>>Bill: According to Psychology
Today - fear is a vital response
00:00:02.00\00:00:06.63
to physical and emotional
danger-if we couldn't feel it,
we couldn't protect
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ourselves from
legitimate threats.
00:00:11.36\00:00:14.36
But often we fear
situations that are in no way
00:00:14.36\00:00:19.56
life-or-death, and thus
hang back for no good reason.
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Trauma or bad experiences can
trigger a fear response within
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us that is hard to quell.
00:00:28.30\00:00:31.73
Yet exposing ourselves to our
personal fears is the best way
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to move past them.
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ANNOUNCER: It has
stood the test of time.
00:00:49.50\00:00:52.46
God's book: the Bible,
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still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:56.73\00:01:00.43
It Is Written,
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sharing the messages
of hope around the world.
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Many folks today have fear of
failure - not sure how many of
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you have seen the Nike ad with
Michael Jordan where he says .
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Or the Nike print ad that said .
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There is the story told by the
wife of a world famous tightrope
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walker shortly after he had
fallen to his untimely death.
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She said that her husband had
spent too much time preparing
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not to fall that he forgot to
properly practice the
fundamentals of walking on a
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simple piece of rope.
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She said, "The power
of fear can be deadly!"
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Matthew 10: 29 - 31 says .
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Some people live in
fear all their lives.
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Some of the fears that
haunt us are totally irrational.
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Did you know that that the
number one fear that people list
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in surveys is the fear
of speaking in front of an
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audience. It even beats
out death in most surveys.
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Jesus says that the ideal
antidote for fear is faith in
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God. It is reported in Genesis
chapter 15 that God came to
Abram in a dream and
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the very first words heard
by this servant of God are "fear
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not." Luke 1: 30 reports that
when the angel, Gabriel,
appeared to Mary he says
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to her "Do not be afraid .
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.
00:04:36.53\00:04:37.53
.
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" Now, further remember when
the Angel comes to the shepherds
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keeping watch over their flock
in the dark of night, in Luke 2:
10, the angel declared
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Yes, "fear not."
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Great words, comforting words,
yet ones we tend not to hear
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with the original power and
purpose they were intended to
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convey. Well once again we have
the privilege of having with us
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Dr. Leader from
Toronto's York University.
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Dr. Leader, thank you so much
for once again taking the time
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to provide some
powerful insights to us.
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Dr. Leader, let me ask you this,
how powerful are the words found
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in scripture "fear not".
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Thank you Bill once again.
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When the Creator lovingly formed
us, He wired us with an array of
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emotions. Emotions serve as
thermostats or thermometers,
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giving us information
about our environment.
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Fear is an emotion that serves
to alert us to danger: real or
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imagined. The autonomic nervous
system prepares us for fight or
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flight. This is the body's
emergency system and was
designed to take care of
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life's emergencies.
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We respond almost automatically,
but when the danger is past, our
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autonomic nervous system is
no longer activated, and we go
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along more calmly with life.
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Many develop all kinds of fears,
and, for the most part, keep the
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body on emergency
alert for prolonged periods.
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Because the body is not designed
for this, we wear our bodies
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down needlessly with fear,
stress, and eventually, we
suffer physically and develop
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emotional and psychological
illnesses such as generalized
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anxiety disorder, phobia,
anxiety disorders, and
obsessive-compulsive
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disorders.
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We live in times of fear: fear
of economic disaster, fear of
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losing our loved ones;
fear of being attacked; fear of
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terrorism. You
can add yours here.
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Fears can turn into phobias,
interfering with our daily
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functioning. Those of you who
have been victims of trauma that
has not been treated may find
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that you live in fear
that it may happen again.
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In fact, you may also have
developed panic attacks and are
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experiencing night terrors.
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We all experience fear
at one time or another.
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Fear is problematic only when it
is extreme and interferes with
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our daily functioning.
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Some become paralyzed in life
and find it difficult to leave
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their home, sometimes they are
months in the home; others dread
speaking in public no
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matter how small the group.
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Multiplied many others are
plagued by the fear of what
others think and say
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about them.
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Or what they think others think
and what the think other are
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saying about them.
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My Bible tells me,
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Many books of the Bible contain
verses telling us not to fear.
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Others contain variations such
as "do not be afraid", or "be of
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good courage.
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" We do know also that we spend
much of our time fearing some
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outcome which never happens, yet
we engage in the wearisome habit
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of fear. You see, God knew that
throughout our lives, we would
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experience situations in
which fear might be activated.
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So, to encourage reliance
on Him who made us, He sent us
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encouragement ahead of time.
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He knew the effect that fear
could have on His children as we
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journey through life.
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Until we reach a place of
complete trust and faith in Him,
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His works, and His promises,
we will be plagued by fear.
