Good evening and welcome . Thank you so much for joining us this evening . It is Monday evening . Good evening and welcome . Thank you so much for joining us this evening . It is Monday evening , it is Chatterbout , it is the 27th of March and it is 5.40 . 20th to 6th here in the UK . Wherever you are across the beautiful earth , may God bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ . It's Chatterbout and we've got Mrs Chat on the other side of the table . I am the chattiest chatterbox of Chatsville .
Speaker 2It is a beautifulatsville . It is a beautiful day . It is the first proper full day of summer . It is UK time .
Speaker 1Praise the good Lord above .
Speaker 2Because the bad blocks change . Oh man , everyone goes . No , I've got to get up , but yeah , it's beautiful outside . The sun is shining , the skies are blue . Usually when we come into this room it's starting to get dark . Yeah , are blue usually when we come into this room , it's starting to get dark .
Speaker 1Yeah , sun's out , sun is out . You can see it shining through there through the studio windows . Look at that the lord is good wherever you are this evening . Thank you so much for joining us at this hour , you know , and we thank you from the bottom of our heart for sharing all these podcasts out across this beautiful earth and to everyone in the world of Puzz , buzz , sprout , spotify , amazon Music , alexa .
Speaker 2Puzz Sprout .
Speaker 1Buzz . I should say Buzz , Buzz , Buzz .
Speaker 2Buzz Sprout Spotify .
Speaker 1Oh Lord , we're tired . Are you listeners ever getting tired out there ? Because we get really tired .
Speaker 2I'm so tired , I'm so tired , you know they say that you have bags under your eyes yeah I've got like a shopping trolley under one and then one of them ones that old ladies carry .
Speaker 1No , you don't , yeah you look , all right , you look I look all right , but I'm tired , but I'm tired , right . Brother and sister , we got a word for you . We don't know where you are across the earth , but , um , we pray that you are all well and you are just trusting in the Father , the Son , the Holy Spirit . We've got a word tonight , and the word is fear .
Speaker 2Do not fear .
Speaker 1Oh , do not fear , do not fear , do not fear . Yeah , okay , yeah , do not fear what is fear ?
Speaker 2Fear is what is fear .
Speaker 1An unpleasant and strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger .
Speaker 2All right , lucian Freud , where did you get that from ? Dictionary no his name's , not Lucian Freud Dictionary .
Speaker 1I just read it out of the dictionary All right , Mr Freud .
Speaker 2Look at that . All right , Carl Jung .
Speaker 1Yeah , that was a real bit of philosophy then , wasn't it ? Yeah , An unpleasant offering strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger .
Speaker 2Yeah , actually I went to a counsellor and she said that fear is being scared of a tiger that might come into the room , but you don't know if it's actually going to come in or not .
Speaker 1That's a good way of putting it . It is , isn't it ? Yeah , fear , so it's anticipation , yeah , of overthinking of the possibles that could happen , that actually don't happen .
Speaker 2Don't happen and it's . A lot of people fear a lot of things and a lot of time and energy is wasted doing that . Because Lord , our God , says multiple times in the Bible fear , not Fear not Do not fear .
Speaker 1And brother and sister , wherever you are at this hour , we just want to take you to isaiah 41 , verse 10 , and it says so do not fear , for I am with you . Do not be dismayed , for I am your god . I will strengthen you and help you . I will uphold you with my righteous right hand . What a fun packing , powerful , superhero scripture is that one ? Do not fear , why , lord , because I am with you . How is god with us ? He's with us through the living word . He's with us in his presence . He's with us because he's omnipresent , he's in all , he's about all , he covers all and he is about all . God is everywhere . But do you find it difficult I'm asking myself and lay the same question , and anybody that's just listening to this do you find it difficult to keep in faith most of the day ? Do you find that you spend a bit of time , maybe , in fear , a bit of time in faith , or not even actually thinking about Jesus ?
Speaker 2Actually yeah .
Speaker 1It's everything , isn't it Because we're human beings ?
Speaker 2Yeah , we're human beings and we get tempted by our naughty , naughty minds . Yeah , pressure's at work , I've said many a time since Saturday , I'm trying to be Christian , but I'm trying to be Christian . But what's that ? But what's the ?
Speaker 1but . The but is life .
Speaker 2I'm not trying to be Christian , but I'm trying to be .
Speaker 1Christian . But what's that ? But what's the but I am a Christian .
Speaker 2I'm not trying to be Christian . I am a Christian , but I'm also a human being , so let's clear this up , right , so we are Christians , but we are human beings .
Speaker 1No but we are human beings ?
Speaker 2No , we are Christians and we are human beings . Yeah , okay , we are .
Speaker 1Christians and we are human beings . Yeah , okay , we are Christians . And what Christians are we ? We're John 3 , 3 . You must be born again . So let's remind ourselves that we are saved , we are blood washed , we are children of the living God . God loves us . All is well , but my mind just plays havoc with me .
Speaker 2Oh , wretched man am I .
Speaker 1Amen , and nothing can separate us from the love of god . But fear is a is a big thing at the moment , isn't it ? It's across the schools , it's across the world , it's across work . How many people are fearful of work and money ? I think a lot of people are fearful of money at the moment because it really rules , doesn't it ? It feels like it's a nasty beast it rules .
