First, I’d like to know what wrinkle cream the aging Sarah used! She must have had timeless beauty like Audrey Hepburn because as I continue reading in Genesis, yet another king (see Genesis 20), has taken notice of her…and here goes Abraham lying again that she is his sister!

Abraham is rebuked by the worldly King Abimelech, and his excuse is that he didn’t think the fear of God was in that place.

But Dave Guzik (Enduring Word App) says the real problem is that the fear of God was not in Abraham! Abraham feared other things more, and this led him to sin.

And, you know, many times it is fear that is at the root of our sinful choices too!

Even after years of Bible studies and church attendance, my mind, can imagine circumstances, so hard or so uncomfortable, it seems like God would stop sustaining me.

Surely, it was this kind of fear that prompted Abraham to lie.

When Christians lose hope and resort to sin, it’s a sign to the lost world that we don’t really believe what we say we believe. (See Phil 1:28-29)

Remember, even the lost King Abimelech recognized Abrahams lack of faith and fear.

And often when we choose to sin—to lie, to cheat, to react in anger, or to go our way instead of God’s way it is because of some fear.

But what does fear look like in the day to day?

It’s not that we often see Christians running around screaming and crying in fear, but we do see them allowing fear to get the best of us when we rely on our own strength and go outside the ways of God for what we perceive as protection and provision.

This is what Abraham was doing when he lied.

One way you can know you are walking in fear, instead of faith, and that you are trusting yourself more than God is that you will disobey God as you seek what you think will bring you protection and provision.

This kind of disobedient living is destructive and it wrecks our witness.

This, is to a lost world, a “proof of perdition” (Phil 1:28). It’s proof that we don’t truly believe what we say we believe about God.

And the enemy loves it.

He loves it when he can convince those who long for a husband to sleep with their boyfriends to try to keep him and make themselves feel loved. You don’t believe God’s love is truly enough. You are walking in fear.

The evil one delights when he can get you to cheat on your taxes and be dishonest with your expense accounts and time cards, to make sure you have enough money to take care of yourself. You don’t believe God will provide for you. You are walking in fear.

The enemy gets great satisfaction when you parent just like the world because you are worried your kids won’t like you and will feel left out if they can’t do all the things their friends are doing. You don’t believe God’s ways are better for your kids. You are walking in fear.

BUT those who continue to follow Christ in hard circumstances, when it would just seem easier not to, are living proof to a lost world that salvation is true. They are walking in faith.

And even if that faith choice leads to a hard time, remember, Paul said, “For to you, it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me” (Phil 1:29-30)

Friends, Paul could have thrown in the towel. He could have remained quiet and followed the ways of the world and lived comfortably as a Roman citizen, but he was sure of what he hoped for and certain of what he did not see (Heb 11:1) so he walked in obedient faith and not fear.

And because of that, the faithful are still inspired by him all these thousands of years later.

BUT let’s also remember who else is called out in that Hall of Faith in Hebrews! It’s Abraham! His faith was credited to him as righteousness! God is a merciful God who allows u-turns!

So given your next choice to walk in fear or walk in faith, let’s ask the Lord to help us trust Him and follow Him.

I know it’s not easy. Fearful things assault our minds all day long. I FEEL IT!

The father of all lies is tempting us to go his way instead of following Christ. But as we wash those thoughts with truth from the word, DAILY, we can choose to defeat fear and follow Christ. We really can trust Jesus more than we trust ourselves.

His ways are always better than succumbing to fear and going our own wrong way instead of His best way.

And that is just the truth…

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