182 Sermon Illustrations on Fear

Biologists say that fear is not only a universal emotion, but the

first of the emotions to be developed in man and beast. The whole

creation is under the dominion of fear. Man comes into this world

stamped with fear before he is born, and those fears are multiplied as

he increases in knowledge and experience.

As a boy, did you never catch a robin or an oriole and, holding the

bird in your hand, feel the rapid, terrified beating of the little

heart: The bird had had no experience or acquaintance with you or any

other man. It had no reason to fear you but that of instinct. It was

in dread of everything but its mother and its companion birds. As the

creation is at the present time, the sense or the instinct of fear is

a very necessary part of the equipment of beast and man.

One rainy Sunday afternoon, my daughter and I were discussing her

Sunday school lesson on the 23rd Psalm. Afterward, we walked into the

kitchen, darkened by the storm outside. My daughter turned to me and

said, "Mommy, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of

death, I will fear no evil. But can you turn the light on, please?"

--Veta L. Allen

Phillip II, king of Macedon and father of Alexander the Great,

subdued or formed alliances with all of the major Greek city-states

except the stubbornly independent Sparta. Finding diplomacy of no

use, Philip sent Sparta this threat: "You are advised to submit

without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I will

destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city."

Sparta's reply was simple: "If." As one writer says, "Recalling

Sparta's glorious military past, Philip thought better of it and left

them alone." --Moody

Suffering for the name of Christ is a subject John Moldovan knows all too well. He once languished in a Romanian prison cell fearful of what might happen to him and his family. Communist police officers, he said, tortured his body, mind and soul, and he eventually collapsed from the pressure. Only his faith in Christ sustained him and absolved his fears.

“As I came back to my senses, I realized that fear -- that paralyzing, crushing fear -- was gone,” Moldovan said.

Moldovan told of growing up in communist Romania where he struggled to follow in the Christian heritage of his grandfather and father. His grandfather had converted from Russian Orthodoxy to the Baptist faith while imprisoned in a Russian camp during World War I. He later was sentenced to death by drowning because of his zeal to spread the gospel, but was able to escape.

His father also was an “effective and uncompromising Baptist minister” who was regularly persecuted for his faith, Moldovan said. In fact, his faith in Christ led to his assassination. “My father was killed in what we have seen as a 'staged accident' just as he left the church,” Moldovan said.

Exposed daily to the “gospel of Marxist Leninism,” Moldovan's teachers also pressured him to abandon his faith. His file at school was labeled “SON OF A BAPTIST PASTOR.” “I was mocked by teachers and students alike,” he said. “At one point, I came to resent the fact that God allowed me to be born in a Christian family, even worse the son of a Baptist minister.”

But at the age of 17, Moldovan accepted Christ as his personal Savior. He was then forced to attend school Monday through Saturday and even on Sundays for “additional indoctrination.” He managed to go to church, but tried at the same time to please the communist authorities.

“I was still somehow paralyzed by fear,” Moldovan said. “I believed in Jesus Christ. I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, and yet picking up that cross and following Him on that narrow road of suffering was probably too much. I lacked courage when He called me to be a witness.”

Moldovan said the Christians in Romania during that time did not have Sunday Schools, theological books, tracts or discipleship materials, but several Christians began meeting in private homes for times of prayer and Bible study. It was during those meetings that Moldovan became convicted of his sin of fear.

“I was set free not only to believe in Him, but to take that narrow road, the road of the cross,” Moldovan said. “I was truly liberated, not only in sharing my testimony, not only in preparing messages -- preaching, teaching, engaging in evangelistic work -- but free, free to enjoy life.”

Moldovan's ministry and that of his fellow believers exploded as they all sought to take the Gospel to young and old alike, he said. In fact, his refusal to stop his ministry and cooperate with the secret police during a revival in 1973 and 1974 resulted in several arrests, threats, interrogations and even torture.

In 1980, he was imprisoned for the last time. He and another believer were tried and forced to serve as their own legal counsel. Authorities pressed them to give up their Romanian citizenship and, when they refused to do so, the authorities revoked it and gave them a deadline to leave the country.

“We parted ways, arrived in Rome, and in 10 days we were accepted as refugees in the United States,” Moldovan said.

He and his family arrived in New York City and wondered what was next, but he soon was asking friends for recommendations of seminaries where he could build upon his theological education. A 1965-model car was donated to the family, and they made the trip to Fort Worth, Texas, “at the high speed of 40 miles per hour.” Moldovan earned a master of divinity degree and Ph.D. from Southwestern in 1987 and 1994, respectively.

During his days of study, numerous atrocities occurred in his homeland. He said he left 20 of his disciples in Romania and they worked to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some were arrested and some were killed, but the work continued.

“So powerful was the gospel, it penetrated all the circles,” Moldovan said. In the fall of 1989, he recounted, the secret police went to arrest a Reformed Hungarian pastor in Romania, but the pastor's congregation took a stand and said they would have to be arrested with him. The crowd continued to grow and the stand went into the night. The police called for reinforcements and later opened fire on the crowd.

“It was a massacre that night,” Moldovan said, but in the days to come the incident sparked the dictator's arrest and execution for numerous crimes. The people were set free and, on Christmas Day 1989, celebrated in the streets.

“I want you to understand that the Gospel is such a powerful action,” Moldovan said. “I do not stand for a political party. I do not stand for a club. I do not stand for an association, but I stand as a representative of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That's the highest honor someone can have.”

