Emphasis on Phobias

8/13/2019 Emphasis on Phobias

1/48

Refreshingaily

in God's Word

PHOBIA SDECEMBER 2013

Emphasis on


2/48


3/48

A Good FearDecember 1

Bible Reading: Proverbs 1:1-9Key Verse: Verse 7 - The fear of the LORD is thebeginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdomand instruction. Key Words: The fear of the LORD is the beginningof knowledge

Not all fear is a bad thing. As a matter of fact, fear insome cases can be a healthy thing. If Adam and Eve wouldhave feared God, why, we wouldn't be who we are today. IfCain would have feared God, he would never have killed Abelnor found himself in his horrible plight. Think about Jonah.If he would have only feared God, he wouldn't have been the whale's meal for the day. You see, fear can be a healthy thing.

Have you ever heard of congenital analgesia? It's a

rare condition in which a person cannot feel physical pain. You may think "how wonderful, no physical pain!" but that isnot the case at all.

Take little five-year-old Ashlyn Blocker for example. Ashlyn has congenital analgesia, and it poses many problems.For example, Ashlyn's baby teeth posed big problems. She would chew her lips bloody in her sleep, bite through hertongue while eating, and once even stuck a finger in her

mouth and stripped flesh from it.Family photos reveal a series of these self-inflictedinjuries. One picture shows Ashlyn in her Christmas dress,hair neatly coifed, with a swollen lip, missing teeth, puffy eyeand athletic tape wrapped around her hands to protect them.She smiles like a little boxer who won a prize bout.

Her first serious injury came at age 3, when she laidher hand on a hot pressure washer in the back yard. Ashlyn's

mother found her staring at her red, blistered palm."That was a real reality check for me. At that point I

realized we're not going to be able to stop all the bad stuff,"


4/48

Ashlyn's mother, Tara Blocker says. "She needs a normal life, with limitations."

So when Ashlyn goes to her kindergarten classat Patterson Elementary School, she gets daily check-ups withschool nurse Beth Cloud after recess. Cloud and Ashlyn'smother discussed having her wear a helmet on the playground, but decided it would look too odd.

Now, while we do feel for Ashlyn and her physicalcondition, I have found that there are those who have a case ofspiritual congenital analgesia. They feel no spiritual pain because they have alienated themselves from God. What ashame! You see, fear can be a good thing - when we genuinely

fear God. (See Romans 1.)

What to do:Have a good healthy fear of God!

****************************************

PhobiasDecember 2

Bible Reading: Isaiah 26:1-11Key Verse: Verse 3- Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because hetrusteth in thee.Key Words: whose mind is stayed on thee

There are a lot of phobias in the world in which we live.There is acrophobia, the fear of heights; agateophobia, thefear of insanity; allodoxaphobia, the fear of opinions; and howabout this one, barophobia, the fear of gravity...just to name afew.

Have you ever wondered why there are so manyphobias in the world today (over 400 of them)?


5/48

How about this, could it be because the spirit of the Anti-Christ is in the world today, and all the false worship?How about all of the devilish activities today and demonicoppression? Maybe it's time that we truly fear the Lord.

The Puritan Thomas Watson put it this way: "God theSon is called the Prince of Peace. He came into the world witha song of peace: 'On earth peace....' He went out of the world with a legacy of peace, 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I giveunto you.' Christ's earnest prayer was for peace; He prayedthat His people might be one. Christ not only prayed forpeace, but bled for peace: 'Having made peace through the blood of His cross.' He died not only to make peace between

God and man, but between man and man. Christ suffered onthe cross, that He might cement Christians together with His blood; as He prayed for peace, so He paid for peace."

And that's the reason our focus needs to be on theLord.

What to do:Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth willgrow strangely dim in the light of His glory andgrace. ~ Helen H. Lemmel.

****************************************

Why We Fear, Part OneDecember 3

Bible Reading: Luke 19:11-28Key Verse: Verse 21- For I feared thee, because thouart an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedstnot down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.Key Words: For I feared thee


6/48

I do realize that there is a difference between fear andphobia. Fear can be about any number of things at anynumber of times, and a phobia is a constant fear of aparticular thing.

But why do we fear? One of two reasons: we fear that which is certain and that which is uncertain. Now, that'sprofound, isn't it? Let me explain.

First, fearing that which is certain....When I was a pre-teen I was given the responsibility of painting our garage. Mydad had gotten everything needed for the paint job which I was to do on a particular day. As I was preparing to paint, afriend came by and talked me into going fishing and as the

day progressed, it was one thing after another until finally theday was gone and I knew that Dad was coming; and I was notlooking forward to that. I was certain he would not be happyand I was certainly fearful of the consequences of my actions.There is a fear of that which is certain.

Adam and Eve faced their fear of certainty when theydisobeyed God and hid from Him.

The disobedient servant in Luke 19 faced his fear

because of his lack of investing his master's money in a properinvestment plan. He knew his master would be angry and hehad a "certain" fear.

I guess you could say for certain that disobedienceleads to a "certain" fear.

Something to think about and avoid!

What to do:Remember, he who obeys need not fear.

****************************************


7/48

Why We Fear, Part TwoDecember 4

Bible Reading: Esther 4Key Verse: Verse 16- Go, gather together all the Jewsthat are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, andneither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I alsoand my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go inunto the king, which is not according to the law: andif I perish, I perish.Key Words: if I perish, I perish

Not only is fear caused by that which is certain (see yesterday's devotion), it is also caused by those things of which we are uncertain or unsure. We have a tendency to fearthe unknown.

It is said that those men who traveled with Columbusto the new land feared that the earth was square and that ifthey came to the end of the earth, they would fall off into theunknown.

As you read Esther 4, it is clear that Esther feared theunknown: will the king hold out the golden scepter or will Idie?

Solomon was fearful of being king. He admitted, "Idon't know how to be king." We read in I Kings 3:7, "...and Iam but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in." Hefeared the unknown.

