Poetic Justice

Good laws are established to protect a nation and it's people. Hillary Clinton's staff pleaded with her to obey security protocols (which would protect national security and her personal privacy) as she handled classified information with her Blackberry.  Yet, she refused to obey, thinking herself wiser than they.  Now incriminating emails and voice mails have been intercepted by unnamed hackers and released to the public, serving as clear evidence of her abuses of power.

Wikileaks.com

With what seems to be more power than any politician before her, she may be able to continually escape LEGAL JUSTICE as evidence keeps being brought against her, but she could not escape POETIC JUSTICE, and she will not escape God's justice.

Her mentor, Saul Alinksy, attributed his strategy book to Lucifer, the father of lies (John 8:44) who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) for the ultimate purpose of gaining more power for himself. The more she lies (under oath, even), steals, and destroys whatever hinders her path to more power, the more she will deceive herself and rob herself and all who become entrenched in her scandals of joy, peace, and contentment. The lust for power is a drug that enslaves and leads to self-destruction. God has the power to redirect the hearts of all, but we must first welcome Him onto the throne of our hearts. So,let's be praying that her heart will be inclined toward truth and righteousness.

24 "Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin." (Proverbs 26: 24-28)

"But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out." (1 Samuel 32:23)

20"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!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!
24 Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness,and their blossoms go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 5: 20-24)

More irony for me personally is that I've been studying the book of Esther this month, and I just happened to get to Esther 7 this week when WikiLeaks released Hillary's emails and voice mails. In Esther 7, Haman's wicked schemes are exposed. The 80 foot platform he had constructed for the purpose of hanging Mordecai (the hero who saved the king's life and whom Haman despised) became the instrument of his own death. While I don't expect Hillary to suffer much in terms of legal consequences, her illegal actions are at least being exposed in an ironic twist of her own making.

Fight Political Corruption by Expecting, Demanding, and Praising Integrity

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." (Romans 12: 9) 

News headlines and social media feeds are saturated with depressing, anger inducing reports of massive, blatant acts of political corruption, systematic injustice for the political elite who flaunt the fact that they can commit any number or degree of federal crimes with impunity, arrogant, hot-tempered, angry outbursts, extreme moral failings, total compromise of state and national security, and utter contempt for the law by political parties, current elected leaders, and presidential candidates and running mates. The details are so horrible that even fact checkers are shaking their heads in disbelief as WikiLeaks and FBI investigations prove headlines to be true or worse than anyone imagined. But even more outrageous than all that is that no one seems to care! A reluctant but resigned Clinton supporter attempted to justify for me this bothersome apathy with this statement:

“All politicians break the law - some are just subjected to more investigations to reveal it.... The difference is Democrats tend to pull back on investigations for the good of the country, and Republicans are vipers who believe that when they lose elections, the only way to stay in power is to loosely investigate everything to see if they can find some dirt to discredit their opponents.”

First, we must beware of using absolute words like “all”, “every”, “always”, or “never”. If we assume that ALL politicians are corrupt and will regularly break the law, then how can we expect or hope for decent, moral, wise candidates? In business and in politics, the secret to success is supplying what your customers or constituents demand.  Politicians who give the most voters what they expect will be most likely to win the election (at least in the good ol' days before dead person voting, multi-state residents voting multiple times, ballot machine tampering, intentional miscounts, and a host of other cheating strategies were employed). Candidates may offer empty promises, but when the system functions as it should, those who fail to deliver on the promises made during their campaigns are held accountable and not re-elected.  One has start really LOW to rise to such low expectations, so if we expect a scandal ridden felon or an arrogant bully to run for office, that’s what we will get.

What if we demand honesty, humility, integrity, dignity, and a healthy respect for the law from our politicians? We may not get all that we demand....maybe not ever, but we'll get a lot closer to that ideal if we demand and expect integrity instead of assuming they are all hopelessly corrupt. Hillary knew she could hire Debbie Wasserman Shultz to help lead her campaign immediately after Wasserman Shultz had been publicly disgraced and forced to resign by the DNC for steering the primaries away from Sanders toward Hillary because the people expect Hillary to cheat. Hillary is following the law of supply and demand. She is giving her constituents exactly what they expect from her.

Republicans are not "vipers" because they investigate criminals. The cases being investigated are not frivolous.  The Justice Department should not fund investigations without just cause. But justice demands that investigations be conducted when warranted, regardless of party affiliation, becaues withholding justice is NEVER good for our country. Without justice, there is no law.  When the law is not enforced, either anarchy or tyranny will result.

Legitimate lawsuits have followed the Clinton couple throughout their political lives. If justice had been fully served with the first one or few infractions, then the continuous string of scandals would have been halted. Justice must be fully meted to preserve law, order, and goodness in America. When political elites are exempt from the law, corruption proliferates like cancer.

Those who courageously point out true & accurate (not slanderous) evidences of corruption, injustice, and/or criminal activity for the purposes of preserving justice (and not out of personal vindictive motives), are simply sounding the alarm out of love for justice and opposition to corruption. If we want to see positive change in government, we must shout from the rooftops, “Stop the corruption! Hold them accountable!"  We should be calling our legislators as needed to clearly communicate expectations. We must not vote for candidates who celebrate their own corruption, for in so doing, we would be approving of evil with our apathy and our votes.  When news reporters use rhetoric that fuels hatred and disunity, we must communicate to the company owners our concerns and no longer follow their broadcasts.

