Author: MikeBain

Traffic lights vaccination targets Vaccination passports, open borders, freedom, and free speech.

There is a lot going on in little old New Zealand now.

So, I thought it was right time to suggest we cancel Christmas.

Now this is a decision I have thought about for a few years, so I haven’t taken it lightly.

Every year we Christians ask what the reason for the season is, and every time we answer that Jesus is the reason.

But ask someone who is from a secular background and their answer will be a lot different.

It will feature time spent with families, presents and holidays.

All good reasons but they miss the point.

Christmas Day along with Easter are deeply rooted as traditional Christian holidays based on traditional and theological Christian beliefs.

My reason I want to cancel Christmas is not so much of being a grinch but being realistic.

The 2019 statistics showed a belief in God by the population has diminished to less than 39%.

But then in that figure is a lot of other beliefs like Eastern religions and the Church of the Spaghetti Eating Monster and let’s not forget the Jedis who number around 20,000.

Christmas is a time when the country stops to rest, but unfortunately not to reflect.

If it did then most people would reflect on what and why Christmas and the birth of Christ is so important.

I can hear somebody saying but didn’t Constantine combine a pagan festival in with Christmas.

Yes, that is true, but Christmas is and always will be about the birth of Jesus.

I want to see the Christmas holiday scrapped for non-believers.

After all we are no longer a Christian nation so why should the majority take the day off work.

Why should they have the gifts of giving and receiving, why should they be able to sit down and enjoy a meal and time together.

Why because these things are traditional, and an effort to go through the motions for just one day.

But everything I have spoken about is an integral part of what God has given us.

We reflect God’s grace in giving out of love.

But can we confidently say most people on Christmas Day will think on these things.

Will parents explain to their children about Jesus, about Mary, about Joseph, the angels the shepherds the wise men about the virgin birth about our Father in heaven?

You would hope they would but sad to say, it would go against the grain of those who do not believe.

But here’s the thing, if the government cancelled Christmas (and its possible because this is the same government who took Jesus out of the parliamentary prayer) as it is no longer relevant to the beliefs and the culture of New Zealand.

A Nation which rejects God

I wonder if it would be accepted or would there be an outcry.

• Yes, Jesus is the reason for the season,
• without him he could not have impacted the world,
•  he could not have died for our sins,
• he could not have risen to sit at the right hand of God,
• he could not come again and reclaim this earth for what it is- God Creation
• and establish his kingdom.

Amen

In today’s fear inspired society I am reminded of the story in the bible of Esther.

There she was the queen, in a privileged position with her own people under threat of annihilation.

For Esther to speak out about the injustices proposed upon the Jewish race at the time, would have meant two things.

She would reveal to her King, her true identity and secondly may suffer at the hands of those forces who were besieging the Jews at the time.

I am reminded of the words of Mordechai to his niece Esther.

^{Esther 14} For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.

Like Esther you have come to this position for a time such as this.

This is our time, and as Christians our voice should not waiver.

The church in New Zealand is not broken but under threat of annihilation.

New Zealand does not need a new brand of religion.

It need’s the one thing that only God’s word can give it -the unchangeable, unchanging truth of God.

Like Mordecai, I am calling on the many timid church leaders who have caved – conforming to this world to speak against the tyranny which is enveloping this country and most of all return to teaching the truth about Gods word. 

Pastors maybe under a lot of pressure to tell people what they want to hear as their congregations aren’t always interested in what God says.

We must stop confusing God’s patience with His approval and preach with conviction from the pulpits again— “as dying men to dying men”.

We do not need hesitancy in our pulpits but strong leadership and united churches in this country to rise.

Can you hear them?

Just listen and you will hear the drums beating as the call to battle grows louder.

The peace and unity of this nation founded on Christian values of things like have love for one another is changing as forces attempt to divide it.

You and I have heard the cry from some “This nation is under attack”

Even some pastors are waking up to the fact that society is changing, and they now need to speak up, take some action, even join forces.

The question is from whom, from whom does the attack come.

It’s not like we have an army camped on our borders, ready to take control of the population.

If there is an attack and I agree there is an attack on the Freedoms of everyday New Zealanders with the vaccination passport.

But if there is an attack, it came with our own hands.

Like the apostles who accompanied Jesus to the garden of Gethsemane New Zealand has been asleep.

