rec0630-113519<\/a><\/p>\n Introduction<\/em><\/p>\n [MICE Slide]<\/p>\n We have a few mice around the house these days\u201d\u00a6and Betsy is just plain scared of these little critters!<\/p>\n Fear can mess with us!<\/p>\n Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoach crews. Amazingly, Bart did it all without firing a shot. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and was never trailed by a sheriff. Instead, Black Bart used fear to paralyze his victims. His sinister presence was enough to overwhelm the toughest stagecoach guard.<\/p>\n Fear is powerful isn\u201d\u2122t it?\u00a0 Even though many times there is nothing actually there to fear\u201d\u00a6when fear gets rooted in our heart, it controls us!<\/p>\n One summer night during a severe thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small son into bed. She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice, “Mommy, will you stay with me all night?” Smiling, the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, “I can’t dear. I have to sleep in Daddy’s room.” A long silence followed. At last it was broken by a shaky voice saying, “The big sissy!”<\/p>\n Fear and worry can cripple us and make us say and do some crazy things, can\u201d\u2122t they?<\/p>\n Mark 6:45-52; Matthew 14:22-33<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Mark 6:45-52 (NLT)<\/strong><\/p>\n 45\u00a0<\/sup>Immediately after this<\/em>, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46\u00a0<\/sup>After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.<\/p>\n 47\u00a0<\/sup>Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48\u00a0<\/sup>He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o\u201d\u2122clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water<\/span><\/em>. He intended to go past them, 49\u00a0<\/sup>but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50\u00a0<\/sup>They were all terrified when they saw him.<\/p>\n But Jesus spoke to them at once. \u201cDon\u201d\u2122t be afraid,\u201d<\/span><\/em> he said. <\/span><\/em>\u201cTake courage! I am here!\u201d<\/span><\/em> 51\u00a0<\/sup>Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped.<\/span><\/em> They were totally amazed, 52\u00a0<\/sup>for they still didn\u201d\u2122t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves<\/em>. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The KEY is remembering and trusting WHO Jesus IS during the storm, in the face of the source of your fears!<\/span><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n Matthew 14:22-33 (NLT)<\/strong><\/p>\n 22\u00a0<\/sup>Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23\u00a0<\/sup>After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.<\/p>\n 24\u00a0<\/sup>Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25\u00a0<\/sup>About three o\u201d\u2122clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26\u00a0<\/sup>When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, \u201cIt\u201d\u2122s a ghost!\u201d<\/p>\n 27\u00a0<\/sup>But Jesus spoke to them at once. \u201cDon\u201d\u2122t be afraid,\u201d he said. \u201cTake courage. I am here!\u201d<\/p>\n 28\u00a0<\/sup>Then Peter called to him, \u201cLord, if it\u201d\u2122s really you<\/em>, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.\u201d<\/p>\n 29\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cYes, come,\u201d Jesus said.<\/p>\n So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30\u00a0<\/sup>But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. \u201cSave me, Lord!\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n Peter started out full of faith\u201d\u00a6but he ended up kind of like\u201d\u00a6<\/p>\n 5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. “It’s dark in there and I’m scared.” She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, “It’s OK–Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”<\/p>\n 31\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. \u201cYou have so little faith,\u201d Jesus said. \u201cWhy did you doubt me?\u201d<\/p>\n 32\u00a0<\/sup>When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33\u00a0<\/sup>Then the disciples worshiped him. \u201cYou really are the Son of God!\u201d they exclaimed.<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n But we must get our focus off of the wind and waves and keep our eyes on the Master of the Sea!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Mark 4:35-41 (NLT)<\/strong><\/p>\n 35\u00a0<\/sup>As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, \u201cLet\u201d\u2122s cross to the other side of the lake.\u201d 36\u00a0<\/sup>So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37\u00a0<\/sup>But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.<\/p>\n 38\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, \u201cTeacher, don\u201d\u2122t you care that we\u201d\u2122re going to drown<\/span><\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Sometimes, in our fear, we accuse Jesus of not caring about us.