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Fear: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

3/31/2015

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When I was child of 8 years I was on the principal’s list, which meant my Mom would be contacted concerning my less than adult behavior. This meant I would get a beating, not whipping, but a real true black and blue beating. I decided to run away, again! I went to talk to a man up the road who had served our country in the Battle of the Bulge. He had an ear for us kids in the area. I talked with him telling him my tale of woe.

I explained the brutality awaiting me at home, and the other prospect if I ran away and got caught, I was sure they would send me to the state training school, a pseudonym for Reform School. The neighbor talked with me and after a while he said, “Larry, it looks to me like you’re between a rock and hard place.” Meaning whatever you do, you can’t win. That particular “rock and a hard place” was brought about by my own doing and neither consequence was at all inviting. I didn’t run away, and next day explained to the kids and teachers that I fell off of a horse while going under tree limbs.

Israel found themselves to be between a circumstantial “rock and hard place” right after the First Passover and the death angel swept throughout Egypt taking the life of the first born male of all species of life, including humans who failed to mark their doorways with the blood of the said Passover Lamb. Israel was moving out, at first Pharaoh was more than happy to be rid of them.

As the band of Israelites journeyed they realized that Pharaoh had called his army to duty and was coming after them. His army was behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. They were surrounded by insurmountable obstacles. This was a genuine “rock and a hard place” experience. Notice their outcry:

Exodus 14:10 “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.”

I don’t know if their fear was more profound than mine at different times in my life, but I do know what “insurmountable obstacles” on every hand looks and feels like. I also know what it feels like, figuratively at least, to walk into a personal Red Sea without having the water rolled back, expecting to die, and experience the Lord working a miracle in a still full of water Red Sea, the miracle being a fruitful time of ministry with water’s slushing all around!

My lesson from our verse and from my own experience, with a fear behind and afore me, taught me to walk in the direction God was leading with courage and somehow have a calm feeling come over me assuring me Christ was near me through it all! He promised in Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Copyright © 2015  Larry Lilly

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Fear: When Cheater Meets Cheated

3/28/2015

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Today’s article on overcoming fear by facing the one whom you have wronged may help you to really get a handle on some fear that’s plaguing you in mind and heart. Fear wears many faces and while some fear is healthy, most is actually caused, or at least enlarged, by a lack of knowledge and or trust in the Lord to be with you as that which you fear comes upon you.

Two men who hadn’t seen each for around thirty years were circumstantially meeting. One of these men had done the other wrong in taking advantage of him when he was in a weakened condition.  The deception was long and drawn out, so premeditation and an organized scheme was definitely full blown. The victim’s own mother was in the plot against him.

Over time both of these men had each prospered in their own way. One became a wealthy cattleman, the other a mighty warrior/plunderer, with his own army. The warrior had the power to kill and take all the cattleman had gained. Notice the fear on the part of the cattleman:

Genesis 32:7, “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;”

Perhaps the full story is breaking upon you now. Jacob and Esau, the two sons of Isaac, one known now as Israel, and Esau known as, the man of the field/world.  The “Man of the World” had been cheated by his “Spiritual Brother.” Over time the man of the world came to understand that the blessing he had been cheated out of would have been of little use to him as he was committed to his ungodly lifestyle. This says a lot for him.

For long years, Jacob/Israel lived in dread of a confrontation with the man he had cheated. The day came. Esau seems to have been looking forward to the meeting with joyous anticipation at the reconciliation with his own flesh and blood. A lesson here is simply, it is better to be hoodwinked than to be the hoodwinker! 

Jacob knew he had done wrong and was trying to find some way to make things right. Learn that no amount can do this, for loss is really associated with the inner person and God has to heal that hurt. Space does not permit much more, but here are two things you can do when your day of confrontation comes: Face it. And certainly follow the lead of Jacob here:

Genesis 32:11, “Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.”

Bathe all known confrontations in prayer beforehand.

Copyright © 2015   Larry Lilly

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Insight Into The Power of Light

3/25/2015

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In preparing the evening sermon for Palm Sunday I thought long and hard on the darkness around Calvary later in that week. My title is The Day The Light Went Out. For three hours the Sun refused, or was not permitted, to shine, a darkness like the ancient plague in the days of Moses down in Egypt. Through the scriptures light is seen as the counter for darkness, light overcomes ignorance and light reveals the reason for humans to continue in sin, they love darkness.

Dealing with the darkness of the present era is a task that many wrestle with, some to the point of utter consternation.

I came across a brief statement by a man who lived a long time ago about how to deal with darkness. He was the son of a Catholic Priest and a doctor’s daughter. Illegitimacy was a serious flaw in those days, yet he remained a staunch Catholic throughout his life. History attributes several names to him. One respects his father’s name, Gerhard Gerhards, though throughout his life he went to great pains to clothe his background in a fog of secrecy.