The apostles only woke when the soldiers came for Jesus.

Remember Peter pulled out his sword and cut of a soldier’s ear.

Our church leaders like the apostles, are now awakening, but dazed because some have been in denial and were not prepared for what suddenly came upon them.

But from the moment the soldier’s arrived to arrest Jesus, judgement had begun.

Our nation has been under attack for decades but in our good old kiwi way of she’ll be right has allowed attacks for decades, on families, on life, and the very foundation of New Zealand society

We opened the door and let the devil in and now it’s too late.

We must accept that this nation, New Zealand, is under judgement.

Not sure? check out Paul’s description of a nation under judgement in Romans 1

“What’s our message to this nation?”.

from today we must learn how to conduct ourselves as a minority, in a majority post-Christian era.

We must look and ask what faithfulness looks like in New Zealand, understand why it lost its way, – accept our nation is under the judgement of God

 To those pastors, and servants of God, to those who shepherd and to those who make up the church of God. To those who have been sleeping I say, “Wake Up” and strengthen what remains.

The battle for this nation is not over, we must not give up on fighting for the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens.

The drums are beating for freedom but choose your battle.

Some things are worth fighting for, others are not.

Remember Peter drew his sword.

And then Jesus told him to put it down.

This fight we are in is not a physical fight,

It is a spiritual fight not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

But if you are going to be prepared like Peter was, if you are going to draw your sword and go into battle then make it count.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand.

For our master, Jesus Christ is coming back soon.

And we need to be prepared for his return.

Look up my friends, look up for this is where your salvation is coming from.

By its very nature, cancel culture is joyless and lifeless.

It is built on negativity, criticism, and fault-finding.

 In the long term, it cannot be sustained.

Cancel culture produces death rather than life and fear rather than faith, stifling creativity and suffocating free expression.

As expressed by John Cleese of Monty Python fame, “I mean, if you’re going to come out with something really interesting artistically it’s going to come out of your unconscious, and if you’re having to edit everything you say before you say it then nothing it going to happen creatively—and also things that are rather lovely and funny in ordinary conversation, they’re not going to happen either, because everybody’s thinking ‘Ooh, somebody might [be offended]’.“

The latest intended victim of cancel culture is Clint Eastwood, based on a joke he made back in 1973—yes, 1973—during the Academy Awards.

As reported on Fox News, “The clip in question comes from the 1973 Academy Awards in which actor Marlon Brando famously refused to accept his award for best actor in The Godfather.

Instead he sent a Native American activist on stage to lament Hollywood’s treatment of American Indians by the film industry.”

The activist, Sacheen Littlefeather, explained his reasons as being a protest regarding the treatment of American Indians then by the film industry, and on television in movie reruns.

When Eastwood came to the podium to present another award, he quipped, “I don’t know if I should present this award, on behalf of all the cowboys shot in all the John Ford Westerns over the years.”

And for that, Eastwood has now been targeted (not that he will care, especially at this stage of life).

To be sure, our treatment of Native Americans over the centuries has often been shameful.

And without a doubt, there has often been a stereotyped, negative portrayal of them in movies, especially in past decades.

But to make an issue out of a joke Eastwood cracked in 1973 is to put the absurdity of cancel culture on full display.

That’s America for you, but what about New Zealand.

How long will it be before someone cancels our country’s much-loved comedian Billy T James and his portrayals of both Māori and Pakeha.

What about David Mc Phail, Jon Gadsby or Ginette McDonald for their past characters.

Today, jokes can’t be funny, lest someone be offended, whereas, for centuries, the offense was understood as part of the joke, as we all laughed at ourselves.

And there can be no nuance in a message, lest someone misunderstand the meaning, thereby putting everyone in fear of saying one wrong word.

Today, one cannot tread too carefully, which will result in smaller and smaller circles being drawn until only the tiniest, super-elite segment remains in good standing.

The key to overcoming this stifling, suffocating atmosphere is to reject the superior moral standing of these elitists, telling the few that we, the many, will not be intimidated or manipulated by them.

For our part, as followers of Jesus, it is love that compels us to honour and respect others and to interact graciously with those with whom we differ.

We would never intentionally insult someone or cause them pain or shame.

And if we have a blind spot, wouldn’t we want someone to point that out and help us to grow in sensitivity.

