Bible discussion / study

[MissouriGuerrilla]

Dear AAPK friends,

I was compelled to start this thread as I was moved to go to my study Bible tonight. My soul has been stirred up with hatred and blazing anger with this government "administration," the social movements, the debauchery and sexual perversion (especially aimed at our children), the gangs and thugs of this country like Antifa and the like. And I know many of you are the same. I felt maybe we could come to this thread as a way to comfort each other and spiritually talk about God's word as a way to keep the peace within ourselves and share the gospel in the dark times we live in.
I start with 2 Timothy 3
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying it's power."

Now, I'm not saying we are at the end of days. But this is all and everything that we are going thru right now. So my question is...how do we stay within Christ, but have acceptance of our anger? Christ had anger and showed it when he turned the tables over in the temple while the merchants were selling their goods.
Secondly, if God will judge those who are wicked and sinful (such as this government) and they will have their day, how can they be judged for wickedness if those who commit these horrible acts repent for forgiveness and give their life to Christ. Does their sins go unpunished and they get away with it?

I sincerely hope this thread will bear fruit and be a regular place we can come and talk about the Bible. Maybe it will do me and us some good to have a place to vent by using the Bible as a filter on which to express ourselves and allow this post to grow.

Thank you.

[orvet]

I share your frustration and often I stopped watching the news altogether simply because if I continue to watch it I will become distracted from the things God has for me to do. I believe that's a real danger in this culture where we have a 24-hour news cycle.

I try not to be angry in my flesh, instead I let the frustration push me towards the Lord. More time in prayer and more time reading His Word.

Recently I've been reading in Psalms and today I started reading at Psalms 80. It struck me that if someone were to read Psalms 80 and Psalms 81 and substitute America where the Psalms mentions Israel, it would be, in general, a good description of where America is today.
Psalms 80 is an appeal to God to save the nation of Israel and Psalms 81 is God's concern for them. That could easily be applied to America today.

When you read the history of Israel in 1st & 2nd Samuel, 1st & 2nd Kings and 1st & 2nd Chronicles you will find that Israel goes through times of repeated apostasy, falling away from the Lord and then they returned to the Lord after they have paid the consequences for their apostasy which often meant they were carried off into captivity by neighboring Nations.
I think America could fit into that template quite easily if we continue on the course we are on. As a nation we have thrown the Bible and prayer out of school and out of our courts, at least many of our courts and we have banned God from having any say in our government. Is it any wonder that are Nation is turned upside down?

I think it is time for the church to repent for the part it has played in allowing these things to happen. They separation of church and state was an idea that Thomas Jefferson discussed in a letter to one of the colonies.. it was not that the church was to have no place in government, but the concept of the separation of church and state is that the government would have no place in the church. That the government could not dictate to the church what it could and could not do, what it could and could not preach, teach or practice. We have allowed that concept to be twisted to mean that there can be no religion in government, well at least not the Christian religion. This is the exact opposite of what Thomas Jefferson and many of our founding fathers believed.
I don't recall which of the founding fathers had mentioned it, but I believe more than one of them said that the American Republic will only work if the people are immoral people. They were speaking of course of biblical Judeo-Christian morality.

In the book of Isaiah, chapter 5 verse 20 the prophet Isaiah says: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,who put darkness for light and light for darkness,who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!"
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=ESV

Are we in the end times? Well if we believe what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, I think we are in the end times. We certainly live in a time where people call evil good and good evil. Will we see The Return of Christ in our lifetime? I don't know the answer to that question, but I try to live in the expectation that he may come back tonight, tomorrow, next month, next year or sometime after I'm dead. We don't know how long we will live and we don't know when Christ will return. Jesus himself said no one knows the day or the hour of his return except the Father.
If I am prepared for him to come back at this very moment, and I continue to live that way I have lost nothing and gained eternity.