Many Christians shy away from calling out wicked behaviors within government, lest they be accused of being judgmental, hypocritical, or insubordinate. "As you judge, so you will be judged", is the mantra often used to silence truth and stop justice.  When Christ returns to judge the earth, do we want him to judge evil as good and good as evil as we have been doing to each other, or do we want Him to judge rightly?

"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!" (Isaiah 5:20)

When we are called to judge (1 Corinthians 6:2, Luke 12:57), we must judge rightly. While we should be careful to first take the plank out of our own eyes before pointing out the speck in our brother’s eye, we are still commanded to hold each other accountable, especially those we elect as authorities over us.

We should not judge those outside of the faith to according to a strict Biblical standard under which they have not submitted themselves (1 Corinthians 5:12), but we most certainly should hold our leaders accountable to the laws of the land. As citizens, they are absolutely accountable to the law, and bribery/corruption used to pretend otherwise must not be tolerated.  As citizens of America and stewards over the earth, we must be discerning and prudent, while praying diligently to God for upright leaders with a heart to serve (not lord over) us.

"Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the LORD our God will wipe them out." (Psalm 94:20-23) 

While no one wants to constantly harp on the negative, there is a place for pointing out truth. But how much better is it when we balance out the finger pointing with inspiration and hope? We can instill optimism and confidence by celebrating righteousness.  May we intentionally choose media that exalts what is good instead of peddling what is depraved. Let's actively express gratitude to leaders who take a stand for truth and righteousness. By verbally and tangibly supporting leaders at any level who consistently preserve their integrity, even through hardship and public attacks, we stand for truth and righteousness.

If abortion advocates can get women to publicly celebrate the brutal dismemberment of their own children while still in the womb with the accompanying hashtag #shoutmyabortion, why can't Americans who appreciate decency, honesty, and integrity start an encouraging Twitter hashtag or social media trend that celebrates and lifts up honest, respectable, law-abiding leaders as examples of what we demand from our elected officials?

For example, I cannot thank God enough for placing Justice Paul Newby on  the North Carolina Supreme Court. He is a faithful role model with impeccable character who upholds the law with wise discernment and a servant's heart. #InspiringIncreasedIntegrityinLeadership (Please insert cleverer hashtag here.)

Who do you admire? What qualities do you expect and demand in your leaders? Voice them in a positive way and start a positive trend in the media to counter the negativity. 

Source:  Bing

To those laughing at this post and sighing with deep sarcasm, "Isn't that precious?  She thinks a few goody-goody zealots can change America."  We may seem powerless against the army of evil controlling much of the media and political seats, but the voice for change has to start somewhere. As long as the corrupt voices are louder than those demanding righteousness and as long as we allow bully tactics to push our heads back under the sand, we will get what evil demands instead of what righteousness requires.  Do not be afraid, for if you are in Christ, He who is within you is greater than he who is in this world. (1 John 4:4)

When our children are grown and assume leadership roles in our country, will we hand them a country we forsook out of fear of what others may think, or will we honestly proclaim, "I fought for freedom, justice, and righteousness with all my strength, and I did so without fear."

Have a little faith.

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”  (Matthew 17:20)

And even if things don't turn out the way we want them to in America, we can completely trust in the one true God who is working all things together according to His perfect plans and purposes even if we don't understand His ways at the time, for His ways are so much higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8)   Ultimately, we can rest in the knowledge that the end result is not our responsibility.  God only calls us to be faithful. (Daniel 3) He takes care of the rest.

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;  steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,  who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face" (Psalm 89: 14-15)

Make God Great in America Again!

All last week, we heard convention delegates shout, "Make America great again!" I can certainly empathize, given that what we have now in America is anything but great. It's sad and pathetic in some ways and despicable in others.

This refrain reminds me of ancient Israel. How they suffered under Roman oppressors. How they longed for the promised Messiah to finally come to their rescue and make Israel great again. They imagined the Messiah would be a victorious warrior or political persona who would drive the Romans out of their land and restore their monarchy (from the line of David) to the throne.

When Jesus was crucified, his followers were crushed, perplexed, overcome by grief and loss as they must have cried, "This is NOT how things were supposed to turn out! Why is this happening? I thought He was supposed to fix our national problems."

I find myself saying the same thing about our current political situation, and I'm living in the land of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity!

Just after His resurrection, Jesus showed some of His followers the Old Testament Messianic prophecies, all of which He fulfilled perfectly. (Luke 24).

(Note:  There are over 300 Messianic prophecies with 29 fulfilled all on the same day He was crucified, and the probability of one person fulfilling only 8 of those is 1 x 10¹⁷. )

Then they realized why He first had to die and that God's first priority is saving the souls of men which last forever. He is more concerned about our hearts and souls than our politics.

Christ is coming back to as a conquering King to set up His new kingdom in righteousness, but for now, He's waiting for more to acknowledge His first coming and receive His free gift, the redemption we could never earn or deserve on our own. Through Him (and Him alone) our hearts can be made new.

What good is powerful earthly nation when the hearts and souls of its people are desperately wicked? Don't give me a strong army if it is directed by those with a lust for power that knows no bounds or who consider themselves accountable to no one. Don't give me a wealthy nation if the riches come through the oppression of others. Don't make America a world leader if her influence will be a corrupting one, leading nations astray.

We don't need gun control, immigration reform, a wall, free handouts, or more government. What we really need instead are PURE HEARTS!

