Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Newspapers? Cable News? nah, my hope is in the "GOOD NEWS"

 Where's your hope?



 
Matthew 5:18 ESV  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 

The LORD will reign forever...Praise the LORD!  Psalm 146:10(ESV) 

(Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Napoleon, Stalin, Mussolini, Herod, Hitler, etc. did not reign forever, and Barak Hussein Obama will not either.)

Psalm 145:13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Psalm 146:5  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Psalm 146:6  who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever


I was going to post this comment on FB but it got too long, so I changed it to a blog post to spare those that don't want to read a long entry on FB.  Sharing my thoughts this morning, the first off day I've had in a while.

I've not been blogging much over the last year or so, because a lot of things have changed in our lives lately. I've changed jobs and and am now working more hours, and am more physically tired and mentally strained at the end of the day as a result.  Kim has taken on a full-time high school teaching position after many years of being a home-maker, and her workload has increased tremendously.  The kids are busier than ever.  We're actively involved in ministries at our Church.  Because of our limited free-time, some things had to give, and I now spend much much less time in Newspapers and watching Cable News, but I decided decades ago that I would not neglect the daily reading of  the Good News, God's Holy Word.  

My wife and I began our Facebook accounts a few years back when our kids wanted to get them, so we could monitor their activity.  As a result, we both reconnected with friends and family that live far off that we had lost touch with, and have really enjoyed checking in on FB fairly regularly to see what's going on with everyone. 

Here lately, I've been getting on FB less and less due to my busy schedule.  I realize many readers of this blog are international, but here in America, through this last election, I read daily posts that I agreed with, but it seemed to me like people were putting all their hope in the Republican party and Mitt Romney, whom I had/have real problems with (but yes, I had/have even more problems with Barak Hussein Obama-the most ungodly leader this country has ever seen).  It grieved my heart that these were our two choices, and still believe its the "Judgment Hand of God" on our Nation.  I believed Romney was the "better of two evils" mainly because he appeared to be able to work with Christians on some common grounds that reflect Biblical and moral values such as protecting the unborn babies from abortion, marriage being only between a man and woman, and other such issues which I ALWAYS look at when considering a candidate.

But now, after the fact, I question whether I should have even voted for a Mormon, who believes and devotes his life to another gospel, which is no gospel at all, and another god and another jesus (no caps because they're not the God and Jesus we know).  I prayed, made my decision, held my nose, and voted.  He lost, I felt better for exercising my right to vote, which I've always done since I was old enough to vote, knowing the sacrifice our military men and women have made through the years for our "right to vote".

However, I had this issue resolved in my mind back during the Bill Clinton era, when I was studying through the Book of Daniel in the 1990's.  God is Sovereign, and He is in control of every little detail in His Universe.  Even the placement of evil rulers over His people.  I (we) should pray and vote, but we have to trust in Him, no matter the results. Daniel was a child of God, an Israelite, who had been taken as a prisoner/slave into a foreign country by a foreign tyrant.  But he continued to serve God, pray toward Jerusalem three times and day, and not compromise his faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  These are his words, while living as an exile in a foreign land under a pagan idolatrous king, Nebuchadnezzar.


Daniel 2:21  He (the LORD) changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings

Daniel 4:17  ...the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.

So sometimes God's people are put under ungodly rulers for God's own purposes, which sometimes include His judgment, and purification of His people.

Now, after the election in America is over, much on Facebook is all about gun control, and I have many guns, and will vote accordingly, and am concerned as well about Obama's agenda(s).  But I realize there are greater forces at play here than just us.  There's a spiritual warfare going on, and this country has turned its back on God.  God is turning us over as a nation to suffer the consequences of our own ungodly actions. 

Now for my point...My Hope is in the Tri-une God of Scripture- God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His Gospel, not in man, and not in "increasing awareness" of social/secular issues by multiple daily postings of the latest secular news articles that do nothing for the soul, but only increase stress from an already stressful day. 

Wow, I feel like I'm just getting started with relaying the thoughts going through my mind this morning, and have much to do today, and am now remembering why I haven't blogged in a while.  I can't seem to stop once I get started-lol.  But even now, as I began in prayer and reading the Scriptures before daylight this morning, then took a few minutes to browse through Facebook to "catch up", and got side-tracked with this post, I am being drawn back into His Word, then only "everlasting Good News".

Psalm 138:2(ESV)  I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your Word.
Psalm 138:3  On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.


Something I thought of the other day while studying the Old testament, by the way, is how Jesus said "destroy this temple and I will build it again in 3 days", referring to His body.  So, I believe this passage to us today as New Testament Christians, is saying "I bow down to You, my precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"

F.Y.I., the following is how my Facebook post started this morning, until I decided it was too long, and changed it to a blog post.
Are the latest stories from newspapers and news channels keeping you down? Sure seems like it for many FB friends out there.  I agree with what most of you are saying and posting about Obama, gun control, losing our liberties, rights, etc., and I'm as much a Christian, conservative, gun owner, etc., as most of you, and I have voted, vote, and will continue voting for candidates and bills, laws, etc. that reflect Christian/Godly/Biblical and yes, U.S.Constitutional principals accordingly, but man, how depressing to read all this stuff everytime I get on FB.  I recommend getting your heads out of the newspapers and on-line news so much, turn off the TV sometimes, and spend more time reading the everlasting Good News!  Just sayin!  Feel free to delete me if this offends you.

I'm not going to find a good stopping point this morning, but time to go.  In summary, do you want to be blessed with the Good News?  Or do you want to be discouraged with all the secular bad news?
Psalm 146:5  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God