This whole thing of “Fear not” can get pretty hard. In fact, it takes a lot of faith to “Fear not.” Fear is easy. Faith becomes a problem.

There used to be, on the beach at Panama City, Florida, an amusement park called Miracle Strip. It was actually a pretty cool place. I say it used to be there but I am making an assumption that it is gone. It may still be there. Since we moved from the area in 1985 they have had a half a dozen hurricanes go right through there. This really was on the beach so I am assuming it is gone, but maybe not. Anyway, it had all the rides and games and food places that those places have and they also had the terrifying Spook House. The sign on the side of the building said that it was the scariest place on the Gulf (Gulf of Mexico) Coast, either in the USA or Mexico. It was two double wide mobile homes fixed together and had a smaller sign that had a warning that if you had a heart condition, not to go inside. Marsha and I had been at Miracle Strip a couple of times, but we had never gone in. Our little son wanted to do anything that daddy did and Marsha didn’t want him in there.

Then the day came that I took our Youth to the park. I had a couple of other adults with me who wanted to ride the rides and such with the kids, so I found a picnic table and settled in to read. After a bit, about a half dozen of the kids came running up to me.

“You have to come with us and go into the Spook House. Right now!” I looked up at them and said, “Get Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Kline to go.” “They won’t go in! It’s too scary!” (Note to self; take men next time.) From where I was I could see the Spook House and the two ladies standing there along with the rest of the kids. They were all watching me to see what I would do. I closed my book and started to walk over. This was silly. Grown women and teenagers, afraid to go into a place like that.

When I got there, they told me that whenever someone came out of the House, they looked terrified. About that time there was a scream and the door flew open and three teens stumbled out, practically falling. And they did look scared and confused. All of my kids wanted to go, but they were way to frightened. I told the kids I would go in with them. The two ladies said they would just wait there on the beach.

As we waited in line my oldest teen, the one all of them called ‘Mom’ because she was always mothering them, instructed the others to hold onto the shirt or belt of the person in front of them so we wouldn’t become scattered. Then there was a little scuffle about who was going to be last in line. I finally assigned the oldest boy. Then we all entered.

I was in front and it seemed all the kids wanted to cram around me. We were in a pitch black and very narrow hallway, no lights. Occasionally there would be a little blast of air. That was it. I kept expecting flashing lights or ghosts or something but it was just a long, twisting, dark hallway. The girls behind me were so scared they were crying. The boys were trying to be cool, but that wasn’t working. You could see nothing, so you just felt your way.

About the time I was getting irritated with all the silliness, I bumped into something very low and soft. A frightened little wail came from it, “NOoooooo!” it wailed. Finally, I thought, something other than darkness. It took me a minute to realize that this was not there to frighten. It was a person, a little girl, who was so scared she was immobile. “Sweetie, listen to me. It is OK. We’ll get you out of here.” “You—you ain’t gonna hurt me?” “Well, I might have to hurt you if you don’t let go my leg, but no, you are safe.” I got her to her feet and we went on. We were only about 30 feet from the end. When we got there a huge scream erupted and the door flew open. The scream was to give you a fright and the sudden bright light dazzled your eyes and confused you. It turned out the little girl’s parents were looking everywhere for her, so it ended really well.

That is the way of fear. Fear comes from the unknown. We anticipate something very bad. Fear can make us freeze.

Sometimes there really is danger. Sometimes the possibility of failure. Fear can cause us to be hyper alert and ready. But when it is just the emotion, fear is empty. In Genesis 26 we see Isaac, the son of Abraham, struggling to make his way in the world after his father had died. There are conflicts and labor and much worry. God had made a promise to Abraham that his descendants, through Isaac, would be many and would be great. But now the responsibility was falling to Isaac, and it was not so easy to carry. Isaac had doubts. In Genesis 26:24 we have this (in the King James because it sounds so cool!)---And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. Now, that had to be a comfort to Isaac. The promise to his father was now his, as well. If God promises, that means He will come through.

 And yet, we often let Satan put empty fear before us. We have the assurance that the Lord will provide, will send the Comforter, will never leave us or forsake us. The promises go on and on. Even when we are beaten down, we have His promise that we can deal with anything.

Are there any more precious words than fear not, for I am with thee?