[djknife13]

Good morning. I slept hard and long last night. When I wake up not with my hip and legs not hurting, I get up and check if God had healed me. Well not yet, but He did give me a good night's sleep and I'm grateful. The raccoon I've been trying to get to stop killing my chickens slept somewhere else last night too and not in my live trap. I still wish he was gone permanently, but I'm glad I don't have to spend the morning disposing of him. On the subject of "last days", things are changing so fast and away from all this country once stood for that it's pretty much impossible for anyone, Christian or not, to deny things are getting worse almost daily. When my first son was born 53 years ago, I felt like I was going to be cheated out of raising him because many Christians thought the Lord's coming was very near. It's almost funny looking at what we thought was really bad then compared to what is happening now with the twisted views of decency and family values our society, media and government is promoting and shoving down our throats. It almost looks like our government is using Revelations and Old Testament prophecy as a guideline for steering our nation instead of a warning of bad things to come. My main concern in life is for my friends and children that just don't care about what is happening and are floating along heading for disaster. It's all pretty overwhelming, and yet I look out my office window and see lush green woods, beautiful sunshine splashing through the trees, by little chicken barn tucked into the woods with my birds, at least the ones that are still alive, sleeping peacefully waiting for me to come down and feed and assure them they are safe, and I can almost feel God's hand over me telling me He's got this and I just have to keep my eyes on Him. Have a good day. I'm going to church.____Dave

[treefarmer]

A great idea, MG!
Dale, you hit the nail on the head reminding us of Isaiah 5:20, that verse seems to describe a great percentage of our country's legislation.
I believe the scripture supports the concept of accountability. When Israel sinned they paid the price, were then restored to walk with God again. As individuals, we at times wander away and the Lord gets our attention, we repent and are also restored. Sinless perfection is not taught in the scripture. In 1st John we are told, "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us". Life is a daily battle of good versus evil. I'm grateful Christ made a way for us to face the frustrating condition we find our country in at this time.
I'm also grateful some folks are saying enough of some of the social issues being forced down or throats!
Treefarmer

[WillyCamaro]

Exacty brothers!

I love that quote Dale, that's why He was one of the greatest statesmen that ever lived.

Yeah, like anyone, He was a sinful man like you and me. But he also tried to do his very best to honor the biblically based foundations that your great nation was founded on.

You guys fixed the problems that was the english parlementary system. We didn't, now we are suffering the repercusions of haveing a demonic fuelled false government. We up here have are hands tide, I just feeling it in my soul.

Stuff is coming down really soon, I know it. I have to completey quit my bank now, because they're forcing the religion of Moloc appon us. We are now mass feeding are little ones to his fires. They're being butchered alive, because in Canada, when the femanat movement and the sexual revolution took hold up here, most of the country went down the path of destruction.

WE ARE NOT THE SAME AS YOU.

You guys still have the strength to fight. There is barely any fight left.

Are days up here are numbered, we are so far down the path to the collasp of this once great nation, it's sickening.

The brethen are running on fumes, we have only 1 true church fighting for us, and the independent media.

The bills have been rammed though government, the independent media is going to be shut down.

The government is going to start doing massed forced dearmament coming up here this fall, it passing.

We have been compremised by China, they are feeding your military, security to the cpc.

NATO is looking at cutting us off. They leaked out the meeting transcripts, he's and absolute monstor away from the camera.

Just the tip of the ice burger boys.

You guys have it bad, but you have the structure in place to deal with it. Up here we don't.

We actually live in the true definiation of a socilist dictatorship.

They are just quitely consintrating there power, before striking.

The hand of a spirit of death is hanging over this nation, I can feel it.

Even the EU is rejecting us as allies. I don't know what they are going to do with us now.

When Mr. Dictator went to the EU parliment last year, when he finally showed us what he is. There was a 90% walkout, and the other 10% ringed his neck.

We are being completey cut off from the world. It been revealed that he himself is investing in the CPC military infastructure...


I'm listening to your President, Mr. Donald Trump, in your NC victory.
He is a man of honor, courage, with an spine of steel.

Do you all realise how He is able to monolog out of His brain for hours on end?

He has a perfect, photographic, memory.

If you want to know how I think, watch Him. We think dead alike.

I wear my family out every day, it's a computer for a brain.

God bless you brothers, God bless the USA!!!!

Willy

[orvet]

Willie, Joe Biden is president now, I don't think he's any better than Trudeau.

From my reading this evening, Psalms 83:1-3
"They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!"
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=ESV

These verses were written about Israel but I think they applied to most Western countries today.

[royal0014]

welp ... didn't take long for this thread to go off the rails and political

D.J.T. may be better than what we had, or what we have, but he certainly is not a saint
and sure as h*** is not a savior of any kind !
Personally I wish he'd go home and stfu . . . .

My apologies gentlemen, but that is my rant.

