Time to stop living in fear

There’s a good proportion of us, New Zealanders who have stopped breathing into our facemasks and putting up with foggy glasses are starting to see what is happening both at home and abroad.

At home we’re living with a huge increase in the cost of living, we have concerns over our economic future, we’re worried about the decreasing state of our health, education, and welfare systems, the growing divide between the races, increases in gang related crime, housing shortages, empty shelves at the supermarket, climate change. Security concerns of Chinese military based in the Pacific. And on it goes.

We hear daily reports from abroad about the war in Ukraine, the ongoing pandemic, the downturn in the world’s economy, the escalation of power the world economic forum, the removal of sovereignty from countries, the rights of the individual, food shortages, transport hold ups, climate change, and political instability.

Yeah Nah, nothing has really changed since the beginning of the Pandemic.

Well, that is not quite true.

Prior to the pandemic we had things happening at home and abroad which were out of our control.

Some of us raised an eyebrow of concern but really that was it.

But since 2020 we have been taught a new thing by the very people who are there to serve and protect us.

We have learned how-to live-in fear.

Statements like kids if you don’t wear a mask nanna and grandads’ going to die.

If you’re not vaccinated, Covid is waiting for you just outside your door.

And let’s not give credit to the modellers, for getting it wrong, Covid is going to account for the lives of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens.

You need to be vaccinated to save yourself, you need to be boosted again and again.

Nanna and Grandad are still alive.

Every time I went out the back door I looked, but all I saw was the neighbour’s cat and I’m sure his name wasn’t Covid.

Almost everybody is still here, even the unvaccinated.

Many have had Covid and yes, some people fatally succumbed to it, in fact, someone watching this today may have, had or going to have it tomorrow.

While I don’t mean to be flippant about the pandemic, but I look at the millions of dollars poured into “keeping us safe,” but to be fair after two years are we not over it.

Fear is the biggest tool this government has in abundance in its toolbox.

Thomas Jefferson said when the people fear their government, there is tyranny, but when the government fears the people there is liberty.

Where do you believe New Zealand is today?

Governments aided by the media need to keep the population in fear, it’s true, look at how we came out of the pandemic and straight into headlines about rising sea levels.

I hear you if you’re living on the coast, not much has really changed since you moved there.

And there’s the distressful war in the Ukraine, but before Covid wasn’t there a long running war in Afghanistan.

Before Covid did we not have growing crime because of gangs.

The management of multiple ram-raided retailer Huffer, reckon Auckland was no longer a safe place, has it ever been?

Do we need to live in fear?

The answer is both yes but no.

The yes is we need to have a certain amount of fear as a safety mechanism for things like spiders in the bath, clowns, balloons, open and closed spaces, heights, dark, light and I can put my hand up to being in fearful of my dentist, not so much the treatment, but being turned down for the mortgage I must have approved to pay him.

But while these are minor fears, it is both wrong and immoral governments like they have done forever they have no right to unnecessarily exacerbate and heighten the level of fear for its citizens.

Franklin Roosevelt said there is nothing to fear but, fear itself.

A look through the pages of history you can read about how people rightfully lived in fear other nations or tribes, there were the plagues, even back in Jesus’s day people rightly feared the Roman Empire.

When asked about the signs of the last days, Jesus told his apostles about some things which will cause us fear today.

He spoke about war, natural disasters, how we will be deceived, a time when truth and integrity would be in short supply, when we would see a major rise in people and leaders who would lead us astray, when we would be hungry because there isn’t enough food, a time when plagues will take their toll on many, and death may be a better alternative than life.

He spoke about things which hold us together like the destruction of the family, about how we will accept false teachings into our churches and schools. and a time when we won’t even value ourselves.

What! Why is this all coming and, in most cases, happened.

In the bible book of Judges, we read about a time when there were no judges in the land everybody was doing what was right in their own eyes.

And this is what everyone who doesn’t have God in their lives is doing

People are living with the idea they have nobody or higher authority to answer to.

There’s a couple of well-known instances in the bible where people thought that.

If I mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah or what about the days of Noah before the flood.

These were times where nobody had any fear.

If we are to be afraid and be fearful in our lives

The fear we feel should not be hinged on things we cannot control but should cantered on the things we can.

For example, our families, our community, and our country.

It’s good to am afraid, it’s natural, and at times because of it – it can be lifesaving.

But there is a type of fear we should have.

It’s what is known as reverential fear

Reverential fear is the type a child has towards their parents, fear of displeasing them, likewise each one of us should have this reverential fear towards the creator of this earth, the God of heavens.

It’s a frightening government who uses fear to control its people.

But Jesus said we should not fear the things we hear in the world.

He said, about those Know that when you see the twigs on a tree start to grow you know summer is near and likewise when you hear of these things then know, the son of man draws near.

All those things from home and abroad I mentioned will all pale into significance.

Today I am encouraging you to open your bible and read.

You will soon find out there is no need to fear what is happening in the world,

Like a parent draws their frightened youngsters to their bosom when the skies let loose with rain, thunder, and lightening.

Come to an understanding of why you should have a reverential fear of God.

After all he is your saviour, let him draw you nearby.

Let him draw you into his bosom

Let him be your protector from the things you fear.

Psalmist said in chapter 60 “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.”