But I will not, for one moment, bow to a suffocating ideology that cancels and destroys all dissenters and silences all dissent. Neither should you.

And along the way, remember to smile. And laugh. It will do you good

Although 9000 plus episodes have been made of an American TV show called the price is right we have never seen it in New Zealand.

But the title “The Price is Right intrigues me because when you consider life, everything comes with a price.

Let me give you an example, when we were kids we learn the value of negotiation from the moment we sat in the high chair and your mum tried to give you brussels sprouts or something equally repulsive.

Mouths firmly closed we weren’t going to open them until the price was right.

This required parents to perform, and they did and still do with silly things like playing the game where the spoon was a choo choo train or an aero plane.

And this behavior continued as we grew up.

Whether you like it or not, you will be prepared to consider anything if the price is right.

I said consider because there are things I just would not do.

Uh uh, like lie in a box and allow cockroaches to crawl all over my face.

That’s a bridge too far for me, but for some, they do it.

Having worked a part of my life in marketing I know people will do just about anything, if the price is right.

Watching the New Zealand governments attempt to increase the number of Covid vaccinations where incentives were offered particularly for the Super Saturday event was a great example.

With all the messaging leading up to this event, what was it that coerced 130 plus thousands to go have a vaccination on this day?

Simple answer: The price was right.

For many the price was right whether it was a sausage, free KFC, or watching the director General of Health do a dance.

Now look I am not making judgement, just making an observation.

What we must ask ourselves is, What is my price?

You see Satan the Devil will tempt you, and tempt you and tempt you until you give in.

Look I’m easy, a bar of chocolate for the little things.

Yes, you can laugh. But think for a moment of the words of Jesus in Luke 16 who said if we can be faithful in small things, will be faithful in large ones.

And it is the little things we give into when it comes to temptation.

But like all things, the little block of chocolate, graduates to not so small things, and eventually you ender up lying in a box with cockroaches crawling over your face, you wonder how come you came so far.

Remember, we all have a price, so don’t beat yourself up about it because even those closest to Jesus had a price.

For Peter to deny Jesus three times, Satan found his price.

For Judas we know it was just thirty pieces of silver.

For God, to save you and I, he knew what he had to pay.

He gave his one and only Son.

So, I ask again, do you have a price which is right today.

What is it you are doing in your life which is not right before God?

What price would you pay to continue to live in this world.

A former chair of the United Nations Henri Spakk was reported in saying following WW2, the nations are ready to give the kingdoms of the world to any one man who will offer us a solution to the world’s problems.

What will be the price we will be willing to accept for these things?

For me, forget the chocolate bars I like the price offered in the Bible.

You know like in that Tv Show when the compere calls down a member from the audience to play “The Price is Right.”

I’m waiting for Jesus to do the opposite, call me up into the clouds so I can look towards the prize of eternal life.

That’s when the price is right.

One of the best pieces of news to have been reported by the media has been the decrease for a second year in the rates of suicides in this country.

A recent article in the NZ herald reported in the past year nationally there was a drop from 628 to 607.

While we can celebrate the drop in numbers 607 lives lost is still quite disturbing.

Many organisations have been set up to provide aid for this area of health.

It’s a bit like a merry go round each year as we hear of the lack of funding provided for mental health, alternate governments continue to throw money at the problem but when you still see 607 people in this country opt out of life -then the money is not the answer.

I’m not a psychologist counsellor therapist or even in the medical field, but even I can see the issue.

For every person who has committed suicide there is just one common denominator.

Whatever the reason, thy have considered that their life is no longer worth living.

You may ask yourself, why is that?

Let me just share a couple of thoughts with you on the answer.

In today’s culture, there are many things in life which sets us apart things we are encouraged to achieve like the numbers of friends we have, our jobs, our income and the list-well it’s a long one.

But there is nothing on the list which should give us confidence in who we are.

Each and every one of us is unique, we are special, and we have been fearfully and wonderfully made by our creator.

There, right there in the first chapter of the bible is our answer.

In Genesis 1 we read So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

In Jeremiah for I know the plans I have for you,” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Philippians 4 -God promises he will give us the strength to get through for us to conquer.

These are just some of the scriptures in the book of life – The Bible.

And yet we still see people especially young ones opting out.