[1967redrider]

As MG mentioned in the OP, there's a lot of things the media and the left are spinning in a deceitful manner. Personally, I think the secularization of our society and the way a blind eye is turned to mental health issues are the two main causes of 95% of our troubles.

I listen to Christian radio driving to and from work each day. If you really want the truth about what is happening, tune in sometime. If you think it's just Jim Baker type stuff, you're wrong.

[Meridian_Mike]

I share your frustration and often I stopped watching the news altogether simply because if I continue to watch it I will become distracted from the things God has for me to do. I believe that's a real danger in this culture where we have a 24-hour news cycle.


Are we in the end times? Well if we believe what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, I think we are in the end times. We certainly live in a time where people call evil good and good evil. Will we see The Return of Christ in our lifetime? I don't know the answer to that question, but I try to live in the expectation that he may come back tonight, tomorrow, next month, next year or sometime after I'm dead. We don't know how long we will live and we don't know when Christ will return. Jesus himself said no one knows the day or the hour of his return except the Father.
If I am prepared for him to come back at this very moment, and I continue to live that way I have lost nothing and gained eternity.

YES!!

I do believe we are in the end times and Jesus could come back any day now.

When you look at all the EVIL that is in the world.... AND AMERICA today it is easy to see that these are the things Jesus described prior to His return.
A LOT of the Churches in America today have COMPROMISED themselves so much that they have become SOCIAL CLUBS that won't even preach the Word of God in it's fullness for fear of OFFENDING someone.....

Another thing.....
The news media only releases PARTIAL truths (same as a LIE) so they can push the agenda they are PAID to push (to advance a political agenda).
I saw a partial report on Fox this morning (because I can't stand but a very few MINUTES of ANY NEWS report on TV)..... that the conservative media is expecting california gov. gavin newsome to declare his candidacy for president. The very next words out of this news reporter's mouth was "he can tell a lie with conviction".... TELL A LIE???? SO..... telling a LIE is the new WAY of the politician????
I hate the media! I don't like to use the word HATE but what the media does is sell those LIES that the politicians FORCE FEED Americans.

I have found I am SO MUCH HAPPIER if I...... DON'T watch the news or any of this TV GARBAGE on "live" TV.
If it weren't for Youtube and old TV shows and series from the 70s and 80s, I would never even turn the TV on!!!

At my age, I see that my children are fighting an uphill battle to raise their children in a decent world AND I see that my grandkids are going to face a WORLD of hardship by the time they become adults in America.
I REALLY don't think Jesus is going to tolerate the ways of this world very much longer.
I trust we can see hope in the words of Jesus.... 1 Thessalonians 4:17
"After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Stay close to God and His Holy Word. Pray without ceasing and trust our Lord Jesus Christ with your heart.

[orvet]

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord."
Isaiah 55:8-9 -NKJV

As bad as things get in the world around us, we need not despair because God is in control. We don't have the capacity with our finite minds to comprehend the thoughts and the plans of our infinite God! By faith we trust he is doing what he deems best, whether we understand it or not.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Psalms 46:10 -NKJV

Being still and knowing the presence of God is probably one of the hardest things for us to do. We live in a world that is full of constant input, the 24/7 news cycle, 200 plus channels on TV plus all of the premium channels, computer games, social networks, and books, both ebooks and print books. All of these things are available to us and vying for our attention every day without even leaving our house! Once you leave your home, there are even more things demanding your attention. Some of these things seem quite important and demand our immediate attention. But all of these things, if we allow them will distract us from being still and knowing the presence of God.

I don't know who first said it, but this is something I have to constantly remind myself of:

"Beware the tyranny of the urgent"

[Meridian_Mike]

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord."
Isaiah 55:8-9 -NKJV

As bad as things get in the world around us, we need not despair because God is in control. We don't have the capacity with our finite minds to comprehend the thoughts and the plans of our infinite God! By faith we trust he is doing what he deems best, whether we understand it or not.

Very good words Dale!

I often wonder WHY Jesus does not come back NOW or even YESTERDAY!
I sometimes see the world as a hopeless and wretched and evil place.
BUT.....
That is MY way of seeing things. SO.... I often have to remind myself that God's wisdom is PERFECT..... And His thoughts are so much higher than my thoughts or my so called wisdom.

God's wisdom is perfect and His plan is perfect.
All I can do is live for Him and tell others of His love!