Fearless leaders are needed for the 21st century, Moldovan said, noting, “There is no gray area. Pick up the cross. Identify with Him, with His Gospel, with His Kingdom.”

Moldovan has served as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Seminary since 2001 and as chair of the department of missions and evangelism at Criswell College in Dallas since 1992.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #9993]

Men are afraid to admit they're afraid. Why? If you're not afraid,

there's no reason to be brave. And bravery is what you do in spite of

fear.

Joe Torre, Manager of New York Yankees.

It has been more than 35 years since Janet Leigh saw herself on the

screen in Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror film {Psycho}.

After viewing the famous shower scene, in which she was repeatedly

stabbed, Leigh was seized with an overwhelming and lasting terror.

"I stopped taking showers, and even now I take baths," she says.

In fact, when the actress stays in a hotel or at a friend's home where

only a shower is available, she panics. "I make sure the doors and

windows of the house are locked," she says, "and I leave the bathroom

door and shower curtain open. I'm always facing the door, watching,

no matter where the shower head is."

- {Reader's Digest, }November, 1995, p. 7

I had the chance to sit down at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego with Joe Montana before he went onto the field with the San Francisco 49ers against Denver in Super Bowl XXIV (1989). We didn't know it then, but this would be Joe's last Super Bowl, his fourth championship, yet another high point in one of the most remarkable careers not just in pro football, but in all of sports.

Joe seemed restless. He had already won everything there is in this game - the respect of teammates and opponents, coaches and owners, and especially the fans - plus all the awards: multiple League Most Valuable Player (MVPs), Super Bowls, and Super Bowl MVPs.

I said, "Joe, you can't possibly be scared."

What he said to me is, I believe, the key to his success and the reason I consider him the greatest quarterback of all time. He said, "If you're not afraid of losing, then losing means nothing."

Every time Joe Montana stepped on the field, he was scared. That element of fear kept him sharp through his entire career. If we want to be at our best, we need that same element of fear burning inside of us. It sharpens the focus; keeps the edge.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't remember what Joe said, realizing the truth of it. It has helped me. I know it will surely help you.

_________

Joe Theismann (c) 2000, from Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jim Tunney and Mark and Chrissy Donnelly.

Fear or Intimidation

A school teacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all. On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in school. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest. He had no trouble with discipline that term. Submitted by Perry Greene

Three Keys To Peace

Read: Psalm 121

Happy are the people whose God is the Lord! --Psalm 144:15

When W. B. Davidson was a young boy, he walked with his father 3 miles from his rural home to his grandmother's house. While they were visiting, the sun set. Davidson writes, "Between our home and grandmother's house was a swamp. That night the croaking of the frogs, the chirping of the crickets, and the shadows of the trees frightened me. I asked my father if there was any danger of something catching us, but he assured me that there was nothing to dread. And so, taking me by the hand, he said, 'I will not allow anything to harm you.' Immediately my fears passed away and I was ready to face the world."

Someone has said that the three keys to real peace are: fret not, faint not, fear not.

1. Fret not--because God loves you (1 Jn. 4:16).

2. Faint not--because God holds you (Ps. 139:10).

3. Fear not--because God keeps you (Ps. 121:5).

As we rest in the love of Christ and recognize that God holds our hand, we too shall be at peace and unafraid. The "three keys to real peace"--fret not, faint not, fear not--can open our prison of worry and discouragement. Let's step out into the full joy and liberty of the children of God! --Henry G. Bosch (ODB Editor 1956-1981)

When the way is dim, and I cannot see

Through the mist of His wise design,

How my glad heart yearns and my faith returns

By the touch of His hand on mine. --Pounds

© 1913 Hope Publishing Company

The perfect antidote for fear is trust in God.

Force is always, and everywhere, a sign of fear -- that is, a sign of weakness. Behind the vast armies and navies which we call the great powers of the world, there is fear. Fear it is that drives us out to war. Fear is the father of ferocity, and the forger of the sword. From the Creative point of view, which is God's point of view, force is weakness, and only Love is power.

... G. A. Studdert Kennedy, The Wicket Gate

Thursday, August 23 3:02 AM SGT

Japan developing micro nuclear reactor for apartment blocks

PARIS, Aug 22 (AFP) - Japan is developing a tiny nuclear reactor designed to generate power in the basement of an apartment block, despite widespread public concern over the country's nuclear safety record, New Scientist says.

The 200-kilowatt micro-reactor, Rapid-L, measures just six metres (20 feet) high and two metres (6.5 feet) wide and was initially conceived as a plug-and-play source of power for lunar colonies.

Although colonisation schemes have long been shelved, scientists at Japan's Central Research Institute of Electrical Power Industry (CRIEPI) have revived plans for the Rapid-L, believing it could be a handy source of power for an office building or apartment block, the report says.

It would be located in the building's basement, surrounded by a solid containment structure for safety reasons.

"In the future it will be quite difficult to construct further large nuclear power plants because of site restrictions," Mitsuru Kambe, head of the research team, told the British science weekly.

"To relieve peak loads in the near future, I believe small, modular reactors located in urban areas such as Tokyo Bay will be effective," he said.

Kambe added, however: "The success of such a reactor depends on the acceptance of the public, the electricity utilities and the government."

In the past few months, Kambe's team have been testing a fail-safe mechanism to close the reactor down in the event of overheating, the report says in next Saturday's issue of New Scientist.

