Latest / Bible Tract Echoes Podcast / Are you Locked Up By Fear?

Transcript

Are you Locked Up By Fear? · Bible Tract Echoes Podcast

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Hey friend, I'm Mike McCurray, this is Bible-Tract Echoes and I want to thank you so much for joining me once again today, but you're not just joining me.
• 0:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: We have Pastor Dennis Leatherman, we got to spend about three weeks together across Australia and New Zealand, the far side of the world we picked.
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: a really good time to go build leathermen.
• 0:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was February of this year.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: I can tell you in my neck of the woods around the Chicago land area.
• 0:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was bitterly cold.
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: What is in Oakland, Maryland?
• 0:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: What's a temperature normally like in February?
• 0:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, probably around five degrees.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: those Kiwis, those New Zealanders were so apologetic because of New Zealand, it was about like 64, 65 degrees Fahrenheit, it's summer over there in February because you realize they're in some southern hemisphere and they were so apologetic, I was telling them no, you don't realize it's negative five degrees back home, I am more than happy to be here but we're not here to talk about the weather, we're here to talk about witnessing and some obstacles for
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: for witnessing.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: I got to hear you give this charge to some Australians, some Kiwi, some New Zealanders, and it was impactful to me, and I felt it might be helped to our radio listeners today.
• 1:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: We talked yesterday about a lack of assurance of our own salvation, being an obstacle to us being a witness.
• 1:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: You want to jump right in by the Leatherman, and you've been a soul winner for a long time.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_02]: You've been a Christian for a long time, been pasturing for many, how many years have you been pasturing?
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, we came here at the church in 1993, September of 1993.
• 1:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Amen.
• 1:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: Amen.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: So to God be the glory of these decades since, seeing a lot of folks say, a lot of folks baptize the cypled, but you've seen a lot of Christians struggle with obstacles to being a witness.
• 1:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: Jump right in.
• 1:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: What's the next one we want to talk about today?
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, and let me say this, being struggling with this is normal.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't think I'm some kind of abnormal Christian because I struggle with witnessing and I think even at this point in my life, it's still become something I have to address.
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so over time, of course, it's not as big of a deal, but sometimes even mature Christians that have been saying to length of time, struggle with this.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: we sent mentioned before as we did, maybe a lack of assurance on our own part, you know, but then there's a second one and I think my personal opinion is I think this is probably the biggest obstacle that Christian face and giving a gospel track out or sitting down with someone an open Bible and showing them how to be saved.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think, um,
• 2:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: like I said, this could be the biggest one.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is this.
• 2:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm using a iteration here.
• 2:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: The first one was lack of assurance this one.
• 2:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I put it this way locked up by fear.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you've heard of locked y'all.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we want to say something, we should say something, but man, that mouth just doesn't open.
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, or we're standing in line at a Walmart or somewhere gas station and we know that person standing there We should give him a gospel track or we should say a word till we know we want to and man We just get locked up because we're afraid we're afraid of how to respond We're afraid of what they'll say we're afraid we won't know what to say and so um this matter of fear
• 3:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's interesting, in 2nd Timothy, chapter 1, Paul is writing to Timothy, a young preacher, and he's not addressing soul-winning in particular, track distribution, but he says to him, he says, verse 7 of 2nd Timothy, chapter 1, he says,
• 3:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
• 3:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: So whenever it's fear, hinders me from sharing the gospel with someone, I can know this isn't of God.
• 3:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's not God making me afraid.
• 3:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Fear in reality, fear of witnessing is unfounded.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: for several reasons.
• 3:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: First John, four, four, he tells us, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: As a believer, we're in dwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.
• 4:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so we approach someone about the Lord and want to share a gospel tract with them.
• 4:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Our fear is unfounded there.
• 4:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so Matthew chapter 28, verse 18 through 20, the Lord says,
• 4:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: He says, you know, go either for and teach all nations, baptize in them, and name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost.