[1967redrider]

Bob Burney, from the Columbus, OH area, is filling in for Don Kroah this week on the radio. Yesterday afternoon he was talking about what the Bible says about pride, since it's pride month. He was also talking about what Joebama invited to the White House over the weekend and how quickly it spiralled out of control into debauchery, in front of children no less. Reminiscent of the Bill Clinton leadership example from a sitting president, and a good indication of where our country is heading without God.

[orvet]

These verses were written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who had grown up as a Christian. I think this is a good description of what Christians can expect as the end approaches. I don't think we will escape persecution in this country.

II Timothy 3:12-15

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."


This morning, I heard about a baseball player, I think he played for the Toronto Blue Jays. He had posted a video on social media of someone else talking about the pride month of June. The player was forced to apologize for what he had said and was then was booed by the home crowd at his next game. He was even ordered to take some classes on sensitivity. It is sad when people are forced to capitulate what they believe in order to make a living. We are seeing persecution in Canada, and it is happening to a lesser degree in America. Of course, the stories are often not covered in mainstream media.

welp ... didn't take long for this thread to go off the rails and political

D.J.T. may be better than what we had, or what we have, but he certainly is not a saint
and sure as h*** is not a savior of any kind !
Personally I wish he'd go home and stfu . . . .

My apologies gentlemen, but that is my rant.

It is not surprising to me that a scriptural discussion of the end times turns political. Indeed, the end times are a very political time, nation rising against nation, wars and rumors of wars and deception from political leaders. These things are all foretold in Scripture, both Old and New Testament. The end times will be a very political time and I think politics must be part of the discussion.

As for DJT, I believe he is a flawed human being, like every one of us. The history of Israel and its leaders is the story of flawed men leading a flawed people. Adam, the very first man mentioned in the Bible, sinned and was expelled from the Garden of Eden where he walked daily with God!
Samson was a leader of Israel and he was a very flawed man with a weakness for flattery and Gentile women.
Saul was anointed king over Israel and led the people to many great victories, yet he too was a flawed man.
The greatest king of Israel, David was also a flawed man. He committed adultery and then had the women's husband abandoned on the battlefield so he was killed. Yet in spite of his numerous flaws he was one of the greatest Kings of Israel and he was called "a man after God's Own Heart."

Even the Apostle Peter was a flawed leader. Remember it was Peter who denied Jesus three times.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are full of stories of men who were leaders, some of them great leaders, and God use them anyway despite their flaws. A man does not have to be perfect to be used by God. If we will only accept perfect leaders, then we will wander around like sheep without a shepherd, without a leader.
In the history of mankind there has never been a perfect man, let alone a perfect leader.

I would be grateful for a leader who loves our country, is an effective leader, is benevolent to our people and who makes good, effective choices in foreign and domestic policies. IMHO, DJT was such a leader in his first term in office. if he has a second term in office, his actions in that term will establish whether he is a good and effective leader.

[MissouriGuerrilla]

These verses were written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who had grown up as a Christian. I think this is a good description of what Christians can expect as the end approaches. I don't think we will escape persecution in this country.

II Timothy 3:12-15

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."


This morning, I heard about a baseball player, I think he played for the Toronto Blue Jays. He had posted a video on social media of someone else talking about the pride month of June. The player was forced to apologize for what he had said and was then was booed by the home crowd at his next game. He was even ordered to take some classes on sensitivity. It is sad when people are forced to capitulate what they believe in order to make a living. We are seeing persecution in Canada, and it is happening to a lesser degree in America. Of course, the stories are often not covered in mainstream media.

welp ... didn't take long for this thread to go off the rails and political

D.J.T. may be better than what we had, or what we have, but he certainly is not a saint
and sure as h*** is not a savior of any kind !
Personally I wish he'd go home and stfu . . . .

My apologies gentlemen, but that is my rant.

It is not surprising to me that a scriptural discussion of the end times turns political. Indeed, the end times are a very political time, nation rising against nation, wars and rumors of wars and deception from political leaders. These things are all foretold in Scripture, both Old and New Testament. The end times will be a very political time and I think politics must be part of the discussion.

As for DJT, I believe he is a flawed human being, like every one of us. The history of Israel and its leaders is the story of flawed men leading a flawed people. Adam, the very first man mentioned in the Bible, sinned and was expelled from the Garden of Eden where he walked daily with God!
Samson was a leader of Israel and he was a very flawed man with a weakness for flattery and Gentile women.
Saul was anointed king over Israel and led the people to many great victories, yet he too was a flawed man.
The greatest king of Israel, David was also a flawed man. He committed adultery and then had the women's husband abandoned on the battlefield so he was killed. Yet in spite of his numerous flaws he was one of the greatest Kings of Israel and he was called "a man after God's Own Heart."

