Sermon. “Faith that overcomes Fear.”
Hilarious
For those who already have children past this age, this is hilarious. For those who have children this age, this is not funny. For those who have children nearing this age, this is a warning. For those who have not yet had children, this is birth control.
The following came from an anonymous Mother in Austin, Texas.
Things I’ve learned from my children (honest & no kidding):
1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3. A 3-year old’s voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42-pound
boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn’t stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh," it’s already too late.
8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9. A six-year old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old man says they can only do it in the
movies.
10. Certain Logos will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old.
11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
12. Super glue is forever.
13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can’t walk on water.14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15. VCR’s do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when
driving.
18. You probably do not want to know what that
odor is.
19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on. Plastic toys do not like ovens.
20. The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.
21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.
23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy
Trials come in many shapes and sizes some times even little ones.
Since Faith overcomes Fear, we must trust Jesus in the midst of life’s trials.
When a man is defeated by life it is always due, ultimately, to the fact the his is suffering from a spirit of fear...The spirit of fear is the real, the ultimate cause of all failure in life, and of all unhappiness. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
Why do we fear?
We fear because
1. We fear out of control
2. we feel alone.
3. Because we feel powerless in the face of our trials.
Jesus in verse 40 rebukes his disciples for being shaken by the storm. Jesus here is telling his disciples that there faith would have over come their fear of the storm. In other words it is not the stilling of the storm that determines my peace but really whom I have in the boat of my life. I can over come fear...
1. Since Jesus is in control, we must trust Jesus in the midst of life’s trials
a. Trials are the result of living in a fallen world.
i. Everyone will have trials.
ii. It is only a matter of time.
b. Jesus uses the trials of life for my good, and I must trust his character.
i. The disciples question his character and that is what we tend to do when we are in the same situation.
ii. Jesus lead them out into the storm.
iii. Jesus leads us out into the storms of life so that we will come to know him in the midst of life’s trials.
(1)John Bunyan said, “God never intended that troubles would destroy His people, but that it would be for their glory, to make them shine ant the brighter when they pass through the valley of the shadow of death.”
c. Having peace in the midst to trails mean we must accept Jesus purpose in allowing the trial.
i. John Bunyan “Only a few people when they come to the cross, cry, “Welcome, cross!” But some martyrs have done this at the stake where they were burned. Therefore, if you encounter the cross in your journey, in whatever shape or form, don~t be discouraged and say, “Oh dear, what shall I do now?” Instead, take courage, knowing that by the cross is the way to the kingdom. Can a person believe in Christ, and not he hated by the devil? Can a person profess faith in Christ, sweetly and convincingly, while the children of Satan hold their tongue? Can darkness agree with light?”
ii. We must quit struggle against the trial and seek to learn the lesson of the trial.
iii. We must ask what do you want me to learn about you.
iv. We must learn to quit struggling and lean on Jesus.
d. Jesus will not let any trials that he will not give you the grace to handle.
i. 1 Cor 10:13 there has no temptation taken you but such is common to man and God is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
ii. 1John 4:18
iii. Romans 8:28
2. Since Jesus is present, we must trust Jesus in the midst of life’s trials
a. Fear comes because we fail to recognize who is with us.
i. So we feel alone and helpless.
ii. We feel like our lives are about to be swamped.
b. Jesus is never far away when we are in a trial.
i. Even though Jesus is not physically present, he is always with us.
(1) 1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
(2) HEBREWS 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
(3) Matt 18:20
ii. Even though he does not immediately come to our rescue.
(1) Sometimes Jesus may even seem insensitive.
iii. We must learn to recognize his presence.
iv. Story of the American Indians.
c. Jesus is only a prayer away.
i. Jesus delays because he is awaiting our cry.
ii. Prayer is an expression of our need.
(1) and God’s purpose is that we be dependant upon him.
(2) It is only there that we find the grace that is sufficient for our need.
iii. Prayer connects us to immediately to Jesus who has the power to help.
3. Since Jesus is powerful, we must trust Jesus in the midst of life’s trials.
a. When you fear God, you have nothing else to fear.
b. He fear men so little, because he feared God so much.– Inscription to Lord Lawrence in Westminster Abby
c. When Jesus displays his power the disciple go from being afraid of the Storm to having a deep reverence of Jesus.
d. Since Jesus has the power I can be assured that he is able to deliver on his promises.
e. Mark 4: 40 Our Lord rebuked the disciples for fearing when apparently they had good reason for being alarmed. The problem is—if Jesus Christ is only the Carpenter of Nazareth, then the disciples were foolish to put Him at the tiller; but if He is the Son of God, what are they alarmed about? If Jesus Christ is God, where is my trust in Him? If He is not God, why am I so foolish as to pretend to worship Him? “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Dr. L. Nelson Bell was serving as a medical missionary when the Japanese invaded China, and his family was at great risk. It was November 1938, and Sutsien, his neighbor station a few miles away, had fallen. Rumors of missionary casualties were rampant. On Christmas Day, Nelson wrote to his mother in America: This past Thursday it was my time to lead foreign prayer meeting, and I talked about the place of physical fear in the life of the Christian. Last week it dawned on me that our Lord, tempted in all points the same as we are, yet without sin, hungered, thirsted, was tired, became angry, and gave every evidence of his humanity, but He was never fearful. Fear, therefore, come from a lack of faith—.sin. Just as we never become sinless, so we never entire lose fear, but it surely is His will for His children to live with peace in their hearts, trusting in Him and His promises.’
Years later, his daughter, Ruth Bell Graham, said this in describing her growing-up years in China: I can never recall going to sleep at night without hearing gunshots’ in the countryside around the house. I remember one tremendous fire over in the city. We u’~ up to the third-story attic window where we could see it and hear the explosions. We thought the city was being invaded. The whole skyline was lit up... . I think the greatest tribute to mother courage is that we children never sensed fear and we ourselves never had any fear. Now this is bound to reflect your parents. If they had been nervous, we would have been nervous.2