Speaker 2It's actually it's a big cause of my own fears at the moment . Worry , have I got enough ? But , also , I think I was watching the news the other day and I was like this is like plague time .
Speaker 1It really is . This is like plague time .
Speaker 2Because we've had our own plague of COVID .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2And then we've had the absolutely atrocious earthquakes . Then we're getting tsunamis , tornadoes . This week Whole towns are being flattened .
Speaker 1I see it , I couldn't believe what I was seeing .
Speaker 2And those people are the people that have been affected by those things . There's no causality for it .
Speaker 1You think the damage it's hard , I don't bear thinking about it . I know they've still got their lives and all that , but it's hard I don't bear thinking about . I know they still got their lives and all that , but it's torn their homes to pieces . It's taken their family away . It's taken all their , their pictures , their memorabilia , all that .
Speaker 2Imagine having everything wiped away from you your whole life a crazy tornado comes in , says you know um those things will molder molder and rust , so don't take them with you . But like you were saying , like you know , you've got your whole life .
Speaker 1Imagine that having your whole life taken before your eyes in a matter of a few hours , everything you've worked for , everything mortgages the lot you know there must be . People must be . That must be an awful feeling to have everything stripped away .
Speaker 2Not knowing what you're going to wear .
Speaker 1No clothing , no , your family's heirlooms and stuff . That's what I mean .
Speaker 2Every memory that you've got that's attached to a physical thing gone .
Speaker 1It must really drive people to a point of really being fearful on what is the hope and what is the future , and fear of what is People like hiding in bathtubs to try and get through that ?
Speaker 2Did you read that ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I know it can't .
Speaker 2Our faces look quite fearful . I know I'm quite fearful thinking about it .
Speaker 1Yeah exactly but but come on , do not fear . So there's a lot of things across the world , Like you said . We've got earthquakes , we've got wars , rumours of wars , We've got leaders rising up and really giving it .
Speaker 1Billy Bigfeet Nicely said Thank you , jesus , you pulled that back really nicely Billy Bigfeet dancing around their podiums giving real big , powerful well , real big speeches . So that's wars and rumours of wars . We've got plagues . We've got desolation . We've got plagues , we've got desolation . We've got children rising against parents . We've got everything under the sun that the Bible says about the last hour . So no wonder . And then you've got the governments and you've got everything that's breaking out . No wonder there is fear . Fear of what , if A lot of people are thinking , aren't they into the future ? What's Christmas going to be like ? I know we haven't just left it . God blimey , that's a bit naughty saying that wouldn't it ?
Speaker 2Yeah , come on , Leave it out . I'm just recovering from the last one . Yeah , don't , don't .
Speaker 1Financially recovering .
Speaker 2I think people have got their internal fears as well , because we've got those external things . But you know Joe Bloggs , sitting on his sofa in Bexley heath I'm gonna just pull that up yeah , he's not thinking about , maybe , what's happened in afghanistan or whatever . He's thinking about the fear of how's he gonna keep his children safe and how's he gonna pay the mortgage and how's he gonna , yes , get through the next day without crushing under the weight of his own fears , of his own personal anxieties , you know yeah , his own feelings , his own emotions , and then you've got people that are frightened to say things because they might be walking on eggshells in their lives .
Speaker 2They don't want to upset a certain person because they might what place issues ? Domestic violence incidences . We've got people that are so frightened of their own demons that they're trying to necrotize their lives , but the bible tells us bringing it back around there , see come on , bring it back that god will always be with you .
Speaker 2So even when you're in your moment of fear , he's not , probably not , going to take that , that circumstance away from you . In my mind you I've never known him to take a circumstance away from me like that no , I'm just trying to think that no , nothing's been taken away . But you will have a sense of strength .
Speaker 1Yeah , and not always get the peace that you think that you will get through it , even as a believer , even as a Bible-believing believer , knowing that Jesus is real , as you said , and as that great apostle wrote three times , I plead with the Lord that you would remove it from me . But he didn't . He said my grace is sufficient for you . So , learning to walk in grace , learning to live in grace and not live in fear and worry , it's really difficult when you live in a world that is all for itself , not for Christianity , and that's all the stuff that you said . So fear is a very big noise at the moment and it's easy to catch a bit of fear in it . It's like catching a cold .
Speaker 2How many times I know you've said this before on a Sunday in service . How many times does the Bible say in some form or another don't be afraid , do not fear 365 . That's one for every day of the year .
Speaker 1Exactly . Now , that is some not coincident , is it ? I'm doing that face ? Now , that is some not coincidental , is it ? I'm doing that face ? Look , that's not some coincidence , is it when you think about it ?
Speaker 2Because we're human beings and we fear we're fallible , aren't we ?
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2And fear drives us . Sometimes , love drives us and fear drives us .
Speaker 1They both drive at the same time really , Because you can be in a real loving relationship , loving home , and you feel home and you feel loved and you feel that . But then you've got fear from the outside world what if they stop loving me ?