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So for our use, the words "fear
not" reverberate in books in the
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Bible starting at Genesis
right through to Revelation.
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Fear is a most powerful tool the
enemy uses to draw our attention
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away from what God is actually
doing in our lives, or wants to
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do in our lives. It often
distracts us from what is really
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important. "Fear not" in
Scripture really is designed to
teach us to really trust
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God.
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It's a question of faith.
00:09:58.36\00:10:01.10
It is challenging us to taste
God's ability to do powerful
00:10:01.10\00:10:06.86
things, impossible
things in our lives.
00:10:06.86\00:10:11.00
It makes all the difference when
we, though faced with fear, can
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stand on God's
invitation to take courage.
00:10:19.96\00:10:23.96
Here are some:
To Abram God said:
00:10:23.96\00:10:27.63
To Isaac, after several quarrels
between his herdsmen and Gerar's
00:10:34.90\00:10:40.60
herdsmen over wells
that were dug, (Gen.
00:10:40.60\00:10:43.06
26:24), He said:
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In the face of famine, to Jacob
after he discovered that his son
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Joseph was still alive, and
was a ruler in Egypt, He said in
00:11:05.96\00:11:11.33
Gen. 46:3
00:11:11.33\00:11:12.73
When the children of Israel were
fleeing from Pharoah, they found
00:11:21.60\00:11:24.66
themselves hedged in
by sea, and mountain.
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Pursued by the Egyptian
army, they were very afraid.
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I like Joshua.
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In Joshua 1:9, when faced with
the awesome task of succeeding
00:11:57.33\00:12:02.90
Moses in leading the children
of Israel across the Jordan, God
00:12:02.90\00:12:07.86
encourages Joshua. One of my
favourite places to go to when
fear rears its head in my
00:12:21.90\00:12:25.70
personal life is II Chron.
00:12:25.70\00:12:28.43
20:17.
00:12:28.43\00:12:32.03
King Jehoshaphat receives
word that three armies were
00:12:32.03\00:12:34.53
approaching his
country: Moab, Ammon, and Mt.
00:12:34.53\00:12:37.46
Seir.
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The assurance
that comes to him was:
00:12:39.26\00:12:44.20
Isn't it time that we draw back
and let God take care of the
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things that
cause us to be afraid?
00:13:00.33\00:13:02.80
David in many a psalm cried out
to God because of persecution
00:13:02.80\00:13:08.03
and fear. Every time and in each
of these situations he sings of
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God's deliverance. He had faith
in God's ability to deliver him
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from fear. This reminds me of
one of his psalms, Psalm 23:14
00:13:20.66\00:13:24.70
Why not let go of that fear
as you turn to the One who has
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instead of fear, given you
a spirit of power, love and a
00:13:42.46\00:13:50.66
sound mind. Amen!
00:13:50.66\00:13:53.43
Back to you pastor Bill.
00:13:53.43\00:13:55.03
>>Bill: Well
thank you Dr. Leader.
00:13:56.36\00:13:59.13
Let's turn your thoughts
now back to the Old Testament .
00:13:59.13\00:14:02.06
Here in 1 Samuel 17, we see
an incident that would put the
00:14:02.06\00:14:08.73
reality of fear into any person.
00:14:08.73\00:14:11.90
Goliath comes up to present
the challenge to the Israelites.
00:14:11.90\00:14:17.46
As David comes upon the scene,
he sees how Goliath presents the
00:14:17.46\00:14:23.53
challenge. Unfortunately, his
fellow believers are defeated by
fear, and they run back to
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the camp.
00:14:27.43\00:14:30.66
This small lad, David,
cries out, "For who is this
00:14:30.66\00:14:36.63
uncircumcised Philistine, that
he should taunt the armies of
00:14:36.63\00:14:42.40
the living God?" While his
fellow believers are paralyzed
by fear, David is propelled by
00:14:42.40\00:14:47.53
faith to meet
this giant of a man.
00:14:47.53\00:14:51.36
Turn to the New Testament
passage in Acts 18:5-11 for just
00:14:51.36\00:15:01.06
a moment. Here we read .
00:15:01.06\00:15:02.56
Paul has just left Athens
and he was greatly discouraged.
00:16:12.03\00:16:15.80
He has almost allowed himself to
be frozen and paralyzed by fear.
00:16:15.80\00:16:20.06
Things in general had
not been going well for Paul.
00:16:20.06\00:16:25.00
It had been tough, in this
sophisticated center of learning
00:16:25.00\00:16:30.40
in Athens. We catch a spirit
of tiredness when Paul comes to
00:16:30.40\00:16:35.46
Corinth. I believe here we
have Paul, the great missionary,
00:16:35.46\00:16:39.50
asking the question,
"Is it worth it all?"
