The Fear Factor

The Fear Factor; NV 1/04/04 p.m.

OS: In his book Fuzzy Memories, Jack Handey writes:

There used to be this bully who would demand my lunch money every day. Since I was smaller, I would give it to him. Then I decided to fight back. I started taking karate lessons. But then the karate lesson guy said I had to start paying him five dollars a lesson. So I just went back to paying the bully.

Too many people feel it is easier just to pay the bully than it is to learn how to defeat him.

Citation: Sherman L. Burford in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.

Fear is one of those emotions we have to deal with like it or not.

Do you believe there will be a nuclear war in your lifetime?

Yes:             40 percent
Not sure:      32 percent
No:              28 percent

Source: CollegeClub.com online poll of 4,718 self-selected, college-age respondents; June 6, 2002 Citation: Lori Joseph and Sam Ward, "USA Today Snapshots," USA Today (8-1-02)

Fear is our greatest enemy in accomplishing the mission of God:

1.     Fear of change.

2.     Fear of failure.

3.     Fear of turning loose completely and trusting totally in God.

Jesus did not come to make us safe; He came to make us disciples.

There is a job to do, a people to become:

Great commandments / Great Commission

Missionary Oswald Chambers said:

It is the most natural thing in the world to be scared, and the clearest evidence that God's grace is at work in our hearts is when we do not get into panics….The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else.

Citation: Reprinted in "Wisdom in a Time of War," Christianity Today (1-07-02), p. 47

1 John 4:16b-19