Speaker 1or yeah , or , or just what ? What if I lose my job ? How many people are worried about that in the moment ? Worried , and they're working really hard and they're slaving the way to the , to the system of this economic beast that's out there that's just trying to rule us and just trying to bring us to this place of slavery . Are we slaves ? Do you think we're slaves ? Yeah , we are , aren't we ? Yeah , it hasn't been abolished has it no .
Speaker 1It's still here , isn't it ? It feels like it's really hard work . Life is really hard paying the bills .
Speaker 2It's something like 1% or 3% of the world's wealth . No 90% of the world's wealth . No 90% of the world's wealth . 90-something percent of the world's wealth is owned by a very small percentage of people .
Speaker 1Unreal .
Speaker 2And it's to those people that we are slaves . But what I find interesting in the Babel Are we talking about a Babel ? We're going to read about the Babel , isaiah no . Are we talking about a bubble ? We're talking about the bubble , isaiah . No , is that it doesn't say please don't be afraid , or please don't . Or try and think about it this way . It is an order Command .
Speaker 1Yeah , do not , it is a command Do not , do not Fear not Be not dismayed . Look at that , so do not fear . Isaiah 41 , verse 10 said do not fear , for I am with you . That's the absolute powerful statement , isn't it then , people go ? Well , we wasn't alive . Then . We didn't have the very physicality of jesus christ , we didn't have the these miracles that moses was seeing , that isaiah , we didn't have this very present , powerful god do you not sometimes right
? Sorry to interrupt .
Speaker 2Now go on do you not sometimes get that feeling like I know , when I was in church the other day and I said I feel dizzy with the presence of god , and it hit , I feel it yeah , yeah , yeah do you not sometimes get that feeling like he's there beside you and you can feel ?
Speaker 1it .
Speaker 2You can feel it Like a physical presence . You can feel it yeah . And it's like tingles tingles up and down .
Speaker 1The Holy Spirit .
Speaker 2My side An outpouring of the .
Speaker 1Holy Spirit . No , it's good to talk about it because People think you're a crank when you say things like that .
Speaker 2They do .
Speaker 1They think you're a crank when you say things like that they do . They think we're off their rocker .
Speaker 2I was talking to someone in the pub on Saturday night Like there's all this music .
Speaker 1Fifteen Stellas later , and I was talking to this girl and my friend Connie in the pub . Connie . Yeah , connie , that's a fair old name for a pub girl .
Speaker 2Yeah , she's , a good girl , she's a good girl , that's it . Music was playing . Well , that was Scar , so it was more like oh , okay , yeah , anyway , she was asking me about church and what happens and la-la-la-la-la . And when I said to her , you know , throughout the whole of COVID , I never felt really alone because I had him with me .
Speaker 1She went .
Speaker 2oh really , what do you mean ? You could see her eyes lighting up a little bit , His layer on it , but then , when I explained , and then you know , I started to come into church and then I heard the voice saying to me you better get yourself to church , girl .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2And I could see this moment of like , are you all right ? And I felt myself feeling a little bit like should I be saying this ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I know , you can touch a boundary sometimes , can't you ?
Speaker 2When you're both looking at each other going .
Speaker 1Should I say more ?
Speaker 2She's one of my close friends , so I can say whatever I like to her , and I know that she won't judge me , but big up , connie , if you're out there .
Speaker 1Big up Connie , 15 Stellas .
Speaker 2She doesn't drink Stellars , she drinks gin 15 gins . That's more like it 15 gins Connie 16 , but there you go . Yeah , there's that thing of like being afraid to talk about the more… .
Speaker 1Spiritual side of life .
Speaker 2I don't mind talking to people about my faith , I don't care about that . But the thing about saying I actually felt the presence of god standing next to me , or I or jesus , it's jesus that I feel standing next to me . If I'm honest with you , and then saying I heard god's voice , that makes me sound like you're off your nut yeah , or I worry that .
Speaker 2Uh , it makes me sound like I'm super arrogant , because who am I ? Who am I that Jesus would stand next to me and who am I that God would say in a voice that I recognised you better get yourself a church girl . And it changed my life and it brought me .
Speaker 1Yeah , it did , didn't it ? It took me round . Amazing . Yeah , you think about it . There's no press of religion , was there ? There was no press of any outside influence , no one dragging you , putting their arm up your back . It was all through the Holy Spirit . The Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit , god , was prompting you and leading you .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1And I find that absolutely amazing , that there was no prompting from any human being , no , from any human being no , no , gospel , given no arm up your back , you know ? Evangelistic tightening of the thumb screws .
Speaker 2Did you give me that 10 grand ? Put it in my account that time .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , the Lord told me to give you this . That's not true . That's not true , but that's really interesting , isn't it ? When you think how you came to faith without an evangelist , without the preaching of the gospel ? Because this is fact , isn't it when you think about it no preaching of the gospel , no evangelistic program coming in , no great preacher on the telly .
Speaker 2No .
Speaker 1When I say just that's awful to think it's just the Holy Spirit . Oh Lord , sorry , don't strike me dead . What do you like ? You had an encounter with the deity , the Father , the Son and the Holy .
Speaker 2Spirit .