Word came today that a twelve year old boy whom we have been praying for has died. Something about that strikes a chord in any parent. It reminded me of a father who had three sons and had taken them fishing at Lake Erie. The two older boys were going to be fishing in the surf, but the Dad set the youngest son, ten years old, by the stream that was running in the Lake right there. He only had his back to the youngest for a minute as he helped the older boys, but when he turned back he saw the ten year old face down in the water. Just that quick, the boy was gone. At the time I worked at the funeral home. The next morning I stood in the prep room and looked at that small body. My hands trembled, my eyes watered. The image of my own son when he was ten came into my mind. I had to wash this boy and begin the preparation procedures. I had a job to do, yet I could hardly breathe. And then the thought; fear not, for I am with thee. I began the process.

           He never leaves us. It is a promise. Fear not.

 

          I have shared with you before about my spot. A little pull off from the road at a cliff overlooking Lake Erie. From 1995 through the beginning of 2016, most early mornings would find me there, sitting in my car, pouring my heart out to the Lord. I would get there around 4:30 in the morning, some days just a little later, and pray for a couple of hours. Needs, joys, concerns, strength. Whatever it might be. When it was below zero I usually kept my window up, but sometimes even then the window would come down so I could hear the wind race across the vast ice field that the Lake had become. I sat there during storms that rocked my car and send massive waves crashing against the rocks below. And, on occasion, soft and gentle breezes wafting in to bring calm to my spirit. I went there when I was dealing with accepting a possible call to a church in Indiana, where there were no special places to pray, and I was given peace about the decision.

          While I was in Ohio this past weekend for my son’s 40^th birthday, I heard that my friend Keith Marty was struggling for life. He was being transported to the Cleveland Clinic. Friday night I called the hospital for permission to visit. COVID would not allow for it. I even employed my best Reverend Doctor Larry Wade voice, which had never failed me before, but didn’t work this time. I would have to leave Ohio without ever seeing him or even talking to him again.

          I have explained our friendship here before. Hopefully, you all have had that enduring friendship at least once in your life. But I had also been his protector. To mess with Keith was to mess with me, so small and fragile Keith did OK. Now, of course, I cannot help him. I can’t run interference for Keith, and I feel despair.

          So, on Sunday morning I loaded my car with the intention to head down to my spot before heading to Indiana. I needed to talk with God.

          My spot is gone. The hillside has fallen into the Lake. The steady waves below weakened the hillside and it just fell away. Happens all the time, but it was my spot.

          We know nothing is there forever, whether it is a tree or a prayer spot or a church building or a loved one…time and weather and age takes everything over. I still had my time with the Lord, but I had so wanted to have it right there.

          The ride home seemed long. It was, of course, no longer than usual. In fact, because I didn’t stop, the six and a half hour trip took less than six hours. But I knew that each mile that passed under my wheels took me that much further from the Cleveland Clinic. I couldn’t even say goodbye.

          Keith’s sister, Karen, has been keeping me informed. This morning I got a note. “Call Keith! He is improved!” I have been around death and illness a lot over the years. I know that family often grasp at straws when someone is dying. OK, I thought. I will call and maybe Gloria (Keith’s wife) will hold the phone to his ear.

          Keith answered the phone. His voice sounded normal. He couldn’t put too many words together because it sent him into a coughing spasm, but he could talk. They had taken him off the vent to see how he would do. He told me they were going to come in later to give him the choice of continuing with the vent or not. Not doing the vent means death. I took from that bit of news that he really isn’t improving. He is inclined to not take the vent again and just pass away. Some would take that to mean that Keith isn’t giving the Lord credit for being able to heal, but Keith is simply ready to go. If one has true faith, they know that heaven awaits along with complete and forever healing. Is staying here worth it?

          I talked a lot. Read him some Scripture, prayed with him. He promised me we would play catch again. We would run together again. He sounded upbeat. I think for the first time ever (and we have known each other for 62 years) he heard me cry. He got choked up at the knowledge that folks he has never met in this life have been praying for him and it really got him that our special music on Sunday, Phil Weck, dedicated his song to Keith. Finally, I prayed with him and we hung up. He was really tired, and actually, so was I.

