Tag Archives: fear

Got Trust Issues?

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PRESENTED AT CURWENSVILLE ALLIANCE ON 5/15/2016 BY PASTOR STEVE SHIELDS

You’ve heard people say it, right? “I have trust issues.“ Sure you have. And if you’re like me, you sympathize, but a part of you wants to reply, “And… you think that makes you different than…who?” Struggling to trust is not unique to the few.

Almost everyone I know has trust issues. We’d like to think it’s because of the day in which we live. How can we not struggle to trust when we see so much evil around us. But it’s no more unique to our era than the concept is unique to you or me.

It’s said that the most often repeated command in Scripture is Fear not. Do you ever wonder why? Sure, there are the everyday reasons. Fear leads us backwards. Fear doesn’t accomplish anything extraordinary. Fear stifles. But perhaps there is a more basic reason. Maybe fear is the opposite of trust. Maybe the commonness of the command, Fear not, serves to remind us of the commonness of trust issues.

sheep

Part of Jesus’ mission was to show us the glory of God — filled with grace and truth. And in His statement, I am the good shepherd, Jesus gives us good reason to trust God. He helps us with our trust issues.

This podcast addresses this in ways I hope you find helpful.
~Steve

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From Remembering to Rejoicing

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I believe that the cross of Jesus changes everything.

A symbol of intersection, it actually stands for transitions: transitions from death to life; transitions from sinners to saints; and, as this podcast notes, transitions from remembering to rejoicing.

The cross gives us much to remember and many reasons to rejoice, and Communion concentrates those elements in our lives.

As you listen to this podcast, give some thought to how much we have to be thankful for because of the Cross of Christ.

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Transitioning from Fear to Freedom…

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There are transitions at the cross of Christ.

That word, transitions, reminds me of the old film strip projectors. Film strips didn’t try to hide the transitions. They just went from one image to the next in a very linear way. The old 35 mm slide projectors tried to hide the transitions. But still, the transition was an abrupt click. Some technicians used them in tandem, causing the images to fade or dissolve from one to the next.

The personal computer made all of that obsolete. We haven’t had a missionary show up with 35mm slides in well over a decade. And fewer and fewer churches use hymnals, chorus books, or song sheets.

While all transitions are unique, one thing they generally have in common is this:

What was is no more.
And what was not now is.

The Bible teaches that transitions occur in every person who comes to Christ.

This podcast speaks of transitions that occur when we come before the cross of Christ.

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