Never. It has never helped me.

I should have known that courage is not the opposite of fear. Courage is being afraid and doing it anyway.

So what is the opposite of fear?

As I’ve studied verses from the Bible about fear, I think I’ve found if not THE answer, then at least AN answer. Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer · 4 Comments

The One Thing that Helps Me Face Fear

Fear calls me to live a safe life, a life as protected as possible from failure, abandonment, rejection, embarrassment.  But a life without risk is also a life without adventure, connection, love, and freedom. I wasn't made for a safe life.

Are worry, anxiety, and fear the same thing? I’ve never been a worrier, and hardly ever identify myself as anxious. But I’ve been afraid my whole life.

I’m afraid of failure.

I’m afraid of abandonment.

I’m super afraid of rejection.

I’m so afraid of embarrassment I don’t enjoy movies or shows with embarrassing characters (See also: I’ve never watched a full episode of The Office.)

I’m afraid of making wrong decisions, of being misunderstood,  of doing the wrong thing, of not being enough, of being too much.

My life, my decisions, my relationships, my ministry, have all been shaped by fear.

Fear calls me to live a safe life, a life as protected as possible from failure, abandonment, rejection, embarrassment.  But a life without risk is also a life without adventure, connection, love, and freedom.

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