Tracts
Free from Fear
What Is Fear? The Fear of God The Fear of the Future The Fear of Failure The Fear of Suffering The Fear of Death Fear, a secret enemy, invades men of every age and race and every walk of life. It is subtle and devastating, poisoning our thinking, robbing our inner peace, and squelching our zest for living. It makes us nervous, uneasy, alarmed, disturbed, upset, and fainthearted—what unpleasant, unwanted feelings!
In our society, social and financial pressures are creating lifestyles that are challenging God’s blueprint for women. Because of these pressures, the traditional role of motherhood and a woman’s place in the home is being compromised. Many feel forced to seek a career outside of the home and family, or may do so because of a desire to be independent. As a result, many women are trying to manage a career and family at the same time. They find it difficult to do justice to both, even with the help of a day care or a baby sitter. Mother is unable to be there when her child needs her, and she is not fully able to enjoy the special years of the child’s development.
It is natural for man to desire a full, exciting, and rewarding life. Some people find fulfillment in achievement and education. Others spend their time and energy trying to get rich. Still others find a certain thrill in risk-taking. Some are willing to go to extreme ends for excitement. Betting and other forms of gambling are especially alluring to some. The lure of hitting the jackpot or winning large sums of money can be very addictive. Many homes have been brought to ruin by a father or mother who chose to gamble. Hearts have been broken and neglected because someone could not stay away from the bright lights of a casino.
God Is Looking for a Man
Do you sincerely want to be a man of God? Are you looking for true fulfillment in your life? Have you tried, but failed, to be an honest and trustworthy man? Have you tried to be a kind and understanding father, but struggle with anger and impatience with your family? Is it difficult to work with other people? If you have tried and failed, God can help you.
The Bible is the word of God, the everlasting truth. It contains the account of creation, man’s disobedience to God, and the agony which came upon man because of sin. It also tells us of God’s love for man in making a plan to redeem him. It tells of a Savior who was born, died for man’s sin, and was raised from death for man’s salvation. Whoever believes its message will experience forgiveness of sins, peace of mind, love for all men, power over sin, and a living hope of eternal life.
One day when Jesus was walking with his disciples, He asked them who He was (Matthew 16:15). Peter said to Jesus, “You are Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus told Peter that God had told him this, and upon this rock, Jesus would build His church. This rock is the confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of this world (Matthew 16:16-18). The power of Satan will not be sufficient to destroy this Church.
Before time began there was God. He created the world and everything in it. In his love, God created man in his own image and placed him in a beautiful garden. Man disobeyed God’s instructions. This disobedience was sin and separated man from God. He told them that they should sacrifice perfect young animals for their sins. These sacrifices did not pay for their sin but only pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice that God would provide. Someday God would send his Son Jesus to this earth to be that ultimate sacrifice for the sins of all people.
We often hear these words as we part from friends or from places of business. What does it take to have a really good day? Would it be a day without trouble and conflict, a day when everyone would treat us just right? Many years ago the common words on parting were “God be with ye.” As time went by this became shortened to “goodbye,” and the meaning was lost. However, the fact remains that the only way to truly “have a good day” is to spend it with God.
Many people today are like the man who said, “I am not good enough for heaven and not bad enough for hell.” They think they are pretty good and God will somehow give them a home in heaven.
Heaven—Your Future Home?
Who can think about the future without considering whether there is another existence after this life? Man cannot escape the thoughts of his state after death, but is inclined to put them out of his mind. He busies himself with the things of this life, placing thoughts of death, heaven, and hell into the distant future (Matthew 24:48, Ecclesiastes 8:11). The reality is, however, that a choice must be made. To do nothing will mean being eternally lost.