His writings are to this day one of the foundation stones of many believers, yet his youth was at best sordid and thankfully he wrote strongly against such in his dotage. PTL.

This accomplished author, Gerhard Gerhards, said concerning darkness:

“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.”

In light of this statement I gave thought to my sermons, writing, etc. and noted that I probably spend too much time writing about the dark. If I am to be of real help I should write more about the light, the solution, the force that dispels the darkness.

Concerning light, note what John says here John 1:5, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” For the most part the word “comprehended” means they could not grasp the magnitude of who He is. A further look according to Albert Barnes means that they were so corrupt as to totally reject the light. Even more the word carries the idea in several trained minds that darkness was unable to overcome the light, meaning the powers of darkness are unable to overcome true Light which is Jesus Christ.

We must understand that as Christians we are of the Kingdom of Light and as such we must never give in to the darkness of whatever age in which we live. We are to ramp up the light of Jesus Christ who is in us and we in Him, and let our light shine through the deep, thick darkness that is engulfing the minds and hearts of un-enlightened men and women around the world.

By the way, Gerhard Gerhards is better known by his baptismal name, given when he was a few days old. Desiderius Erasmus, who produced the most widely used and bestselling Bible in history.

Copyright  © 2015  Larry Lilly

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Walk With Courage and be a Star

3/21/2015

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One of the joys of my life is writing about the reality of faith, preferably faith in Christ. A better joy is knowing someone, somewhere is reading what I write. An ecstatic joy is for someone to buy a portion of my prose. I do not have much of what is called ecstatic joy!

You may have noted that much of my writing involves overcoming, obstacles, fear, gossip and the consequences of my own faulty decisions along the way. The Lord certainly has helped me get through some tough consequences. I always emphasize the power of Jesus Christ in my own life and in the lives of those I write about.

As I read, listen and sometimes meet outstanding people, I notice a common trait of those who shine as stars due to some gift to the rest of us, be it in the form of a cure for disease, a great book, leadership above and beyond. I have even been criticized for including people such as Benjamin Netanyahu and David ben Gurion for their courage.

Today I have a bit that I read in a magazine that helps in one of my favorite areas, AOPA, for Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. This little gem floated off the page about those who shine as stars. See what you think:

“There are stars whose radiance is visible on Earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world even though they are no longer among the living. These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind." Hannah Szenes, Hungarian/Jewish Paratrooper dropped into Yugoslavia to help rescue Hungarian Jews there.

Hannah could have named Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Deborah and a multitude of others.

The strange thing about the above named O.T. heroes is that they had one primary thing in common, as did the Christians mentioned as “Stars” in our heritage. They lived and faced danger with a trusting courage that enabled them to press on in spite of innate fear.

Hannah voiced the same truth as British Historian Arnold Toynbee when he was asked what he had noticed most about history. Mr. Toynbee thought for a moment and then said, “In my course of studying history I have noticed when it’s darkest the stars come out!”

 Any person who has passed on, yet their contribution still shines, is considered a star. Hannah stated in her last two lines, “These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind.”

 I hope you learn that to be considered a “star” when your earthly walk is over you must make an important contribution now. Keep in mind that “now” may not recognize your contribution as much, but God keeps the records and acknowledges the helpers, even though many of them miss the eternal boat in a refusal of Christ. The importance of Christians being active in things that matter cannot be overemphasized.

 Daniel 12:3, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

 Copyright © 2015  Larry Lilly

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When Sonlight Hits Foggy Fear

3/18/2015

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Most Christians and even some just religious people hold the concept that light dispels fear. In simple words, the light of truth causes darkness to evaporate like ground fog when the sun rises. This principle is one that has much play in the Bible and in life as we travel along. Jesus said in John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”


Often people trapped in darkness or willfully swimming around in it by choice, attempt to hide their evil bent behind some cover to diffuse the light as though a dimmed light or fogged up truth will somehow lesson the stark evil. This often is attempted by such sayings, “Well, everyone else is doing it.” Children are not the only ones using “everybody else is doing it,” as I heard a noted or notorious woman use those exact words the other day.

The time is here for Christians especially to take to heart a little phrase from Joseph Delaney who had a character when faced with a fearful situation say:

“Now it's the dark's turn to be afraid.” 

How different our American world would be if all of the at least supposed children of the Lord would look the dark, evil running amok in the nation today, straight in the eye and let the light of Christ shine through a genuine walk into the partially at least blinded eye connected to a darkened soul and as the children’s song posits, let our light shine.

I talk to many people each week either in private conversation or via snail/email and the recurrent theme is, “I am so afraid.” The things they are afeared of would reach as high as the peak of Everest.  It should be noted that fear feeds on evil. We are told over and again by saints, sinners, prophets, angels and Christ Himself to put off fear, teaching us that any sort of extended fear is a choice.

