January 8 2018 – Click here to listen
I go through a ritual in the mornings, whereby the first thing I do, after prayer, is read the news. This process used to take an hour and a half, because I review several newspapers and news websites viewing both liberal and conservative viewpoints in an effort to obtain some truth and understanding of what is going on in the world daily.
Today it took about ten minutes. Why? Because the news is not what is being presented. The right and left are presenting opposite levels of hate mongering propaganda. There is no substance and I categorize it as nonsensical drivel and useless garbage.
Our culture seems to thrive on gossip. Harvey Weinstein and Hollywood. Ugh! Scientologists, sex, and sleaze are the news of the day, not the protests in Iran, the threat of war with North Korea, or our booming economy.
Now enters New York liberal Michael Wolff, who has released a gossip laced book, Fire and Fury, in which he portrays Trump as being mentally unstable. He has claimed that this book “will finally end his presidency.”
Now that’s a chilling thought! Especially when he has admitted that he is loose with the truth and cannot substantiate that the claims made in the book were actually true. In fact, he has been denounced even by former Obama administration officials and others as being a congenital liar. But truth doesn’t matter to the liberal media when the goal is to attack and discredit this President.
By most accounts Trump has accomplished more in one year than Bush and Obama did in their entire presidencies. Unemployment is down, the stock market is record high, consumer confidence is at an all-time high, our decimated defense is on the mend, regulations have been cut, good judges are being appointed, food stamp recipients have been vastly lowered, more blacks employed, reduced tax bill passed, ISIS destroyed; the list is quite impressive to all but the most partisan. It is obvious that self-made billionaire Trump is brilliant.
And yet the media, socialists, liberals, deep state, establishment politicians, Hollywood elite, and the former ruling elite make it sound like the sky is falling.
Don’t think for a minute that these people don’t hate God and God-fearing people too. Actually, Trump has been steadily reducing the persecution of Christians in several areas too. That is one reason even some of the most pious among us, who abhor his crude abrasive style, support him.
All of this reminds me of a verse Psalm 2:1 – Why do the heathens rage and the peoples plot in vain? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one.
Matthew Henry wrote about this in his commentary. I’ve edited it down a little due to space limitations:
Here we are told who would appear as adversaries to Christ. As this world is the kingdom of Satan, unconverted men, of every rank, party, and character, are stirred up by him to oppose the cause of God. But the rulers of the earth generally have been most active.
The truths of Christianity are against ambitious projects and worldly lusts. We are told their goals in this passage. They would break asunder the bands of conscience, and the cords of God’s commandments; they will not receive, but cast them away as far as they can.
These enemies can show no good cause for opposing so just and holy a government, which, if received by all, would bring a heaven upon earth. They can hope for no success in so opposing so powerful a kingdom. The Lord Jesus has all power both in heaven and in earth, and is Head over all things to the church, notwithstanding the restless endeavors of his enemies. Christ’s throne is set up in his church, that is, in the hearts of all believers.
I’ve said many times I believe that God installed Trump as President because He knew that he could get this country headed in the right direction. Lesser men would have wilted like a daisy in the hot sun when subjected to the unprecedented attacks on him and his family. He is tough and seemingly oblivious to relentless negative attacks and is the right man for the job just like the pagan Cyrus was the right man to restore Israel.
Whatever! I say let the heathen rage.
One time my wife and I decided it would be cool to take a train from Calgary Alberta to Victoria in British Columbia. Parts of it were spectacular, but then we would go through nasty freight yards and some of the slummiest areas one could imagine. Finally, we arrived in Victoria which is absolutely stunning in its beauty and splendor.
I imagine that trip as being akin to believers in Christ riding a long train that is running its course through life. Parts of the journey are beautiful, but indeed parts are ugly and slummy.
As we wind through this life, we must strive to remember that God is in complete control, and our ultimate destination is worth the ride, He is the conductor and His love train’s final destination is filled with beauty and splendor that cannot be described with mere words and will last forever.
The key verse above is: Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
Hmmm . . . That’s their problem, I’m going to get my mind right and enjoy a little of God’s kingdom right here on earth. In order to do that I have to put the ugly parts of life out of mind and focus on the beautiful. If we look for it we will find it.
As soon as this weather breaks I’m heading out to that blue ocean where I will do battle with a few sailfish. It’s one beautiful part of God’s train of life.
All aboard!
Phil. 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.