No political figure can give us new hearts, but we can pray for leaders at every level who will model moral uprightness and make decisions with wisdom and integrity. But only Christ can change our hearts and save our our souls. If we want to make American great again, it must begin with repentance.  Let it begin with me.

Addendum
After sharing these thoughts with my friend Marie, she reminded me of one of Ronald Reagan's great speeches in which he said, "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." 

She also shared with me this familiar, profound, and most excellent quote:  

"A French philosopher who visited our shores when America was a new young nation left a similar warning. Alexis De Tocqueville said he came to the United States to learn what magic quality enabled a handful of people to defeat the mighty British Empire twice in 35 years. He looked for the greatness of America in her harbors and rivers, her fertile fields and boundless forests, mines and other natural resources. He studied America's schools, her Congress, and her matchless Constitution without comprehending America's power. Not, until he went into the churches of America and heard pulpits "aflame with righteousness" did he understand the secret of her genius and strength. De Tocqueville returned to France and wrote: "America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
- John Stormer, Death of a Nation, pp.20-21

Come with me to Laodicea, and you may find a timely letter to the modern Christian Church

Many years ago, my husband and I traveled to Turkey to help host a conference. After the week-long conference, we took an extended trip to each of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation.  At each excavation site, we read Revelation's prophecy for that church, noting that each church represents a spiritual state in which the Christian church may find herself at any given time.

The Church that stood out to me most during that trip was the church at Laodicea.  This city is located between Hierapolis and Colossae. If the shortest distance between each of these cities were drawn as lines, they would form a triangle with Laodicea located at the obtuse angle of the triangle.   

(Consider that the word "obtuse" in the English language may refer to the angle of a triangle that is between 90 and 180 degrees or to one who is slow to understand, depending upon context.  Perhaps a double meaning could apply with regard to the church of Laodicea's geographical location and spiritual understanding.)

Source:  ferrelljenkins.wordpress.com

Ruins of the ancient city of Heirpolis

Hierapolis has long been known for its natural hot springs while Colossae contains natural cold springs. Laodicea is known for neither. 

It was freezing cold when we visited Hierapolis, as evidenced by how bundled up we all were, but the springs were hot enough to walk through in bare feet comfortably as if stepping into a hot tub.

 These three tiers of hot springs were so lovely, even in the dead of winter.

Hot springs in Hieropolis (Pammukale, Turkey)

Christian evangelization of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea probably took place during Paul's ministry stay in Ephesus. Later, likely while imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote a letter to the Colossian church which also addressed sister churches in Hierapolis and Laodicea. What prompted Paul's letter was great concern over false teaching that was infiltrating the churches. Some teachers were advocating salvation by works, while others were leading the church astray with Gnostic myths. Gnosticism shifts the blame for the suffering in this world away from man's willful sin and onto the creator. Gnosticism blends monotheistic and polytheistic beliefs while tragically denying the deity of Christ and other essential doctrines of the Christian faith  These false teachings which were corrupting the church back then are very similar to the false teachings corrupting American churches today, especially with the resurgence of progressive, pantheistic, new age movements.  Read more about Gnosticism here.

Lycus River Valley 

 The apostle Paul specifically addressed the Church at Laodicea in Colossians 2.

"For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵ For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ." (Colossians 2:1-5)

In the same manner, followers of Christ who are faithful students of the Scriptures should be struggling for the Christian church right now by praying for the church, encouraging believers with the truth, and teaching the great mysteries of the long awaited Messiah which were fully completed and revealed in Christ, so that the body of Christ may grow in spiritual maturity and in strength of faith.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  (Ephesians 3: 14-19)

We should be passionate about helping new believers understand and apply God's truth, planting His word in our hearts and theirs, so we may not be deceived by all the lies throughout the culture and even in many churches. The previous post lists some of these lies and begs believers to examine everything they hear or read against the truth of God's word so as to judge rightly in a dark and deceptive world.

Standing at the ruins of ancient Laodicea

During the ministry of the apostle Paul, Laodicea was larger and more prosperous than Colossae.

By the time God inspired John to record His Revelation to John, the Lord had harsh words for the church at Laodicea.  That description of Laodicea's spiritual state sounds frightfully similar to the state of the American church today.

¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent!"  (Revelation 3: 15-19)

Lukewarm Laodicea

The Christians in Laodicea was not merely lukewarm geographically (ie, located between hot and cold springs), they were lukewarm spiritually.  The city had grown large and prosperous, so with monetary and physical needs met, they stopped depending upon God.  The things of the world had distracted and deceived them, and new beliefs, which were in direct conflict with Christ's teachings, were being accepted. They had lost sight of the truth.

There are seminaries throughout America that are no longer teaching the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.  They have been corrupted by lies, similar to the Gnostic myths infiltrating the early church, so they are now graduating pastors who do not believe in absolute truth or in the deity of Christ. Many churches are neither rooted in the truth that never changes (Hebrews 13:8), nor built on the rock of Christ that can withstand any storm. They have chosen friendship with the world over friendship with God, so when the wind and rains come, they fall down and are tossed whichever way the winds of cultural heresy take them. (Matthew 7:24-27)

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

If a church feels more like a country club than a family of authentic but broken people who are finding redemption in Christ and are being made alive in Him, full of joy and hope, then that church has probably lost its way.  If a church cares more about exalting itself than exalting Christ, it has become lukewarm. If the church cares more about political correctness and social acceptance than teaching the whole word of God, it has been corrupted by false doctrine. If the church uses the ideas presented by the mainstream media to determine which parts of the Bible are acceptable instead of using the infallible word of God to measure the ever changing whims of the culture, then the Lord may spit that church out of His mouth.