The work is being financed by the Japan's Atomic Energy Research Institute.

Unlike conventional reactors, the Rapid-L would have no control rods to regulate the nuclear reaction, the goal being to remove a mechanical source of potential malfunction. Instead, it would use reservoirs of molten lithium-6, an isotope that is effective at absorbing neutrons. The reservoirs are connected to a vertical tube that runs through the reactor core.

During normal operation the tube contains an inert gas. But as the temperature of the reactor rises, the liquid lithium expands, compressing the inert gas and entering the core to absorb neutrons and slow down the reaction.

The reactor would run at about 530 C (986 F), cooled by liquid sodium. Malcolm Grimston, a nuclear expert at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, doubted whether the Japanese public could be persuaded that the reactor was safe, given a string of incidents at large nuclear plants in recent years.

In the worst case, two workers died at a uranium processing plant in Tokaimura in 1999, more than 400 other people were exposed to radation and at least 300,000 people were forced to shelter indoors for more than a day.

"There's nothing wrong with the (Rapid-L) concept," Grimston told New Scientist. "But if the Japanese public won't now accept big reactors for safety reasons, then you have to wonder what the response would be building lots of small reactors in the middle of cities."

Backdraft explosions, collapsing structures, entrapment in burning buildings, hazardous exposure -- there is no end to the dangers of fire-rescue. Communicable disease has emerged as one of those dangers. Mere mention of AIDS evokes fear. You get it, and you're dead! Perhaps not instantly, but you will die!

When answering a call to an area known for drug abuse, prostitution and high- risk diseases, it is imperative to use all available medical precaution, such as gowns, masks and latex gloves. However, these barriers are sometimes inadequate. The best armor is the power of prayer, especially in the case I call "The Cactus Guy."

About 3 p.m. one hot summer day, a call came in merely stating, "a fall with a cut." I envisioned the usual scenario of an older person falling in the bathroom, hitting his or her head on the sink or toilet. But this was not a "Help! I've fallen and can't get up!" situation. Caution signs welled within us as we pulled up to the address. The odor reaching my nostrils was distinctly drug-filled. Music blared and several people continued to party despite the injured victim's dire condition. Others motioned for us to hurry.

"What happened?" I inquired of no one in particular. The smell of alcohol filled the air. "He fell through the front door," someone attempted to explain. "This guy and his friends have been drinking all morning."

Another added, "Yeah, he was just standing inside the house near the front door with a drink in his hand when he stumbled, crashing backward through the door. The back of his legs caught on the jagged glass edge, then, like a sling shot, he went flying!"

There our victim was ... in a large cactus planter -- 28 years old, severed arteries, hundreds of yellow cactus slivers penetrating his flesh. It was an unbelievable sight.

My mind raced. Alcohol and drugs frequently go hand in hand. As I put on flimsy latex gloves, I knelt over the bloodied man and scanned his body for places bleeding the most. His back legs were sliced nearly to the kneecaps. I shot God an "arrow prayer." How horrifyingly easy it would be for bloody cactus stickers to transmit a deadly disease into my bloodstream. This guy was bleeding to death. No time to contemplate personal danger. My faith was put to the test. I had to trust the Lord and press on with the job at hand.

I quickly stuffed trauma dressings into both gashes and bent his legs to try to stop the blood flow. Even with utmost care, there was no way to avoid more cactus splinters for him and for us. My latex gloves and my arms were completely red and shiny from his blood and my sweat.

As we logrolled him onto a backboard, with hundreds of cactus splinters still embedded in his raw flesh, he shrieked with pain. Briefly, I lost my focus and wondered how many cactus splinters penetrated my gloves. No time for such thoughts.

My partner and I lifted the board from the planter. The white gauze and trauma towels under his knees were turning red. Losing consciousness, he looked at us with a pale face -- a lifeless stare. We wheeled him to the truck, trying to keep him awake.

I glanced at the bloody mess behind us, then looked at our patient. "This guy is really bad." I thought.

Inside the ambulance I established an IV and applied an anti-shock garment, dodging the many small cactus slivers. Again, I couldn't help but think there must be a number of those little pokers in me. Could I be receiving direct blood-to-blood contact with a deadly communicable disease? It was a chilling thought. I prayed with each task.

The patient's girlfriend stepped into the truck and demanded to go. Time was critical. I conceded. "This gal is really going to freak if he goes straight-line," I thought as I spiked a second IV bag.

"Go!" I yelled to our driver.

I encoded the patient findings to the base hospital. They assured me they were prepared and standing by at the trauma treatment area.

As we pulled up to the hospital, his girlfriend, who had remained remarkably cool, began to cry, "Is he going to make it?" "We're doing everything we can," I told her. "You just have to trust the Lord!"

Those words, "You just have to trust God," echoed repeatedly in my head. I needed to undoubtedly do the same. Fear continued to invade my peace. In a few short minutes I would find out how many yellow pokes I inherited from the cactus guy.

We wheeled him into the trauma room. I gave them a brief rundown, then dashed for the report room -- not to complete my report, but to inspect myself for cactus splinters.

I carefully removed my bloody latex gloves. I noticed small holes in the cuffs. The moment of truth had arrived. I took a deep breath and held my hands up to the fluorescent light, checking for deadly protrusions. I could not find one single cactus sliver embedded in my hands or my arms! Praise the Lord! I turned to my partner. A smile covered his face. He too came up cactus-free. AMEN!