          So many times, way more than I can count, I felt the hand of God rest upon me in my special spot by the Lake. A place on earth where my God and I could commune. A place that is gone, washed away by the march of time. But I have found that it was just me that needed a place. The Lord is anywhere and everywhere, just when we need Him most. We do not need to sit in a special building, surrounded with special things. We don’t need to sit under a special tree or hear the pounding of the surf. We don’t need to fix our eyes upon a star at night or hear the peaceful chirping of a bird. God is in that, but in everything else, too.

          Today, in a hospital room in Cleveland, Ohio and in a small room in Indiana, God was present. Two people, separated by hundreds of miles, yet united in one God, made plans for a game of catch. It won’t require one to drive to the other. It will just be a couple of guys with tattered old ball gloves trying to one-up each other.

          As the Bible says, fear not.

            “Fear not.”

         Now, folks, that is a good King James phrase. A gentle, yet firm, command. “Fear not.” It is scattered throughout the Bible. In other versions it is usually rendered, “Do not be afraid.” Same thing, of course, but it lacks that assurance.

         When I was a boy and we were having a bad thunderstorm, I would often wake up to the sound of my sisters crying. I could hear them so well because they would be in my bed with me. They were both older than me, but for some reason they felt somewhat safer crying and screaming at the BOOM of thunder in my bed. (Years later our dog would leave Marsha’s side of the bed and come lay on the floor on my side during a storm. The cat would jump up and lay close beside me. Either I give off a safe vibe or critters, and sisters, figure I’ll get hit by lightning before they get hit.) After a few screams my father would appear in my door and yell, “YOU GIRLS SHUT THE @%%&@$#@ UP OR I’LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO SCREAM ABOUT!” If he had just said, “Fear not, my children” it would have been so much better.

         “Fear not.” It is comforting. It is nurturing. It is God-like. Anyone can say, “Don’t be afraid.” But God would say, “Fear not.”

         I don’t really know where this will go, but I think I am going to do a blog series on “Fear not.” We live in such frightening times. Mass killings, pandemic, threats of war…..we need some serious assurance. And, as Christians, we need to seek that assurance from the Lord. Not politicians (conservative or liberal), not religious leaders, not the media. The Lord. “Fear not.”

         Where did “Fear not” Start? Way, way back.

         Lot had taken his flocks and people and had separated himself from his uncle, Abraham. He had gone south to the vicinity of the twin towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. In chapter 14 of the book of Genesis the towns were attacked by raiders and the wealth was taken. Lot was also taken as a captive. Word got back to Abraham, who took his men and went to rescue Lot. A battle ensued and Abraham was successful. But it appears there was little rejoicing on Abraham’s part. Lot was his nephew and his apparent heir, for Abraham and Sarah, his wife, had no children. And Lot was not very bright, guided more by greed than the Spirit. Abraham was troubled by his lack of children. In Genesis 15 Abraham has a visitor and we have this (in the King James because it sounds so cool); After these things the Word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the Word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And He brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.

         So, the very first “Fear not” had to do with God’s promise to Abraham. It didn’t happen right away. It didn’t happen the way Abraham and Sarah thought it should. Abraham and Sarah got so tired of waiting for God to take care of it their way, they took matters into their own hands. That did not go well. However, when God makes a promise, He will make good on that promise. “Fear not.”

         I am so afraid the country is going down the wrong path! We need better people! Actually, we just need God. 2 Chronicles 7:14---If my people who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. But, I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT!!! “Fear not.”

          I am so afraid of this virus! Psalm 30:10-12---Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!" You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! But, THE VIRUS!!! “Fear not.”

         I am so afraid I will not be able to handle this year financially! Would our wealthy Father not meet our need if we are faithful? Psalm 50:10-12---For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. But, WHAT WILL HAPPEN?!? “Fear not.”

         Part of not fearing has to do with our faithfulness to God. Not just faithfulness in the sense that we normally think of faithfulness, but the faithfulness that comes from turning everything over to Him. I know we say we do, but do we really? Think about it for a moment. When you pray about something and the result is something you wanted to happen, do you say God answered prayer? God answered prayer if it turned out in a way we didn’t want. If we say ‘God answered that prayer,’ we are really saying that we can’t really trust Him to answer all our prayers. “Oh, Pastor, that is silly! It is just a saying!” Maybe, but sayings come from a mind set.

