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Scarecrows

I will never leave you nor forsake you but I'm with you all the way, even until the end of the world (Hebrews 13:5)

My grandma loved to plant a garden.

Every spring I recall she went out with her bonnet tied on her head - with a hoe in her hand to work the soil. When I became old enough, she would ask me to hoe her garden for her. I did because I loved my grandma and loved being with her. After planting the seed, she then loved to work in her garden.

A major concern would be to protect her garden from the crows.

Finding old ragged clothes, she would turn an old broom upside-down and another old broom crossways and would build a scarecrow, so eerie looking it would scare even unknowing neighborhood kids - especially as darkness approached.

That scarecrow was inanimate. It had no life, but it accomplished what it was created to accomplish. It scared away the crows.

Webster defines a scarecrow as follows:

"A figure of a man dressed in old clothes set in a field to scare birds away from crops; something that frightens without harming."

Did you hear that last phrase? A scarecrow is something that frightens without harming. I’ve always liked the sound of it - something that frightens without harming.

The princes of Israel were negative and withdrawn because they gave way to their most extreme anxieties.

After years of personal and ministerial experience, I believe that anxiety is one of the single most crippling emotions in our lives. Anxiety is like creeping paralysis.

Its effect is numbing.
Its impact is desensitizing.
Its touch is deadening.
Its legacy is denigrating.
Its result is debilitating.

And at the base of anxiety is fear.

I believe our enemy, the devil, often sets up straw men - scarecrows - to cause undue fear. The scarecrows we sometimes see seem so real – so terrifying, at times, that they can scare even the strongest Christian.

I. The First Scarecrow is the Fear of People.

Because of fear of the people, Jonah refused to go to Ninevah and ran from God in the wrong direction.

Because of fear, David engineered Uriah's death. He feared that by getting caught in adultery, he would lose his position.

Because of fear of the people, Peter denied vehemently that he even knew the Lord.

And because of fear of the people, Governor Pilate relented and let the people crucify the Son of God.

Everybody has scarecrows.

Jacob has his Esau.
Noah has his flood.
Elijah has his nemesis, Jezebel.
Elisha has the surrounding Syrian soldiers.
Paul the "beasts of Ephesus."
Peter the contrary winds.

II. A Second Scarecrow is the Fear of Failure.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned much more from my failures than I ever did from the few successes I’ve enjoyed throughout my life.

Failure is an effective teacher of important truths.

Remember these five facts about failure.

1.) To fail does not mean that YOU are a failure.
2.) Failure is not a disgrace. Everybody fails - at sometime. And we can all learn from our failures.
3.) No one is a failure who tries. I would rather attempt something great and fail than to attempt nothing and succeed.
4.) Failure is never forever. Failure doesn't have to be final.
5.) You don't have to be paralyzed by failure.

Tired, bedraggled fishermen (see Luke Chapter 5) had spent all night long and had completely failed. They had been toiling without taking.

That describes me on many ministry occasions. I was toiling without taking. My labors seemed in vain. Like those professional fishermen, I was bedraggled and tired of toiling without any apparent results.

Then, Jesus came on the scene and told them to “launch out into the deep and let down your nets on the other side.” He asked them to do an unlikely thing - “to launch out into the deep” - any professional fisherman on the Sea of Galilee knew that that was the unlikeliest way to catch fish by net. He asked them to do it at an unlikely time. They knew that night was the best time to fish - not morning. Then, Jesus instructed them to “let down their nets on the other side” - and to expect an unlikely harvest of fish.

They did what Jesus instructed them to do at the time He instructed them to do it and in the manner He instructed them.

The results were miraculous. They caught the most abundant harvest of fish of their lives. The Bible describes it as “a great multitude of fishes.” They caught so many fish that their nets began to break and their boat began to sink from the overload.

Jesus knew where the fish were. He wanted them to reap an abundant harvest. He still does.

Their raw faith in Jesus transformed their failure into overwhelming, overcoming fullness!

III. A Third Scarecrow is the Fear that God Will Not be With You When You Need Him.

That kind of fear is diabolical. We are not children of the darkness, but children of the light. Almost every time I hear Jesus speak in the New Testament, He is telling someone else not to be afraid.

To the woman with the issue of blood, "Fear not, your faith has made you whole."

To blind Bartimaeus, "Fear not. Receive your sight."

Yes, you and I DO have an enemy, but he is not a scarecrow - something that frightens without harming. Our enemy is real.

Our enemy has power - great power. But Jesus said, All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth - Matthew 28:18.

Please notice exactly what Jesus said - and what he did NOT say in that scripture.
    He did NOT say “some power” is given unto me.
        He did NOT say “most power” is given unto me.
            He did NOT say “great power” is given unto me.
                Thank God He said, All power! - ALL power!”