Even the Apostle Peter was a flawed leader. Remember it was Peter who denied Jesus three times.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are full of stories of men who were leaders, some of them great leaders, and God use them anyway despite their flaws. A man does not have to be perfect to be used by God. If we will only accept perfect leaders, then we will wander around like sheep without a shepherd, without a leader.
In the history of mankind there has never been a perfect man, let alone a perfect leader.

I would be grateful for a leader who loves our country, is an effective leader, is benevolent to our people and who makes good, effective choices in foreign and domestic policies. IMHO, DJT was such a leader in his first term in office. if he has a second term in office, his actions in that term will establish whether he is a good and effective leader.

I don't think I can top this^^

[djknife13]

Very well said Dale. Thank you.____Dave

[orvet]

In light of the previous posts and the concern many of us have about the future of our nation, I thought these verses from Psalms were specially fitting. It reminded me where my trust is, and in whom I put my confidence.

Psalms 118:5-9 NKJV

I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.

[MissouriGuerrilla]

So here's where we are in our country and world, Amen?

Wait patiently for the Lord! Wait confidently for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man who carries out wicked schemes.
Psalms 37:7

Our patience tested. Actually, pulled taught and frayed almost like a rubber band just seconds before it snaps. We are powerless except for voting in the right people. But even that is highly, highly questionable. So...our patience, our anger and our faith all meet at a crossroad. In our current state, do we turn the other cheek (from what drives our anger and blood pressure up) and lay faith in our Lord that this too shall pass? Do we learn our lesson from Joseph who remained in prison for two years until his day come? Patience is staring us in the face.

[orvet]

Yes, that kind of is where we are today. We have to take the Lord at his word and know that he is working, even when we don't see it.
I can see the working of the Lord in many news stories. When I see people, Christians, and non-christians who are up in arms about the woke agenda, I think that is the working of the Lord. I think the Lord has allowed things to deteriorate in this country since we kicked him out of our schools and out of our courtrooms. I believe that God is allowing us to reap the full measure of the evil we have allowed in our country. Not as a punishment, but as a way of waking people up.
I don't believe God forces his will on people. He allows us to make choices. When we ignore spiritual laws, We reap the natural consequences for ignoring those laws. If we climb up on a ladder and ignore the law of gravity by leaning too far to the side, we will reap the natural consequence of ignoring the law of gravity. It may be a very painful lesson for us. Likewise, when we ignore and break God's spiritual laws, whether we are aware of them or not, there are certain consequences, just as surely as there are consequences when we ignore the law of gravity.

I don't believe we should allow the chaos that is currently in our country to make us fearful or despairing. I think we should note what is happening and let that drive us closer to God, to seek His face. God is sovereign. He is in control, and there is nothing that man can do that will take away the sovereignty of God. But I also believe God does not force himself upon us. He allows us free will, and we can choose to follow him or not. We are seeing today what happens when a large number of our population chooses not to follow him.

I believe there are things we can do to change the course of our nation.

#1 - PRAY!
I believe in the power of prayer, and prayer is not the least we can do. It is the most we can do, and it is something every Christian should be doing and trying to do more of!
Every Revival I am aware of started with a prayer movement. The church needs to be a Praying Church. We need to pray for our leaders that they would change their ways and, if not, that God would bring in good leaders who do that which is right. We can pray for the family in America. The family unit is under attack by the woke movement. We can pray that God would confuse the minds of his enemies that they would be unable to carry out the evil things they intend to do.

#2- GET INVOLVED
There are many ways to do this, limited only by our imagination. You can get involved in politics, perhaps as a member of the school board, county commissioner, or some other position.
You can get involved in community service, volunteering at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, Youth Center, etc. Your service will itself be a testimony to your ideas and your commitment and your life maybe the only testimony some people will see. The testimony of a changed life is very powerful and it's not something snyone can argue with.
One of the things I have done is volunteer to help one of our good state senators in his campaign. Granted, all I did was stuff envelopes and fold flyers, but that allowed one of his staff to do other more important work.
You can also get involved in working with the political party whose ideals most closely match yours.
Another way to be involved is volunteered to be a poll watcher to ensure that the election is conducted in a proper, legal, and fair manner.