• 4:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then he says, as he says, low, I am with you all way.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I've often kind of envisioned using my imagination a little of, I'm approaching a house, and I'm going to give a track to somebody here.
• 4:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I want to try and talk to him about the Lord, maybe out in their driveway, or...
• 4:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know at a marketplace, whatever.
• 4:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes I think it's good just envision the Lord Jesus Christ standing right there beside you.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we'd probably be fearless if the son of God is right here with us is we're trying to tell somebody else about him and introduce them to him.
• 5:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: And though we don't see him physically, he's not physically there with us yet.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's just as much with us as if he was physically with us.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I think that helps us.
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, in overcoming fear, understand, I have the presence of God with me, the Holy Spirit of God, and dwells me.
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Proverbs 29 verse 25 says, the fear of man bringeth a snare.
• 5:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: But who so puteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe?
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so a snare is something that restricts me.
• 5:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So a snare is something that holds me down.
• 5:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so he said, well, all right, preacher, I understand.
• 5:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I have the Holy Spirit blown in me.
• 5:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I have the presence of Christ with me.
• 5:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know what fear is not of God.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so how do I overcome that?
• 5:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: How do I overcome it?
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, courage is not the absence of fear.
• 5:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Courage is doing what I need to do even if I am afraid.
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I love Psalm 56-3.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: It says, what time I am afraid?
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: And by the way, is pen by David, believe?
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: He says, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So he doesn't say, whenever that fear is gone, then I'm gonna trust God.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: He says, in the very midst of my fear, why am I afraid?
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm gonna trust the Lord, and I'm gonna step out and do what needs to be done.
• 6:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've found that helps a lot.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: And generally, if you just overcome that, just go ahead and trust God, all right, I'm gonna hand this track to him.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm gonna speak a word to him, I'm gonna invite him to church or revival meeting, whatever, I'm just gonna do it.
• 6:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: and put my fear aside, I've found that after you do that, then that fear begins to subside.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not as strong, it doesn't, I don't know that it ever goes completely away, maybe, but it subsides and it doesn't control me.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I heard an interview of George Patton years ago where a journalist had asked him about him being fearless
• 7:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he stopped the interview, interviewer, the journalist, he stopped midst of her sentence and said, I believe it was a fella actually, said, he goes, oh, oh, he says, that's not true.
• 7:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm scared of death.
• 7:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And of course, I'm putting my own words here.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But he said, basically, he says, I'm so afraid that my palms sweat.
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: He said, but I learned early on, not to take counsel of my fears.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: In other words, I'm not going to take the advice of fear.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to do what I know needs to be done.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to do what I know is right, what is necessary, and I'm not going to let my fear control me.
• 7:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I thank you and I as Christians need to get to the point where our faith in God overcomes our fear of man.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: We just step out and do what needs to be done.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Amen.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's amazing to me that we have the opportunity, like you said, if Jesus was standing right beside us, we would be gung-ho, we'd be all about it.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: But then we think about the Holy Spirit and dwells us.
• 8:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: He is with us.
• 8:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so often we forget that.
• 8:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so what advice would you give to these Christians that listening right now that need to overcome this fear?
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: How would you sum up that thought with a letterman?
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think there's several ways, and the matter of giving out gospel tracks, you know, maybe just get in the habit of doing it, maybe not necessarily handing it to a person, you're too scared, but maybe leave it on a doorstep or something, or mail them out, just get that mindset, carry them with you.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I found out that tracks I don't have with me, I never give out, but if I have them with me and then that opportunity comes up, I'm watching and you know, and then sometimes I don't know, just look for nice people to give them to you know, and find out that negative responses are so minor or so few.
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: that our fears are really unfounded, at least here in America, in our community.
• 9:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, there you can, you can, you can, you're exactly right.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: There's a track that I carry with me all the time.
• 9:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I make it hopefully have one on me.