When two people fall in love, they are passionate about each other. One's beloved consumes his or her thoughts and conversations with others. Their love is hot and all consuming.  For that initial thrill of falling in love to grow into committed, abiding, unconditional sacrificial love, heat must remain to strengthen, solidify, purify, and beautify the relationship like pottery in a kiln or gold in a refiner's fire.  Fire needs oxygen, heat (active molecules), and fuel to keep burning, so if we suffocate the relationship or stop actively engaging and investing into relationship, the fire dwindles and the relationship grows lukewarm.

If we are not having the same response to Christ, with His love consuming our thoughts and our conversations and compelling us to spend more time in His word, in prayer, and in worship, then our love for Him is smoldering.  If His truth is not radically transforming our thoughts, words, behaviors, or love for others, then our relationship with him is growing lukewarm.   If we have stopped fueling ourselves with Biblical teaching and have stopped searching the Scriptures to test the truth of what we hear or read, then we have forgotten what our beloved looks like and need to spend time more time with Him.  If the people of faith remain silent in the face of extreme injustice, ignore the culture's dismantling of marriage, family, and human liberty, then we are contributing to the moral free fall that follows.

But God is so gracious.  The letter to the Church at Laodicea concludes with exhortation and hope.

²⁰ "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ²¹ The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  (Revelation 3: 20-22)

Jesus is still knocking, so let's open the door and welcome Him back into our hearts, homes, churches, schools, marketplace, and even the media!  Only Christ can redeem, restore, and save our souls and our country.  It's time for people of faith to humble themselves, repent, let go of the false idols and ideologies of this world, and run back to Jesus!  Basking in His presence, beholding his glory and receiving the whole truth of who He is what he has done for us, unworthy as we are, will help us burn hot again for the gospel of Christ.

Luke 24 tells of two men, one named Cleopas, who walked seven miles to Emmaus after Jesus' tomb had been found empty.  Jesus joined them, but He kept them from recognizing Him while he revealed to them how all the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus. When they realized that Jesus was the Messiah and then recognized the man with them as Jesus, their risen Savior, Jesus disappeared. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).  Then they immediately ran seven miles uphill in the middle of the night back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples, even after just spending the day walking all the way from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  The fire of faith burning in them compelled them to run and tell.

Heat does not stagnate.  Hot air molecules move rapidly to cooler areas with lower air pressure.  Similarly, when we are set on fire for Jesus, we will run to those whose hearts are lukewarm or cold and set their hearts ablaze with the truth that saves.  As long as each of us nurtures our personal relationship with Christ as the highest priority, the heat will continue to spread until a revival breaks out penetrating the city, the nation, and the furthest parts of the earth.

To those who still ask, "What difference can one person make?" , I ask you to consider Abraham, James, Paul of Tarsus, Moses, David, Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Ruth, Elisabeth Elliot, Billy Graham, C.S. Lewis, Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln, William Wilberforce, Francis Schaeffer, or anyone you know who has impacted a multitude for Christ.  Nothing is impossible with God.  (Matthew 19:26, Mark 9:23, Mark 10:27, Mark 14:36).  Be the spark that ignites the fire of faith where you are and keep fanning the flames. Never stop praying for revival!

Why it is good, loving, and right to JUDGE rightly and to hold on to HOPE

As a follow-up to the previous post expressing  great concern over the lack of a common moral compass and what seems to be a disregard for truth, liberty, law/justice, or integrity in America, I would like to offer a challenge and some encouragement for conservative Christians struggling to find hope in the midst of America's domestic, international, moral/spiritual, intellectual, and emotional dismal descent.

As a liberty loving Constitutionalist, a Christ follower, a wife to a virtuous, valiant veteran, and a parent to precious, precocious children, I have grieved tremendously over all America has lost.  I humbly admit that I battle feelings of frustration, outrage, and grave concern over the future of our country, especially as I consider the sacrifices paid to gain and preserve our freedoms, the multitudes of oppressed people around the world who look to America as the only remaining hope of gaining freedom, and my sorrow over the prospect of handing my children a country in far worse shape than it was when my parents' generation led us.

America's pop culture has become moral cesspool.  The mainstream media, educational system, and government are collectively indoctrinating upcoming generations to hold contempt for everything our founding fathers held dear and to harbor bitterness over mistakes of the past instead of learning from the past to make better choices. Our country has been shaking its fists at God, upon whose truth America was founded and her laws established, for far too long. Surely, God's wrath is upon us, at least in part, for what we are experiencing now are only the beginning of birth pains (reference Matthew 24:1-14) or a foreshadowing of things much worse to come or those who continually refuse to repent after His mercy and grace have relentlessly pursued mankind for thousands of years, patiently waiting for humanity to repent and return to Him.

¹⁸ "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
²⁴ Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷ and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹ foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³² Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."  (Romans 1:1-32)

With those words I have instantly become a target, hated by the masses (though I know not who, for I am thinking of no one in particular, but people respond to those who quote scripture as if they had been called out by name in front of everyone they know through a loud microphone) for my harsh "judgments".  Many mainline churches, which have caved under social pressure and now regularly teach heresy from their country club pulpits, would call me the chief of sinners because I dared cast an opinion or a judgment.  Is it ever appropriate to judge the actions and attitudes of others if you judge rightly?   Matt Walsh's post, "Jesus Wants You to Judge" sheds some light on that subject.  Go read it now. Matthew 7:1-5 and  James 4 provide stern warnings with regard to judging our brothers, and I should add that we cannot hold those outside of the faith to God's standard under whose authority they have not placed themselves.  Their judgment is between them and God alone.

