Life Matters - June 7, 2026

‘’He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.’ (Psalm 112:7) The Lord gave me this verse about 2 weeks of mornings ago upon facing the need for a colonoscopy after answering our nurse daughter Katrina’s questions when I asked for health advice. I was barely done answering her last question when she was already on the phonecalling for a doctor’s appointment. Turns out she may well have saved my life. Moral of the story: know the symptoms of suspected health issues and when you have symptoms don’t let them go too long. 

Fear is a natural response to the sensing of danger, at which moment our brain naturally and immediately goes into fight or flight mode, most of the time a needed, at times a life-saving,reaction. Still, absent of any other stabilizing influence, fear has and will cause some very unpleasant repercussions and unreasonable reactions. In extreme situations fear may even bring about a hopeless giving up of freedom in order to maintain at least a semblance of sane, even if cowering, existence. 

Fear without God is a horrifying experience that I don’t wish on anybody. Or perhaps I do. Because living without God and with no fear is indeed a horribly hopeless situation in which to meet one’s end. A horrifyingly fearful way to face death. I should know. I’ve been there. I’ll spare you the gory details but it was with another guy’s fingers clamping my throat shut until I passed out. For this wild teenager who prided himself in being fearless the experience was desperate with a raw naked fear. So no, I don’t wish that on anybody. 

What I do, however, wish on everybody, even pray for, is the fear of facing an eternity without Christ. Eternity so hopeless as to be beyond realistic description by words alone. It must be sensed or experienced. God has given us the ability to sense things in our understanding so that we don’t have to experience everything horrible in order to gain at least somewhat of an understanding that in turn steers us away from the horrific state of such a hopeless, Christless, eternity. 

Because, in this realm of time, in the hopeless ‘valley of Achor’ God offers us freely the door of hope. (Joshua ch. 7 - Hosea 2:15) It is not God’s will that any should perish but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. The ‘valley of Achor’, being the surrender of our own pride, arrogance, greed, selfishness, lust, and whatever other vice known to man and pushed onward by demons, is a hopeless place to be in itself. But God…but God in that hopeless vale offers the door of hope, Jesus Christ our Lord and only Savior to wash our sins away in his own blood by which we are cleansed, even made righteous in His sight. That is a conversion of heart, soul, mind, and strength that I do wish on everybody. It is deliverance to the bound, liberty to the captives, balm to the weary soul, healing for the bruised, a sound mind to the spiritually insane, eternal life to the spiritual dead. 

Fearing the demise of our natural bodies, in its proper place, serves us well in the material realm, causing us to avoid unreasonably dangerous situations, to recoil from the hot stove, the boiling water, the rushing train, raging flood waters, hail, earthquakes, and tornadoes, a list without any claim of being exhaustive as the dangers to material life indeed appear to be endless. 

Fearing the demise of our natural bodies, however, in its improper place, is what gives fear-mongering its momentum. From Jihadi terrorism to ‘climate change’ terrorism – formerly known as ‘global warming’ – to ruthless dictators, despots, emperors, and kings, the use of fear has been a useful weapon in mad scrambles for ultimate power. The Answer to such fears…The Answer to the breaking of fear’s stronghold power is a heart, mind, and life committed, a heart that is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Fear has no power over such fearlessness. Because Jesus Lives! Jehovah God did, does, and will have ultimate power. 

Jehovah God is our God of the Bible. Allah god is god of the Koran. The distinctions of Jehovah God and Allah god should be obvious to all by now. Muhammad and Jesus, both the championed leaders of a religious book, are diametrical opposites; Pastor Martin Sedra, a former Muslim now a Christian, puts it succinctly when he points out distinct differences in Jesus and Muhammad, some of which I have listed below;  

Muhammad said ‘kill the infidels’. — Jesus said ‘love your enemies’.

Muhammad before he died said ‘may Allah curse the Jews and the Christians’. — Jesus said ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do’.

Muhammad fought 84 wars and raids in a 12 year span. — Jesus rebuked his disciples for wanting to start a war in a city that rejected him.

Muhammad had eleven wives and sex slaves. — Jesus had no wives. He honored women. He protected. Women loved Jesus because he was holy and pure in every interaction.

Muhammad married a 6 year old girl – had sex when she was 9. — Children ran up to Jesus. You must be very meek, humble, and loving for children to run up to you in ancient times.

Even extra-Biblical evidence has recorded Jesus being crucified under Pontius Pilate. Jesus healed the sick – walked on water – quieted the stormy seas – raised the dead – was crucified – his rising again was verified by many witnesses – Jesus ascended to heaven with the promise of his second coming being given us to this day. He will come again!

Jesus Lives!

Life Matters!