\u00a0 Because, we reason, if He cared about us, Jesus wouldn\u201d\u2122t allow this fearful situation to happen in the first place!<\/p>\n Tim Keller<\/strong><\/p>\n Worrying is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong.<\/p>\n But know this\u201d\u00a6<\/p>\n Jesus designs<\/span> the storms to redeem our fear and turn it into faith!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 39\u00a0<\/sup>When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, \u201cSilence! Be still!\u201d Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40\u00a0<\/sup>Then he asked them, \u201cWhy are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?\u201d<\/p>\n 41\u00a0<\/sup>The disciples were absolutely terrified. \u201cWho is this man?\u201d they asked each other. \u201cEven the wind and waves obey him!\u201d<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Conclusion<\/em><\/p>\n Dr. E. Stanley Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n A John Hopkins University doctor says, “We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non-worriers, but that is a fact.” But I, who am simple of mind, think I know; We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality.<\/p>\n We are hard-wired to trust in the One Who made us and to trust Him as our Father.<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Joni E. Tada (from her wheelchair)<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes God allows what He hates to accomplish what He loves.<\/p>\n God doesn\u201d\u2122t \u201clike\u201d the storms in your life either\u201d\u00a6but He is the all-wise Father who loves you enough to take you into a storm so that you will come out of the storm trusting Him more completely as your Daddy!\u00a0 And isn\u201d\u2122t that what it\u201d\u2122s all about?<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n During World War II, a military governor met with General George Patton in Sicily. When he praised Patton highly for his courage and bravery, the general replied, “Sir, I am not a brave man. . . The truth is, I am an utter craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn’t so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands.” Years later, when Patton’s autobiography was published, it contained this significant statement by the general: “I learned very early in my life never to take counsel of my fears<\/em><\/strong>.”<\/p>\n I take counsel of my fears sometimes, don\u201d\u2122t you?\u00a0 I find myself listening the wind and looking at the height of the waves, and suddenly fear is in control of my life.<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Psalm 31:6-7<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n I trust in the LORD.<\/p>\n I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,<\/p>\n because You have seen my affliction;<\/p>\n You have known the troubles of my soul.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Chuck Swindoll<\/strong><\/p>\n You may be going through a trial so overwhelming that it’s borderline unbearable.<\/p>\n You want to see the end of the tunnel. Which is only natural, because once we see that little speck of light, we feel we can make it through to the finish.<\/p>\n But God’s tunnels are often twisting, too complex and dark to see the light for many days.<\/p>\n In such settings He says, “In that dark, twisting, seemingly endless period of time, trust Me. Stop running scared! Stop fearing!”<\/p>\n Jesus can redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n But how does it work, practically?\u00a0 How do I get from fear to faith in the middle of\u00a0 a raging storm?<\/p>\n You and I must look to Jesus\u201d\u00a6and call on Him\u201d\u00a6talk to Him\u201d\u00a6take counsel of HIM!<\/p>\n Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n 6\u00a0<\/sup>Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7\u00a0<\/sup>And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n Jesus can<\/span> redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Will you let Him?<\/strong><\/p>\n Hudson Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n It doesn\u201d\u2122t matter how great the pressure is.\u00a0 What really matters is where the pressure lies\u201d\u201dwhether it comes between me and God, or whether it presses me nearer to His heart.<\/p>\n Jesus can<\/span> redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It\u201d\u2122s as simple as the children\u201d\u2122s song Robin taught our kids to sing:<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I am afraid I will trust in you!\u201d<\/p>\n And you know what?\u00a0 It works!\u00a0 Because Jesus is the Master of the Sea!<\/p>\n Let Jesus redeem your fears and transform your fear into faith!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Message by Chad Kelly rec0630-113519 Introduction [MICE Slide] We have a few mice around the house these days\u201d\u00a6and Betsy is just plain scared of these little critters! Fear can mess with us! Black Bart was a professional thief whose very … Continue reading Redeeming Our Fears<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n