7-1-05

7-1-05

Thought For The Week

An old Arabian folk tale tells the story of a caravan journeying across the desert. It met up with a spirit called the Spirit of Cholera. The spirit informed the Sheikh that it was on it’s way to Baghdad. “What will you be doing in the city?” “I have come to take 5,000 lives,” replied the spirit. On his return to the city, the Sheikh met the spirit leaving the city, “You deceived me,” shouted the Sheikh accusingly, “You took 50,000 lives, not 5,000 as you said.” “No”, answered the spirit, “I took only 5,000, it was fear that killed the rest.”

Fear is one of man’s greatest antagonists; it heightens nerves, disturbs the mind, and harasses the heart. Sadly, all around the people are hounded by fearlessness that brings dilemma and despair.

Over the Christmas season, we have been celebrating that Christ Jesus the Son of God came into the world to become our Saviour, and have been reminded of the persisting message from heaven, “Fear not.”

As we enter the New Year 2005 celebrating the occasion, sadly we’ll not be recognising Christ Jesus who came into the world in order to deal with sin, the major cause of fear.

The only people who face the future with true inner peace, confidence and faith, are those who call themselves Christians. Our secret and strength in the face of frustrating circumstances that can introduce dilemma and despair; is our faith in God and His promises.

Someone has said that there are 365 different verses in the bible, one for each day of the year, where we read the words, “Fear not”. It would appear that we who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ can face the coming year with confidence in Him and His promises.

Surrounded by antagonistic fears, Isaiah brought to Hezekiah God’s word, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God.” So in the popular words of Minnie Louise Haskins, “Put your hand into the hand of God.” Go forward into the New Year with confidence in God and, “fear not”.

By Rev. John R Weatherill, Church of the Nazarene.
For and on behalf of the Churches Together in Dewsbury.

An old Arabian folk tale tells the story of a caravan journeying across the desert. It met up with a spirit called the Spirit of Cholera. The spirit informed the Sheikh that it was on it’s way to Baghdad. “What will you be doing in the city?” “I have come to take 5,000 lives,” replied the spirit. On his return to the city, the Sheikh met the spirit leaving the city, “You deceived me,” shouted the Sheikh accusingly, “You took 50,000 lives, not 5,000 as you said.” “No”, answered the spirit, “I took only 5,000, it was fear that killed the rest.”

Fear is one of man’s greatest antagonists; it heightens nerves, disturbs the mind, and harasses the heart. Sadly, all around the people are hounded by fearlessness that brings dilemma and despair.

Over the Christmas season, we have been celebrating that Christ Jesus the Son of God came into the world to become our Saviour, and have been reminded of the persisting message from heaven, “Fear not.”

As we enter the New Year 2005 celebrating the occasion, sadly we’ll not be recognising Christ Jesus who came into the world in order to deal with sin, the major cause of fear.

The only people who face the future with true inner peace, confidence and faith, are those who call themselves Christians. Our secret and strength in the face of frustrating circumstances that can introduce dilemma and despair; is our faith in God and His promises.

Someone has said that there are 365 different verses in the bible, one for each day of the year, where we read the words, “Fear not”. It would appear that we who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ can face the coming year with confidence in Him and His promises.

Surrounded by antagonistic fears, Isaiah brought to Hezekiah God’s word, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God.” So in the popular words of Minnie Louise Haskins, “Put your hand into the hand of God.” Go forward into the New Year with confidence in God and, “fear not”.

By Rev. John R Weatherill, Church of the Nazarene.

For and on behalf of the Churches Together in Dewsbury.