I love to play hide and go seek with my youngergrandchildren, especially at night. When they are looking forme and have no idea where I am hiding; and they know thatsomewhere in one of those dark corners is their Paw-Paw whois going to jump out and yell and scare the "he-be-gee-bies"out of them, they go and get their Nanna and she, along with

the kids, go looking for Paw-Paw ever so slowly and ever soafraid. You can hear it in their voices which are trembling with fear, and you can tell by their actions of not wanting to gofirst, that they fear the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Now,they know I'm not going to hurt them but they fear anyway. It


8/48

is the fear of the unknown; and boy, do we, all of us, have fun with it!

Well, in life we all have times we fear the unknown.But we can take solace in the fact that even during those times,God is in charge, and He will take care of us. To God be theglory!

What to do:Remember that Jesus promised to never leaveus or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

****************************************

Dystychiphobia: The Fear of Accidents

December 5

Bible Reading: Romans 8:28-39Key Verse: Verse 28- And we know that all thingswork together for good to them that love God, to themwho are the called according to his purpose. Key Words: all things work together for good

There are no accidents with God. It was no accidentthat Jonah found himself in the belly of the great fish.

It was no accident that the land of Egypt was filled with plagues.

It was no accident that Sodom was destroyed by fire.It was no accident that Job was smitten with boils.It was no accident that the Assyrian army was ill and

many died (II Kings 18-19).It was no accident that Joseph was in prison or that

Paul and Silas found themselves in the Philippian jail.There is no such thing as an accident.


9/48

Rowland V. Bingham, founder of the Sudan InteriorMission, was once seriously injured in an automobile accident.He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. Thefollowing day, when he regained consciousness, he asked thenurse what he was doing there. "Don't try to talk now, justrest," she replied. "You have been in an accident." "Accident? Accident!" exclaimed Dr. Bingham. "There are no accidents inthe life of a Christian. This is just an incident in God's perfectleading."

What to do: You need not fear something that doesn't exist.

****************************************

Aquahobia: The Fear of Water

December 6

Bible Reading: Mark 4:30-41Key Verse: Verse 39- And he arose, and rebuked thewind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And thewind ceased, and there was a great calm. Key Words: Peace, be still

While we may laugh at those who have a phobia, tothem it is real. One of the phobias some have is aquaphobia,the fear of water. While I do not claim to be an expert onphobias, I do find it interesting that phobias are alwaysassociated with the spiritual commands of God; for example,aquaphobia.

Have you ever considered the number of times God'scommands involve water? Think about Naaman in II Kings 5.He would have never been cured of leprosy if he was fearful of water. The Ethiopian in Acts would have never been baptized.The nation of Israel would have never crossed the "parted"Red Sea. And the list goes on.


10/48

It's important to remember that God is in control andthat includes the water.

The story is told of a woman who was walking along ariver bank with her child. Suddenly the child slipped into theriver. The mother screamed in terror. She couldn't swim, and besides, she was in the latter stages of pregnancy. Finally,somebody heard her screaming and rushed down to theriverbank. The utter tragedy was, when they stepped intothose murky waters to retrieve that now dead child, theyfound that the water was only waste deep! That mother couldhave easily saved her child but didn't because of fear.

Aquaphobia is a fear which can keep you from doing

God's will!

What to do:Pray and have someone close to you pray with you about this fear. Seek spiritual counsel andadvice on things you can do to overcome yourfear.

****************************************

Enochlophobia: The Fear ofCrowds

December 7

Bible Reading: Mark 2:1-12Key Verse: Verse 4- And when they could not comenigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roofwhere he was: and when they had broken it up, theylet down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.Key Words: they could not come nigh unto him for the

press

The four that brought the palsied man to Jesus didn'tlet the crowd stop them. But there are those who do.


11/48

Now, most of us do not fear a crowd of people. Mostof you are probably a lot like me. I don't fear a crowd but I will say that when it comes to ballgames and carnivals, etc. Idon't look forward to the hassle of finding a parking place andall that goes into "fighting" your way through a crowd. But if we are to live our lives we must be willing, when the occasioncalls for it, to face the crowds. But not everyone is that way.There are those who really fear a crowd of people; and theyallow that fear to control their lives. Why, I know people whodon't attend church because of their enochlophobia.

Did you know that Albert Einstein had a fear of crowds?He once said, "I hate crowds and making speeches." This is a

common feeling for many of us and is called enochlophobia.Enochlophobia is the fear of crowds, those who suffer withthis fear will go out of their way to avoid places like malls,theaters, or any event that crowds would regular attend. A fewthings they fear will happen when around large crowds are:

Being trampled to deathContracting a deadly virusGetting lost in a massive crowd of people

They themselves feel small and insignificant whensurrounded by so many people.

Enochlophobia will hinder you in many areas, one of which is your spiritual growth by not attending church,church functions and Bible studies. It will hinder yourfellowship with other believers which is vital forencouragement and fellowship.

It can certainly be an area where Satan can get astronghold in one's life if allowed to.

What to do:1) Keep your focus on God. (I realize that's not

easy.) 2) Understand that this is a toolSatan can use to hinder you from helpingothers. 3) Ask God for help. Seek aid fromthose who have overcome enochlophobia.

****************************************


12/48

Androphobia: The Fear of MenDecember 8

Bible Reading: John 4:1-30Key Verse: Verse 17- The woman answered and said, Ihave no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast wellsaid, I have no husband: Key Words: I have no husband

Yes, there are those females who have a fear of men.There could be any number of reasons why. They could have been abused by dad, raped, or for any other sundry reasons.

If anyone had a reason to fear men, it was theSamaritan woman. None of her marriages had worked outand all of them had cast her aside. I do believe that the toneof her conversation with Jesus showed her disdain for men(verses 10, 12), or at least Jewish men. But after she wassaved, we notice the first thing she did was to go and tell themen, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever Idid: is not this the Christ?"

I recently read about an androphobic view of men. It went like this:

Men are like placemats. They only show up whenthere's food on the table.

Men are like mascara. They usually run at the firstsign of emotion.

Men are like bike helmets. They are handy in anemergency, but otherwise they just look silly.Men are like government bonds. They take so long tomature.

Men are like parking spots. The good ones are taken,

and the rest are handicapped.Men are like lava lamps. Fun to look at, but not very bright.


