Today I crossed the Buckman Bridge twice. Normally, I will drive across it a few times in a week. It does not bother me particularly, yet I know that it can be dangerous. It is not unusual to discover an accident on the bridge when I am crossing it.

I know a few older people who will not drive across “the Buckman.” I consider it wisdom on the part of some drivers to make that decision. There are no events that are important to them that they miss because of that decision.

But it could be a great inconvenience for many people in Clay County to make the decision that they will not drive across that bridge. It is not impossible to get to Jacksonville or the beaches without crossing the Buckman Bridge, but it would be extremely inconvenient not to use it.

Any fear affects every aspect of our lives when we surrender to it. We must learn to deal all fear. If we do not effectively deal with it, we are accepting less than the best God has for us.

The Lord wants us to walk in faith not in fear. Fear is the first sign of spiritual deception. If our enemy, the Devil, can successfully plant fear in us, he can then lead us into defeat by deception. Deception begins with fear.

Fear will cause us to make decisions that are not in our best interests or the best interests of those who are close to us and important in our lives.

Fear will alter our lives to cause us to give up some things (or people) that we actually want and/or love.

Identify your fears. You will not go some places that you really want to go because you are afraid some terrible thing may happen to you. (There is a difference in going to Aleppo, Syria, for a week’s vacation and making a week end trip to the St. Johns Town Center.)

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18

www.firstagcc.org. Write the Pastor at PastorBill@firstagcc.org.