Pastor's Pen
by Buzz Dahlen
What are you afraid of?  What do you fear?  We all have fears; some we are created with and some are programmed in as we grow up.  What are you afraid of?  
The interesting thing about fear is that someone might be frightened about something that someone else seems to have no fear of it al all.  Spiders and snakes… Darkness and tight spaces… Heights and all the other phobias.  It is amazing what people can fear.  It is even more amazing what they do not fear.
I have talked to people who seem to have no fear of hell.  They have no fear of God’s judgment.  They don’t seem to be afraid of God at all.  They just live life and do not care what God thinks about it.  Now that is scary!
Don’t get me wrong; God wants us to come to the place where we do not have to be afraid anymore.  He wants us to come to that place of peace.  But that comes only after one has given their life to God and accepted God’s gift of grace through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Have you done that?  Are you at peace with where you will be spending eternity?
Fear is not a bad thing; it can actually save you from terribly calamity.  My fear of heights will keep me from falling off something high, simply because I will most likely not be up very high off the ground and if I must go higher then I am comfortable with, I am certain that I will not go very near to the edge.  Fear can keep you from doing something stupid.  I know there have been many times growing up, when I thought about doing something stupid, that I did not because I was afraid of what might happen if I did.
When talking to disciples in front of a crowd of thousands Jesus said:  "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.  What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies ? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.  But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.  And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
Luke 12:1-10
The word fear, used in this passage, in the Greek is: phobeo, fob-eh'-o; to be alarmed; by anal. to be in awe of, i.e. revere:--be (+ sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.
Jesus says that when it comes to life we are afraid of the wrong things.  Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body… Fear him (revere, be in awe of) who… has power to throw you into hell.  He goes on to assure us with, don’t be afraid, (alarmed) you are worth so much to God.  Then he says, in so many words, don’t be afraid to acknowledge God.
Everybody is afraid of something, just make sure that you are afraid of the right thing.

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