OnLine With Faith (OLWF)...
is a daily electronic newsletter offering practical spiritual advice, hope, and inspiration for your daily life and relationships with God and others. It is a ministry of:

Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church

2313 South Whittier Avenue

Springfield, IL. 62704-4699

The Monday through Friday editions include an inspirational Thought for the Day, Bible Verse and Prayer. The Saturday edition of OLWF is designed for children, but it is also appreciated by adults. Some families have discovered that it works very well to read them along with their children. Saturday editions are written by Pastor Juli Lejman-Guy, Associate Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Springfield. Our Sunday edition is expanded to include the weekend inspirational message from Pastor VanderKloot. To subscribe, please e-mail us at olwf1@gliq.net and enter "SUBSCRIBE" on the Subject Line. If you have any questions, comments, or prayer requests, please be in touch with us at pastor@faithlutheran.com .

"...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."

MATTHEW 28:19 NIV

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

What Are You Scared of?

    "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but a spirit

of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

 (The New International Version of the Bible translates

"sound mind" as self discipline - which is really the same thing.)

   In the verses leading up to verse seven, Paul discusses

how Timothy has had faith instilled into his being by both

his grandmother and mother. Faith and fear are opposites.

    FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear keeps

us from making correct decisions. I understand fear.

Unfortunately most of us have battled fear in one form

or another in our lives.

    Among other evidence of fear is this: That is all that's

been preached in the media lately. Fear sells newspapers.

Fear causes you to watch television. Fear causes people

to be afraid of all sorts of things that we don't actually

need to fear.

    There is a time and place to be afraid. Proper fear

will cause you to take appropriate corrective action.

If a bear is charging you; it is a good idea to get out

of his way!

    There is also irrational fear. For example, if a

house cat were to step on a hot burner on your kitchen

stove, the cat will naturally immediately run as far

away from the stove as possible. Ever after, that

cat will not go anywhere near that hot burner –

even if the stove has not been turned on for days.

    On the other hand, you, with your superior knowledge,

 know that the burner is perfectly harmless if the control

has not been turned on for a few hours. So, you might

be talking to someone in your kitchen and lay your

hand right next to the previously hot burner - or even

right on it.

The difference:

The cat FEARS the stove.

You RESPECT the stove.

    The cat has irrational fear. With your knowledge you

have faith that when the control is 'off', the burner will

not be hot, therefore safe to touch.

       Jim Sloan

Prayer

Lord, fill me with faith so that I can let go of my fears.

Amen