Speaker 1And Jesus visited you . So that's so scripture . Jesus came to you , but even though you're born again and you're blessed and highly favoured and you're carrying this anointing and you're blessed beyond understanding and Jesus is with you , you're not an orphan , you're saved by God . All them great scriptures we still get fearful . We still get fearful , yeah , because we have a skin . Yeah , totally , and we live in this world that is driven by media and social media , and if you keep looking at social media and you get all this stuff , the news and fear is quite easily to be triggered , isn't ?
Speaker 2it , yeah , but there's also like fear of the dark or fear of spiders .
Speaker 1Oh , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2And that's I mean really . Let's put it that way . Do you know what I mean ? Okay , I'm in my house , yeah .
Speaker 1I'm on my own .
Speaker 2Yeah , massive , great spider comes crawling across the floor to me really quickly . You know the way they do , like that , and you're like at that moment , yeah , that very moment when the fear is running right up my spine and I can feel every hair on the back of my head going all the way up to my forehead , standing up on end , yeah , yeah that's the time when I have to , I have to , at that point , lean in to god so to to say all these other things about .
Speaker 2You know , I didn't feel alone . Those are deep-seated fears , but the actual terror fear . I think that's also what is being talked about .
Speaker 1It's very easy to look that we are these supernatural Christians that never get cold , that never get ill , that are always jumping up and down praising Jesus and we're always in church mode and we've got these beautiful flags waving . But the reality of being a believer is going through storms , is having phobias of . I don't like mice , I can't bear them . I don't like little rodents like that . I know a few little rats in my life .
Speaker 2Welcome little rats . I don't like moths , actually that's my fear .
Speaker 1So there's a fear , isn't there ? So is that fear the same as the fear that the Bible talks about ? Of course it is , because fear is fear , isn't it ? If you're fearful , you're fearful . If you're faithful , you're faithful .
Speaker 2And when we think about it both a phobia and the fear that we're talking about in terms of long-term fears irrational , exactly , completely irrational .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2You're never going to be attacked and eaten alive by mice . It's not going to happen .
Speaker 1I know .
Speaker 2And you're never going to be eaten by a spider or moths or moths yeah , they're never gonna suffocate me in my sleep at night . Do you know what I mean ?
Speaker 1when you think about what a human's made of . It's made of all these different emotions , yeah , and the bible says do not fear . It's a clear understanding from god . God is with us , but we are built up . Our makeup is that we might be fearful of rodents , we might be fearful of the lack of money , we might be fearful of just living . We might be fearful of so many things . I don't think that there can be a real , true Bible-believing believer that can actually categorically say I don't have no fears . Because if someone says that to me , excuse me , but I think that you're not telling the truth . Yeah , you're not human , because the only one that didn't fear was jesus , the only one that wasn't fearful was jesus , because when you look at the disciples , all of them had experiences of betrayal , upset , fears , doubts .
Speaker 1They was human being .
Speaker 2Jesus said his moment of fear in the garden .
Speaker 1Well , true , you could say that , but was it fear , I suppose you could say , because he was sweating droplets like blood . So was that anxiety ? But then you look at anxiety and you look at fear , and you look at all this stuff . He was a man though , the man Christ Jesus At that point he was a man , and the Bible says that he's experienced everything , every feeling , every emotion . So yeah , of course . So there are many people that live on the edge of their nerves , don't they ?
Speaker 2Yeah , anticipating of what's going to happen or something . But then what Jesus proves to you in that garden experience is that he had that moment of fear , but he was obedient to God's command yeah . God commands be strong and courageous . Oh , there's a banger , joshua , joshua One nine Boom . Have I not commanded you ?
Speaker 1I've told you son .
Speaker 2Be strong and courageous , do not be frightened , do not be dismayed , because the Lord , your God , is with you wherever you go .
Speaker 1He's with us wherever we go . But the big but that we've removed the but out of tonight's conversation . When you look at all the characters in the Bible , every one of them obviously was in the 66 books we are on the outside of the 66 books . It was written that was their life happening . They was experienced Christ , they was experienced the Holy Spirit , they was experienced the . They was experienced christ , that was experienced the holy spirit , that was experienced . The book was being written about them for them .
Speaker 2Model things on our lives , though , isn't ?
Speaker 1it . So for us on the other side of the cross , I think it's it's so harder for now , for where we live , to be a christian than what it was back then . Because if you look at the disciples , they had him for three years but even so they still didn't believe . But they had the autonomy , they had this body , christ . They had this physical man , jesus christ . They could look at him , they could eyeball him , they could walk with him , they could they see miracles .
Speaker 1But for us , but only in that small corner of only in a small little corner of the world , yeah , of the world , in a small corner of the , only in a small little corner of their life . The world , yeah , yeah Of the world .
Speaker 2Only in a small corner of the world . You think the rest of the world , people that were waking ? Up thinking there's something else going on here .
Speaker 1But the spring of Christianity came out of them 12 and out of the book of Acts . So they was the nucleus , they was the hub , they was the center pin of everything . So they had . What was it like to actually look at the physical Jesus ? Oh , stop .
Speaker 2Stop it .
