FAITH or FEAR?

THE CHOICE IS OURS! 

It's good news week,

Someone dropped a bomb somewhere contaminating atmosphere

and blackening the sky.

It's good news week,

Someone's found a way to give

the rotting dead a will to live, go on and never die....

These are the opening words of a one-hit wonder song from 1965 called "It's Good News Week" by British band Hedgehoppers Anonymous
                        

                                                                            OR

                                                

Or, who can remember the classic hit from Barry McGuire in 1965 called "Eve Of Destruction" - 

The eastern world, it is explodin', violence flarin', bullets loadin', 

You're old enough to kill, but not for votin',

You don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin'

And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin'

But you tell me over and over and over again my friend

Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say?

Can't you see the fear that I'm feeling today?

If the button is pushed, there's no running away

There'll be none to save with the world in a grave

Take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy

But you tell me over and over and over again my friend

Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction....

The 1960's was a tumultuous time with the Vietnam War looming large on the landscape throughout the decade. Early in the sixties, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a cause for much fear and foreboding. This was the time of the Cold War.

Fast forward some almost sixty years to 2021, as we enter the third decade of the twenty-first century and Guess What? The world news is still not only bad, but it is getting worse. The threat of communism, although seemingly abating with the dismantling, at least figuratively of the Iron Curtain and the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the literal dismantling of the Berlin Wall - is now shadowing Western democracies with a rising tide of Marxist/ Socialist activism often disguised as Social Action. One of the most recent and disturbing examples of this has been the fraudulent election of Joe Biden, a Democrat with a Socialist antiChrist agenda to the position of President, Commander-in-Chief in the United States, with the Chinese Communist Party allegedly up to their teeth in financial pay-offs to the Democrat vote-rigging enterprise.

The world over the last twelve months has been reeling from the China virus, known as COVID-19 or the Coronavirus, ostensibly manufactured in a lab in the city of Wuhan in China and exported to the world. Sadly, just when we thought the threat of this virus was waning, several mutations have arisen, which some have claimed are more concerning than the original COVID-19.

The scourge of the evil ideology of radical Islam has taken prominence as the major protagonist threatening world peace, even though Islam is touted by its followers as a religion of peace. Peace, to the Muslim at least to the radical Muslim, is submission to Allah, their false God - forced conversion or death to the infidel as the alternative. Oh, what peace!?!?

Perhaps what should be an even greater cause for fear is the god of Political Correctness that the majority (it seems) of our politicians and media and Big Business elites bow down to, bending over backwards to not offend Muslims and the other radical main player today, the LGBTQI lobby , who are waging a relentless war against the nuclear family unit, headed by a mother and a father, as in woman and man. Ultimately, this is a demonically inspired war on Christians and the eternal unchanging Word of the Living God. As the apostle Paul proclaimed in Romans 1, the sin of homosexuality is "exchanging the truth of God for the lie, and worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions (homosexual practice). END OF STORY!

Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Living God, speaking prophetically of the times in which we are living, said in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24: "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many, and you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

Then you will be arrested, persecuted and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. Matthew 24:4-14                                                                                                            New Living Translation

For the true Christian, a modern day disciple of Christ, who is fully trusting in the wholly Holy Spirit- inspired Word of God as his or her manual for living, this is not a time to 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 that JESUS IS LORD to the glory of God the Father.

The Christian is not to fear man or circumstance. I LOVE what Jodie Hughes, who with her husband, Ben head up "Pour It Out Ministries." says. Through many years of physical illness with serious bowel disorders, while all the while ministering life and healing in Jesus' name to thousands of people touched by their ministry, when she was tempted to give in to fear, the Holy Spirit spoke to her clearly one day while taking a shower and said: "FEAR IS NOT THE PROPHET OF YOUR LIFE!" Wow, that's powerful!

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 to our 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 pavillion;

                                                                         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 of Jesus, who died on the Cross of Calvary and rose triumphant from the grave, and ascended in victory over hell and death to be seated at the right hand of the Father, to ever live to make intercession for the saints -the true followers of the Lord, soldiers of the Cross who walk by faith, knowing that their lives are in His hands.