13/48

Men are like bank accounts. Without a lot of money,they don't generate much interest.

Men are like high heels. They're easy to walk on once you get the hang of it.

But you know, rather than being androphobic, theladies would be better to be like the Samaritan woman andlead men to the Lord.

But maybe that is Satan's goal for the woman who isandrophobic: fear men rather than witness to them.

What to do:Remember, not all men are bad no more thanall dogs bite. Forgive and go on with life and be a witness for God.

****************************************

Agliophobia: The Fear of Pain

December 9

Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:32-40Key Verse: Verse 35- Women received their deadraised to life again: and others were tortured, notaccepting deliverance; that they might obtain a betterresurrection:Key Words: were tortured, not accepting deliverance

You have to admire those heroes of faith. They

through faith had conquered what many fail to conquer: thefear of pain.They called him "Old Hickory" because of his tenacity

and grit. His mother chose "Andrew" on March 15, 1767, when


14/48

she gave birth to him in an old run-down shack somewhere inSouth Carolina. Wild, quick-tempered, and disinterested inschool, Andrew answered the call for soldiers to come fightagainst the British. He was taken as a prisoner of war beforehe turned 15. Refusing to black an enemy officer's boots, he was struck with a saber---Andrew's introduction to pain.

Although he bore the marks of the blow for the rest ofhis life, Andrew's fiery disposition never changed. He wasindeed a fighter to the core. He chose to settle arguments bydueling rather than by discussion. That is the reason he livedmost of his days with two bullets painfully wedged in his body."Old Hickory's" tenacity brought him national recognition as a

result. When politics nodded in his direction, "Old Hickory,"one to never run from a good fight, accepted the challenge:first the Senate, then nomination for President. The shadow ofpain appeared again in another form as he lost a narrow race with John Quincy Adams.

Four years later, however, he ran again . . . and won!But pain accompanied the victory. Two months before he tookoffice he lost his beloved wife, Rachel. Grief-stricken, the

President-elect pressed on. Even as he was being sworn intooffice as our nation's seventh President, he fought the anguishof a raging fever caused by an abscess in the lung.

Some time later, one of the bullets within him had to be surgically removed. He endured that operation---done without anesthetic---in typically courageous fashion.

Even his political career was painful. A nasty scandal

split his cabinet, but in spite of the rift over the scandal, hestill left office more popular than when he was sworn in. And it was pain, more than any other single factor,

which drew the qualities of greatness out of Andrew Jackson. And so it was in the life of Andrew Jackson, the 7th Presidentof the United States.

Pain humbles the proud. It softens the stubborn. Itmelts the hard. Pain operates alone; it needs no assistance.

By staying, it refuses to be ignored. By hurting, it reduces its victim to profound depths of anguish.


15/48

I have tried and I cannot find, either in Scripture orhistory, whom God used greatly until He allowed him to behurt deeply.

So today could it be, dear believer, that if you are goingthrough pain and have been broken by it, that God is on the verge of greatly using you?

What to do:Let God use you in spite of your pain.

****************************************

Achluphobia: The Fear ofDarkness

December 10

Bible Reading: John 11: 1-10Key Verse: Verse 10- But if a man walk in the night, hestumbleth, because there is no light in him. Key Words: there is no light in him

A father told his young boy to go to bed. He started up

the stairs but realized it was dark and he couldn't reach thelight switch. He went back, but his dad told him to go on up because God was there. The boy knew that was the finalanswer, so he started up. But on the first step he stopped,looked up, and said, "God, if you are there, please don't moveor you'll scare me to death!"

To a certain degree, I think most of us are leery ofdarkness, especially when we are in darkness in an unfamiliar

place.I'm also quite aware that men love darkness rather

than light because their deeds are evil continually (John 3:19).But those who are achluphobic are quite different from just


16/48

being leery or worldly. Those with achluphobia will go into astate of panic without light.

There is a spiritual application here. Jesus is our Light(John 12:46). If we walk with Him, we not only walk in light, we live in the light and darkness shall not have victory over us.

What to do:Understand if you are born again, greater is Hethat is in you than he that is in the world (IJohn 4:4b).

****************************************

Arsonphobia: The Fear of Fire

December 11

Bible Reading: II Peter 3:1-8Key Verse: Verse 7- But the heavens and the earth,which are now, by the same word are kept in store,reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.Key Words: reserved unto fire

I have no phobia of fire, but I do have a good healthy

respect for fire.To be honest, I have never known anyone who didn'thave a respect for fire.

You find examples of fire throughout the Word of God.God came to Moses in the form of a fiery bush. Elijah prayeddown fire from heaven. After Solomon had prayed for thededication of the temple, fire came down from heaven. In ourtext God's last judgment of the earth will be with fire.

J. Vernon McGee says of II Peter 3:7, "The suggestionis that there are resident forces present in the world whichcould destroy it. It is not that God is going to rain fire downfrom heaven but that this earth carries its own judgment. How


17/48

well we know this today! You and I are living on a powderkeg-or, more literally, on an atom bomb. There will never beanother flood to destroy the world. That judgment is past; water destroyed the world that was. Now the world that is isreserved for another judgment, the judgment of fire. In other words, this present order of things in this world is temporary.It is moving toward another judgment."

With that in mind, maybe we all should have a littlephobia of fire!

What to do:The same thing Solomon told us to do over3,000 years ago, fear the Lord in Proverbs 1:7.

****************************************

Rhytiphobia: The Fear ofGetting Wrinkles

December 12

Bible Reading: II Samuel 19:31-40

Key Verse: Verse 39- And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the kingkissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returnedunto his own place. Key Words: the king kissed Barzillai

Fear of wrinkles, now there's an interesting phobia; but let me say, they are bound to come. Unless of course you

continually have face lifts. But that doesn't stop the wrinklesto the arms, hands, etc.

Now, while none of us necessarily like the idea of wrinkles, they do come with age, with hopefully, more wisdom.


