FEAR
There are people who are in mental institutions because of worry and fear. A certain amount of fear is actually wisdom; we should be afraid to play next to a cliff, or on the train tracks, or in the middle of the road. But there are abnormal fears that keep people from crossing the road or even going outside their homes.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1; see also Psalm 128:1–8; 1 John 4:4; Philippians 4:6–7). Fear will cause us to make wrong decisions. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25). This last verse teaches us to overcome our fears by trusting in the Lord. On our internet site (True Christian Short Stories, By G. M. Matheny), we have a short story called “Parachuting.” The story was written to explain that for one to trust Christ, he must let go of what else he is trusting in, such as his religion or good works. Just as the person who jumps from a plane—as long as he is holding on to the plane, he is not trusting the parachute. He has to let go of the plane in order to trust the parachute.
This shows how we are saved by grace, not by works, but it also demonstrates how to overcome fear. Your fear could be anything, but for the moment pretend what you’re afraid of is jumping out of a plane with a parachute. When I was on the wing of that plane, afraid to let go, the reason I finally jumped was because I put my faith in that parachute to get me to the ground safely. And Jesus Christ is my parachute: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). Let’s take our fears to the Lord in prayer and leave them there. When they return, pray again. Over time it will be easier to do this: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7; see WORRY).
FELLOWSHIP
Fellowship has been defined as “two fellows in one ship.” Man needs fellowship where we can be with friends of similar interests who love our Lord. One of the reasons for the church was for fellowship: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…” (Hebrews 10:25). Christians will grow quicker as they encourage each other in the things of the Lord and share their experiences of Christ working in their lives. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14; see CHURCH; see FRIENDS).
There are people who are in mental institutions because of worry and fear. A certain amount of fear is actually wisdom; we should be afraid to play next to a cliff, or on the train tracks, or in the middle of the road. But there are abnormal fears that keep people from crossing the road or even going outside their homes.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1; see also Psalm 128:1–8; 1 John 4:4; Philippians 4:6–7). Fear will cause us to make wrong decisions. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25). This last verse teaches us to overcome our fears by trusting in the Lord. On our internet site (True Christian Short Stories, By G. M. Matheny), we have a short story called “Parachuting.” The story was written to explain that for one to trust Christ, he must let go of what else he is trusting in, such as his religion or good works. Just as the person who jumps from a plane—as long as he is holding on to the plane, he is not trusting the parachute. He has to let go of the plane in order to trust the parachute.
This shows how we are saved by grace, not by works, but it also demonstrates how to overcome fear. Your fear could be anything, but for the moment pretend what you’re afraid of is jumping out of a plane with a parachute. When I was on the wing of that plane, afraid to let go, the reason I finally jumped was because I put my faith in that parachute to get me to the ground safely. And Jesus Christ is my parachute: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). Let’s take our fears to the Lord in prayer and leave them there. When they return, pray again. Over time it will be easier to do this: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7; see WORRY).
FELLOWSHIP
Fellowship has been defined as “two fellows in one ship.” Man needs fellowship where we can be with friends of similar interests who love our Lord. One of the reasons for the church was for fellowship: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…” (Hebrews 10:25). Christians will grow quicker as they encourage each other in the things of the Lord and share their experiences of Christ working in their lives. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14; see CHURCH; see FRIENDS).