         “Fear not.” In a matter of hours, I am going on a 300 mile trip. I will pray before I leave for safety. Because I prayed for safety doesn’t mean I can drive stupid. God wouldn’t honor that. But if I do my part and God does His, which He will, then it will go off as God sees fit.

         I am in His hands, regardless. “Fear not.”

 

         This is one of those blogs that is going to make someone very angry with me. Many of you are going to think I am attacking your version of the Bible. I am not, but I hope to point out something that may surprise you.

          Some months back, Nancy Pelosi made a statement that blew me away. One of those things that made me start some research on where she was getting her information. She was defending government support of abortion through funding Planned Parenthood. Looking at the camera and speaking in a pious voice, she said, “We are doing the Lord’s work.” My thought was, how is abortion the Lord’s work?

          The only way to figure out what she was talking about was to contact her office. However, she is a lawmaker from California. That creates a problem. She has an office in California in her district and an office in Washington DC. To those people, I am a small time preacher in a small time church in a small time town in a state that she could not care less about. There is absolutely no reason to return my phone call. And I understand that and accept that. It left my question unanswered, but it is my experience that God provides.

          The first step in that provision was back when we first started putting the Scripture on the screen. Brian was preaching and he was using his New International Version (NIV) of the Bible. I loaded his passage on the Power Point, but when he began to read his Scripture, it did not match up with what I had on the screen. I really feel that when we read Scripture, there should be no flaw in what we are doing, so that really bothered me. I started researching the NIV to see the reason for the discrepancy. What I discovered was that the NIV was created to present the Bible in a more easily read and understood version of the English language. It was first published in 1978. The major translations that proceeded it were the King James Version (KJV), the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and the American Standard Version (ASV). Vocabulary and language has changed since these works were first published and it was felt by many that a new, easier to read version needed to be put forth. In 1978, this was a huge deal. In 1984 there was a very minor update done to the NIV. Another update was done in 2011.

          The reason Brian’s version differed from what was on the screen is because Brian’s version is the 1984 version and what I had used was the 2011 version. I didn’t even know there had been an update. I had to hunt and hunt to find a 1984 version. I finally found it. Brian and Barry Swanquist both have the 1984 version, so when they are reading Scripture, I go to my 1984.

          I began to research the changes in the two NIVs. I know what you are wondering. Why would he bother? It is because I am curious. Anyway, I found that in the 2011 update, the publishers made changes that more effectively reflected current society. For instance, Romans 1:13 says in the 2011 edition, I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sister, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.  The 1984 edition reads, I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. The verses seem identical, except the 2011 version uses ‘brothers and sisters’ and the 1984 just says ‘brothers.’ Most people would applaud this because they believe that Paul was a male chauvinist. This just acknowledges that there were women there, as well. Except, in the original language ‘sisters’ is not there. And there is a reason it is not there. Questions would come up among the churches of a particular city. A council would meet and put these questions on paper and send that paper, or letter, to Paul. He would respond to the council. And those councils, because of the culture prevalent in Roman society, were always made up of men. So Paul was not replying to brothers and sisters, he was replying to a council of men, or brothers. Well, Pastor, that is no big deal! But it is. For one thing we are not supposed to change a single word. There might be a difference in the translation, but ‘sisters’ is an added word. And for another thing, society and the beliefs of society should not be reflected in the Bible. The Bible, and the beliefs of the Bible, should be reflected in society. And lastly, by adding a word, we actually change the meaning. The original shows us the type of society Paul labored under. The 2011 edition makes every effort to take gender designations out of text and there are other changes throughout. The NIV is not alone in this, either.

          That was the first step in discovering what Mrs. Pelosi meant by “We are doing the Lord’s work.” The second step was an article that Nan Roe gave me on Sunday, which connects the dots and explains a great deal.