18/48

I will confess to you as I watch and listen to others talkabout love and compassion, as I did in my 20s, 30s, and 40sand as I watch young parents make the same mistakes as Imade in my youthful parenting years, I now have come to afull realization in my wrinkle years that it is my love andcompassion, not my high-falutin standards or my great abilityto do things that reaches people. It's love and compassion. I wish I had realized that before my wrinkle years.

Babe Ruth had hit 714 home runs during his baseballcareer and was playing one of his last full major league games.It was the Braves versus the Reds in Cincinnati. But the greatRuth was no longer as agile as he had once been. He fumbled

the ball and threw badly, and in one inning alone his errors were responsible for most of the five runs scored byCincinnati.

As the Babe walked off the field after the third out andheaded toward the dugout, a crescendo of yelling and booingreached his ears. Just then a boy jumped over the railing ontothe playing field. With tears streaming down his face, hethrew his arms around the legs of his hero.

Ruth didnt hesitate for one second. He picked up the boy, hugged him, and set him down on his feet, patting hishead gently. The noise from the stands came to an abrupt halt.Suddenly there was no more booing. In fact, hush fell over theentire park. In those brief moments, the fans saw two heroes:

Ruth, who in spite of his dismal day on the field couldstill care about a little boy; and the small lad, who cared aboutthe feelings of another human being. Both had melted the

hearts of the crowd.Just as the little fellow hugged Babe Ruth and satdown at his feet because he knew he was standing beforegreatness, so did David with Barzillai.

Learn from your elders!

What to do: Don't fear wrinkles, embrace them.

****************************************


19/48

Ephebiphobia: The Fear ofTeenagers

December 13Bible Reading: Proverbs 7:1-12Key Verse: Verse 7- And beheld among the simpleones, I discerned among the youths, a young manvoid of understanding,Key Words: thy youths

If you've raised a child through their teen years, youcertainly understand why some people have ephebiphobia. Iknow the teen years are rough for a child, but they are toughon the parents as well. It's hard for me to imagine any singleparent raising a teenager alone. God bless their soul.

Why do some people fear teenagers? There could beseveral reasons.

Some teens are angry for various reasons, and some

fear that teens will become violent.Some fear teens because they don't want to drive them

away with rules and regulations.But most parents don't fear the teen as much as they

are concerned about the decisions teens make. We call themlife choices.

One of those decisions involves conformity. Dr. JamesDobson writes: "The pressure to follow the whims of thegroup (called the herd instinct) is never so great as it is duringthe adolescent years. This drive may be all-consuming to ateenager when any deviation from the "in behavior is aserious breach of etiquette. And there is tyranny in thispressure. If the group says flared pants are out, woe be to the boy who doesn't get the message soon enough. If a girl talks or walks funny, she may be the object of scorn throughout herday.

"It is important for your preteen to know about grouppressure before it reaches its peak. Someday he may be sittingin a car with four friends who decide to shoot some heroin. Your preparation is no guarantee that he will have the courage


20/48

to stand alone in that crucial moment, but his knowledge ofpeer influence could provide the independence to do what isright."

What to do:Don't fear teens. Be an example and mentor forthem.

****************************************

Epistemophobia: The Fear ofKnowledge

December 14

Bible Reading: II Timothy 3:1-12Key Verse: Verse 7- Ever learning, and never able tocome to the knowledge of the truth.

Key Words: never able to come to the knowledge oftruth

I don't fear knowledge. The thing that concerns me is worldly knowledge, humanistic knowledge.

A devoted follower of Socrates asked him the best wayto acquire knowledge. Socrates responded by leading him to ariver and plunging him beneath the surface. The man

struggled to free himself, but Socrates kept his headsubmerged. Finally, after much effort, the man was able to break loose and emerge from the water. Socrates then asked,When you thought you were drowning, what one thing did you want most of all? Still gasping for b reath, the manexclaimed, I wanted air! The philosopher wisely commented,When you want knowledge as much as you wanted air, then you will get it! The same is true with our desire for

righteousness.Someone has said, "All knowledge is good knowledge."Not so! False knowledge is deadly knowledge. Don't fear


21/48

Godly knowledge. Fear the ungodly knowledge.

What to do:Remember, I would rather know a little forcertain than to know a lot of things that aren'tso.

****************************************

Euphobia: The Fear of HearingGood NewsDecember 15

Bible Reading: I Peter 4Key Verse: Verse 17- For the time is come that

judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them thatobey not the gospel of God?Key Words: obey not the gospel of God

Now, there is an unusual phobia: the phobia of goodnews! But maybe it's not so unusual.

If we consider that the Gospel is the Good News, many

do fear the good news of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection because it tells them without being born again, they are boundfor an eternity in hell.

Some years ago, we had a couple of our ladies who were sharing the Gospel in a downtown nursing home. After afew minutes the supervisor asked them to leave because someof the residents were frightened by the Gospel message.

Harry Ironside tells the story of Robert Ingersoll, the

agnostic lecturer of the last century, was announced to give anaddress on hell. He declared he would prove conclusively thathell was a wild dream of some scheming theologians whoinvented it to terrify credulous people. As he was launching


22/48

into his subject, a half-drunken man arose in the audienceand exclaimed, "Make it strong, Bob. There's a lot of us poorfellows depending on you. If you are wrong, we are all lost. So be sure you prove it clear and plain."

No amount of reasoning can nullify God's sure Word.He has spoken as plainly of a hell for the finally impenitent asof a heaven for those who are saved.

Remember the old Oil Framm Filter commercials,"You can pay me now, or you can pay me later"? Well, all men will believe the Gospel at some point. You can believe now or believe later; but all men will believe at some point!!

What to do:Believe now; it will ease your fears.

****************************************

Gamophobia: The Fear ofMarriageDecember 16

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 6Key Verse: Verse 14- Be ye not unequally yoked

together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hathrighteousness with unrighteousness? and whatcommunion hath light with darkness?Key Words: Be ye not unequally yoked together withunbelievers

Fear of marriage, I'm not sure about? Fear ofmarrying out of God's will, that's another story.

You need not fear marriage if you are both of oneaccord, headed in the same direction. But if you're not, itcould mean trouble. Let me explain.


