Matthew 24:6-13, 25
– “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come…See I have told you ahead of time.”But this is not a flesh on flesh battle we are fighting; this is a spiritual battle: See blog Post: This is a Spiritual Battle! Why are we so surprised? History is repeating itself; humans are not very original creatures when it comes down to behavior patterns, unless we began to take on the characteristics of Christ. For if we take on the image of the Son, we take on the image of our Father, our Creator. Thus, let us not be discouraged or distracted.
“These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths. They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil. Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.” –(Proverbs 2:13-15)
(New Living Translation Version) Proverbs 3
1: “My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart.”
5-8- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His Will in all that you do, and He will show you which path to take. Do not be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear (See Blog Post: Fear God Only) the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”
11,12- “My child, Do not reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as the father corrects a child in whom he delights.”
19-26″By wisdom the Lord founded the earth, by understanding He created the heavens. By his knowledge the deep foundations of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky. My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They will keep you safe on your way and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.”
29-35: “Do not plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you. Do not pick a fight without reason, when no one has done you harm. Don’t envy violet people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but He offers his friendship to the godly. The Lord curses the house of the wicked, and He blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!”
Proverbs 4
10-27:”My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. For evil people can’t sleep until they have done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they have caused someone to stumble. They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Do not lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Do not get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
Other amazing Scriptures (New International Version) of current crisis relevancy (There are so many I could have referenced!) can be found by clicking the button below. If you are wondering why I am using two different versions, it is because I have two versions. If you want to know what a Scripture says in either one of the versions that is not listed, just let me know. I guarantee you the messages are the same.
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What we are seeing is nothing new. This is history repeating itself, and more importantly, biblical history. God has given individuals over to a “reprobate” mind, meaning He is allowing us to do as we please, full free-will. God is not held accountable for anything that goes on here. Choice and Obedience has always played a huge role in history, including Biblical History. We have the choice to do as we please or obey God’s commandments; this has not changed. So just as the Jews (God’s Chosen) turned their back on God for their own evil and selfish desires, just as Cain murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy, and even back to what started it all: Eve being tricked to eat from the tree of good and evil (which was in the garden anyway to preserve the idea of free-will and choice) and then shared it with Adam (who was given the instruction not to eat from the tree). Obedience and Choice. Are you really surprised about the chaos and injustice? Truly, we are living in the last days.
But, we can still have peace, hope, and love even in the chaos. We have have to focus on what’s important here: God and God’s Word. This is what will keep us together and at peace.