(Confession:  I am guilty of judging secular politicians and have not found the perfect balance for them, given that they are still subject to civil laws and must be evaluated in terms of character before casting votes that could impact social justice, religious freedom, and issues of life and death.)

 Within the family of faith, however, we still must be very prudent in how we exhort each other, not judging them as though we are in the place of God, nor seeking to malign or hurt them out of selfish, impure motives.  The context for these warnings  in James 4 is a church filled with divisions over insignificant or disputable matters (see Romans 14).  It also warns against bringing false charges against a brother with malicious intent, so as to discredit his reputation or judge over the law. James 4 warns against putting ourselves in the place of God, the one true and righteous judge, but it does not forbid exhorting or rebuking members of the family of faith or administering legal justice systems within a society so long as we do rightly, according to God's law, not any we make up and impose on others.  We must also be careful to only exhort others regarding issues of fundamental importance to the gospel of Christ which are clearly outlined in the word of God.

When the Pharisees (self-appointed experts of the law and hypocrites who judged wrongly out of self-righteous pride based on man-made laws instead of God's laws ) tested Jesus' judgment of the law by asking Him which commandment of the law is the greatest, Jesus responded rightly with wisdom that could only come from the one and only Lord and righteous Judge over all creation.  He told them the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and out of that love comes the next greatest commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40)  We love God by obeying His commandments (John 14:15).  To obey God, we must know His truth. We love other believers by prayerfully encouraging, teaching, exhorting, and supporting them as they grow in love for God, knowledge of His truth, and desire to obey Him.  The words "truth" and "love" are used together in the same clause at least nine times in the Bible, illustrating that they are meant to function together. Discerning truth and judging rightly, first identifying planks in our own eyes before pointing out a speck in another's eye, are part and parcel of loving God and each other.

We absolutely must speak the truth inlove ( Ephesians 4:15) with kindness and respect, but staying silent while a fellow believer walks down a path of willful disobedience that leads to destruction without warning him, lest we offend him, is not love. That would be selfishly withholding the truth that would set him free, saving him from death, simply out of desire to be liked.  If we love God and we love others, we will exhort, teach, encourage, and help one another love and obey God.  The last instructions Jesus gave his followers before leaving earth (so they must be very important) tie together the two greatest commandments:

¹⁹ "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  (Matthew 28:19-10)

Repeatedly throughout the new Testament, we are called to encourage, exhort, and rebuke members of the body of Christ in love for the building up of the body of Christ, the church unto the glory of God.  A few examples can be found here:  Acts 11:12, Romans 12:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 3:2, 1 Timothy 4:13, 2 Timothy 4:2, Titus 2:15, Hebrews 3:13, 12:5, 13:22)

"But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."  (Hebrews 3:13)

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:2) 

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

God's definitions and applications of love, truth, and wisdom in the Bible are the opposite of modern pup culture's definitions, so we must continually shine God's truth, judging accurately between right and wrong, to navigate through this dark world without stumbling.  The Scriptures never give any of the common instructions or guidelines for life that are so commonly ingrained in secular America such as the lies listed below: 

• Pursue popularity, especially among those who are rich, famous, or influential, for they may be able to do big favors for you some day.
• Your life's worth is measured by a scaled score comprised of the following quantitative values:  net worth, number of titles and degrees, number of friends or followers on Facebook, cumulative average number of likes received per Instagram picture posted, and the number of times your clever sayings are retweeted, so always use politically correct speech that doesn't offend anyone on the left.
• This life is all you have so do whatever it takes to get whatever you want out of it.
• Truth is relative, so do whatever feels good.
• Do not judge others or yourself.  The more you allay others' feelings of conviction, the happier they will feel, and feelings, not  truth, are what matter..
• Gender, sexual preference, height, ethnicity, and age are all fluid, so never judge someone based on what you see biologically. They are whatever they think they are that day, and you must not try to change their mind. Anything that was once labeled a disorder is now considered privileged status.  Those carrying this privilege must win every lawsuit and get whatever job they desire with no possibility of termination, ever. 
• All life does not matter, nor is all life equal. Babies in the womb are the social equivalent of a cancerous tumor.  Handicapped children and the elderly should be terminated as quickly as possible.  But the lives of LGTBQ xyz and blacks matter more than anyone else's, unless their last name is Clinton or Obama.
• There is no such thing as sin. We need to be compassionate toward pedophiles because they cannot help that they were born with an attraction for kids.
•  Islamic terrorists bring much needed diversity to American culture. Do not try to win them to Christ, for Christians are dangerous threats to society.  We will not judge them for calling us "infidels".  A little more gun control will keep them from hurting us.

Conversely, God's word instructs against making fame, fortune or popularity our priority (Matthew 19:24). Instead we should seek to please God, not man, humbly putting others before ourselves out of love for Christ.