• 9:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: We be ashamed if I didn't hear, here we go.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's called, it was a pleasure to meet you.
• 9:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: I talk about this track all the time, but this gospel track, it basically, it's for that conversation where you only have 15 seconds, 30 seconds of an interaction, and it was a pleasure to meet someone, and you want to leave them with a gospel.
• 9:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, my father-in-law, that is his favorite gospel, which he's a pastor here in Illinois.
• 9:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: uses that gospel track all the time.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: Now I can't promise this for you, but the leatherman or for all of our listeners, but by his own account, he's passed out hundreds, if not thousands, and he said, I've never had someone say no, but then last Wednesday night at church, he said, except for today.
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: And here's what happened.
• 10:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Our track rack at the church, we have, it was a pleasure to meet you, but we also have the Spanish version.
• 10:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: and so in his haste a couple weeks ago he grabbed a hand for the spanish tracks.
• 10:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: He was at his doctor and handed it to the man.
• 10:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: And the man handed it back and said, I don't read Spanish.
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so technically, he had it refused.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: It was the first time that he's ever had that gospel tract refused, but it's true.
• 10:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: But it all seriousness, I'd encourage you to start looking for those little victories.
• 10:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you're listening right now, the first victory, the first victory is ordering.
• 10:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you don't have any gospel tracks, is ordering some gospel tracks.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: or if your local church has them, get them.
• 10:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: Let's build up some little winds, some little victories here, get some gospel tracks.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: And honestly, friend, if you're listening right now, you have no excuse, because Bible tracks incorporated, we print them and distribute them
• 10:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: for free around the world.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: But the Leatherman, it's amazing to me.
• 10:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: God has allowed us to this point.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Bible Traxxing Corporate over the last 80 years has put out over 616 million gospel tracks for free.
• 11:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: We can't tell you, there are still lost people that need the gospel.
• 11:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: And you, my friend, I'm talking to you, the listener right now, you're on the other side about, I'm talking to a microphone, you're listening to the speaker.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you're listening right now,
• 11:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: you can partner with us to reach the reach the lost.
• 11:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Our gospel tracks do no good in our warehouse.
• 11:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to encourage you go to bibletracksink.org.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: Again, they're free.
• 11:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not trying to sell you anything.
• 11:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Go to bibletracksink.org today and order some.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you don't know where to start, then order our sample booklet.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: that'll give you an introduction to all of our gospel tracks.
• 11:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: And if you want a personalized recommendation, I don't mention this often, but you can reach out to me.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'll give you you tell me your circumstance.
• 11:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: You tell me your situation.
• 11:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: I will give you a personalized recommendation.
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: You can text me at this number.
• 11:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'll give you two twice.
• 11:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: Now remember, tomorrow on the broadcast, but the letterman's going to be sharing another obstacle to witnessing.
• 12:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: you're going to want to stick around for that.
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I want you to text me if you need to personalize recommendation, text me at 3, 0 9, 3, 1, 6, 7, 2, 4, 0 again, that number is 3, 0 9, 3, 1, 6, 7, 2, 4.
• 12:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Zero, we really appreciate what the Letterman, thank you so much for joining us, the pastor, mountain lake, independent Baptist Church, Oakland, Maryland.
• 12:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm excited for him to continue who are not going to want to miss because maybe, maybe tomorrow, he's the obstacle that trips you up.
• 12:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Make sure you listen in my prayer as always is that you have a great day for his glory.
• 12:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: We'll plan on talking to you very soon.
• 12:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: God bless.
• 13:12
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for tuning in to Bible Tract Echoes, the radio ministry of Bible Tracts Incorporated.
• 13:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Want to see our gospel tracks and other resources?
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Visit us online at BibleTracksInk.org that's BibleTracksInk.org or follow us on social media to learn how you can partner with this ministry.
• 13:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks again for listening.
• 13:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: May the Lord richly bless you as you live for Him.