00:16:39.50\00:16:43.90
With this comes a physical
decline, a spiritual low, so to
00:16:43.90\00:16:49.40
speak. David comes forward, not
backwards, and volunteers,
because he trusts in the
00:16:49.40\00:16:55.66
power of God to overcome
any fear or limitation he might
00:16:55.66\00:17:00.46
have. God always looks for the
"availability" of a servant long
00:17:00.46\00:17:05.40
before he judges the
"ability" of the person.
00:17:05.40\00:17:09.86
David would not have gone out to
do battle with Goliath and been
00:17:09.86\00:17:17.70
victorious if he had allowed the
power of fear to paralyze his
00:17:17.70\00:17:22.96
human abilities.
00:17:22.96\00:17:25.90
However, when he declared his
availability to God, God took
00:17:25.90\00:17:29.23
his human abilities, now
energized by faith, and they
were more than sufficient to
00:17:29.23\00:17:34.46
defeat the giant of Goliath.
00:17:34.46\00:17:39.80
David learned that believing in
the power of God provides a way
00:17:39.80\00:17:43.83
of seeing and believing far
beyond the normal perception of
00:17:43.83\00:17:48.96
our human eyes
and mental insight.
00:17:48.96\00:17:52.70
The power of fear often seduces
us into believing only what we
00:17:52.70\00:17:58.66
can see. If you wait to see
before you believe, you will not
see very much in life,
00:17:58.66\00:18:06.73
because the giants like Goliath
will have blocked your view.
00:18:06.73\00:18:12.50
There is no doubt that it is our
faith and trust in God which is
00:18:12.50\00:18:19.50
necessary to save us, but
with trust comes training.
00:18:19.50\00:18:22.53
Training means discipline.
00:18:22.53\00:18:24.80
Discipline means
taking time out for learning.
00:18:24.80\00:18:28.30
When was the last time you
faithfully opened the Bible?
00:18:28.30\00:18:34.53
You can't succeed in taming
the lion of fear unless you
00:18:34.53\00:18:42.00
strengthen your life with the
sword of the Spirit which is
God's word, The Bible.
00:18:42.00\00:18:46.06
When David trusted God, and used
his training as a shepherd, he
00:18:49.40\00:18:53.46
could face the world with all
its Goliaths on the outside .
00:18:53.46\00:18:55.93
.
00:18:55.93\00:18:57.00
.
00:18:57.00\00:19:01.93
Yes, a human soul cannot be
defeated or destroyed unless the
00:19:01.93\00:19:02.53
poison of fear
gets on the inside.
00:19:02.53\00:19:07.46
Know this truth and it will set
you free from the gripping power
00:19:07.46\00:19:13.46
of fear. On August 20, 1991, a
priest, Father Alexander Borisov
00:19:16.66\00:19:24.93
demonstrated how the power of
faith was greater than the power
00:19:24.93\00:19:30.66
of fear. Fear was beginning to
grip the hearts and minds of the
00:19:30.66\00:19:35.00
Russian people. So this man of
God, propelled by faith in God,
found himself passing out
00:19:35.00\00:19:42.23
Bibles right smack in a midst
of the uprising in Red Square.
00:19:42.23\00:19:47.20
The Soviet military was in
position to silence the voice of
00:19:47.20\00:19:50.60
the people yearning for freedom.
00:19:50.60\00:19:52.56
He took to the
streets with Bibles.
00:19:52.56\00:19:55.76
The military was ready
with bombs and bullets.
00:19:55.76\00:20:00.40
So the priest and the members
of the local one year old bible
00:20:00.40\00:20:06.00
society actually climbed onto
the tanks and began passing out
00:20:06.00\00:20:12.96
Bibles. They passed them out
to the soldiers on the streets.
00:20:12.96\00:20:16.13
They stopped the tanks with
nothing but arm loads of Bibles,
00:20:18.46\00:20:24.63
and when they had opportunities
they would climb on top of the
tanks and throw the Bibles
00:20:24.63\00:20:29.83
inside.
00:20:29.83\00:20:32.13
One morning a soldier was given
a larger size children's Bible
00:20:34.46\00:20:38.33
because they ran
out of New Testaments.
00:20:38.33\00:20:41.66
It was larger than
would fit in his front pocket.
00:20:41.66\00:20:45.53
Realizing this and wanting
to keep the Bible with him, he
00:20:45.53\00:20:49.00
emptied his pocket of
bullets so the Bible would fit.
00:20:49.00\00:20:54.10
Yes, the power of
fear can be deadly.
00:20:55.83\00:21:00.10
However, the power of faith can
be transforming and victorious.
00:21:00.10\00:21:07.66
We believe, because Jesus Christ
is Lord, that the Bible and its
00:21:07.66\00:21:13.80
truth are always
greater than bombs and bullets.