Excited at the findings, I looked over at him and said, "God was surely protecting us today, wasn't he?"

"You're not kiddin', Tommy!"

How miraculous are God's ways! How great is his concern for us! How truthful is his Word! In Psalm 91:2-3, David speaks of God in the following way: "'My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust!' For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence." In that bloody cactus patch, God's Word was truly my fortress. He did indeed save me from a potentially deadly pestilence.

Our patient underwent extensive surgery and eventually recovered. The cactus guy will probably never know how the Lord used his accident to strengthen the faith of this paramedic.

___________________

Neiman is a firefighter/paramedic with the Fort Pierce/Saint Lucie County Fire District in Florida and an ordained Southern Baptist minister.

*

Please pass this on to as many people as possible. The Klingerman virus, the Muslim day of terror, Nostradamus' prophecy, the poisoned water supply, the 4,000 Jews who stayed home on Sept. 11 and the 70-year-old man who surfed the debris down 80 flights to safety -- all of these are fiction. They were made up, misheard or misconstrued -- sometimes out of malice, sometimes not -- and circulated with haste across the world's e-mail servers in an attempt to make sense of, or assign blame for, the World Trade Center disaster.

It is hardly the most dignified aspect of human behavior, but spreading rumors and hoaxes and sowing conspiracy theories are common responses to calamity. When Hurricane Andrew hit Miami in 1992, there were tales of stockpiled bodies hidden by the government to prevent public hysteria. After the Challenger explosion, people swore they had seen crew members leave the space shuttle before takeoff. We are currently seized by the same phenomenon but of an unprecedented order of magnitude. "People are looking for certainty, and they don't care where they get it," says Gary Fine, a sociology professor at Northwestern University who specializes in the study of rumors. "They would rather know something for sure, even if that thing for sure is wrong, because it provides them a sense of stability."

Social scientists say three types of rumors commonly emerge following a catastrophe: wish-fulfillment rumors, bogey rumors and wedge-driving rumors. The old man's debris ride to safety is a classic wish-fulfillment rumor, as is the story that Osama bin Laden is dying of liver cancer. Bogey rumors (derived from the bogeyman) are based on fear. Poisoned reservoirs, anthrax attacks, the visage of Satan in the World Trade Center smoke and the Klingerman virus (which supposedly arrives through the mail on a sponge in a blue envelope marked "A Gift for You from the Klingerman Foundation") all play on our fear of the worst, which, to some people, is more comforting than the unknown. Wedge-driving rumors -- Jews or Arabs had prior knowledge, Arab gas-station attendants were seen celebrating, and -- get this -- the Swiss did it to raise the price of gold -- arise from anger and hate.

Self-described serious-minded people may laugh at all this. Particularly strange is a widely circulated photo of a young man on the World Trade Center observation deck, a plane looming just yards behind and below him. It has clearly been manipulated (the man is wearing a parka and ski hat on what was an 81[degrees] day, plus the observation deck wasn't open yet on the morning of Sept. 11). Still, people have latched onto it, even creating a backstory that the camera was found in the rubble. "To you and me, that fellow standing on the observation deck is clearly fake," says Barbara Mikkelson, an amateur folklorist who runs the suddenly inundated urban-legend website Snopes2.com. "But a huge number of people thought it was real. And they were just horrified... Sometimes I'm tempted to say something like, 'Uh, for the morons in the room,' but my e-mail list snaps me back. Some intelligent folks are deeply disturbed by this."

The problem with dismissing all the World Trade Center rumors is that not all of them are fiction. Some stories that initially seemed ludicrous -- a downtown Starbucks charged frantic rescue workers $130 for three cases of bottled water the day of the disaster, George Bush was targeted for assassination at the G-8 summit, a pair of bound and severed hands was found near ground zero -- turned out to be true [Holwick: I have read that the bound hands is also a myth]. The pace of information delivery has also created serious misunderstandings. The rumor that Sept. 22 would be a "Muslim day of terror" and that Boston was specifically targeted came from a good source: John Ashcroft. The Attorney General even called the mayor of Boston and the acting Governor of Massachusetts to warn them of possible attacks. The following day, the FBI rescinded the warning, saying it was based on bad intelligence. If you missed a beat in the news cycle, you were misinformed.

As long as the news keeps happening quickly and a sense of helplessness looms over the culture, the rumors will keep coming. People need to forward something. Normally they pass along jokes, but few are prepared to cross the World Trade Center humor line. Instead, they swap stories, and the outrageousness of the attack has led many to believe that anything is possible.

Knowlege is Power or What a difference a Year Makes

Our seven-year-old daughter was thrilled when we took her to Disney World for the first time, and she headed straight for Space Mountain.

I worried that the roller coaster would be too scary for her, but she insisted.

To her delight, we rode it twice.

The next year we returned to the Magic Kingdom, and my daughter, now eight, again dragged me to Space Mountain.

As we stood in line, though, I could see her soberly studying the signs that warn about the ride's speed.

"Dad," she said, "I don't think I want to go."

I asked her why she would be nervous when she had enjoyed herself last time.

She replied, "This year, I can read."