Speaker 1You know , it melts my heart . You know , it does when you think they had the physical Jesus , they had this man , they had this great talker , they had this great thinker , this great person , this person beyond human understanding , that he was the daddy of daddies , he is our father , he is everything , he is everything .
But they still was fearful .
Speaker 2Of him .
Speaker 1Well , just life .
Speaker 2Was he human yeah ?
Speaker 1So even when they went fishing at night , it said they went fishing .
Speaker 2Oh yeah .
Speaker 1And they was on the boat and they said is it a ghost ?
Speaker 2I'm just going to go off for a minute . I'm off down to the garage .
Speaker 1Just going to get another scratch card boys ? No , he didn't gamble .
Speaker 2No , sorry Jesus he went down to go and get a four-pack of Monster Monster . Because he wanted to stay up . No , monster the caffeine drink . Because he wanted to stay up .
Speaker 1So he's on it .
Speaker 2So he went down to the garage to go and get a four pack of Monster and a copy of the Guardian .
Speaker 1He's got to read the Guardian , hasn't he ?
Speaker 2He's got to read the Guardian , because he's the saviour .
Speaker 1He redeems us oh , come on .
Speaker 2What's going on ? He's going to get like a solar light , because they always have those down there , don't they ?
Speaker 1Yeah , they'll have a solar light .
Speaker 2please A screen scraper and some Maltesers .
Speaker 1Would Jesus have driven a transit ? Yeah , because if you think he was a carpenter .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1If you think Jesus , well , not think . The scripture tells us that he come from a carpenter's family , a building background , all that sort . Come from a carpenter's family , a building background , all that sort of stuff . They just had probably a little old car on an awesome .
Speaker 2Now they I reckon he would have had a really beat up old range rover yeah , he could have done , not a land rover because they're posh no range rover . Range rover one that has the exhaust going up the side of the front window yeah , yeah , yeah , running all the devils over and and mud all up the windows . Yeah , have that .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah . I wonder if he would have paid for petrol , because he makes petrol , he makes all that . I ain't going to the garage at night , mum , but Jesus , you've got to get some fuel in the morning . Hang on , mum , she's filled , yeah .
Speaker 2With the Holy Spirit .
Speaker 1With the Holy Spirit , with the Holy Spirit , he's running on the high-octane spiritual powers .
Speaker 1Goodness gracious me . So the scripture says do not fear . So Jesus was fearful . The Bible says he was sweating droplets of blood . God tells us very clearly . And Jesus said to those on the lake do not be afraid , you know it is I . And that disciple said Lord , if it's you , tell me to come to you and I will walk to you . It is I . So even the disciple , the moments , them glimmers , them , handful of heartbeats . He jumped out of the boat . He began to walk on water . Imagine that .
Speaker 2Imagine it , though .
Speaker 1Imagine it , you're like whoa , oh , I'm doing it , I'm doing it , I'm doing it , I'm doing it .
Speaker 2I'm really doing it . I'm really doing it , I'm really doing it . Four steps Am I doing this ? How am I doing this ? That's it . It's the how .
Speaker 1How Imagine that ? The question and he walked .
Speaker 2That question , the command of God .
Speaker 1A human being walked on water . You know , you've got the magicians that do it across the Thames , ain't you ? You've got all those .
Speaker 2What's his name ?
Speaker 1Dynamo , dynamo , dynamo , with probably glass under the house .
Speaker 2Quality , though Quality , it's good . I do like illusions . I do like illusions . Come on Illusions .
Speaker 1You wouldn't know what he's walking on something . Exactly he ain't got no super juice .
Speaker 2You won't know Jesus .
Speaker 1He ain't got pumped up trainers that keep him floating .
Speaker 1He could be walking on synchronised swimmers underneath and they're just putting their hands up or dolphins Maybe he's got a load of dolphins over there . So when you think about , jesus called that disciple . The disciple jumped out of the boat . He kept his eyes on Jesus . He walked and walked and walked and then suddenly his eyes came off of Jesus and he looked at the elements of life that is for us today .
Speaker 1We look at the elements of life because we do walk on water , because we are walking by faith , and the Bible says that the devil is under our feet . You know , you've got the power and the strength to trample on the great lion and the cobra and everything . You know . The devil is under our feet , strength to trample on the great lion and the cobra and everything you know . The devil is under our feet . But when we look at the tide of life and the storms of life , very easily we drop into fear . We drop into fear , we drop into this place of fearful thinking , fearful attitude , anticipating . Hang on a minute , I'm walking on water . What if ? What if ? What if ? It's the question in what if ?
Speaker 2what if ? What if ? What if it's the ?
Speaker 1questioning yeah , what if the buts , what if the maybes , what if ? What am I doing ? What's going on ? So over-anticipating , over-thinking , over-engineering life will automatically bring fear in , because we're trying to navigate our way through and you can't navigate your way through , you've got to go by faith . Faith will bring peace . You know , perfect love drives out all fear .
Speaker 2Gorgeous .
Speaker 1We love that , don't we ? One of my favourites , we absolutely love that I love that one .
Speaker 2Oh , it touches my heart . Listen to this one .
