from the dark corners, swarm neighborhoods "trick or treating" through the monster decorated lawns. It seems that many of the population actually want to be scared. Ironically though, many people are fearful on a daily basis and don't want to be, but don't know how to change.
Back to that question, "What are you afraid of?" World war? Terrorism? Another "Great Depression" in the financial market? Not being able to pay the bills? Natural disaster? Losing a loved one? Sickness? Accidents? Not being accepted? Having no friends? Not passing the test? Not being "good enough"? Having to stand up for what you believe? Not knowing what you believe? Maybe you're scared of being last, or someone else being first. Maybe it frightens you to see a mouse. What if there are no more jelly filled donuts when I finally get to the front of this line?!?!?
Other people's fears often seem silly to those who don't share them. After all, how many people die every year from being mauled by a mouse? Fears can be very real, even debilitating to people. But, maybe those "No Fear" slogan and "Ain't Skeered" bumper sticker folks are on to something.
Remember FDR? The thirty-second President of the United States of America, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The pioneer sap ran deep in the Delano family tree whose roots were traced back to the first Calvinist to land in the New World. Young Mr. Roosevelt (like his cousin President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt) was a strong branch from that tree. Franklin was struck with what was then thought to be polio at the age of 39 and fought courageously to try to regain the use of his legs. He later founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, what is today known as the March of Dimes. You see his likeness on the U.S. dime today.
Roosevelt was elected to the Presidency in November of the year 1932, the depth of "The Great Depression". At the time of his inaugural address in March of 1933 there were 13 million Americans unemployed and almost every bank in the country was closed. Although his lower limbs were physically paralyzed, he insisted on being supported to stand whenever addressing the public he lead. Imagine the state of affairs in our country at that time. Stand in his shoes for a moment. Would you be afraid?
Listen in to a few things President Roosevelt said while addressing the Nation the day of his inauguration: "This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." *** Those words were spoken in the middle of a bank panic. He did not give in to fear.
The admonition to not fear did not originate with a U.S. President though, it came from God. Let's look at what the Word says about it.
Fear
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Proverbs 3:24-26 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 51:7 "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.
Isaiah 54:4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. 14 In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. 17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 17:7-10 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Lamentations 3:56-58 You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief." You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life.
Romans 8:14-16 Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba,Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
1 Peter 3:13-14 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.
1 John 4:17-18 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Worry
Matthew 6:25-34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Anxiety
Philippians 4:6-7 The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
The Word of God is true, what it says you can "take to the bank." Let the Holy Spirit of God direct your heart to the specific scriptures that you need to stand on. Write or print them out and put them everywhere your eyes can see. Speak them out loud - often! Get them in your eyes, ears, mind and heart and pretty soon you will see that those Truths will be evident in your life. Then every time you see one of those "No Fear" or "Ain't Skeered" bumper stickers or t-shirts you can shout a loud, "Amen!"
*** To be entirely blessed and encouraged read the address in it's entirety as it was given over public radio FDR's First Inaugural Address 1933.
The Living Room
Have you seen the bumper stickers that say "Ain't Skeered"? Perhaps not, maybe they don't have those in countries other than the U.S. or maybe not even in any other part of the U.S. than the southeast! Well, if you haven't seen them, or you don't know what they mean, fear not! We speak fluent redneck down here. Let us translate. "Ain't Skeered" is sort of the NASCAR version of other sport's "No Fear" slogan.
Now before you scoff at the simplicity of (or arrogance of, depending on what you perceive) those slogans, let us ask you a question. What are you afraid of? October is a time when many people in the world "celebrate" Halloween. People pay money to go to haunted house attractions, horror movies, and theme parks that are wearing a nighttime mask of fright. Mobs of kids, shaking with super-sugar highs and the fear of what might jump out
October2008
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