23/48

A man went to the airport, and he ran into this pretty,pretty girl. They began talking, and they began to click witheach other. Something was happening; fire was starting toignite. He finally asked her, "Where are you flying to?" Shesaid, "I am flying to Canada. Where are you flying to?" Theman replied, "I am flying to Mexico." And then he came up with a bright idea: "Why don't we get on the same plane?" What he didn't think of in his stricken state is that it isimpossible to travel together when one's going up and theother's going down.

Here's another one. When steam rises, it goes up. When snowflakes fall,

they come down. They're made of the same thing; they are both water. But they are both going in two differentdirections. Snow can't hang out with steam, and steam can'thang out with snow. Why? Because even though they aremade of the same basic stuff, they are not headed in the samedirection.

Got the point? I sure hope so.

What to do:Don't fear the institution of marriage. Fearmarrying out of God's will.

****************************************

Hamartophobia: The Fear ofSinning

December 17

Bible Reading: I John 1Key Verse: Verse 9- If we confess our sins, he is

faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanseus from all unrighteousness.Key Words: If we confess our sins


24/48

Hey, this may not be such a bad thing! But theproblem is, I've never met a person with hamartophobia. Allof my acquaintances are hamartophobia-free. How about yours?

Now, the truth is we are all sinners. Romans 3:23,"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." The victory is in knowing we can be forgiven.

Don't you just love the Motel 6 commercial? It says,"We'll leave the light on for you." Well, God's light offorgiveness is always on, welcoming those who are seekingGod's forgiveness.

I have discovered the wonderful thing about electronic

calculators is that if wrong buttons are pressed and thecalculation is thrown off, all is not lost. The problem does nothave to be unraveled or figured out. By pressing "clear," thecalculation can be restarted.

Some people are in situations that they can't unravel.Their lives are so twisted and turned that they can't figurethings out. They are too confused. The great thing about Godis that He is ready and waiting to press "clear." He's ready to

abundantly pardon.The question is: are you ready to accept Hisforgiveness?

What to do:Praise God for His gracious love and forgiveness.

****************************************

Ideophobia: The Fear of IdeasDecember 18

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1Key Verse: Verse 11- O Lord, I beseech thee, let nowthine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant,and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fearthy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this


25/48

day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.Key Words: I was the king's cupbearer

I think I know these people! These are those whocome for advice and any ideas you may have, they are quick totell you they are afraid to try that.

Then there are those who could easily cause me tohave ideophobia; man, they can come up with some wild ideas!

But in reality, ideas are what makes us a great nation.The idea of freedom of worship, the idea of freedom of speech,the ideas that are God-inspired can change a nation, can

change a church, can change a family, and can change aperson. You see, you can't pass a law to ban ideas. The only

way to fight against an idea is to come up with a better one.Don't hoard ideas. The more you radiate, the more

you germinate.The fear of ideas, according to William O. Douglas,

makes us impotent and ineffective.

Phrases that null ideas: It's not in the budget. Who thought of that? We tried that before. We're not ready for it yet. Not timely. Too hard to administer. Too theoretical. Doesn't conform to our policy. Takes too much time. Takes too much work. Let's wait and see. Let's form a committee. Has anyone ever tried it?

What you are saying is... .

God burdened Nehemiah with the idea of rebuildingthe walls of the city of Jerusalem and restoring worship. To


26/48

God be the glory, he could not be discouraged from his ideasto complete the course.

Praise God for Godly ideas! Don't fear them, embracethem!!

What to do:Keep heart, don't lose the dream God hasplaced on your heart.

****************************************

Homilophobia: The Fear ofSermons

December 19

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 1:18-31Key Verse: Verse 18- For the preaching of the cross isto them that perish foolishness; but unto us which aresaved it is the power of God. Key Words: to them that perish foolishness

Being a pastor, I'm not quite sure if I want to laugh orcry at this particular phobia. I do believe that there are those

who fear sermons because of the conviction it brings.Now, granted some could fear for other reasons. A visiting evangelist greeted people after the opening

service of a revival. The people seemed very gracious andappreciative of the sermon they had just heard. But then onelady abruptly stated, "Too long!" as she filed past the minister.She then cycled back through the line and shouted, "Tooloud!" The two negative comments unnerved him a bit, but he

tried to maintain his composure. When she came through athird time her comments were no more flattering. Shedeclared, "And it was also boring!" At this point the chairmanof the deacons intervened and assured the evangelist that this


27/48

woman's remarks should not be taken seriously. He whispered, "Don't pay any attention to her. She's a littlesenile and doesn't know what she's saying. She just repeats what other people say." Oh my!!

What to do:Don't fear a Biblical sermon, but rather fear notobeying it!

****************************************

Pedophobia: The Fear ofChildren

December 20

Bible Reading: Matthew 19:13-22Key Verse: Verse 14- But Jesus said, Suffer littlechildren, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for ofsuch is the kingdom of heaven Key Words: Suffer little children

Children are not to be feared but loved andadmonished, but not feared.

With that being said, have you ever taught a K4 and K5class; maybe, just maybe, the person with pedophobia has. A group of expectant fathers were in a waiting room,

while their wives were in the process of delivering babies. Anurse came in and announced to one man that his wife had just given birth to twins. "That's quite a coincidence" heresponded, "I play for the Minnesota Twins!" A few minuteslater another nurse came in and announced to another man

that he was the father of triplets. "That's amazing," heexclaimed, "I work for the 3M company." At that point, a thirdman slipped off his chair and laid down on the floor.


28/48

Somebody asked him if he was feeling ill. "No," he responded,"I happen to work for the 7-up company!"

This is not to make light of those who battle withpedophobia! The only way one will ever overcome any phobiais through the power of God and getting involved in the area where they have a "phobia."

What to do:Overcome by doing.

****************************************

Snakephobia: The Fear ofSnakes

December 21

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-8Key Verse: Verse 4- And the serpent said unto thewoman, Ye shall not surely die: Key Words: And the serpent

Now, if I don't have snakephobia I come very close toit. I don't care for snakes. Someone once told me that most

snakes are harmless, NOT TO ME! The only good snake is adead snake.It certainly would have done Eve good to have

snakephobia; but unfortunately for us all, she didn't. Butpraise God, He through Jesus has given us victory over the"serpent."