Why remains the question.

Here is the answer in part.

Young people do not know God like we do.

Young people were taught as a part of the school curriculum about God, but not now.

They see church as an institution which should be consigned to history.

You see if they knew who God is.

If they knew they were made in his image.

They would know how special they are.

We can spend millions of dollars looking for the answers to suicide.

But if you look at the graphs over the years and look to where the increase started, I am pretty sure it will be obvious.

When God was taken out of the school curriculum.

When the internet along with social media came into this country you will see.

So, what can we do about it?

Proverbs 22: Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.

Deuteronomy 4 emphasises the need to Teach your children the way of the lord

 In the book of psalm, Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the book of Acts, Romans, Timothy, in fact all through the bible we are commanded to teach our children about God.

We need to make them know we love them.

We need to make them know GOD loves them.

We need to make them know they are special because God made them in his image.

We won’t, we can’t save everyone from committing suicide.

But we can try.  

If you are worried about your or someone else’s mental health, then you need to get some help.

Can I suggest prayer is always the answer but ensure you get help from your GP or local mental health provider?

However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.

 WHERE TO GET HELP:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 or 09 5222 999 within Auckland (available 24/7)
• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 ,free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat.

Trends which usually start overseas eventually come to New Zealand

You would be correct If for a minute you think this country is upside down

But then that would depend on from what angle you are looking at it.

If you have a left leaning to the left of the politically or biblically spectrum, everything is ok.

But what happens if you’re on the opposite side of the spectrum, then the world isn’t ok.

Regardless of what generation you relate to, you will note how many trends have shaped our ideals, politics, lifestyle choices, fashion, music right down to what gender we think they are.

In my public talks called When a Nation Forgets God, I have often spoken about the revolutions I have noted in my short time on earth.

For those who are interested I am proud to call myself “a boomer”

One of the biggest revolutions had nothing to do with communism or even Elvis Presley hmm well maybe Elvis did play a part.

Culture always changes gradually but, in the fifties, when the world came out of the second world war, we witnessed a rapid societal change.

Dare I say it but, us boomers wanted freedom and fought for it with our protests, love ins anti-war stances.

But the biggest impact from that revolution came when we wanted sexual freedom.

Who knew what we as a generation started because we wanted to be unshackled from the restraints of the previous generations?

With hindsight we can look back at the huge impact of brought about by a pharmaceutical breakthrough, the contraception pill, causing a huge moral shift as the doors were flung opened, for what we are experiencing today.

It was called a sexual revolution in the sixties with its casual sex, permeating into STDs, unwanted children, and no-fault divorces.

 People didn’t want to go to church on Sundays to hear their pastors’ reproaching sermons about their unrestrained lust. So, they stopped listening.

By the seventies, the revolution continues turning to one founded  liberation and in the 80s it became all about rights.

Which brings us to the new lifestyle we see here in 2021.

This new lifestyle is potpourri of ideas about life, gender, and culture.

But it’s also about intolerance.

For those on the right of the spectrum, there is much intolerance towards these new lifestyles.

Yes, I can hear you say, you sound just like my parents did back in the day.

But back in the day, we listened to both sides of the debate.

Today we are expected to accept the changes, and no one wants to discuss the rights or wrongs.

You see those who are of more liberal and of the left persuasion are now in control and they won’t tolerate the opposite sides intolerance.

Regardless of the evidence put before them their thinking is correct, and everyone should just accept it and get on.

But for those who will not conform they will be mocked, they will be harassed, excluded, even discriminated against.

You can see this trend happening in your own neighbourhood.

For a quiet life, It would be easy for a Christian to give in, that’s what they and the devil wants

After all no one really wants to be persecuted for a viewpoint do they.

So while our landscape is changing rapidly before our eyes, we as Christians must be wary that we don’t accept anything, even if it’s a small thing, which is against the teachings of the Bible.

Dare I say it, but the Boomer generation allowed itself to be sucked in by the ruler of this world. when they cast all morality to one side.

They stopped listening to God, instead they listened to anyone who had an alternate rhetoric.

And these opinions and political postures grew from this revolution in the decades of the sixties, seventies, and eighties and continue to where we are at today.

They have been divisive in all walks of life

Worst of all for some, it has caused great division between mankind and his creator.