Speaker 1Go , go , go go .
Speaker 2Because it relates to what you just said .
Speaker 1Go Gadget .
Speaker 2Go go Gadget , go gadget proverbs .
Speaker 1Proverbs 29 25 .
Speaker 2The fear of man lays a snare , but whoever trusts in their lord is safe proverbs . What that is proverbs 29 25 .
Speaker 1Proverbs 29 25 .
Speaker 2Read it again , let's have it the fear of man lays a snare , but whoever trusts in the lord is safe . I like that .
Speaker 1Let's just rest in that a minute .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1Let's just think about that , just read that first section . The fear of man lays a snare . So the fear of man , the fear of governments , the fear of life , the fear of work , the fear of life in general , it lays a snare out for us , to trap , us , Trap . Oh God , how trapped are we that ?
Speaker 2lames you , doesn't ? It Hobbles you yeah . That's the kind of snare they're talking about and it restricts your stretch as a human being .
Speaker 1Yeah , we wasn't created to be muzzled like a dog . Oh , oh easy , that's getting rough . You know , we're freedom . We're freedom when the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty . You know he wasn't created to be kept in a box and to be who the Son sets free . He's free indeed . Yeah , Amazing stuff . But what we have done ? We have created a fearful world . We have created it . We have created all this stuff . Humanity has created a place of fear .
Speaker 2It's very difficult to break free of that though I'm not being funny Unless you go off of the… .
Speaker 1How can you , how can you break free of society ?
Speaker 2Go and live on a Scottish island that hasn't got any electricity .
Speaker 1Yeah , but when you think about it , you've got to have money , haven't you ? So you think of life… no , because you could be self-sufficient . Okay , but yeah , all right . Okay , I see what you're saying , but to get to that position , you've really got to have super rich parents , or literally just… You've got to have been gifted something , been gifted something To reach a position of complete self-sufficiency , relying on no one , but like out in the wild in a log cabin or somewhere .
Speaker 1What would that feel like to know that you're not a slave to the system and you ain't got to get the work , you ain't got to pay the rent , you ain't got to pay the mortgage , you ain't got the poll tax a shoe in front of you . You'd be knackered .
Speaker 2You would , wouldn't you ? Yeah , because you're like got to get up , got to clean the sump , got to go and sort out the generator and make sure that it's got this . Go and fight the bear . Got to sharpen the axe so I can chop the wood .
Speaker 1Oh , but you're going to .
Speaker 2The bear .
Speaker 1Chop in the wood . Chop in the wood . I've got to go and Chop in the wood , catch some food . A complete different lifestyle , wouldn't it ?
Speaker 2Yeah , but then you know , before we had things like the wheel , there were cultures that did that , but they put their gods into the trees and the nature and the this and the that .
Speaker 1Yeah gods of the forest .
Speaker 2So imagine being that kind of self-sufficient , having that kind of self-sufficiency like , for example , the Native American Indians . Yeah yeah , but also having God .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's interesting the Native Indians , isn't it , when you think about their freedom , that they have so indigenous right out in the middle of nowhere just living free , sitting around the fire at night .
Speaker 2Well , they hoped to , until the Westerners came over and went . No , no We'll no , no . We'll have that Anyway .
Speaker 1We'll take that . We'll have your feathers .
Speaker 2Fear not little flock .
Speaker 1Look at that , Fear not little flock Luke 12 , 32 .
Speaker 2Little flock , yeah , luke 12 , 32 . Come on , that's a great text . Fear not little flock , for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom .
Speaker 1It's great . I love the scripture . I am someone that loves all these scriptures .
Speaker 2I've got a big smile on my face .
Speaker 1Massive smile , but I'm going to bring a but in Go on . But we've got to transfer the reading from our ear gate , our eye gate , actually to our lifestyle .
Speaker 2I know , I just like the fear , not little flock . I'll be honest with you Because it makes me feel like he's my shepherd . He is , and what does a shepherd do he ?
Speaker 1shaves the sheep he takes care of the 99 . Of course he does , yeah .
Speaker 2Takes care . If one is missing , he's going to find you and he's going to bring you down , and and he's going to find you and he's going to bring you down .
Speaker 1He'll stop everything else and bring you and find you and look after you and take care of you . He is our shepherd . But we are living in a very fast , a very fluid , a very brutal , a nasty I would say quite a dangerous culture within the UK .
Speaker 2I'd say there's a lot of things happening in this nation that are good , but I'd say there's a lot of things happening in England that are really dark and bleak , when you think of the majority of people that I know are atheists , have different spiritual beliefs , some are of a different faith , but that's quite rare as well . Yeah , so would it be fair to say and I'm asking this question , I'm not asserting this , but actually we live in more of a pagan nation now .
Speaker 1Do you know what I mean ? We've got a pagan nation .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1It's a nation of everything , isn't it ?
Speaker 2Yeah , it's like a washing machine of religions . Yeah .
Speaker 1I don't even like calling them religions to a degree , do you ? It's difficult how to label it , doesn't it really ?
Speaker 2Yeah , because paganism is a religion in itself . It is yeah .