00:21:13.80\00:21:18.73
I want you to know today that
while God is great and beyond
00:21:20.93\00:21:27.50
all human comprehension, He also
is the God who, through Jesus,
00:21:27.50\00:21:32.16
has taught us that He knows us
all by name and that His eye is
on the sparrow; therefore, His
00:21:32.16\00:21:41.90
eyes are on us.
00:21:41.90\00:21:45.40
Fear not because we are of
more value than many sparrows.
00:21:45.40\00:21:52.43
Let me ask you today: if the
power of fear can be deadly and
00:21:55.16\00:22:01.60
defeating, does not this book
(The Bible) and its testimony
declare with boldness and
00:22:01.60\00:22:10.53
confidence that the power
of faith can be delightful and
00:22:10.53\00:22:18.40
daring? Instead of wearing Nike
shoes to prevent the reality of
00:22:20.60\00:22:28.53
fear from paralyzing your life,
why not put on the whole armor
00:22:28.53\00:22:32.10
of God. What a
friend we have in Jesus,
00:22:37.93\00:22:43.53
All our sins and griefs to bear!
00:22:44.46\00:22:49.46
What a privilege to carry
00:22:50.23\00:22:56.06
Everything to God in prayer!
00:22:57.13\00:23:01.90
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
00:23:03.10\00:23:09.06
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
00:23:10.06\00:23:17.53
All because we do not carry
00:23:18.50\00:23:24.56
Everything to God in prayer!
00:23:25.50\00:23:31.20
Have we trials and temptations?
00:23:32.16\00:23:38.56
Is there trouble anywhere?
00:23:39.40\00:23:46.20
We should never be discouraged-
00:23:47.20\00:23:53.83
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
00:23:54.83\00:24:00.80
Do thy friends
despise, forsake thee?
00:24:01.90\00:24:07.43
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
00:24:08.36\00:24:16.36
In His arms He'll
take and shield thee,
00:24:17.43\00:24:22.93
Thou wilt find a solace there.
00:24:23.86\00:24:31.93
Amen, Amen.
00:24:33.33\00:24:44.73
>>Bill" Lets pray.
00:24:46.83\00:24:49.00
Gracious loving heavenly Father,
we thank you for you love and
00:24:49.00\00:24:54.00
your mercy towards us.
00:24:54.00\00:24:56.53
Father, at this moment we think
of those living lives paralyzed
00:24:56.53\00:25:02.13
by fear. May they cling to Jesus
and find the answer in Him to
all of their anxieties.
00:25:02.13\00:25:13.60
Be with each and every viewer,
bless us I pray in Jesus name,
00:25:13.60\00:25:20.30
Amen. >>Dave: God is great and
beyond all human comprehension.
00:25:33.40\00:25:37.33
We are told that his eyes are
even on the sparrow, therefore
00:25:37.33\00:25:41.33
his eyes are on us.
00:25:41.33\00:25:44.53
Pastor Bill has prepared a
book that includes all of the
00:25:44.53\00:25:46.80
messages in this series.
00:25:46.80\00:25:48.46
The book is called
"Fear not, for I am with you".
00:25:48.46\00:25:51.53
We would like to send
it to you as our gift.
00:25:51.53\00:25:54.36
Here is the information
you need to get your copy.
00:25:54.36\00:25:56.23
>>Bill: We have come to the
end of another It Is Written
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program. I want to thank you for
taking the time to be with us
00:26:48.33\00:26:53.40
today and each and
every week that you join us.
00:26:53.40\00:26:56.66
You can always visit our
web site I tIsWrittenCanada.ca.
00:26:56.66\00:27:01.86
On the web site we have a number
of interesting things, spend
00:27:01.86\00:27:06.33
some time there - you can see
that all of our programs are
archived there in case you
00:27:06.33\00:27:09.30
missed any.
00:27:09.30\00:27:11.66
You can send prayer requests -
you know every morning the staff
00:27:11.66\00:27:14.50
meets and they pray over
the requests that come in.
00:27:14.50\00:27:17.20
You can even send a donation
online if you feel so impressed
00:27:17.20\00:27:21.73
to support this ministry.
00:27:21.73\00:27:24.33
We also have a Youtube
channel YouTube.com/IIWCanada -
00:27:24.33\00:27:29.63
all of the programs are on there
also - and you can share those
00:27:29.63\00:27:35.73
programs with friends and
relatives and maybe refer other
people to the It Is Written
00:27:35.73\00:27:39.10
program.
00:27:39.10\00:27:41.13
You can also
follow us on twitter.
00:27:41.13\00:27:44.40
Well our prayer and the desire
of our hearts is to be back
00:27:44.40\00:27:48.33
together with
you again next week.
00:27:48.33\00:27:51.20
In the mean time, you remember,
it is written man shall not live
00:27:51.20\00:27:56.90
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:56.90\00:28:01.73
mouth of God.
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