In many parts of our country there are ways you can become directly involved in the local politics, from school board meetings, Town Hall meetings held by candidates, testimony before state House and Senate committees on issues that are vital. You may face a lot of disagreement, but you will have spoken up for that which is true and that what you believe.

#3- VOTE
The danger of becoming angry or in despair is that some people believe it is pointless to vote so they don't vote. That makes the problem even worse!

There are probably countless other ways that we could be involved in helping to change our society, even talking to people one on one. Many people have no idea that so many people disagree with the woke movement because they've never spoken with anyone who would actually express a dissenting opinion, nor watched a newscast other than CNN or MSNBC.


One of my favorite life verses is
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

We are not powerless, though there are those who wish we were and who would like to convince us that we are powerless and that nothing we do will make a difference. I believe that is a lie from the pit of Hell!

[Reverand]

Amen!
I am concerned about many things in our world today, from moral confusion to Christian apathy. But we should not fear any of it. This world is a broken place, and it will always try to work against God. We should not be surprised when we see evidence of it.
The light of Christ shines brightest in the darkness.

[Quick Steel]

Dale, I believe your commentary is excellent. Today's evils can only be thwarted by constant prayer. In addition to praying for officeholders, I pray for our clerical leaders who, at least in my church, haven't even left the starting gate in providing leadership.

[orvet]

This is the devotional for June 20th from a daily devotional book called Jesus Always by Sarah Young.
I think this applies quite nicely to what we have been discussing in this topic.

"Don't worry about evil people who prosper; don't fret about their wicked schemes. In this day of instant communication, you have access to so much information and news that it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Not only do you hear about evil people and their wicked schemes, you also see graphic details. This visual image has a powerful impact on your brain chemistry. A steady diet of of such carnage can make you anxious and fearful.
I want you to pray about world events and pursue peace as you are able. However, it's critical to recognize what you can change and what you cannot. Fretting about things that are beyond your control will drain your energy and discourage you. Instead of this hurtful focus, endeavor to fix your thoughts on Me. I am with you and for you. Delight yourself in Me!
Remember that I am a God of Justice and I know everything. Eventually I will right all wrongs. So be still in My Presence - trusting in Me with a steadfast heart while waiting for me to act."

Psalms 34:7
Hebrews 3:1
Psalm 37:3 - 4

[treefarmer]

Dale, thanks for sharing that devotional with us.
In addition to the words of comfort in those 3 scriptures she said a mouthful with the sentence, "Eventually I will right all wrongs." !
In addition to our normal daily Bible reading, we have been using another of Sarah Young's books, "Jesus Calling" for about 20 years. Miss Joy has lots of birthdays, anniversaries and deaths marked in its pages.
Treefarmer

[MissouriGuerrilla]

This is the devotional for June 20th from a daily devotional book called Jesus Always by Sarah Young.
I think this applies quite nicely to what we have been discussing in this topic.

"Don't worry about evil people who prosper; don't fret about their wicked schemes. In this day of instant communication, you have access to so much information and news that it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Not only do you hear about evil people and their wicked schemes, you also see graphic details. This visual image has a powerful impact on your brain chemistry. A steady diet of of such carnage can make you anxious and fearful.
I want you to pray about world events and pursue peace as you are able. However, it's critical to recognize what you can change and what you cannot. Fretting about things that are beyond your control will drain your energy and discourage you. Instead of this hurtful focus, endeavor to fix your thoughts on Me. I am with you and for you. Delight yourself in Me!
Remember that I am a God of Justice and I know everything. Eventually I will right all wrongs. So be still in My Presence - trusting in Me with a steadfast heart while waiting for me to act."

Psalms 34:7
Hebrews 3:1
Psalm 37:3 - 4

Perfect description and answer. There's so much wrong and I feel like I can do something about it (whatever "it" is) and realize I can't. That paragraph describes me on the button as much as I am ashamed to admit it.

[orvet]

I am currently reading in the book of Isaiah. This passage from Isaiah 26: 2- 4 seem to stand out to me tonight.

This passage is part of a song that Isaiah said would be sung in Judah. I think it is very comforting and applies to us today.

" Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." Isaiah 26:2-4 ESV

I find this to be a very encouraging passage, they promise that God will keep us at perfect peace if we keep our mind focused on Him.

[Quick Steel]

Trust in the Lord is truly the foundation of peace.