Speaker 1Druids . You know , when you look at all that everything that's going on , all the witchcraft , wicca . I've done a funeral today . I took a funeral service today and in the funeral service , after I'd done all that , a lady come up to me and went oh , I'm a witch and she's having a conversation with me as if it's just like normal sort of practice .
Speaker 2Yeah , one of my friends is a wicker .
Speaker 1And you're talking away and all that , and I was just listening . A wicker , a wicker , yeah , and I know quite a few actually .
Speaker 2Wickers are basket . Certain places I work Wickers are faith .
Speaker 1Yes , yeah , yeah , yeah . Certain places that I work there are a few there and other places I know , and they are around more than we actually understand . It's not this Harry Potter stuff , you know what I mean . It's actually real life . People are practicing witches , black magic , all this stuff . So we are living in a very oppressive spiritual place For Christians . Yeah , for Christians . Yeah , for Christians . Yeah , everyone else thinks that they've got it right . That sounds awful to say , doesn't it ?
Speaker 2Everybody thinks they've got it right and they think that we think that we've got it right . That's the thing . But fact is .
Speaker 1I know I've got it right . I know that I've got it right and that sounds really arrogant , but they'll say the same thing .
Speaker 2They'll say the same thing . They'll say I know that .
Speaker 1I've got it right . No , but the big but , because we can bring a but in . There's no other religion , there's no other faith that has a book like we got , Our book , our book .
Speaker 2There's no other faith that redeems people in the way that ours does .
Speaker 1Our book tells you history Washes your car , washes your clean , washes your clean , yeah .
Speaker 2Is there another ? I don't know this . Is there another ? Faith that washes you clean in this way . No , no other faith .
Speaker 1You don't have a faith leader that has gone to a brutal death , that has given . There's no father that has given his son as a sacrifice to die for the whole world . When you look centred on love , you might find a couple of strange , wobbly ones where there's been some crazy person and something's gone wrong and it's all gone crackers , you know , like that thing out in America are you talking about the Tory party ? I'm talking about the Tory party , I'm talking about all of them . They're all nutty , you know what I mean , so you will find very possible .
Speaker 2There are other political parties Just saying that . Sorry to interrupt .
Speaker 1No , it's all right Not interrupting . It's just general chat , isn't it ? Chat about ,
chat about , chat about chat about . But I think it's important to understand , as a christian , the bible that we have has been written over thousands of years . It's not been written by man . Now they go oh yes , it is , but it's holy spirit inspired . There is a complete and absolute difference in every scripture that you find .
Speaker 1Man was used as the instrument and , as man was being used as the instrument , god was writing his script yeah , that just blows my mind when you think about , because the , the people that we read about , they was actually living their life , but their lives were already written about and they was walking this journey that they thought they was in charging . But everything , everything this , every step , every footstep they was walking in , was carved out for them because the book had told us . And so when you look at their lives , the craziness of it , look at the profits , the price some of them profits Well , I'm not kidding you , you would have locked them up today because I was off their rocker . I'm not kidding you , you would have locked them up today because they were off their rocker . They were ostracized , put aside .
Speaker 2Fear .
Speaker 1Fear . So fear is a big thing . So many other religions use the fear button to get people in Truth .
Speaker 2You're going to go to hell if you don't .
Speaker 1Yeah , or some other form .
Speaker 2You're going to have to be reincarnated a thousand times , unless you .
Speaker 1Or they use the fear of if you don't marry me through this arranged marriage , you'll be out on the street . So , basically , people use religion for and you always find that it's never the women's way around , it's always the man . The man is always winning in religion and the women are always the second class . Not even that . You know so you . So you look at it . So why ? Why would man always want to be up the front doing it's not when you think god created man and woman and they both was in the garden and they both was there and the bible tells very , very clear .
Speaker 1So when you look at all that , and we understand what the scripture says about men and women as individuals , but you won't find the scripture or where god tells you to put a woman down . No , he , absolutely . That is just not written in the script .
Speaker 1That is not in the scripture , that is not around , but so fear . So you've got fear of the world and you've got many people that are in fearful religions . And they're in that religion not because they're having a spiritual encounter , but because they are fearful of what the order and what the leaders are saying . So fear is across the whole earth . It is a .
Speaker 2It's happening in Iran . You know those women .
Speaker 1Oh damn me .
Speaker 2Women that are in fear of expressing themselves .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2Because of religion .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2Tells them that they have to be a certain way . It's like what , what ? I don't get it . I just don't get what . I don't get it , I just don't get it , I just don't get it .
Speaker 1So fear drives women to go into a religion because of what the man is going to do , because of the fear of what ? The fear of their life . Yeah , the fear of their life , absolutely . We're coming to the end of this one . Well , we haven't even took off on . On isaiah 40 , verse 10 , it says so do not fear , for I am with you . I love that jesus is with you if you are fearful .