My friend John had a sick little boy on his hands. Little David was only about three years old, and he had serious respiratory problems. The little guy would often wake up at night gurgling and finding it hard to breathe, and that created panic. Well, during that siege, Dad set up camp all night just outside of David's door. And as soon as John heard him cry, he was right there to help. Night after night, John would awaken to that same frightened cry. But eventually David figured out where his Dad was. So, he would simply go out in the hall and snuggle up next to him. And after that, you guessed it, there were no more fearful cries in the night. He had found the best place to be when you're scared.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "The 'Next To Daddy' Difference."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes, not from the life of little David, but from big David in the Old Testament. And the fears he has are very big fears. The king wants him dead, and he has an all-out manhunt going on all around David's hiding place. That is stress. That is something to be afraid of. Now before we read his words, I want you to think about some uncertainties you're facing right now. Maybe you can finish these sentences - "One thing I'm anxious about right now is ..." or "I'm afraid that ..."

OK. That's your personal context for our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 34:4-8, "I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; and He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed in the man who takes refuge in Him."

When can you really taste the Lord? In the dark moments ... the scary times. Hiding out in that cave, fearing for his life, David went and curled up with his Heavenly Father - and he relaxed. Panic is replaced by the presence of the Most High God.

Could that happen with the fear and anxiety that you're facing? Maybe it's medical uncertainty or job uncertainty. It could be you're dealing with the fear of losing someone you love, of failing, of a future full of question marks, or a present that's full of pressures and dangers and unanswered questions. And you've lost your peace because you've been looking at the mountain instead of the Mountain Mover!

Ironically, when the pressure is on and we need our Heavenly Father the most, our snuggle time with Him often gets the most neglected. Sound familiar? If you aren't taking time to consciously focus on Him, if you're not making prayer your major method of dealing with this, well, you're going to make bad choices. You're going to be a slave to your fears unless you insist on experiencing His presence intimately and regularly.

When you're aware of God's closeness, God's personal love, God's awesome power, you can relax. You can respond with peace and poise. You know in your soul that He's totally competent to handle the threat.

When little David was going through his breathing crisis, his father was there all the time. But that didn't help him - until he recognized that his father was with him and he went to be with him. You have your Heavenly Father's presence all the time, but it's knowing He's there ... consciously being with Him that changes panic to peace. And that awareness comes from regular, meaningful time spent with Him alone and by keeping in regular touch with His Throne Room throughout the day.

So, major on cultivating that conscious sense of your Father's presence. He will "deliver you from all your fears" even if He hasn't delivered you from the situation. You can discover again what a little guy named David did in the middle of his scary nights: it's safe next to Daddy.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. 'Practical Answers to Real Life Issues'

*

Henry Fairlie of the Washington Post, writing in the Tulsa World, states that the "fear of risk is killing the American Spirit." He points out our over-reaction to Three Mile Island and the engine on one DC-10. He believes that the nation that won't build a dam because of a small snail darter, or that will delay a carriage to the stars because it might fall like Skylab is in deep trouble. He asked, "Was the Mayflower seaworthy?" He contends that a group of Americans today would not have the heart to cross the Rockies as our forefathers did years ago. It would be too risky! There is a lesson here for the church of our Lord. Many good works go wanting for fear of the risk involved. Some Christians will not become soul winners because of the risk of being hurt. Others have never given liberally to God because of fear of poverty. Elders refuse to become involved in domestic and world evangelism because they might not succeed. Another won't defend truth for the same reason. No doubt but what the "fear of risk" has killed many good programs in the church.

There is no "fear of risk" for Christ. He knew that He came into the world to die for all. He asked his followers to deny themselves daily and take up their crosses and walk! There will always be some perils, but think of the risk if we don't!

Butterflies taste with their feet.

In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.

On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year.

On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.

Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

It's possible to lead a cow upstairs ... but not downstairs.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow.

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

A snail can sleep for three years.

No word in the English language rhymes with "MONTH." [or ORANGE]

Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

All polar bears are left-handed.

In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

"Go," is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand seven feet, two inches tall.

A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.

Almost everyone who reads this will try to lick their elbow.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why. [actually, this one is false]

At the age of seven, escaping communist Cuba with my parents created in me an incredible ability to use my fear, changing it from an enemy to an ally. My mother and father were determined to give me every opportunity to follow my dreams in America, even when it meant sacrificing everything to gain our freedom – and it did! If they could give so much, how could I let a little thing like fear stand in the way of my success? I began a journey as that small child – a journey of “becoming” that bridged countries, cultures and customs. A journey dedicated to becoming the best!

It wasn’t easy — this “becoming.” I wasn’t like the other lads. Not only did I look different and speak a different language, but I was also smaller, shyer and alone. For months, my only companion was the monkey on my back – fear! I couldn’t ignore it and I didn’t know how to overcome it, so I chose to learn from it. When my schoolmates picked on me because of my size, I built my body up and became one of the strongest, fastest, most agile athletes in my school, setting records that still stand today. When I was teased because of my speech, I learned to speak clearly and with such control that later in life that discipline helped me to become an award-winning recording artist and an international speaker.

When I stood by my father’s hospital bed as he fought for his life after suffering a severe heart attack, losing his properties and business, I once again listened to my fear and allowed it to strengthen me instead of overwhelm me. At just 17 years old, I knew I never wanted my family to experience that kind of loss again. Using my fear, making it my ally, I had within me the power to help myself and others reach and maintain success.