We here in New Zealand now  live in a divided nation

Ephesians 6 the apostle Paul says our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

We must recognise who it is, who has control of this world.

The ideology of rewriting history is not helpful to those who follow as it distorts the lessons of life.

Heed King Solomons words in Proverbs:  Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.

Further on in Ezekiel 13: its Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

Let’s not foolishly be enslaved to the trends of this world.

Let’s not be foolish and get caught up with the ways of the wicked.

For the sake of your generation, we must learn from the follies and mistakes of previous generations as we look toward the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ.

Over the past decade in various presentations around the country, we here at Christian Voice New Zealand have been calling for the church of this country to have a united voice.

As the culture grows darker and people from all aspects of society question the future direction of this country with its new laws, its losses in freedom, possibly losses of jobs and segregation, we are looking for leadership.

We know Satan will soon fill the void left by our political leaders, but in the meantime, I continue the call on the church to be the salt who can influence our culture and to be lighting the way forward.

Why those who oppose God, Christianity, Democracy and Freedom are changing the face of society comes down to one thing. – organisation.

They are united, they are organized in their beliefs and so to put it into practice is easy when the side you want to take down is so disorganized.

Don’t get me wrong there are dissenting voices, but it sounds like a lonely dog howling at the moon.

There are many moral issues we expected the lead to be taken by the church over the years.

Things like Abortion, Homosexuality, Euthanasia, Hate speech, Critical Race Theory and the latest on Conversion Therapy.

Yes, the church had its chance to speak, and it was dismissed.

The reason is obvious when you look at what has happened.

All submissions on these subjects go before a parliamentary select committee.

But while that committee hears the voice of many Christians, and the family lobby groups, they are confused, hearing differing viewpoints and biblical interpretations, rather than a united voice.

You see unlike those proponents of the bill who are united, well organized, and set on a goal, the church is the opposite.

So what is the church offering as an alternative, it’s not a united voice, its not a united stand and its certainly not in some cases, biblically backed.

If I were to describe the various submissions could sound like the voice of Babel.

Full of different interpretations, mixed messaging, and a lack of direction.

The latest census indicates around 36% of New Zealanders hold a belief in a higher authority.

Whilst the number is dropping it’s still a significant number and if united who knows what we can achieve.

Jesus in the third book of Mark says If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.(

The church should stay United as the apostle Paul in his first letter to the congregational leadership of Corinth encouraged all amongst them to agree with one another, that there be no divisions among them but to be perfectly united in mind and thought. (1Cor:1)

God even said to Moses about unity when he said:” five of you will  chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, your enemies will fall by the sword before you” (Lev.26:8) 

Despite the numbers of differing churches, practicing diffing strands of religion they are united in one belief is that God exist, and the bible is the truth, but there must be unity in a secular sense.

We have seen in recent times where there is an appetite from opponents of God to come after individual lobby groups church leaders and church organisations with regards to tax exemptions and status.

Like the wolf preying on a flock, these opponents will pick of the churches who are outside of the group, those who stray and are independent.

I would encourage church elders and other leaders to look towards Christian organisations such as the New Zealand Christian Network as an example of unity, one voice, one direction.

 We as Christians need to stop the babble, we need to encourage our leadership, our pastors, to put aside their differences and to speak with one voice.

Paul told the Corinthians “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts forms one body, so it is with Christ.” (1Cor:10)

I want to ask you a strange question.

What does KFC and the apostle Paul have in common?

In the Bible we know Paul was subjected to lockdown, but I don’t think he ever got to a level 3 lockdown – you know Level 4 with KFC.

No that wasn’t it.

Back when KFC was first introduced it was called Kentucky Fried Chicken.

But as the world became more food conscience, Fried food was nolonger acceptable

So the Kentucky Fried Chicken altered its name to KFC.

Oddly enough, it was still fried chicken.

So, what does this have to do with the apostle Paul.

Paul was first introduced in the Bible as Saul.

After his Damascus revelation, it was an event in the life of Saul which led him to cease persecuting early Christians and to become a follower of Jesus.

In Romans 1 Saul introduces himself as Paul a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.

This significant step in Pauls life was an acknowledgement he had left behind Saul and became Paul.

This wasn’t just a name change like KFC, this was a whole new direction.

Paul acknowledged himself as a bondservant.