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3)

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) 

²² and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22)

We are repeatedly commanded to stand firm in the truth through all the persecutions that will come to those who align themselves with Christ. (John 7:7)

"Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27)

We are commanded to pursue God's wisdom, not the wisdom of this world which is foolishness in the eyes of God. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  (1 Corinthians 1:18)

As politicians, leaders, and teachers come and go or as cultural movements and philosophies take hold of society's heart, mind, and soul, in a nation which has forsaken God, we are like "sheep in the midst of wolves, so [we must] be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) We must steadfastly and rightly discern the truth from the lie, "examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things" being taught are true. (Acts 17:11)
 
The Bible warns of false teachers who will try to deceive God's people, leading them astray. This deception is the root cause of America's free fall.  But those of us who believe must continue to cling to God and His truth, so we will not be deceived. Wisdom and discernment come as we grow closer to God and fill our hearts and minds with His truth, allowing His spirit to teach and guide us, so we can easily discern which cultural ideas are contrary to God's nature and will for us.

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them. (Hosea 14:9)

On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. (Proverbs 10:13)

Conservative Christians are now minorities in America and cannot trust whatever they are told by the media, teachers, or government workers. We cannot expect any political candidate, government body, Supreme Court appointee, or piece of legislation to fix problems that are fundamentally spiritual in nature.  It's comforting to know that we are not alone in this war with the culture as there are plenty of mighty warriors for Christ, standing firm for the gospel here in America and around the world. Many I know personally are facing persecution with courage and conviction, proclaiming God's truth and watching the church grow as a result.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:14)

Narrow road in Jerusalem (photo by T. Rosenburg)

While it can feel discouraging to be so outnumbered (in the marketplace, at our places of business or in our schools, in our communities, at the ballot box, and in the government), we must remember that God has a perfect plan and a purpose in every number found in Scripture and in our contemporary lives.  I could write volumes describing all the ways God reveals his beauty, power, and majesty through numbers, but for simplicity, I'll give a few basic examples from Scripture. Jesus primarily poured his three years of full-time ministry into only twelve disciples with some teaching time devoted to a few hospitable women and other acquaintances. He certainly spoke to larger crowds and performed several miracles involving feeding thousands at a time from a few loaves and fishes, but He focused his attention primarily on only twelve disciples , one of whom he knew would be betray him, and another who would deny him three times. Peter may have denied Him at Christ's point of greatest need, yet he was the primary founder of the first Christian church. He chose to spend time sharing truth with one immoral Samaritan woman who brought many Samaritans to Him.  It only takes a few faithful followers, committed to the great commission, to ignite a movement to take the gospel to the entire world.

God purposefully reduced Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 before allowing them to confront the Midianites and the Amalekites whose armies were as "numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore" to demonstrate His power and glory and to teach His people to trust Him. (Reference Judges 7)  Similarly, when we feel outnumbered as Christ followers, we must remember that God is using our small numbers to display His power and His glory and increase our faith in Him.

“The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’" (Judges 7:2)

In Genesis 18, we learn of the terrible wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, which may not be all that different from what takes place in certain cities in America.  God said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave." (Genesis 18:20)  God wanted to destroy these cities, but Abraham interceded for Lot and his family, and God agreed to spare the city if only ten righteous men could be found there.  Ten could not be found there, but ten are present here.  How great is God's mercy.  He will let any of those who know him perish.

²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  (John 10:27-29)

We can have hope whatever the storm because we know that all who trust Christ as Savior and Lord are safe and secure in Him. We know He has won the war, and we need only wait for his return. We are victorious in Christ.  The weaker we feel on this earth as a nation or as individuals, the more His power is manifest in us. (2 Corinthians 12:9) When human powers fail, people more readily turn to the only One who can save us.  The more hopeless the situation may seem, the more opportunity there is for His glory to blaze through the darkness.  May we never forget that we were created not so that life can go the way we think it should, but for the purpose of glorifying God.  The more we taste His goodness and glory, the less we hold on to the things of this life and the more we experience true rest, soul satisfaction, and abundant joy in Him. 

Be discerning, rightly judging right from wrong. Exhort one another without fear of what they may think of you but with sincere love for them and for God.  Shine the light of truth and love into the darkness so more may come to know Him. Do not be discouraged God's power in us is greater than any power in this world.

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Ted Cruz put love of country before himself at the the RNC

Ted Cruz is taking a lot of heat, as he knew he would, given his no win situation. If he refused to speak at the convention, he would be viewed as a sore loser who betrayed his party. If he spoke, he would be pressured to cave to his convictions, like so many weak RINOs (Recall Trump's history of supporting Democrats and progressive liberal causes, so many view him as Chief RINO) in the party seem to do on a daily basis. If he did not endorse Trump, he knew he would face boos and backlash and possibly the end of his political career.

Ted Cruz

Those who actually listened to his speech instead of just waiting for the endorsement, heard one of the best speeches of his career, unifying his party around their common principles, emphasizing the need to preserve the Constitution and the freedoms it protects. Many of his words carried several layers of meaning for those listening well enough to receive their richness. He showed true sorrow over the brokenness, hatred, injustice, and senseless loss of lives in our nation. He congratulated Trump on his nomination. He re-iterated much of Trump's message, and he called the party together. While he did not directly endorse Trump in the end, he came as close to an endorsement as he could without violating his personal convictions and avoiding the long term implications public endorsements tend to have on people. His speech emphasized the freedoms we have as Americans to speak and live according to our own beliefs and convictions. He could not have honestly made that statement while being bullied into violating his own convictions. To betray Trump and his party would be to endorse their opponents or to say don't vote for him or don't vote period. He did none of these things. His message was loud and clear that those destructive ideologies of the left must be defeated up and down the ballot. No more Obama style madness was his plea though stated far more eloquently.