Jesus also assures you and me:

I will never leave you nor forsake you but I'm with you all the way, even until the end of the world (Hebrews 13:5).

And again you and I are assured by God's Word:

Though your father and your mother forsake you, I'll never forsake you (Psalm 27:10).

Here are three simple steps you can take right now.

1.) Survey your situation accurately. Don't be bugabooed by scarecrows.

2.) Move in faith. Don't grovel. Don't stagnate.

3.) Move in faith right now. You've waited long enough.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we are sick of fear, anxiety, and shallowness. Help us to learn the futility of faithlessness to the weariness of our minds, the exhaustion of our body, and the trial of our faith. Thrust us out of the shallow waters and into the deep, for we have hungry hearts to explore the deeper places in Christ.

We are mindful of the dark nights through which we have already come, And the long days in which we have been served, O Lord, simply because of your tender mercies. Let us ponder our sins forgiven and our shames unpublished.

And may we have a thankful heart that so many things we worried about never came to pass.

Keep us forever free of the fear of scarecrows.

- Amen

Feedback

I am presently teaching at Lincoln Memorial University, but the thing that I am enjoying most right now is the prison ministry at the Women's prison in Chattanooga. this piece on "angels" and today's piece on "scarecrows" were both such a blessing to me. Many times when I go into lock down at the prison (sometimes a very dangerous place) and encounter everything from mental illness to witchcraft, I know that angels surround me. Many people cannot understand why I go to such a terrible place to minister. and why there is NO FEAR. I know that God walks into that prison with me each week. I just loved both pieces on "angels" and "scarecrows." It is interesting that my pastor at City Church in Chattanooga, Dr. Mike Chapman, started a series this past Sunday on "The Supernatural." WOW! There is a war raging in the heavenlies, but this I know; God is with us and HE sends His angels to surround us. He also gives us faith to defeat the "straw men" - the "scarecrows" that our enemy puts in our way as an obstacle to succeeding in our assignment for God.

Dr. Betty Robbins Standifer
Chattanooga, Tennessee

As a National Board Certified Psychologist, I deal almost on a daily basis with some individual who has become "washed out" by fear and anxiety. Your insight into these problems and the compassionate application of appropriate scripture are just the prescription our modern, human "failures" need. As a pneumascriptive counselor I quote, discuss, and apply any and all relevant biblical references to their particular situation. 99% of their "sickness" is imaginary and is based on the fear of "what might happen." I enjoyed your insights on the subject and pray for the continued success of your ministry.

Ted Gee, ThD, PhD
Cleveland, Tennessee

Thanks again, Carl, for the great encouragement. I have had, as you know, a few scarecrows facing me and my family. These words are a great blessing.

Pastor Rodney Mullins
Columbus, OH

When I awakened this morning, a certain issue brought fear to my heart. Then I read your message on "Scarecrows." What a timely message!

Thank you for being used of the Lord!

Mary-Margaret Morris
Campbelltown (Sydney) Australia

Thank you for the timely study. It made my day. I shall never view "scarecrows" in the same way again.

Janet Price
Cleveland, Tennessee

I was blown away by the imagery of scarecrows as the source of unnecessary anxiety in our lives. What a revelation to me!

Dr. Paul Hudson
Seattle, Washington

Your devotional blog came at a perfect time for me. My dad is in the hospital in ICU. I know he is in God's Hands. This good word today brought strength to me. Blessings!

Anita Hughes
Cleveland, Tennessee

I didn't know just how to identify a troublesome anxiety of a fear of failure until reading "Scarecrows" today. I was blest by your emphasis on the definition of "scarecrows" as being designed to frighten us but they can do no real harm to us unless we continue to flee into anxiety. I really needed to read this today.

Evan Moriarity
Chicago, Illinois

Thanks for this message. It's refreshing and so encouraging.

Lindsey Cornett
Louisville, Kentucky

Love this. Absolutely love it! May I teach it to our students here at Peniel?

Dr. Marion Spellman
Peniel Ministries
Johnstown, PA

Thanks, Carl, a great word and you do it the best in putting a message together! What an encouraging Word!

Billy J. O'Neal
Thompsons Station, TN

Great outline. Loved the word. It really spoke to me! Blessings.

Pastor Tony Stewart
Univesity Church
Tampa, Florida

Enjoyed your article on the scarecrows! It was great!

Dr. John D. Nichols
Knoxville, TN

Enjoyed this so much and thanks. I will certainly be able to use this for a ladies mt.

Audrey C. Varnadore
Alma, GA

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