That’s what moved me to become a motivational teacher. In an attempt to encourage me, others had told me to refuse to acknowledge my fears, or to overcome my fears, but nobody had taught me how to use them to bring about positive changes in my life. Now that I knew the power of harnessing the fear and working with it instead of fighting against it, I gave it a voice and used it to fuel my passion to succeed.

What does your fear say to you? Does fear tell you that you are inferior? Start your own journey to superiority! Does fear tell you, you can’t? Prove to fear you can by following your dreams, setting and accomplishing positive goals. Does fear whisper convenient excuses of why you haven’t achieved that which you wish? Make a liar out of fear; instead of listening to the excuses for your professional and personal setbacks, commit yourself to travel your own road to excellence!

Here are three easy steps to harnessing and using the power of fear to make it your ally instead of your enemy! When fear would hold you back . . .

1. Perceive yourself as one who has already achieved greatness!

2. Believe you can achieve your dreams and pursue them relentlessly!

3. Receive all the blessings life offers and celebrate your successes!

We have all been given fearfulness! I, for one, feel it was provided as a tool to cause us to act instead of hide — to believe in our abilities to achieve instead of being paralyzed by mistaken beliefs. We have a choice of how we’re going to journey to our final destination, and our happiness and fulfillment is created in who, not what, we become during our travels. With fear as your ally instead of your enemy, your perception will be one of lifelong learning rather than lifelong yearning. Remember: you have the ability, so never give up on your dreams — no matter what!

”Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” — Louis E. Boone

“When boundaries are present, there is fear – when wholeness and unity is recognized, fear cannot exist.” — James A. Ray

“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” – George Herman “Babe” Ruth

“Do the thing you fear, then the death of fear is certain.” — Brian Tracy

Tales of the infamous black cat and childhood chants of “Bloody Mary,” are superstitions that at one time played a part in the lives of people around the world.

“I was afraid of Bloody Mary when I was younger, because of horror movies but mainly because I thought she would come out and kill us,” Jessica Hale, junior, said.

Superstitions play an unconscious role in the lives of people globally. From the United States to the Philippines there are a wealth of superstitions that contribute to native cultural beliefs.

Friday the 13th began in Europe sometime in 750 AD. The reason for this particular date is not entirely clear, but there are several theories, one of the more prominent ones being derived from Christianity.

Friday is an unlucky day to some Christians because [it is believed that] Adam and Eve's creation and downfall, Noah's flood and the crucifixion of Jesus were on a Friday according to superstitions.com.

The number 13 was later included in the superstition of Friday because the Last Supper had thirteen attendees, one of which was Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus Christ.

“Superstitions are something you believe that causes good or bad things to happen to you,” Wade Weaver, senior, said.

These Christian superstitions combined according to some theories cemented Friday the 13th as an unlucky day.

Many of today's superstitions are a result of ancient religious practices that served to explain and prevent events that were at the time inexplicable.

A sneeze was viewed as an unnatural body function that unlocked a person's soul to the devil and evil spirits whose purpose was to make him or her ill.

In order to combat this, Pope Gregory instituted the practice of saying “God bless you” after a sneeze to prevent infection and disease.

Like the sneeze, the yawn was also viewed as unnatural.

In order to combat the mischief of evil spirits, the practice of covering one's mouth for good luck began.

Not all superstitions are rooted in evil. The practice of crossing one's fingers is meant to bring good luck in times of crisis according to superstitions.com.

Crossed fingers are reminiscent of the holy trinity, which is considered lucky in North American and Hispanic cultures.

Another less malevolent superstition has to do with silence. A noisy room replaced with sudden quiet means that angels are passing through that area.

Cracked or broken mirrors are symbolic of injury to oneself -- one of the oldest superstitions.

Primitive man feared their reflection in water, in fear that disturbing an image of themselves would cause actual harm.

Walking under ladders is an ancient Egyptian superstition established sometime in the first dynasty.

When ladders are opened they form pyramids which were considered holy shapes and associated with the underworld.

If the shape of the pyramid is broken it was believed that a person had sinned and would not be able to enter into the afterlife.

“Superstitions make people crazy; they [people] take things too far. It is okay to be a little superstitious, but when it makes you not want to leave your house, then its gone too far.” Hale said.

Superstitions have intertwined themselves with everyday activities as well as cultural customs.

Whether or not there is truth to superstitions, there origins history explain who and why some people are superstitious.

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Hi-Lights Online is a joint production of Boone's Multimedia Academy: Web Design II, III and Newspaper.

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Sermon on spiritual and moral courage. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8

FINDING FORTITUDE

=================

I. A time for courage.

A. Veterans' Day and a New Jersey hero.

B. Christian fortitude - inner strength and spiritual courage.

II. Don't be a chicken.

A. Common admonition to Bible heroes: "Do not be afraid."

B. It is a standard component of God's call.

III. Cowardice is a life-thief.

A. Spiritual cowardice bears a heavy cost.

B. Sources of spiritual cowardice and fear.

IV. More than a brave face.

A. Fortitude is inner strength that relies on the provision of God.

B. How to practice fortitude in our daily lives.

1) Gain a God-centered orientation.

2) Stand up for what you believe in.

3) Build intimacy with God by facing our fears with him.

It seems like such an incongruous combination. It's Christmas week, and the carols are heralding “peace on earth, good will to men.” But the headlines are heralding the highest level of potential terrorism danger since 9/11. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas - and an orange - for “high” - terror alert. Thousands are rushing to airports to be home for Christmas - and running into a sudden new gauntlet of security measures. A strange “merry Christmas.”