          In Numbers 5, the Scripture gives a curious little test to see if a woman has been unfaithful to her husband. If I were a betting man, I would bet you have never heard a sermon on this passage, nor a Bible study. If a man believes his wife has been unfaithful, but has no proof, he could take her before the priest. The priest would then grind up some grain and burn it on the alter. Then he would mix the charred remains in water and the wife would drink it. If it affected her, she was guilty of adultery. If it did not affect her, she was clean. There was nothing in the burnt grain that should affect her, but it was a judgment from God. It is the nature of the affliction that raises eyebrows. Numbers 5:27 (NIV, 1984 version)--- If she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then when she is made to drink the water that brings a curse, it will go into her and cause bitter suffering; her abdomen will swell and her thigh waste away, and she will become accursed among her people. Now immediately, we recoil at this. Other versions say that her thigh rots away. To us, in our society, this is a horrible thing! Why would God do such a thing? But remember, adultery was punishable by stoning someone to death. Or, a husband could just divorce the woman. In all likelihood, a woman faced with such extreme swelling and her leg rotting, would confess her sin and accept whatever punishment is laid on her. Either stoning or divorce. Again, we cringe at the violence of this, but adultery is very, very evil in the sight of the Lord. Just because our society deems it unimportant, doesn’t mean God bows to our society. This part of the punishment was so terrible that, as far as I can recall, it was never carried out. I may be wrong on that, but I can think of no incident recorded in the Scripture where this happened.

          The King James Version, the Revised Standard and the American Standard, the English Standard and actually all other English translation except for one translates this in the same manner as the NIV, 1984. In fact, a direct Hebrew to English translation reads like this; And when he has made her drink the water then it shall be if she has defiled herself and behaved toward her husband unfaithfully that will enter the water her that thing that brings a curse and becomes bitter and will swell her belly and will rot her thigh and will become a woman an insult among her people.   

          However, the NIV, 2011, reads as follows---If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse. 

          This does not seem so bad to us. A miscarriage happens all the time. The only problem is that the original language does not say womb and miscarriage, it says thigh and rot. But it has been changed so as to not affect us so negatively. In fact, throughout Numbers 5, the NIV, 2011, uses the word miscarry or miscarriage three times, but it is never actually in the original language. And, it never says that the woman is pregnant. Just that she is thought to be unfaithful.

          Now that I have set you off, let’s go back to Mrs. Pelosi.

          It seems (and I did not know this until I read the article that Nan gave me) that Christians who support abortion have been using this passage in the NIV, 2011, to support their position. They say that God was doing an abortion here, so if we do abortions, it is God’s work. Forget that ‘miscarry’ is not in the original and that pregnancy is not even implied and no other reputable English translation translates it as such, it is right there in their NIV, 2011. This is now being used more and more by all abortion advocates, mostly to say that Christians who oppose abortion are hypocrites. Mrs. Pelosi saying what she said may have been her real belief because someone showed her that passage.

          “Do you mean to say that you don’t like my NIV, 2011?” Truth be told, the NIV of any year has never been dear to me. The NIV is not a true translation. It is mostly a version. A translation seeks to use the oldest and most authoritative manuscripts that are direct copies of the originals. Then they translate every word and then arrange it in a sentence we can understand. (go back to the Hebrew to English translation above and you will see why the translated words have to be arranged). A version is the rewrite of an existing translation with modifications. There is some translating involved, but not a great deal. The King James, the Revised Standard, the American Standard, the English Standard are all referred to as versions, but they are actually translations. Dozens and dozens of language and Scripture scholars worked on the translations over a period of decades. Versions, not so much. The original NIV, which is the best of the versions, had fifteen scholars who worked on it and there is now a council that stands by to make adjustments. The fewer number of people who work on one of these projects, the greater the probability of the views of society getting through.

I know people use the NIV because it is so much easier to read than the KJV, but I am not saying to use the KJV. The New King James is easy to read and the English Standard Version is comparable to the NIV as far as ease of reading.  

And please, do not think I am saying the NIV, 2011 advocates abortion. It does not. But by changing the wording so that it is not so harsh to our ears, the NIV, 2011 is left open to misinterpretation.

The Bible has some pretty harsh things in it. It also has some wonderfully beautiful things in it. But for some reason, man seems to think he knows better than God and he seeks to ‘fix’ it.

I am not trying to get you to switch Bibles. I am telling you all of this because one day someone is liable to use this argument on you to support their notion of abortion. You will not be able to change their mind, but you mustn’t allow them to change yours, either.