It is poor judgment to accuse him of being a sore loser who only loves himself. He spoke as a true patriot who loves his country, American liberty, and the US Constitution more than himself. If he had been motivated by self interest, he would have kissed up like all the others do. We need someone like him on the Supreme Court or as Attorney General some day, so I truly hope his political career is not ruined, but he took that risk to say what our country most needed to hear and to walk out with integrity as one of the few to ever enter Washington DC with one set of principles and leave having never wavered on those principles. He is not just a strong leader; he has conviction. Too bad Comey wasn't more like him when he had his chance to indict Hillary on one of the many felonies she has committed.

I guess I could also bring up all the cruel things Trump said and did to malign Cruz's wife and father, but he explains that point far better than I could in this video.  Family always comes before politics. He also explains why he did not keep his promise to support the Republican nominee in this video, and he certainly has a case.

To those blaming Cruz if Trump doesn't win, first, you should be blaming crooked Hillary who bought her election to the Senate with taxpayer money and Bill's power, and will surely win this election as well through corruption and deceit. Secondly, if anyone hurt Trump's image at the convention last night, it was those who showed their lack of character or respect for others by booing Cruz off the stage and making threats on Heidi's life to the point that she had to be escorted out by security officers to protect her.

And to those who are angry at him for not keeping his pledge to support the Republican nominee, have you forgotten that Trump took back his pledge back in March? Trump's went back on his word, not as a matter of principle or at the risk of political ruin, but because he isn't in the election to represent Republicans ideals anyway, and he certainly is no conservative. Cruz took back his pledge because Trump publicly maligned his wife and his father and because Trump does not represent his values at all.  Had Trump done that to him before the pledge, he would have never made such a promise. Family is more important than politics.

Despite Trump's extremely low blows on Cruz's family, Cruz responded in the most respectful manner possible without dishonoring his family or his conscience. I'm appalled at the way his party is treating him, and I am utterly ashamed of what our country has become. There should be no question in anyone's mind that Trump is the lesser of evils when compared to Hillary, but do we really have to attack the one man who held onto America's core values and Constitutional convictions in the face of so much pressure to compromise?

Based on what I've seen in our nation lately, I fear Cruz may have misspoken when he said, "Vote your conscience", however, not so much because it was taken as a stab at Trump, but because it may be inaccurate to assume Americans even have a conscience anymore. When truth, justice, integrity, morality, honor, loyalty, and respect are no longer qualities voters consider when casting their votes, personal moral convictions and the national conscience are dead.

Pray for America!

Replacing the "What Ifs" with "Even Ifs"

Those of us who care about someone deeply or pay any attention at all to current events have probably pondered some terrifying "what if" scenarios at some point in our lives.  I know I have!

What if the stock market crashes....again, but worse?  What if my spouse (or child) cannot find a job?  What if that lump I feel turns out to be cancer?  What if I lose a loved one in the next terror attack? What if the utter contempt for the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law by government elites leads us into full blown martial law?  What if my child wrecks his car while playing Pokemon-Go even though I've told him 1000 times to put the phone in the glove box when driving?  "What if" questions run through our minds like a hamster on a hamster wheel, spinning and spinning, faster and faster, robbing us of joy and peace.

^"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

Some scenarios we run through our minds are illogical and ridiculous, while others are legitimate concerns over circumstances we feel powerless to change. Talking out our fears with a wise Christian friend or counselor can certainly help weed out the irrational fears that could never happen in real life, but what do we do about the legitimate concerns we can't change?  The answer is so simple it has become an overused cliché, "Let go and let God."  But trusting God doesn't always come so easily.  When God doesn't give us a clear idea of how or when He's going to work everything out for good, or when He feels distant and nothing makes sense, how do we trust Him?  How can we say like Job did, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him"? (Job 13:15)

We learn to trust Him the same way we learn to trust our family members, friends, and significant others, by getting to Him on a close, personal level.  We get to know Him by spending time with Him, by watching Him work in, through, and around us, by talking to Him through prayer, by listening to Him by studying His word and waiting for Him to speak into our hearts, by recounting His faithfulness to all generations, by claiming His promises, and by recording prayer requests and His answers to those prayers in a journal as reminder of his faithfulness to us personally.  As we draw near to Him, we learn to apply the faith that led us to our moment of salvation, and that faith grows as we trust Him more. We can trust Him more than anyone else, for He is the only one who will never ever let us down.  Before the Red Sea parted, Moses had to step into it with faith. Conquering our fears requires taking that first step with what measure of faith we have, taking note of what God does next, and then taking the next step.

"casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

He calls us children, so He is our Abba (Daddy).  Just as our own children trust us with a simple, innocent faith, so we should trust Him with the innocence of a well loved child who never doubts his/her parents' love, provision, or goodness.  The more we grow in relationship with Him, the more our faith increases, and the easier it becomes to dismiss our fears by replacing all our "what ifs" with "even ifs".