Speaker 1We understand what it's like to be worried about money . We understand what it's worried to be about , worried about work . We understand what it's like just to worry for the sake of worrying . And sometimes we worry and we anticipate and we , we , we have our lives road mapped out in front of us and if we don't hit these marker points in our mind , we worry about it , when actually the life that we've got in our mind is not always the life that is expected of us to live . So when we don't hit these markers , these areas of our lives , we start to worry . Work is a worry , life is a worry , relationships are a worry . Have I got enough money to get the car to work this week ? I was talking to a gentleman yesterday outside the church and he said cool . I went in a certain sandwich shop and he said I'll have a coffee and a sandwich and it cost nine quid . And he went . I worried I was going to pay for it . Yeah , in london he works in town .
Speaker 1So there's worry and fear and how am I going to pay for that ? Am I going to ? I've got to pay for it . Yeah , In London he works in town . So there's worry and fear . How am I going to pay for that ? How am I going to pay ? I've got to pay for that . That's like a tenner out my pocket .
Speaker 2It's like I think people are walking around like , and their feet are treading out rhythms of fear . It's like constantly questioning and doubting how , why , if , how , why , what ? Constantly . But how , why , if , how , why , what , constantly . But the thing that we've talked about today is that those questions . If you question God , if you question the Lord , he's commanding you . He's commanding you . Yeah , like , do not fear , it's not a choice . If you just go into on Google .
Speaker 1Google .
Speaker 2Google and you just put in what does the Bible say about ? Do not fear . I urge you to do it . If you're in a fearful situation , I urge you to do it because it just commands you all the way throughout Do not fear .
Speaker 1Do not fear . Do not fear .
Speaker 2Why are you afraid ? Do not be afraid .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2Constantly as you said 365 ways to say don't be afraid so what is the remedy ?
Speaker 1the remedy is Jesus . We get that .
Speaker 2I love that the remedy is Jesus . The remedy is Jesus .
Speaker 1The remedy , the redemption . He is the redeeming king . So the remedy is Jesus . He is the way , the truth and the light . It's easy to say all these scriptures and I can hear everybody going yeah , we say them , we know that , but I've got to live differently . The only way we can do this is coming into complete surrender , and that is another difficult thing to surrender yourself to Jesus .
Speaker 2Trusting sorry , my tummy's rumbling , but trusting as well that God will find a way for you .
Speaker 1He will find a way .
Speaker 2It might be not the way that you expect .
Speaker 1And that's another fear . People are fearful of change . Yeah , change , fearful of change , fearful of life , you know , and we've got to be encouragers , we've got to encourage each other to keep pressing in . You know the scripture that comes to my mind we spoke about earlier . The scripture says perfect love drives out all fear . So God drives out all fear . So god drives out all fear . But I've got to be in him to win it . I've got to be in him to win him . I've got to be in it , I've got to be in jesus . How do we get into jesus ? Scripture every day , every moment . It's scripture . It's scripture . It's scripture reading and listening , praying and walking and trusting and just having a conversation with jesus .
Speaker 2Not putting your head in the sand . No , not putting your head in the sand and going don't worry , it'll be all right .
Speaker 1But just knowing God will resolve this for me . Yeah , that's right . God will resolve this for me , god will make this way for me .
Speaker 2If the resolution is , I'm going to learn a lesson from it and then I will find my own way out of it . That is God showing you a way out of it . Yes , right , you know he's not going to sweep the things that you're afraid of away , no , but it will give you the strength to be able to learn your own way through them sometimes .
Speaker 1The great writer of the New Testament . We come to a close . The great writer of the New Testament was in a storm and he was on a boat , a big vessel . He was a prisoner . He was going to see the law . He was at Saul 14 days , 14 nights and the furious no , sorry , he was at more . Let's say more than that , but the storm was for 14 days , 14 nights . They couldn't see anything . It was absolutely horrific for them . But an angel came and stood in the middle of the boat , spoke to Paul . Now you would automatically think that God will go let's take him off that vessel , let's calm the storm . He didn't . The angel dropped in right in the center point of it all , spoke to him and said you will reach your destination .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1You will reach your destination . Do not fear . Hold tight and then just disappeared . That's what I mean . So God doesn't take all this life stuff away . He strengthens us in the situation and if anyone is out there listening that is worried about how do I know god is strengthening me ? Read the scripture . Just read and read and read la , we're done , you're going to take us out I'm going to go back to asaya , asaya 41 , 13
.
Speaker 2So three verses later come on , let's have him , for I the the Lord , your God , hold your right hand . It is I who say to you fear not , I am the one who helps you .
Speaker 1Praise God . What do ?
Speaker 2we say about that .
Speaker 1God is good . All is fluffy . Now it's time to get out of here . Get a slim , fast kebab . You know , I'm born again . Get me out of here . I'm born again . Get me out of here . I'm born again . Get us out of here . Wherever you are across the earth , may god bless you and touch your heart . Do not fear , do not be dismayed , for I am the lord , thy god , and I am with you wherever you go . He is with us . Let's live in faith . God bless . We thank you so much . Take care and everybody across the world , the thousands of downloads across this beautiful malteser that we walk in . God is with you , hold tight , god bless .
Speaker 2Thank you for listening to Ealing Church from this latest podcast . You can find us on Buzzsprout , Spotify , Apple Music , iHeartRadio , Google Play , Alexa , Mixcloud , Facebook , Instagram and YouTube .