Yes, the celebrations and get-togethers will go on as scheduled, and no terror “grinch” will be allowed to steal Christmas. But even at this season when love and peace are in the air, so is this reminder that we continue to live in a dangerous world.

In many ways, this untimely intrusion of terrorism concerns at Christmas is a reminder of why there is a Christmas. And why the promise of Christmas may mean more than ever before.

Three times an angel appears in the Biblical narratives of the first Christmas - once to Joseph, once to Mary, and once to the shepherds. And each time, the angel's opening line is the same - “Do not be afraid.” Those words sound especially welcome in a world where there often seems so much to fear - not just from terrorism, but from random acts of violence, from medical verdicts such as “It's Alzheimer's” or “It's malignant,” from economic upheavals or multiple wars or that unexpected call in the middle of the night.

Heaven's “do not be afraid” comes from the ultimate reality that no terrorist, no downsizing, no disease, no evil is ultimately in charge - God is in charge. Struggling with a deepening despair, the famous poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, found hope one dark night from the ringing of the Christmas bells. He had lost one wife to a fatal illness, his second wife in a tragic fire, and now had a son wounded in the Civil War he hated. And yet, he penned the famous words of the carol, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

He wrote: “In despair I bowed my head: 'There is no peace on earth,' I said, “For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.'“ But, then, with defiant hope, Longfellow declared: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.'“ That should be played as the underscore for tonight's news!

Sadly, for many - maybe for you - the promise of “peace on earth” is only that - just a promise, but not a personal reality. Nice words for a Christmas card but no real antidote for the incurable turbulence that rages in your heart. The truth is that lasting peace of mind is something that has eluded many of us since we were teenagers. None of our relationships, none of our accomplishments, none of our experiences - not even our religion - have brought lasting peace and deep security to our soul.

That's why Jesus came that first Christmas - to do what it took to end the conflict that has made our heart a “roaring camp” rather than a safe harbor. He came, because the “peace on earth” we need the most is not so much peace between nations, but peace in our soul - which comes when the greatest conflict of all is finally resolved. The Bible speaks of it this way: “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

We're at war with our Creator - that is the shocking reality that explains why we never feel really safe or secure. For most of us, it's not a matter of open hostility toward God, just the polite defiance of ignoring how He wants us to live and living the way we want instead. And in a statement that ultimately tells us how to finally find that “peace on earth,” the Bible first goes so far as to describe us as “God's enemies.” If we're going to be afraid of any terror, it ought to be the terror of God's anger and punishment for our hijacking of a life He created.

But what follows is a road to hope, not hopelessness. It explains why the Christmas angels said that Christ's arrival was “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10), and that He would bring with Him “peace on earth.” The Bible says, “When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10). It is not inappropriate that we have a tree at the center of our Christmas celebration - because it was on a tree - a criminal's cross - that the Son of God gave His life to pay the awful death penalty of every wrong thing you and I have ever done. So the war could end. So the peace could begin.

And it can begin in you this very Christmas - if you will wrap your arms around God's Son in total trust as your only hope, your only Rescuer from the penalty of your sin. One of the names for Jesus in the Bible is “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). But He has to be your Prince for you to have His peace.

Three days after the September 11 events that suddenly sent nearly 3,000 people into eternity and shattered our sense of security, the President quoted these words from the Bible at a national prayer service: “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). There's the anchor that brings peace to the human heart. Love that is “unloseable.” Forgiveness that makes you clean. Security that is anchored in heaven, not on earth. Peace that is disease-proof, disaster-proof, terror-proof, death-proof.

At this season when we have been reminded again of our vulnerability and how much is out of our control, it makes more sense than ever before to be sure you belong to the One who has “the whole world in His hands.” The Jesus who came into our world at Christmas can come into your life this Christmas - upon your invitation. Finally, “sleep in heavenly peace” can be more than beautiful words for you - this very night you can go to sleep with the heavenly peace of knowing you belong to the God of the universe and that you are ready for eternity, whenever it comes.

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

[see also #14974 and #33955]

I told you before that I send love notes to my wife to her computer (we send to each other, and yes, we live together — he-he). I always sign them “Curly.” Guess why? It’s wishful thinking — I’m rather bald. None of us is perfect, at least I assume that’s true. If you are, congratulations!

At any rate, if you have some obvious imperfection, you can deal with it a lot easier if you can take it with a light-hearted attitude.

Any difficulty can become a problem or a work-in-progress, depending on attitude. We can handle it by solving it, learning to deal with it or grumbling about it. The last one accomplishes nothing. It’s up to us to decide which route we will take, because we are the ones who control our attitude.

We can learn from 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT), “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” Yes, it says “self-discipline.” That’s the key to having a good attitude with God’s help. Want a happy life? Let’s ask God to help us discipline our attitude in the right direction.

In his Turning Point daily devotional for July 7, David Jeremiah shared these insights: “‘You do not get stomach ulcers from what you eat,’ said one doctor. ‘You get ulcers from what is eating you.’ John Calvin put it equally well when he said, ‘those who are extremely anxious wear themselves out and become… their own executioners.’

“If you’re worried today, take time to reflect on the wonderful names of God and of Christ as revealed throughout the Scripture. For example, Judges 6:24 says, ‘then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it’ (lit: Jehovah-Shalom) (KJV). Jehovah is a Hebrew name for God, and Shalom is the word for peace. The New King James Version says that Gideon named his altar “The-Lord-Is-Peace.” In the Contemporary English Version, it is called: “The Lord Calms Our Fears.”

