HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-04-30, Page 15THE CITIZEN. THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009. PAGE 15.By Pastor Brent KipferBrussels Mennonite FellowshipFear can be enslaving...or freeing.Well-placed fear can be a good
thing.
What parent does not want to
instill a fear of moving cars, deep
rushing water and red-hot stove-tops
in their growing toddler? It is a
basic, early step in learning how to
live wisely.
When I took drivers’ ed (back in
1986!), instructors tried to penetrate
our teenage sense of invincibility
with graphic videos of car crashes
and accident victims. They hoped
that a bit of healthy fear would
motivate us to use our brains when
we sat down in the driver’s seat of a
car.
Still, fear is very limited in what it
can accomplish - and when it is
misdirected, it can take on a life of
its own. A man named Fredd
Culbertson has scoured reference
books and medical papers and found
more than 500 fears identified by
researchers.
His collection is posted at
phobialist.com.
Some would be easier to cope with
than others.
Did you know that geniophobia is
a fear of chins? What strategies
could you use to tackle that one?
A fear of your mother-in-law is
known as entheraphobia (it's
surprisingly common!).
Fear of Friday the 13th is
paraskavedekatriaphobia (my kids
had fun learning to pronounce that
one!).
Fear of bald people is
peladophobia. (Someone out there
must consider me their worst
nightmare!)
Although some phobias seem
unusual or even exotic, living in fear
is no fun.
That is why many people wonder
why the Bible urges us - dozens and
dozens of times - to fear God. Those
who fear the Lord receive great
promises in Scripture: wisdom, joy,
justice, prosperity, long life.
Why is that? It is a bit puzzling.
How is fear of God different from
other fears?
Everybody fears something.
Some fear going hungry. Some are
afraid of what others think of them.
Some fear losing control of their
lives (even though none of us ever
have that control!). Some fear
death.
Most fears have great power to
enslave us. Only one can free us -and that is a fear of God. Fear of Jesus breaks all other fear.For those who know him, it sounds
strange to talk about fearing him -
because he is the one who loves
us.
He is the one who died for us. He
is the one who became weak so we
could be strong. He is the one who
suffered so we could be healed. Heis the one who took on hell so thatwe could receive heaven. There is good news here. If Jesus
is the one who receives our fear (our
ultimate respect) and our honour, if
we care about his opinion more than
any other - then other fears are
broken.
Our heart may still pound if a bear
invades our camping site (amomentary fear designed to prod usinto a wise response), but our fearsno longer enslave us.
If Jesus is the one we fear, then
we find other fears swallowed up in
his love. We are set free, because, as
the first letter of John insists: “There
is no fear in love...perfect love drives
out fear....”
It is a paradox - an unexpec-
ted miracle: a wholehearted fear
of God leads to freedom as we
discover his love chasing the fear
away.
From the Minister’s StudyFear — is it enslaving or freeing?
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Bible Study
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women at the Well
Fridays 7:30 pm - Youth Group
Evangelical Missionary Church
May 3: 1 Jn 2:28ffWho are really‘God’s
Children’?
Fri. Sat.30-Hour Famine for World Vision
Yumm
Grace McHardy, five, enjoyed the Springtime Supper at
Melville Presbyterian Church on Saturday evening. (Vicky
Bremner photo)
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
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N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, May 3
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, MAY 3
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, May 3
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Parish of New Beginnings
May 3
Eucharist - the Service of Holy Thanksgiving
Rev. Perry Chuipka
PASTOR DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School & Small Groups
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
YARD SALE!
SATURDAY, MAY 2
We are are holding a “Yard Sale”
at the church in conjunction with
the Town of Auburn’s Annual Yard
Sale. Along with yard sale items,
we will also have home-made
baked goods. All proceeds go
toward the next mission’s trip to
El Salvador in 2010.
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Sunday, May 3
Morning Worship Service
Baptism and Food Bank Sunday
and Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
May 10 - Confirmation