😄FAITH OR FEAR?😓
THE CHOICE IS OURS!
(Continued)
On January 20, 2015, the then President of the United States, Barack Obama in his State Of The Union address famously, or maybe infamously stated: "Climate Change is the greatest threat to future generations". There may well be readers of this blog who firmly believe the "science" being promoted by governments and politicians particularly of the left leaning variety around the world - that we are in a "climate emergency" and that, without drastic measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions, particularly the 'dreaded' CO2, the planet is doomed - with the most vocal proponents of this climate hysteria telling us the planet has only twelve years left before we face annihilation.
Thanks to high profile climate alarmists such as Al Gore, former Democratic Presidential candidate, scientists like Australian Professor Tim Flannery, and currently the star performer of the climate alarmist hysterics, Swedish teenager, Greta Thunberg, millions of people, especially young people and children - are being filled with fear and anxiety for the future. Greta herself has said that the governments of the world have stolen her future because of their inaction on climate change.
She has been quoted as saying that she "can see carbon dioxide with her eyes". As a committed Bible believing Christian I firmly believe there is a real adversary whom the Bible calls the Devil or Satan, whose aim is to "steal, kill and destroy" humanity. He is also called by Jesus "the father of lies." It is my contention that Greta Thunberg has been greatly deceived by people with an underlying evil agenda, using her as a vulnerable mouthpiece for this sinister climate fearmongering campaign - a campaign which has proven very effective in mobilizing millions of frightened and impressionable children and young adults who see the Doomsday Clock clicking with the fate of humankind solely in the hands of those who would take responsibility for reducing the climate emergency protagonist, CO2.
Greta Thunberg was named Time magazine's "Person Of The Year" for 2019, and just recently has been named as a candidate for the coveted Nobel Peace Prize for this year, 2020. I, along with many others would see this as being somewhat ironic, that a young girl who has, by her actions and rhetoric instilled fear and anxiety in millions around the world - should be nominated for a "Peace" prize. She is not a purveyor of peace, sadly! Having said the above, though, about Greta Thunberg, as a Christian I would pray she discovers the truth, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Truth personified and is wonderfully set free from her own misguided anxieties. As Jesus Himself said in John 8:31,32 " If you continue in My Word, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Or as the Director of the Bible College in Lower Hutt, New Zealand I attended in the seventies used to say:"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall be in you a liberating force!"
Carbon dioxide is essential for life. It is not a noxious gas that is on a quest to destroy the world through climate extremes. Australia's output of CO2 is about one percent of the world's output, which is really miniscule and the percentage of the atmosphere that contains this gas is also minute. Throughout history, there have been changes in climate extremes over time. As the Bible says in Genesis 8:22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
As I mentioned in my first part of this blog theme, recently the world has been put on high alert by health authorities because of the outbreak of a respiratory virus, dubbed Coronavirus, because of the appearance of the virus under electron microscopes. This is causing thousands of people in China to be infected, developing pneumonia type infections, with a significant number of deaths - the numbers of which vary according to who is reporting it. One Chinese billionaire has been quoted as saying numbers are much higher than official figures from the government sources - as much as in excess of 1 million infected, with 50,000 deaths.
Fortunately, numbers infected outside of China remain relatively low - although the fear factor has grown due to media reports. I was somewhat surprised a couple of weeks ago to visit our local pharmacy here in southern Tasmania, where a notice was placed on the front counter stating that they had sold out of face masks and hand sanitizer. At this point in time, there is no threat to public health from Coronavirus in Tasmania.
For the true Christian - a modern day disciple of Christ, who takes the Bible, the wholly Holy Spirit inspired Word of the Living God as his manual for living - this is not a time for fear, for giving in to dread or terror. This is the time we have been born for, when the world is in the deepest darkness, we as part of the Body of Christ, the Christian Church have been called and equipped to shine like the stars in the universe, to march forth as an army with banners, proclaiming Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
The Christian is not to fear man or circumstance. We are to fear God and Him only - Godly fear, being reverent awe of the one who has saved us from Satan's realm of darkness that we might be bearers of Light, drawing the lost, fearful and those without hope to our loving Saviour.
King David boldly proclaimed in Psalm 27:
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me
In this I will be confident.
For in the time of trouble,
He shall hide me in his pavilion;
In the secret place of his tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock. (vs 1,3,5)
The prophet Isaiah wrote encouraging the people of God:
The Lord of hosts, Him shall you hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread. Isaiah 8:13
Again in Isaiah 35:3,4, the prophet writes:
Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are fearful hearted,
"Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you."