“Your God is Jehovah-Shalom. He will keep those in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3). He gives peace like a river (Isaiah 48:18), and Psalm 119:165 promises, ‘Great peace have those who love Your law.’ Jesus, our Prince of Peace, promised, ‘Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid’ (John 14:27).”

Luke 12:1–12 — Teachings on Various Subjects « Leader information shown in this fashion »

« A. Today’s Outline

1. the division is somewhat arbitrary

2. here are teachings that are loosely tied together; that is, there is some progression in the ideas involved

3. there are no parallel passages in the other gospels but the same teachings will be found there in different form and context »

B. Discourses to His Disciples — 12:1–12

1. … on Hypocrisy — 12:1–3 (NKJV): 1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

a. regarding leaven « — you may have heard, or even been taught, that leaven invariably represents sin in the Bible; I would like to point out some reasons that such blind use of typology in interpreting the Scriptures can be dangerous »

(A) its character — leaven in Bible times was usually used in the form that we know as sour-dough; that is, a piece of dough was saved from that currently being kneaded in order to mix with the next batch of dough. Even if not mixed by kneading, the leaven will silently permeate the whole lump of dough, affecting all it touches. Baking destroys the leaven, but not its effect.

(B) typical meaning: this is connected with the types found in the old testament system of feasts and sacrifices

(1) the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread — held annually, as described in Deuteronomy 16:1–8

(a) what is unleavened bread called in verse 3? « — the bread of affliction »

(b) what did it represent to the Hebrews? « — the affliction they had in Egypt and their haste in leaving it »

(c) « to say that leaven stands for sin in this context is to say that if you give up sin for the first week of the year it is alright to sin for next 51 weeks — a wholly unwarranted conclusion! »

(2) the sacrifices — only two of the five sacrifices are connected with bread or leaven

(a) Leviticus 2, 6:14–23 The Grain or Meal Offering which was to be seasoned with salt but not with honey or leavened, and was to be partly burnt on the altar and partly a portion for the priest; this was offered in thanks of the first fruits

(b) Leviticus 3, 7:11–21 The Peace or Fellowship Offering was to be offered

¤ 7:12 « — with unleavened cakes »

¤ 7:13 « — also with leavened bread »

¤ 7:14 « — the priest was to share both of these »

¤ 7:14–15 « — it was eaten by the offeror »

¤ « so here we have both priest and person worshipping together with both the bread of affliction and the bread of non-affliction; to suggest that leaven typifies sin destroys this picture of rejoicing fellowship; the fact that leaven is coupled with honey, a mark of God’s blessing in the land of promise, shows that leaven is typical of good gifts given by God to be enjoyed in their place but never to supplant the One giving them »

(C) symbolic meaning: Luke 13:20–21 (read also verses 18-19)

(1) « because of its character, leaven is symbolic of a silent, unseen growth. »

(2) these two parables, taken together, describe how the kingdom of God grows;

(a) like a mustard seed. « from small beginning to a great result; »

(b) like leaven, « silently and unseen, with no moral connotation »

(c) « If you insist on leaven standing for sin here then you have Jesus saying ‘the kingdom of God is like sin’ and, if we are to pray that God’s kingdom come, are we not praying for sin to come? Romans 6:1–2 (AV) “1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” »

(3) but associated with this symbolic meaning there is often a negative aspect: as leaven works silently and insidiously, affecting all it touches, so there are things that can enter our lives which will, if allowed to stay, affect them negatively

(a) 1 Corinthians 5:6–8 « — allowing immorality to coexist with worship »

(b) Galatians 5:7–10 « — allowing false teaching »

b. what is the “leaven of the Pharisees” « — hypocrisy »

c. why is leaven a good symbol for this?

(A) « because its working will eventually be apparent »

(B) « because it affects what it touches — those who admire the Pharisees will become affected by their same spirit »

2. … on Fear or Worldly Anxieties — 12:4–7 (NKJV): 4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

a. Who is to be feared in verse 5? « — God »

(A) what is the occasion for fear in this instance? « — because He is judge and the One who executes judgment »

(B) what other kinds and reasons for fear should be shown?

(1) « the fear of respect for His majesty »

(2) « the fear of awe of His power »

(3) « the fear of His holiness or “otherness” from us »

b. Who is not to be feared by God’s children? Why not?

(A) « earthly rulers »

(B) because

(1) « their power is limited only to this present life »

(2) « of God’s providential care of His own »

3. … on Faith and the Holy Spirit — 12:8–12 (NKJV): 8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. 11 Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

a. what does this tell us is

(A) a mark of faith? « — confessing Jesus before men »

(B) a mark of lack of faith? « — denying Jesus before men »

b. “blaspheme” means to “speak evil of”

(A) what are primary roles of the Holy Spirit

(1) John 3:5–8 « — effect the new birth, regeneration »

(2) John 15:26 « — bear testimony to Jesus as the Christ »

(3) John 16:8 « — convict of sin and judgment to come »

(4) John 16:13 « — guide the believer into truth »

(B) in practical terms, how does one speak evil of the Holy Spirit? … why does this prevent forgiveness? « — denying His witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the World and that we are sinners … so we are prevented by our own response from coming to repentance »