Instead of asking, "What if they try to kill us?", say in faith, "Even if 'I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff; they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.' " (Psalm 23:4-5) 

Instead of asking, "What if my husband dies prematurely, leaving me to financially support and raise our children all by myself?", say in faith,  "Even if he gets to Heaven before I do, 'Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.' " (Psalm 68:5)

Instead of asking, "What if they hurt me?", say in faith,  "Even if they try to hurt me, 'The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?' " (Psalm 118:6, see also Psalm 56:11 and Hebrews 13:6)

Instead of asking, "What if this turn of events ushers in World War III?", say in faith, "Even if 'the earth gives way, the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, [even if] its waters roar and foam, [and even if] the mountains tremble at its swelling, God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." (Psalm 46:1-3, verse order rearranged)

Instead of asking, "What if religious persecution here becomes as intense as it is in more dangerous parts of the world", say in faith, "Even if we 'should suffer for righteousness' sake, [we] will be blessed. [We must] have no fear of them, nor be troubled.'" (1 Peter 3:14)  Besides, whenever the church has been crushed like grapes in the past through terrible persecution, the church only grew larger and stronger, like grapes being crashed into sweet wine.

Instead of asking, "What if the stock market crashes or (we/he/she) cannot find gainful employment?", declare in faith, "Even if we lose our wealth and our streams of income, our 'God will supply every need...according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus.' " (Philippians 4:19)

Instead of asking, "What if the lump is a malignant tumor?", say in faith, "Even if I must battle cancer, His 'grace is sufficient...[and His] power is made perfect in weakness.' " (2 Corinthians 12:9)

These are only a few examples, but the Prince of Peace wants to remove ALL our fears and "what ifs". We should examine God's word for the truth that counters whatever negative scenario torments us and claim His promises. Unlike our irrational fears which never come to fruition and unlike our more legitimate concerns which are still highly unlikely, Christ ALWAYS keeps His promises. Our imagined worst-case scenarios are not rooted in reality or in anything of substance.  

When we pray, asking God for help, we "must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. They are like waves that toss us to and fro" (James 1:6). When we anchor our thoughts in God's absolute truth, however, no storm can move us.  Just as Jesus calmed the raging sea with His word, He is here with us now, whispering, "Quiet, be still."  Can you hear His still soft voice?

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ( Mark 4:39)

For the spiritually skeptical, secular psychologists offer a similar recommendation to their anxiety patients called retraining the brain.   

"You can train your brain to learn effective ways of dealing with situations that arise again and again, such as financial worries or fears of failure...  

There is a window of opportunity that lasts about a minute, during which you can sever the tentacle of a toxic worry before it grips you totally. Your brain has not yet gone into spasm. That is the time to defuse worry...

Talk to yourself in a useful way...One positive thought at a time can gradually shift the balance of your thinking from negative to positive. "  Edward H. Hollowell, Psychology Today

See also Philippians 4:8, which was written long before any  psychology paper or textbook referenced by contemporary psychology scholars.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  (Philippians 4:8)

For some, medications may be needed temporarily to reset the brain, for anxiety is a clinical diagnosis not to be taken lightly. The struggle is real and should be addressed from all angles, but nothing can soothe the soul and calm the spirit in a lasting way quite like the absolute truths from our perfectly loving, all powerful, living Lord.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

Finding hope in the midst of turmoil: Will violence expose the lies and illuminate the Truth?

Terrorist attacks are at an all time high in the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Africa.  As I write this post, a military coup in Turkey is overthrowing a Muslim extremist President who is exceeding his limits of power, welcoming terrorists, and persecuting anyone who dare speak against him, past or present.

Screen grab from CNNTURK_ENG

The United States now has it's own home-grown terrorist organization whose hatred and violence have been fueled by our President and his administration, media propaganda, a corrupt welfare system, pockets of racism, the entitlement mindset, and a systematic catering to feelings instead encouraging critical thinking, reason, morality, and wisdom.  Now we have a civil war erupting between the Black Lives Matter Movement and our brave, heroic, underpaid, overworked, unappreciated police officers.  We know violence accomplishes nothing but destruction, yet it continues to increase, as if know one remembers the infamous words of our great leaders.

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral,
begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.
Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.
Through violence you may murder the liar,but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.
Through violence you may murder the hater,
but you do not murder hate.
In fact, violence merely increases hate.
So it goes.
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness:
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
(Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

So what good could possibly come from all the violence and turmoil escalating across the globe?  No human mind can possibly understand all the ways God could possibly work evil, hatred, and tragedy for His glory and our good, but my prayer recently has been that all this turmoil will serve as a wake-up call to draw more people to saving faith in Christ Jesus.

 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. (Mark 13: 7-8)

As hatred, violence, murders, and turmoil escalate around the globe, may the glaring CONTRAST between good and evil, love and hate, and truth vs. deception expose the true nature of each ideology/belief system and lead every lost and hurting soul to the one true Lord, Prince of Peace, Source of Love and Life (1 John 4:16), Savior, Redeemer, and King.  How will people recognize the one true God who is worthy of all our praise in the midst of so many other faith systems which seem to advocate all this hatred and violence?

The one true God embodies love, not hate.

"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:8)

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

The one true God gives truth that sets men free, while the enemy of our souls is a LIAR who uses deception to ensnare and destroy. (Psalm 119:61, Proverbs 5:22, 12:13)

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'" (John 8:31-32)

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

The one true God conquered death through the ultimate sacrifice to give us life, both abundant life on love on earth and life with Him for all eternity. God's enemy is a murderer who seeks to kill, steal and destroy.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

The one true God removes our fears and gives us peace. False gods stir up discord, anxiety, discontent, rate, bitterness, and violence.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

"25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator...
28Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and hatred. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. 31They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless." (Romans 1: 25-31)