FROM THE TOP
LELAND ACKER chreporter@mediactr.com
What scares you most? Is it something you fear may happen to your children? Is it war? Death? Disease? The internet? Identity theft? Economic depression? The Democratic or Republican party? Rush Limbaugh? Al Franken? The prospect of another Al Gore movie?

We live in scary times. We are afraid of predators attacking our children. We are afraid of war... true war, hitting us at home. We are afraid of terrorism. We are afraid of losing the war in Iraq and possibly Iran. We fear nuclear terror.

Mainly, what we fear is the unknown. We fear what the future might hold, if the dynamic of our lifestyle is altered.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

Those who doubt the deity of Jesus Christ would do well to keep reading that same chapter, when he says, "Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom."

This is discussing a war where two warring nations draw their neighbors into the conflict until the entire world is at war. Such has happened twice in the past 100 years, and was predicted by Jesus 2,000 years ago. So, what does this have to do with our fear?

Jesus said, "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars." This kind of describes life today, doesn't it?

Everyday, we hear of war in Iraq and sometimes we even get a story from Afghanistan.

Then Congress is deliberating whether they should limit the President's war powers against Iran. Yep! There's the rumor of war. What's North Korea up to these days, anyway?

But Jesus said, "See that ye be not troubled." Despite all the things we have to fear, God does not want us going through life in a constant state of terror.

As President Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

How, then, do you avoid fear when there are so many things going wrong in today's world?

Just remember Jesus' words, "All these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

God has a plan, and He is playing it out through the actions of our world leaders today. All we need, is the ability to trust Him (faith).

Plus, it helps to sing this song: I don't know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.

Enjoy life and praise God for every moment of it.