I don't know about you, but I want to be part of that army of believers who runs to the battle, and not away from it in cringing fear - but full of faith in the One who is able to "rescue me from every evil attack, and bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Tim.4:18 NIV

If you want to know more about how to become a Christian and have your life transformed by the love and power of the God who sent His Son, Jesus to die for your sins on the Cross, and who triumphantly rose again, go to www.vision.org.au This is the online home of Vision Christian Media. Click on the Grow your faith tab, then from the dropdown menu, click on "Looking for God?" God Bless!

 

A NEW YEAR, A NEW DAY

A NEW BEGINNING, A NEW WAY 

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea

And a path through the mighty waters,

Who brings forth the chariot and the horse,

The army and the power

(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;

They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):

Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert.

The beast of the field will honour Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I give waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My people, My chosen.

This people I have formed for Myself,

They shall declare My praise.            Isaiah 43:16-21 NKJV

As of writing, the first three weeks of 2021 have almost passed, with Christmas 2020 just a memory. The year 2020 will always be remembered for being the year of the Corona virus and the challenges that brought to nations of the world. Those challenges are still ongoing.

As is the case every year, many, no doubt, made New Year's resolutions, with some of those being already discarded and dispatched to either the too-hard basket, or the "Whatever" realm of non-resolve.

Like all of us, I have had "good intentions" in the past concerning things in my world that I know need to change. Someone has said: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. One of those things is probably near the top of the list of resolutions at this time of the year for many people - to lose weight. I would like to think that this year, 2021 is going to be the year when this goal is fulfilled with significant benefit to my health and well-being.

    Thank God that every day can be a new day with new opportunities to grow closer to Jesus, to break off and shake off the shackles of the past, and to begin to walk in new freedom and purpose. The Lord's ways for His people are ALWAYS onwards and upwards. We are admonished by the apostle Paul to "redeem the time, because the days are evil." I just recently turned seventy, and more than ever, I am realizing that we are only here for a short time, and I don't want to waste the opportunities God has given me to serve Him, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and bearing much fruit for His kingdom. Sometime early last year, a lady at our church fellowship one morning came to me and said prophetically: "No retirement for you, Peter." I was encouraged, because sometimes I feel that ministry-wise, my life could have been much more fruitful for the Lord than it has been. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

    The past, with its highs and lows, victories and defeats, seasons of growth, and those of stagnation - is gone, and gone forever. Today is a new day! This is a new year. With the Lord's help, we want to make this the best year of our lives - so far! I believe the Lord is calling my wife, Tessa and I to a new level of trust in Him this year, but with a greater sense of expectancy for what He is going to do in and through us to bring greater glory to His name. The same sense that we believe God is saying this to us, is the same that we believe He is speaking to all who would truly want to follow Him in the journey of life!

In the early chapters of the Book of Joshua, after forty years of wandering in the wilderness, because of their disobedience under the leadership of Moses, Joshua lead the children of Israel over the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, the Promise Land. Joshua, who had been known as the servant of Moses, now became the servant of the LORD to lead the people forth into the land of promise.

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 

"Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.'"

So it was, after three days, the officers went through the camp;

and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

"Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before. Joshua 1:10,11; 3:2-4 NKJV

In essence, the children of Israel were told to POSITION THEMSELVES so that the LORD could lead them in a new way! He is saying the same to each of us who would follow Him into this new year. There is much land spiritually to be taken for the Kingdom of God, as we position ourselves to be led forth as an army with banners proclaiming JESUS IS LORD, and the Word of God is the unchanging Truth which must not be allowed to be compromised in the name of Political Correctness! 

A NEW YEAR, A NEW DAY, A NEW BEGINNING, A NEW WAY!

Keep your eyes on the prize! Look to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1,2

    This year, we are blazing a trail for Jesus. Where I have allowed compromise in my life, I am saying NO MORE! Compromise is the language of the devil.

We are in a spiritual battle for the future of our families, our nation and the nations of the world. The darkness is increasing all around us! This has been highlighted so vividly by the battle for the soul of America in recent months following the November 3, 2020 Presidential election. The massive extent of fraud, lies and criminal sabotage of the electoral integrity of this election has left the nation reeling, with massive cover-ups and demonically-fuelled denials. BUT GOD! The prayers and intercessions of millions of Christians around the world will see the enemy fully exposed and TRUTH will prevail!