A missionary returned to his home in Africa, only tofind a huge python inside. He ran back to his truck and got

his .45-caliber pistol. He went to his home and carefullyentered through the door. The man aimed with precision andfired a single shot into the snakes head. It was a mortal blowto the reptile, but it di dnt die instantly. The missionary


29/48

retreated from his house as the snake thrashed violently. Thetremendous power of the snakes movement broke anddamaged many items within the home. After the house finally became silent, he slowly entered the house to find the snakedead. The interior of the home was a disaster as the snake hadunleashed all its fury in those moments of death. But now,there was peace. Satan received a fatal shot to his head whenChrist conquered sin and death. Now as he writhes in the painof his defeat, he is unleashing a few remaining destructive blows. He still seems dangerous, but his fate is sealed.

I repeat: to me, the only good snake is a dead snakeand that includes the king of snakes, Satan.

What to do:Praise God for the victory we have over theserpent.

****************************************

Phronephobia: The Fear ofThinking

December 22

Bible Reading: Philippians 4:1-8Key Verse: Verse 8- Finally, brethren, whatsoeverthings are true, whatsoever things are honest,whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoeverthings are of good report; if there be any virtue, andif there be any praise, think on these things.

Key Words: think on these things


30/48

I think I know some of these people. Now, let me ask you: how can anyone know the will of God and do the will ofGod without thinking?

Some people, and I'm serious with this, refuse to think because it may discourage them. They think about those whomay be angry with them, which normally they aren't. Theyconjure up all kinds of thoughts. So because of their fear ofthinking, they simply attempt to shut the thought systemdown.

Notice some thoughts about thinking: To act is easy, to think is hard. Johann von Goeth You are what you think; not what you think you are.

Use your brains! It's the little things that count. The happiness of your life depends on thecharacter of your thoughts. Marcus Aurelius

Only 5% of the people think. 15% think they think.The other 80% would rather die than think.George Bernard Shaw

Let me encourage you to think on the things of God(Philippians 4:8).

What to do:Think, but think righteously.

****************************************

Pediculophobia: The Fear ofLice

December 23Bible Reading: Exodus 8:8-19Key Verse: Verse 16 - And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite thedust of the land, that it may become lice throughoutall the land of Egypt.


31/48

Key Words: that it may become lice throughout all theland of Egypt

Now, our text doesn't say that the lice were feared, butI would imagine that the lice brought great dread to the land.

People do "fear lice." Lice carry a certain stigma aboutthem. If you have lice, you're dirty. If you have lice, you'reunkempt. Lice carry a stigma. No one wants to be around aperson with lice.

Some years ago one of our students had head lice. Theparents were contacted, and because of their schedules, theycould not come to get their child, but they gave us permission

to "take care of the situation." So I asked for a volunteer to goto the drug store and get some "lice" shampoo. The minute Idid, the room cleared. No one wanted to go and get theshampoo for fear of being "marked" as the person with lice.So I went. I picked up the shampoo and went to the check-outcounter. The line wasn't long, three people ahead of me; butthey weren't in a hurry -- but I was! I didn't want to be rude, but I did need to get back so we could begin to take care of our

student's dilemma. I waited patiently, then it came to me howto get this line moving. I began to scratch my head. Whiledoing so, I raised up the container of lice shampoo and asked,"Do any of you know how long it takes this lice shampoo tostart working?" You would have thought I had leprosy. Thosein front of me moved quickly to another check-out clerk. Istepped up and paid for the shampoo and off I went. Peopledo fear lice!!

What to do: We need not fear lice, but we do need to fearGod Who made them.

****************************************


32/48

Dendrophobia: The Fear ofTrees

December 24

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 10:1-10Key Verse: Verse 4- They deck it with silver and withgold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, thatit move not. Key Words: They deck it with silver and with gold

Some have a phobia about trees, especially theChristmas tree. They fear that if you put up a Christmas tree, you are taking part in false worship and paganism.

Years ago I did an in-depth study of the Christmas tree.I set out determined and confident that I would succeed infinding the meaning of the history behind the Christmas tree. After several hours of research, my determination remainedintact but my confidence had been greatly bruised. I finallyreached the conclusion that very few authors and researchersagree on the meaning of and the history behind the Christmastree; but here are some views I found in regard to theChristmas tree.

1) Most everyone agrees that the Christmas tree originated inGermany. (After that, it is hard to find two people who agreeon anything in regard to the old tannenbaum.)2) There are those who believe Martin Luther was the first toestablish the tradition of the Christmas tree.3) Others say its background is pagan and has its roots inpagan rituals and worship. They base this on Jeremiah 10:4.Now I personally have a couple of problems with this view. A)There is no documented proof anywhere that Christmas treeshad anything to do with pagan worship. B) Jeremiah 10:4 isnot a reference to the Christmas tree but a reference to a wooden idol carved from a tree and placed permanently in thehome for worshipping. People who make Jeremiah 10:4 areference to the Christmas tree make the common mistake of


33/48

making the Scripture say what they want it to, rather thansimply letting it say what it says!4) Another tale has it that a tree would be brought into thehouse at the beginning of each winter (around December 22)to produce a fresh scent in the house for the long wintermonths which lay ahead and decorating the tree for a morepleasant view. It grew into the custom of the Christmas treefor today.5) Remember, I said most everyone agreed that theChristmas tree started in Germany -- but not everyone. Thereare others who say that the Christmas tree tradition camefrom Egypt. The Egyptians would bring in palm branches and

decorate them in celebration of the shortest day of the yearand from this tradition came the Christmas tree.

These are just some of the stories I found in myresearch on the Christmas tree which brings me to thefollowing conclusion. I would certainly be better off spendingmy time telling others what I do know -- that Jesus is thereason for the season -- rather than wasting my time

attempting to prove something on which no one agrees.

What to do:Make sure you are worshipping Jesus, theReason for the season.

