Jack’s Winning Words 1/21/16
“If you fear God, you won’t fear humans.”  (Albanian Proverb)  A Gallup Poll askedrevealed what teens fear most: terrorist attacks, spiders, death, failure.  The #1 adult fear is fear of the unknown.  “What will the test results show?”  “Will I have enough money for retirement?”  The word fear is a homonym; it has two meanings.  When Moses “saw” God, was he afraid, or was he in awe?  I’ve was taught that God is my friend, and I don’t have to be afraid of him.    ;-)  Jack  

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  Thanks, Jack! I'm continually made aware of what drives people to do "the right thing." Fear of the punisher or punishment is the driving force for some people of all ages. Jean Piaget talked about subjective and objective morality..very interesting to know that there are people who " do the right thing" without the concept of punishment.====JACK:  I've found, in my experience, that very few people do good, hoping to avoid God's wrath.  However, I've also found that more than a few people want receipts when making charitable contributions in order to avoid the wrath of the IRS.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  "we should so fear and love God".    What did Luther mean by "fear"?====JACK:  I don't know about Luther, but I always taught my confirmands that to fear God meant to respect and honor him, so that "you will have not other gods before him" etc.====JOHN:  I had the impression that he meant more like "be afraid".     Don't know.   Would not debate it.====JACK: It's interesting that you would have that impression.  I can't recall being "afraid" of God.  Someone must have explained grace to me at an early age.  Jonathan Edwards evidently didn't have that kind of teaching.

FROM TARMART REV:  Standing in awe, but not fear . . . Immanuel, God with us!! (Isaiah 7:14)
(v) There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, NO, NOT ONE! No, not one!  None else could heal all our soul’s diseases, No, not one! No, not one!
(v) No friend like Him is so high and holy, No, not one! No, not one! And yet no friend is so meek and lowly, No, not one! No, not one!
(v) There’s not an hour that He is not near us, No, not one! No, not one! No night so dark but His love can cheer us, No, not one! No, not one!
(v) Did ever saint find this friend forsake him? No, not one! No, not one!  Or sinner find that He would not take him? No, not one! No, not one!
(v) Was e’ver a gift like the Savior given? No, not one! No, not one! Will He refuse us a home in heaven? No, not one! No, not one!
(Chorus) Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide ‘till the day is done; There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!
====JACK:  "....He keeps me singing as I go."  Do you know that one?

FROM LBP IN PLYMOUTH:  "I will not be afraid. I will look upward, and travel onward, and not be afraid."    I did the "Butterfly Song" for kids time this past week. I need to work this one into kids time. These two are songs from my childhood that have persisted in my memory (at least fragments of them) and I still pull them out as needed for a little boost.====JACK:  Most of the songs that I quote as examples when explaing Winning Words are songs that I learned as a child.  The seed that you plant now can bear fruit in the future, if not now.  A famous theologian was asked to give an explanation for his beliefs.  His listeners expected an in depth answer with many theological terms.  He surprised them by simply saying, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Interesting and so sad teens answered terrorist attacks.  Gary said he is also fearful of the unknown and mine would be fear of something happening to the kids or grandkids.  However, no matter what our fears, we both know God is in control and He will be with us no matter what our fears.====JACK:  I remember when teens feared a nuclear war when missiles in Cuba were pointed at the U.S.  Each generation has its fears based on the situation of the time.  Fear is fear!

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  I think sometimes even though we know and believe Christ died for our sins, we are afraid because we have sinned.  Keep having to remind myself to repent and know that it will be OK.====JACK:  Sin evokes a sense of recurring failure for me, rather than fear of God's punishment.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  i think god is our friend, too...====JACK:  The hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, is among the all-time favorites.  It started out as a poem sent by a son to his dying mother.