God is calling forth an army of worshipping warriors, who are full of faith in the Living God, whose lives have been ransomed from the clutches of hell by the blood Jesus. His death on the Cross of Calvary and triumphant resurrection from the grave three days later, ascending in victory over all the powers of death and hell to be seated at the right hand of the Father should cause all who follow Jesus to raise a victory shout of praise - knowing that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for the saints. As true followers of the Lord, soldiers of the cross, we can be fully assured that our lives are in His hands.
I don't know about you, but I want to be a part of the army of believers who runs to the battle, and not away from it in cringing fear, full of faith and boldness - fully trusting the One who is able to "rescue me from every evil attack, and bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18 NIV
Greta Thunberg was named Time magazine's "Person Of The Year" for 2019, and just recently has been named as a candidate for the coveted Nobel Peace Prize for this year, 2020. I, along with many others would see this as being somewhat ironic, that a young girl who has, by her actions and rhetoric instilled fear and anxiety in millions around the world - should be nominated for a "Peace" prize. She is not a purveyor of peace, sadly! Having said the above, though, about Greta Thunberg, as a Christian I would pray she discovers the truth, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Truth personified and is wonderfully set free from her own misguided anxieties. As Jesus Himself said in John 8:31,32 " If you continue in My Word, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Or as the Director of the Bible College in Lower Hutt, New Zealand I attended in the seventies used to say:"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall be in you a liberating force!"
Carbon dioxide is essential for life. It is not a noxious gas that is on a quest to destroy the world through climate extremes. Australia's output of CO2 is about one percent of the world's output, which is really miniscule and the percentage of the atmosphere that contains this gas is also minute. Throughout history, there have been changes in climate extremes over time. As the Bible says in Genesis 8:22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
As I mentioned in my first part of this blog theme, recently the world has been put on high alert by health authorities because of the outbreak of a respiratory virus, dubbed Coronavirus, because of the appearance of the virus under electron microscopes. This is causing thousands of people in China to be infected, developing pneumonia type infections, with a significant number of deaths - the numbers of which vary according to who is reporting it. One Chinese billionaire has been quoted as saying numbers are much higher than official figures from the government sources - as much as in excess of 1 million infected, with 50,000 deaths.
Fortunately, numbers infected outside of China remain relatively low - although the fear factor has grown due to media reports. I was somewhat surprised a couple of weeks ago to visit our local pharmacy here in southern Tasmania, where a notice was placed on the front counter stating that they had sold out of face masks and hand sanitizer. At this point in time, there is no threat to public health from Coronavirus in Tasmania.
For the true Christian - a modern day disciple of Christ, who takes the Bible, the wholly Holy Spirit inspired Word of the Living God as his manual for living - this is not a time for fear, for giving in to dread or terror. This is the time we have been born for, when the world is in the deepest darkness, we as part of the Body of Christ, the Christian Church have been called and equipped to shine like the stars in the universe, to march forth as an army with banners, proclaiming Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
The Christian is not to fear man or circumstance. We are to fear God and Him only - Godly fear, being reverent awe of the one who has saved us from Satan's realm of darkness that we might be bearers of Light, drawing the lost, fearful and those without hope to our loving Saviour.
King David boldly proclaimed in Psalm 27:
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me
In this I will be confident.
For in the time of trouble,
He shall hide me in his pavilion;
In the secret place of his tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock. (vs 1,3,5)
The prophet Isaiah wrote encouraging the people of God:
The Lord of hosts, Him shall you hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread. Isaiah 8:13
Again in Isaiah 35:3,4, the prophet writes:
Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are fearful hearted,
"Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you."
God is calling forth an army of worshipping warriors, who are full of faith in the Living God, whose lives have been ransomed from the clutches of hell by the blood Jesus. His death on the Cross of Calvary and triumphant resurrection from the grave three days later, ascending in victory over all the powers of death and hell to be seated at the right hand of the Father should cause all who follow Jesus to raise a victory shout of praise - knowing that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for the saints. As true followers of the Lord, soldiers of the cross, we can be fully assured that our lives are in His hands.
I don't know about you, but I want to be a part of the army of believers who runs to the battle, and not away from it in cringing fear, full of faith and boldness - fully trusting the One who is able to "rescue me from every evil attack, and bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18 NIV
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