****************************************


34/48

Merry ChristmasDecember 25

Bible Reading: Matthew 2Key Verse: Verse 1- Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Key Words: Now when Jesus was born

Robert J. Morgan writes: Many historians believe the well-known song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, is actually aChristian hymn in disguise. During the reign of EnglandsQueen Elizabeth I, a staunch Protestant, English Catholics were oppressed and persecuted. Priests met secretly withsmall groups of Catholics, risking their lives to conduct worship and observe mass.

Under such circumstances, it was difficult to train orcatechize Catholic children. But an unknown, clever priestfound a unique way of teaching the Gospel to children, usingthe theme of the twelve days between Christmas andEpiphany, when the Wise Men, according to tradition, arrived with their gifts for the Christchild.

The priest hid Biblical truth in the symbols he used inhis carol, beginning with the words On the first day ofChristmas my true love gave to m eThe True Lov e referredto God the Father, and the Me represents the Christian whoreceives the gifts. The Partridge in a Pear Tree is Jesus. Whya partridge? Mother partridges are known for feigning injuryto decoy predators from their babies.

The children were th ereby taught about Christssacrifice on our behalf.

The two turtle doves represented the Old and New

Testaments.The three French hens symbolized faith, hope, and lovethe three great virtues we should display as we come toknow Christ as Lord and read the Old and New


35/48

Testaments.

The other symbols:

Four calling birds the four GospelsFive golden rings the first five books of the Bible, thePentateuchSix geese a laying the six days of creationSeven swans a-swimming the seven gifts of the HolySpiritEight maids a-milking the eight Beatitudes ofMatthew 5

Nine ladies dancing nine choirs of angelsTen lords a-leaping the Ten CommandmentsEleven pipers piping the eleven faithful apostlesTwelve drummers drumming the twelve articles of the Apostles Creed*

While I cannot validate the above information, I doknow this: Christmas is all about Jesus.

What to do:From all of our Refreshing Daily staff:Merry Christmas. We do hope yours is!

****************************************


36/48

Plutophobia: The Fear of WealthDecember 26

Bible Reading: Proverbs 30:1-9Key Verse: Verse 8- Remove far from me vanity andlies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Key Words: give me neither poverty nor riches

You would think plutophobia would be the fear ofPluto but it is actually the fear of wealth, which according toSolomon is not such a bad thing. Evidently poverty causes usto steal and wealth could cause one to deny the Lord.

The peril of riches is seen in the rich farmer in Luke 12and the rich young man in Mark 10 or the prodigal in Luke 15. Abram wasnt just rich; he was very rich...with cattle, silver,and gold.

The word rich is an interesting word. It meansweighty. It comes from the word v irtue. It carries the idea of both blessing and burden. When one uses their riches for God,thats a blessing; but when one uses their riches for self and a worldly life, that becomes a burden. I refer you to the story ofthe Prodigal Son in Luke 15 who was rich but his riches werenot a blessing they were a burden. He ended up sloppinghogs!!

The problem with riches without God is that they allow you to live without learning how to live. In 1928 a group of the worlds most successful financiers met at t he EdgewaterBeach Hotel in Chicago. The following were present: Thepresident of the largest utility company, The greatest wheatspeculator, The president of the New York Stock Exchange, Amember of the Presidents Cabinet, The greatest bear in Wall Street, The president of the Bank of InternationalSettlements, The head of the worlds greatest monopoly.

Collectively, these tycoons controlled more wealth than there was in the U.S. Treasury, and for years, newspapers andmagazines had been printing their success stories and urgingthe youth of the nation to follow their examples.


37/48

Twenty-five years later, this is what had happened tothese men:

The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cutten, diedabroad, insolvent.

The president of the New York Stock Exchange,Richard Whitney, served a term in Sing Sing Prison.

The member of the Presidents Cabinet, Albert Fall, was pardoned from prison so he could die at home.

The greatest bear in Wall Street, Jesse Livermore,committed suicide.The president of the Bank of International Settlements,

Leon Fraser, committed suicide.

The head of the worlds greatest monopoly, IvarDrueger, committed suicide. All of these men had learned how to make money, but

not one of them had learned how to live. If one doesnt kn owhow to live, then all the riches in this world come to naught!!

What to do: Without God, riches are a burden.

****************************************

Panthophobia: The Fear of

Suffering and DiseaseDecember 27

Bible Reading: Mark 5:25-34Key Verse: Verse 26- And had suffered many things ofmany physicians, and had spent all that she had, andwas nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

Key Words: And had suffered many things

No one likes to suffer and many fear diseases,especially the dreaded disease of cancer.


38/48

When one hears they have cancer, all sorts of thoughtsrun through their minds. But there is a common denominator with all who hear the dreaded words: you have cancer -- "fear"-- fear of the unknown, fear for family. Can they make it without me? Fear!!

The woman in our story had suffered for twelve years, but then she came to Jesus!!

While illness is a hardship every person wishes toavoid, it comes sooner or later upon us all. The Bible teachesthat suffering is not to be wasted. What circumstances couldhave rendered the Word of God sweeter and the presence ofGod so real, the help of God so precious? asked Hudson

Taylor about a difficult period in his life.Several Scriptures point to special blessings that cancome from periods of illness, including:

Awaken to us the sweetness ofScripture (Psalms 119:50, 71, 92, 143)

Driving us to prayer (Isaiah 38:1-2) Deepening the prayer lives of others (James

5:13-15) Leading us to spiritual introspection (Psalms119:67)

Humbling our souls (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) Developing the qualities of patience and

endurance in us (James 1:2-4) Developing maturity (Romans 5:1-5; Isaiah

48:10, Hebrews 2:10)

Enabling us to empathize and comfort others who will later go through the same thing(2 Corinthians 1:3)

Heightening our desire for heaven (Job 19:25-29; Romans 8:18)

Providing an opportunity for us to witness toothers (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Glorifying God (John 11:4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-

10)


39/48

Suffering and disease can and will do one of two thingsto you. It will drive you to God or away from Him. Which willit be for you?

What to do:Don't let the phobia of suffering and diseasecause the life you have today to be filled withfear and worry.