Jesus told us plainly that evil flourishes by intentionally avoiding light because evil doers and the shadow knows what lurks behind the green door of their stony heart.

John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

As some evil pursues you and hinders your walk with Jesus, please learn to turn your back on the evil, invite the Lord Jesus via His Spirit and Word to flush out the mold like evil from your heart and mind and recognize the truth of Mr. Delaney’s line,

“Now it’s the darks turn to be afraid.”

 You may begin right now.

Copyright © 2015  Larry Lilly

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Turn off The Heat of Percolating Fear

3/13/2015

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While pondering why the Bible takes such jabs at the danger of fear, I have rounded up a corral full of quotes and articles on the subject. In so doing I have devoured entire books on the subject. Some fear is good, but not much compared to the vast ocean of reasons given to deal with fear by learning to treasure a store of courage.

One of the great writers of my early life was the gifted author, Lloyd Douglas. Mr. Douglas served as a pastor in Lutheran and later Congregationalist churches. He retired at age 50 to write, and boy did he ever write. He wrote Magnificent Obsession, The Robe, The Big Fisherman and numerous other books. The three mentioned books became block buster movies. I read the three while still in elementary school and again when in my forties.

On the devastating negative power of fear Lloyd Douglas wrote,

“If a man harbors any sort of fear, it percolates through all thinking, damages his personality and makes him a landlord to a ghost.” Lloyd Douglas.

The emotion of fear is usually more destructive than the thing or action that is feared. Being afraid of rejection is actually causing the life to be choked out of you a little bit a time, for while you’re “afeared” you are standing still. Think about it; If Lloyd Douglas had been afraid of rejection, he would have never submitted the manuscripts for Magnificent Obsession or The Robe. I personally know the sinking feeling when a rejection slip arrives from a publisher. Hey, I even know what a rejection slip from a vanity publisher feels like!! The bottom rung of this chain is when the wife of your youth, remarks, “You’re not submitting this are you?”

I went through a rather long period when I thought I was related to Rodney Dangerfield.

If Lloyd Douglas knew that fear “percolates through all thinking” and “damages personality,” and makes you “a landlord to a ghost,” isn’t it proper to think that Jesus Christ knows even more about the mind numbing effects of fear on the life process over time?

On a few occasions Jesus permitted his disciples to get into fearful situations. When the men feared they were insignificant Jesus comforted them with Matthew 10:31, “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

When the disciples were in the boat, at the Lord’s command the great storm arose. In the midst of it the petrified disciples saw what they thought was a spirit, and were scared to death. Jesus said in Matthew 14:27b, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”

If you are facing a situation, or situations, take the above verses to heart, as yours from Jesus, and march on in life with the courage of Jesus Christ in your heart.

Copyright © 2015  Larry Lilly


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Making Progress When Afraid

3/10/2015

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For a number of reasons I have been writing on the subject of fear. Fear has a paralyzing effect on people and animals. I think fear runs the animate creation. One of our presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt, put it this way, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”

Often the fear of a person or a “something” is more devastating than the person or the “something.” I have tried to help people to continue with full living, yet they simply could not move on due to a vague or strong “feeling of fear about an unidentified something or other.” Others call it a “sense of foreboding.” David covered this type of fear when he wrote in Psalms 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

When we do not know the “who” or the “something” we may rest assured that our Lord Jesus knows all about it, and He forcing any real person or “something” to be at least a part of His overall plan in our life. He is in control of the sparks of our life that fly upward. Job 5:7, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”

I have been told, “Larry, you’re paranoid.” My response is simply, “Just because I’m paranoid does not mean they’re not out to get me!” Fearing mistakes or trouble does not prevent said troublesome times. Such is the norm of life. Benjamin Franklin said:

"Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out."

Being afraid of making a mistake is the biggest mistake, since this brings your life to a standstill and if you stand on that spot very long, you will begin to drift backwards.

Several times in the Bible God appeared to one of His servants and upon the servant becoming aware of God’s presence, God said, “Be not afraid!” The tone was that of a command! When fear is working people tend to be afraid of their own shadow, let alone the voice of The Almighty. Thus our Lord drives away fear and then gives His direction to us so that we walk in faith and are not crippled with the fear that paralyzes. There is no record that God told Adam not to be afraid, as God was dealing with Adam about sin and the terrible price to be paid due to said sin. However, God comforted Adam with the sacrificial plan for covering and ultimately removing sin and thus reconciliation between the Holy God and sinful humanity.

Christians should walk about life secure in the knowledge that Christ cares for us with an everlasting concern, often to the point of intervention when are really wandering too far off the path He has chosen for us. One of my favorite songs, written by Frank Graff says it this way:

“Does Jesus Care when I’ve tried and failed to resist some temptation strong; When for my deep grief I find no relief, Tho’ my tears flow the night long? O yes, He cares; I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief; When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.” 

Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly

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Know Your Primary Fear

3/7/2015

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Fifty three years ago a professor from what was then Philadelphia School of the Bible made an interesting comment to the satellite class I was attending. I have never permitted his statement to slip into the oozing pit of forgetfulness. Here’s the gem:

“The rule of first mention usually means the first time a particular thing is mentioned. In scripture it is dealing with the raw fundamentals of that which is mentioned.”

If the above statement is true, and for today’s purposes it is true enough, then what do you suppose is the primal human fear? Some psychiatrists promote the idea of the primal fear as that of falling. I reject that premise, but do so with the full knowledge that they are close to the truth. Others suggest a fear of falling and certainly after the horrific Icarus experience the fear of flying and then falling enters the discussion.

The ideas of primal human fear are legion, but the majority is under the above suggested banners. Falling into darkness, falling from a high peak, falling out of the sky and numerous other concepts has one common denominator, falling. And each of these misses the center of the target. Falling is certainly in the mix, but not the actual event itself, but the consequences thereof. The result of falling from the sky is normally death. That is on target and is the consequence. (Falling never hurt anyone. It’s that sudden stop at the end that does it.”)

Enter the biblical explanation, The Fall!

Notice the first time “afraid,” or as the great theologian of his time, Mark Twain, would state it, “afeared,” is used in the scripture:

Ge 3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Earlier, God had told Adam, leave the fruit of this particular tree alone, for the day you eat of it you will die. (LML’s version). In Gen 3:10 the voice that had instructed, inspired and conversed with Adam, now struck fear into his heart. The voice triggered the guilt response for having disobeyed and Adam tried to hide his nakedness, his flaw, from his Creator. Adam failed to realize that he was as dead spiritually as a door nail. When the spirit is dead the “voice” of God brings thoughts of terrifying consequences.


Thankfully we are not left in such a predicament, for the Lord made provision for Adam and the race as Father prepared a symbolic sacrifice mirroring the coming Saviour, Jesus Christ, to fully reconcile the children to the Father.

Learn, you can’t hide from God, nor do you have to live in constant fear of consequences, but as did Adam, accept God’s provision and march on in life clothed with the garment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, with a guilt-free conscious.

Copyright © 2015  Larry Lilly

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Fear: Dare to Cause Christ to Smile

3/3/2015

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As I prepare these twice weekly programs and also the monthly, I often catch myself thinking of the selected quote, “What will so and so think?” This thought is due to me liking the quote, but not necessarily liking the person who made the statement. In some cases I admit to thinking “What will my friends think if I quote this person, knowing full well they are really messed up in other areas?” When I do get serious criticism, I usually understand the position of the criticizer, so I shoot back, reminding him/her of the flaws in at least one of their heroes. I do this without the slightest hope of reforming them, but to remind them the only perfect theologian walking in a human body, was our Lord Jesus Himself. My only question concerning a quote is simply; do I believe this statement is true? If so, I use it.

A much criticized man of an earlier time, and rightly so I must add, Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “He who is not every day conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Many of the joys of my life have resulted from trusting the Lord Jesus and overcoming fears. I recall thinking I could be the poster boy for Mark Twain’s famous phrase, “He was afeared.” My name could have read, Larry (afeared) Lilly. I learned a great lesson from an old deacon in the first church I pastored. My now gone home friend said, “Pastor Larry, you gotta get over being afraid of people and opportunities.” I recall having the courage to physically fight, but as a Christian, being terrified of social settings with nice people. Dismayed that I may pick up the wrong fork, or are my clothes the correct ones? I gradually learned the proper attire, but it took a while to be at ease. As to opportunities, I fought the battle almost everyone faces; What if I fail?

A strange twist took place at that particular time. I had so many invitations to speak that it was necessary to travel by air. I was totally petrified of flying. Deacon Joe said, “Now Pastor, you go ahead and look your fear in the eye and fly!” I took it a step further and earned my wings. It wasn’t until I had earned my instrument rating that I began to actually enjoy piloting. A little over 7,000 hours as PIC I still have a deep respect for airplanes, but the fear took the wings of the morning and hasn’t been felt since about 300 hours of PIC. Airplanes are like computers in that they will not do what you want, they only respond to commands, whether the command is the proper one or not. Therefore I have been learning to give the machine, airplane, computer or auto the proper input for the desired result. I have no information on the proper control of spouses.

I suppose my greatest fear, one that I must constantly overcome, is when I am strongly convinced to help some struggling soul, a soul whom the brethren want drawn and quartered, and I pause to think, “they” will do that to me. I must follow what I believe Christ calls for, and take strength from Heb 13:6, “So we may boldly say: The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" I do know from figurative experience what man will do to anyone who dares disagree. But Christ smiles.

Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly

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