Why is this so important

In the time of the New Testament, a bondservant could refer at times to someone who voluntarily served others.

In most cases, however, the term referred to a person in a permanent role of service.

A bondservant was considered the property of a Roman citizen.

But Saul, who became Paul, had made it clear and understood as a bond servant he had no right to leave his place of service.

The importance of referring to himself as bondservant should not be overlooked.

Despite proclaiming a message of freedom from sin in Jesus Christ, Paul dedicated himself to Jesus as his one and only master. -one he could consider leaving.

So why is this so important to us today.

Saul who was Paul,in changing his identity did so, not just in name, but in his life direction.

I’m not suggesting you change your name, but like Paul when you make the conversion from non-believer to believer, you make a similar commitment to God.

You are as the bible says a disciple of Jesus and like Paul, there is an expectation that you will both love the lord and work tirelessly for his forthcoming kingdom.

You see when you become known as a Christian, you have signalled to the world you have changed the direction in your life.

We can all be like Kentucky Fried Chicken; we can put up a new title on our lives.

No matter how they dress it up-KFC is still fried chicken.

We as Christians need to act and be confident that people will see the change.

We must be like Saul when he became Paul, no one saw Saul the persecutor, they just saw Paul the apostle.

The question is often asked about how the German population in the 1930s were so gullible to support the Nazi party who went onto kill millions of people in the second world war.

We should say, not every German was supportive, but dissenting voices were quietened either by imprisonment or by death.

The German people at the time were swept up in a furore by Adolf Hitler who was saying to a destitute nation what they wanted to hear.

Hitler told them what they wanted to hear.

He would make Germany great again and this became music to a destitute population and economically ruined nation.

What culminated was frenzied and terrified nation, they were spurred on by Hitler’s persuasive words.

Even the children of Germany became swept along with the tide joining up to Hitler Youth.

But the German people haven’t been the only nation swept along by the tide of public thinking and persuasive words.

Think back to when the ruler over Judea in Jesus time Pontius Pilate put the freedom of Jesus to the mob alongside of the anarchist Barabbas.

The cry to free Jesus was drowned out by the majority who immediately chanted Free Barabbas.

History is filled with scenarios where the fate of someone’s life was influenced by the crowd such as in the Roman Colosseum.

Fast forward today, in today’s sporting colosseums we see a similar scenario where we urge a team or individual to beat the opposition.

Yes, it can be just a game, maybe a political rally but the intensity of some crowds becomes frightening, especially if you are cheering on the opposition.

Have you ever been in a situation where you shout for your team but have felt intimidated by the crowd and you go silent or end up cheering for their team?

This is what it was like for the people of Germany, for some, self-preservation was to turn a blind eye to what was going on.

Even the church did so.

Today in New Zealand we see division in our society perpetuated by those who use persuasive words to suit their own agendas.

We’ve witnessed it in race, equality, science, gender and now we see it in the current health issues.

I neither agree or disagree with a recent protest regarding the rights of Freedom in this country.

But I am saddened to see the effects of mob rule insisting Police prosecute the organiser of the rally which took place at the Auckland Domain.

As a country despite the numbers of abuse cases towards children resulting in deaths, we have never seen such an outpouring of venom and hatred towards the individual concerned.

The 130,000 plus who signed the petition in just a few days, were not directly affected by the protest, possibly never will.

But we asked earlier how the people of Germany could be swept up by the furore of the Nazi Party

How could the people decide to let go Barabbas over Jesus?

Its simple the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

The saying the devil looks after its own is true in this case.

But as a Christian should we indulge in the rule of the mob?

In 1 Samuel 17: we are told the battle is the lords but sometimes it is our duty as followers of Christ to call out that, which is not right, just and unacceptable practices to the Lord  such as abortion or Euthanasia or other things which are morally wrong.

In Nazi Germany the prominent Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemoller welcomed the Nazis like everyone around him, but he emerged as an outspoken foe of the nazi regime and speak out the wrongs he saw, he was too late.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

We need to find the balance in these changing times when people are being swept up in all sorts of causes.

But Persecution for Christians as we have seen in this country is just around the corner.

So today I want to encourage you to look up to where your salvation comes from.

Strengthen what remains and I encourage you to dig into God’s word, to encourage you to digest and understand what it is that God wants and requires from you.