****************************************

Tropophobia: The Fear ofChange

December 28

Bible Reading: Philippians 3

Key Verse: Verse 21- Who shall change our vile body,that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,according to the working whereby he is able even tosubdue all things unto himself.Key Words: Who shall change our vile body

I wouldn't say that I have a phobia in regard to change, but I will admit I'm slow to change. Many people are.

Take, for example, the congregation in 1825, when anevangelist gave for the first time an altar call! Not only didthe people object to an "invitation," so did the preachers who were there that night.

Can you imagine church members protesting aninvitation after an evangelistic sermon? They did in 1825. Notonly did church members object to an invitation at the end of

a message, but also so did many of the ministers. A new Evangelist by the name of Charles Finney hadcome on to the religious scene in America and had becomequite popular by 1825. He was reaching many Americans with


40/48

the gospel by implementing what grumbling critics werecalling new measures. Among these intolerable changes were, praying for persons by name, having an invitation afterthe sermon, sharing the gospel by visiting in homes, allowing women to pray and testify, holding services on days otherthan the usual times for worship and preaching in an informalmanner that appealed to those who attended his outlandishand new idea of holding revival services. Finney wasperceived as a radical troublemaker in 1825, but his wrongapproach brought many to Christ.

Change is usually threatening, yet its results can often be tremendous.

What to do:Understand that not all change is bad.

****************************************

Topophobia: Stage FrightDecember 29

Bible Reading: Matthew 19:13-22Key Verse: Verse 14- But Jesus said, Suffer littlechildren, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for ofsuch is the kingdom of heaven. Key Words: Suffer little children

Being a pastor, working with those who are asked tospeak in public, I often get to see their legs as they tremblestanding before the congregation and see them struggle to talkor sing. Because of "brain freeze" as they stand before thecongregation, they will often stumble at what they are tryingto say. Believe me when I say, I get no joy in watching themgo through those moments of fear; but to God be the glory,they do it and are all the better for having done so.


41/48

Reminds me of the little fellow who in his church'schildren's program had to quote Matthew 19:14. Standingthere in fear he said, "Suffer the little..." Then his mind went blank, so he started over, "Suffer the little children...." Andagain he out of fear forgot the words. So he tried the thirdtime, "Suffer the little children...." Again, fear got the better ofhim and he forgot the remainder of the verse. Out offrustration, he stood up straight and said with a loud voice,"Now, listen to me, don't any of you adults keep any of us kidsfrom coming to Jesus. Understand!!" Then he went and satdown. His fear may have caused him to forget the verse hehad memorized, but it didn't keep him from getting the point

across!! So let me encourage you to not let your fear ofspeaking in front of people stop you from speaking up forJesus.

What to do:Don't be afraid to speak up for the Lord.

****************************************

Polyphobia: The Fear of ManyThings

December 30

Bible Reading: Revelation 2:1-10Key Verse: Verse 10 - Fear none of those things whichthou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some ofyou into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shallhave tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death,

and I will give thee a crown of life. Key Words: Fear none of those things


42/48

Have you ever met the person who fears just abouteverything?

What are Americans afraid of? National research by R.H. Bruskin Associates shows the following hierarchy of fears:speaking before a group heads the list, feared by 40.6% ofthose interviewed. This fear is greater among women thanmen, and greatest in the Southern United States. Fear of highplaces comes next at 32%; followed by insects and bugs (threetimes as many women as men); followed by financialproblems, deep water, sickness, flying, and loneliness.

I recently read about a backwoods farmer, who whilesitting on the steps of a tumble-down shack, was approached

by a stranger who stopped for a drink of water."How's your wheat coming along?" asked the stranger."Didn't plant none.""Really, I thought this was good wheat country.""Afraid it would rain.""Well, how is your corn crop?""Ain't got none. Afraid of corn blight."The stranger, confused but persevering, continued,

"Well, sir, how are your potatoes?""Didn't plant no potatoes either ... afraid of potato bugs."

"For Pete's sake, man," the stranger asked, "What did you plant?"

"Nothing," said the farmer. "I just played it safe."

Fear can and will paralyze you if you let it.

What to do:He who lets fear paralyze him goes nowhere.

****************************************


43/48

Theophobia: The Fear of GodDecember 31

Bible Reading: Hebrews 10:27-39Key Verse: Verse 31- It is a fearful thing to fall into thehands of the living God.Key Words: It is a fearful thing to fall into the handsof the living God.

Fear is not always a bad thing, and certainly the fear ofGod is not evil. Notice the following verses.

Proverbs 1:7a, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning ofknowledge."Proverbs 8:13a, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, andarrogancy, and the evil way."Proverbs 14:26, "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence."Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Let us hear the conclusion of the wholematter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."Psalm 33:8a, "Let all the earth fear the Lord."

One time many years ago, the king of Hungary foundhimself depressed and unhappy. He sent for his brother, agood-natured but rather indifferent prince. The king said tohim, I am a great sinner; I fear to meet God. But the princeonly laughed at him. This didnt help the kings dispositionany. Though he was a believer, the king had gotten a glimpseof his guilt for the wa y hed been living lately, and he seriously wanted help.

In those days it was customary if the executionersounded a trumpet before a mans door at any hour, it was asignal that he was to be led to his execution. The king sent theexecutioner in the dead of night to sound the fateful blast at

his brothers door. The prince realized with horror what washappening. Quickly dressing, he stepped to the door and wasseized by the executioner, and dragged pale and tremblinginto the kings presence. In an agony of terror he fell on his


44/48

knees before his brother and begged to know how he hadoffended him.

My brother, answered the king, if the sight of ahuman executioner is so terrible to you, shall not I, havinggrievously offended God, fear to be brought before the judgment seat of Christ?

The problem in the world and in the church is thatthere is no fear of God!

What to do:Fear God; you'll be all the better for it.


45/48

I deeply appreciate the help of

Mary Parsons

Glenda Myrick

And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these people to helpthis devotional would not have been

possible.

Dr. Mike Rouse


46/48


47/48


48/48

Emphasis on Phobias

Documents

Transcript of Emphasis on Phobias